Table of contents for December 2015 in Windows Help & Advice

Are you and your PC having Wi-Fi woes? This issue we take a look at how to solve any problems, especially if you’re already on Windows 10. We’ll also show you how to connect to a Wi-Fi network easily with plenty of advice on offer. We also have a new section on page 91 sharing how to get started with Windows 10 if you’ve just installed it and are feeling a bit lost. Elsewhere, we look at how to stay anonymous online, whether that’s keeping your credit card information safe or preventing prying eyes from reading your emails. Tutorials include how to use the new Notifications setting in Windows 10, how to master your antivirus programs, and we also look at all the extra things you can do with your…

Acer Revo Build Is that computer made of Lego? Sort of, yes. The Revo Build follows Google’s Project Ara smartphone and the XO-Infinity laptop into the world of modular technology. These gadgets have user-swappable parts so you can add features and customise hardware to your liking. The Revo Build applies this idea to a small desktop computer. But haven’t you been able to do that with desktops for ages? Yes, but to upgrade a PC’s memory or hard drives you need to unscrew the cover and navigate your way around an intimidating array of wires and circuit boards. The Revo Build makes this easier by incorporating vital parts into magnetic interlocking blocks. So what are these blocks? You’ve got the main computer unit, then there’s a battery-powered module so you…

Forget cashless society – we’re now moving towards a walletless society. The major smartphone players are turning handsets into payment devices, so you can ditch your credit and debit cards and pay for items in the physical world. It’s an industry that is said to be worth £470 billion worldwide by 2017. So far, Apple is the biggest entrant in the UK market. Its Apple Pay system launched in the UK this summer, and you may have already seen stickers in the windows of M&S, McDonald’s, Starbucks and Waitrose. You can also use it on TfL services in London such as the Tube, bus and tram. There are two ways of using Apple’s system. If you’ve got an iPhone 6 or 6S you can place it next to a shop’s…

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO MAKE A FAIRPHONE? You may not have heard of Fairphone, but its business model is an interesting one – it aims to manufacture smartphones with minimal harm to people and the planet. Its Fairphone 2 is free of conflict minerals, such as gold and tin, and its workers aren’t subject sweatshop conditions. At €525 it costs a bit more than your average smartphone, but of this €340 is for the materials used to create the phone itself. The rest goes on taxes, investments and the business’s operations. 250 is the number of microscopic light-sensing megapixels that occupy Canon’s new experimental digital camera sensor. It’s so incredibly high-resolution that the company claims to have captured lettering on the side of an aeroplane a whopping 11…

1 Hiding your network’s SSID will help protect you from being hacked It’s true that telling your router not to broadcast its SSID will make it ‘invisible’ to the average user scanning for nearby networks. It won’t protect it from hackers, though. The SSID, while not broadcast, still shows up in data packets, probe requests and responses. Any hacker who’s interested can use specialist software tools to scan for hidden networks. Guess which networks are more interesting to hackers: those which broadcast their SSID, or those which keep it hidden? 2 Filtering network access by MAC address will protect against hackers Allowing only devices with MAC addresses you specify will deter only the most casual of hackers. Anyone armed with a network-sniffing tool will be able to see devices connected…

802.11ac is the most recent Wi-Fi protocol and supported by most modern routers. It offers a theoretical maximum throughput of 1300Mbps. That may seem like overkill, particularly if your broadband speed is measured in tens of megabits or even less. But that figure is a theoretical maximum, in practice you’ll get far lower speeds, something that is also true of 802.11n and 802.11g. Then there’s the issue of how many devices you have on your network. More devices means more competition for bandwidth. Suddenly 1300Mbps doesn’t seem so ridiculous. Besides, when you buy an 802.11ac router, you don’t just get 802.11ac. You get other modern features too, like beamforming, support for wide channels, WPS and guest networks. MIMO (multiple input multiple output), which allows for the use of multiple antennas…

