Of course the content you choose to restrict is up to you, but we put together some tips to help you ensure the content you decide to block from specific apps or services is done effectively.

1. Apple iOS Parental Controls

Apple鈥檚 Screen Time tool allows you to restrict adult content, prevent unauthorized purchases, and even set time limits for the device or specific apps. Considering 87% of teens use iPhones or iPads, this may be the primary tool you need.

To help prevent your kids from overriding your chosen parental controls, make sure they aren鈥檛 signing in with their own Apple ID, and keep the PIN you use to lock down the device private.

2. Parental Controls On Your Wi-Fi Router

If your kids are outsmarting your parental controls on their devices, you may want to think about choosing an internet router that allows you to secure the entire network. Most routers do have some level of parental controls, but others offer robust and effective systems that allow you to filter content, specify specific websites that you want to blacklist (or whitelist), monitor and control devices connected to the network, and so on.

To keep your system set up secure, make sure to change the default password and keep it private. Keep in mind that using the hotspot feature on a device could help your kids completely bypass the router, so don鈥檛 ignore device level controls either.

3. Controlling Device Access

Of course controlling access to devices is another method of parental control, however all or nothing. As tedious as it can be to navigate parental control options (and the potential work arounds), the simple solution of deciding when your child can have their devices or not plays an important role as well.

Regardless of which methods you choose to implement, and what content or apps you limit or allow, it鈥檚 ultimately about raising your kids to respect the boundaries you set. For that these guidelines are meant to be a helpful tool. Happy parenting!

The post Are Your Kids Outsmarting Your Parental Controls? appeared first on 乐播传媒..

What exactly does a Wi-Fi router do?

Your modem is what connects you to the internet to send and receive data, a Wi-Fi router allows you to connect your devices to the modem wirelessly. You can think of the Wi-Fi router like an antenna for the modem. Can you imagine if you had to connect each individual smart device, from your printer to your refrigerator, directly to the modem with a wire? Wi-Fi allows you to create a wireless home network that connects all your devices seamlessly.

How much should a good router cost?

Depending on factors like how many people are in your home connecting to the internet and how many smart devices need to be connected, most small to medium sized homes can make do with a router in the $100 range. If you have a larger home or business, you may need a router system that can offer consistent speeds in every room. Another consideration is how you鈥檙e using your Wi-Fi connection. If you work from home or have gamers using a lot of bandwidth, you may want to invest in a more specialized solution.

How do I set up a Wi-Fi router?

When 乐播传媒 technicians set up a new account, as part of the installation they will configure the router you have chosen to connect to the internet. We do not provide a router as part of the initial set-up, you have the choice to either rent a router from us (the 乐播传媒 Smart Router), or purchase one of your own.

乐播传媒 Smart Routers are available for all 乐播传媒 customers and have been developed with the goal of making our customers鈥� experience better, faster, stronger, and with an increased ability to control key issues for both home and business users. To learn more about our routers, how they work, rental costs, and more, just click here: 鈥溊植ゴ� Smart Routers.鈥�
If you鈥檇 like to research purchasing your own router, here are some basic guidelines:

• Consider the square footage of your home (including whether it鈥檚 single or two story). Check the range of the router, or ask a sales rep at the store/online, before you purchase to ensure it can reach the areas where you need internet access.
• Know your speed plan. Make sure that the router you select has the capacity to handle the service plan you select. For instance, if you choose 乐播传媒鈥檚 25 Mbps Supreme plan, a single bandwidth / basic router will not be able to handle the signal.
• The more bandwidth the better. Our Smart Routers are dual bandwidth and are suitable for almost all of our plans, but if you have multiple devices/users, more bandwidth will work to your advantage.
• When in doubt, talk to our customer support team. Our technicians will help you narrow down the right router for your home or business and streamline the buying process. Whether the router tests bad, is faulty or you鈥檙e a new customer looking to buy one, our tech support team is here and willing to help out.
• One common FAQ: The Linksys E-Series router is NOT compatible with our service, so cross that one off your list.

