Website Developer

ELM Website Development BRN: BN98266308

Frequently Asked Questions at Website Developer

Q: What are the most important items needed to get a website started?

A: This is the most common question that people ask us, basically you need to come up with a name for your website. It should ideally be the same as the name of your business. The website name you choose will depend on its domain name availability. If your website is based in Australia you should ideally obtain a .com.au website. We recommend MelbourneIT where you can check the availability of your chosen domain name. If your domain name is available the cost to register will be from $130 for two years.

Once we have registered your domain name we will need to arrange web hosting and emails for you. We recommend MelbourneIT for web hosting and emails. Prior to arranging your email accounts, it is important that you decide on your email account names. For example, admin@yourdomainname.com.au, yourname@yourdomainname.com.au, etc.

Building your website can commence at any time and we can discuss the design of the website, background colours, incorporating your company logo, page content, keywords to help your site obtain a high ranking with Google and the ongoing development and maintenance of your site. Read the about us link in this website to find out more about what you get from a personalised website developer.

Q: Which is more suitable to buy, a laptop or a desktop PC? and what are the minimum specifications?

A: If you need to travel on the road and you need to browse the web and send and receive emails then laptop technology is best for your needs.

The laptop should have:

The above specifications are suitable for Windows XP Service Pack 2 and are the minimum specifications for all Vista editions.
1 To increase the graphics capability in your laptop increase the graphics memory specification to 256 MB.

To achieve laptop portability beyond your home or office the purchase of a Telstra Next-G Turbo Card, Model Number MF332 PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) or USB key will achieve this aim.

A: If you need to share your PC among a number of users and it is positioned in a common area of your home or business, then a desktop PC is a better option.

The Desktop PC should have:

We recommend that a PC is built to your requirements with reputable hardware that has its own warranty.  On the Central Coast in NSW Australia we recommend Dwayne at PC's n Parts in Charmhaven, if you need to buy a brand name PC then Dell, Acer, HP or Compaq are all reputable names. 

The above specifications are suitable for Windows XP Service Pack 2 and are the minimum specifications for all Vista editions.
1 To increase the graphics capability in your desktop PC increase the graphics memory specification to 256 MB.

Your laptop or desktop pc must have a suitable anti-virus solution to stop viruses, Trojans and other nasties infecting your computer, we recommend Avast Anti-Virus.  There is a free version for home use and a professional edition for $57.25 p.a.

Q: How do I install and secure a Wireless Network?

A: Installing a Wireless Network in your home or business is a necessity if you are sharing a broadband connection.  The absence of wires means you have more freedom to answer your emails on the couch or to browse the internet from your bed. It also makes it easy to share internet access as well as your printer with all the computers in the house.  Wireless spells an end to long hours spent alone in your home office answering work emails, you can now do that anywhere once you cross your doorstep.

Yet despite the clear benefits of wireless technology, many of us have held off making the move due to concerns about its associated complexity, expense, and security. But let’s put an end to those fears. We’ll spell out just how easy it is to install and secure a wireless network in your household.

What you need:

There are two parts to a wireless network: a "wireless access point" – which is a gateway to the Internet in the same way that your broadband or cable modem is – and a wireless receiver (wireless adapter card) that connects your computer to the access point via radio signals. Let's see what they are and how to get them.

Wireless access points or routers:

These are small pieces of hardware that connect to your broadband modem and cost between $100 and $200 dependant on the brand, we recommend Exetel for your broadband service provider and Linksys for your wireless broadband Draft-N router. You can be up and running very quickly with only minor configuration work on your part. You can also buy an all-in-one wireless broadband modem that will integrate everything for you, there are a number of Linksys wireless broadband modems that will suit your needs.

Wireless adapter cards:

These cards simply plug into an available expansion slot in your system and cost less than $100. All new laptops come with wireless adapter cards as standard, so you might even already have one.

