Lake Tahoe On Line Tech Blog

2008-02-05T12:35:00.001-08:00

I can say I'm really sorry I had not realized so much time has gone by since the last posting. Our last class was a follow up on the Web Site design class, an intermediate webdesign class.
As I'm sure you know it has been snowing a LOT, so much so it would seem that the plow and shoveling folks can't keep up here at the Business Park, so please be careful coming into the shop.
New update for the mail server coming up this month, over President's weekend it looks like so just be aware that some new stuff is coming as well as we hope a few patches.
We are an iPhone shop now too! One of our senior techs wanted to look at the new one and suddenly we had one and well we are handling support calls from customers about how to use the new phone.
Thank you all for your business!

2007-11-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

Well, all but 10 people last night missed a fun and informative time about buidling your own website from the bottom up and getting a good baseline understanding of how html, browsers and the like all work.

Veronica Cannon, LTOL's webmaster and owner gave a very much hands on, do it yourself training class on exactly that: "How to Build Your Own Website." Everyone got to see how tags work, how changes to a website can be immediate and that making a website isn't something that you should be afraid of but that it might take a professional after all.

The next class is on digital photos and it is a great follow up to this web class. Call early as seats fill up quickly, we had to close the website class because well there just wasn't anymore room.

Good job Veronica!

2007-11-07T09:24:00.000-08:00

Well it has come down to it, finally. If you file share, BearShare, Limewire, Morpheus or whatever you want to call the program you are using to share music you are putting yourself at risk. No if ands or buts, you are at risk at losing your identity.

In Seattle a man has pleaded guilty to stealing information from people using LimeWire, tax records, credit info and student loan applictions of more then 50 people so he could purchase things online. How would you like to find out that you suddenly have a student loan and owe 10K? And it isn't that you have to prove that you took the loan or that the loan company does, you would have to prove you didn't take the loan out.

Citigroup has said it is looking into a breach where names and Social Security numbers were taken from 5200 accounts and were sent over the internet by an employee using LimeWire. Cool huh? A company you think you can trust leaks your info because some 19 year old kid decides to file share the latest Video or Music file.

Pfizer said that they leaked 17,000 Social Security Numbers of current and former employees when a spouse downloaded file sharing software onto a company laptop. OOPS!

Going past these problems, looking at the facts? File sharing is illegal, you aren't permitted to share music, videos and the like with your friends, sorry that is how it works, you agree to this whenever you open the package up and the 'Use Policy' is on the CD or DVD and says you agree when you open the package. If you don't agree? Don't buy it.

We at LTOL could go on and on about "Intellectual Property" but we also know that anyone that is file sharing, is probably going to continue to do so, as well as continue to get malware, greyware and the occasional virus on their machine. Nothing we say can do anything about it. Maybe though when that same person gets an invoice or a bill from Amazon.com or a new credit card statement saying that they owe 10K they might think twice about the idea how unfair it is that Apple for example on iTunes wanted to charge them .99 for a song.

2007-11-03T21:00:00.000-07:00

Daylight Savings Time starts at 1AM Sunday, please don't forget to check your computers and your clocks.

2007-10-31T11:25:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween campers, ghosts, ghouls etc all.

2007-10-30T12:07:00.000-07:00

Mainly so you, our customers know what has been going on we have had two seperate power outages.

Mon, Oct 29th the old Gym here in the Business Park had a water pipe burst on the second floor, the fire dept quickly came out when the alarm went off because of low water pressure for the sprinkler system. (WAY TO GO FIRE DEPT).

Today, Oct 30th for reasons unknown to all or at least all we know, the power just went out.

On the 29th, it was less then 5 minutes to be on backup power and the vast majority of the systems were on battery power so no real loss of online time should have been felt.

On the 30th, the power outage was less then 5 minutes and within 3 minutes we had backup power ready to go, literally just as we were switching to backup the lights came on.

So, sorry for the interruption of power but we did do our best to make sure you didn't have any down time.

