One major tip security advisors recommend is to use a VPN when you’re connecting to a WiFi network that you have no control over. An example might be a coffee shop, hotel, rental home, or airport.

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a way to connect to another network from your phone or computer and then send all the internet traffic in a secure way (encrypted). By encrypting the traffic going back and forth your information is unable to be intercepted by a malicious actor who may be on the same WiFi network as you are using.

Many years ago in Palo Alto one of the Starbucks wifi networks was maliciously spoofed. One of my clients had all the information they sent over the internet monitored as they used the Starbucks network. They had to change a lot of their passwords as they were compromised. Thankfully their computer itself wasn’t hacked, however that was a likelier possibility these days than it was back then. Had they been using a VPN when connecting over the malicious network, they would have prevented a lot of this mischief from occurring.

Besides the security of connecting to a VPN when traveling, you also have the benefit of greater privacy. If you’re browsing various websites and reading things you would prefer others to not know publicly it is best to be connected to a VPN.

There are quite a lot of options out there for VPN services, however one major thing to avoid is any VPN offered for free. One main reason you are choosing to use a VPN is for privacy, and a free VPN service will use your browsing traffic to sell you additional products and resell your browsing history. As with many things in life, free is never quite free, there is often a catch.

My favorite VPN service is called NordVPN. The reason I like them is they are reasonably priced, really fast, allow access to Netflix/Hulu and other video resources, and keep no logs of your internet activity.

Once you’ve chosen a VPN service, you can then sign up for an account and download the software to your computer and/or phone. Once the software is installed you will simply open it, sign in, and then connect.

Many of the products have various unique features like automatically connecting you. NordVPN offers an interesting feature in the settings of the app that will auto connect you when you’re not on your “trusted” or home wifi. To get to that feature, open the application, click on the Preferences, Open main window (if it asks), and click the Auto-connect option on the left of the Preferences window. From there you can choose to trust your current Wifi network and then enable the “When using untrusted network” option. After that the program will auto connect you to the VPN if you’re not on your home wifi or other “trusted” network — pretty cool!

If you would like to support me and want to also get a VPN provider I trust, just use the affiliate link below for NordVPN:

https://go.nordvpn.net/aff_c?offer_id=15&aff_id=53161

Many of my clients love their iMacs and other desktop computers, but they also want to take their system on the go.

One option is to get two devices — a iMac that stays at home and a iPad or laptop that goes with you.

Another option is to get a laptop and connect it to a large screen.

The beauty of this solution is you have your files everywhere and only need to maintain one computer or device.

PROS:

• One device to keep up, and all your files in one place
• The default configuration MacBook Pro is typically faster than the default configuration of the iMac (due to Flash Storage/SSD)
• Two screens if you need them – put your email on the other screen as you use your web browser

CONS:

• Accessories and cables need to be purchased, and clutter with cables is a bit more noticeable as many cables are hidden behind a iMac.
• Higher initial cost as you’ll need to purchase the screen, the display adapter/cable, and potentially a keyboard/mouse if you don’t already have one. Long term lower cost as you only need to maintain one system and only need to purchase one device.

Techie notes to make this happen — here is what you’ll need:

• A display or monitor — pick your size and the quality you want to get. Most displays are decent quality with nice colors and brightness. If you’re doing a lot with photographs you might consider spending a bit more on the display.
• A cable to connect the display to your computer — First find out what connectors you have on your computer. If it’s a recent Mac from around 2018 and newer you should have the USB-C connector. If your computer is older you may need other types of adapters. Look on the side of your computer for a HDMI connection. If you don’t know, reach out and I can advise what type of connector you might have and adapter you might need.

  Here are the various connectors you might have on your computer:

  • HDMI – this connector is the same one that many Televisions have, and your laptop may have one on the right side.
  • USB-C – this connector is a newer connection that appears on both PCs and Macs from around 2018 and newer. See the photo below for reference to both connectors.

For older systems without a HDMI or USB-C connector you might need alternative cables and adapters such as a Mini-displayport to HDMI adapter.

The last consideration is to get a Mouse and Keyboard — by doing this it makes the laptop more like a desktop. You can leave the keyboard and mouse by the screen and when you plug your computer in, you’re ready to go.

The two main options I recommend for Mice and Keyboards are:

• Apple Magic Keyboard and Apple Magic Mouse 2
• Various Logitech Wireless Keyboards and Mice