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There are limited options when it comes to finding the right help for your PC or network of computers. You can have a technician come to your premises or offices to make repairs, you can send the computer to a repair shop or you can attempt to fix it via remote support services. Out of these three options, the most secure is actually remote IT support.

What is remote IT support?

Remote IT support is the process by which someone outside of your company connects to your computer or computer network to perform security and maintenance tasks. Unlike repair shop services, when remote IT support services are being carried out, the provider will ensure that the connection they use is secure and they will record all of the work they do.

Are remote IT support services secure?

It’s not uncommon for business owners to assume that remote IT support services are less secure because they are carried out via an internet connection, but this simply isn’t true. Remote IT support services are usually done via an encrypted connection that is protected end to end to prevent anyone ‘snooping’ or ‘hacking’ into your important data.

Remote IT support can not only solve your computer problems, but it can also save you money because you won’t need to pay for a technician’s travel expenses. It is also a very secure way to find quick and reliable access to great IT support using the latest encryption methods.

Why choose Rapid IT Support?

At Rapid IT support, we understand that having outside control of a PC or network is often the aim of malicious hackers and viruses. When you use a remote support service like ours, you have the power to cancel a session at any time, and, of course, we would never access your computer unless you specifically requested it. In fact, one of the most common requests for our services is for virus and malware removals.

If you have any questions or concerns about our IT support security measures, then please get in touch.

For many businesses, IT support has involved in-office staff since the introduction of broadband into the workplace. And while some companies still thrive on internal IT or contracts for a specific ‘IT person’, for many, their current IT service desk or computer support services can’t keep up with demand. With technology more essential than ever to the functioning of the average business, investing in flexible managed IT support services in Melbourne is the ideal way to keep ahead of the curve.

Why is flexible IT support for the future for modern businesses? Here are just some of the reasons:

Specialised and general support rolled into one

Are you branching out in the technology you use? Or do you need a service that can encompass many different operating systems? Types of technology? Different support services? Whatever your specific goals, it’s often too much to expect one person to meet the demand for everything a business needs. Working with flexible, outsourced IT services means you benefit from expertise from multiple sources instead of relying on one person to Do It All.

24/7 availability to suit the needs of your business

The average business doesn’t necessarily stick to a 9-to-5 schedule these days. Whether you’re working with partnerships overseas or you have flexible work to suit your remote staff, having access to IT support outside of ‘office hours’ can ensure your business is up, running and functioning any hour of the day or night. Emergencies rarely happen on schedule, and IT is no exception.

Support that’s designed to flow with the needs of your business

Much like any other aspect of business, your needs for IT will ebb and flow over time. From an influx of new hires needing to be set up with accounts, to implementing and upgrading servers and software, a flexible online IT support service is the ideal option to match your business’s changing and evolving needs as time goes on.

Looking for managed IT support services on the Gold Coast? Rapid IT Support is the ideal choice for you. Get in touch with our expert team today to find out how we can revolutionise IT support for your business.

The coronavirus pandemic has changed how we live and work, most likely forever, so if your company went remote last year during lockdown, you may only just be getting back into the office. If this is the case, there are some things you need to consider to get your office IT ready.

Limit tech sharing

If you want to ensure that your office staff are safe and are able to maintain social distancing while they work, it is imperative that you have enough IT available so that employees do not have to share technology, which could easily spread germs. If you need to, it may be wise to invest in more computers, printers and other office technology so that your employees can easily keep apart and access IT quickly.

Switch to a paperless office

Germs can travel fast on paper that a lot of people have to touch. If you can, you should consider completing tasks online without the use of paper unless completely necessary. Not only will this benefit the environment, but it will also ensure that germs aren’t passed from person to person via paper. In order to create a more paperless environment, you need to make sure that your IT is up to date.

Ensure your WiFi can handle telecommunications

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, offices have had to turn to video conferencing in order to communicate with their employees. However, although people may now be able to return to the office, it is imperative that your WiFi can handle video conferencing and other video calls, in case some people are unable to return and have to work from home.