Wi-Fi isn’t the only wireless technology that allows you to access the internet. Since the advent of 3G a decade ago, mobile networks have been able to provide reasonably fast data connections, and 4G provides significantly improved bandwidth, making it a viable alternative to a fixed broadband line. The bad news is that while 4G started rolling out in the UK towards the end of 2013, and all providers offer it as at least an option, coverage is far from universal. If you can get 4G, most providers charge a premium to use it, Three being the exception. You can connect to a 4G network from a recent smartphone, like the Nokia Lumina 640 or 640 XL, or cellular tablet, once you have an appropriate data plan. The situation is…

Your guide Graham Barlow says… “Google gives you access to many products and services – just tap in your password to get going!” Whether you’re stuck for inspiration or want to become a master of your Windows computer, our Explore section is the place to come. Each month we pack it with tutorials covering a range of subjects suitable for all levels of expertise. This month, Zak shows how to set up a Windows 10 network, while Nick explains how to share stories using Microsoft Sway. Meanwhile I reveal how to do more with your Google account. There’s never been a better time to see how your PC can make your life easier than ever! graham.barlow@futurenet.com…

Your guide Mayank Sharma says… “Worried about strangers peeking at your laptop when you’re using it in public? This simple tool will make any information on your screen glance-proof” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 10 minutes SUITABLE FOR Windows 10 Windows 8 Windows 7 Shoulder-surfing is one of the oldest tricks in the book when it comes to gleaning information from unsuspecting users. You can encrypt your data and protect it with passwords, but once you’ve unlocked it in a public place, there is little you can do to stop anyone from looking over your shoulder at your screen. This is becoming more of an issue as more people carry out their work in public places. AntiSnooper helps you reclaim…

Your guide Nick Peers says… “Discover how to tell inspiring, entertaining and informative stories with Microsoft Sway” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 30 minutes SUITABLE FOR Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 Stories are a key part of the human experience, and thanks to Microsoft Sway, you can now present your stories online in a slick, reader-friendly format on any device without having to master web-editing or desktop publishing skills. All you need to provide are the building blocks of a story – say a family history memoir with old photos or video – and let Sway do the rest. Although Sway is easy to use, it’s still flexible enough to give you control over your finished story; place images…

For many years, Google Reader was the world’s favourite RSS reader – a site that would gather all the latest news from other sites and present it in handy list form, either in a web browser or in third-party apps. It was closed in July 2012, and Feedly (https://feedly.com), which previously used data stored on Google’s servers, but subsequently implemented its own technology to do the same job, is now the go-to site. It still uses Google Account details for logging in, and it gives the Google+ share button pride of place when reading stories. Its look and feel fits well next to Google’s own style, so it won’t feel out of place. RSS – Really Simple Syndication – is by far the best way to read the news, and…

Your guide Nick Peers says… “Worried about how much snooping Windows 10 is doing? O&O ShutUp enables you to quickly tighten your privacy and security as well as tame Windows Update” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 10 minutes SUITABLE FOR Windows 10 NICK’S BEST TIP Open the Recovery Control Panel and click ‘Open system Restore’ if you can’t undo your changes using O&O shutUp 10. There has been a lot of discussion about the amount of data Windows 10 collects about you – is it really making your computing life easier, or are there genuine privacy concerns that need addressing? Whatever the answer, it’s also true Windows 10 provides settings that allow you to choose what to share and what…

The darknet is part of, though not the same as, the deep web, which includes any part of the internet that cannot be indexed by search engines, such as webpages beyond a personal log-in. The darknet is anonymous and isn’t inaccessible through a standard web browser. In recent years, Tor has become the most notorious darknet network, partly for its ability to circumvent governmental censorship, but mostly because of its hidden services. These are usually websites and are set up to only be accessible from connections routed through Tor encryption nodes from the Tor browser. Unsurprisingly, hidden services tend to be organisations with a vested interest in anonymity, so you’ll find The Pirate Bay has a hidden service on Tor, and the area of Wikileaks for uploading sensitive documents is…

