What Is a UDP Protocol?

The User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is one of the core protocols used to transmit data over the Internet, with the other being Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).

Speed

• UDP, on average, can be a much faster protocol for transmitting information than TCP, because it uses a total of 8 bytes per packet of data to transmit information compared to TCP's 20.

Connectionless

• This leaner header comes because UDP is, unlike TCP, connectionless. With TCP, data is ensured to arrive in the correct order and is checked for errors upon arrival, whereas UDP does not provide this protection: packets can be lost or corrupted.

Uses

• While TCP is used for web browsing, UDP is more often used for Voice over IP and games, where speed is absolutely paramount and the small errors that can appear in UDP are not as important.

How to Get the History of a Vehicle

Whether you're buying or selling a used car, it's a smart idea to pull up a history report on the vehicle. When buying, you need to ensure that the car hasn't had major issues in the past, like an accident that required major body work. Before selling, you should find out if any issues show on the vehicle history report so you can adjust your asking price accordingly, if not just to be aware of what a buyer might find. A number of convenient services allow you to pull up the history of a vehicle online.

• 1

  Visit your state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office to get the history of a vehicle. The DMV is the main source for information about cars registered in the state. Fill out the form for requesting vehicle information, which will likely ask for the VIN (vehicle identification number), information about the owner and the registered license plate currently on the vehicle. Pay your fee and wait for the DMV to send the report via email or mail.

• 2

  Use VINCheck, a service of the National Insurance Crime Bureau, to retrieve a car history report for your vehicle. Enter the 16-digit VIN number, accept the agreement and enter the verification code to conduct a search. The service runs a free quick check on the car of your choice, but it does not give detailed information like paid services do -- it only does a check on whether the vehicle was stolen or involved in a total-loss accident.

• 3

  Retrieve car history using InstaVIN's online service. The service provides you with a low-cost full vehicle history report, including data regarding owners, accidents and service records; or it will give just an accident history report at a lower price. Choose the option to order a new report, and enter the VIN number. Then pay for the information with a credit card to retrieve the information. You can receive accident history reports via mobile phone if you prefer. The service also provides you with a free valuation for the car online.

Yahoo VoIP FAQ

Yahoo is one of the most known names in the instant messaging field. Among other features, Yahoo has a VoIP--Voice over Internet Protocol--service, integrated into its all-in-one chat utility, Yahoo Messenger.

Features

• Yahoo's VoIP service allows you to call your friends via PC-to-PC or PC-to-phone calls. Call forwarding is also possible, so incoming calls can be redirected from your PC to your mobile phone.

Costs

• PC-to-PC calls are free, while PC-to-phone rates start at 1 cent per minute, depending on the destination.

Limitations

• Yahoo's VoIP service cannot be used to dial 911 or similar emergency services. If you want to access such services, you'll need to use a regular phone or mobile phone.

How to Sync an iSeries

The iSeries, a mid-range server created by IBM, was originally known as the AS/400 system. This software allows you to run five different operating systems simultaneously. You could even run them on multiple computers if you wanted.

• 1

  Insert one Ethernet cable into your computer's port. Plug the second Ethernet cable into your second computer's port. On a desktop computer, the port is on the back of the computer tower. On a laptop, it is on the right- or left- hand side of the keyboard.

• 2

  Plug the other ends of both Ethernet cables into a router.

• 3

  Click "Start" and "Control Panel" on the computer with the iSeries software. Select the "Network and Sharing" menu. Choose "Set Up a Network."

• 4

  Click "Yes" to enable file sharing. Create a Workgroup name.

• 5

  Repeat Step 3 on the second computer. Select "Connect to a Network" instead of "Set Up a Network." Choose the name of the Workgroup you created on the first computer.

• 6

  Right-click on the "Start" menu on your first computer. Select "Explore." Your computer's files and programs should appear.

• 7

  Right-click on the iSeries folder. Select "Share." Check off "Share this Folder" on the network.

• 8

  Wait for the synchronization to complete. Restart both of your computers.

How to Install the New MSN for Free

MSN Messenger is now Windows Live. This service is a social networking service that incorporates Hotmail and MSN Messenger into one network. Windows Live Messenger is free and can be used in your browser when logging into your Hotmail email account, or you can download the latest version for free on Microsoft's website. Once you download the latest version, it will replace whatever version of MSN you have downloaded on your computer.

• 1

  Visit Windows Live's website and click "Download Now."

• 2

  Save the executable file to your computer. Run the wizard completely, reading through each screen and choosing "Next."

• 3

  Restart your computer upon completion of the installation wizard. Log in using your email address and password.

