Useful Links

  1. Remote Support
    1. Ninja Quick Connect
      1. Manual Connect
        1. Invitation code:  9041250826
    2. Microsoft Quick Assist
    3. Zoom meeting room
  2. MSP information
    1. MSP Agent Installers
    2. Remote access instructions – If you would like remote access to your machines, please fill out this form and wait for your invitation email.
      1. MSP Remote Access Login
    3. Remote assistance
      1. Splashtop Streamer Installer  (BNO deployment code: AALW4JZ5TKKR )
  3. VPN
    1. TailScale
      1. Windows download
    2. Wireguard
  4. Patch management
    1. Ninite Updater – just one step to automatically download and install all your updates in the background. $10/year or 5 machines for $30/year, more plans available.
      1. List of Ninite supported apps
      2. Ninite command line reference guide
    2. MacUpdater – Keep all of your apps up to date
    3. Belarc Advisor – builds a detailed profile of your software and hardware, network inventory, missing Microsoft hotfixes, anti-virus status, security benchmarks, and displays the results. [Download]
  5. Virus checking services – check to see if a file is infected
    1. VirSCAN.org – Submit virus files to see which scanner will detect it
    2. VirusTotal – VirusTotal is a free service that analyzes suspicious files and URLs
  6. Malware/Spyware/Virus removal and prevention
      1. Malwarebytes – Malwarebytes has developed a variety of tools that can identify and remove malicious software from your computer [Download PC or Mac]
      2. Network filtering
        1. Cloudflare DNS:  1.1.1.1 – Internet’s fastest DNS directory
          1. Standard DNS
            1. 1.1.1.1
            2. 1.0.0.1
          2. Malware blocking DNS
            1. Primary DNS: 1.1.1.2
            2. Secondary DNS: 1.0.0.2
          3. Malware AND adult content blocking DNS
            1. Primary DNS: 1.1.1.3
            2. Secondary DNS: 1.0.0.3
        2. CleanBrowsing
          1. Adult Filter:
            1. Blocks access to all adult, pornographic and explicit sites. It does not block proxy or VPNs, nor mixed-content sites. Sites like Reddit are allowed. Google and Bing are set to the Safe Mode. Malicious and Phishing domains are blocked.
            2. 185.228.168.10
            3. 185.228.169.11
          2. Family Filter:
            1. Blocks access to all adult, pornographic and explicit sites. It also blocks proxy and VPN domains that are used to bypass the filters. Mixed content sites (like Reddit) are also blocked. Google, Bing and Youtube are set to the Safe Mode. Malicious and Phishing domains are blocked.
            2. 185.228.168.168
            3. 185.228.169.168
          3. Security Filter:
            1. Blocks access to phishing, spam, malware and malicious domains. Our database of malicious domains is updated hourly and considered to be one of the best in the industry. Note that it does not block adult content.