Just a short time ago the majority of 3D printers looked like self-build kits, with the likes of the original Ultimaker, but XYZ have always produced printers that look complete and professional. In fact, the Nobel wouldn’t look out of place in a science lab, with its large white base and removable UV shield. The design is well thought-out and its simple appearance looks great, and this simplicity is reflected in an easy set-up process, as well as general use. The unit is heavy for its relatively small size, and it weighs in at 9.6kg, with a height of just 59cm tall and a small overall footprint of 28cm x 33.7cm, enabling it to easily be positioned neatly on a work surface. At the back is the power socket, on…

Whether you’ve just installed Windows 10, or you’re still wondering if it’s worth the upgrade, then you’ve come to the right place. Windows 10 can be a leap into the unknown for some people, and we’re here to give you the confidence to take the initial steps. In this section, you’ll find advice on how to upgrade to Windows 10, as well as a short tutorial showing how it works and what you need to do first. And don’t forget to let us know how you’re getting on! Email us on windowsmagazine@futurenet.com.…

The word ‘history’ may invoke memories of ancient teachers delivering mind-numbingly boring lessons on the kings of England, but we all know that really it’s a fascinating and rewarding subject (when you’re free of the national curriculum). And, thanks to the internet, it’s easy to discover the rich past of your local area. The BBC is at hand to jog your memory if your historical knowledge of the UK is as rusty as a cannon on the Mary Rose. Its British history section (bbc.co.uk/history/british/) reaches back to 1066, with easily digestible guides to important events and their consequences. From here, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org) is a great place narrow down your quest. Although the user-edited encyclopedia is infamous for its inaccuracy, the majority of its information is factually correct and you’ll find…

WINDOWS 10 Voice-activated Cortana Talking to Cortana, Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant, is impressive enough in itself, but it takes on a whole new level of coolness when you can activate it just by saying “Hey Cortana”. Of course, you’ll need an active microphone for this to work. Click Cortana, then choose the three-line icon at the top, followed by Notepad and settings. Click the switch under ‘Hey Cortana’, and then read out the phrases so it can understand your voice. Now when you say “Hey Cortana” it’ll start itself up, and you can ask your question after you hear the tone. If you’re having problems with the detection, return to the Notepad and click ‘relearn’. WINDOWS 7 Wordpad tips and tricks WordPad may not be as fully-featured as its big brother…

1 Which iconic videogame recently celebrated its 30th birthday? A. Sonic the Hedgehog B. Keith’s Midnight Shuffle C. Super Mario Bros 2 What does the popular Shazam app do? A. Identify music B. Set you up on a date C. Find nearby magicians 3 To what has Intel added tech-powered heat-sensitive vents? A. A bra B. Boxer shorts C. A cycling helmet 4 An interactive version of which toy is set to be a best seller this Christmas? A. Furbie B. Tracy Island C. Buzz Lightyear 5 What has Facebook recently achieved? A. A billion users a day B. Over $100bn in revenue C. Someone going five minute without checking it 6 What is the name of Microsoft’s new web browser for Windows 10? A. Edge B. Cortana C. Internet…

Whether you’re streaming from Spotify, listening to the radio, or watching Netflix, you rely on having a speedy and stable connection to the internet. Most of the time we don’t even think about it – online content is as easy to access as content that is stored locally. Until things go wrong, that is… Whether your ISP suffers an outage or, as BT customers experienced at the end of last year, DNS problems, or your own Wi-Fi network stumbles and fails, it’s frustrating. And, if you rely on it for work, it can be a potentially costly experience. The good news is there’s a great deal you can do to improve the performance of your Wi-Fi network, and even mitigate the risk associated with a failure beyond your control, thanks…

The first port of call for many computer users when choosing a wireless router is usually the router that came free from their ISP. So, if you sign up for Sky broadband, then you’ll be given a router from Sky. This makes tech support calls easier, since the engineer will know what hardware you have. And let’s be honest; it’s probably all you need. It might not support the latest 802.11ac wireless protocol, with its theoretical maximum throughput of 1300Mbps, or have beamforming technology, which focuses the signal from the router to your device, meaning you should always get the strongest possible signal, but it will probably do the job. In fact, we’d be tempted to say, that unless it stops working you should stick with it. There are valid…

