How Often Should I Clean My Computer in Prescott? - SofTech Computers

Keeping your computer clean is essential to the overall health and longevity of your computer in Prescott. It’s one of those things that we don’t think about. We take our quality clean air for granted, but during a dry spell, or when we have windy conditions, extra dust can accumulate. How often should a computer have its dust cleaned or blown out? SofTech Computers has the answer, “well, it depends.”

That doesn’t sound very technical, but a lot of this has to do with where you use your computer and how you store it, if you have filters on your intake fans, or if you have pets (there could be not just Intel, but fur inside). We’ve scoured the Universe and we came up with more than one answer. Here are a few:

•    Depends on how dusty the area is around your PC. Storing it on the floor will cause more dust buildup. Cramped spaces such as a cubby or open cabinet can cause more buildup.
•    If your have an air purifier, vacuum weekly, and have filters on the intake fans, then clean out the dust maybe once a year.
•    If you live in a large city where there is lower air quality, clean out your computer once a month.
•    Do you have hairy pets, or multiple pets? Blow out your computer at least once a month.
•    If you install filters, clean the filters only- once a month and maybe the heat sink, the inside will stay basically clean.
•    We keep our work space clean and dust-free, so every 4 months or so is good for us.

How do you clean out a computer? First: Shut down and unplug your computer. Next: disconnect cables and peripherals (monitors, printers, mice speakers and keyboards). A can of compressed air and a small brush is all you need.

When you blow dust off the fans, make sure that you don’t let the fans spin. This can damage them. If you’re cleaning a desktop computer, once you’ve opened the case, start from the top and work your way down. This allows you to sweep out all the dust that settles on lower components with just a few strokes. Avoid touching anything inside and never use a vacuum cleaner. Hold the canned air upright, and at a working distance that protects the components. Don’t breathe any dust. Make sure everything is clean including the heat sink.

The rules for cleaning a laptop are similar – if you can get in there easily - most laptops are not designed to open easily. It’s possible to remove the access to the bottom panel(s), but you could void the warranty in doing so. Always power it down, unplug it and remove the battery. SofTech Computers in Prescott is here to help with cleaning and maintenance issues for your computer. Don’t be afraid to ask a techie a simple question. Call us at 928-443-8770 or visit http://softechcomputers.com/ for more information and useful articles.

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Simple Solutions to a Slow Wi-Fi Connection in Prescott - Softech Computers

A Wi-Fi connection is something that we take for granted. There those days when we encounter a slow connection, and believe it or not, here at SofTech Computers in Prescott, we have had similar issues. You might ask, "Why is my connection slow?" SofTech answers the question, "How can I fix my Wi-Fi problems?"

Faster speeds are keeping us more closely connected from around the block, across our beautiful state of Arizona, to around the world. If your connection still works, but is slow, try these simple tips:

• The most common problem with slow Wi-Fi is being too far from the router. The farther away you are from the router, the less reliable your connection. Try moving a little closer to the room where the router is located. If you find the constant moving inconvenient, simply re-locate your router to a centralized room, away from other devices, and on a shelf.
• Lack of bandwidth can cause a slowdown. Your internet could be spread too thin when everyone in the house is placing a demand on it through use of additional phones, computers, and televisions – all with data hungry apps such as Netflix and YouTube. Try disconnecting any device that is not in use. Try connecting one of the devices with a Cat-5 Ethernet cable directly to the router. It could also be that someone is leaching off your internet. Prevent that by a secure setup for your network, and keep your password a secret!
• A real issue could be interference. Most of us leave the settings unchanged when we first set up the Internet. Avoid channels 1, 6 and 11. They can be overcrowded. Try a newer model of router. They are capable of selecting less crowded frequencies upon rebooting. Otherwise, you can perform a power cycle or log into the admin panel and choose a different channel.
• Once in a while there really is no Internet connection. Something glitches and the router, modem, or both stop communicating – for no reason. It happens. The first thing to try is pulling the plug. Disconnect both the modem and router, wait 30 seconds, then restore power to both.
• If any of these quick fixes don’t work, the cause could be a service outage, most likely a severe one. It’s not always an issue that has to do with the hardware. There’s not much you can do other than to call your Internet Service Provider. While you won’t get instant results, at least they will know from your call which area is being affected.

SofTech Computers is your first choice for computer repair in Prescott. If our tips don’t solve your slow Wi-Fi problems immediately, talk to one of our specialists today. We are conveniently located in Downtown Prescott a few doors away from Far From Folsom. Call 928 443-8770 or visit us at http://www.softechcomputers.com/ to learn about the services SofTech Computers offers.

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