What to check when your tech stops working.

UniFi adoption & offline

An offline UniFi device may still serve clients. Check its controller connection, power, and network path before resetting it.

9 min read

Internet/router help

Wi‑Fi bars do not prove internet access. Find out whether the outage affects one app, one device, wireless devices, or the whole site.

8 min read

Ethernet wall jack not working

Try known-good patch leads and a known-good device before blaming the cable inside the wall. A link light is only one clue.

9 min read

New router Wi‑Fi migration

The old network name may reconnect devices, but security settings and local addresses can still change. Keep the old router until testing is done.

10 min read

Video doorbell offline

An offline camera, missing phone alert, and silent indoor chime are different problems. Identify which one you have before touching wiring.

8 min read

Sonos no products found

Check whether every room is missing or only one phone cannot see Sonos. Follow the matching recovery process before resetting speakers.

8 min read

Smart TV connected, no internet

Try another app on the TV and another device on the same network. The results help distinguish a TV problem from an internet outage.

8 min read

Printer offline

Can the printer make its own test page? Does another device print? Those two checks narrow down an offline error.

8 min read

Popup & malware check

Stop the clicking, preserve useful clues, and distinguish browser spam or scam pages from a broader Windows compromise.

8 min read

Remote access scam: what now?

Disconnect the affected computer. Use another trusted device to contact the bank and recover accounts before starting cleanup.

9 min read

Windows 10: what now?

Check Windows 11 eligibility, device health, and essential apps before choosing an upgrade, ESU, or a replacement PC.

9 min read

Windows blue screen & restart loop

Record the stop code and when the crash happens. One crash, a repeatable crash, and a loop that never reaches Windows need different checks.

8 min read

Slow Windows PC

Find out whether startup apps, low storage, memory pressure, or a failing drive explains the slowdown before spending on upgrades.

3 min read

Slow or beachballing Mac

Is one app frozen, or is the whole Mac slow? Check storage and memory pressure before installing a cleaner or deleting files.

8 min read

NAS backup setup

Shared storage is not the same as a backup. Check which files have another copy and whether that copy can be restored.

3 min read

Business email setup

Changing MX records sends new mail to a different host. It does not move old messages, calendars, aliases, or scanner settings.

9 min read

Outlook not receiving email

Open webmail first. If the message is there, investigate Outlook sync; if it is missing there too, investigate delivery.

8 min read

Business email hacked

Protect money first, contain the mailbox through its provider, preserve useful evidence, and avoid a password-only recovery.

8 min read

Airbnb Wi‑Fi & locks

Test the arrival routine: joining Wi‑Fi, opening the door, and watching TV. Keep guest instructions separate from owner access.

3 min read

Home office setup

A dropped call, flickering monitor, and missing printer may have different causes. Test each part of the desk setup.

3 min read

Receipt printer help

A receipt printer’s self-test checks the hardware, not the checkout route. Find which test failed before changing a live POS system.

9 min read

Senior tech help

Agree on the task with the person using the device, keep sign-ins private, and leave instructions they can use without you.

3 min read

New phone transfer checklist

Check calls, messages, photos, authenticator apps, and recovery access on the new phone before trading in the old one.

9 min read

Camera remote viewing

Compare the recorder’s local screen with the phone app, then test the app on Wi‑Fi and cellular. Do not reset a recording system to fix an app.

3 min read

Camera not recording

Live video does not prove last night was recorded. Check one camera and one time window before changing recording or storage settings.

8 min read