Measure a WiFi Signal

Jim Hamm passes along some helpful info:  "If, say, you're traveling with a Mac laptop and it shows it's receiving a WiFi signal, but you're unable to connect to the internet, what to do?
The first thing I do is check to see how strong is the WiFi signal I'm receiving. Hold the option key down and then click the WiFi icon. You will see a variety of data, including RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication). What does this mean? Take a look at the following meter to get an idea:  (Click to enlarge.)


Green is good, yellow is marginal in the above meter. The minuses reflect a loss or reduction in power. If I remember correctly, the meeting room at the Prescott Library, where we hold the PMUG meetings, has an RSSI of about a -70 and we usually can connect okay. As I'm typing this I'm close to the router and my RSSI is a -40. In my experience, if you show an RSSI of around -80 you probably won't be able to connect to the internet.

In addition to strength, another important element of a WiFi  signal is the amount of noise (interference from microwave, cell phones, etc) present. If you're showing a good WiFi  signal but are having difficulty connecting, or staying connected, to the internet, then possibly you've got noise interference. A spread of 15-20 dBm is desirable. For example, say the strength is  -60 and the noise is -80, you're in good shape.

What can you do to improve RSSI? Move closer to the base station or router; walk around and change the location of your computer -- maybe you'll move from behind an obstruction; buy a WiFi  booster. I've used several, and they do help.

I've got some friends that recently converted to a Mac and I thought this might be helpful for them. The same concept applies to PC users, but I don't recall (if I ever knew) how to measure RSSI on a PC."

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Discussing Dropbox

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If you use Dropbox or just want to know more about it, here is an informative article from the Windows Secrets Newsletter forwarded to us from Jim Hamm.  It concerns the privacy of data you keep stored on their server. Jim says, "I don't store anything of a sensitive or private nature in Dropbox — which I use frequently and find very helpful — so I'm not concerned about the privacy issue. The article goes on to explain some alternatives to Dropbox as well."  Art Gorski responds with an offer to do a demo.

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Apple Releases Security Update Today

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        Alerted first by a PCmagazine article, the official info comes from this Apple Support site.  The security update 2011-003 is 2.1 MB and takes less than 2 minutes to download.  It was released earlier today, May 31, for OS X v. 10.6.7.
        What do you know?  David Passell writes to brag that his update took less than a minute!

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On Reading SD Chips with Adapter

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        David Passell passes along this information:  "For a long time I have been copying a friend's SD chips to archive-DVDs and also using iDVD, iPhoto, etc. to make playable DVDs. I went through a time though when I thought I was getting corrupted chips. They wouldn't load, I couldn't copy them, and when I tried to play videos (AVI) from them I would get 'end of file errors,' etc. Even with the SAFE/LOCK key in place I would have problems. The underlying problem was that I was plugging the SD > USB adapter into a hub. When I plugged it directly into a Mini USB connector, the problem went away.
                                        Basic principle:
• To avoid corruption, or changes on photo dates, always put the little key on the SD chip to the SAFE/LOCK position.
• Always plug the adapter directly into a USB port on the computer.
• Don't use a hub, not even a powered one.
• Before removing the chip, EJECT the image of the SD, just like a large Hard Drive or USB thumb drive."
        From his MacBook Pro at the Sunnyvale, CA public library we hear from John Carter on the subject: "Pam Wickstrom was told by Apple support that you cannot use a USB hub (powered or not) on an Airbook to connect to an external hard drive - the external hard drive has to be connected directly to the Airbook. David’s experience with an SD chip is similar, but I don’t know if he was using an Airbook. So from this we might conclude that you can’t read any external media through a USB hub on an Airbook. This needs to be confirmed."
        Upon receiving this info from John here's David Passell's reply, "I'm not sure what an 'airbook' is, I think it means the MacBook Air. However, I am using a Mac Mini. I have three hub-type devices. A Gigaware four-port (powered), a Targus four-port (unpowered) which is in turn conected to a TrendNet KVM switcher which has two USB ports. I have never had a problem with hard drives or USB thumb drives through a hub. I do have my TimeMachine drive connected directly to a Mini USB port. The problem appears to be when I use my Targus USB to SD adapter. SDs apparently do not read properly when plugged in through a hub."