The different standards:

For most of us, it's called wireless or Wi-Fi which stands for “wireless fidelity”.  But in the technical world it is referred to as 802.11, which is simply its name as a technical standard. Yet with technologies changing quickly, you’ll find various forms of this standard available, such as: 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g.

These three main standards refer to the same wireless we all know, but each has different abilities and there are tradeoffs between them in terms of range, performance and compatibility. So you need to be sure every piece of your network (access points and adapter cards) are compatible with each other.

Experts recommend 802.11g as it is has been supported by wireless networks since 2002, maintains compatibility with older products, and combines the high speed of 802.11a with the greater signal range of 802.11b. And it should also be noted that 802.11g nowadays is not any more expensive than older a or b equipments.

Security First:

It’s so easy to set up a wireless network that many people just connect their wireless router, install their wireless adapter card and get cracking straight away. They don't even stop to consider the security implications of using wireless. Unfortunately, your new (unsecured) wireless network is vulnerable to hackers snooping in on what you get up to on the internet (and “sniffing away” at your confidential data) as well as neighbours looking to “piggyback” for free on your internet connection. So you need to take some simple steps to protect your wireless network.

Step One:

Lock your network.

You can (and must!) change the default password settings that come with your router or access point. Instructions for how to do this can be found in the router installation manual. If you don’t undertake this step, people can identify what brand of router or access point you're using and quite easily find the default Master password on the internet to take control of it.

Step two:

Encrypt your data.

Every wireless router or access point can transparently encrypt everything it transmits. Older wireless routers feature Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) while newer routers offer wireless Protected Access (WPA) and WPA2 protocols. The later WPA protocols provide stronger and more reliable encryption, so if you have the choice, avoid using WEP. You can easily activate the encryption by following the simple administrative steps outlined in the router installation manual and selecting a random password. Once it's done, you don't have to change anything else on your computers, and you won't notice any difference in your internet browsing experience.

Step three:

Set up Machine Address filtering.

Changing your SSID settings without adding MAC filtering is like changing the locks to your house but leaving the key in the door. The MAC, or Media Access Control, filter is what gives you control over who may access your network and who may not. It takes a small time investment to set up MAC filtering, but without it, hackers can waltz in and use your network as they see fit.

To give specific computers permission to use your network, you'll need to add their MAC addresses -- the 12-digit address attached to every physical network device (PC, laptop, router). Enabling MAC filtering is a different process with each hardware manufacturer, but in most cases, opening up your wireless software and locating the security settings should put you in the right place. Finding the MAC address for each device might also be a challenge if you don't know where to look.

Step four:

Invest in a personal firewall.

Even with all these security settings, highly determined hackers can machete their way in; all it takes is plenty of patience and the proper tools. This is where software can help. Programs such as Trend Micro PC-cillin, ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite, and McAfee Wireless Home Network Security all actively monitor your wireless network and notify you when attempted intrusions occur, among other encryption and security measures. Also, a new product from AOL called Active Security Monitor diagnoses your wireless-security protections and makes recommendations for improvements.

Conclusion:

A home wireless network is cheap and easy to install.  It could become expensive though if you choose not to take the necessary security precautions and find that you have hackers or other uninvited guests using your wireless network for their personal gain.  Don't miss out any longer on the freedom that your own wireless network can bring you and your family.  But just make sure you don't forget to protect your new wireless network with passwords and the encryption systems that come with it.  And of course, don't forget to install firewalls, internet security software and anti-virus programs on all of your computers.  We recommend Avast Anti-Virus.  There is a free version for home use and a professional edition for $57.25 p.a.

Q: Which printer is best for me?

A: Buying a printer is an important decision when you set up your home computer network, if you are wanting to print photo quality pictures then ensure that your printer has high resolution capability.  I recommend the Canon Pixma range of photo printers.

If you are looking for an all-in-one printer with copy, scan, fax and print you can't go past the Canon MP530.  The Canon range of bubble jet printers have Black, Magenta, Yellow and Cyan separate cartridges with software to help you print your images.

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