Technology Tips

Do you ever get frustrated with technology and not being able to access information in the way you want? With all this health information at your fingertips, it's important to understand some basic computer skills to be able to navigate these resources. Technology can be tricky to learn, but this basic list of computer skills will get you on your way to understanding it a little better!

• Internet Service Providers These are companies that provide internet access for the home or business. They charge for their services and come into your home to provide access to the internet. Depending on what you want you want in your home, your service can include Broadband (connection is through wires) or WiFi (connection is wireless). Most devices now use wireless connection. The companies that provide these services are different from area to area, but most areas in the country have access to companies who provide some form of internet connection.

• Modems and Routers A modem is the device that connects your home to the outside internet. A router is a device that connects from the modem to the devices in your home. Sometimes the modem and router are within the same device and sometimes they are separate. The internet service provider will set these up for you when they connect internet to your home. 

• Web Browsers There are many web browsers available to use free of charge. Some of these include Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. The web browser is the platform from your computer to the internet. Any of the browsers mentioned will work well for internet access. Once the browser is open, you can type any web address into the address bar at the top of the page. This will take you directly to the website you choose.  

• The Cloud This is a relatively new feature of the internet. Storing something in the cloud simply means that your information is stored on the internet, and not on your computer's hard drive or other physical location. The benefits of using cloud storage is being able to access this information from anywhere, virtually unlimited storage and being able to back up the data on your computer, and you can also share files with others easily. Google Drive is a popular example of cloud storage where you can store and share photos, files, and documents. 

• Search Engines These are useful tools in being able to search information on the internet. Google, Yahoo and Bing are all good options when looking for a reliable search engine. Once at the search page, just type in your search subject matter and it will return with results with the most applicable listed at the top. You can be general or specific with your search. Type in only keywords or a whole sentence and you can find information on the topic of your choice. The video below has some tips on using Google.