Netgear N300 Trek Travel Router Keeps You Connected Like Never Before

One of the more overlooked devices that debuted at CES was the Netgear N300 Trek wireless router. It's a really small, USB powered device that lets you share a wired or wireless internet connection with several different devices at a time. You can also use it to boost a weak Wi-Fi signal.

Getting started with this little guy is pretty simple. You have to first choose which type of network you are connecting to, either wireless or wired, and then slide up the antenna. It comes configured with an SSID and a randomly generated password. Once you get everything together and open up the default web page for the device you can save a profile for the hotspot you're connecting to, then select the network you are connecting the router to, and then you'll be taken to the network's log in page.

Once you are all hooked up, you can connect as many devices as you'd like without having to log in again. You can connect all of your wireless devices, but you are not limited to wireless connections because it even comes with Ethernet ports for all of your wired devices.

This comes in super handy when staying in hotel rooms while you are traveling. First of all, most hotel rooms have very outdated technology. They aren't meant to handle our current multi-device lifestyle. Also, lots of hotel rooms make you pay for your internet connection per device you have. If you get your password that you paid for, just use this device and connect all your other devices to it. It's kind of cheating the system.

This is the perfect device for any business traveler. On top of it being perfect, it is almost a necessity at this point for anyone who needs to stay connected on the road to keep their life going.

Need A Short Term Technology Rental For Your Next Business Trip? Click Here To Learn More About Our Tech Travel Agent Rental Services Or Call Rentacomputer.com Today At 800-736-8772

The Benefits and Advantages of Cloud Storage

In the world today technology continues to rapidly advance and improve. This is true not only in the entertainment world with things like 4K TVs and new video game systems, but also in the business world and in technology that people can use on the go. There is perhaps no better area that this is evident than in the area of data storage, specifically "cloud storage".

To someone that works on the go or someone that is frequently using different devices to access files and work, cloud storage is in many ways a dream come true. In essence, cloud storage is a backup and storage service on the internet. Cloud storage allow people and businesses to sync files, photos, videos, and much more across a wide range of devices and can be accessed from anywhere there is an internet connection. While the adaptation and growth of cloud storage started off slow, it has grown rapidly over the last couple of years and there are now many different companies that offer cloud storage solutions for both individuals and for businesses.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of cloud storage, other than a backup of your files that can be accessed from anywhere there is internet, is the ability to sync everything in your cloud storage to so many different devices. In the past, traditional desktop and laptop computers were the only way to access files stored on the cloud. However, with the rapid advancements made in mobile technology, smartphones and tablets can also access, view, and edit many of the files that are stored in the cloud. This is a great advantage for anyone that works on the go as they can pull up that spreadsheet while riding the bus, view and study a PowerPoint presentation while sitting at the airport, or view photos and videos while eating a bite of lunch. In addition, many of the popular cloud storage services allow you to save files to your smartphone or tablet to view them even when you do not have a internet connection.

As cloud storage has continued to grow, so have the number of organizations that offer cloud storage solutions. While there is perhaps no perfect storage provider that can meet the needs of everyone, there are a few that tend to stand above the rest. The three most popular and perhaps best storage solutions are Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft SkyDrive. All of these providers offer free cloud storage up to a certain limit ranging from 2 GB to 15 GB, and also offer paid subscription plans for much greater storage capabilities. For example, Google Drive offers people with a Gmail account and a Google+ account 15GB of storage with the option to increase storage to 16 TB. All cloud services have different benefits and bonuses, the great thing about the expanded field of choices is the ability to chose the right one for you.

In the end, cloud storage may not be the perfect solution for storing all you data. Plans can be expensive for large storage options and security can occasionally be a concern. It is however a useful tool for the right data and a huge benefit for people that use many different devices. One tip is that people should not put all of their files online nor should they keep them only on the cloud. It is a good idea to keep a physical backup of your data where you can always retrieve it if you cannot access the internet or the company has issues syncing your files.There are always going to be some risks to relying on the internet for your files, though as technology advances this is becoming less and less of a problem. Ultimately though, if you can find the right storage provider that meets your needs and can utilize the "access anywhere" capability of cloud storage, than working on the go may just get a little bit easier for you.

Verizon's Tethered Internet - Good, Not Great

On a recent vacation to Put-In-Bay, Ohio, a small town on South Bass Island in the south west of Lake Erie, I was pressed to find a solution that would allow me to stay connected to my office while still being 250 miles away. I, of course, always use remote desktop for working in the evenings and on other trips I’ve taken, the problem with this vacation was the location. It wasn’t exactly in a metropolis where WiFi connections are abundant. The solution was tethered internet access through my BlackBerry Storm.

I looked on Verizon’s website and found the service, and choked at the price of $60/month; but knowing I couldn’t go a week without the internet, I called Verizon to get the service. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that: not only did I get tethering for half price because I owned a BlackBerry (now making the service only $30/month), but I also could turn the service off and on for only the days I wanted it, I didn’t actually have to have it for an entire month. I had the service activated for a period of 8 days, for a grand total of $8.

$8 for internet access anywhere I had cell phone service. Now that’s a value… sort of. Upon arrival to the island I settling in to our cabin I hopped online. The internet was slow, but faster than I expected honestly. I was able to check my email, look up some local restaurants and reviews, get weather reports and maps for fishing; but when I tried to remote desktop back to my office… nothing. There simply was not enough bandwidth to get back home.

Several times throughout my trip I tried to connected, and several times I needed to connect, but I never could. I was able to check my email via a web interface, but that was the extent of my access to my office. This doesn’t mean it wouldn’t work for remote desktops in other locations, but… the fact that I had good signal strength and still couldn’t get connected makes me skeptical to rely on it for mission critical business.

I’m not saying that Verizon’s tethered internet wasn’t nice. It was. It was great to have. But… if you’re looking for a sure-fire way to work when you’re away from the office, I simply cannot recommend it. If you’re looking to just check email, do basic browsing, etc. then it is probably more than sufficient; especially if you’re only paying $1 for access.