One thing you can depend on is that we will do everything we can to help you choose the right router and make sure your internet access and service plan is working properly for your unique needs. If you require assistance with connecting devices to your wireless signal, our techs will be happy to help. And if you have a business, farm, vineyard, large property or anything else that requires custom installation, give us a call or check here for more information: Custom Wifi Setups for Your Unique Business Needs.

The post What You Should Know About Choosing The Best Wi-fi Router For 乐播传媒 Internet Service appeared first on 乐播传媒..

Either way, we鈥檝e all rolled our eyes the moment that we realize we have no idea what our Wi-Fi password is or where to find it. Maybe your gut sank. Might have even shed a tear, anticipating the upcoming frustration. Been there. But there鈥檚 a better way, and we鈥檒l show you how.

First off, if your home internet router gives you the option to create a guest network, we recommend doing so. This will help keep your Wi-Fi network secure.

Sharing your Wi-Fi password on Apple devices

Not many people know this, but sharing your Wi-Fi password between two Apple devices is actually very simple. Just make sure your guest is in your Contacts, and you are listed in theirs. To share the password, have both you and your guest turn the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both devices.

Connect your device to the Wi-Fi network you want to share (your guest network if you set one up, or your home network). Have your guest select the same network and you鈥檒l automatically get a message on your device popping up and asking if you want to share your Wi-Fi password with them. Select 鈥淪hare Password鈥� and you鈥檙e good to go! Easy, right? Note- make sure the Personal Hotspot option on your device is not on for this method to work correctly.

Sharing your Wi-Fi password on Android devices

Android devices make sharing your Wi-Fi password pretty easy as well. You can generate a QR code to share the details of the Wi-Fi network you want to share (again, make sure you鈥檙e sharing your guest network if you have one set up).

First of all, connect your device to the Wi-Fi network you want to share. Go to Settings, then Network, and choose Internet (or Connections, depending on your device), and then Wi-Fi. Tap on the cog next to your Wi-Fi network, and then tap on the Share icon on the right. You should now see a QR code on your screen.

Tell your guest to scan the QR code onto their device, which will automatically connect them to the Wi-Fi network you shared. Voila!

Now that you鈥檙e ready to help your guests connect to your Wi-Fi, or got your new devices connected and running, check out our guides on how to make your Wi-Fi faster and how to secure it.

• Make your Wi-Fi faster
• Make your Wi-Fi secure

The post Simple and secure ways to share your Wi-Fi password with guests appeared first on 乐播传媒..

What is a PIN?

First, let鈥檚 discuss what is the difference between a password and a PIN. A PIN, short for Personal Identification Number, is a numerical code set up to allow you to authenticate your identity and allow access to secure accounts such as banking, credit cards, or cell phones. In this era where identity theft and computer fraud has become prevalent, many people make the mistake of creating overly complicated or random PINs when they first set up an account, causing headaches down the road when it鈥檚 time to access them later.

How to create a secure PIN

TIP #1: Don鈥檛 be obvious. When it comes to creating a secure PIN, the first tip is to avoid the obvious. Never use basic combinations such as 鈥�1234鈥� or 鈥�9876鈥� and also avoid using numbers such as your house address, birthdays, or anniversaries.

TIP #2: Use the word method. PINs are numbers, but it can make it much easier to remember yours if you associate it with a word. Look at your phone keypad, choose a 4-letter word, and see what number coordinates with that word. For instance, the word 鈥淪AFE鈥� would be 鈥�7233.鈥� If you use this method, it鈥檚 best to use a less common word that鈥檚 unlikely to be guessed by someone.

TIP #3: Dates will work too. If words don鈥檛 work for you, it鈥檚 ok to select a date as your PIN, just make sure it鈥檚 not easy to guess. Ideas include things like first date anniversaries, the day you adopted your pet, or a mishmash of your kid鈥檚 or parent鈥檚 birthdays.

