On the heels of yesterday, the same technique that swapped hosts files can be adapted to toggle registry settings too. Perhaps you want to be able to toggle your screen saver timeout from the default of 1500 to a value of 9999. That way, you can easily choose between the screen saver interrupting you or [...]
All posts tagged hosts
Toggle between two registry settings with another simple script
Posted by Dave Farquhar on September 22, 2011
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2011/09/toggle-between-two-registry-settings-with-another-simple-script/
Toggle between two hosts files with a simple script
A longtime reader wrote in asking if it was possible to easily toggle between two hosts files. There are several possible uses for this. When I’m at home, I need to address my web site by its internal, private IP address. On the road, that private address obviously doesn’t work. He wants something like this [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on September 21, 2011
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2011/09/toggle-between-two-hosts-files-with-a-simple-script/
How to power your computer up from away from home
The low-tier, DIY VPN has proven popular. The biggest drawback with its approach has been that it requires you to keep a PC on at home. But if your computer is configured to hibernate after a period of inactivity, or if the power goes out, you’ll have a problem. If you’re willing to do some [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on August 5, 2011
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2011/08/how-to-power-your-computer-up-from-away-from-home/
Read this if you use ICQ
If you still use ICQ for some reason, there’s fake antivirus malware being distributed through it. The story is making its way through various news sources. You basically have two options, beyond not clicking on anything that claims to be an antivirus warning while ICQ is running. Stop using ICQ, or do the malware domains [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on January 25, 2011
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2011/01/read-this-if-you-use-icq/
Defrag scareware
This isn’t exactly news, as word has been going around for a couple of weeks, but if you haven’t heard about it elsewhere, there are some fake defragmenters going around. I heard mention of it today, and it reminded me that I saw one last week when I was working on my mother in law’s [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on January 5, 2011
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2011/01/defrag-scareware/
How to fix host hijacks or host file hijacks for free
A former classmate’s computer suddenly stopped letting him get to search engines. Aside from that, his computer appeared to be normal. Fortunately he had some antivirus and antispyware software installed, so he was able to run it and get a relatively clean bill of health, but he still couldn’t use Google or Bing or Yahoo. [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on November 17, 2010
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2010/11/how-to-fix-host-hijacks-or-host-file-hijacks-for-free/
Blocking malware at the operating system level
In recent months I’ve been recommending that everyone run Adblock Plus with the malware domains subscription, to get extra protection beyond what your antivirus/antispyware suite can give. Given a choice between detecting and blocking bad stuff, or not downloading it at all, it’s much better to not download it at all. There are some downsides [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on October 7, 2010
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2010/10/blocking-malware-at-the-operating-system-level/
Review: D-Link DSL-2640B
I’ve had DSL for right around 10 years. I would have ordered it sooner, except it wasn’t available in my area any earlier than that.
Over the years I’ve owned several modems. I started out with an Alcatel, then after I moved a mile down the street I owned a couple of different Speedstream modems. Each would drop connections every so often, and each had a different (and undocumented, of course) ritual to get it back online.
The highest praise I can give to the D-Link DSL-2640B is that I haven’t discovered such a ritual yet. If the phone line and electricity are working, it finds a way to stay online.
Posted by Dave Farquhar on July 19, 2009
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2009/07/review-d-link-dsl-2640b/
The worm that’s not a worm
I got mail at work today. The subject:
Posted by Dave Farquhar on October 29, 2002
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2002/10/the-worm-thats-not-a-worm-2/
A story about lapsed domain names
There’s a good, featury story at Salon about lapsed domain names and speculation as to why. Good read, especially for those of you (and you know who you are) who enjoy typing weird stuff into a Web browser to see what will happen.
Posted by Dave Farquhar on August 4, 2002
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2002/08/a-story-about-lapsed-domain-names/