How To Create A Gaming Desktop

          Building a gaming computer is about looking cool. But it also can give you an edge and help you win! You may wonder, which parts really are the most important for gaming performance? Read the article below for some helpful advice for building a gaming PC on any budget.

1

Determine what processor (CPU) you want to use for your system. Currently, the two leading CPU companies are Intel and AMD. It might be more beneficial to find benchmarks and compare them with current prices.

• Currently, the Intel i5 is the best option, in terms of performance in comparison to price. The i7 is more powerful but the benefit is minimal over the i5 and the price is much higher.
• A good entry-level option is the AMD Athlon II X4 640, while a good mid-range is the Intel Core i3-3220.
  2.
  Find a motherboard that supports your processor. Take note of the processor socket (ex: LGA 775), the memory module type (ex: 240-pin) and the RAM frequency (ex: 1066 MHz) in choosing a motherboard. Some motherboards come with features such as HDMI and Firewire, so look for a motherboard with these features if desired.
• Beware of high frequency RAM. While it may at first seem that any computer part which works harder or faster must certainly be better, this is not always the case. The benefits of high frequency RAM are inconsistent and it is known to have a high failure rate. Consider this before you buy.^[3]
• You should note the number of pins for your memory module only because of how it will connect to your motherboard. More pins does not equate with better performance. The same can be said of the processor socket: different types to not necessarily indicate performance.
  3.
  Get enough RAM to meet your needs. Having more RAM, or desktop memory, will offer smoother performance and shorter loading times. Choose memory that is within your budget from a known manufacturer. There are many different memory manufacturers, but a select few make quality memory.
• You will want to choose the highest clock speed (the rating in MHz) and the lowest timings as possible (displayed in #-#-#-#) -- the performance of your memory relies greatly on them.
• You will want to buy enough memory to run your applications. Understand that while your games may say that 1GB is enough, what it really means is that it’s enough to run the game badly. If you want games to run smooth, generally you should overshoot the requirement.
• 32-bit CPUs can only support up to 3GB of RAM; 64-bit CPUs can support much more.
• DDR2 Memory runs Dual Channel, so remember to buy memory in pairs: 2 x 512MB is better than 1 x 1GB. Take note of the pin type. 184-pin sticks are DDR(1), 240-pin are DDR2. Do a bit of research on your chosen motherboard to see what it supports.
  4
  Choose a video card. This may be one of the most important, yet toughest decisions to make because there are so many different video cards on the market. Because there are so many, the best way to find your card is to look for reviews on cards within your budget. Currently the two leading video card companies are ATI and NVIDIA, but other companies such as Sapphire and eVGA are licensed to produce these cards. Use review websites such as Tom's Hardware to compare performance between videocards.
• Currently, the Radeon HD 6670 DDR3 is a good entry level graphics card. The GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost 2 GB is a good mid-range card. The GeForce GTX 780 is a good high-end option.^[4]
• There have been some confusion on the NVIDIA cards, which are recommended by gamers. A higher number in the card name does not mean it is better. A GeForce 7950 would be much better than a GeForce 8500. The first number is the card series, while the second and sometimes third indicate performance level.
• If you really want to pump up the game, and you have a motherboard that can support it, get 2 identical cards from the same manufacturer and run them in SLI (Nvidia), or Crossfire (ATI) mode. This is generally a bad idea, however, unless you already have a top of the line card, because it's cheaper and more efficient to get a single better graphics card.

5

Choose your hard drive storage. Games, audio, and videos require plenty of space to store the large files associated with media such as these. Read reviews on hard drives and choose the best for the price. Check the specs to make sure it runs at at least 7200 RPM, because you can potentially get better performance with higher values.