TIP #4: Store it safely. If you really want to be safe, you can create a very random, extra-long PIN and store it securely. To keep track of it, you can use a secure tool to store and manage passwords, such as or . This is also helpful for keeping track of different PINs for different accounts. Just like with creating strong passwords, it鈥檚 never a good idea to use the same PIN for all of your accounts. (See 鈥�How to Create Strong Passwords鈥� for more tips.)

Protecting your personal information is important and having secure PINs you can remember is a big part of that. In this age where business and life are being conducted more and more online, it鈥檚 necessary to be as vigilant in your activities online as you would be in the real world. Good password and PIN behavior and diligence managing your accounts is the best thing you can do to protect yourself. If you suspect an account might have been hacked, please read this article for a checklist of what to do: 鈥�Tips to Avoid Identity Theft Online.鈥� And for any questions about your 乐播传媒 account security or help with passwords give us a call at (800) 982-7675 or 1 (888) 4-SOFTCOM, we鈥檙e here to help.

The post 4 Tips for Creating and Remembering a Secure PIN appeared first on 乐播传媒..

Most internet service providers will tell you they don鈥檛 sell your data, but what they don鈥檛 tell you is they still allow it to be transferred and monetized by other businesses. Any required disclosure of such practices is often hidden in fine print.

According to a recent FTC report, 鈥淢any of the ISPs also claim to offer consumers choices about how their data is used and allow them to access such data.鈥� They also stated that, 鈥渕any of these companies often make it difficult for consumers to exercise such choices and sometimes even nudge them to share even more information.鈥�

What does it matter?

Your internet service provider provides access to the internet, and therefore, all of the data that is transmitted. This is the entirety of your home network, more data than the big tech companies are on the hook for collecting and misusing.

Included in this data is information about any smart devices you own and their behavior on the internet of things like, the websites you browse, and all the sensitive personal information you share with the expectation of privacy over the internet. Yes, we鈥檙e talking about your internet history, the apps you use and how you use them, your mobile location data, and even the content of your emails and private messages, sensitive financial information, and health data.

That鈥檚 why 乐播传媒 does not release any of our customer data outside of the company. Your privacy matters, and we will protect it. Here at 乐播传媒, we can pledge to you that we do not share any data collected from our customers outside of our company for any reason and will never do so in the future.

The post Don’t Fall Prey to These Common Broadband Privacy Scams appeared first on 乐播传媒..

The moment when we go from thinking, 鈥�&*%# !鈥� to 鈥淲hen鈥檚 the last time I made a backup?鈥�

Why not take advantage of the lull in the holiday season and start fresh for the new year totally organized and secure? We鈥檒l help you with this simple strategy that ensures you鈥檒l never have to survive an unexpected digital life crisis ever again. It鈥檚 a backup strategy called the 3-2-1 method, and we put together this guide to help you get started now.

So, what exactly is the 3-2-1 backup method?

The idea is you鈥檒l have 3 copies of your data, 2 locally (one on the main device, one on a backup device), and 1 copy in a different location (on the cloud or a different physical location).

As an example, let鈥檚 say you stopped at Philly Boys with the family when you were driving through Galt, and posed with your foot longs for an epic family photo. Let鈥檚 use 鈥淧hillyBoys.jpeg鈥� as an example file you would back up using this system.聽 You have the photo on your phone, that鈥檚 one local device. If you have an iPhone, you might be using iCloud to back up to your computer at home automatically, there鈥檚 another local copy of your data. And thirdly, there鈥檚 a copy stored on iCloud, your off-site backup copy.

In fact, using a cloud service as both an off-site copy of your data in addition to a tool for keeping multiple devices updated with your data can make applying the 3-2-1 method automatic. Set it up now, thank yourself later. And forget about it in-between.

So why even bother with having 2 local copies of your data, if it鈥檚 backed up to the cloud anyway? Having your data updated on multiple devices you have immediate access to is the best way to make sure you have everything you need at all times.

