Setting up an Instant Website using WordPress
WordPress Content Management System
What is WordPress?
WordPress is an open-source blogging platform a. k. a. content management system, which allows you to easily create your blog or website and also provides an interface for you to update it regularly.
Can WordPress be used to create a professional website?
Yes, ofcourse. WordPress has a wide variety of free and paid templates, which allow you to give a professional look-and-feel to your website.
What are the advantages of using WordPress for setting up my Instant Website?
* no charges for the software, since it is an open-source software
* no need of spending hundreds of dollars on making and updating a simple website
* no headache of getting a designer to update your site
* no need to enter into any long term contracts. Your WordPress site setup is a one-time task
* no need of purchasing a license to upgrade to the latest version of WordPress. You automatically get access to the latest version of WordPress for free
* no dependence on an employee to update your company's blog. It's so simple, even a CEO can use it
* instantly change the entire look of your website. Have a different look for your website, every season or festival - instantly
Features:
* Real-time updations
* Password protected pages
* Widgets
* Recent Articles calendar
* Article Tags
* Visitor and Page Statistics
* Instant Theme change
* Visitor Comments
* Multiple User accounts
* Easy HTML Editor
* Instant Backup of your entire website#
* Email alerts
* Update your website through email#
* Instant Polls
* RSS Feeds for all the updates on your site
* Accept donations and money online
* Constantly scrolling gallery of your products
* Contact Form
.....WordPress is limited only to your imagination.....
Whom is it for?
* Students wanting a website for their projects or work showcase
* Proprietors or Upcoming Businesses with limited budget
* Traders who want to instantly update their product information
* Society's and Organisations with a Non-Profit motive
* Schools and Colleges wanting to keep their students constantly updated
* Coaching classes or hobby classes, wanting to touch base with a larger audience
- Mainly for those who want to update their site very regularly.
- Also for those who may update their site once in 6 months and want an updation tool which is easy to remember.
Whom is it not for?
* It is not for a very large business enterprise, which has a large budget and wants fancy animation with a design to be made from scratch.
Can someone setup this WordPress site for me? What is the cost?
Of course. We are here for just that.
Work to be done:
- Installation of WordPress (latest version)
- Guidance on selection of theme
- Implementation of theme
- Basic advice on nature / layout and format of content
- Customization of theme (Comment Removal / Page Consistency / Widget Addition / Layout Formatting)
- Content Management (Addition / Formatting / Modification of CMS) upto 10 WordPress pages
- Basic Training on self-updation and modification through CMS
- Basic logo editing insertion
- Valid for 1 month from date of starting work
Cost: Email me on ruzbeh [@] ruzbeh.info
Can I contact you to update the site?
Yes definitely.
How much time will it take to get my website started?
If all your content and ideas are ready - It may take just between 8 - 12 hours.
If any image editing is involved, then it may take some more time.
Still not convinced.....?
http://www.expand2web.com/blog/why-use-wordpress-to-power-your-small-business-website/
http://www.expand2web.com/blog/more-benefits-of-using-wordpress-as-your-website/
GET YOUR SITE RIGHT AWAY - email me!
Mobile Number Portability in India
What is Mobile Number Portability (MNP) ?
Mobile Number Portability enables the mobile phone end-user to retain their telephone number without compromising on quality, reliability and operational convenience when they change their service provider in a service area. It requires the originating network to determine the correct destination for a given number and forward the call to the destination network.
Why port? What are the benefits of Mobile Number Portability?
Benefits to subscribers:
- Better quality & bouquet of value-added services offered by any operator
- Competitive tariff package will be offered by all providers
- Survival of the most competent and promising providers in the market
Benefits to mobile network providers and the mobile industry:
- Updated technology and latest sophistication prevent stagnation of resource upgradation
- Healthy competition between providers
What are the requirements for Mobile Number Portability?
An effective MNP system requires a database having information of the networks and associated imported or exported numbers. In India, a central as well as regional databases are being planned. Most countries have a centralized database service managed by a neutral third party. A centralized clearing house for electronically processing the importing / exporting requests also needs to be setup, to minimize the time to port (i.e. to transfer the numbers from one network to another).
Who manages the Ported Number Database?
The number database is managed by a neutral third party. The cost of the database is to be borne by each operator depending on the strength of their subscribers i.e. depending on their market share.
In India, Telcordia Technologies, formerly Bell Communications Research, Inc. has been granted a license by DoT to manage the portability clearing house for Zone 2 (Kolkata, Tamil Nadu including Chennai, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, North East, and Orissa).