How to Compress Files to the Max

To compress files as much as you can, use a high-compression rate archive format such as 7Z. High compression archive formats like 7Z can take much longer to both compress and decompress, but the rate of compression is higher than simpler formats like ZIP. This means your file will become even smaller once it's compressed to the max amount. The native program for 7Z is 7-zip.

• 1

  Download and install a program like 7-ZIP, Winzip or WinRAR. All of these programs have a similar method for zipping files.

• 2

  Right-click on the file you wish to compress in high-compression format. Select the "Add to archive" option for your file compression software. A menu will appear.

• 3

  Select "7Z" as the "compression format." Click "OK" to compress your file in the high-compression format 7Z.

How to Remove the Cyber Defender Toolbar

The CyberDefender Security Toolbar automatically scans any site you visit to determine whether or not it's safe. While a toolbar such as this can save your computer from harmful activity, some users may not like the restrictions. When the toolbar becomes more of a nuisance than a benefit, it can be removed from the computer. The removal process is straightforward and requires little experience with computers, although some users may run into one minor complication.

• 1

  Open the Control Panel folder from the "Start" menu.

• 2

  Click "Uninstall a program" under the "Programs" section of the Control Panel folder.

• 3

  Scroll down and click on "CyberDefender Security Toolbar."

• 4

  Click "Uninstall" to remove the toolbar. An unistallation wizard should pop up automatically to complete the removal process.

How to Block an Incoming E-mail

Whether you traditionally log into your webmail account to view your received email messages or use an email client application, such as Microsoft Outlook, you have the ability to configure your junk email or spam settings to block email from specified email addresses. Any email address which is added to your spam filter's blocked senders list gets diverted from your email inbox and either goes directly to your junk email folder or is simply deleted. The process of configuring spam settings is fairly simple, but varies slightly depending upon the web-mail service or application you're using.

Block Incoming Email in AOL Mail

• 1

  Log into your AOL email account.

• 2

  Click the "Settings" link in the upper right corner of the AOL mailbox window to open the Settings menu. The Settings menu options should appear in the left panel of the mailbox window.

• 3

  Select "Spam Settings" in the Settings menu to open the spam settings dialog box.

• 4

  Open the drop-down menu located at the top of the spam settings dialog box. Select "Block mail from address I specify."

• 5

  Type the email address you would like to block in the "Enter Screen Name or Email Address" box. Click the plus sign. Click "Save."

Block Incoming Email in Yahoo! Mail

• 1

  Log into your Yahoo! email account.

• 2

  Click the "Options" link in the upper right corner. Select "More Options" from the drop-down menu that appears.

• 3

  Select "Spam" from the left window panel.

• 4

  Scroll down to the "Blocked Email Addresses" section in the right panel.

• 5

  Type the email address you would like to block in the "Add a blocked address" box. Click "Add."

Block Incoming Email in GMail

• 1

  Log into your GMail account.

• 2

  Click the "Create a filter" link located at the top of the window.

• 3

  Type the email address you would like to block in the "From" box. Click "Next."

• 4

  Select "Delete It." Click "Create Filter."

Block Incoming Email in Microsoft Outlook 2010

• 1

  Launch Microsoft Outlook.

• 2

  Click the "Home" menu tab to open its menu ribbon. Click the "Junk" button and select "Junk E-Mail Options."

• 3

  Go to the "Block Senders" tab in the "Junk E-Mail Options" dialog box.

• 4

  Click "Add." Type the email address you would like to block in the address box. Click "OK." Click "OK" again.

How to Test a Fax Service

When you use a faxing service instead of a fax machine, you not only save paper, but you can also save money over time compared to traditional faxing. If you're unsure of how an online faxing service works, it's best to test it out first by using a service that offers a free trial. When you're ready you can submit your payment information and start using the faxing service regularly.

• 1

  Test out a fax service with RapidFAX. The service offers a free 30 day trial so that you can get used to the system. Simply load your email account and enter the recipient's fax number along with the extension "rapidfax.com" to send faxes. When someone faxes your number, provided by the service, you'll receive an attachment via email. If you decide to sign up for the service you can submit your credit card to pay a monthly fee that includes 300 pages per cycle. You'll receive a free toll-free number with your account.

• 2

  Try out the functionalities of a faxing service using TrustFax. This service also offers a 30 day free trial for users. Enter the recipient's fax number plus "trustfax.com" into the "To" box in your email or your message or attach your file to send a fax. Choose from a local or toll-free number for customers to fax you --- you'll receive fax messages via email. Pay a monthly fee for 250 pages sent and received each cycle.