This is a great start, but that off-site backup is an important part of the strategy, whether it鈥檚 the cloud or a physical device in a different location. If the two local devices are both affected by whatever disaster occurred, that third copy will be a lifesaver.

乐播传媒 offers speedy, stress-free streaming connectivity backed by next-gen technology, exceptional customer service, and a focus on making sure you enjoy reliable rural internet access no matter where you work or live. Check out our wide selection of High-Speed Internet solutions to keep your digital life organized and secure.

The post The Only Backup Strategy Guide You’ll Ever Need appeared first on 乐播传媒..

Recognizing online scams

Cybercriminals main goal with any type of online scam is to try to trick you into giving them personal information. This is done through a variety of methods including: email (phishing), phone calls or voicemail (vishing), texting (smishing), or money muling.

Spotting a potential scam begins with vigilance in recognizing red flags that might indicating the communications you鈥檙e receiving may not be truthful or legitimate. A quick red-flag list should include the following:

• A business or sender you don鈥檛 recognize
• Unfamiliar links or attachments asking you to click on something
• Misspelled words and poor grammar
• Scare tactics and urgent language
• Extreme or strange subject lines that don鈥檛 make sense
• Generic greetings. Scams are rarely addressed to you by name. Instead, they may start with a generic 鈥淗ello鈥� or 鈥淒ear Sir/Madam鈥�
• Job offers that claim you can earn a significant amount of money for minimal effort
• Asking for bank account information, credit cards numbers, or social security numbers

What is Money Muling

A type of online scam we haven鈥檛 addressed yet here on our blog is 鈥渕oney muling,鈥� something that is typically disguised as an online job opportunity. Emails, texts or voicemails promise a fast and easy way to earn money. You simply provide your bank account information and let money be transferred into your account. Then you move the money out of your account for a commission. This might sound easy, but in reality, this practice uses you and your bank account to move illegally obtained funds through the financial system. Anyone engaging in this activity acts as a 鈥渕oney mule.鈥� Criminals recruit money mules 鈥� unwitting or not 鈥� to help them transfer funds without detection by law enforcement to move money from account to account, eventually using it to fund more crime.

Resources for Online Safety & Security

Even though this month has been designated National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we feel that your security is an all-year-long issue that everyone should be aware of. It鈥檚 no longer enough to watch for suspicious emails and think that you鈥檙e too small a target to attract the attention of cybercriminals. As criminals get savvier and their efforts more targeted, everyone from individuals to large organizations need to be aware and vigilant in using positive and protective cybersecurity practices.

We鈥檙e always looking out for our customers and community, so we often share articles that not only give you knowledge to understand what鈥檚 going on out there, but information to take action to protect your home, family and business. Here are just a few, and if you would like to learn more, click on the 鈥淥nline Security鈥� link in the left column on the 乐播传媒 Blog.

• 6 Signs Your Phone Might Have Malware
• Safe Internet Tips for Online Security
• What Not to Post on Social Media to Protect Your Security
• How Encrypted DNS Servers Can Support Internet Browsing Privacy

In this age where hackers are a continual threat, it鈥檚 necessary to be as vigilant in your activities at home as you are at work or on the road. At 乐播传媒, we will never contact you and ask you for any sensitive or personal information. We鈥檒l only ask you for the personal information we need to verify your identity when you contact us.

If you suspect your home wireless network, or one of your devices or accounts has been compromised, please read 鈥�Tips To Avoid Identity Theft Online鈥� for a checklist of what to do. And for any questions about 乐播传媒 routers, 乐播传媒 wireless home networks, or account security give us a call at (800) 982-7675 or 1 (888) 4-SOFTCOM, we鈥檙e here to help.

The post The newest online scams appeared first on 乐播传媒..

What is mobile malware?

Besides creating annoying popups that make it hard to use your phone, mobile malware can do much worse, like access private information and use it against you. Common targets include:

• banking credentials
• device and app log in and password information
• personal phone numbers and emails
• contact lists

Once hackers have accessed this kind of information using malware, they can use it for everything from identity theft to draining your bank accounts to sending out malware threats to your entire contact list and infecting them too.

