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Cyber Security Awareness Month

Posted on by DataVision

Seven Cybersecurity Steps to Keep Your Devices & Accounts Safe

What’s more important to you: the safety of your data and online accounts, or having an easy experience when browsing the web? According to a 2021 Norton study, you probably picked the latter: more than three out of five consumers surveyed said they accepted certain privacy risks online to make life more convenient.

As October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, we’re sharing a quick refresher on how to keep your personal information safe online:

  1. Protect your devices
    The best line of defense against online threats: keep your operating system and applications up to date. Most updates include important security fixes which help defend your devices against malware. We also recommend using an anti-virus software for added protection.
  2. Manage your passwords
    A strong, unique password is a strong defense against hackers. Here are four guidelines to keep in mind:
    • Use long, unique passwords: the more characters it has, the harder it is to break. The best passwords are 12+ characters and contain a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. 
    • Don’t recycle your passwords: if one email/password combination is compromised, it puts the rest of your accounts using that combination at risk. It’s best to use a unique password for every website.
    • Use a password manager. These nifty tools help you remember each unique password for each account, encrypt your passwords to keep them safe, and can even suggest secure passwords to use for your accounts.
    • Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA). This provides an extra level of protection, especially for accounts containing sensitive information.
  3. Use secure Wi-Fi
    Next time you’re having a cup at your local coffee shop, think twice about connecting to their free Wi-Fi. Unsecured networks like these leave your data vulnerable to prying eyes and hackers with malicious intent. Instead, consider using your mobile hotspot to go online, or connect to public Wi-Fi using a VPN (Virtual Private Network), which encrypts your data to keep it safe.
  4. Back up your data
    Protect yourself against data loss by backing up important and sentimental information. Following the 3-2-1 rule, you’ll want to keep three copies of your data at all times. Two of those backup copies should be stored on different media (e.g. one in the Cloud, and one on an external drive), with one of them located offsite.
  5. Think before you click
    Fraudulent links are one of the most common ways cybercriminals can gain access to sensitive information. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious, and when in doubt, don’t click!
  6. Share with care
    Be careful about what you post online. For example, posting a photo of your new house could reveal your home address. As much as possible, limit the personal information that you share, and remember that anything published to the internet is there forever.
  7. Check your settings
    Make it a habit to conduct privacy checkups on your social media sites and mobile apps, and make sure your privacy settings are at your comfort level.

Remember—it’s one thing to know how to keep yourself safe online. It’s another thing to put these tips into practice.

At DataVision, we care about keeping you and your family safe when using the internet. And if you have questions about your service, contact us —we are here and happy to help!

Call 811 Before You Dig

Posted on by DataVision

On occasion, almost everyone has occasion to do a little yardwork—and sometimes it involves using a shovel. Maybe you want to do some spring gardening or plant a bush. Perhaps you’re installing a new mailbox. It doesn’t matter the reason, if you’re putting a shovel into the ground—you really need to make sure you’re doing it safely.

That’s why you need to call 811 or check with your state 811 center before you do any kind of digging on your property.

Why is calling 811 so important?

It’s a matter of safety for you—and your community! If you were to accidentally strike a buried line while digging, it could disrupt utility service for you and your neighbors, cost a lot of money to repair, or even cause severe injury or death. That’s why you always want to contact your 811 center before putting a shovel in the ground.

When you dial 811, you’ll automatically be connected to a representative from your state’s 811 center, and they’ll ask you a few simple questions about the location and details about where you plan to dig. If you make your request online, you’ll enter the same information into a form. Regardless of which method you use to contact them, you’ll receive a ticket number, instructions for how much time utilities have to respond to your request, and how to confirm that all utilities have responded before you can safely dig.

It’s not just a good idea—it’s the law!

Here’s what happens after you’ve reached out to 811 with your request:

  • A utility locator will visit your home or business.
  • The contractor will locate natural gas and utility lines on your property—free of charge!
  • The contractor will put down visual markers to identify the lines—that way you’ll know where it’s safe to dig, and which areas you should avoid.

Remember, even if you think it’s a small project, like planting a garden, if it involves putting a shovel into the ground, the law requires you to contact 811.

At DataVision we care about your safety!

Whether it’s protecting the safety of your home and family with one of our high-quality home security systems or simply keeping you up to date on the safest ways to go about your home projects, at DataVision, we value our role as your trusted advisor. Have questions? Reach out to us at 503-792-3611.

Broadband’s Impact on Agriculture

Posted on by DataVision

How important is the expansion of broadband to the health of the agriculture industry?

The short answer is: very.

