According to a report by Deloitte, around 72% of businesses rely on outsourcing their IT needs.

But, why is that?

Well, there’s nobody better to ensure your company infrastructure is secure and reliable than someone who does it day in and day out as their profession.

Technology is constantly changing and evolving and many businesses struggle to keep up-to-date with the latest software and tech products.

If you don’t have an IT department to rely on, it can be difficult to solve your tech questions alone. 

Keep on reading to discover the 9 most frequently asked questions about technology.

Common Tech Questions and Answers

These are the most common IT questions and answers. If you don’t find the answer to your question or don’t want to spend the time figuring it out, why not get expert help? Ask us about our managed IT services now.

1. Why Is My Internet Connection Slow?

A common technology question that people have is ‘why is my internet connection slow?’

If your internet connection is slow it could mean that there are spyware or virus issues. So if your businesses internet is slow, it could be because one of your employees was on a site that they shouldn’t have been on.

Find out what websites your employees have been on and then you’ll be able to tell if you are dealing with a spyware problem, a virus, or you just simply need to up your internet plan by speaking with your provider.

2. What Do Malware Programs Do to Your Computer?

Did you know that the AV-Test Institute registers over 350,000 new malicious programs (malware) every day? That’s a lot of malware that could infect your computer.

Malware programs are very dangerous. The most common types of malware are trojans and viruses.

Trojans look like a normal application, but in the background, they have code that is spying on your computer. Trojans can let malicious parties control your computer. 

Viruses are programs that copy themselves and infect computers. They spread themselves from computer to computer (similar to a real-life virus). Viruses can slow down your computer and corrupt your files.

To minimize malware programs taking over your computers, make sure you have a good antivirus program running.

3. How Important Is Online Privacy?

IT questions revolving around the importance of online privacy and security are very common in tech. 

It’s obvious that you shouldn’t upload your personal information, such as your passwords or your credit card details to websites which aren’t secured with https encryption.

You also shouldn’t publish anything that might be used by authorities or other companies. So be careful what you publish on your personal and your business social media accounts.

What about if your employees are remote workers and use public Wi-Fi? It is critical that you stay safe online. Tell your employees about the precautions such as running your traffic through a VPN and making sure you aren’t sharing any files or allowing other computers to wirelessly access theirs.

4. How Do I Keep My Battery in Good Condition?

This is one of the most common technical questions that people like to ask.

The truth is that all batteries run on lithium-ion so the myths you have heard about draining your battery completely before you charge it isn’t true. 

The best way to look after your laptop, tablet, and mobile phone batteries is by keeping them cool and unplugging your devices when they are fully charged. 

Remember that batteries don’t last forever though, so if you have an old battery, it might be time to replace it. 

5. Do I Need to Eject My USB Drive?

This tech question has been around since the beginning of the USB drive.

Your computer or laptop will probably warn you about ejecting your USB before you pull it out. Yes, you do need to eject your USB drive before you pull it out because otherwise, depending on your operating system, and the USB drive itself, you might lose your data.

Just play it safe and always remember to eject your USB drive. If it’s too late, we can help you restore your data.

6. Why Did My Computer Just Shut Down?

Your computer might have unexpectedly shut down because it has gathered too much dust. Your computer fans can only take so much dust in them before they start to overheat.

The best way to make sure this doesn’t happen is to regularly clean and dust your desktop or laptop.

If you can’t for some reason get it to turn back on, just give us a ring and one of our tech experts can help.

7. How Can I Tell If an Email Is Spam?

Determining whether an email is spam can sometimes prove difficult, especially if the sender has made the email look like it is coming from a legit source.

Emails that look like they are legitimate but are trying to get your personal information are known as ‘phishing’ emails.

If you aren’t sure about the website the email is sending you to, hover over the link and see if it is going to a website with the same address as the end of the email. Example: an email from johndoe@google.com, the email is sending you to a link on google.com. If the email address doesn’t match the domain name of the link, be wary of it.

Spam emails can be covered in viruses that can harm your computer, so always be sure to check whether it is safe to click on it or not.

8. What Happens if My Website Gets Hacked?

If your website gets hacked, it’s usually because the hackers figured out your username and password.

The best way to avoid your website being hacked is by creating unique and strong passwords for different sites and accounts. Never have the same two passwords for anything, and hackers will always have trouble getting into your secure assets.

It’s always a good practice to have a backup plan if someone does hack into your website. Ensure that you have best practices in place for such an event by signing up for secure, dedicated hosting with daily backups and live support.

9. Does Resetting My Router Fix the Internet Connection?

Have you tried turning it off and on again? How come this fix actually works for resetting your router? 

Sometimes your wireless internet connection isn’t stable, this could be because the hardware is overheating, or because there’s excessive use of internet bandwidth. Resetting your router can often fix these problems.

If it doesn’t, it may be due to your switch or firewall. If you’re ever unsure, just get in touch with our support team via phone at (877) 697-2367 or send us an email.

No Tech Question Is Unsolvable 

All of your tech questions have answers and have probably been asked before, so don’t feel silly for not knowing the answer. 

Common tech questions often have very easy fixes that you can do yourself, but if you don’t know how to fix your computer, seek the help of experts.

Contact us now if you need urgent computer support, want to ask technical questions, or need hardware repairs.