2007-10-08T08:10:00.000-07:00

This is a really hard question to answer. Where to get your computer repaired in Truckee? Well we say Lake Tahoe On Line, LTOL is the place to go. Let's go with the 'Why'?
We are probably the least expensive computer repair shop in Truckee/Tahoe, it's 75.00 an hour IN the shop as of 10/08/07. The out of shop at your location is higher and there are drive times depending on where you are, but in the shop, we are hands down the cheapest and truth be told we are probably the cheapest AT YOUR location too.
Lake Tahoe On Line/LTOL is a Microsoft Partner, not every shop can say that, LTOL can.
Lake Tahoe On Line/LTOL's techs are COMPTIA A+ certified. We have techs that have been and passed the tests for the computer repair, windows certified and have been through the training for being certified in Networking as well. Techs are also certified by ICAC for a Computer Technician as well.
What does that mean to you the consumer? It means that Lake Tahoe On Line/LTOL is willing to pay for training for the staff to be as up to date as possible on the newest technologies and that LTOL and the staff are willing to go the extra mile and study, take and pass tests that show that they are not only keeping up but staying ahead of the curve.
Being real? When you bring your computer in to be fixed, you probably don't want some HS kid looking at it, because if you did you would ask your neighbor Bobby to take a look at it, if he breaks it, or makes it worse you have no options and he didn't fix it and he probably has never seen your problem before to begin with.
Then we have the guys that claim to be computer techs, they have a computer in their house, they have fixed it and suddenly they think they can fix computers. Of course they only deal in cash, no office, and their cell phone number doesn't work the next time you need help.
Lake Tahoe On Line/LTOL. LTOL has an office in Truckee at the Airport, 12219 Business Park Dr, Suite 14, Truckee CA 96161. LTOL has a local phone number 530-582-2080 that is answered by people all the time and the person answering the phone tries to help you over the phone first if you're one of our DSL, Dialup, ISDN, Web Hosting or T1 line customers.
Lastly, Lake Tahoe On Line/LTOL CARES. We like having a good name in the community, we like that we can fix most problems with your desktop and laptops, we like that we are knowledgeable about a plethora of problems and use those experiences to fix your computer as quickly as possible.
Lake Tahoe On Line/LTOL we do our best to get your computer back to you in 24 hours. Our policy is 3 business days, but we know your computer is important to you and we want you happy, telling your friends and business associates how much of a great job, great service, friendly people you met at LTOL and how quickly you had your computer fixed, back to you and it wasn't a lot of money to boot.
So, the next time your computer needs a fix, a cleanup, a boost, or you just have some computer questions, think Lake Tahoe On Line/LTOL for all of your computer needs.

2007-10-03T12:39:00.000-07:00

So by now you have probably heard, there is DSL now in Carnelian Bay. How very cool is that. Folks there petitioned, worked hard, wrote folks and now have a chance in some places in Carnelian Bay to get DSL. Again, it isn't all of Carnelian Bay, we have already had 'No' votes on people in Tahoe Vista and even though these folks all have Carnelian Bay post office boxes and utilities still no DSL for them, sad to say.

Now this is the part I don't understand. You can get your DSL through Lake Tahoe on Line, that's right as you know LTOL servers, offers, sells DSL and it's OUR DSL, it isn't like we are re-selling the Evil Empire's DSL, no it's ours, our stuff etc. But we still have a long time customer or two that wants to get the DSL from the Evil Empire instead of LTOL. Why?

A. It's more expensive? No not really, our prices are on par with AT&T now sure if you bundle your car insurance, your TV service, your phone service, schooling for your 6 grandchildren sure it might be cheaper. But in the long run no it winds up either being the same price or actually a bit more.

A. I get better service? No, do tell us the last time you had to go through a phone tree with LTOL, or then listen to really bad music, only to be told that you have called the wrong dept? The answer? Never. We don't have phone trees, we don't put you on hold and make you listen to horrible music, and we are local. You deal with the people you see in Safeway, at an Ace Hardware, or a movie theatre. You are assisting in keeping a local business local. When was the last time an aT&T tech showed up at your house, found your problem, fixed it all on a Saturday and then assured you that there was no charge? Never? LTOL does that all the time in checking on DSL pricing.

A. It's different DSL. "No, DSL is DSL be it from the Evil Empire or the fine folks at LTOL. In fact? LTOL can get you DSL in places that AT&T won't. While providing better service.

A. I don't really care. "Now this is the only answer that makes sense to me, you just don't care, you don't want better, friendlier, local service. Evil Empire is find with you, you like getting crappy service and pay through the nose to be insulted. Well we at LTOL feel for you and do hope some day you will say to yourself: "I like being treated well, I like that the people at LTOL even know my name, and I like that they will help me with non-DSL questions and that a live person answers the phone, wow, I like respect.

