Let’s be honest, although technology plays a crucial role in our lives, it can be intimidating. If you’re running a business, you often don’t have time to be on top of “the next big thing” each time it rolls around. You trust your vendors and partners to provide you with honest direction and to understand the role technology plays in your business. Perhaps you’ve been pitched marketing packages by fast talking, high pressures sales folks signaling doomsday if you don’t sign up for their digital services. We have seen (and been told about) several examples of these partnerships going awry. After the contract is signed, you’re unable to cancel, continue to be billed for months and can’t get a hold of anyone in customer service. Not cool.

At JB Systems, we prefer to do business a bit different; entirely different, in fact. Our commitment to our clients means we’re always available to offer advice on what web, marketing and other digital services might be the best fit for your business. Additionally, our proposals are always transparent, straightforward, and easy to understand so you know exactly what you’re paying for. Give us a call and setup an appointment for a complimentary website review and/or to discuss any of our services. We won’t lock you into a multi-year contract, highjack your domain or send you invoices for additional services you didn’t agree to. It’s all part of our promise at #TeamJB to make the web simple.

Did You Know? JB Systems Offers The Following Services:

• Monthly SEO Programs
• Pay-Per-Click & Ad Remarketing Services
• Content Strategy/Preparation with Emphasis On SEO Analysis/Mapping
• Photography
• Video
• Email Campaign & Drip Messaging
• Social Media Management
• Website Maintenance Programs
• Print Collateral & Marketing Materials
• …and course, website design, development, training and more!

We’re proud of our 15 years of business and the hard-working foundation to which our company is built on. We thank you for your business and hope to continue to partner with you as “we’re never done.” Please click here for any additional questions on how we may be of service to you.

The post This Halloween, Don’t Be Scared By So-Called “Digital Experts.” appeared first on .

Instructions for fixing Outlook 2010:

1) Click the orange “File” button at the top.

2) Click on “Account Settings”

Photo credit: https://www.depts.ttu.edu/ithelpcentral/solutions/email/outlook2010/images/outlook2010_cached_2.png

3) Once in “Account Settings,” find your email account and click “Change”

4) Click on “More Settings” in the bottom right.

Photo credit: http://cloud.addictivetips.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/AccountSettings.jpg

5) Go to the tab that says “Outgoing Server”

6) Make sure the first box is checked (My outgoing server requires authentication)

7) Press OK.

Photo credit: http://www.efinitytech.com/Userfiles/Support/7.png

We hope this helps! If you follow these instructions and your email still isn’t working, please give JB Systems a call!

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In a previous post, we had discussed the security vulnerabilities in plug-in based template sites and the latest malware attack is a perfect example. The problem: many of these plug-ins are not easy to update and leaves not just the plug-in but the whole website in jeopardy. Each plug-in (and there are literally hundreds) can be developed by a different business or individual who is responsible for monitoring security threats and creating fixes. If your website “solution” relies on 4 different plugins (not uncommon) that translates into a lot of potential issues with many different hands touching a site. Most of which support and provide these plug-ins,
for free, raising the issue of how “motivated” are the developers to stay current with vulnerabilities.

We all know the importance of having a good business website and ranking high on search engines, Google specifically. Over the past few years, WordPress has been used to create quick, fast business sites. But what happens if one of the hundreds of different plug-ins from a hundred different companies are affected by a security flaw and your site suddenly disappears from the search rankings? From experience, getting a site back up in the search rankings is not as simple doing an update and suddenly you are back to #1 or #2. It takes time for Google to re-index and confirm that you are indeed, a clean site.

Imagine that you are a small consulting firm, using your website as a way to generate leads. You are currently ranked #2 on Google using your WordPress site. So far, things are going well. You are generating 2-3 conversions per week and business is growing. Suddenly, a malware attack strikes and your website can’t be found on the first 10+ pages of Google search. Now, you have to spend precious time and resources researching the problem, fixing the problem, and waiting for Google to “OK” your site again. Two weeks have passed and you may have potentially missed out on 6 new clients and this is ONLY if you can gain back your #2 spot.

In this day and age, security is important! As a business owner, your website is your image and your brand. It would be devastating for your business to close your store for 2 weeks because someone boarded up the door and you have to figure out a different way to let your customers in! Making sure to have a secure, well-coded website is a smart business investment and although it isn’t a 100% guarantee that a security issue won’t happen, you are 100% guaranteed that your website will have a secure foundation from the beginning. And if the worse should happen, a good development team will get your site fixed as soon as possible and it will be back to business as usual.

In summary – we leave leave you with this question, “Who’s backing your site?”
If you’re not enthused about maintaining 8 moving pieces of your website, from eight different developers, most likely from 8 corners of the world – you may ready for a new experience in web design. We encourage you to give JB Systems a call – our custom website brainstorming sessions are free – as is a great cup of coffee.

