Top tech problems and solutions when working from home
Interview with James Del Genio of The 5ofus.com Corporation
For the past 20 years, James (“Jim”) Del Genio has operated his IT company, The 5ofus.com Corporation assisting many companies with their IT needs. James Del Genio has worked as IT support for Russell Alexander Collaborative Family Lawyers for more than 10 years. Russell Alexander sat down with Jim over the phone to discuss the present circumstances surrounding COVID-19 and how it specifically relates to his line of work. Below are some of top tech problems many are experiencing and proposed solutions for same when working from home.
- The increased demand for remote access
Not every company was set up to support a remote office much less for their entire staff. Many did not have the infrastructure in place in terms or servers or network access and this has created issues now that the need for remote access is necessary to survive. This has caused an increase in pressure on networks and back-up systems. People need to practice patience in this regard as the systems are adjusted to the account for the new load. Additionally, be aware of where you are when you’re trying to access your office applications. For people in more rural areas, unfortunately, remote access may not be stable or constant as compared to people who are in more well-populated locations where it is more likely that the technology has been upgraded.
- Hardware and Existing Desktop/Laptop Issues
There has been a significant increase in demand for home-office equipment such as laptops, monitors, webcams etc. While your home office computer may have been previously sufficient for working remotely, your setup may not be sufficient now that working from home is a full-time gig. People are finding it difficult to find available equipment that can be purchased online and that is reasonably priced due to supply and demand issues. Supply chains are being choked due to company closures. For example, companies such as Dell are having a hard time building computers because the supply chain is being squeezed.
- Be cautious in purchasing the first laptop you find online for the cheapest price as it’s system may not meet your network requirements. Communicate with your IT provider regarding their best recommendation for this.
- Educate yourself in what you are plugging into your computer. For example, clients are connecting second monitors to their computers through HDMI cords, which transfer sound. When they attempt to use their computer for video conferencing later, they aren’t sure why their mic and/or sound is not working – it’s because your sound is being transferred to a monitor that does not have speakers and/or a mic set up.
- Network Instability – slow networks incapable of supporting remote set up
Patience is the key to this matter. Clients need to be aware that home networks and systems were not set up to operate under the present demand. Everyone and their neighbour are home now either working from home, attempting to complete online learning, watching Netflix etc. Additionally, where your office may have only had a few people working remotely day-to-day, the network is now being overloaded with an entire office trying to connect. All of this is causing significant strain on business systems and home networks. It is crucial to be patient in these times. Recommendations include the following solutions:
- Look into the possibility of switching network providers to a company that is better for your neighbourhood. Now is not the time to be getting your internet through the cheapest provider.
- If switching providers is not a viable option, perhaps it is time to upgrade your network speed if it is available to you.
- For emergency purposes, depending on your cellular data limits, you can use your cellular network as a hot spot – be aware of your current data limits on your cell phone plan. While data providers such as Bell and Rogers in Canada have announced they are temporarily waiving data limits on home networks, this does not apply to cellular networks and you could end up with a hefty bill at the end of the month.
- Video Conferencing Issues
With many companies switching client meetings to video conferencing programs such as Skype, Zoom, FaceTime etc. IT clients find themselves experiencing a completely new set of issues. Clients are attempting to facilitate these meetings through their remote desktop only to discover that their video and/or mic is not working and they can’t seem to figure out why. If you are remoting in through a machine that is physically located in the office – you are trying to use a mic/camera that does not physically exist. You should use your video conferencing programs on your regular desktop not connected to the remote server to avoid these issues.
- Losing work/addressing backups
Many people are experiencing issues with losing work when they experience unexpected shutdowns/crashes on your network. It is recommended having a backup set up to avoid this issue. You should be working on consciously saving documents and files properly to their remote server. If they are not set up with a remote server, they should be backing up their work to a separate hard drive or cloud storage to avoid losing your work. Additionally, if you are working on laptop, keep a mindful watch of your battery life when working wirelessly. Avoid unnecessary shutdowns and subsequent loss of work by avoiding computer crashes caused by dead batteries.
- Forgetting passwords
Generally, when people are working in the office, they often forget to log off when they leave for the day. Some people will go months or even years without entering their login credentials because they do not log in and out or have their passwords saved on their computer. Now that more people are working remotely, People are having difficulty remembering their login credentials. It is recommended as a general best practice to always log out of your programs and desktop when you are not working. This way you will not forget your passwords. This practice is also more secure and will greatly decrease the risk of being hacked.
- Security Threats:
i. Protecting data and ensuring privacy
Ensure that when working from home that the data you are working on does not sit on your personal computer but is stored in the company server. This way you ensure your work is being securely backed up. People need to be careful when handling client data. Exercise due diligence to ensure your client’s confidentiality. Be conscience of who is at home and around while you work.
ii. Spam
There has been an increase in spam messages. As many more than usual are working from home, Hackers view this as an opportunity to gain access to business’ servers and wreak havoc. It is important to never open emails from addresses you do not recognize. If you do open the email, never click on any links or documents in the message until you are positive the message is not spam.
- Surfing the Internet
Pay attention when you are on the internet. It is recommended not to use the remote server when surfing the internet for personal use so as to avoid exposing the network to malware you could come into contact with.
iii. Wi-Fi Clouds/Public Wi-Fi Networks
It is easy for someone to create fake a Wi-Fi-cloud to hack secure networks. It can be devastating to your personal life and your business network if someone is able to hack your device and/or network. It is advisable that professionals should always be aware of where and who they are connecting to. For example, if you connect to the public network at Starbucks, any other person on that network is able to see your device. If you have personal information on your device such as client files, anyone on the public network that you are connected to can access this information. To avoid this:
a. Avoid using public networks while working remotely. If you need to use a public network, consider using a VPN (virtual private network). A VPN provides you with a private network that will isolate you from the local hacker that may be on the local network you’re on. Some people are only able to get into their business through a VPN. This may be something you want to look into if you find yourself needing to operate on a public network.
b. If you are working from home, ensure that your network is password protected. If you have previously shared this password with neighbours and/or friends, consider changing the password to ensure your security.
