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DIY TIPS

DIY TIPS

Do-It-Yourself Demo 1 - Download Graphics to View  
How to Remove Stains on Wood
 A professional restorer shows you eight ways to remove white water rings or heat stains from wood furniture. 		Do-It-Yourself - Download Graphics to View  
Make an Autumnal Arrangement
 A talented floral designer demonstrates how to create an ombre effect with fall flowers in two wooden boxes.

TUTORIAL/FAQ

TUTORIAL/FAQ

What Are Search Engine Alternatives to Google?

Download Graphics to View Google is the most popular search engine with more than 90% market share. Nevertheless, you may want to seek out alternatives if you’re concerned about the privacy of your personal data.

It’s a well-known fact the “personalized experience” of the Google search engine comes at a cost. Users share their personal data with Google and allow themselves to be tracked on the internet. It’s this personalization that results in the sometimes annoying tailored content and targeted ads — for example, weeks of seeing ads for patio furniture after you do one Google search for it.

If you’d like to explore the world beyond Google, here are some of the top search engine alternatives to check out:

Bing
A more visual search engine from Microsoft
www.bing.com

DuckDuckGo
Best alternative for online privacy
duckduckgo.com

Ecosia
Plants trees around the globe from money it earns
search.brave.com

Yahoo!
Offers other services apart from search, such as news aggregation
search.yahoo.com

Qwant
Promises no tracking of your searches and no sale of personal data
www.qwant.com

TUTORIAL/FAQ

TUTORIAL/FAQ

What Are Some Common Causes of WiFi Problems?

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  1. Walls, floors and objects
    The construction materials in your home can greatly affect wireless communication speed and range. Materials such as wood and glass don’t have much of an effect. However, denser materials such as concrete, brick, and metal can make it difficult to connect. These denser materials can slow your network speed or even completely block wireless signals from reaching certain parts of your home. Large furniture items such as filing cabinets or bookshelves, as well as appliances like stoves or refrigerators, can also interfere with WiFi.

  2. Appliances and electronics emitting radio frequency interference
    WiFi interference can also come from electronics and appliances that aren’t connected to your wireless network but use the same 2.4GHz or 5GHz frequencies to communicate. Examples include cordless phones, Bluetooth devices, wireless cameras, and baby monitors. Microwave ovens generate radio frequency noise as a byproduct, so if yours is located close to your WiFi router, you may notice a network slowdown or get disconnected only when you’re using your microwave.

  3. Other WiFi networks using the same channel as your own WiFi network
    Interference from competing WiFi networks is especially common in apartment buildings and other densely populated areas. WiFi networks broadcast on channels, so when nearby WiFi networks are set to use the same channel, they’ll constantly be competing with each other for limited bandwidth.
Contact SRT if you experience the effects of network interference. Technicians may be able to overcome interference by moving, modifying or upgrading WiFi networking equipment or adjusting wireless channels.