According to data from the US Department of Agriculture and the American Farm Bureau Federation, domestic farms could contribute up to $23 billion to the U.S. economy each year with the help of precision agriculture technology—but to make that happen, more broadband is needed.

Rural broadband is essential to modern agriculture

To the casual observer, unfamiliar with the modern farming industry, pastoral images of farming can make it appear to be a low-tech, hands-on, and practical business that primarily involves planting, harvesting, and selling. But as technology continues to advance, precision agriculture tools that rely on the internet and massive amounts of data are used by farmers every day.

Tools, such as yield mapping, guidance systems, and soil mapping, which provide farmers with data on how much water and fertilizer their crops require, need the internet to provide accurate data. And broadband is essential when it comes to updating the software in farm equipment and speeding efficiency for the farm as a whole.

Each new piece of precision agriculture technology affords the farming industry new opportunity to grow and prosper, but the current lack of internet access in rural America is holding it back.

When technological innovation in agriculture is encouraged and made possible through greater connectivity,  the efficiency of the American farmer is vastly improved,  providing valuable growth to the economy, increasing environmental sustainability, and enhancing the stature of our rural communities.

That’s why we’re hard at work every day, helping to bring the best broadband service available to our vital rural communities.

At DataVision, we care about our farming communities!

Contact DataVision today to learn how we can partner with you to bring high-speed internet to your agriculture business.

Whether working with our local farmers or simply helping you get the most out of your broadband connection, DataVision values our role as your trusted advisor. Have questions? Reach out to us at 503-792-3611.

Setting Up Your Wi-Fi Router

Posted on by DataVision

Get the best signal for your home

At DataVision, we want you to have the best internet experience possible. So, when you’re setting up your router, we want to be sure you’re armed with the information you need to get started—and that means knowing a few secrets that will deliver the best signal possible.

Here are three simple things to keep in mind when selecting a location for your router:

Pick the right spot
Putting your router inside a cabinet, behind a wall, or next to something metal can weaken the signal—routers are most effective when they are out in the open and placed in a central location. Furthermore, placing your router in the highest location possible, such as the second floor of your home, or even a high shelf, can give a boost to your speed!

Avoid signal eaters
Certain home appliances, like microwave ovens or wireless phones, can have adverse effects on your Wi-Fi signal. Investing in a dual band router can help with this, but placing your router farther from these appliances is also a good idea.

Consider getting a boost
Even when you have a great router placed in the best location, you’ll occasionally find that you have dead spots in your home where the signal can’t reach. That’s when it’s handy to know about Wi-Fi boosters, Wi-Fi extenders, and mesh networks. Wi-Fi boosters and extenders are relatively inexpensive ways to make your signal go farther. Wi-Fi mesh networks can be slightly more expensive, but can provide whole home coverage when you’ve got a larger home or want the signal to reach all corners of your property.

DataVision is here to help!
As the world speeds up, we like to keep up with it, and here at DataVision, we’re proud to provide the fastest internet available. By paying attention to the simple issues outlined in this article, you’ll be in good shape to have that speed delivered to all the devices in your home.

And if you ever have any questions about your service, we’re here and we’d love to hear from you!

5 Essentials for Your Home Office

Posted on by DataVision

What makes a home office workable?

In an ideal world, you have a designated space in your home in which to work. While it might be necessary for some to operate from their bedrooms or the kitchen table, we don’t advise this solution unless you have no other options. It’s better for your mental health to have at least a little separation between your home and work life.

Here are some basics:

  1. Desk
    As a general rule, the surface of your desk should stand between 28 to 30 inches above the floor and provide enough room for a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Having a comfortable, but supportive chair is good, too.
  2. Lighting
    Good lighting is important—it helps you look professional in online meetings, and it can help prevent eye strain and fatigue during a long workday. We always recommend facing your desk toward a window as a great source for natural light.
  3. Best Wi-Fi Router
    Having the best Wi-Fi router available makes good business sense because it’s essential to keep you connected—wherever you’re working from in your home. At <<placeholder for company name>>, we’re always here to help you select the best router available to help you get your job done.
  4. A Good Bluetooth or USB Headset
    If lawnmowers, outside construction workers, and barking dogs crowd your soundscape, a headset that features a noise cancelling microphone to filter out the background noise is something your co-workers will thank you for.
  5. Surge Protector
    A good power strip with a built-in surge protector is a great (and inexpensive) way to protect your equipment and your work.

With these essentials, along with a good PC or laptop, you should be in great shape to get the job done from the comfort of your home

DataVision is here to help! At DataVision, we value our role as your trusted advisor when it comes to making the most of our internet services, whether you’re using them in your home office or simply kicking back to enjoy an evening’s entertainment.

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