Signs of malware on your phone

If you notice these things happening, your phone might be affected:

• Ads start popping up constantly.
• You install a new app, then the icon disappears.
• The battery is draining much faster than usual.
• You see apps you don’t recognize on your phone.
• Your phone is sluggish and slow to respond.
• Your phone gets hot and it seems to be running all the time

What to do if you suspect malware on your phone

There are steps you can take to protect yourself from mobile malware.

Keep phone software and apps updated: Security experts consistently say that keeping the phone鈥檚 operating system and apps updated is one of the best things you can do to protect the device and your accounts. New updates, or patches, often contain code that fixes any vulnerabilities and keeps malware at bay.

Be careful about permissions: If you haven鈥檛 already, take a few minutes to review the permissions you鈥檝e granted to your apps. And be aware of what you agree to when you download new apps. For example, does a game ask you for permission to ready your SMS (text) messages? That鈥檚 unnecessary and could be a red flag that something is wrong. So before you click 鈥測es鈥� to everything, read through every step of what you agreeing to before clicking any boxes.

Remove suspicious apps: If there are apps on your phone you don鈥檛 remember downloading, or seems to be functioning oddly, try to remove them. Often that will take care of it. If they won鈥檛 delete because they require administrator privileges, try looking it up online to see what has worked for other people.

Install antivirus protection: Mobile antivirus apps can warn you about malware on your phone and offer customer service when you need to deal with something nasty. It can also scan your phone and alert you if something is already on it. Be aware that many common PC security services such as Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky, Avast and others also offer mobile antivirus service. You might already subscribe to this and not realize it. Look it up on your current service to check before investing in something new. Once you find one you want to use, be aware that these services do have heightened access to your phone in order to spot malicious behavior and warn you, so be sure to choose one you trust.

The post 6 signs your phone might have malware, and what to do appeared first on 乐播传媒..

In a between CyberNews Sr. Information Security Researcher Mantas Sasnauskas and researchers James Clee and Roni Carta, suspicious backdoors have been discovered in a Chinese-made Jetstream router, sold exclusively at Walmart as their new line of 鈥渁ffordable鈥� wifi routers. This backdoor would allow an attacker the ability to remotely control not only the routers, but also any devices connected to that network.

Besides the Walmart-exclusive Jetstream router, the cybersecurity research team also discovered that low-cost Wavlink routers, normally sold on Amazon or eBay, have similar backdoors.

What makes these routers vulnerable?

In normal situations, whenever an attacker wants to take over control of the router, they would need physical access to the device. According to the report, researchers found that the Wavlink and Jetstream devices have a file that allows for remote access to the router. The only thing that the attacker would need is for a user to be connected at the time.

When the people who published this report reached out to Walmart for followup, Walmart informed them that the router in question is currently out of stock and they do not have plans to replenish it. This still leaves the possibility that if you purchased in the past one of the routers discussed at Walmart, or on Ebay or Amazon, you might be at risk.

What to do if you think your router is compromised

If you purchased a router in the past from any of these outlets, unfortunately there isn鈥檛 much you can do about it. The devices, as they are right now, have these backdoors and they can鈥檛 be removed. The best thing to do is to stop using them and install a new router from a reputable company.

If you are shopping for a new router, check out the article 鈥�How to Choose the Best Router for 乐播传媒 Service鈥� for guidance and ideas. And if you have questions or concerns about your current router or account security give us a call at (800) 982-7675 or 1 (888) 4-SOFTCOM, we鈥檙e here to help.

The post How routers sold at Walmart, Amazon and Ebay might be leaving you vulnerable to hackers and fraud appeared first on 乐播传媒..

Since it looks like working from home will continue for quite some time, learning how to become your own tech support will go a long way toward keeping your stress level down and your productivity up. With that in mind, here are a few tips from IT pros and experienced WFH professionals that all remote workers should know.

