What are Torrents?

Torrents are specialized files utilized in peer-to-peer (P2P) network environments. P2P is a network of personal computers that communicate with one another by running proprietary P2P software. The first P2P software designed to utilize torrents was Bit Torrent by Bram Cohen. Other torrent clients have followed.

Torrents are distinguished by a unique transfer process. To compare how torrents download to standard files, let’s first consider how normal files download off the Internet.

At any given website a user might click on a file to transfer it to his or her computer. Upon clicking on the file, the website’s server starts sending the file to the visitor in discreet data packets. These packets travel various routes to reach the user’s computer and are reconstructed upon receipt to complete the file transfer.

While this works fine for smaller files, it is cumbersome to transfer larger files this way. If the server is busy, download time can be very slow. Communication between your server and the computer can even crash, causing corruption in the transfer, or at best, delays.

Unlike downloads off the Web, torrents do not point to a single source on a P2P network when requesting files. Instead, torrents contain specific information that multiple computers in the network can read to send various parts of the requested file simultaneously and en masse. Torrents keep active track of which parts of the file are needed to complete the request. By downloading bits of the file from dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of sources, large files can download very quickly.

Working with torrents is also unique for another reason. At the same time the user is downloading file parts, the computer is also uploading parts already received to others. This decreases download time because users do not have to wait for file sources to have completed torrents before receiving needed parts of a requested file.

Once requested torrents have downloaded in full, you become a seed for those files. A seed refers to someone that has the entire file available. It is considered rude to download torrents and disconnect, referred to as leeching. Instead, users are encouraged to participate by seeding the file for others so that a minimal 1:1 share ratio is maintained. A swarm refers to the entire group of people transferring a file at any given time.

To encourage sharing, software used for downloading torrents keeps track of the share ratio. The torrent client will automatically allocate more bandwidth for downloading at faster speeds when a user shares more than he or she downloads. This usually means leaving the computer running while doing other things, as upstream bandwidth is much slower for most of us than downstream bandwidth. While it might take 40 minutes to download a 250MB freeware suite, it can take several times longer to upload that same amount of data.

Torrents are archived in libraries that are searchable with a Web browser. One cannot download torrents without installing a torrent client first. There are many free torrent clients available, some of which are open source. Once a desired torrent is found, clicking on it will open the torrent client to begin the download process. The user may have to configure his or her firewall to allow the use of certain communication ports.

Many types of files are shared as torrents, including software, music and videos. While P2P sharing is not illegal, sharing copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder is illegal. The Recording Industry Artists of American (RIAA), and Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) have targeted some websites that cater to archiving illegal torrents.

What is Web Marketing?

Web marketing is the general term for marketing done on the Internet. It's basically a computer-based version of traditional marketing objectives that involve a product, price, packaging, promotion and place. Marketing is ultimately about propelling a product or service through the proper channels and marketing on the web uses the Internet as that channel. This covers a comprehensive range of business activities such as generating sales leads, selling products or services and supporting other business through affiliate marketing.

Affiliate marketing on the Internet works by driving traffic to affiliates' or partners' websites through links and advertising. The affiliate marketer receives rewards for helping to bring visitors to the website. The typical reward is a certain amount of income that varies depending on the company.

Just as traditional marketers work to gain the interest of their target market, web marketing works to attract target customers to marketer's websites. These sites may be company websites, web magazines or e-tail catalog sites. Publishing-based web marketing contains informational material with advertising much like print magazines. Corporate or business websites generate sales leads to add value to their marketing goals. E-tail or e-commerce websites market products or services directly to customers.

Internet or web marketing activities should support the business model of a company. For example, blogs and articles are ideal on corporate or business websites if they give expert advice that shows authority on a subject. To be specific, a potential client of an attorney may read a blog or article on the firm’s website, appreciate the advice and then contact the attorney.

An e-tail or e-commerce catalog type of website that sells products directly to consumers may feature a customer forum as part of its web marketing activities. Seeing positive comments from other customers that have purchased an item the web visitor is considering may help the visitor decide to go ahead and purchase the same item. Web marketing is much more than just information on a website. It should consist of well thought-out strategies that support the business model and attract potential customers.

How to Use Windows’ Advanced Search Features

You should never have to hunt down a lost file on modern versions of Windows — just perform a quick search. You don’t even have to wait for a cartoon dog to find your files, like on Windows XP.

The Windows search indexer is constantly running in the background to make quick local searches possible. This enables the kind of powerful search features you’d use on Google orBing — but for your local files.