DSL is now in Carnelian Bay, please call LTOL at 530-582-2080 if you are looking for great, freindly, knowledgeable service that respects you and knows what you are really looking for? DSL that works, isn't expensive, and maybe support a local business at the same time.

I'll make a deal with you? You support our local business? I'll do my best to support yours.

Lake Tahoe On Line, LTOL means DSL in the Truckee and Lake Tahoe communities.

2007-09-29T12:06:00.000-07:00

You know what is hard to find in Truckee? A good place to consistently get your haircut here in Truckee. Well Heather at the Wish Salon is the person to go see. She has her own website at Heathersmane.com where you can find all of her pricing and she does it all folks. Waxing, shampoo, coloring, pedicures, manicures, I hear too that she is doing wedding hair styling at the same time.

Some of us at LTOL use Heather exclusively at the Wish Salon, she does our hair, toes, fingers and even has given a great facial or two.

Get a hold of Heather at either www.heathersmane.com or calling her at 530-448-3737 to make an appointment or just stop in at the Wish Salon on Donner Pass Road in Truckee across from the Oulets.

Let them know that you heard about her, Heather at the LTOL blog.

Heather really does give great mens haircuts too, what I really like is being able to call, make the appt, and know that the appt will be kept and I'll look great and not have to do a whole lot with it when I'm done.

So, to repeat, www.heathersmane.com is the place to go for all of your cosmo like needs and she can be found at the Wish Salon in Truckee on Donner Pass Road, across from the outlets.

2007-09-29T12:04:00.000-07:00

Just in case you missed it? We have had our SECOND snow storm of the season, this time it was over an inch with people reporting in from Glenshire that they had 4".

So, let us hope this is an early start to a great snow season.

Thank you snow gods.

2007-09-21T14:33:00.000-07:00

Something to just be aware of? There are FAR too many of us talking on the phone while we are driving. Our techs are complaining about it often. They feel, and I have to agree with them that often people are talking on their cell phones and not giving the attention driving needs and deserves. So, please put the cell phone down, and concentrate on the driving, so we can all be safer. As I'm typing this I'm speaking to myself as much as anyone else.
We would tell the kids to put the cell phone down and drive, to me it is like the person that tells their kid to stop smoking or never start while they puff away on 2 packs a day, if we can't do it, let's not expect anyone else too. So, starting today, I'm not driving and cell phoning, texting, 3-way calling anymore. How about you?

2007-09-19T16:21:00.000-07:00

You of course are a frequent reader of the blog know that we like to eat at different places in town. One of our favorites of course is the Wagon Train Cafe. Why? Because at the Wagon Train Cafe you can get some of the best french toast in town. Now me myself? I'm an eggs and bacon kind of guy. But, you know what the Wagon Train Cafe also has a great meal deal of? The open faced turkey and gravy sandwich. I have enjoyed that on many different mornings. So, if you're looking for rib sticking, good tasting, old fashion cafe like food? Yes, this is NOT the place to get a bran muffin type of place, then the Wagon Train Cafe in Truckee is the place to go...oh, before we forget they are open for breakfast and lunch but they don't do dinners. Oh, oh, we should add that the PIES are the best, homemade, delicious and just ask for the cheesecake, the cheesecake is to die for. Really.

2007-09-19T11:57:00.000-07:00

We don't want to 'toot' our own horn but we have also learned that at times we need too and that time has come again.

LTOL has reached another milestone in statisfied DSL customers in Truckee, Kings Beach, Tahoe City, Tahoe Vista, South Lake Tahoe, Myers and all the places in between. We are the largest privately owned ISP/DSL provider in our area. WOO HOO.

We are also the 2nd largest in the Sacremento area which WE didn't even know until a few days ago. So, what does that mean to you? It means that we have the ability to do more tracking, more in house tools, and more of a chance to figure out what a problem is when you call and we don't have to wait for some other company to do 'their magic' and get things to work.

So, thank you our LTOL customers for making us number 1 in our area, we couldn't do it without YOU.

2007-09-15T09:42:00.000-07:00

Well in out ever ongoing attempt to keep the servers here clean of virus' sometimes it can be just a little funny. As I'm sure you are already aware we have any number of servers, web servers, mail server, back up servers, radius servers, servers for shopping carts, servers just to test server software on...I think you get the idea.

