Is My Desktop Computer Aging?

There are a few definite signs that show when desktop computers are aging:

* Your processor speed cannot keep up with the demands of your operating system or impedes daily tasks, like word processing, browsing the internet, and playing games.
* Your RAM is insufficient for your computing needs.
* You worry about security features, because your operating system is older and cannot use up-to-date anti-virus protection.
* You find that websites are not displaying properly on your aging monitor. (Note that you are likely increasing your energy bill and impacting the environment if your monitor is older.)
* You can no longer install new software and wish to use something that causes an error that reads "Operating System not supported" or your hardware causes similar messages.
* You cannot use newer peripherals, because there are no USB ports on your PC.
* You find that you've run out of storage space on your computer.

I Don't Want To Replace My Desktop Computer

However, one or more of these signs may not mean that these desktop computers need to be sent into the landfill sites. There are other solutions.

* Replace your processor. Even if your motherboard will not support the newest processors on the market, plenty of resale and refurbishment computer stores stock older motherboards and processors. You could increase your PC's abilities with an inexpensive, second hand processor.
* Increasing the RAM on your desktop computer can be an inexpensive fix. Most computers have extra slots available for just this purpose.
* Who says you can't just replace your monitor? All peripherals can be updated without going to the expense of an entirely new machine.
* Hard drives have dropped in price in recent years. Replacing your hard drive or adding a hard drive may solve your storage woes and extend the life of your machine.

Updating your desktop computers' processor, RAM, or hard drive may fix your computing woes.

When you talk about the Internet and web hosting, IP Address is a term that gets unlimited mention. And then you hear about two specific types commonly involved in hosting, Shared and Static IP Address. While it doesn't necessarily take an expert to figure out the difference between the two, a basic understanding of how the Internet works goes a long way in explaining things.

All computers participating in any form of Internet activity are uniquely identified by a set of numbers they are assigned. Each time you type in a domain name on your browser's address bar, you are requesting information from a domain as a set of numbers. In the same way, that domain will return your requested information by using its own set of identifying numbers as well. In other words, when you talk of Internet communication, everything happens between these sets of numbers with which a source computer and a destination computer are uniquely identified with. This unique set of numbers assigned to each computer is called an IP address.

This basic information about IP addresses will now make it possible to differentiate between Shared IP and Static IP. A Shared IP is one that is used by more than one site on the Internet while a Static IP address is one that is used by a single site. If you type in a Static IP on your browser's address bar, you will be directed to the site which owns that Static IP, but if you enter a Shared IP, you'll get to a server but not to the domain you want because this server wouldn't know which particular site you're trying to connect to.

The question is, why would you secure a Static IP and why would you be fine with a Shared IP? Basically, there is only one reason why a Static IP would be necessary - to secure sensitive information. With a Static IP, this information enters and leaves your site in coded form to avoid interception. Obviously, this is the IP address that makes e-commerce possible as well communication between government agencies and other institutions that handle confidential data.

The unfortunate truth is, whether you're using Shared or Static, hackers could still wreak havoc on your system just by detecting your IP address. The Internet itself was created to detect IP addresses because this is how communication within the network is possible. However, the technology will not limit your ability to protect yourself when surfing. And your best weapon against hackers is to hide your IP address. Hiding your IP will make it impossible for anyone to even know you're even there. And when they don't know you're there, you can go from one website to another without leaving a trail that could be traced back to you.