Let us help you prepare your office

If you need more advice or need IT support, Rapid IT Support is an online IT support helpdesk that offers 24-hour services for small and medium businesses in Brisbane. We can help you get your business IT ready for your return to the office, so give us a call today to learn more.

Here at Rapid IT Support, we understand the importance of having a browser that works efficiently for you. That’s why we want to highlight the advantages of using Google Chrome as your default browser on your laptop or PC.

1. Speed

Google Chrome is known for being an extremely fast web browser that loads, refreshes and displays web pages in a significantly speedy fashion. If you’re struggling with a slow browser, we suggest switching to Google Chrome to avoid slow loading web pages.

2. Accessibility

Compared to some more complex web browsers, Google Chrome is a simplistic and accessible browser that is easy to navigate regardless of your IT skills. The basic design makes sure that web browsing is kept simple and easy, which is hugely advantageous when searching the internet.

3. Automatic translation

Designed to ease your use of the web, Google Chrome automatically translates web pages into your dominant language for you to understand. This is hugely beneficial for those who spend a lot of time researching on the web as valuable pages can be automatically translated so that you don’t have to waste time doing this yourself.

4. If one tab crashes, the others are unaffected

It can be a nightmare when one of your tabs crashes, leading to the inoperability of your other tabs, or the complete loss of them. Google Chrome avoids this. If one of your tabs crashes completely, you can rest assured that your remaining tabs will remain up and running and accessible still.

5. Security

Google Chrome is a secure, trustworthy browser that you can rely on to efficiently search the web for any information you might need.

Disadvantages

As with many things, Google Chrome has its disadvantages, however, they are relatively minimal. For example, Google Chrome’s biggest drawback is the memory space it takes up on your RAM. As you can imagine, the advantages of Google Chrome hugely outweigh its disadvantages.

If you require further information or are instead in need of some IT tech support, contact our team at Rapid IT Support today. We are specialists in IT support across Australia.

Google Chrome is by far the most commonly used browser, and for good reason. There are a host of advantages to using Chrome that makes for a much better user experience, allowing you to tweak and enhance a variety of things.

1. Install the AdBlock extension

Using the AdBlock extension in the browser is a great way to prevent distracting and unwarranted ads from popping up and interrupting you whilst browsing the internet. This extension will ensure that nasty ads are disabled from popping up all over the screen, and it is simply a must-have for anyone browsing the internet.

2. Organise your bookmarks

Chrome gives you the ability to organise your bookmarked sites into easy to navigate folders, allowing you to organise sites you visit as you please. This is especially helpful for keeping your work and personal sites separate and allowing you quick and easy access to your most commonly used sites without having to scroll through a huge list.

3. Make the most out of your history

One advantage Chrome has over some other browsers is that you can sync not only your bookmarks but also your history across multiple devices. Say, for example, you are browsing the web on your mobile and then transition to your PC or laptop. You can quickly access sites you have visited on your mobile without having to type out the URL as they will be stored and identified by the device they were last visited on.

4. Login saving

As a part of Google, Chrome allows you to save your login details for various sites, making it easy to access sites where you might have different passwords, or just simply allowing you to enter with one click without having to type out your credentials every time. It goes without saying though that you need to be sure you have anti-virus measures in place to ensure your data is protected.

5. Visit the extension store

Chrome has a large number of extensions available to integrate into the browser, ranging from Google Translate to text-to-speech ability, and even seamless integration with a number of 3rd-party applications like Microsoft Office and Grammarly.

Rapid IT Support is well-versed in IT support services, so if you are ever in need of support, please reach out to give our friendly team a call for some helpful guidance and advice.

Microsoft Outlook is still one of the highest used email platforms in the world, utilised across many organisations and businesses. There are a plethora of ways to improve your user experience, but here are 5 simple tips to get you started.