There are a number of ways in which you can extend the range of your Wi-Fi network. In addition to using a second router, as described in the sections on roaming and powerline networking, you can improve the performance of your current router. Following our tips on page 20 should also help extend its range, but if that’s not enough, you might want to consider a Wi-Fi repeater or extender. This is a device that sits at the outer edge of the range of your Wi-Fi network and rebroadcasts the signal, thus allowing it to carry further. These devices are relatively inexpensive, usually costing between £30 and £40. They do, however, have a few problems associated with them. The first is that in order to be effective, repeaters should be…

How long is a piece of string? The answer to when you’ll be able to access 4G depends on where you live and which network you use. The simplest way to find out is to go to your network provider’s website and use its coverage checker. Type in your postcode and the checker will tell you whether 4G is available now and, if not, when you can expect it to become available. However, even that won’t give you the full story. Every network has pockets within coverage areas where signals are weak or, sometimes, non-existent. So while, for example, 4G may be available from your provider in Exeter, if you move beyond the centre of the city, you might find the signal disappears. Within Greater London, there’s a large area…

Packed with informative tutorials Every issue, we guarantee to pack the magazine with great tutorials teaching you all the best things you can do with your PC. Each article features step-by-step instructions to make learning new skills fast and enjoyable. Customise Windows to work your way We all know how to do the basics but getting the most from Windows isn’t always easy. Our operating system means you get the very best tips and tricks for all versions of Windows. Get more from your favourite websites We all have our list of favourite sites but often we miss out on great features because they’re difficult to use or hidden from sight. We’ll show you how to do more online, for a more satisfying web life. Discover new programs with our…

Your guide Cat Ellis says… “Use your web browser to chat with friends and family any time, on any device” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 20 minutes SUITABLE FOR Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 Video chat programs are popular, but often come with drawbacks that make it tricky to contact your nearest and dearest. Skype is perhaps the best program around, and is built into Windows 8 and 10, but users with older browsers will have to download it separately – not ideal if you need to speak to someone urgently. Firefox Hello is an innovative tool that lets you speak to anyone with a WebRTC-supported browser, such as Firefox, Google Chrome or Opera – no additional software or…

Your guide Graham Barlow says… “Google gives you access to invaluable products and services – tap in your password to connect to your account and you’re ready to go!” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 60 minutes SUITABLE FOR Windows 8.1 Windows 7 GRAHAM’S BEST TIP While Google Drive is unlikely to lose your data , it ’s worth keeping a local backup of important files, just in case you lose your account or suffer a break-in . Google does many things, but restricting what you can do with your data isn’t one of them. As a mail client for instance, Gmail is beloved and used all around the world. Its search and labelling systems are a great way of handling…

Your guide Christian Hall says… “Improve Windows 8.1 with a few carefully applied tweaks, and get the old Start menu back” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 25 minutes SUITABLE FOR Windows 8 Windows 7 The old Windows 8.1 interface was definitely not to everyone’s tastes, and Windows 10 improved upon it significantly. If you are still using Windows 8.1 then you might expect the Windows Start button to bring up a classic Start menu rather than the new Start Screen. However, with a few tweaks, that core interface element can be returned, and we’ll look at three different versions you can install for free. Because of the slimmed-down desktop in Windows, it isn’t always obvious where to find the options…

In 2013, Edward Snowden was revealed to have downloaded and leaked up to 1.7 million classified documents, revealing the extent of mass surveillance in the US and around the globe. Key revelations from these leaks include the existence of PRISM: a partnership between the NSA and at least seven major internet companies, including Google, Apple, Microsoft, Yahoo and Facebook. PRISM enables the NSA to access the emails, documents, photos and personal details of any non-US citizen from its participating companies (which have immunity from possible ramifications), en masse, without having to specify an individual target or communications method. The only crumb of comfort is the NSA apparently has to request the information, rather than having direct server access. Snowden’s leaks also revealed the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) taps around…