• Faster hard drives will only affect game loading times, and even then not by much. Focus mainly on ensuring that you have enough storage space and do not prioritize hard drive speed.
• SATA cards are currently the best choice because their small cables allow for better airflow and transfer speeds than traditional PATA cables.
  6
  Choose a power supply. Check the power of the power supply. Power supplies come with either 20-pin or 24-pin connectors. Get the same number of pins as your motherboard has so that it will connect. Be sure that it meets all the recommended power requirements for your parts, such as the graphics card.
• It is important to remember that most power supplies that come with cases are of low quality. Consider replacing it with one that is more powerful and more efficient as soon as possible.
• 350 Watts is the minimum you should expect for modern computers. More powerful components such as high-end video cards may require 500 Watts or more.
  7
  Purchase a case. Never overlook the importance of your case. After all, it houses all the expensive parts that run your computer. Here you will want to focus on cooling.
• Some cases use 80mm, others use 120mm fans, and some are built for both. Generally, larger fans produce less noise and push more air through your case. More powerful components will require more cooling, so be thoughtful of which case you purchase.
• If possible, you will want to have equal pressure in your case. Usually, you will want to have back fans blowing out, front fans sucking in, top fans blowing out, bottom fans sucking in, side fans sucking in.
• A mid-tower case is standard, but a full-tower case may be necessary if you have a high number of peripherals, such as CD-ROM drives and hard drives.
  8
  Choose an operating system. With all the above components purchased, you will want an operating system which can make use of the system you have put together. When it has installed, check online for driver updates.
• Windows tends to be the best operating system for gaming, though you may initially want to choose Windows 7 over 8, as some of your older games may have compatibility issues with the new system. This will not be an issue for any games released during and after 2013, however. 
•  

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Student's Guide In Picking A New Laptop

Well, now we;re in the enrollment season for new student to enroll in a University in Malaysia, especially 2013 SPM students. As we are entering college, some things a re compulsory for certain course of the students such as IT students. Well, not only for It students, other courses students also need laptop for their course work. We students need laptop to do assignment, coursework, and others. 

       Every student from the first-grader learning to read to the graduate student writing a thesis needs a full-fledged Mac or PC laptop. Tablets can be helpful for taking notes in class or doing some quick research, but when you want to get that term paper done, you need the real keyboard, screen and operating system that only a laptop can provide. Here are 8 tips to help you find the right student laptop for any age and course of study.

1. Pick a portable size

 Although 15-inch laptops tend to be the cheapest, 11- to 14-inch models are better for students on the go because they usually weigh under 5 pounds, making them much easier to transport to and from class. If you’re shopping for a high school student who will be using the system mostly at home, a 15-incher will be fine, but even then, they’ll probably want to easily move it from room to room.

For maximum portability, choose a system that’s under 4 pounds and 13-inches or smaller. An 11-inch laptop will often do the trick and is particularly helpful for young students with small hands. However, some 11-inchers are a bit too small for an older student to have a great typing or viewing experience.

2. Pay for premium design

One feature back-to-school shoppers tend to overlook is the look and feel of the laptop and materials used. After all, your student will want to be seen around campus carrying something that’s sleek, not clunky. At the same time, the notebook should feel like it’s built to last.

When possible, opt for a design that at least has a carbon fiber or aluminum lid, which will help protect the display and resist wear and tear during those years away at school. Another tip: If you press down on the lid or keyboard and you see a lot of flex, keep on looking.

3. Get specs for the long haul

Despite what you may have heard, the CPU can make a big difference. For instance, Intel’s fourth-generation Core processor (also called Haswell) uses significantly less power than last year’s CPUs, allowing you to get more battery life on a system of the same size.
If you’re looking to save money, though, a third-generation Core processor will do the trick. Stay away from Pentium or Celeron CPUs, though, as they’re just not fast enough for intense multitasking. Laptops with AMD processors tend to be a lot cheaper, with the A series providing mainstream level performance while the E series appears mainly in low-end systems.

As for memory, 4GB is sufficient, but if you can find a notebook for the same price with 6 or 8GB of RAM, get it. A notebook’s storage drive has almost as much impact on its performance as its CPU. While more expensive and lower in capacity than hard drives, Solid State Drives (SSDs) dramatically improve the performance of the entire system, so consider a system that has one.

If you’re buying a laptop with a traditional hard drive, go for one that operates at the faster 7,200 rpm speed and, when possible, opt for a minimum of 500GB. Getting a 16 or 24GB flash cache, if available, will also help improve your speed.