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More About: Keep in Mind About Your Computer Security . . .

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        A good reminder comes from Allen Laudenslager.  He sends this CNN article, declaring that it might help give a little clarity on the MacDefender malware issue.  The article, entitled, "New Malware Revives Mac vs. Windows Security Debate" states that Microsoft recently pointed out that 1 in 14 downloads on Windows are malicious.  And the fact that there is just one piece of Mac malware being widely discussed illustrates how rare malware still is on the Mac platform.  The writer concludes, " . . . the moral of this story is to be wary that Mac malware is in the wild, and be cautious about installing sketchy software from unfamiliar sources."
        This evening several news reports discuss the malware.  AppleInsider, states that Apple will release an update to Mac OS X to automatically find and remove the malware.  The article concludes, "The scam site is also unable to install the malware without the user supplying an administrative password. Even so, hundreds of users have been duped by the scam, although the outbreak appears to be more of a nagware annoyance than a serious security problem."
        First thing this morning, (5-25) Allen passes on this Apple Support information which lists the authorized steps to take to remove the malware if you happen to inadvertently download it. Once the Mac OS X software update is here we'll have "no more concern about the only widespread Mac malware that we have to worry about" because it will automatically find and remove the MacDefender malware and its known variants.
        Joining in with helpful info now is Art Gorski, recommending this from MacWorld.
        This afternoon (5-25) we found this in ComputerWorld: "Mac users running Safari can stop avRunner from automatically opening its installer screen by unchecking the box marked 'Open 'safe' files after downloading' at the bottom of the General tab in the browser's Preferences screen."  Read the whole article.
        Here's the 5-26 article from Computer World with more details.
        What else are PMUG members saying about malware, security, anti-virus issues?  On the right side of this newsblog scroll to the Labels list and look up those keywords, and any other keywords you're interested in researching.  Our PMUG members do a good job of finding out -- and passing along -- all kinds of Mac information.

Screen Shots

Sounds like Hollywood to you? Actually, screen shots are a useful talent of your Mac. On the keyboard hold down Command + shift + 4 all at the same time. Your cursor turns into a target-like object. Touch the upper left of what you want to copy and bring your cursor across to the right side as far as you want to copy and then keep going down over that page or that picture. Takes a little practice. Your screen shot then comes up on your desktop with a name “Screen shot 2011-04…..” and then the time of day. How technical is that!  (Double click to enlarge these illustrations.)

For illustrations on my PMUG handouts I do screen shots of charts, illustrations, etc. from the Internet or from any other location on the computer.

When you double click on that screen shot icon on your desktop it will open up with Preview. Here you choose File > Save As. Now take your choice of format. Some of these I have not used, so you’re on your own!

For posting to the PMUG blog or my own blog I want to use JPEG, so that’s my choice. Notice that the little screen shows you the file size and you can choose levels of quality. If you choose PDF you can even choose a Quartz Filter type and also click to encrypt and require a password.

On the main Apple Menu look under Help, type “screen shot” in Search. Here you’ll find more info on how to take a picture of the whole window, and other helpful topics.

Go to Applications > Utilities and choose Grab. Open and see the choices on the menu. Preferences lets you choose Pointer Type and Enable sound. Under System Preferences you can select Keyboard Shortcuts  > Services > Pictures, then capture full screen, use timer, and capture selection from screen. Grab is another name for Screen Shot.

To see information about a screen shot you’ve taken, such as the size and depth, when you have Grab open choose Edit > Inspector.

Under Mac Help see the information on Shortcuts for taking pictures of the screen. You can take a picture of a window or the menu bar, or take a picture of the menu without its title.

Some applications, such as DVD Player, may not let you take pictures of the screen.

You can take a screen shot from a YouTube showing. In this example, I’ve shrunken it by moving the dots (little handles) inward.

In Pages go to Inspector > Metrics and you can click to Constrain proportions. You can shrink something equally, or can adjust it to what you need. When I make a booklet using ClickBook from BlueSquirrel.com I have to undo the Constrain and widen the picture out to compensate for the automatic sizing that program does to print full size pages into booklet size pages.