• 3

  Send faxes for free to test out the way this type of service works, using a free fax solution like GotFreeFax. You can send a free fax (up to two per day) online using this service. Enter your information (name, fax number and email) as well as that of the receiver directly into the form on the front page of the website. Type in your message or upload a file from your computer, then click the option to send your free fax. You can test the service out by sending a sample fax to yourself or a friend first if you'd like.

How Do I Find People by Longitude and Latitude?

Finding people by longitude and latitude is a two-fold process. First, you need to use a longitude/latitude digital converter from the Internet. It will return an approximate street address including city and state. Next, you have to verify your numbers.

Go to Steve

• Use the Steve Morse.org conversion website. Even if you have a longitude and latitude, it might mean very little to you. Enter your numbers into the appropriate fields, then click the "Determine address" button. It will return an approximate street address, city and state.

Make a "Smart" Choice

• Visit the PeopleSmart web page. Enter into the appropriate fields any relevant information you obtained from the Morse converter. Start with the person's name, city and state. Be sure to cross-reference any information with alternate sources. Call any phone number you obtain.

Use Internet Map Features

• Verify addresses on digital maps. Google Earth, Virtual Earth and Bing all have digital maps. Each of these sites also has added features to help you find people. Satellite, 3D and Bird's Eye all will help you pinpoint (down to the foot) people by longitude and latitude. Get driving directions with Mapquest.

How to Make a Blog From Scratch

Creating a blog is a very simple way to create your own personal homepage on the Internet. Unlike many other personal homepages, a blog has a greatly condensed layout, typically with pre-formatted HTML code, which allows easy access even to those who are not technologically savvy. Blogs are usually organized through date-by-date entries, which gives them a distinctive journal-like aspect, and can encourage weekly, daily or even, in some cases, hourly usage. Blogs have made a significant cultural and political impact, leading to the term "blogosphere" to describe online editorials covering the lives of celebrities, the fortunes of sports teams and the movements of political candidates.

• 1

  Sign up for a blogging service. The two most popular and well-known blog services by far are WordPress.org and Google's Blogspot.com. Both can be linked to various social networking media, such as Facebook, Twitter and Myspace, and also feature easy-to-use email options. Blogspot has the added ability to link other Google-based accounts, such as Gmail and YouTube, requiring only one username and password for all three, which can greatly simplify your online experience.

• 2

  Select a subject or a uniting theme for your blog. Even if a blog is just about the completely random and unforeseen things that happen in your life, you can use that information to create a cogent title and URL, or Web address. Be sure that the title and URL of your blog reflect -- in some way, no matter how obscure -- the subject matter you will be addressing in your posts. Common topics and themes for blogs include a sports team, a political ideal, life of a unique person in a specific city, and travel stories.

• 3

  Investigate and decide upon a background and format for your blog. Normally during the initial setup of your blog, these options will automatically be displayed to you. As with your title, pick a background that is demonstrative of the general feeling of your blog. An American football blog, for example, should probably not have a border of yellow flowers. Custom formats are another available option.

• 4

  Tell your friends and family about your blog, and ask them to spread the word. Utilize other social media to provide further publicity.

How to Put Songs on PowerPoint With HTML

You have that perfect PowerPoint presentation ready for work or school, but there's just one thing that's missing -- the perfect music. Unfortunately, you don't own that song yourself and you're not sure where to find it. Downloading or using a song from the Internet is a great option, with a plethora of songs to choose from. Many songs are even royalty free, meaning you can use them for free without worrying about any legalities.

• 1

  Create your PowerPoint presentation and save it with a filename and location that are easy to remember.

• 2

  Locate the song on the Internet that you would like to use. Use your favorite internet search engine to look for "royalty-free music" to find free music without any copyright confusion.

• 3

  Click on the PowerPoint presentation at the point where you would like the music to start playing. Click to open the Insert menu, then select "Hyperlink" from the menu options.

• 4

  Add the hyperlink to the online song that you'd like to play -- where the pop-up box says "Link to:".

• 5

  Save your PowerPoint again after the new changes, and play through it to make sure that the song works correctly.

How to Upload to FTP With Picasa

Picasa is a website developed by Google that allows users with a free registered Gmail or Google account to share, organize, edit and host their photographs online. Picasa strongly encourages its users to download and install its compact, free utility to sync and manage their photos between their personal computers and the online file server. The Picasa software also doubles as a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) client to facilitate uploading your photographs from your computer directly to your own private web host.

• 1

  Log in to your Picasa account from the Picasa homepage (see Resources).