A FRESH START “I’ve been using Windows 8.1 since it came out and I’ve always suspected, but never been able to prove, I had some viruses or other stuff installed there. Nothing I’ve tried seems to have got rid of it, including reinstalling. I’m wondering if installing Windows 10 might help. Will upgrading clear everything out, including viruses?” You shouldn’t assume it’s a virus every time your PC runs slowly, or crashes, or doesn’t do what you want. If you think you have a virus, boot into Safe Mode and run a free online scanner, such as housecall.trendmicro.com. If that comes up clean, you don’t have a virus. If you did have a virus under Win8.1, upgrading to Win10 won’t get rid of it. The upgrade process leaves your documents…

Here at Windows Help & Advice we’ve been working hard. But don’t worry, we haven’t been exerting ourselves, we’ve been letting the tech do that for us. First, of all, we challenged two laptops – the HP ZBook 14 G2 and the Chillblast Helios – to a decent day’s work. Turn to pages 80 and 82 to find out how they got on. We’ve also been exercising our creative bones at home with the Nobel 3D printer, and we’ve made light work out of physical exercise too with the Garmin Forerunner, which has easily kept us on the right track. Until next time!…

Your guide Zak Storey says… “Now you’ve finally got Windows 10 installed, it’s time to find out what it has to offer” Now you’ve got Windows 10 installed, up and running, it’s time to see how the new system works. There’s a new Start menu for you to explore and some exciting new features. For example, when it comes to aiding productivity Windows 10 has plenty on offer. Whether it’s aero snapping your apps to corners or asking Cortana to help you out by setting reminders, it’s all there to streamline your daily computing. The best approach is to dive right into as many of the settings as you can – personalising your operating system, desktop and programs for the tasks you perform the most. For instance, if Cortana isn’t…

Almost every settlement in the UK features a listed building. These old structures are protected from being altered without permission from a local authority, and have significance for the area. They’re not just houses – bridges, monuments and war memorials can achieve listed status, and it even applies to the famous Abbey Road pedestrian crossing. Find listed buildings in your area using the National Heritage List.…

Squirt squirt.io Despite the web’s metamorphosis into a skittish hive of animated gifs and YouTube videos, we still spend more time reading than we do watching. But with all these words to get through, things can get a little bit time-consuming. However, Squirt.io aims to reduce the amount of time you spend reading articles on the net. Visit the site and you’ll get an idea of how it works – it presents one word at a time, then quickly moves on to the next one, so your eyes don’t have to scan along a line. Before you know it, you’re reading at 250 words per minute – twice the average speed. The clever bit is that Squirt provides a bookmarklet. Add this to your favourites and you can use it…

Dual band routers can operate on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz spectra. Each has advantages and disadvantages. The 2.4GHz spectrum is the faster of the two, but also the most congested. Not only do devices on 2.4GHz have to compete for bandwidth with other Wi-Fi kit, but also with Bluetooth and microwave ovens. The 5GHz spectrum is less congested, but has a shorter range. If you’re having problems maintaining a stable connection to your router, and you’ve eliminated obvious causes, such as the position of the router (it should be away from walls and other obstructions), congestion could be the problem. Most dual-band routers can be configured in one of two ways. You can either create one network, with one SSID and one password, and allow the router to decide…

One reason to extend your Wi-Fi network is to connect a wireless IP camera. These cameras can be used indoors and outdoors (say as a baby monitor or a security camera), connect to your you feed on a PC, phone, or tablet. With a little configuration, you can view the feed over the internet. Indoor cameras start at around £40. Outdoor ones start at around £60, but can run to several hundred pounds, so it’s important to decide on the features you need. If image quality is important, you’ll want a camera with a high-definition sensor. To see what’s happening when it’s dark, the distance its infrared lights project is key. Other features you should look for in an outdoor camera include how weather-proof it is – will it go…