If it’s Mac it can be fun and easy. That’s why we’re always learning new things and in PMUG we’re happy to share what we’ve learned so far. We want to hear from you -- what puzzles you, so far? What new things have you learned to do?

This is the handout at the PMUG meeting this morning.  If you weren't there be sure to come next time so we can enjoy conversation and learning and fun!

And the latest just in from Art Gorski, "After you do Cmd-Shft-4, and before you select anything, press the space bar. As you move the mouse around the screen, entire windows and menus will highlight. Click and it will do the selection for you."

Now, an additional pointer from David Passell: "If you press CTRL along with the CMD - SHIFT- 4 the selected item will be placed on the clipboard where you can add it to any document you are writing, including email."

Misbehaving Mouse

So used to a mouse in my hand, I added a small Belkin retractable cord mouse ($10.99) to my exterior keyboard for the MacBook Pro. Good, most of the time.  When it misbehaves and forgets to move the cursor I tried various "remedies."  What works is to merely unplug the little plug from the little connection cord that comes out of the exterior keyboard, and then plug it right back in.

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Keyboard Shortcuts for Mail

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Expanding on his earlier tips on Mail John Carter sends this info:

  
I tried to find something that could
show all the keyboard shortcuts for Mail.
I couldn’t find one place that showed them all.
I found that Command-K was shown in two
different places with different functions. That’s not helpful.
The best place to look for the keyboard
shortcuts for any application is to look at the Menu list:

Here's the list of keyboard symbols.  Double click to enlarge.

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Security Settings for Safari

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        Thanks to Jim Hamm who writes, "Here are some comments about security in Safari from a member of a Mac forum I belong to. These are the settings he recommends. I’ve not tried or read about the last item in his list: FlashToHTML5. I’ll have to learn more about this, and why/if to use it.
     Safari - Block Pop-Up Windows
     Safari - Preferences - General - Open "safe" files after downloading (uncheck)
     Safari - Preferences - Autofill - Using info from my Address Book card (uncheck)
     Safari - Preferences - Autofill - User names and passwords (uncheck)
     Safari - Preferences - Security - Fraudulent sites (check)
     Safari - Preferences - Security - Location services (uncheck)
     Safari - Preferences - Security - Web content (uncheck all for most security, but check as you need capability)
     Safari - Preferences - Security - Accept cookies (check only "Only from sites I visit")
     Safari - Preferences - Security - Ask before sending a non-secure form from a secure website (check)
     Safari - Preferences - Extensions - AdBlock (add this extension to block most ad content)
     Safari - Preferences - Extensions - FlashToHTML5 (add this extension to convert Flash to HTML5 when possible)
        "The biggest setting to change is the Human Setting. Think about links before you click them. Hover over them to reveal their true destinations before clicking on them. Watch for non-secure (http://) links that ought to be secure (https://)--anything that deals with money, like banks, checkouts, etc. Look for the green secure/trusted indicator in the URL bar.
         "Watch for links that include multiple 'http' strings -- these initially look like they go to the first domain listed, but actually go to the last one listed (http://www.trustedbank.com.http://evil-domain.net/blah/blah). DON'T click these. If a bank asks you for your account login information in email, via a link sent in email, it's fraudulent. If clicking a link causes a 'Enter your system administrator password' prompt, think long and hard before typing it in. I think you get the idea."

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Conserve Battery Life

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        It started with a tip about conserving battery life for your iPad, but Jim Hamm goes on to tell about laptop battery life, too.
        "Here's a tip for your iPad. I took a workshop on the iPad 2 at the Apple store yesterday. The gentleman presenting the workshop said that a person should close all open apps occasionally to conserve battery life. Every time you open an app that app stays running in the background unless you specifically close it.
        "Double tap the home button. All those apps you see along the bottom are open and running. To close them put your finger on one and hold till it starts wiggling. Close all the open apps along that bottom row.
        Jim explains, "I took a look at mine and practically every app I have on my iPad 2 was open and running in the background. Take a check on yours and see how many you have running. How often to close open apps? Perhaps at the end of the day might be a good time -- at least that's what I plan to do."
        But is that a factor in battery life for our laptop computers, I wanted to know.  Jim said, "If the laptop is running on battery, then I think yes, probably each app might draw a bit more juice from the battery. A bigger problem might be using up RAM. Every app uses RAM, and Safari and Mail will continue to grow the longer one keeps them running. Having a few apps open probably wouldn't affect streaming, though."
        My final question was about the Apple workshops. Jim furnishes us with this Scottsdale store link.