1. Install the Grammarly plug-in

Grammarly is an incredibly useful tool that acts as a more enhanced version of the baked-in spellcheck tool. It will provide you with suggestions to not only correct your spelling, but also any grammatical errors, as well as providing suggestions to improve the quality of your email’s structure. The free version works well but, if you want more enhanced features, you can always upgrade to the paid version.

2. Consider switching to dark mode

As with many phones and apps, Outlook does have a dark mode available that will change the background of the app to a darker black colour, particularly useful to help reduce eyestrain if you are staring at a screen for hours on end. Furthermore, you can switch between dark and light mode as required depending on the situation.

3. Make the most out of flags

Flagging emails has long been a standard feature, allowing you to highlight emails to refer back to. But another useful feature is the ability to flag emails for specific dates. If you have just sent an email to a client and want to ensure it is followed up on a specific date, then you can flag the sent email for your selected date and it will appear in your to-do list. You can even set a reminder so that you get an alert on the day that this email is to be reviewed.

4. Colourise your calendar.

Within Outlook, you have the ability to categorise emails based on colour; for example, you might want a green flag to indicate an email that is awaiting further information before you respond. Did you know, however, that you can also use this system for the calendar? An example would be setting a category for the colour purple to denote a meeting, which can then be used when you are creating or accepting meetings so that within your calendar view you can easily see what meetings you have on any given day without having to read every entry.

5. Setting rules

You can assign rules for various reasons, but one of the most common is assigning a rule for emails received from contacts so that they automatically go into a selected folder. This helps to reduce your inbox being clogged up and allows you to sort out your various emails with little hassle, saving you precious time.

These are just 5 simple tips to get the most out of Outlook but, if you are ever experiencing issues or need a helping hand, you can rely on the trusted and friendly team at Rapid IT Support for all of your IT needs and guidance.

Nothing is more sacred than the data and files that we keep on our computers in the modern-day, whether that be for personal or business use. We have all been in the position at some point where we boot up our computer for work and are met with a blue screen, or simply nothing.

Here are three types of storage options you can consider to ensure you optimise your data backup solutions.

1. HD – Mechanical hard-drives

Firstly, there are two common types of portable hard drives, the most common and inexpensive being the mechanical hard drive. These drives have been around for many years, and for the most part, are still very useful as they are generally cheaper than an SSD (see below), and at times allow for a larger storage capacity. The main drawback to mechanical drives is in the name as they utilise moving parts within the drive to read and write data. This aspect does mean that if they are knocked around whilst in use or dropped from a height, they are prone to breaking, rendering them useless and unless you are prepared to spend a large amount of money on recovering your data (if possible).

The upside is that they are quite cheap these days and still provide a decent way to back up your data, especially if you have a lot of larger-sized files.

2. SSD

SSD stands for solid-state drive, which you can think of as a USB with a larger capacity. SSDs do not use any moving components inside of them. They are often vastly faster than mechanical drives, smaller in size, and far more robust, with heavy-duty options available for those who travel often or are working on construction sites etc.

Whilst SSDs have come a long way in terms of their costing, they are still more expensive than mechanical drives in most cases, but with the increased access to the technology and more common use, they are far more cost-effective these days than ever before.

If you require a robust way to back up your data without fear of losing it, then an SSD is the safer option, couple that with options for encryption and even biometric access means that your data will be secure at all times. Just remember that, as with Mechanical hard drives, it will be up to you to ensure that you backup your data at regular intervals.

3. Cloud storage

With the increase in access to the internet and employees either working from home or remotely, it is important to have all of your data easily accessible. The benefits of the number of cloud-based services out there are quite simple. Anyone with access to the cloud drive will be able to view, edit, and upload new files, along with being able to edit documents in real-time if you have a team/group project.