Well we have been testing a program called Prevx, they are according to them a leader in Malware research. Ooh, ooh, I just got a new definition for malware that at least makes more sense to me. Malware is virus and adware put together, pretty cool eh?

Anyway, Prevx is a program we are testing and we found after 2 weeks this little log file showed up on machines using Prevx, so we got concerned: "What is this, why is it here, is it to do with Prevx? Is it something Prevx isn't blocking? Whaddup homey? So we did a search on the net, nadda. In fact the only thing we could find was the post that we created on the net....which was pretty funny since we posted, waited a day did a new search and we got all excited that something showed up only to find it was our question. Ironic if nothing else.

So, Prevx answered today to say: "Damn you found a problem, it doesn't look to be a problem but yeah it shouldn't be there so we are taking care of it. So hat's off to the LTOL security dept, good job ladies and gentlemen.

We will keep you posted on Prevx.

2007-09-11T11:54:00.000-07:00

Don't forget that tomorrow night, Sept 12th is our Free iPod Training class, no previous experince is needed, don't even bring your iPods. This is a perfect class for the person that has just purchased an iPod, is thinking about getting one or has had one for a while and wants to learn just (1) new thing about the iPod that they didn't know already. Money back guarentee if you don't learn something. (Well it is a FREE class, so you figure that one out.)

Also, it's Sept 11, stop for a moment and just remember where you were in 2001 and you heard about the attack. I was at home watching it happen on CNN and could not believe what I was seeing and just hoping everyone got out.

2007-09-10T23:26:00.000-07:00

Hey!

Just to let you know what ELSE it is that we do at LTOL, we go on mini training bootcamps, presentations, lectures, and of course sales visits by vendors. Tuesday some of the LTOL will be at a Microsoft Partner Event!!! Exciting I know. Actually it can be with Microsoft giving free training, Q&A sessions and the like to discuss things like Vista, new server software, and what is coming down the road later in the year. So stay tuned campers as the LTOL staff get updated so they can updates us and then we in turn can update YOU.

Don't forget that Sept 12th is iPod training be there or be music challenged.

2007-09-08T12:25:00.000-07:00

Well LTOL has hopefully improved our customers email experience AGAIN. To not get into a lot of tech jargon where we put you to sleep in 20 seconds, mainly what has occured is that the spam settings are even tighter then they were with the implementation of the new mail server to begin with.

We are now subscribing to the three big spam lists, these are being monitored daily to make sure that spam that is spam gets reported immediately and that things logged as spam that aren't get off as quickly as possible.

What does this mean to YOU the LTOL customer? Hopefully less spam and more of the email that you do want in your inbox.

Let us know what you think.

2007-09-07T12:55:00.000-07:00

This is from our webpage on DSL at the bottom, the full webpage can be seen at:

http://www.ltol.com/DSL.htm

Here you go some other details:

Ski Lease DSL - per month, including DSL modem rental

Basic Up to 1.5 Mbps down Up to 384 kbps up 50.00

Sk Lease DSL - per month, including DSL modem rental and install

Basic Up to 1.5 Mbps down Up to 384 kbps up 75.00

$12.95 charged for shipping and handling; no shipping or handling charge if equipment is picked up at LTOL office.

DSL modems can be rented for $10.00 a month (credit card required on file).

All LTOL provided modems come with three DSL filters. Additional filters can be purchased at $5.00 per filter. Two line filters are available at $20.00 per filter.

All DSL converts can have their existing equipment configured at no charge at LTOL offices. On site installation with customer provided equipment is provided at standard field consulting rates.

2007-09-07T09:53:00.000-07:00

Did you know that man if not most of the small airports offer free wireless within the terminal? Along with that, the last time someone had the chance to fly somewhere it was noted that the Reno airport had free wifi. (An amusing to us note is that the Truckee Airport makes you pay for it, you would think not but then again who knows?) The big airports all make you pay and it's about $8.00 a day or $20.00 a month we have been able to determine. There are (4) big airports that give free wireless they are: Orlando airport, Land of the Mouse (that's what we call DisneyWorld), Phoenix Sky Harbor (A too hot of a spot for us Truckee folks.) Philadelphia airport (we don't go there so we don't call it anything) and of course McCarren Airport (that be Vegas baby, Vegas).