The post Another Security Breach in the World of WordPress appeared first on .

A web browser is software on your computer, smartphone, or tablet that allows you to access the Internet. Examples would be:

• Internet Explorer
• Firefox
• Safari
• Chrome
• Opera

A web browser is specific to YOUR computer only, and each can be configured differently and track your history differently than your neighbor’s computer or browser. Because of web browsers, websites can appear and function differently.

At JB Systems, we utilize browsers more than the average Joe, for obvious reasons. But because of that, we have come across a number of tips that might help casual Internet users understand their browsers and use them more effectively. Below is our list of 10 Things You Should Know About Web Browsers.

1. Just because your computer comes with a browser installed, that doesn’t mean you have to use it. There are numerous browsers available (we recommend Firefox, Safari, or Chrome), and most of them adhere to the same set of standards that make websites looks awesome. One exception is Internet Explorer, which likes to follow its own set of rules, which is also why it’s more difficult to support.
2. On a related note, you can disable Internet Explorer (IE) in “Add or Remove Windows components”. But, you might have to deal with your computer continuously asking you to re-install it.
3. Always check for updates and then do them. Firefox and Safari update automatically, but Internet Explorer updates with the operating system, or has an option to update automatically if you want. For this reason, IE still has many versions out there that website developers have to support in order for sites to look good across the board. Believe it or not, some companies still use IE6, which is no longer supported and is nearly 15 years old. Yikes!
4. On another related note, Microsoft will be discontinuing support for WindowsXP in 2014, meaning support for IE7 and IE8 will also likely be going away.
5. Try not to use Internet Explorer. For more on that, see here.
6. When in doubt, clear your cache. My what?! Your cache is like a repository of images and other content that your browser keeps stored so that sites you visit repeatedly load faster. However, if you or your developer is updating your site, those updates might not show up until you clear your cache. Some browsers do this automatically (not Internet Explorer), but only about every 30 days or so. For more on that, see here.
7. Browsers do not always support the same features. Most browsers support many of the newest web technologies and features. However – and you’re probably picking up on a theme here – Internet Explorer is notorious for not keeping up. A website can look drastically different between browsers (especially IE)  because each browser renders sites differently.
8. Hackers like old browsers. The longer a piece of software (including web browsers) is out there, the more time hackers have to find security holes. For example, in early versions of Internet Explorer, hackers programmed sites to eject the computer’s disc drive or start the Calculator program. Whoa.
9. Browsers have extensions, plug-ins, or add-ons allowing you to customize your browser. Plug-ins are additional software that work with your browser to provide additional functionality when browsing the web. They can drastically change your web browsing experience for the better. Some of the most common are QuickTime, Adobe Flash, Java or any anti-virus software plug-in.
10. Browsers can now be in sync (no, not the ’90s boy-band). The newest versions of most browsers allow you to log in to the browser, which stores your personalized settings in the cloud, making them accessible from anywhere. So, if you’re on your desktop computer and you have bookmarks or passwords saved, it’s a pain to use your laptop because those bookmarks and passwords don’t come along with you, right? Well, now they do. Refer to #3, then log in!

BONUS: The 11th Thing You Should Know About Browsers

Most browsers have an Incognito or InPrivate mode. If you’re surfing not-so-tasty websites or…uh….I mean, shopping for a gift for your significant other, you can do it without others knowing where you’ve been or what you’ve been shopping for.

BONUS: Browser Mantra

This is my browser.
There are many others like it, but this one is mine.
Without me, my browser is nothing.
Without my browser, I am nothing.

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We have also had clients receive mail from places like Domain Registry of America, a company that handles domain registrations. However, their marketing piece looks like a notice of a domain expiring, and that by paying the invoice (or what looks like an invoice), all will be well with the domain name. Here’s what that might look like:

(Notice in both examples the areas in red….these are giveaways that it is just a solicitation, not a bill requiring payment.)

In the big picture of marketing, this tactic isn’t new. Magazines have been doing this with their subscriptions for years. But – in today’s technology-driven world, a domain name can make or break a business. The industry has made their money on fear – our fear of losing a domain, fear of our competitor getting our domain, fear of losing business all because we let a domain name expire. Wow! That’s powerful!

So, it’s no surprise that business owners and website managers are cautious anytime they receive a notice about their domain name. As they should be – it is important to pay attention to. However, there are easy ways to go about making sure that your domain name is well taken care of.

1. Check your WHOIS listing.

WHOIS is a directory of domains and their registration information. Look for the expiration date, and the “Registrant” info. Your company name should be listed as the Registrant. You can find your WHOIS listing by going to who.godaddy.com and typing in your domain name.

