Warning: “Guest Mode” on Many Wi-Fi Routers Isn’t Secure

Many home routers offer a “Guest Mode.” This isolates your guests onto a separate Wi-Fi network, and you don’t have to give them your normal Wi-FI passphrase. But Guest Mode is often insecure.
Guest Mode isn’t always bad — D-Link, Netgear, and ASUS router seem to do it right. But, if you have the type of Guest Mode we’ve seen on home routers from Linksys and Belkin, you should never use it.

Why Guest Mode?

In theory, Guest Mode is a fine idea. Rather than having guests connect to your normal Wi-FI networks, a router with Guest Mode will host multiple Wi-Fi networks. Guests who visit your home can connect to the guest network, which can have a separate passphrase from your normal Wi-Fi network.
This allows you to keep your normal Wi-Fi network private. It also keeps guests from accessing your network file shares and other sensitive data. Even if they’re feeling snoopy or have malware installed, all those guest devices will be isolated from your normal Wi-Fi network.
Rather than gaining access to your entire network, devices connected to the Guest Network just get access to the Internet. Guest Mode settings may also allow you to limit the number of devices that can connect to the guest network. So far, this is fine.

How Some Routers Botch Guest Mode

The problems are immediately obvious when you enable guest mode, or when you connect to a network configured for Guest Mode. You’ll see that the separate guest network is likely an open Wi-Fi network. In other words, it’s not protected by the normal Wi-Fi encryption that secures your main network.
This means that any network traffic travelling over the guest network is sent “in the clear,” and is vulnerable to snooping. It’s just like connecting to a typical hotel’s Wi-Fi network. The connection is unencrypted, and anyone nearby can snoop. Modern operating systems will even warn you about this when you connect.

 

But there is a password that guards access to the Internet. After a device connects to the Guest Mode network, it sees a login page. The user has to provide a passphrase or the device doesn’t get Internet access.
This provides more protection than hosting a typical open Wi-Fi network, but not by much. The Wi-Fi login page is generally unencrypted — you can tell because there’s no HTTPS or lock icon on the address bar. If you connect to the guest network and provide the password, it’s also sent unencrypted to your router. Anyone snooping on Wi-Fi traffic nearby can clearly see the Guest Mode password every time it’s typed in, and they could use it to access your guest mode network without your permission.
The default Guest Mode password on Linksys routers seem to be “BeMyGuest”, which is also insecure — many people will use Guest Mode without changing this.

How Some Routers Offer Secure Guest Modes

Some router manufacturers avoid this problem by actually using normal Wi-Fi encryption in guest mode. All they have to do is host an entirely separate Wi-Fi network with the typical encryption — generally WPA2 encryption — that you should be using on your main Wi-Fi network.
We’ve seen D-Link, Netgear, and ASUS routers provide proper guest networks in this way. They create a separate, encrypted Wi-Fi network and isolate it from the main network. The most important thing is that encryption is available.
To test whether it’s safe or not, just enable Guest Mode on your router. Try to connect and see whether it’s an open Wi-Fi network that allows you to connect instantly, or a closed Wi-Fi network that your operating system requires as passphrase for before connecting. If you see an operating system password dialog, it’s secure. If a web browser pops up and asks for a password, it’s insecure.

Guest Mode is a nice idea, but it’s far from completely necessary. If you want to use Guest Mode, be sure that your router offers a secure encrypted guest network — not an open, unencrypted one. With an open guest network, your guests could have their Wi-Fi usage snooped on and your Guest Mode passphrase could be easily eavesdropped on and captured, allowing anyone nearby to gain access to your Internet connection.

 

Disable the Irritating Sticky / Filter Keys Popup Dialogs

Have you ever been doing something, like playing a game, and had that obnoxious Sticky Keys dialog pop up? You answer No and it goes away… and then shows up again the next day. Here’s how to make it go away for good.

In case you aren’t sure what we mean… hit the Shift key five times fast.

 

Yeah, annoying. It’s a helpful accessibility feature for some people, but it’s really irritating for the rest of us.

Disable Sticky or Filter Keys

If you didn’t click on the “Go to the Ease of Access Center” link, you can simply navigate in Control Panel to the Ease of Access center, and find the link for “Make the keyboard easier to use”.

Once you are there, you’ll want to make sure the boxes for “Turn on Sticky Keys” or “Turn on Filter Keys” are turned off—which simply means the feature isn’t active at the moment, but doesn’t mean the annoying popup will go away.

For that, you’ll have to click on either “Set up Filter Keys” or “Set up Sticky Keys” (or both).

Disable Filter Keys Popup

If you went to the Filter Keys setup screen, remove the checkbox from “Turn on Filter Keys when right SHIFT is pressed for 8 seconds”.

 

This will completely disable the irritating popup.

Disable Sticky Keys Popup

If you chose the setup for Sticky Keys, uncheck the box for “Turn on Sticky Keys when SHIFT is pressed five times”.

