Computer Needs, FAQ                    Back to Top

Have a question about what computer is right for you? Just look at the FAQ below to see why a new custom built system from us is better than buying pre-built computers.

What do I really need for my computer?
That is up to you! Ask yourself what you will really use your computer for, and what you’d like to be able to use it for in the future. We suggest not letting major computer manufacturers tell you what your needs are by buying a pre-assembled PC. They are often times heavy on some items and light on others, leaving your specific computer needs un-addressed. We can help you determine what your computer needs, what is optional, and what fits into your budget.
Ask yourself these following questions:

• How fast a CPU do I need?
• CPU’s (Central Processing Unit) determine the speed of your computer, so, the faster, the better.
• How large a hard drive do I need?
• Hard drive size is measured in Gigabytes, not inches, and they range from 1.0Gb up to 200.0Gb
• How fast a modem do I need?
• The speed of a modem is measured in BPS (bytes per second) e.g. a standard modem is 56kbps (kilo bytes per second) and some Broadband providers now go up to 8mbps (mega bytes per second) which is 160 times faster than the standard 56kbps modem.
• What kind of printer should I get?
• This depends on how much printing you are going to be doing. For example: Epson ink cartridges are very cheap (therefore have low running costs) and are of good quality, which makes them the No.1 choice for the majority of home users. But do you really need a printer?
• How much RAM do I need?
• RAM (Random Access Memory) This depends on how many programs you are going to be using at any one time. If you use for example one program e.g. Microsoft Word to write a letter, then close it down to play solitaire, it is not going to put much strain on the memory of your PC. But if you have four or five programs running at once, then they may all seem to become sluggish. So basically the more RAM your PC has, the better able it is to cope with multiple programs running at the same time. Also some programs and games require a certain amount of RAM before they will run or even install, so you should always check the programs "minimum system requirements" before you purchase it.

** Please note that all of our brand new systems are fully upgradeable, **
** so if you find you are using more and more **
** programs at once, then you will want more memory. **
** This can be purchased and installed by you, at a low cost. **

How do I choose a computer that is right for my needs?
Choosing a computer that matches your needs is fairly easy. Just determine what you will use your PC for, what you’d like to use your PC for, and how much you want to spend on it. With this information we can custom build a PC for you and your exact needs without being wasteful or unprepared for possible future upgrades.

Why should I buy a custom computer instead of a pre-built computer (like a Dell or Compaq)?
Pre-built computer manufacturers don’t know exactly who is going to buy their PCs and they can’t afford to make several hundred different configurations of one particular PC, so they compromise. They may compromise with the brand of parts, sometimes with parts that won’t fit any other PC, or even parts that aren’t upgradeable unless you buy directly from them. You will also undoubtedly find that your brand new, possibly expensive, PC has too much of one thing and too little of another. For example you could have a lot of RAM but not enough Hard Drive space to store all your files. Depending on your needs, you may require a better video card, more memory, a faster or larger hard drive, or perhaps you don’t really need that flat screen monitor that comes with the package.
Having an expert build you a custom PC (or building one yourself, if you are able to) ensures that your needs are being met, and not just those of the computer manufacturers.

Are custom computers more expensive that pre-built computers?
No, in fact they most often tend to be much less expensive because you are only buying what you need and will use, also you aren’t paying for a branded machine from a large company which is heavily reliant on you having to go to them for replacement parts and relevant upgrades.

Computer Networking, FAQ                    Back to Top
Have a question about computer networking? Looking to start a home or office network, share an Internet connection or printer, or even go wireless? If so, then the FAQ below may be of assistance to you.

What do I need to start a computer network?
At least two computers, or one computer and a broadband Internet connection. The most common home network is 2 PC's that want to share one Internet connection. When you add printers, more PC's or laptops, etc., then you will want to network all those so that you can share and distribute information throughout the entire network.

How do I share an Internet connection between 2 or more computers?
The easiest way to connect two or more PC's in a network is with an Ethernet switch. An Ethernet switch is a device that allows multiple Ethernet enabled devices to communicate with each over a network.