What are the hurdles / issues faced by the MNP system?
- Handset portability from GSM to CDMA type of networks
- Constant updation of the database to keep it consistent
- SMS routing (i. e. forwarding SMS's between networks)
- routing of Long Distance (National / International) calls
- Altering the National Numbering Plan (which maintains the number format and series allocation of phone numbers for different services)
- Cooperation of all stakeholders and mobile phone service providers
- Dispute Resolution Machinery and Guidelines for mobile service providers
- Coordinated billing for multi-mode facilities
- Porting Fees and guidelines
When will MNP be implemented in India?
MNP was earlier to be implemented as below:
- Phase 1 - 31-Dec-2009: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and circle A service areas (Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu)
- Phase 2 - 20-Mar-2010: Other Parts of India.
12-May-2010:
MNP will be implemented from 30-Jun-2010 across India, for all circles, zones and operators. The decision was taken by the Department of Telecomm., since most of the providers had not upgraded their network and methods of working, for enabling ease of Number Portability. Testing phase is to be completed by 15-May-2010, by which all providers are to test the porting of dummy numbers and notify the DoT of their success.
Latest Update:
Mobile Number Portability to be implemented from 31-Oct-2010, since most of the Service Providers are still in the testing phase and some have not even bought the necessary equipment.
What is the procedure for porting numbers?
- The end-user must submit a letter to the existing service provider, stating that he/she wishes to transfer their number to a new mobile service operator.
- Within 5 days there will be a subscriber verification and identification by the existing service provider.
- Within 2 days of verification, the application is to be sent to the clearing house to import/export the number.
- The service providers must inform the customer about the exact date and time the porting will take place.
What are the regulations, terms and conditions for porting numbers?
- The mobile number should have been with the current service provider for a term of 90 days or more. This prevents frequent change of provider and reduces the load on the porting database.
- A non-refundable fee, not exceeding Rs. 19 is to be paid to the gaining provider for every porting transaction. This is due to the fact that the gaining provider has to complete more formalities than if they get a new subscription.
- The porting request may be cancelled within 24-hours of making the application, but the porting fee will be non-refundable.
- The portability of the number will be restricted only to a given license service area / circle within a zone. You will not be allowed to shift your number to a provider in another zone/region.
- Post-paid customers can transfer their numbers only if they have cleared all outstanding payments.
- Pre-paid customers who transfer their numbers to a different provider, will forfeit the remaining pre-paid balance in their account, just as if they were terminating their account.
- The gaining provider, is not bound to pay any deposits or outstandings which are due from the old provider.
What is the Statute / Law governing Mobile Number Portability?
The Statute governing mobile number portability is called the Telecommunication Mobile Number Portability Per Port Transaction Charge and Dipping Charge Regulations, 2009. It is to come into effect on 31-Dec-2009, although the date for actual porting has been delayed to March 2010.
Useful Links:
- Telcordia Technologies Joint Venture - http://www.mnpindia.in/index.aspx
- Documents of Department of Telecommunications - http://dot.gov.in/as/MNP/MNPindex.htm
Telecommunication Mobile Number Portability Per Port Transaction Charge and Dipping Charge Regulations, 2009 Bare Act
Source: http://www.trai.gov.in/
Cloud Computing
What is Cloud Computing?
It is just like ordering food from a restaurant. You do not have to bother about the cooking / dishes / heating / re-heating etc. You only have to enjoy the food when it arrives.
Why Cloud Computing?
It is called cloud computing, because everything is internet based and works off the internet, it is not dependant on a certain computer or server or service. It is like a huge pool of information, which is used for multiple mammoth services.
It is called "Cloud" computing because in Network diagrams, we use the cloud as a symbol for the Internet.
Benefits:
- Cloud computing is seen as a way to break the barriers of space / resources and limited capacity of computers, by putting everything on the cloud i.e. the internet. This reduces cost and allows scalability in seconds.
- Instead of running your applications yourself, they run on a shared data center. When you use any application that runs in the cloud, you just log in, customize it, and start using it. That’s the power of cloud computing.
- CRM, HR, accounting etc. Cloud-based apps can be up and running in a few days
- No need to buy servers and software. When your apps run in the cloud, you don’t buy anything. It’s all rolled up into a predictable monthly subscription, so you only pay for what you actually use. Perfect for the Indian Econo-Budgets.
- It also does away with multiple IT Professionals / Support staff, since there is no maintenance required from the users end.