4. Consider a touch screen hybrid

 Windows 8 sports an interface that works a lot better with a touch screen, so consider buying a laptop with a touch screen. Many new budget laptops come with touch screens, including the ASUS VivoBook X202E, which costs under $500.

However, if you want the full touch experience, consider a hybrid laptop such as the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11s, which bends into four positions, allowing you to use the device as a laptop or tablet. Another good choice is the Dell XPS 12.

5. Go for at least 5.5 hours of battery life

It’s not always easy for students to plug in when they’re going to class or finishing up a paper in the campus coffee shop. So get them a notebook that lasts at least 5 hours and 30 minutes on a charge. How can you tell? Our reviews include results from our homegrown battery test, which involves continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi.

While it’s too pricey for some, the 13-inch MacBook Air blew us away with its 11-plus hours of endurance in our tests (continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi).

Source: 8 Laptop Buying Tips for Students

 

 

 

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The new from Sony: Xperia Z2

The world’s best camera and camcorder in a waterproof smartphone

 

 

More Pixels. Larger Sensors. Amazing Results

XPeria Z2 gives a new experience to the user with more pixels, larger sensors giving a whole new amazing result. With it's 20.7 MP camera in count, and a sensor with 30% larger than a standard smartphone, the Xperia Z2 is the same as our digital cameras.
The results are super crisp and super sharp images.

 

Videos are four times sharper than full HD 

With the Xperia Z2 you can record in world class 4K video, allowing you to relive that special moment in amazing, ultra-high definition. 

 

Hear only what you want

A crammed train. An airplane full of weekly commuters. Or the office at its busiest.This Android phone comes with stereo speakers and noise cancelling technology, so you can enjoy clear and loud music wherever you are, with an elegant pair of headphones like MDR-NC31EM.

 

A cinematic experience. In your pocket.

Feel like you’re part of the action thanks to the large, high-resolution 5.2” Full HD screen that features the world’s first Live Colour LED display.

 

Always ready for expected

Switch songs with wet fingers in the pouring rain. This highly durable Android phone is both waterproof and dust resistant. So go ahead and enjoy it whenever, wherever.

So fast, it’ll have to wait for you

Lag-free UI. Stutter-free browsing. And zero loading time. The latest Quad-core processor gives you an Android phone that offers an unbeatably fast and smooth user experience – all while offering outstanding battery life.

 

Loaded with tons of apps

From Timeshift video that lets you record video and apply slow motion effects, to Background Defocus that lets you take photos with gorgeous blurring. The Xperia Z2 comes with an impressive range of innovative camera apps. All to enrich your camera experience to the fullest.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted By Unknown07:45

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Watch Dogs: No Cheat Codes

The recent video game made by Ubisoft, Watch Dogs is said to not have cheat codes available for players. Watch Dogs is an open-world action adventure game from Ubisoft where you must use any means at your disposal to take down a corrupt system.

Ubisoft's hotly hyped open-world action game Watch Dogs will not support cheat codes, creative director Jonathan Morin said on Twitter.

"No we did not put cheat codes," Morin said to a fan who asked if there would be cheat codes for Watch Dogs.

Of course, Ubisoft never said in the first place that Watch Dogs would have cheat codes, so it's not as if the publisher had removed them for some reason.

By comparison, rival open-world game Grand Theft Auto V significantly incorporates cheat codes to allow players to do all kinds of wild things like moving around the world with moon gravity or in slow-motion.

Watch Dogs launches May 27 for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PC. The Wii U version, which is definitely not canceled, might launch this fall, though Ubisoft has yet to formally announce a release date for the Nintendo version.

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How to Keep Your Laptop in Tip-top Shape

Have you ever wonder how to keep our laptop to be always in good shape? Now you can! Follow these instruction provided in the picture below.

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Government to introduce approved website 'whitelist' to counter indiscriminate filters

The UK Council for Child Internet Safety will draw up a list of approved sites offering advice about topics such as sex and drugs.