How do I make sure my computer is safe on the Internet?
The best solution is to have a firewall and an Anti Virus program. You can choose a software firewall, which is a program that runs on your PC, and monitors all your network traffic for possible breaches of security. Another type of firewall is a hardware-based firewall, which we would recommend because this stops possible breaches of security before anything actually reaches your PC. A hardware firewall also doesn’t take up any resources on your PC and can handle multiple PC's rather than having a software firewall installed on every PC on the network.

How do I upgrade my network to wireless?
Upgrading your network to use wireless (a.k.a. Wi-Fi) communications is simpler than it may seem. The most basic of wireless network set-ups involve one wireless access point and one wireless adapter for the PC or laptop. The wireless access point broadcasts the wireless signal and then the wireless adapter picks up the signal and sends data back to the wireless access point thus simulating a wired data connection.

For a wireless network to function, two devices are needed. The wireless client (which is your Wi-Fi enabled PC or an Intel® Centrino® notebook PC) and most importantly, the "Wireless Access Point". If the client isn't in range of a wireless access point, then there is no wireless network.

To fully understand this point is vital to understanding the nature of wireless networking and the following sections will give you a good base of knowledge to set-up your own network and begin browsing the Internet wherever you are in your home.

Here are a few simple points to get you started

Your first task for setting up the wireless network is to make sure you get the right equipment in the first place.

THE WIRELESS ALPHABET
Your notebook or desktop PC will need to be provided with one of two different specification wireless cards. These are known as 802.11b and 802.11g, although better known as "Wireless B" and "Wireless G". Wireless G is faster and more robust than Wireless B and most new computers will be supplied with it. However, they are not always compatible with each other.
There are other wireless standards too, 802.11a, 802.11n and some others.

CERTIFICATION
There is a certification process for wireless networks and this can be used to decide whether or not devices will definitely work together. This certification can be checked on the Wi-Fi Alliance website at http://www.wi-fi.com and also by checking the packaging for a logo.

Normally the logo will state exactly which standards the device is certified for. If your wireless notebook PC has a Wireless B adapter then the minimum you should look for is Wireless B certified. Do remember that even without certification, most devices still work correctly but this cannot be guaranteed. Also remember that certification is not a requirement for any wireless product manufacturer and new technologies and products are often uncertified initially.

MY NEW ACCESS POINT                                                Back to Top
If you've already purchased your new Access Point, fully certified for Wireless B and Wireless G and are ready to start connecting up. That means it's time to find out what the Access Point actually does.

The various status lights are quite self-explanatory, however, the ones to look out for are "Wireless", "Internet" and "LAN". The "Wireless" light represents an active wireless network is available and shows that, if lit, clients can now connect to the network. The "Internet" light indicates to the user that there is an active Internet connection available meaning that anyone who connects to the wireless network has Internet access. The "LAN" light represents any PC that is connected via standard Ethernet cable to the device.

The rear of most products are fairly similar and may require some explanation. There are normally five, similar looking ports on the rear of the unit. The one by itself is for the Internet, WAN or ADSL connection point. Once configured this will provide Internet access to everyone on the wireless network. The remaining four ports make up the "4 Port Switch" component of this unit and they are provided to allow non-wireless enabled products to connect to the network and use the Internet. It is often a good idea to configure the product using a wired connection but it is not required.

WHAT NEXT?
Well, now assuming you have your Access Point correctly wired up and connected to the phone line and the notebook PC is up and running.

Once you have everything connected and ready to go, you'll need to get it all set-up and configured properly.  This article will give you a few more words and phrases that will seem completely alien to begin with. Don't worry, it's all very simple and most of it you won't need to remember anyway.

WINDOWS ZERO CONFIG
That's a very flashy name for something very simple to use. All this does is allow a Windows XP PC to connect to a wireless network and it is completely built-in to the operating system of the PC.

The first thing to do is to ensure the wireless adapter on the PC is enabled. On notebook PCs, this is normally a switch on the front or side. You will have to refer to your manual to find out exactly what to do to enable this, it shouldn't be too difficult to do.