            2. 185.228.168.9
            3. 185.228.169.9
        3. Quad9 – block malware with DNS
          1. 9.9.9.9
          2. 149.112.112.112
        4. OpenDNS – Block malware and filter traffic on your whole network
          1. 208.67.222.222
          2. 208.67.220.220
            1. Check that you are using OpenDNS
        5. Google DNS – free open DNS run by Google
          1. 8.8.8.8
          2. 8.8.4.4
        6. Check DNS server
          1. https://browserleaks.com/ip
          2. https://www.cloudflare.com/ssl/encrypted-sni/
        7. Check browser info
          1. https://browserleaks.com/ip
        8. DNS Benchmarking
          1. GRC DNS Benchmark
          2. Google NameBench
  1. Secure your computer
    1. Remove Adobe Flash
      1. Windows uninstaller – How to uninstall the Adobe Flash Player plug-in and ActiveX control
      2. Mac uninstaller – How to uninstall the Adobe Flash Player on a Mac [Download]
    2. Scan for vulnerabilities
      1. Shields Up
      2. urlscan.io – Find out what your website is doing
      3. IOT Scanner
    3. Fix windows update
      1. Windows 10
      2. Windows 8, 7, XP
  2. Backup software/Disk imaging
    1. Kopia – Open source ARQ like backup software
    2. ARQ Backup – Local and cloud backup software or service
      1. Wasabi – cloud storage (Status page:  status.wasabi.com)
      2. BackBlaze B2 – cloud storage
    3. Macrium Reflect – Disk image for Windows. Free version for desktop, $200 for server.
      1. Download Free from Macrium
      2. Get Installer
    4. CrashPlan – Local and cloud backup service
      1. Open Code42 Commands by entering the keyboard shortcut for your operating system:
        1. Windows: Ctrl+Shift+C
        2. Mac: Option+Command+C
          1. If the website shows that the computer hasn’t checked in for a while, but the computer shows it is current, you can reauthorize the client and restart:  rz, restart
    5. Carbon Copy Cloner – Mac disk cloning software
    6. SuperDuper! – Mac disk cloning software
    7. Clonezilla – open source disk imaging
    8. AOMEI Backupper Standard – Clone to a smaller drive [Download]
    9. EaseUS Todo Backup – Disk imaging for Windows.  Free version for desktop, $200 for server
    10. DiskMaker X – Build an OS X boot disk
  3. Transfer files in real time
    1. Reep.io – send files in realtime across the internet
    2. File.pizza – send files in realtime across the internet
  4. Password Managers
    1. 1Password – Good password manager for mac and cross platform
      1. Customer access:  https://bignetonline.1password.com/
      2. 1Password downloads
        1. 1PasswordX for Chrome
        2. 1Password for Chrome desktop extension
    2. Bitwarden – Free or inexpensive cross platform password manager
    3. KeePass – Open Source and free password manager
      1. PC – Installer or portable versions available
      2. Mac – MacPass
      3. iOS – Free iOS app
      4. Cross platform app
      5. Web App – Web KeePass app
  5. Samsung SSD software – Software to help monitor and migrate to a Samsung SSD
  6. Disk Partition editors
    1. gParted – Open source partition manager
  7. ISO Creator
    1. ISO Recorder
  8. Migration utility
    1. Fab’s AutoBackup – migrate windows user accounts (paid app)
  9. App installers
    1. Ninite – batch install windows apps
      1. Ninite individual installers – including no longer available like flash
    2. GetMacApps – batch install mac apps
  10. App uninstallers
    1. AppCleaner – Mac uninstaller, simply drop app onto AppCleaner window
    2. Revo Uninstaller – Windows app uninstaller
    3. AppTrap – Mac uninstaller that runs as preference pane
  11. Computer cleaning/maintenance
    1. CCleaner – CCleaner is the number-one tool for cleaning your Windows PC. It protects your privacy online and makes your computer faster and more secure.
    2. PC Decrapifier – Removes pre-installed software from new computers
  12. Hard disk monitors
    1. PassMark – monitor the SMART attributes of a particular hard disk drive
    2. Acronis Drive Monitor – monitor server, workstation and PC hard disk drives
    3. HDDscan – HDDScan is a freeware utility for hard drive diagnostics
  13. Display hard drive usage
    1. WinDirStat – a disk usage statistics viewer and cleanup tool for various versions of Microsoft Windows.
    2. GrandPerspective – a disk usage viewer for OSX
    3. Disk Inventory X – a disk usage viewer for OSX
  14. Restore Windows state on reboot
    1. Steadier State – Free, but requires: Windows 7 Enterprise® / Windows 7 Ultimate
    2. Reboot Restore RX – a Freeware utility, that on reboot, automatically reset to your desired baseline settings.
    3. Returnil System Safe 2011 – To return to the actual operating system environment, you just need to restart your PC
  15. Key finders – recover OS and application keys
    1. Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder – PC key finder
    2. Mac Product Key Finder – Mac key finder
  16. Analyze Windows blue screens
    1. Analyze Windows crash dump online  – upload your crash dump… and you’ll get an instant analysis of your crash dump on line.