2. If you manage your own domain name with someone like GoDaddy, Network Solutions, ENOM, or other similar sites,make sure to set your domain name to ‘Auto-Renew’. That means that it will automatically renew your domain name for you without having to worry that it will expire.

3. When purchasing a domain name, purchase it for multiple years (max is usually 9 or 10 years). This not only takes the burden off of you to renew it every year, but it also gets you bonus SEO (search engine optimization) points!

4. Call JB Systems! Domains seem like the unknown to many small business owners, but it doesn’t have to be a part of your business that is shrouded by fear. If you’re ever in doubt, our team at JB Systems can check on your domain, or manage it for you.

The post Domain and DNS Solicitations – Are They Legit? appeared first on .

Engineers at our data facility today were notified of a down router this afternoon and around 7:10PM had the issue resolved. JB Systems responded to the issue within moments of it happening we’re happy to report a limited outage of only 2 hours.

We appreciate the patience and understanding of our clients, and we’ll continue to respond to issues like this in the most expedient of ways.

The post Server Outage Alert appeared first on .

Now we must enter our server information.

1. Make sure you choose ‘POP’ at the top of the form. If ‘IMAP’ is selected your connection will not go through.
2. The Name, Address, and Description fields should be populated already.
3. Scroll down to the Incoming Mail Server section.
4. For Host Name, enter in email.example.com. Where example.com would be replaced with your web sites address.
5. Username is your e-mail address.
6. Enter in your password and then scroll down to where you see Outgoing Mail Server
7. The Host Name is the same as the Incoming Mail Server, email.example.com.
8. You do not need to enter fill out the User Name & Password fields for the Outgoing Mail Server.
9. Now Press Save.

You will see a message saying ‘Secure Connection Failed’, press Continue, we will take care of this once everything is saved.

1. Now choose your new Account and scroll down to where you see ‘Advanced’ and select this option.
2. You now need to turn ‘Use SSL’ to be off.

That’s it, you can now receive your e-mails directly on your iPhone. Enjoy!

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Hello all!

It has come to our attention over the holidays that many people wish to setup Auto-Responders for their email addresses since most of us our taking Thursday and Friday off. Here’s what you need to do at JB Systems to setup your Auto-Responder:

• Log Into Your Webmail Account
  • If you’re NOT on our new mail server yet, visit the address:  http://yourdomainname.com/webmail
  • If you ARE on our new email server, visit the address: http://webmail.yourdomainname.com
• Once logged in, click on the “Auto Responders” icon (middle of the screen, below “Squirrel Mail”)
• Click on the “Add Autoresponder” button.
• Fill out the “From” field (ex. JB Systems Front Desk). This should NOT be an email address.
• Fill in the “Subject” field (ex. Merry Christmas – We’re Gone Through the 1st)
• Fill in the “Body” field. Keep it short, but let people know you’re out of the office and will get back to them shortly.
• Click on the “Create / Modify” button and you’re set.

On the Auto-Responder screen, you’ll see your new Auto-Responder listed. When you no longer need the responder set up, simply click on the  button next to it.

That’s all for now! Merry Christmas everyone!!

Your team at JB Systems.

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If you have not been contacted already, we will be doing so within the next month or so to migrate your accounts over. Why you may ask?

There are several reasons:

• A dedicated machine for email means faster websites (since the machines aren’t processing email)
• Faster webmail response times
• Quicker backups of all of our accounts (both your website and email are STILL backed up however)
• Upgraded Anti-Spam Software (we’ve got some kickin’ anti-spam software installed on this one)
• Flexibility of a clustered system (if web server goes down, your email will still operate)

Setup Instructions
(only perform AFTER JB Systems has migrated your accounts)

If you are using an email client (such as Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird, or Apple Mail), please
follow this quick set of instructions on getting your new email accounts up-and-running:

1. Set Incoming and Outgoing Mail Server Addresses to “email.yourdomainname.com” (obviously replace yourdomainname.com with the real domain name of your site)
2. Set the username to your full email address (ex. joe@yourdomainname.com)
3. Set the password to your password (call us if you need it reset)
4. In the Outgoing Server settings, check the box that states “My Outgoing Server Requires Authentication”
5. Then check the radio button that states “Use same settings as incoming server”
6. In the Advanced Settings tab – change the Outgoing Mail Server port to 587

That’s it!! Make sure to send a test message just to make sure all of the settings are correct.

To access your email through the web (Webmail) – simply go to the following address:

webmail.yourdomainname.com (again, replace the yourdomainname.com with your real domain name).
Make sure to use your FULL EMAIL ADDRESS as the username.

That’s all folks – we hope you enjoy using the email services housed on the most powerful server in our JB Systems collection.

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