~ Ask The Computer Pro ~

Dear Computer Lady, I work in a building made mostly of concrete block. The Wi-Fi here is horrible. My work area doesn’t get a signal, and I have to go out of my office and down the hall to get it. I do, however, have a wired connection that connects directly to my desktop. Is there a device or a way to connect a small Wi-Fi router directly to my desktop or to the wired connection that will give me Wi-Fi for my phone and iPad? Thanks, Josh

Dear Josh,

I read your email, and, even though I didn’t think there was a solution to your problem, I did a quick search and was surprised to find a Windows 10 feature that might solve your problem.

If you look in the settings under “Network & Internet,” you will find a section labeled “Mobile hotspot.” You can set it up to use either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. I have not used it, so I don’t know how well it works, but you can find more information on Microsoft’s website. I hope this helps you. Elizabeth

Dear Computer Lady, I enjoy getting recipes at different websites. But often there is local store pricing information, and I see the button to turn this off, but it seems to only apply to that visit. I’m using Chrome and have tried to find this in the settings but I’m not seeing anything that might turn this off. How do I turn this off for good? Thank you for your help! Mary

Dear Mary,

I love to find recipes online as well; in fact, just today, I was looking for a good plant-based ranch dressing recipe. The local store pricing information is just one of the ads that those recipe sites use to support the site. There is not a way to turn it off permanently because the advertising revenue is needed to pay for the site and people working there. Think of it like ads in the newspaper. Elizabeth

Dear Computer Lady, I use Windows 10 home on my HP laptop. Out of the blue, I suddenly need to use a password to log onto my computer. I didn’t remember even setting up a password, so it took some doing to find out what it was. Now I can’t figure out how to disable it, and I have no reason to use a password. I tried looking it up online, but nothing I found worked. Can you please tell me how to disable it? Thank you so much! Karin

Dear Karin, There is a way to sign into Windows 10 without a password, but only if you are using

How To Be More Secure with Online Banking

The world is increasingly moving online. Perhaps nowhere is that more evident than in the financial sector. If asked to recall the last time they visited a bank in person, millions of people would likely be stumped for an answer.

A recent survey from Provident Bank found that 80 percent of consumers prefer digital banking to in-person banking. And while 95 percent of consumers surveyed indicated they are confident that their bank can protect their data in online and mobile banking platforms, it’s still wise for individuals to do everything they can to ensure their online banking activities are as secure as possible. After all, data from the security intelligence experts at Kaspersky indicates that 22 percent of online banking users utilizing PCs were attacked with the banking malware Zbot in 2020. That underscores how important it is that online and mobile banking users prioritize security when accessing their accounts via websites or their phones. These strategies can help consumers enjoy the convenience of online and mobile banking while ensuring they can rest easy knowing their accounts are as secure as possible.

Avoid keeping a password too long. It’s understandable if users have had the same passwords for months, if not years.

Life in a digital world requires username s and passwords for just about everything, but it’s vital that banking passwords are routinely changed. Changing passwords once per month improves security, especially if passwords include a combination of letters, numbers and symbols. When changing passwords, resist the temptation to use a password you’re already using for another account.

Use only your own network when banking online or via your mobile devices. Public Wi-Fi may be convenient, but users have no idea who else might be making use of that convenience. Various cybersecurity experts indicate that public Wi-Fi is especially vulnerable to man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, a type of security breach in which a third party intercepts communications between two unsuspecting parties, such as an online/mobile banking user and his or her bank. To reduce your risk of being victimized by an MITM attack, avoid using any website or app, a local account, not a Microsoft account to sign in. Here is how to check if you are using a local account or a Microsoft Account:

See SECURE on page 19 . . .

1) Click on the “Start” button or tap the windows logo key on your keyboard. 2) Click on the “Settings” gear in the start menu. 3) Click on “Accounts” in the settings window. 4) You will see information about your account in the account settings window; if it says, “Manage my Microsoft Account,” you are using a Microsoft account instead of a local account. 5)

If you want to switch to a local account, there is a link there that reads “Sign in with a local account instead”; to switch to a local account, follow the directions above, and click on “Sign in with a local account instead.” You will need to verify your current password, so type it in and click “Next.” Type in a user name and password (if desired), then click “Next”. Click the button that says “Sign out and finish,” then wait while Windows 10 creates the local account. Windows 10 will restart.

If you did not create a password for your new local account, you can simply tap the “Enter” key on your keyboard to log in.

If you are already using a local account and you want to disable the password, follow these directions: 1) Click on the “Start” button or tap the windows logo key on your keyboard. 2) Click on the “Settings” gear in the start menu. 3) Click on “Accounts” in the settings window. 4) Click “Sign-in options in the left hand menu. 5) Click the “Change” button under the “Password” heading in the right column. 6) Type your current password and click the “Next” button. 7) Leave the new password section blank and click “Next” and then “Finish.” Once you have completed these steps you will be able to sign into windows 10 by pressing the enter key. Elizabeth