Enabling Ports Manually

To enable ports initially we have to determine wether the ports are

dynamic or static to do his follow this procedure...

A)How to determine if you are using a static or a dynamic port

If you are not sure if you are using a dynamic port, follow these

steps:1. Click Start, and then click Run.

2. In the Run dialog box, type regedit, and then click OK. This

will start Registry Editor.

3. Locate the HKLM/Software/Microsoft/MSSQLServer/MSSQLServer/

SuperSocketNetLib/Tcp/TcpDynamicPorts registry key. Use this key to

determine if dynamic ports are enabled. If it lists a numeric value,

that value is the last dynamic port value that was used by SQL

Server. If it is blank, you are using a static TCP port.

4. Quit Registry Editor.

B)How to enable TCP/IP with dynamic ports

If you are using dynamic ports, you must create an exception for the

SQL Server program in Windows Firewall.

For more information about how to create an exception for the SQL

Server program in Windows Firewall, click the following article

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/841251/

C)How to enable TCP/IP with a static port

To enable TCP/IP connectivity for SQL Server listening on a static

port, you must first know the number of the port that SQL Server is

using. To find the port, you can either use the Server Network

Utility or use the Regkey method.

Use the Server Network Utility to find the port that SQL Server is

using

Note This method works for either a default instance or for a named

instance.1. If you are using the Server Network Utility, click

Start, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft SQL Server, and then

click Server Network Utility. If you are using MSDE or the command

line, click Start, and then click Run. In the Run dialog box, type

svrnetcn.exe, and then click OK.

2. In the Server Network Utility dialog box, you will see a list

of the disabled protocols and a list of the enabled protocols on the

General tab.

3. In the Instances on this server list box, select the instance

that you want to examine.

4. Click to select the protocol that you want to find the port

number for, and then click the Properties button.

5. Make a note of the port number.

Add Your Name In Desktop Context Menu

This tutorial is about adding your name or anything like for example your name, your girl , or your nick name in the top of the desktop context menu.

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/3074/contextmenuzq7.png

Requirments:- resource hacker and windows Xp operating system.

Note:- If you are getting error “Can’t create file…“, that means you have edited and saved the same file in past and there is a backup file which need to be deleted before saving this file again. Go to the folder containing this file and you’ll see a similar file having “_original” in its name. Delete it and try to save the file in resource hacker.

Tutorial begin

1. Open “%windir%\System32\Shell32.dll” file in resource hacker and goto:

Menu -> 215 -> 1033

2. Now add following line:

MENUITEM xyz, 33333, MFT_STRING, MFS_GRAYED | MFS_DEFAULT

* just after the :

215 MENUEX
LANGUAGE LANG_ENGLISH, SUBLANG_ENGLISH_US
{
POPUP “”, 0, MFT_STRING, MFS_ENABLED, 0
{

3. Replace xyz with any string which you want to add but with quotes. e.g.

MENUITEM “!*~.Charly.~*!”, 33333, MFT_STRING, MFS_GRAYED | MFS_DEFAULT

4. Click on “Compile Script” button.

5. Save the file and restart your Windows to see the affects.

BONUS TIP: You can remove “MFS_GRAYED” or “MFS_DEFAULT” or both to have some different look. “MFS_GRAYED” is used to disable the text, if you’ll remove it, your name will look like an enabled item. “MFS_DEFAULT” is used to show the text in Bold, if you’ll remove it, your name will be shown as normal text instead of Bold.


Source :- OUG

Black is Beautiful

Black is always beautiful. Black might be symbol for darkness but black saves energy. Blackle spreads the idea of saving energy by switching to google. It is effectively google but in black! That means many megawatt hours saved!

Set BLACKLE as your homepage and save energy.

P.S: I came across blackle an year ago but took all this while to post! lots of energy already lost :((

Stumbled!

I've come across StumbleUpon few weeks back and i believe it really works well with your personal interests. You can set your personal interests and browse pages that are popped by stumble.

Install this firefox add-on and be stumbled!

Image Credit: Seomarketingworld

Bill Gates floats new company

Bill Gates reportedly has started new company named 'bgC3' which supposedly is an abbreviated form for bill gates Company (no. 3) or bill gates Catalyst. It remains to be seen what the focus of his new company will be.

