What's the easiest/ recommended way to set up #Ubuntu (or similar user-friendly Linux distro) onto a 1TB USB SSD to boot & use my PC when I don't want to run #Windows from the internal disk? Ideally, use it like a regular computer for #programming, email, web, etc.

#PC #ITAdvice

Here's how *not* to get scammed by printer manufacturers:

Here is my blog post that goes over the technical aspects of this: https://txtechnician.com/r/JKV
Consumer-grade printers: "Toner level" is tracked by page counts
Business-grade printers: Toner is detected physically by a special sensor. Meaning all toner is used to its full extent.

#OfficeTips #ITAdvice #PrinterScam #SmallBusinessIT #CostPerPage #PrintSmart #TechTips #IT #ITSupport

Next one for the hive mind. You've suggested Synology but not Qnap. Both are Taiwanese so not US (Good).
Why Synology over Qnap?
If Synology why not the j (the cheaper one)?
With this many questions am I even qualified to embark on this project?!
and yes, I've tagged everyone who chimed in on the HDD questions...

#NAS #ITAdvice #LazyWeb
@leighelse @futuresprog @thomasbeagle @stojg @haydng

I don’t have sensitive or financial information on my PC, I only use it for playing games & the occasional web search and almost never download anything that isn’t from my game library - so I don’t think I need the beefiest security available.

I just want something that will go “oops should probably change your email password” rather than behaving like it’s trying to sell double glazing to my gran

#PCSecurity #VirusProtection #MalwareProtection #ITAdvice

Long toot, but TL;DR I’m looking for advice from fellow IT and network managers/maintainers.

Planning a network overhaul for my ~20 person employer for a few months from now. Likely going Unifi for as much as possible for the tight integration and simple management for this poor solo IT guy. I’m not looking for input on that decision at this time, unless you have a really good reason.

Unfortunately, everyone is used to a BYOD system when it comes to WFH. They download the NetExtender VPN on their personal machine and RDP into their workstation in the office. I am trying to figure out how best to lock this down without pissing everyone off (yet).

Obvious measures already in effect include MFA for VPN access and geo-based IP blocking. I’d love to lock it down further though, and for that I am looking into an RDP gateway in combination with VPN.

For off-site company-owned devices, those would use the Unifi VPN authenticated via AD and MFA. Connections would be based on an allowlist of known safe workstations and they would be allowed normal network access.

For personal devices, I’m considering an RDP gateway (with MFA?) to monitor and limit connections from personal devices to employee workstations only (I.e. no server access). I _could_ expose that publicly and ensure it’s locked down with MFA and give the host server minimal permissions and access. However, I’m wondering if it would make sense to place that behind the VPN as well.

Untrusted VPN connections could go to their own VLAN, only allowed access to the RDP gateway and nothing else. Both would authenticate with the same LDAP credentials, so not much benefit there. My main consideration is 0 days and other vulns. A 2 layered approach would ensure that a vulnerability in one system is still mitigated by the other.

I could see this creating unnecessary overhead for employees to connect though, and may not be worth the perceived extra security.

Anyone have any input? I’d love some advice here!

#it #networking #networksecurity #cybersecurity #security #infrastructure #ITAdvice #tech

Has anyone switched from Google Workspace to #Nextcloud? Any tips or advice about the migration would be appreciated.

#opensource #foss #email #documents #buildinpublic #business #smallbusiness #itadvice

Is there an easy way to make a mastodon #bot thing that would just post a link to a blog when ever it updates? I'd love one to https://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/

#itadvice #rss

#ITAdvice
I'm looking at purchasing a laptop for someone. Either dell latitude E7270 or E7470. The website and the company claim they both come with 1366x768 displays. This is weird because they come with 16gb ram and i7... And even the setups for these with lower specs than that came with FHD displays. That low res display only came with the lowest end setup. Regardless, with 1366x768 resolution, would a 12.5" screen be too cramped? Am I right in thinking a 14" screen would be more comfortable?