    2. WhoCrashed – Comprehensible crash dump analysis tool
    3. BlueScreenView – BlueScreenView scans all your minidump files created during ‘blue screen of death’ crashes, and displays the information about all crashes in one table.
  17. Making bootable USB drives
    1. Etcher – Flash OS images to SD cards & USB drives
    2. YUMI MultiBoot USB – Create multi bootable USB drives
    3. Rufus – Create bootable USB drives the easy way
  18. Disk speed test
    1. PC
      1. Anvil’s Storage Utilities
      2. CrystalDiskMark
      3. MS DiskSpd
        1. https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/DiskSpd-a-robust-storage-6cd2f223
      4. CrystalDiskInfo
    2. Mac
      1. Blackmagic Disk Speed Test
  19. Internet speed test
    1. SpeedTest.net – Will show you the speed of your internet connection
    2. SpeedOf.me – HTML5 internet speed test
    3. SourceForge – HTML5 speed test
    4. Fast.com – Netflix speed test
    5. Ubiquiti Speedtest
    6. NDT – Network Diagnostic Test
  20. SSL Test – free online service performs a deep analysis of the configuration of any SSL web server on the public Internet.
  21. Web Browsers
    1. Google Chrome – Best and safest web browser [Download Offline Installer]
      1. uBlock Origin extension
    2. Firefox – Second best web browser
  22.  
  23. Deregister iMessage – Website that will allow you to deregister your phone number from Apple’s iMessage
  24. Domain tools
    1. MXtoolbox – Domain tools for looking up mx records, etc
    2. Network-tools.com – Domain tools for looking up mx records, etc
    3. ViewDNS.info – Domain tools for looking up mx records, etc
    4. Sender ID Framework SPF Record Wizard – Generate valid SPF records
      1. SPF syntax
  25. Dynamic DNS
    1. DuckDNS – Free
    2. List of other providers
  26.  Encryption/Security
    1. Signal – secure messaging app
      1. iOS download
      2. Android download
    2. VeraCrypt – FULL DISK encryption based on the defunct TrueCrypt
    3. AES Crypt – available on several operating systems that uses the industry standard Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) to easily and securely encrypt files.
    4. Wire – Encrypted communications
    5. miniLock – Simple file encryption software
    6. Cryptocat – encrypted chat and file transfers
    7. TorBrowser – Anonymous web browsing
    8. OnionShare – Share file securely over TOR
    9. Tails – Tails is a live operating system that aims at preserving your privacy and anonymity
    10. iOS apps
      1. Signal – Secure your calls for free (https://whispersystems.org/)
      2. Wire – Encrypted communications for iOS
      3. AES Crypt for iOS – file encryption tool for iOS. Decryption is free, Encryption is In App Purchase.
      4. Onion Browser – Tor-powered web browser that helps you access the internet with more privacy
      5. Red Onion – unique browser that lets you access the Internet privately and anonymously
  27. Cloud storage solutions
    1. Dropbox – For every friend who joins and installs Dropbox, we’ll give you both 500 MB of bonus space
    2. Microsoft OneDrive
    3. Google Drive –
    4. Bittorrent Sync –
  28. Download full Intuit Quickbooks installers
    1. Quickbooks official list of downloads
    2. Quickbooks official downloads
    3. Quickbooks 3rd party downloads
  29. Prey Project – Prey lets you keep track of your phone or laptop at all times, and will help you find it if it ever gets lost or stolen. It’s lightweight, open source software, and free for anyone to use.
