Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2014 July 3

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July 3

html download

Can anyone recommend a simple web page download for editingHamish84 (talk) 13:31, 3 July 2014 (UTC) Hamish 84.

Sorry, I can't tell what you're asking for. If you want to look at html files and edit them for your own use, you can download and save the .html file from many web pages using your browser's save function. On Firfox, you use the menu 'file' -> 'save page as'. You can also view the html source code by using the menu 'tools' -> 'web developer' -> 'page source'. If you mean something else, please try to reword your question. SemanticMantis (talk) 16:43, 3 July 2014 (UTC)

WI-FI

How can I make my PC WI-Fi enabled? Thank you.175.157.103.157 (talk) 15:41, 3 July 2014 (UTC)

Yes. I have a D-Link DWA-130 that plugs into a USB port and makes it wireless. There are probably similar ones from other companies and there may be newer ones (I've used this one for several years). There are also probably cards you can put in, but the advantage of a USB is that you can easily plug it in any computer with a USB port. There is some software to install, but that is easy. Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 16:29, 3 July 2014 (UTC)

D-link has a newer, smaller, cheaper one, the DWA-131. The DWA-130 was about $40 when I bought it. The 131 is about $20. Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 16:35, 3 July 2014 (UTC)

There are also ones for the higher-speed AC:

• D-Link DWA-182
• Netgear WiFi USB 2.0 Adapter - AC Dual Band (A6200)

I've used equipment from both of these companies and I think both are good. Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 22:45, 3 July 2014 (UTC)

And also the Linksys AE1200 and AE2500 - also a good company. Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 00:33, 4 July 2014 (UTC)

These are all WiFi receivers that plug into your PC's USB port. Do a websearch for "USB Wireless receiver" or "USB WIFI dongle" etc to find them. CS Miller (talk) 14:33, 5 July 2014 (UTC)

Seeing deleted contributions in Facebook

It seems that someone has logged into my Facebook account and written an indecent comment to damage my reputation - either deleting the comment shortly after, or it got reported by someone else and deleted by Facebook. (An alternative, less likely explanation is that this person imitated my account somehow.) I tried to check out the incident in my activity log, only to find out that even there, I can't see my deleted contributions any more in any way. Or might I with a change of settings? Does anyone know a way to make sure whether this was done with my account or not? (Reporting the incident to Facebook is rather my last choice for several reasons.) --Anonymous question (talk) 16:00, 3 July 2014 (UTC)

Well, if you know people who you know know your password, try asking them. If you didn't see the comment yourself, you might want to wonder if it ever existed. I imagine if Facebook employees found it so offensive they deleted it themselves, you'd have gotten some sort of slap on the wrist. If someone else (or drunk/tired/something you) deleted it, no clue. Seems you shouldn't be able to view deleted stuff. Because it's deleted. But yeah, Facebook itself remembers, if you want to know badly enough. InedibleHulk (talk) 16:09, 3 July 2014 (UTC)

1. Several reactions, including such from people I trust, tell me for a fact that the comment existed, and nobody doubted that it was from me and my well-known account.
2. I know for a fact that it wasn't me who wrote it, didn't take any psychoactive substances, am not a sleepwalker or whatever else.
3. I know for a fact that nobody was at my computer, nobody should know my password, and if one does, I don't know who, neither how he does.

But if someone was able to find out my password, he might also know others, and then I have a huge problem (even though I have changed them, but how can I be sure that it helps for long?). That's why I need to know for sure whether this is the case, or whether the other explanation (optical simulation of my account) is the case.

If anybody knows a way to find out from different settings, I'm still grateful for any hint. --Anonymous question (talk) 17:58, 3 July 2014 (UTC)

See if you can find the comment in search engine caches (google and bing have overlapping caches so you can sometimes find stuff in one that's absent in the other). Also change your facebook password and any other passwords that you think might be compromised. If you use webmail (such as gmail) change the password to that too, since it can probably be used to reset the passwords to lots of your other accounts. If you're using the same password on multiple accounts/services, change them all so that each service has its own password, using your browser's password store to remember them all. Note: gmail and (some) other services let you look at your login history, so you can see your recent sessions and their originating IP addresses. That can help you figure out if someone else logged in as you. If you think your computer might have malware intercepting passwords, then consider wiping it and reinstalling from scratch. 192.249.63.59 (talk) 20:36, 3 July 2014 (UTC)

Reformatting your hard drive is a last resort, and can involve a lot of work in re-installation of software. I'd try Anti-malware#Anti-malware strategies first. Dbfirs 06:40, 4 July 2014 (UTC)

Thank you. --Anonymous question (talk) 15:09, 4 July 2014 (UTC)

The problem with malware scanning and anti-virus programs is they miss a lot. Nuking from orbit is the only way to be sure. 173.228.123.145 (talk) 18:34, 4 July 2014 (UTC)

That's true (^{It's a guaranteed way to kill antibiotic resistant bacteria, too}), but I'd try the gentler methods first. Dbfirs 07:42, 5 July 2014 (UTC)

Are you still logged-in on another machine? You can check here https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=security&section=sessions&view for a list of computers/phones/tablets etc that have login cookies for you, even if the device isn't connected to Facebook just now. You can revoke their access if you see any devices apart from your own ones, and it doesn't do any harm to log all devices out; you'll just have to log in again on them. CS Miller (talk) 09:25, 4 July 2014 (UTC)

This was actually helpful, thank you, and the result was negative. There was no activity from a foreign computer; however the person might have deleted the cookies. I don't know how sure I can be now. --Anonymous question (talk) 15:09, 4 July 2014 (UTC)

At the top of the same page, you can set FB to email/SMS you when you log on, and, separately, to require a token that email/SMS'ed to you. This will alert you if someone else tries to logon as you. However, if you suspect that, then I'd strongly recommend that you change your password. CS Miller (talk) 14:29, 5 July 2014 (UTC)