Controlling the Indexer

By default, the Windows search indexer watches everything under your user folder — that’s C:\Users\NAME. It reads all these files, creating an index of their names, contents, and other metadata. Whenever they change, it notices and updates its index. The index allows you to quickly find a file based on the data in the index. For example, if you want to find files that contain the word “beluga,” you can perform a search for “beluga” and you’ll get a very quick response as Windows looks up the word in its search index. If Windows didn’t use an index, you’d have to sit and wait as Windows opened every file on your hard drive, looked to see if the file contained the word “beluga,” and moved on.

Most people shouldn’t have to modify this indexing behavior. However, if you store your important files in other folders — maybe you store your important data a separate partitionor drive, such as at D:\Data — you may want to add these folders to your index. You can also choose which types of files you want to index, force Windows to rebuild the index entirely, pause the indexing process so it won’t use any system resources, or move the index to another location to save space on your system drive.

To open the Indexing Options window, tap the Windows key on your keyboard, type “index”, and click the Indexing Options shortcut that appears. Use the Modify button to control the folders that Windows indexes or the Advanced button to control other options. To prevent Windows from indexing entirely, click the Modify button and uncheck all the included locations. You could also disable the search indexer entirely from the Programs and Features window.

Searching for Files

You can search for files right from your Start menu on Windows 7 or Start screen on Windows 8. Just tap the Windows key and perform a search. If you wanted to find files related to Windows, you could perform a search for “Windows.” Windows would show you files that are named Windows or contain the word Windows. From here, you can just click a file to open it. On Windows 7, files are mixed with other types of search results.

On Windows 8 or 8.1, you can choose to search only for files. If you want to perform a search without leaving the desktop in Windows 8.1, press Windows Key + S to open a search sidebar.

You can also initiate searches directly from Windows Explorer — that’s File Explorer on Windows 8. Just use the search box at the top-right of the window. Windows will search the location you’ve browsed to. For example, if you’re looking for a file related to Windows and know it’s somewhere in your Documents library, open the Documents library and search for Windows.

Using Advanced Search Operators

On Windows 7, you’ll notice that you can add “search filters” form the search box, allowing you to search by size, date modified, file type, authors, and other metadata.

On Windows 8, these options are available from the Search Tools tab on the ribbon. These filters allow you to narrow your search results.

We’ve looked at Windows’ advanced search operators before, so check out our in-depth guide for more information. The Advanced Query Syntax gives you access to options that aren’t available in the graphical interface.If you’re a geek, you can use Windows’ Advanced Query Syntax to perform advanced searches from anywhere, including the Start menu or Start screen. Want to search for “windows,” but only bring up documents that don’t mention Microsoft? Search for “windows -microsoft”. Want to search for all pictures of penguins on your computer, whether they’re PNGs, JPEGs, or any other type of picture file? Search for “penguin kind:picture”.

Creating Saved Searches

Windows allows you to take searches you’ve made and save them as a file. You can then quickly perform the search later by double-clicking the file. The file functions almost like a virtual folder that contains the files you specify.

For example, let’s say you wanted to create a saved search that shows you all the new files created in your indexed folders within the last week. You could perform a search for “datecreated:this week”, then click the Save search button on the toolbar or ribbon. You’d have a new virtual folder you could quickly check to see your recent files.

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One of the best things about Windows search is that it’s available entirely from the keyboard. Just press the Windows key, start typing the name of the file or program you want to open, and press Enter to quickly open it. Windows 8 made this much more obnoxious with its non-unified search, but unified search is finally returning with Windows 8.1.

How GPS Actually Works

We already live in the future. We have handheld devices that use satellites to pinpoint our precise locations almost anywhere on the planet. But have you ever wondered just how GPS works?

GPS devices don’t actually contact satellites and transmit information to them. They only receive data from satellites – data that’s being always-transmitted. However, GPS isn’t the only way devices can determine your location.

From Satellites to the Palm of Your Hand

The global positioning system was originally created by the United State for military use, but was eventually opened up to civilian use. At least 24 GPS satellites are always in orbit around the Earth, and they’re constantly broadcasting data.

The satellites are arranged in orbit such that four satellites are visible in the sky from any point on Earth. (You can’t actually see them, but there’s a direct path for the radio transmissions.) This means that GPS won’t work if the signals are being blocked – you will want a fairly direct path between you and the sky. In an underground bunker or in a cave under a mountain, it won’t work.

GPS satellites are constantly transmitting radio signals towards the Earth. Each transmission includes the location of the GPS satellite and the time the signal was sent. Each satellite has an atomic clock onboard, so the time is very precise.

How GPS Determines Your Location

A device with built-in GPS – whether it’s a dedicated in-car GPS navigation unit or a smartphone – only acts as a GPS receiver. A device with GPS isn’t actually “contacting” satellites to determine its location. Instead, it’s just listening for the radio signals that are being broadcast from these satellites all the time.