And that should disable the annoying popup dialogs for either Windows 7 or Vista. Windows XP users will find similar shortcuts under Accessibility in Control Panel.

10 Ways to Make Extra Money From Home

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Start the Countdown

Use the skills you have to get the extra cash you need. David Sacks/Lifesize/Getty Images

When you were a kid, you might have dreamed of growing up to become a fashion designer or world-famous architect, but a sagging economy and tight job market have made these kinds of dream jobs hard to come by. Just because your ideal employer isn't clamoring to hire you doesn't mean you have to settle for a boring 9-to-5 job you hate. Create your own dream job!
Nearly 6 million Americans primarily work from home and more than 13 million Americans spend at least one day a week in a home office [source: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau]. It may not be much fun to be isolated from peers and you may find yourself waiting by the mailbox for checks, but being self-employed and working from home have some distinct advantages: There's no more stressful commute. Your office is just steps from your bedroom. You even can go to work every day in your Tweety Bird pajamas, if you like. When you need to take a three-hour lunch or two-week vacation, you don't have to ask your boss for permission, because you don't have one. Best of all, the earning potential is unlimited: The more hours you work, the more you earn!
Sound intriguing? Here are a few ideas to get you started on a work-from-home career, plus some tips on avoiding the scammers who try to prey on home workers.

How to create & Verify PayPal Account From Bangladesh

PayPal is a secure online payment method, which allows you to pay or get paid quickly and easily without sharing any of your financial information. We remember and safeguard your bank, credit or debit card details, so you don’t have to. You can use PayPal to pay for items on eBay or any of the thousands of online retailers that accept PayPal. You can also get cash back and exclusive discounts from selected retailers via the PayPal Offers site.

How to create a PayPal account?

Step 1: On the PayPal homepage, click on "Sign Up". Choose your country and language. There are three types of accounts to choose from: "personal" account is for individuals who simply want to shop and pay online; a "premier" account is for those that want to buy and sell online; and "business" account is for merchants using a business name. Click on the button to start the process for the account you wish to have.

Step 2: Enter your information such as email, name, address, password and phone number.

Step 3: Read the User Agreement and Privacy Policy, then click on "Agree and Create Account" button.

Step 4: Activate the account. PayPal will send a confirmation email to you. Open the email and click on the link in it to confirm that it is your email address.

Step 5: Enter your bank account information to allow transfers from your bank account to and from PayPal.

Tips & Warnings:

1. To verify your bank account, there will be two small deposits made to the account within a few days. After those deposits are made, log in to your PayPal account and enter the information into the "verify bank account" form. When deciding on which account is best for you, click on the "fees" button to see a list of fees associate with each account and transaction.

2. If you receive an email that claims it is from PayPal and needs you to verify a password or other information, do not click on it through your email. Log in to your PayPal account directly through the PayPal website to verify you really do need to take action. Most of these emails are scams, and by clicking on the link you will allow hackers access to your account.

How to Verify a PayPal Account with VCC from Bangladesh?

bangladesh doesn't supports PayPal Now at this Time. This article provides step-by-step instructions to help Verify a PayPal Account (Any Country). Also, the Article is for those who either don't have a Credit Card or don't want to use their credit card online for any reason.

1. Create a New PayPal Account (Personal/Premier/Business).

2. Upon creation, you will receive an email confirmation, click on the link in your email to activate your PayPal Account.

3. Login to confirm that you're Account Status below your Name is set to UNVERIFIED.

4. In order to verify your Account, Click on the UNVERIFIED link.

5. You are now at a Page where PayPal wants you to enter your Credit Card Details.

6. Now, instead of adding your physical Credit Card Details, Add the Virtual Credit Card details which you've purchased.

7. After you click on 'Add Card' PayPal would want you to enroll for the Expanded User Program in order to increase your sending limit.

8. Click on 'Get Number' button at page bottom and send us and email to receive your 4 Digit Verification Code.

9. We shall deliver your 4 Digit verification code within seconds, provided you've completed all 8 steps above.

10. Add the Verification Code to complete the verification process.

11. Your PayPal account is now VERIFIED.

Note: You will get the following VCC details:

1. 16 Digit Virtual Credit Card Number

2. 3 Digit CVV2/CVC2 Code Number

3. Expiry Date (**/****) mm/yyyy (3 Months)

4. Purpose Intended (Example, PayPal or EBay or Shopping)

VCC must be used within 24 hours from the time it has been delivered to your email or else it will expire due to security restrictions.

10 Ways Stay-at-Home Moms and Dads Can Make Extra Money

Being a stay-at-home parent is a full-time job. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with a full-time paycheck. As a result, it can be hard for some families relying on just one income to make ends meet or build savings.

SEE ALSO: 25 Ways to Earn Extra Cash

However, there are ways for stay-at-home moms and dads to earn a bit of extra cash to supplement the family budget without leaving the house or sacrificing time with the kids. In fact, here are 10 money-making opportunities that can be pursued when your children are at school or asleep, or possibly even when they are awake and demanding your attention. The earnings potential is modest, and not every opportunity will be right for you, but over the course of a year you could pocket hundreds – and possibly even thousands – of dollars.

