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Does Cleaning the Windows Prefetch Folder Speed Up Your PC?
Views: 1,330Originally published November 9, 2006 | Updated November 2026 Back in November 2006, I published a short troubleshooting tip suggesting that Windows XP users could improve startup performance by occasionally deleting the contents of the Windows Prefetch folder. The thinking at the time was that Windows might accumulate information about too many applications, eventually
Removing Unused Device Drivers Safely in Windows 11
Views: 1,658Originally published November 9, 2006 | Updated November 2026 Back in 2006, I wrote a short article explaining how to locate and remove unused device drivers in Windows. The original technique involved setting a Windows environment variable, opening Device Manager, displaying hidden devices, and uninstalling devices that were no longer present. At the time,
Troubleshooting Windows Device Drivers: Tools and Techniques
Views: 2,192Originally published November 9, 2006 | Updated November 2026 Device drivers are something most Windows users rarely think about until something stops working. Your Wi-Fi connection suddenly disappears. A USB device is no longer recognized. Your sound stops working following a Windows update. Perhaps your display begins behaving strangely, or an application reports that
Basic PC and Network Troubleshooting Tips That Still Work
Views: 1,741Originally published September 3, 2010. Updated November 2026. Computers have changed considerably since I first published this article in 2010. Windows has evolved, solid-state drives have largely replaced mechanical hard drives, Wi-Fi has become essential, and IPv6 is now an important part of Internet connectivity. What has not changed is the need for effective
Windows GodMode: A Handy Shortcut to Windows Settings
Views: 2,594Updated October 2026 — Windows 10 and Windows 11 If you spend much time troubleshooting Windows computers, you know how frustrating it can be to find a particular configuration setting. Some options are in the modern Windows Settings application, others remain in the traditional Control Panel, and a few are buried several levels deep.
Why Broadband Service Provider Technical Teams Should Be Using Linux in 2026
Views: 2,394Originally published August 7, 2018 | Updated October 2026 Several years ago, during a video call with a service provider technical lead, I noticed something interesting. Almost every question I answered, whether it concerned Wi-Fi, network testing, troubleshooting, or packet analysis, involved demonstrating something on my Linux laptop. Eventually, the technical lead asked why
How to Identify Your Computer’s Hardware Components
Views: 2,894Have you ever wondered exactly what hardware is inside your computer? Not just how much memory you have or what processor Windows says you’re running, but the actual manufacturer and model of your motherboard, the type and speed of your RAM, the BIOS or UEFI firmware version, and the details of your graphics processor?
Keeping your Windows PC Software Up to Date in 2026
Views: 2,426One of the challenges of owning and maintaining a Windows PC has always been keeping the operating system, installed applications, device drivers, and other software up to date. I originally wrote this article back in September 2013 and made a few updates in 2020. A lot has changed since then! Fortunately, keeping software updated
IPv6 Lab Exercises Appearing
Views: 278We promised to deliver some great IPv6 labs to expand your IPv6 skills and the first two are up! Three more are scheduled already! To check them out go here. These labs include full instructions, GNS3 Portable Projects (not required) and PCAPs for Wireshark where needed. Thank you to our Patreon members who keep
The Linux ip Command: A Practical Guide to Network Troubleshooting
Views: 7,550Originally published October 26, 2018 | Updated October 2026 If you have spent much time working with Linux, you probably remember commands such as ifconfig, route, and arp. For years, these utilities were commonly used to examine network interfaces, IP addressing, routing tables, and other networking information. Those commands may still be available on
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We have several articles here that contain and use Amazon links for products we recommend or reference. When you select products using those links, we receive a small cut without affecting your price, and appreciate you for using our links. You can also check out my Amazon Storefront here. Here are some of those posts:
10 Best Books for Broadband Technicians
The Top Ten Networking Books for Reference
Servicing or Repairing Network Equipment
The Network Products We Use in Our “Go Bag”
A List of USB Wi-Fi Adapters that support Monitor Mode
A Wi-Fi 7 Tri-Band USB Adapter now available on Amazon
IPv6 Books for Reference and Study
Content Creator Equipment List for YouTube/Vimeo/Patreon/Udemy