A GPS receiver “listens” for signals from four or more satellites. Signals from the closer satellites will arrive sooner, while signals from the farther satellites will arrive later. (The actual time difference is very small, but can be detected by the GPS receiver.) By comparing the time the signal was broadcast and the time the signal arrived, the receiver can estimate its relative distance from all four satellites. Using trilateration, the receiver can then determine its location.

Trilateration may sound a bit complicated, but it’s actually fairly simple. Imagine if someone told you you were 500 miles from New York, 800 miles from Miami, and 700 miles from Kansas City. With this information, you could determine a region that is the correct distance from all of these cities and estimate your current location. If we told you your distance from a fourth city, you could estimate your location even more precisely. That’s trilateration in a nutshell, and it’s what GPS receivers are doing whenever you use them.

Alternatives to GPS

GPS isn’t the only way devices can estimate your current location. The 911 service uses cell tower strength information to triangulate the position of mobile phones. This works in a similar way – by measuring the signal strength differences between multiple cell towers, your device can estimate your current location.

Some devices can also use a Wi-Fi based positioning system (WPS) to determine their current location. Google’s street view trucks drive around, capturing the names of nearby access points and their relative strengths at certain locations. Your smartphone scans for nearby wireless networks, then sends a list of their names and signal strengths to Google’s servers. Google uses their database and estimates where you are. (Google isn’t the only provider of Wi-Fi-based positioning system data, but it’s the one most people will be familiar with.) This can be particularly convenient in indoor locations GPS signals can’t reach.

The GPS system isn’t the only network of satellites that can be used for positioning, either. Russia has its own GLONASS system and China has BDS. Europe is also working on its own alternative to GPS, known as Galileo. GPS could be shut down or restricted in times of war or conflict, so nations want their own satellites to be self-sufficient.

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GPS on its own isn’t a privacy concern – for example, if you have an old GPS unit for your car, it likely isn’t capable of transmitting your location. However, GPS can be a privacy concern when combined with transmitting technology. GPS tracking devices don’t just use GPS receivers – they store the GPS data for later retrieval or transmit the GPS data.

How to Omit the Page Number From the First Page of a Word 2013 Document Without Using Sections

Normally, the first page, or cover page, of a document does not have a page number or other header or footer text. You can avoid putting a page number on the first page using sections, but there is an easier way to do this.

If you don’t plan to use sections in any other part of your document, you may want to avoid using them completely. We will show you how to easily take the page number off the cover page and start the page numbering at one on the second page of your document by simply using a footer (or a header) and changing one setting.

Click the Page Layout tab.

In the Page Setup section of the Page Layout tab, click the Page Setup dialog box launcher icon in the lower, right corner of the section.

On the Page Setup dialog box, click the Layout tab and select the Different first page check box in the Headers and footers section so there is a check mark in the box. Click OK.

You’ll notice there is no page number on the first page of your document now.

However, you might want the second page to be page one of your document, only to find it is currently page two.

To change the page number on the second page to one, click the Insert tab.

In the Header & Footer section of the Insert tab, click Page Number and select Format Page Numbers from the drop-down menu.

On the Page Number Format dialog box, select Start at in the Page numbering section. Enter 0 in the edit box and click OK.

This allows the second page of your document to be labeled as page one.

You can use the drop-down menu on the Format Page Numbers button in the Header & Footer section of the Insert tab to add page numbers to your document as well. Easily insert formatted page numbers at the top or bottom of the page or in the page margins. Use the same menu to remove page numbers from your document.

How to Ensure Your Router, Cameras, Printers, and Other Devices Aren’t Accessible on the Internet

Some people’s networked printers, cameras, routers, and other hardware devices are accessible from the Internet. There are even search engines designed to search such exposed devices. If your devices are secure, you won’t have to worry about this.

Follow this guide to ensure your networked devices are properly isolated from the Internet. If you configure everything properly, people won’t be able to find your devices by performing a search on Shodan.

Secure Your Router

On a typical home network — assuming you don’t have any other devices plugged directly into your modem — your router should be the only device that’s connected directly to the Internet. Assuming your router is correctly configured, it will be the only device that’s accessible from the Internet. All other devices are connected to your router or its Wi-Fi network and are only accessible if the router allows them to be.

First things first: Ensure your router itself is secure. Many routers have “remote administration” or “remote management” features that allow you to log into your router from the Internet and configure its settings. The vast majority of people will never use such a feature, so you should ensure it’s disabled — if you have this feature enabled and have a weak password, an attacker may be able to log into your router remotely. You’ll find this option in your router’s web interface, if your router offers it. If you do need remote management, ensure you change the default password and, if possible, the username, too.

