Tips Of The Week

Tip 1:

While using PIXresizer, if you want to use the "Custom Size" option instead of fixed percentages, don't forget to select the "Maintain Aspect Ratio" option. It means that while you enter any one parameter in the "Custom Size" option, PIXresizer will automatically calculate the other so as to maintain the Display Aspect Ratio of the image.

Tip 2:

Routers running the UPnP protocol are more vulnerable to virus attacks because UPnP device implementations (automatic mapping of open ports) lack authentication mechanisms. You should configure a strong firewall to prevent such attacks.

What is UPnP?

Questions Of The Week

What is Port forwarding?
What is UPnP?

Port forwarding:

Normally, we surf internet by using a router. That means our computer is behind the router. Our computer has a private IP address and the router has a public IP address. The requests of our computer will be sent to the router and the router will relay the requests to internet. This is how we surf internet.

Router is like a front door before your computer. When internet users or applications want to access your computer, they will reach the router (front door) first. If there is no port opened for them in your router (your router don't know how to deal with them), it will refuse the request directly. The result is internet users or applications cannot access your computer and vice versa.

What we need to do is add a specific port to your router for each communication along with confguring the firewall, then your router will know how to forward the request from internet users or applications to your computer and vice versa. This is called as Port forwarding.

If you are connecting to the internet with a UPnP capable router using Bridged mode, you don't have to forward your ports because automatic port mapping will be done to find open ports. Port forwarding is necessary only if the router is not UPnP capable or is working in PPPoE mode (Typical example is eMule whose ED2K network will fail to connect in PPPoE mode).

What is UPnP?

UPnP means "Universal Plug and Play". Nowadays most routers are UPnP capable. An UPnP compatible device from any vendor can dynamically join a network, obtain an IP address, announce its name, convey its capabilities upon request, and learn about the presence and capabilities of other devices enabling software clients that recognize those devices to immediately begin using them. These devices can leave the network automatically without leaving any information behind.

UPnP devices can run on many media that support Internet Protocol including Ethernet, FireWire, IR (IrDA), home wiring (G.hn) and RF (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi). No special device driver support is necessary. UPnP architecture enables devices to present a user interface through a web browser in any operating system.

PIXresizer

Program Of The Week

PIXresizer

This is a photo resizing tool to create web and e-mail friendly versions of your images with reduced file sizes. It is a free software with a simple user-friendly interface. One more feather in Bluefive's cap!

You can resize an image file and then save it to any of the other image formats (JPEG, GIF, BMP etc.,) You can rotate the image clockwise, convert to grayscale and resize multiple images in batch mode. It also gives you information about the image you are processing and allows you to keep the original EXIF information from your images.

Freelancer

Website Of The Week

Freelancer

This is an outsourcing website for small businesses. Are you having a PC with internet? Are you looking to work from home? This website connects employers and freelancers from all over the world. Through this website, employers can hire freelancers to do work in areas such as software, data entry, designing, writing, sales and marketing, accounting and legal services. Registration is free for both employers and freelancers. This website ensures a safe environment for both freelancers and employers via their secure milestone payment system.