  30. ifconfig.me – Find your external IP address – From the CLI:  curl ifconfig.me
  31. Buying computers
    1. Apple certified refurbished – Buy Apple computers at a discount and still get the same 1 year warranty
      1. Refurb.me – shop and monitor Apple refurbished products
    2. Dell outlet
      1. Dell ebay outlet
    3. LSI RAID Controllers
    4. Dell RAID Controllers
  32. Hosted email
    1. Google Apps – Sign up for google apps
    2. Office 365 for business plans – Sign up for Microsoft plans
  33. Microsoft Office subscription – install Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, and Access on up to five devices [compare versions]
    1. Office update history
    2. Microsoft Account – Where you can sign in and install office 365 products and manage one drive.
  34. DreamHost – Sign up for your DreamHost account and save $50 on shared hosting!
  35. BIG Net Online Store – Shop our store
  36. Amazon.com – Use this link for all of your Amazon.com purchases
  37. Squareup.com – Process credit card payments from your phone or tablet
  38. Brother printer selector – Help you select the proper brother printer
  39. Check if TRIM is enabled under Windows 7 – fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify
    1. A zero (0) =  that TRIM IS enabled
    2. A one (1) = that TRIM is NOT enabled
  40. Enable TRIM on OS X 10.10.4 or greater
    1. Open terminal and issue:  sudo trimforce enable
  41. Windows 7 ISO
    1. http://176.99.4.36/Windows%207/Eng/
    2. http://mirror.corenoc.de/digitalrivercontent.net/
  42. Enable AHCI
    1. Windows 7 withOUT reinstall –  used to achieve maximum performance of SSD’s
    2. Windows 10 -used to achieve maximum performance of SSD’s [Download reg] Apply registry file, boot into BIOS and enable AHCI, then reboot into Windows
  43. Windows 10 download site – [Download Media Creation Tool]
    1. Windows 10 activationactivate a clean install – download Windows 10 ISO
      1. Run gatherosstate.exe [32 bit or 64 bit] on your activated version of Windows before installing Windows 10.
      2. Copy the GenuineTicket.xml file to a thumb drive
      3. Clean install Windows 10 and skip entering product key
      4. Put the GenuineTicket.xml file in c:\programdata\microsoft\windows\clipsvc\genuineticket\ and reboot.
      5. If not activated at this point, bring up an Administrator command prompt and enter:  slmgr.vbs -ato  It may also take a few more reboots, but it should activate.
  44. Windows update history
    1. Windows 10 update history – Shows Windows 10 updates
      1. ver
      2. winver  (shows in GUI)
      3. systeminfo | findstr /B /C:”OS Name” /C:”OS Version”
    2. Windows lifecycle fact sheet
    3. Windows 10 command line update
      1. C:\Windows\System32\usoclient ScanInstallWait
        C:\Windows\System32\usoclient StartScan
        C:\Windows\System32\usoclient StartDownload
        C:\Windows\System32\usoclient StartInstall
        C:\Windows\System32\usoclient RestartDevice
        C:\Windows\System32\usoclient StartInteractiveScanWindows 10 reboot: shutdown /r /f /t 0
        Windows 10 shutdown: shutdown /s /f /t 0
    4. Windows 7 update history
  45. Windows 7 Server – You must make these registry changes, or you will run into:  “Event Id 2017 The server was unable to allocate from the system nonpaged pool because the server reached the configured limit for nonpaged pool allocations.”
  46. Wipe a disk in windows
    1. Bring up a command prompt as administrator
    2. diskpart
    3. list disk
    4. select disk #
    5. clean
  47. Uninstall app in Windows via command line
    1. List programs:  wmic product get name
    2. Uninstall a program:
      1. wmic product where name=”name of program” call uninstall
      2. wmic product where name=”name of program” call uninstall /nointeractive
  48. Windows reboot command line:
    1. shutdown -r — restarts
      shutdown -s — shutsdown
      shutdown -l — logoff
      shutdown -t xx — where xx is number of seconds to wait till shutdown/restart/logoff
      shutdown -i — gives you a dialog box to fill in what function you want to use
      shutdown -a — aborts the previous shutdown command….very handy!