JetBlue usually gives free wireless at their gates and if you're curious about your next travel destination check out: www.travelpost.com/airport-wireless-internet.aspx

2007-09-05T09:01:00.000-07:00

It is being reported in the Wall Street Journal that parent blocks and the like are being made avaliable to put on their kids phones since so many kids seem to have cell phones nowadays. Parental controls are probably a good thing, making sure that those phones that have the ability to go online can now be blocked from looking at websites that kids weren't allowed to look at on the family computer and yes there are cell phone virus' out there, so I doubt if any of us want to pay to have a cell phone cleaned of a virus, but it is coming.

Anyone else remember the day that if somone didn't catch you at home, they probably didn't catch you? Or an answering machine? There is some mystique to the idea of just not being avaliable.

2007-08-29T10:10:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of school for the Tahoe Truckee School District. Do you remember what it was like on your first day of school? Would the other kids like me? Would the teacher like me? All of those questions. You know what question you probably never asked yourself? Will the teacher have enough crayons? Enough paper? Enough pencils? We have heard that these can be real questions that teachers are asking themselves, will they have enough supplies for the school year. So, why don't we all try this? Let us all skip that morning cup of coffee every other day for a month, no Starbucks, no Wild Cherries, Joes, whatever and that money that we are saving we take it into the teacher of your choice and go online say at Office Depot and purchase 50.00 worth of school supplies, a ream of paper, glue, scissors.....if we all gave up that morning stop for just 1 month that is around 100.00 so that is why I'm suggesting the every other day, I am sure that the coffee houses would understand, and what better use can we put the money then to the kids in our schools?? Plus? if you spend 50.00 at Office Depot? They deliver it free to the teacher, so you're just using your computer to shop, or going into the teacher's classroom and she or he are ordering.....and let us face it? We are doing this for all the kids and what could be more important then THAT?

2007-08-27T09:33:00.000-07:00

We have just learned from one of our ISDN customers that AT&T has raised their rates on unlimited ISDN usage. Why? Who knows. They are the phone company so I can't accept a reason that it is now costing them more to give phone service, they're the phone company!
It's a 50.00 a month charge, that is a lot of money to just start suddenly charging people without any real reason. Yes the customer that called us said that there was no real reason given just hello, your bill is now 50.00 a month more.

We at LTOL think this is unfair and something should be done, but that is hard to do since the phone company, AT&T that is gets subsidies from the Govt. Yes, our govt your govt. gives the phone company money because......... actually we don't know why but a portion of our taxes each year goes to the phone company to assist them in running their business. We'd love to know why, no one ever seems to be able to give us a real reason. Our favorite to date is to help offset the price of putting high speed in areas that normally wouldn't get it, it is just hard to find on a map any of these places that have gotten this high speed, we wonder at times if some of these places are on the Moon or something? We will keep checking and keep you updated.

2007-08-25T11:46:00.000-07:00

Something to think about:

One of the MANY tech magazines/journals that we subscribe to here at LTOL, Networking Computing, is reporting that 1 in 4 business computer has instances and or infections of Porn on the machine AND that it got it there by that employee downloading it to their machine.

We ourselves are somewhat curious having more then 4 computers in the shop and wondering which one or ones have the porn on it and is it any good and lastly are we in it??

2007-08-23T12:46:00.001-07:00

This will be a short entry. Thank you very much those firefighters that participated in putting out the fire at the Donner Lake Interchange, or the I 80 Fire, or the Ski Slope fire, they all are the same thing but those rescue workers, helicopter pilots, plane pilots, police dept, and whomever we are forgetting. You ladies and gentlemen did a great job in saving our area and we heartily thank you. Great Job.

Also we understand that the Tahoe Donner Home Owners Association did a lot of yard clean up, defensible space work, thank you too.

2007-08-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

Help Wanted!
Lake Tahoe On Line is looking for an individual to fill an entry level position with the company. No, NO previous experience is required but willingness to learn and adapt to a very changing office atmosphere a must. A pleasant phone voice, disposition and the ability to work in a busy office.
This is an entry level position, pay is equal with an entry level position but the possibility for advancement is all but limitless. LTOL is willing to pay for training to increase the applicant’s knowledge. Spanish as a second or first language would be a plus.
This is perfect for a person that is willing to work Saturdays, along with 4 weekdays. Nights at this time are not needed but could become an opening in the near future, be flexible. LTOL is a GREAT place to work so come find out if YOU have what it takes to be with an exciting Internet Company!

www.ltol.com
530-582-2080