• 2

  Download and install the Picasa software. You may be prompted to do so just by logging in to your Picasa account. Follow the onscreen instructions to download and install the application. On a typical broadband connection, this should take only one or two minutes. If logging in takes you directly to your albums, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the small "Launch Application" link in the footer to download, install and run the software. This is also where you can launch the Picasa application if you've already installed it.

• 3

  Select the album you want to upload to your website's server. Browse through your folders in the Picasa application. Click once on the folder you'd like to upload via FTP.

• 4

  Open the Picasa FTP tool. Click "Tools" in the upper menu, place your cursor over "Experimental" and click "Publish via FTP" in the sub-menu that appears.

• 5

  Configure your export settings. Select the upload format of your preference in the pop-up screen. This is the code and interface you'll upload to your server for your photos. Upload your photos coded into an XML document for full programming and customization if you're an advanced programmer, or upload them as a pre-formatted online gallery with thumbnails. There are seven formats from which to choose in the "Template Name" box on the left of the pop-up box. Click the one you desire, and click the "Export" button to begin uploading.

• 6

  Configure your FTP settings in Picasa. If you have already entered the details of your FTP account server in the application, select it from the drop-down menu in the "Select Account" pop-up box. If not, click "Account Manager." Click the "Add an Account" button. Fill in the details of your web host's FTP account. Click "Verify Connection" to ensure the settings are accurate, then click "OK."

• 7

  Export your album via FTP. Click the "OK" button in the "FTP Account Manager" box, then click "OK" again in the "Select Account" box. A small pop-up box in the lower-right side of your screen will show you the progress on the export. When Picasa has finished FTPing your photos to your server, it will automatically redirect your browser to your new gallery on your website.

How to Download Silverlight 2 Programs

Microsoft's Silverlight is a development platform used to create interactive experiences for Internet, desktop and mobile phone applications both on and offline. Silverlight is compatible with multiple browsers and operating systems. The Silverlight plug-in is available for free from Microsoft's website (see Resources). Silverlight programs use the .XAP file extension and can be downloaded onto your computer for use offline.

• 1

  Open your Internet browser and navigate to the download page of the program you would like to download.

• 2

  Right-click on the download link and select the "Save As" option. Download the file to the desktop or other location that can be easily remembered.

• 3

  Open the Silverlight software program and click "File," then select "Open." Double-click the file name in the new window. You can also double-click the file and it should automatically open in the Silverlight program, or right-click on the file and select "Open with." Select Silverlight from the list of available programs and click "Open."

How to Troubleshoot Live Meeting

Microsoft Live Meeting allows voice and video chat on the Internet or a local network. The software is part of the Microsoft Office business suite. Its functionality is useful for everything from conference calls to webinars and even PC gaming. However, like any piece of software, Microsoft Live Meeting can experience glitches. Fortunately, you can troubleshoot common Microsoft Live Meeting problems with some equipment checks and a few clicks of the mouse.

• 1

  Double-check your speaker volume level if you're having sound trouble during Live Meeting. According to Microsoft, the fastest way to adjust speaker levels is by clicking on the volume mixer button in the lower-right system tray. This button is labeled with an icon resembling a speaker. When clicked, a slider will appear. Click and drag the slider to the very top to ensure maximum speaker volume.

• 2

  Make sure your microphone and webcam are plugged in. A simple loose cable can cause Live Meeting problems.

• 3

  Right-click on the desktop icon for Live Meeting and select "Troubleshoot." The Troubleshoot option only appears if Windows recognizes the error. In some cases, a simple glitch may go unnoticed by the Windows automated troubleshooting feature, and this option will not appear.

• 4

  Click through the on-screen troubleshooting prompts for an automatic fix for your Live Meeting issue.

• 5

  Update your software. Microsoft periodically releases update patches to fix common software errors. These patches sometimes fix common, minor bugs that are not detected by the automatic troubleshooting software. Click on "Start," "All Programs" and "Windows Update" to open the updater. This program will not only update your Windows operating system software, it also scans for updates to any official Microsoft products, including Microsoft Live Meeting.

How do I Display Comcast Signal Levels on a Modem?

Comcast is a cable service provider throughout several different regions in the United States. In addition to providing cable television service, Comcast also offers cable Internet service. In order to access the cable Internet, it is necessary to install a cable modem, which is connected to a cable wall outlet via a coaxial cable and then connected to your computer with an Ethernet cable. If the Internet is running slowly on your computer, it is possible to check the signal levels to determine whether there is a problem with your cable Internet service.

