Q: What areas do you serve? How long have you been in business?

A:  Yes, we offer onsite repair to businesses only and we do offer a drop off and pick up service for your home computers and laptops.

Q: Do you offer computer training?

A:  We offer computer training to the novice and basic user.

Q: I have software that is specialized to my business. Do you service problems with it?  What do I need? 

A: Yes but you must subscribe to their support. There are so many types of specialized software for digital x-rays, dictation, appointments, charting and so forth that no one technician will know the ins and outs of all of them. That being said, it is frequently advantageous to have our technician communicating with their technician for the sake of expedience and accuracy in the repair of specialized software, network shares and so forth.

Q: Do you offer maintenance to keep things running nicely?

A: Yes, in fact we encourage it.  Depending on your usage and the environment of your PC, a monthly, quarterly or half-yearly maintenance can help avoid major problems, deal with issues you are unaware of and can keep your PC running at its best.  We even accept salaried assignments.

Q: I am worried about internet security and the chance that someone may get my bank / credit card details. What can I do to protect against this? 

A:  There are several products on the market that can protect your PC, however nothing is 100% secure. We can offer advice and guidance regarding how best to protect yourself. It's an educational enigma. Most victims end up being an accessory to the crime because they've opened an e-mail attachment from someone they didn't know or expect to hear from. 

Q: I have a wireless router - is this secure?      

A: A wireless router can be secure, but you need to turn on and configure security. We are able to offer this service. The CAT has a certified 802.11n technician. (802.11n is the wireless standard for the latest version)  

Q: I already have broadband, I want to go wireless. Which router do I need?  

A:  A wireless router. We install wireless routers.

Q: My PC is running very slowly. I have Anti Virus software on here but it does not find anything. Do I have a virus?

A: It is very possible you have a virus, Spyware, Malware or Adware on your PC. These things are often picked up while doing internet searches without you realizing.  Your Anti Virus software must be kept up to date in order to help prevent these types of infections. Some infections are capable of disabling Anti Virus software if they can get on to your system.  We are often able to remove these.  When this is not possible, we sometimes have to format or replace the hard drive. A backup of your data will be very useful then. 

Q: I do not have a backup of my system how do I do it and will it take long?   

A: There are several different ways to backup your system.  This can be on a  CD or DVD drive, online, a tape or separate hard drive. We are happy to discuss the best solution for you. The time it takes to backup your data all depends on how much data you have and the media you are sending your backup to. 

Q: Do you repair printers / faxes?

A: In most cases it is cheaper to replace the printer / fax. We are happy to take a look to see if there is anything that can be done in order to repair. This is often not cost effective for over the counter multifunction printers with scanners and so forth. BUT The CAT does have a Zebra certified technician and is experienced in the higher end HP printers. Call FIRST 1 HOWL to find out if it's worth repairing or if you should just replace it. 

Q: I have an OLD PC I no longer want - how do I dispose of it?

A: One of the worst things you can do is to throw it out with your trash or take it to the 'dump'. The data on your hard drive is very useful to fraudsters. You need to make sure the data on the hard drive is destroyed - simply deleting the data is not always enough. We have special shredding software to use and we can wipe your drive so your personal information is unrecoverable, recycle the hard drive and give a certificate of data destruction to anyone needing one.

Q: Do you service / repair Apples?

A: The CAT can join Apples to a network, providing it's the type of network that allows it. Unfortunately, we are currently unable to offer repair/software service. If this changes we will announce the change.

Q: What is (Wireless / Computer) Networking?

A: In the world of computers, networking is the practice of linking two or more computing devices together for the purpose of sharing data. Networks are built with a mix of computer hardware and computer software.

Q: What is Client / Server networking?

A: The term client / server refers to a model utilizing networked PC "client" (your computer) and (master) server computers and application software. E-Mail would be a prime example of client-server systems. The server controls the log-in and passwords of many, many users in a secure manner. In an office environment, the server can control who can see what files, limiting the sales staff to sales related files, the maintenance staff to maintenance files, and yet executives can access anything they want to.

Q: What is peer-to-peer networking?

A: Peer to peer networks share responsibility for processing data among all of the connected devices. Peer-to-peer networking (also known as simple peer networking) differs from client-server networking in several respects where there's not a central server controlling the network, but just a group of machines that can share folders.

Q: Which computers on a home network need antivirus and security software?

A. All networks need to run antivirus software on each computer.

Q: Do I need a web developer or a web designer? How do I go about picking the right one?

A: A site that needs a database, tracking, intense scripting and programming or large amounts of data would be the domain of the WEB DEVELOPER, while an informational site with downloadable brochures, forms to fill out or basic e-Commerce would be the domain of the WEB DESIGNER. The two are not, however, mutually exclusive. If you have the means and desire you can have a web designer for your "front end" ie; the look and feel of the site as dictated by art and photography while employing your web developer to set up and maintain a database, write scripts for interactivity in the site, all the underpinnings, etc.

Q: How much does a web site cost?

A: There are quite a number of factors that are going to affect the overall cost of any web site. Factors include how many pages you are going to have, if you will sell anything on your website, the pictures and artwork involved, and how interactive your web site will be.

Q: Will my site be found in searches? On Google? On YAHOO!?

A: Search Engines may require weeks, sometimes months, to list your web site. At what rank and how fast your site is listed depends on each individual Search Engines server update algorithm and your key term structure. There are other considerations, however, and the work is intense. The site has to present a significant amount of eligible pages with links that carry a "keyed weight" in order to rank high. In a competitive category these links will have to be integral to the site, so an existing site may have to have extensive work to be a top contender. This requires commitment from the web site owner to have an ongoing agreement to pay for the work and the work, in a way, is never really done because search engines change the way they operate on a regular basis. Sites can be top contenders from the start if they are worded correctly, but there is no guarantee.

Q: Once the site is built, how do I maintain it?