The government is reportedly constructing a “whitelist” of websites to counter the sometimes-indiscriminate filters internet service providers (ISPs) introduced at its requests.The filters have been heavily criticized for blocking sites run by charities that aim to educate young people about topics such as sex, drugs and health issues.

A report conducted by BBC Newsnight last month found that all three of the major ISP-run filters current in place worked erratically. TalkTalk’s, for example, failed to identify 7 per cent of adult content online whilst blocking sites such as the sex education-focused BishUK.com and Edinburgh’s Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre.

Similar issues of unwarranted censorship were observed with the filters operated by Sky and BT The software works by scanning keywords to guess sites’ content; the government whitelist will ensure sites approved by the government’s UK Council for Child Internet Safety are not blocked.

David Miles, who chair’s the working group, told the BBC that although “the amount of inadvertent blocking is low,” he condeded that “if you are a charity and you deal with teenagers in distress that 1 or 10 matters to you."

"We are building a master list of sites that the charities are helping us with and actively testing this right now," said Mr Miles, noting that the need for the list will become more pressing as filters are introduced to outstanding internet users.

Currently ISPs force new customers to make a choice about whether or not to implement the filters. Over the course of 2014 it is expected that they will present the filters to existing customers as well.

Filters of this sort have been standard for mobile internet services in the UK, though Mr Miles described the new home filters as “quite unusual”.

"At the ISP level, on public wi-fi and via mobile operators, the UK will be subject to a substantial amount of network-level filtering all of a sudden,” he told the BBC. "That new network-level filtering could increase the level of over-blocking.”

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Microsoft's CEO may unveil Office for iPad on March 27 - source

(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) Chief Executive Satya Nadella may unveil an iPad version of the company's Office software suite on March 27, a source familiar with the event told Reuters, and use his first big press appearance to launch the company's most profitable product in a version compatible with Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) popular tablet.

Nadella, who replaced longtime CEO Steve Ballmer earlier this year, will address the media and industry executives in San Francisco on March 27.

Investors for years have urged Microsoft to adapt Office for mobile devices from Apple and Google Inc (GOOG.O), rather than shackling it to Windows as PC sales decline. But the Redmond, Washington-based software giant has been reluctant to undermine its other lucrative franchise, its PC operating software.

Microsoft gives up some $2.5 billion a year in revenue by keeping Office off the iPad, which has now sold almost 200 million units, analysts estimate.

Tech blog Re/code first reported news of Nadella's event. Microsoft said in an invitation to reporters that Nadella will discuss "news related to the intersection of cloud and mobile" but declined to comment on the specifics of the CEO's appearance.

Microsoft has had iPad and iPhone versions of Office primed for several months now, sources told Reuters, but the company has dallied on their release due to internal divisions, among other things.

Although Nadella is expected to discuss his thinking in depth next week, the company has already signaled that it will adopt a more liberal attitude toward putting its software on different platforms.

Microsoft said earlier on Monday that it would make OneNote, its note-taking software, available on Mac, a move interpreted by observers as a shot against Evernote, the popular note-taking application that has both Mac and Android compatibility.

Aside from Evernote, Microsoft also faces budding challenges from startups that have released mobile-friendly alternatives to Word, Excel and Powerpoint.

(Reporting by Bill Rigby; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Cynthia Osterman)

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Differences between Windows 8.1, Windows 8.1 Pro, and Windows 8.1 Enterprise

On this post, we will cover about the difference between most used platform nowadays, Windows 8. Microsoft has released the windows 8.1 upgrade for windows 8. So, people were wondering what is the difference between the difference of windows release. Let us see the difference between Basic Edition, Pro and Enterprise.

With Windows 8.1 releasing to the masses it's important to get a handle on the functions the different "versions" of Windows 8.1 are intended to serve and the differences in features.

Windows 8.1 comes in three different versions: Basic Edition, Pro, and Enterprise.