All-day Batteries May Be Coming

        "When?" we gasp.  "All day, all right!"
        Yes, suggests Allen Laudenslager.  He goes on to recommend this article from Fastcompany.  It proposes a shift at Apple from the Intel chip to a ARM chip to take advantage of the ARM low power usage. While deep inside the computer, the central processor is the key element in power usage. Apple is already using the ARM processor in the iPad and the shift would help align the operating system between the Apple mobile (iPhone and iPad) and their laptop computer line up."  Allen smiles, "There is no way to know how accurate this particular article is, an 18 hour laptop batter life sounds good to me!"

How to Save Your Emails

        Is it magic?  No, it's just Mac.  Allen Laudenslager points out a very handy feature of Mail.  "I sometimes need to save my emails in a form that I can use later. Using Apple Mail this is dead simple. I just open the email and go to File >  Print. In the bottom left hand corner of the print box is a button called PDF that allows me to save the email as a PDF file that I can send as an attachment to another email or print at a later date. Works exactly the same way in Google mail since both Safari and Firefox end up at the same print box with the same features.
        "Where this really comes in handy is paying bills on line. Most sites have a Print Receipt feature (you may have to hunt around a cluttered page to find it, though) that ends up in the same print box. I save the receipt as a PDF file in a special folder called 'Bills paid online' and when/if I need to prove I paid the bill I can just email the receipt.
        "If the particular business doesn't have a 'print a receipt' feature, all the businesses I pay on line do have a page that shows the payment, so I just print that web page using the same steps.
        "If you've been afraid to pay on line because you need that receipt, here is a way to get the convenience of paying on line and the security of a hard copy receipt."

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Stay Alert, With Reasonable Precautions

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Eagle-eyed PMUG users keep us informed!  Both Jim Hamm and Allen Laudenslager pass along some vital info.  In other words, stay alert, with reasonable precautions!"Here is an article commenting about potential malware for Macs," begins Jim Hamm.  The author makes some good points, and, as he notes, Macs are not immune to malware. As the Mac presence on the internet increases, we become more of an attractive target for malware. As Mr. Bott observes, every percentage point increase in Apple's share of Web traffic means about 10 million more potential customers for hackers. "This article isn't any cause for alarm, just something to be aware of. Anyone who uses a computer and surfs the net is potentially vulnerable to malware. We just need to be alert and exercise reasonable precautions," Jim summarizes the situation. More information is just in from Allen Laudenslager, "There has been a lot of news lately about Mac 'viruses' and malware, particularly something called Mac Defender*#% "First and most importantly, this is not a virus, it's a trojan horse. What it really does is fake you into downloading an app that reports a 'virus' and asks you to buy their software. The big con is to get your credit card information, not eat your data! I really liked this article for plain speak and clear explanations. I really liked Mac360's quote of Betteridge’s Law of Headlines: 'Any headline which ends in a question mark can be answered by the word no.' "A little common sense and a quick check of the internet will protect your Mac better than some 'anti-virus' software from an unknown source. "For the official Apple stand on viruses and malware, check here." And now it's Skype with problems.  Apparently Skype users should have known about this since April 14 when an update for software was made available and publicized.

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Fix Your Mac

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        He calls it fun!  Allen Laudenslager sends this:  "Some of us go back to the days when we literally built our own computers from parts. My first 'ready-made' computer came with three books about an inch thick with troubleshooting and repair guides. Now you are supposed to send it back to the manufacturer if anything goes wrong.
        "For most users this is just fine, but some of us old timers still like to dig in and fix things ourselves. I just found the ultimate Mac Fix-it Yourself site.  It includes a troubleshooting guide.  Fun even if you aren't planning to fix your Mac yourself."