Source: techflash

10 tips for Secure Wifi @ home

As the investigation of recent Delhi blasts progressed, interesting developments took place that need to be taken care of. The mail sent by terrorists to the news agencies was through an unsecured wifi connection. This can happen from your home tomorrow! Some precautionary measures will ensure a relatively safe wifi account.

1. Change default router password.

Not many of us change the default password that is highly likely to be cracked down. Use special characters, digits and letters in good mix for a strong password. The same is applicable for user name as well (if you've an option to change it).

2. Rename the SSID on the router

Change the default name of SSID (service set identifier). With broadcasting off, wireless clients must first know the SSID before they can connect. If you have multiple PC's on your home network simply type the new name in your wireless client's setup to connect to your router when SSID is disabled.

3. Enable infrastructure mode

When using the "ad-hoc" mode, which lets clients set up peer-to-peer networks, rogue users will be able to connect to your network through a legitimate wireless client. This setting configuration can be found on your PC wireless network card.

4. Use MAC addressing filter on your wireless router

Many routers let you restrict access to known MAC (Media Access Control) addresses. Each network device, such as a computer network card (NIC) has a unique MAC address. By allowing access only to pre-defined MAC addresses you can reduce the risk of rogue clients connecting to your home network.

5. Change the default router IP address setting

Router manufacturers set every router with an IP address. For example, Linksys routers are configured with an IP address of 192.168.1.1. These address settings are well known and published, and can be easily discover by hackers if they know the router manufacturer and type.

Changing the IP address during the setup process, for example to 192.168.80.1 does not secure the router, but will make any attackers guessing for the IP address. Changing this setting, will automatically change the DHCP IP addresses handed out by your router to PC's allowed on your network.

6. Use WPA or WPA2 encryption

When possible use WPA or WPA2 PSK over WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy). Both Windows XP and Mac OS X support them, along with any access point manufactured within the past few years. WPA and WPA2 both have a mode called the PSK mode that will allow you to use a password in lieu of using a full-blown 802.1X setup, which is perfect for the home user.

If your hardware does not support WPA2 use WPA. Creating a strong shared key (PSK) will lessen the chance of attackers successfully breaking in to your network. If you router only supports WEP, and your concerned about security, considered upgrading to a new router along with your PC NIC cards.

7. Firewall, HTTPS settings

Make sure HTTPS is enable for connecting to the router administration setup over your local network. Verify the firewall is enabled and all incoming ports are blocked. Disable remote access over the Internet setting.

If for any reason you need to provide remote access via the Internet, enable it only when needed and change the default management port setting to something other than 8080.

8. Enable and monitor your wireless access logs

Check your logs frequently for rogue access points (AP) or clients attached to the network. If you spot unknown clients or AP's connected to your network, change your WEP or WPA code, and do a little detective work in identifying unknown connections to your network.

Also check the status screen that shows the MAC addresses of all clients currently connected to the network and verify they are known devices.

9. Backup your router configuration settings

Although, not considered a security setting, backing up the router configuration before making changes will allow you to easily restore the settings in the event you make a mistake. This will prevent your router from being vulnerable if you are unsure about any changes you have made.

10. Turn off your router when not in use!

Why would you want to do this? When your router is powered off, your network cannot be compromised. Consider doing this when you go on vacation or you will not be using you network for extended periods of time. Just turning off your PC may prevent the PC from being attacked, but it will not prevent someone from breaking into your network via your router if it is powered on.

P.S: Most of the information used is from http://www.watchingthenet.com/10-tips-to-secure-a-home-wireless-network.html

Avoid peeping, enjoy browsing!!

Beware of Wardrivers

People working on unsecured wireless internet networks, beware!!
You are in a high risk of being caught for sending anonymous terror emails or accessing confidential info that you haven't actually done.Welcome to the dark world of "wardriving".

A Wardriver is a person who moves in a vehicle with a laptop -or a PDA which has a software that detects WiFi neworks. If an immoral wardriver finds a WiFi network that is not password-protected, he can perform mischievous activities with virtually impossible chance of being caught using the IP adress of the network.Only the person who owns the WiFi network is vulnerable for apprehension. Softwares for wardriving are readily available on internet for free and some devices have these softwares preinstalled.

The terror emails by "India Mujahideen" recently were sent from WiFi connections of an american in Navi Mumbai and Mumbai's Khalsa College are examples of such misuse.

So, Beware of Wardrivers...Be secure Be Safe!!