Get paid for your opinions. Taking surveys online can be a relatively quick way to earn enough to afford a few extras. Harris Poll Online, for example, awards points for the completion of online surveys, which can take between five and 25 minutes to fill out. Survey takers accumulate points and can redeem them for gift cards from retailers such as Amazon and Starbucks. Harris Poll Online also runs sweepstakes for survey participants that pay out cash rewards to winners. The top prize is $10,000. Other online outfits that will pay you to take surveys include SurveyClub, Global Test Market and Swagbucks. There's no cost to sign up.
Evaluate Web sites. Another way to make extra cash in a short amount time – $10 for about 20 minutes of work – is to sign on with UserTesting and evaluate Web sites. You need a computer with a microphone and Internet connection, and you’ll have to fill out a one-page demographic profile. You’ll receive work if your profile matches that of the target audience of sites being tested. Then it’s just a matter of using UserTesting’s screen recorder, which you'll need to download to your computer, to record your verbal comments and on-screen movements as you click through a site. Site owners typically are looking for feedback about whether the Web site is confusing to navigate.

Serve as an online juror. Some attorneys use large panels of online mock jurors to get feedback on their cases before they go to trial. However, the mock jurors must live in the county or federal district where the case will be tried. You can sign up at a couple of sites and receive e-mail notifications if a case is posted in your area. EJury.com pays $5 to $10 per case via the online payment system PayPal. You can't be an attorney, paralegal or legal assistant – or even related to an attorney – to participate. EJury says you're likely to have better luck getting picked if you live in a large metropolitan area, where more cases are tried, rather than a rural area. The average case takes about 35 minutes to review. At OnlineVerdict.com, where cases typically take between 20 minutes and one hour to review, fees range from $20 to $60. Payment is made by check.

Run virtual errands. If you have a computer with Internet connection and are good at searching the Web and communicating with others, you can become a virtual personal assistant with Fancy Hands. The service hires assistants, who set their own hours, to help its users tackle tasks such as making calls to service providers, scheduling appointments, and finding the best prices for services and products. You get paid per task, starting at between $2.50 and $7.

 

 

18 Free AdSense Blogging Platforms That Allow AdSense Ads

This is our list of free blog­ging plat­forms that allow AdSense ads. Some of these sites share the ad space with you and some of them allow you 100% of the rev­enue from the AdSense ads.
We decided to repub­lish this list because the orig­i­nal post at Build­ing an AdSense Busi­ness with Free Blogs and Web 2.0 Sites did not receive very much attention.
Some allow you to place other adverts and CPA offers on the blogs. This is the same list that we posted ear­lier but with­out Squidoo and Hub­Pages included since they are not blog­ging plat­forms. They are web 2.0 sites.
We did not include Word­Press because to place AdSense ads on Word­Press you have to pay for host­ing, so it is not really free.
You may want to read our short dis­course and tuto­r­ial on how these free AdSense Blog­ging Plat­forms work and how you can ben­e­fit from them.

Free blog­ging plat­forms that allow AdSense

http://www.blogger.com/
http://www.i.ph/
http://www.flixya.com/nav/register
http://www.blogsome.com/
http://www.paranormaltimes.co.uk/
http://www.20six.co.uk/
http://www.netcipia.com/xwiki/bin/view/Main/WebHome
http://www.blogdrive.com/
http://www.blogates.com/
http://www.weebly.com/
http://www.ebloggy.com/
http://bloghi.com/

http://www.blogr.com/
http://www.tblog.com/
http://www.blogtext.org/
http://freeflux.net/
http://inube.com/ (this site added on 2010/06/06 — rev­enue sharing)
http://blogreaction.com/ (added on 2010/08/30 — rev­enue shar­ing for both Adsense and Kontera)

Owning the site you want to use to participate in AdSense

Next: Age requirem 

To use AdSense monetization products on your website, you must have access to edit the HTML source code of the web pages where you'd like the ads to be displayed. If you submit a site that you don't own (for example, www.google.com), you won't be able to place the AdSense code on the site and your application will not be approved. If you've created a website via a content management system (CMS) (for example, Blogger), you can submit its URL providing that you have access to AdSense or to the HTML source code from the interface.
If you don't have a website, or your site isn't compatible with JavaScript, the following options will help you get started with AdSense:

• Create a new blog using Google's service, Blogger. Through Blogger, webmasters can display Google ads without ever copying or pasting HTML code. Signing up for a Blogger account is fast, easy and free.
  
  Once you've created your blog, you can add Google ads by following these instructions to enable AdSense on your blog.


• If you want to monetize your YouTube video content, please apply for the YouTube Partner Program or if your YouTube account is already eligible for monetization follow the instructions displayed in the YouTube interface to apply for AdSense.

Keep in mind that AdSense ad code and search code may be used on any page on any site that complies with our program policies.

Sign up for AdSense