• Basic Edition – Windows 8.1 Basic Edition (or just Windows 8.1) is intended for home users. This version includes the core features, but none of the business features. Basic Edition is great for those general consumers (mother, grandmother, father, step-uncle, far removed cousin).
• Pro – Windows 8.1 Pro is the operating system intended for small and medium-sized businesses. It provides abilities such as joining corporate domains, participating in Group Policy, allowing involvement in Work Place Join and Work Folders, encryption and more. You can find a good list of business features in the The IT Guide to Windows 8.1. Note that some of the new business features in Windows 8.1 Pro require a server running Windows Server 2012 R2 somewhere in the organization.
• Enterprise – Windows 8.1 Enterprise is the version that brings business premium features to Windows. Available through Windows Software Assurance, Windows 8.1 Enterprise includes all of the same features of Windows 8.1 Pro and then adds things like Windows To Go, DirectAccess, BranchCache, AppLocker, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), and Windows 8 app deployment.

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8 Free Wi-Fi Security Tools

On this post, we will cover tools about Wi-Fi security. These tools are free and can be used by everyone.

1. Netstumbler

NetStumbler is one of the oldest and most known Wi-Fi stumblers and runs on Windows and Windows CE/Mobile. It lists nearby APs and displays their basic details: SSID, channel, speed, MAC address, vendor, and encryption. Unlike most other stumblers, it also shows the signal, noise, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) levels.  Additionally, it has GPS support to record AP locations when wardriving.

Keep in mind, NetStumbler hasn’t been updated since 2004. It may not run well on Windows Vista or 7, or even 64-bit Windows XP. Additionally, it doesn’t show the real encryption methods of APs. If an AP has encryption enabled it’s always marked as WEP, regardless if it’s WEP, WPA, or WPA2.


NetStumbler can be useful when doing basic signal reading or wardriving, but the limitations I mentioned prevent it from being a go-to tool for other situations, such as when doing a security audit to look for misconfigured or rogue APs.

2. Vistumbler

Vistumbler is a newer open source stumbler first released in 2007 and updated as lately as 2010. It displays the basic AP details, including the exact authentication and encryption methods, and can even speak the SSID and RSSI of APs.
Similar to NetStumbler, you can view a list of all APs or drill down to those categorized by authentication, encryption, channel, network type, and SSID. You can also view graphs of the AP signals in addition to viewing text readouts. It’s highly customizable and offers flexible configuration options. For example, you can define and save AP names to better distinguish them in the future. In addition to basic GPS support to record AP locations, it supports live tracking within the application using Google Earth.


However unlike NetStumbler, Vistumbler only gives you the signal levels and doesn’t include the noise levels. Thus it doesn’t report the signal-noise-ratio (SNR) values, which is usually more helpful than just the plain signal levels.

3. inSSIDer

InSSIDer is a relatively new open source Wi-Fi stumbler developed by MetaGeek, the maker of the Wi-Spy spectrum analyzer. It shows the usual list of AP details, but doesn’t show the exact authentication method. You can see the encryption method used but can’t distinguish, for example, between WPA-PSK and WPA-Enterprise networks. Like most other stumblers, inSSIDer doesn’t include the noise or signal-to-noise (SNR) values; just gives you the RSSI values.

However, it features very intuitive graphs. The time graph shows the signal levels (in dB values) of each AP for the past 5 minutes. Then there’s a graph for each 2.4GHz and 5GHz channel, showing the current signal levels and channel width usage of each AP. Another useful feature: the filters enable you to filter out APs based upon the AP’s band, channel, signal, security, and age status—great if you have a large amount of APs to deal with. It also features GPS support and lets you export to Google Earth.

4.NetSurveyor

NetSurveyor is a free but closed source Wi-Fi stumbler and basic analyzer developed by Nuts About Nets, last updated in 2009. It displays the basic AP details, but doesn’t specify the exact authentication or encryption method. It just indicates Yes or No for encryption. Additionally, it doesn’t offer any customization, such as saving AP names.

Though NetSurveyor doesn’t report noise levels, it does offer more graphs than most other free stumblers, including AP Timecourse, AP Differential, Channel Usage, Channel Timecourse, Channel Heatmap, and Channel Spectrogram.
It can also record data for extended periods and played-back in the future. You can also create useful reports in Adobe PDF format, which includes a snapshot of the AP details and all the graphs.