The drawback here is simple: to access your data, you will need to be connected to the internet, so if you are in a location that doesn’t have any access to the internet, you won’t have the latest files or the ability to back up. In saying that, you can generally change settings so that your data is automatically backed up once you connect back to the internet. Along with that is if you generally utilise larger files, it may take some time to back up or download these depending on your connections speed.

Cloud-based storage services generally run off of a subscription-based system. Still, one of the most approachable options is OneDrive, as this integrates with Microsoft Office very well and provides an easy to understand approach to storing your data.

Overview

Now, there are many reasons you could use any of the above options or a combination of. This will come down to the necessary needs you are looking to fulfil. To put it simply, if you are working from home or remotely, have a team that need to access the same files, and want these to all be backed up in unison, go with a cloud-based system. If you are working alone or within an office with colleagues, constantly use larger files, or just want to back up your files for safekeeping, go with an SSD.

Getting into the habit of backing up your data will always save you time and grief down the line should anything happen to your main laptop or computers hard drive.

Be sure to reach out to the friendly team at Rapid IT Support for all of your storage questions, as they will be able to provide expert advice to meet your needs and suggest the best solution.

When you purchase a new laptop or desktop computer for your business, getting it set up properly can help your employee hit the ground running as quickly as possible. If you’re not sure what you need to do so it’s working as it should, at Rapid IT Support, our expert team are on hand to help. Carry on reading to find out how to set up your new laptop or desktop the hassle-free way.

Check for any updates

Once you’ve unpacked the new laptop and got it plugged in and connected to the internet, you need to make sure all the latest updates have been installed. New program updates are often released after a laptop has been built, so it’s important to check all have been installed to maximise the performance and security of the new device.

Install antivirus software

On a new laptop or computer, installing antivirus software to prevent your business files from being corrupted is essential. While some newer devices will come with anti-virus software as standard, you can choose to use an additional anti-malware application too. This is often wise if you have multiple employees accessing files and desktops from different locations as you can rest assured your company data is protected from hackers and cybercriminals.

Install your programs

From here, you should be safe to start installing any programs your business uses every day. You may already use a cloud service such as Google Drive, OneDrive or Sharepoint, so all you need to do is log into it on the new laptop. Once logged in, you should see the option to sync all relevant files. However, if you don’t use cloud storage, you can connect the new laptop or computer to an external hard drive or even a different computer to transfer any files your employee will need.

If you’re still unsure and would like some help setting up a new laptop or PC, we can help. For more information about our new computer setup services, contact the friendly and professional team at Rapid IT Support today.

Whether it’s for home office or business use, printers are invaluable items for many employees. However, it is a common misconception that they can be quite fiddly to set up, so at Rapid IT Support, we have created this guide to make the process as simple as possible. With these easy to follow steps, you’ll be on top of your printing game in no time at all.

However, it’s important to note that these steps are generalised for a manual set up. Wireless printers can be trickier to connect and are often make and model specific. However, our team at Rapid IT Support are on hand to help with any queries you may have surrounding this.

1. Ensure that your printer is turned on

This is common sense really, but make sure that your printer is turned on before you do anything else.

2. Connect via USB cable

In the box your printer came in, there should be a USB cable. When you have located this, plug the correct end of the USB cable into your computer, and insert the other end into your printer’s USB port. Typically, this is located around the back of the printer.

3. Go to Printer Settings

To make sure that your computer and printer have recognised each other, go to Printer Settings. If you are using an Apple Mac, this is synonymous with System Preferences. Once here, look for the option to select a printer, and choose this.

4. Do a trial run

To ensure that your computer and your printer are working in total harmony, it is recommended that you engage in a trial run. To do this, simply click Ctrl + P on your Windows computer (or Command + P if you’re an Apple Mac user). This will bring up a list of printing options that you can set up according to your needs. And voila! Hit print.

If these steps don’t work, this could be for a variety of reasons. If your computer’s troubleshooting program does not recognise how to rectify the issue, contact our team today at Rapid IT Support, as we are more than qualified to help you with your printer setup needs.