• 1

  Verify that your cable modem is turned on -- there should be illuminated lights on the front panel -- and that it is connected to your computer or router.

• 2

  Click the "Start" or "Windows" button in the lower left corner of your screen, then select "Programs" or "All Programs."

• 3

  Navigate to your Internet browser icon, then click it to launch the browser.

• 4

  Click inside the address bar at the top of the screen and type "192.168.100.1," then press the "Enter" key on your keyboard. Some modems may prompt you for a username and password at this point. If you don't know the username and password, you can find them by navigating to the DSL Reports 2.1 Modems Comcast High Speed Internet FAQs page.

• 5

  Click the "Status" tab at the top of the screen. Your signal levels are displayed in the "Upstream" and "Downstream" sections.

How to Find a Person in Minnesota

Finding a person living in Minnesota is simple using the Internet or a phone book. If you know the general area of the state in which this person is living, use that region's White Pages of the phone book. If you just have at least a last name, the Internet White Pages should yield a successful search.

• 1

  Visit the official Minnesota White Pages website at whitepages.com/white-pages/MN. Type in the person's last name, as well as their first name and their city if you know it.

• 2

  Click "Find." All possible matches will appear.

• 3

  Click on the match that appears to be correct. The White Pages will display an address and usually a map. If there are too many possible matches, try adding as much information as you know about the person to the search.

• 4

  If you do not have Internet access, locate a Minnesota White Pages phone book of the region in which your person lives. Names will be listed alphabetically by last name and will include a phone number and address.

How to Turn Off the MetaCrawler Search History

MetaCrawler is a metasearch engine -- a search engine that displays search results from a variety of search engines including Google, Yahoo! and Bing. When you search for content using the MetaCrawler search engine, it keeps a record of your recent history. This allows you to search for the same content quickly anytime you want. If you prefer to keep your searches hidden, turn off the search history feature.

• 1

  Go to MetaCrawler (see Resources).

• 2

  Click the "Preferences" link to launch the MetaCrawler preferences page. Scroll down the page and click the "Recent searches off" radio button under "Recent Searches."

• 3

  Click the "Save Settings" button. MetaCrawler no longer keeps track of your recent searches.

How to Use Joomla for a Knowledgebase

Joomla is a popular PHP-based content management system that allows you to create a full-featured website quickly and effortlessly. The system allows for customizations and add-ons that can easily be installed. Being a versatile system, you can have the freedom to choose what kind of website to develop. One ideal use for Joomla is as a knowledgebase. Its built-in search feature and article categorization makes it perfect for this purpose. Installing add-ons such as a document management component can also be done for organizing informative manuals and providing downloadable materials.

Create Categories Your Articles

• 1

  Log in to your Administration Panel.

• 2

  Click on the "Content" and choose "Category Manager."

• 3

  Click on the "New" icon on the upper right side of the page. Fill out the form with the information for the category you wish to create.

• 4

  Click on "Save."

• 5

  Repeat the steps until you've created all the necessary articles for your knowledgebase. Use these categories when creating content.

Install a Document Management Component

• 1

  Download a document management extension, such as DOCMan or Attachments for Content Articles, from Joomla's Extension Library.

• 2

  Log in to the Joomla Administration Panel.

• 3

  Click on "Extensions" and select "Install/Uninstall."

• 4

  Under "Upload Package File", click on the "Browse" button and choose the extension that you downloaded on your computer. Click on "Upload and Install."

• 5

  Access the document management component by clicking on "Components" in the main menu and selecting it. Use this component to upload documents or manuals for your knowledgebase.

How to Mask an IP for Programs

You are not as anonymous on the Internet as you might think. Even though your name, address and all other personal information are confidential, your computer's IP address provides other computer users with your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and location. For users wanting complete anonymity on the web and in web-based programs, there are three ways you are able to hide your IP address.

• 1

  Use a proxy server. These come in two forms: website-based or browser-based. With a website-based proxy server, you will use a different computer by proxy and use its Internet browser for websites and web-based programs. The proxy's IP address will be used, and not your own. For browser-based proxy servers, you will reconfigure your own web browser and route the traffic through it to the proxy server, again masking your IP address.

• 2

  Download a proxy add-on for your web browser. You will find add-ons that will allow your browser to function similar to a browser-based proxy server. One of these, called a "Switchproxy," will cycle through varying IP addresses at regular intervals to keep your real IP address masked.

• 3

  Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPN services allow you to assign a different gateway city to your router, effectively changing your IP address to that city. For example, you may be in Denver, and your VPN could be in New York City. Your IP address would be masked to show you are "in" New York City.