NetSurveyor is a subset of what the company offers in its paid product, NetSurveyor Professional, which runs for $34.95 after a 10-time-use free trial. NetSurveyor Pro adds the ability to view and record actual performance stats of APs you’re connected to instead of using just its broadcast beacons. They even offer more tools, such as a spectrum analyzer, for $395.

5. Kismet

Kismet is a free and open Wi-Fi stumbler, packet sniffer, and intrusion detection system for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and BSD. It shows the AP details, including the SSID of “hidden” networks. Plus it reports the noise levels and gives you the signal-to-noise (SNR) values. It can also capture the raw wireless packets to a PCAP file, so you can import into Wireshark, TCPdump, and other tools.


Kismet, however, in Windows only works with CACE AirPcap wireless adapters due to the limitation of Windows drivers. It does, however, support a variety of wireless adapters in Mac OS X and Linux.

6. Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector

Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector is a free but closed source Wi-Fi stumbler and basic analyzer. Along with displaying all the usual AP details, it shows a radar view and 8-mintue signal history graph. It also displays the signal and address info for any current connections. Additionally, it offers a simple tool to test connectivity of the main network components, and shortcuts to web-based speed and connection quality tests. Its export feature lets you save a snapshot of the AP details to a CSV file.


Though it doesn’t let you save AP names, it lets you customize some settings, such as the signal unit type (dBm or percentage), RSSI method, and polling interval.

7. Meraki WiFi Stumbler

This is a simple web-based stumbler, freely available on the Meraki website. It runs in most browsers on Macs and PCs, and even works when offline. It displays most of the basic wireless details (with signal levels in percentages) and offers a bar graph of APs per channel.

It doesn’t allow any customization and doesn’t offer any additional functionality beyond displaying the network basics and letting you perform searches of the data. However, this stumbler is still useful if you want to check wireless signals from a computer that doesn’t already have a stumbler installed.

8. KisMAC

If you’re a Mac user, you might consider using the KisMAC stumbler and security tool, similar to Kismet. It also reveals “hidden” SSIDs. Along with the other basic details, it can show the AP’s clients (with MAC Addresses, IP addresses and signal strengths). Plus it reports the noise levels and gives you the signal-to-noise (SNR) values. It also supports GPS and mapping, and PCAP import and export. It even includes tools to attack Wi-Fi networks for penetration testing.


That is it. Hope you can get benefits from thi post. look forward for the next post.

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8 ways to improve wired network security

As we know, networking is a crucial things in our modern IT life. In our first post for this new blog, we will cover several ways to improve wired network securities. This is for one who use wired type of networking.

1. Perform auditing and mapping

If you haven't recently, you should do some auditing and mapping of your network. Always have a clear understanding of the entire network's infrastructure, for instance the vendor/model, location, and basic configuration of firewalls, routers, switches, Ethernet cabling and ports, and wireless access points. Plus know exactly what servers, computers, printers, and any other devices are connected, where they are connected, and their connectivity path throughout the network.

During your auditing and mapping you might find specific security vulnerabilities or ways in which you could increase security, performance and reliability. Maybe you'll run across an incorrectly configured firewall or maybe physical security threats.

If you're working with a small network with just a few network components and a dozen or less workstations you might just manually perform the audit and create a visual map on a sheet of a paper. For larger networks you might find auditing and mapping programs useful. They can scan the network and start to produce a network map or diagram.

2. Keep the network up-to-date

Once you have a basic network audit and map complete, consider diving deeper. Check for firmware or software updates on all network infrastructure components. Login to the components to ensure default passwords have been changed, review the settings for any insecure configuration, and look into any other security features or functionality you currently aren't using. Next take a look at all the computers and devices connected to the network. Ensure the basics are taken care of, such as OS and driver updates, personal firewall are active, the antivirus is running and updated, and passwords are set.