You can access the internet while on the move very simply, using a 3G or 4G network, provided your smartphone has the capability to share its Internet connection as a personal hotspot. You’ll need to check with your network provider that your contract includes support for tethering – the generic name for using a mobile’s data connection on another device. If your network contract doesn’t support tethering, or you don’t want to drain its battery using it as a hotspot, there is another option: a mobile hotspot. This is (usually) a little black box that allows multiple devices to share a connection to a 3G or 4G network. They can be bought on contract from mobile operators, just like smartphones can, at prices which vary according to the monthly data…

Your guide Zak Storey says… “You can connect to multiple networks easily in Windows 10 using the new-look network settings” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 10 minutes SUITABLE FOR Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 With the launch of Windows 10, Microsoft has taken everything we knew and loved about Windows 8 and given it a new lick of paint. And although it looks lovely on the outside, it could potentially confuse you if you’re used to the traditional control panels and networking options found in the earlier versions of Windows (especially seeing as these connection menus haven’t really changed since the dawn of Windows XP). In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to connect to a wireless or ethernet…

Your guide Nick Peers says… “Windows 10’s new Action Centre puts notifications at your fingertips – here’s how it works” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 15 minutes SUITABLE FOR Windows 10 Windows 8 Windows 7 One of Windows 10’s most radical changes is the way in which it provides notifications. Previously you’d see a little white flag appear in the Taskbar’s notification area with a pop-up balloon on hand to keep you informed. Now notifications are much more visible thanks to the new Action Centre, which appears on the right-hand side of your desktop. It’s now primarily concerned with delivering notifications, both from Windows and supported apps, but it also contains a number of useful shortcuts in the form of…

Mailbox is a powerful email client (www.mailboxapp.com) for iOS. It’s designed to help achieve ‘inbox zero’ – the fancy way of saying ‘no more e-mail left . It does that by hooking into your Gmail account and offering expected features, such as sending and receiving e-mails, but making it easier to archive things or put them off until later. If a personal message arrives at work, you can shoo it away until the evening or the weekend, or push a work-related one back until the morning. Alternatively, generic ‘later’ and ‘someday’ choices are available, as is picking a specific date to deal with something. The result is that your inbox contains only things that need attention right away. A swipe to the right archives a message. A long swipe trashes…

Your guide Matt Hanson says… “It’s easy to keep Windows 10 free from viruses, using built-in tools and third-party applications” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 15 mins SUITABLE FOR Windows 10 Windows 10 is Microsoft’s most secure operating system ever thanks to powerful anti-virus tools that help keep you protected from internet nasties. While keeping your Windows 10 machine virus-free is easier than ever before, there are still things you can do to help keep your data safe. For complete protection there are several powerful free tools to download to prevent malicious software from infecting your machine. There are also a number of best practices you should follow so you don’t put yourself at risk online. Follow our guide to…

1 Roll back Let’s be clear from the start: Windows 10 is better than Windows 8.1 and better than Windows 7. But if you upgrade and find you can’t make it work with your PC, you have a one-month grace period during which you can roll back to your previous operating system. 2 Back up If you’ve installed any apps since upgrading, these will be lost, so make sure you have backups. Then click ‘Start > Settings > Update & Security > Recovery. On the right, choose the middle option, labelled ‘Go back to Windows 7’ or ‘Go Back to Windows 8.1. Click ‘Get Started. 3 Time to confess You need to pick a reason for downgrading, so Microsoft knows where it went wrong, and you’ll get some warnings about…

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In the next issue... Get more from your Windows PC REINSTALL WINDOWS Your guide to the ultimate system reboot HOW TO... • Find hidden features • Master the secrets of Windows Update • Get Windows 10 ready for playing games Catch up with us on… www.facebook.com/windowsmag www.twitter.com/windowsmag www.facebook.com/windowsmag * Contents subject to change…