Server access headaches? Try setting up your own router with DDNS.

A cable/DSL router or dialup access point can cost hundreds of dollars and still be extremely difficult to configure.  The last thing you need is denied server access when you need it most.  Instead of paying a large sum of cash for a hassle-in-a-box, take control by transforming one of your computers into a router with DDNS.

How, you ask?  By following these simple steps with No-IP.

Using DDNS will allow the updater to seamlessly report IP changes to No-IP as they occur, rather than having downtime waiting for the next time your updater reports the new IP. This eliminates server access issues.   The best part?  It’s completely affordable.  For the cost of only an additional Ethernet card and a bit of your spare time, you can have a cable/DSL/dialup router set up for your network with the ability to run servers that are completely accessible from both the internet and the internal network.

Questions on how to get started?  Please share them in the comments below or feel free to contact us.

DDNS: Easing Efficiency and Access to Point of Sale Devices

Whether your sales team is working 2 or 2,000 miles away, the last thing you need to worry about is accessing your point of sale system.  Information is critical to making better business decisions and when you need it- you need it.  Yet all too often, the majority of point of sale devices that use a dynamic or non-static IP address run into access issues because users simply don’t know the IP address; causing inconvenient headaches during peak business hours.

A simple fix to address this problem is to implement Dynamic DNS.   A DDNS service will allow you to access your POS device without having to remember a lengthy IP address.  You specify your own device name and use the same name every time you access the device.  This allows you to quickly call  results from your sales device that allow you to make better decisions that impact your bottom line.  The best part?  It’s completely affordable and easy to set up.

Next time your sales team hits the road, trade show or sales floor, prepare ahead of time by setting up Dynamic DNS.

3 Benefits of Dynamic DNS

A static IP address has many advantages, yet can be difficult or expensive to obtain and configure.  Dynamic DNS is a more affordable option and works regardless if you have a dynamic or static IP address.

Dynamic DNS provides the capability for a networked device to notify a DNS server to change, in real time, the active DNS configuration of its configured hostnames, addresses or other information.   It has a number of benefits, including:

  • Ease & Efficiency - There’s no need to go from PC to PC setting up static addresses every time your network infrastructure changes.
  • Accessibility - You can access your system using a consistent name in the URL even though the IP address changes.
  • Savings - You only need as many addresses as will be in use at any one time, rather than having one for every possible user of IP.

If you’re a business user working remotely with VPN, requiring remote access for devices, or just hosting a website or personal blog, Dynamic DNS is a clear choice.

Have you switched to Dynamic DNS yet? Find out more about No-IP’s service here.

How to Best Use a Remote Desktop Connection.

Due to our increasingly virtual world, the use of a Remote Desktop Connection to access other computers over the internet has been steadily growing in popularity.  The problem, however, is that many individuals and businesses alike are not well equipped to use them.  Most locations that you want to connect to will only have a Dynamic IP address that changes over time, which can create a huge barrier that limits access to your remote connection.  By using a static IP address this problem can be easily overcome.

Typically, when you want to access your remote computer over the internet, you enter the IP address of that computer into the remote access software. This create a remote desktop connection. With a Dynamic IP address, the IP will be constantly changing and getting into your remote computer from off site will be impossible.   Assigning a fully qualified domain name to your Dynamic IP address will save you the burden of remembering the numeric address each time and allow you to access your information more quickly and with ease.  With our software client running on the same network as the remote computer, we will know any time your IP address changes and be able to direct you to that remote machine regardless of what IP address it’s currently assigned.

Learn more.

How well are you protecting your sensitive information?

More and more often, you hear stories about information loss: identities stolen, emails lost or destroyed illegally, credit card information compromised, etc.  Depending on the degree of sensitivity, these situations can create a major headache (and in some instances, lawsuits) for individuals, companies and management alike.

In addition to selecting the right hosting and monitoring services for your data, it’s important to ask yourself regularly if you and your business are taking the right precautions to protect sensitive information.

At a bare minimum, ask yourself the following questions:

  1. Do we have an enterprise strategy for protecting sensitive information?
  2. How well is the strategy being executed?
  3. Who is responsible for its execution and enforcement?
  4. Does this strategy control access to sensitive information within and outside of the company?
  5. Do we know where our sensitive information is at any point in time?

Asking and addressing these key questions can help us better control our sensitive content and prevent the unauthorized access and potential theft or loss of it, resulting in less overall risk to ourselves and our businesses.

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