3. Physically secure the network

Although often overlooked or minimized, the physical security of the network can be just as crucial as say your Internet facing firewall. Just as you need to protect against hackers, bots and viruses, you need to protect against local threats, too.

Without strong physical security of your building and network, a nearby hacker or even an employee could take advantage of it. For instance, maybe they plug a wireless router into an open Ethernet port, giving them and anyone else nearby wireless access to your network. But if that Ethernet port wasn't visible or at least disconnected, then that wouldn't have happened. 

Ensure you have a good building security plan in place to try and prevent outsiders from entering. Then ensure all wiring closets and/or other places where the network infrastructure components are placed have been physically secured from both the public and employees. Use door and cabinet locks. Verify that Ethernet cabling is run out of sight and isn't easily accessible; the same with wireless access points. Disconnect unused Ethernet ports, physically or via switch/router configuration, especially those in the public areas of the building.

4. Consider MAC address filtering

One major security issue of the wired side of network is the lack of a quick and easy authentication and/or encryption method; people can just plug in and use the network. On the wireless side you have at least WPA2-Personal (PSK) that's easy to deploy.

Although MAC address filtering can be bypassed by a determined hacker, it can serve as the first layer of security. It won't completely stop a hacker, but it can help you prevent an employee, for instance, from causing a potentially serious security hole, like allowing a guest to plug into the private network. It can also give you more control over which devices are on the network. But don't let it give you a false sense of security, and be prepared to keep the approved MAC address list up-to-date.

5. Implement VLANs to segregate traffic

If you're working with a smaller network that hasn't yet been segmented into virtual LANs, consider making the change. You can utilize VLANs to group Ethernet ports, wireless access points, and users among multiple virtual networks.

Perhaps use VLANs to separate the network by traffic type (general access, VoIP, SAN, DMZ) for performance or design reasons and/or user type (employees, management, guests) for security reasons. VLANs are especially useful when configured for dynamic assignment. For instance, you could plug in your laptop anywhere on the network or via Wi-Fi and automatically be put onto your assigned VLAN. This can be achieved via MAC address tagging or a more secure option would be to use 802.1X authentication.

To use VLANs, your router and switches must support it: look for the IEEE 802.1Q support in the product specs. And for wireless access points, you'll likely want those that support both VLAN tagging and multiple SSIDs. With multiple SSIDs you have the ability to offer multiple virtual WLANs that can be assigned to a certain VLAN.

6. Use 802.1X for authentication

Authentication and encryption on the wired side of the network are often ignored due to the complexity involved. It's IT common sense to encrypt wireless connections, but don't forget or ignore the wired side. A local hacker could possibly plug into your network with nothing stopping them from sending or receiving.

Though deploying 802.1X authentication wouldn't encrypt the Ethernet traffic, it would at least stop them from sending on the network or accessing any resources until they've provided login credentials. And you can utilize the authentication on the wireless side as well, to implement enterprise-level WPA2 security with AES encryption, which has many benefits over using the personal-level (PSK) of WPA2.

Another great benefit of 802.1X authentication is the ability to dynamically assign users to VLANs.

7. Use VPNs to encrypt select PCs or servers

If you're really looking to secure network traffic, consider using encryption. Remember even with VLANs and 802.1X authentication, someone can eavesdrop on the network (VLAN) to capture unencrypted traffic that could include passwords, emails and documents.

Although you can encrypt all the traffic, first analyze your network. It might make more sense to just encrypt select communications you deem the most sensitive that isn't already encrypted, such as through SSL/HTTPS. You can pass the sensitive traffic through a standard VPN on the client, which could be used just during the sensitive communication or forced to be used all the time.

8. Encrypt the entire network

You can also encrypt an entire network. One option is IPsec. A Windows Server can serve as the IPsec server and the client capability is natively supported by Windows as well. However, the encryption process can be quite an overhead burden on the network; effective throughput rates can drop dramatically. There are also proprietary network encryption solutions out there from networking vendors, many of which use a Layer 2 approach instead of Layer 3 like IPsec to help with reducing latency and overhead.

So that's about it. Hope you all can take benefits from this post.

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