A network protocol lays out the rules for data communication between computers. These set of rules allow network card manufacturers to create drivers that interface between network cables, hardware devices and the computer’s operating system. Several network protocols are available, but the most common is TCP/IP, which is the “language” of the Internet. It’s these protocols that send computer communication from the network card, transmit over the cables and find the right computer to deliver the data packets....

Extracting data from tables in Excel is routinely done in Excel by way of the OFFSET and MATCH functions. The primary purpose of using OFFSET and MATCH is that in combination, they are much more useful than on their own. Think of them as building blocks that can be put together to achieve highly robust and flexible data lookups. Writer Bio

As the Recording Industry Association of America crusades against digital music piracy, the organization cites surprising statistics; according to the RIAA, 30 billion songs were illegally downloaded in a single five-year period. Though the organization may respond to illegal music downloads with legal action, users have the right to protect their privacy by blocking IP addresses from accessing their computers via programs such as PeerGuardian and PeerBlock. These applications aren’t limited to providing privacy from the RIAA, however, and may be used to provide privacy in other capacities....

The Recommended Blogs List A few years ago, Tumblr implemented a Recommended Blogs list on the platform. Tumblr users could install a button on their blogs that enabled other users to automatically recommend their blogs for recognition in the Recommended Blogs section. However, the recommendation system was retired, and the Tumblr Spotlight replaced this section on the Tumblr platform. Recommend buttons are no longer supported. Tumblr Spotlight Feature The Tumblr Spotlight feature is now combined with the Tumblr Lookup Contacts tool....

The tell-tale sign of a hacked Facebook account is activity that you don’t recognize. You can check your notifications list on the site – or from your inbox if you have email notifications set up – to look for suspicious behavior. However, even if a hacker doesn’t change any account settings or create any new posts, there are other ways of spotting unauthorized access. Writer Bio

SIM recovery sticks were once, only used by law enforcement to retrieve information in regards to crimes, but now you can purchase these recovery programs online for personal use. SIM recovery programs are used to recovery information that has been accidentally deleted from the SIM card. Writer Bio

Smartphones have evolved over time to become compatible with Microsoft Office programs necessary for daily business. In today’s market, all major smartphone operating systems have their own unique ways in which to interact with and edit Microsoft Excel documents that vary in functionality, ease of use and cost. Whether you use and edit Excel documents daily or just create an occasional spreadsheet, it is prudent to know the breadth of options available before purchasing your next smartphone....

Supernets and subnets use the same underlying technology to accomplish different goals. Supernets seek to expand and simplify complicated network infrastructures by building routing tables that target multiple subnets in a single interface. Subnets, by contrast, break large networks into separate, smaller networks. Knowing when to apply one or the other can help you better organize your network. While an IP address can be virtually any number, subnet masks are defined by which positions, from left to right, represent the “network” number, and which bits, from right to left, represent the “hosts....

Television commercials have long been an effective means of advertising products. Today they are less dominant in the television landscape due to the rise of TiVo, commercial free cable and other forms of video entertainment. New types of advertising like sponsorship of sporting events featured on television and the placement of products within shows are growing, but traditional commercials still take up significant airtime and account for a large amount of broadcaster revenue....

According to an article in The Guardian, more than eight trillion text messages were sent worldwide during 2012. Text messaging is entrenched as one of the primary means of communication in our society. However, it is not without its drawbacks. People who send text messages too often, or at inappropriate times, may be faced with dangers and consequences that range from data security to personal safety issues. Writer Bio

The advantages of an iPod include huge storage capacities, an intuitive interface, and total control over various forms of media. Apple sells four types of iPod: the shuffle, the nano, the classic, and the touch (yes, Apple has a thing for lowercase.) The shuffle and nano are the Lilliputians of the bunch – their combined weight is about an ounce – but both carry plenty of clever advantages. The classic and touch carry some of the more complex advantages, but they are still small enough to fit inside the front pocket of a pair of skinny pants....

Dropping a 30-foot antenna tower can be done safely with planning and careful rigging work. A crane is the best way but, if can’t get one, you can do it effectively with a pair of come-alongs and a couple of 50-foot lengths of rope or cable. Attach two ropes or cables to the top of the antenna tower. You can do this with a ladder or by climbing the tower if it is sturdy enough....

While your VHS video tapes won’t look as good on DVD as digitally recorded originals, you can make the transfer so you can watch your home movies when the last VCR has gone into the museum. If you have a lot of VHS tapes to transfer, it will take some time to digitize all of them, but it will save you money over having them done by a company. Writer Bio

GPS and GPRS are two separate and unconnected technologies used in cellphone among other devices. GPS is a navigation system that uses satellites to pinpoint the handset’s location. GPRS is a technology used for transferring data over a cellphone network. Writer Bio

Updated February 10, 2017 Line AutoCAD produces drawings using line and shape tools. Curves, arcs and straight lines produce the shapes, but AutoCAD cannot edit the line and location as freely as illustration programs– editing and overlapping lines and lineweights is limited to a few options. In addition, AutoCAD creates drawings from only lines, never volumetric models, such as with BIM. Nevertheless, the application can produce precise three-dimensional geometry with limited material effects....

Even diehard music traditionalists who prefer to listen to their favorite tracks on CD or vintage vinyl may occasionally find the convenience of downloading music an irresistible draw. Instant access to a vast online library of millions of tracks from every conceivable musical genre appeals to many people, but the initial allure of digital downloads can soon disappear when you consider the disadvantages of downloading music from the Internet. Writer Bio

As modern technology grows and advances by leaps and bounds, so too does its effect on our life and society. The impact of technological improvements on communication, in particular, has been extensive and largely positive, helping people keep in touch with each other more effectively and efficiently. However, you need only look at the nearest gaggle of teenagers glued to their cell phones to realize that there are also plenty of downsides from technology’s impact on communication....

Physical trauma can cause buttons like your iPad’s volume rocker to stop functioning properly. However, Apple provides software alternatives to every physical button on the iPad, and there are more alternative solutions for a non-working iPad volume button than for, say, the “Home” button. Writer Bio

Malware, viruses and system corruption can cause a computer to run poorly or not boot. The IBM/Lenovo Thinkpad 61 laptop computer comes with a one-button utility called Rescue and Recovery that lets the user back up important files or the entire hard drive, restore backed up files or a full disk and restore the computer to factory-default settings. The utility can be accessed from within Windows or from a Pre-Operating System Environment if Windows will not load....

“Can you hear me now?” isn’t just a tagline in a popular cellphone provider commercial. It’s also what you might find yourself saying inside your home or at your office. A variety of building materials, devices and phenomena can negatively impact your cellphone signal, reducing call quality or even making outgoing calls impossible. Writer Bio