#1: WiFi is really, really important

If you’re working online every day, you must have internet service you can rely on. There鈥檚 nothing more frustrating, or anti-productive, as the inability to connect and communicate with your coworkers, colleagues or clients. Secure and stable access to the internet is essential for most all businesses to keep running. Here are a few tips for making sure your internet is up to speed:

1. Check your router. This is one of the easiest ways to identify and improve internet access and speed. A quality router will improve your wireless performance tremendously, especially if you have multiple people working online from the same home.
2. Another good idea is to take a close look at how and when your internet is being shared. With kids attending school online from home and both parents online working too, all that internet use can result in lag time. It’s a good idea for everyone you live with to communicate when they have essential video meetings so you can try to avoid having more than one videoconference simultaneously in your home.

As we head into the winter months here in the Galt, River Delta and great Sacramento area, there are other concerns that might slow down your internet too 鈥� but don鈥檛 worry, many of these you can handle yourself. Click on the links below to access checklists and pro tips for common internet access issues:

• How Power Outages Affect Internet Access
• How Office Tech Fails 鈥� and How to Avoid Them
• What Internet Speed Do I Need?
• 6 Scary Things That Can Slow Your Internet Down
• Internet Not Working? Before You Call, Check This鈥�

#2 Set up your own basic IT support

When you went to the office every day, you probably never had to worry about hardware or computer issues. You may have even had a tech support team right there in your office, ready to help when needed. Obviously, that’s not the case at home. The following tips might seem like little things, but they make a huge difference in supporting a trouble-free working environment.

Surge protectors and cords: Buy surge protectors (not power strips) for your devices. Purchase all the cords you might need for connecting devices, label them and keep close by for quick access and usage.

Backup office supplies: Remember the office supply closet? Build up one of your own at home so you don鈥檛 have to steal stuff from the kids. Designate a drawer or shelf for things like extra batteries, charging cables and cords, printer supplies, tripods and light rings, paperclips, etc.

Power Supply: An extended power outage can cause a big disruption in your work. Having a backup power option is a fantastic tool for home offices and much more affordable in today鈥檚 market.

Headsets: Those earbuds that came with your phone are ok for simple calls, but if your work calls for lots of video conferences, consider investing in a noise-cancelling headset. Believe us, it makes a difference. There鈥檚 nothing that will get more laughs, or make you look more unprofessional, than hearing things like toilets flushing or dogs barking in the background.

Backups and Storage: Backing up your files in a cloud or online platform can save a lot of headaches in the event of a technical emergency. Alternatively, use an external desktop hard drive for all your backup needs. Here鈥檚 a great article for more information: How to Prepare for a Digital Disaster

#3 Maintain tech housekeeping

Just like you need to regularly clean the house, you should also keep up on your tech housekeeping chores. If it gets in the way of your regular work, make it a habit to take one hour on the weekend or evenings, once a week, to do things like check for software updates, restart your machines, uninstall unused programs, make sure your backup systems are running, and update antivirus protection.

#4: Practice security-mindedness

In many ways, you are in charge of your own security now. Check out these resources and articles we鈥檝e shared in the past for safe security practices you should be following:

• How to tell if you鈥檙e a victim of a phishing scam and what to do
• How to create strong passwords
• How to keep your family safe on the internet
• Signs you may have been hacked 鈥� and what to do next
• How to protect your home wireless networks
• How encrypted internet servers can support internet browsing privacy

#5: Know who to turn to for help

Everyone needs some help from time to time. Have a list you can easily access of who you can call for specific situations. Issues seem to happen at the worst times, and it will help if you can quickly find the contact information for the right tech service at a moment鈥檚 notice. That way, when problems do happen, you can take quick action for hopefully quick results.

#6: And finally鈥�

Save often. When nothing else works, reboot (turn power off, then back on). And call us for any internet access issues, router information, or home office setup advice at (800) 982-7675, option 1.

The post Technology tips for working from home long-term appeared first on 乐播传媒..