Many consumer routers have a serious security vulnerability. UPnP is an insecure protocol that allows devices on the local network to forward ports — by creating firewall rules — on the router. However, we previously covered a common security problem with UPnP — some routers will accept UPnP requests from the Internet as well, allowing anyone on the Internet to create firewall rules on your router.

Check whether your router is vulnerable to this UPnP vulnerability by visiting the ShieldsUP! website and running the”Instant UPnP Exposure Test.”

If your router is vulnerable, you may be able to fix this problem by updating it with the latest version of the firmware available from its manufacturer. If that doesn’t work, you may want to try disabling UPnP in the router’s interface or purchasing a new router that doesn’t have this problem. Be sure to re-run the above test after updating the firmware or disabling UPnP to ensure your router is actually secure.

Ensure Other Devices Aren’t Accessible

Ensuring your printers, cameras, and other devices aren’t accessible over the Internet is fairly simple. Assuming these devices are behind a router and not directly connected to the Internet, you can control whether they’re accessible from the router. If you’re not forwarding ports to your networked devices or placing them in a DMZ, which exposes them entirely to the Internet, these devices will only be accessible from the local network.

You should also ensure that port-forwarding and DMZ features aren’t exposing your computers or networked devices to the Internet. Only forward ports you actually need forwarded, and shy away from the DMZ feature — a computer or device in the DMZ will receive all incoming traffic, as if it were connected directly to the Internet. This is a quick shortcut that avoids the need for port forwarding, but the DMZ’d device also loses the security benefits of being behind a router.

If you do want to make your devices accessible online — maybe you want to log into a networked security camera’s interface remotely and see what’s going on in your house — you should ensure they’re set up securely. After forwarding ports from your router and making the devices accessible from the Internet, ensure they’re set up with a strong password that isn’t easily guessed. This may sound obvious, but the number of Internet-connected printers and cameras that have been exposed online shows that many people aren’t password-protecting their devices.

You may also want to consider not exposing such devices on the Internet and setting up aVPN instead. Rather than the devices being directly connected to the Internet, they’re connected to the local network and you can remotely connect to the local network by logging into the VPN. You can secure a single VPN server more easily than you can secure several different devices with their own built-in web servers.

You can also try more creative solutions. If you only need to remotely connect to your devices from a single location, you could set up firewall rules on your router to ensure they can only be remotely accessed from a single IP address. If you want to share devices like printers online, you may want to try setting up something like Google Cloud Print rather than exposing them directly.

Be sure to keep your devices up-to-date with any firmware updates that include security fixes, too — especially if they’re exposed directly to the Internet.

Lock Down Your Wi-Fi

While you’re at it, be sure to lock down your Wi-Fi networks. New network-connected devices — from Google’s Chromecast TV streaming device to Wi-Fi enabled light bulbs and everything in between — generally treat your Wi-Fi network as a secure area. They allow any device on your Wi-Fi to access, use, and configure them. They do this for an obvious reason — it’s more user-friendly to treat all devices on the network as trusted than to prompt users for authentication in their own homes. However, this only works well if the local Wi-Fi network is actually secure. If your Wi-Fi isn’t secure, anyone can connect and hijack your devices. They may also be able to browse any files you have shared on the network, too.

Be sure you have secure Wi-Fi encryption settings enabled on your home router. You should be using WPA2 encryption with a fairly strong passphrase — ideally a reasonably long passphrase with numbers and symbols in addition to letters.

There are many other ways you could try to secure your home network — from using WEP encryption to enabling MAC address filtering and hiding your wireless network — but these don’t offer much security. WPA2 encryption with a strong passphrase is the way to go.

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When it all comes down to it, these are standard security precations. You just need to ensure your devices are up-to-date with the latest security patches, protected with strong passwords, and configured securely.

Pay particular attention to the networking — the router shouldn’t be set to expose devices on the Internet unless they’re configured securely. Even then, you may want to connect to them remotely via a VPN for additional security or ensure they’re only accessible from specific IP addresses.

How to Transpose Rows and Columns in Excel 2013

You’ve setup your worksheet with all your row and column headings and you’ve entered all your data. Then, you discover that it would look better if the rows were the columns and the columns were the rows. How do you accomplish this easily?

There is an easy way to convert your rows to columns and vice versa using the Transpose feature in Excel. We’ll show you how.

Select the cells containing the headings and data you want to transpose.

Click Copy or press Ctrl + C.

Click in a blank cell on the spreadsheet. This cell will be the top, left corner of the new table of data.

Click the down arrow on the Paste button and select Paste Special from the drop-down menu.

On the Paste Special dialog box, select the Transpose check box so there is a check mark in the box and click OK.

The rows become the columns and the columns become the rows. The original set of data still exists. You can select those cells and delete the headings and data, if desired.

Isn’t that a lot easier and faster than retyping all your data?