      shutdown -h — hibernate. Easy mistake – it’s not for help
  49. To Remove the “Get Windows 10” tray icon from the command line
    1. wusa /uninstall /kb:3035583 /quiet /norestart
    2. If you want to force a restart type in:  wusa /uninstall /kb:3035583 /quiet /forcestart
  50. Forensit User Profile Wizard – migrate your current user profile to your new domain account so that you can keep all your existing data and settings. [Download]
  51. iPerf – tool used to test network throughput
    1. Mac
      1. iPerf2 – GUI of iPerf
    2. Windows
      1. jPerf – Java GUI of iPerf
      2. kPerf – GUI of iPerf
  52. Blacklist check – check if your mail server is blacklisted for sending spam
    1. Blacklist check
    2. Multibl.valli.org
    3. Sender Score – need to register for a free accounts to get much information
  53. Activation Lock Status – Check the Apple activation lock status of your Apple device
  54. Apple Downloads – Download updates from Apple
  55. Apple Hardware Test
    1. Turn on your Mac, then immediately press and hold the D key on your keyboard.
    2. Earlier hardware test
    3. If your Mac was introduced after June 2013
    4. Download bootable Apple Hardware Test images
  56. Router notes
    1. Tomato Shibby – Tomato is a small, lean and simple replacement firmware
      1. Purchase Asus RT-N66U router from Amazon.com
      2. Asus firmware updater utility [Download]
      3. Firmware download for Asus RT-N66U
        1. Flashing instructions
      4. You can block malware and ads by adding this startup script in -> Administration -> Scripts -> WAN Up
      5. Setup guest wireless instructions
      6. Restrict bandwidth on guest wireless instructions
    2. Advanced Tomato – a small, lean, open source and simple replacement firmware for Broadcom-based routers based on Tomato Shibby
      1. Setup OpenVPN client to PIA
    3. DD-WRT – a Linux based alternative OpenSource firmware suitable for a great variety of WLAN routers
  57. Email settings
    1. Gmail
      1. POP Settings:
        pop.gmail.com
        Use SSL: Yes
        Port: 995SMTP Settings:
        smtp.gmail.com
        Use Authentication: Yes
        Port for TLS/STARTTLS: 587
        Port for SSL: 465Server timeouts Greater than 1 minute, we recommend 5
    2. Dreamhost
      1. POP3 server: mail.yourdomain.com
        Port 995 (Secure Transport – SSL function enabled)
        SMTP server: mail.yourdomain.com
        SMTP | Port 465 (Secure Transport – SSL function enabled)Webmail:  https://webmail.yourdomain.com
        Mailbox management:  https://mailboxes.yourdomain.com
  58. Bonanza.com – Cheap windows licenses
    1. validproductkey.com
  59. pfSense firewall
    1. Downloads
      1. https://www.pfsense.org/download/
      2. https://sgpfiles.netgate.com/mirror/downloads/
    2.  Tutorials:
      1. Setup OpenVPN server
      2. Setup WAN failover
      3. Setup pfBlockerNG
      4. Setup Suricata Network IDS/IPS
      5. Setup DNS over TLS
      6. OpenVPN site to site VPN
      7. Wireguard site to site VPN
      8. Setup Let’s Encrypt on pfSense
    3. Hardware
      1. pfSense official hardware
      2. APU hardware – complete systems (no storage)
      3. HP T730 Thin Client
    4. Security Advisories
  60. Unifi – Download (Download Unifi SDN Controller)
    1. Install Java 64 bit so it is compatible with the cloud service
    2. Run Unifi as a service
    3. Unifi online management
      1. Changelogs
    4. Run Unifi in Docker on Synology NAS
      1. Upgrade Unifi in Docker on Synology NAS
  61. Synology NAS
    1. Synology NAS recommendations
    2. Enable “network UPS Server” instructions
    3. Synology Desktop Utilities
      1. Synology ActiveBackup agent download
    4. Active Directory module
      1. Windows Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT)
      2. Install RSAT
    5. Run piHole on Synology
    6. How many virtual machines can I run on my Synology NAS?
      1. How to install Synology Guest Tool on virtual machines
      2. Download virtio drivers
  62. Boot CD’s
    1. Hirens Boot CD
      1. PE x64
      2. Version 15.2
  63. Proxmox Virtualization
    1. Turnkey Linux CT images

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