Examples:
Skype / Windows Live / Zoho (which mirakle couriers uses as an ERP) / SalesForce
Robots.txt
Web site owners use the /robots.txt file to give instructions about their site to web robots; this is called The Robots Exclusion Protocol. By writing a structured text file you can indicate to robots that certain parts of your server are not to be cached / accessed / crawled by some or all robots.
- robots can ignore your /robots.txt. Especially malware robots that scan the web for security vulnerabilities, and email address harvesters used by spammers will pay no attention.
- the /robots.txt file is a publicly available file. Anyone can see what sections of your server you don't want robots to use.
- /robots.txt should not be used to hide information.
How to create a /robots.txt file Where to put it The short answer: in the top-level directory of your web server.
The longer answer:
When a robot looks for the "/robots.txt" file for URL, it strips the path component from the URL (everything from the first single slash), and puts "/robots.txt" in its place.
For example, for "http://www.example.com/shop/index.html, it will remove the "/shop/index.html", and replace it with "/robots.txt", and will end up with "http://www.example.com/robots.txt".
So, as a web site owner you need to put it in the right place on your web server for that resulting URL to work. Usually that is the same place where you put your web site's main "index.html" welcome page. Where exactly that is, and how to put the file there, depends on your web server software.
Remember to use all lower case for the filename: "robots.txt", not "Robots.TXT.
What program should I use to create /robots.txt?
- On Microsoft Windows, use notepad.exe, or wordpad.exe (Save as Text Document), or even Microsoft Word (Save as Plain Text)
- On the Macintosh, use TextEdit (Format->Make Plain Text, then Save as Western)
- On Linux, vi or emacs
Points to note
- Wildcards are _not_ supported: instead of 'Disallow: /tmp/*' just say 'Disallow: /tmp/'.
- You shouldn't put more than one path on a Disallow line (this may change in a future version of the spec)
Example
# /robots.txt file for http://webcrawler.com/
# mail webmaster@webcrawler.com for constructive criticism
User-agent: webcrawler Disallow:
User-agent: lycra Disallow: /
User-agent: * Disallow: /tmp Disallow: /logs
- The first two lines, starting with '#', specify a comment
- The first paragraph specifies that the robot called 'webcrawler' has nothing disallowed: it may go anywhere.
- The second paragraph indicates that the robot called 'lycra' has all relative URLs starting with '/' disallowed. Because all relative URL's on a server start with '/', this means the entire site is closed off.
- The third paragraph indicates that all other robots should not visit URLs starting with /tmp or /log. Note the '*' is a special token, meaning "any other User-agent"; you cannot use wildcard patterns or regular expressions in either User-agent or Disallow lines.
Ping
The Ping utility is essentially a system administrator's tool that is used to see if a computer is operating and also to see if network connections are intact. Ping uses the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Echo function.
What does ping symbolise?
Ping maybe considered an acronym for the words 'Packet INternet Groper'.
It may have also been adopted from a verb that the US Navy used to describe what its submarines do when looking for objects under the sea. Their subs send out sonar waves and then wait for a return wave when it bounces off something, such as another sub, whale, ocean floor etc. This, in turn, was adopted from bats and dolphins, who navigate in roughly the same way. This is what a system administrator does when Ping is used. As such, Ping has also evolved into a verb in the computer industry, and it is used in somewhat the same manner of the Navy.
How ping works
A small packet is sent through the network to a particular IP address.
This packet contains 64 bytes - 56 data bytes and 8 bytes of protocol reader information.
The computer that sent the packet then waits (or 'listens') for a return packet. If the connections are good and the target computer is up, a good return packet will be received.
PING can also tell the user the number of hops that lie between two computers and the amount of time it takes for a packet to make the complete trip. Additionaly, an administrator can use Ping to test out name resolution. If the packet bounces back when sent to the IP address but not when sent to the name, then the system is having a problem matching the name to the IP address.
The time it takes for the packet to get to the target computer and back again is known as the round trip time. If this takes an extended period of time, it is indicative that something may be wrong.
How to configure WEP/WPA Security on a linksys wireless router / access point
Step 1: Login
- Open your Internet browser and enter the following in the address bar: http://your_routers_ip.
By default, the address is 192.168.1.1.
- Enter the user ID and password for your router. The default password is admin.
Step 2: Limiting the no. of users connecting through DHCP
- You should now see the Basic Setup Web page display in your browser. Scroll down the page until you see Maximum Number of DHCP Users.
- This option will assign a specific number of IP address to computers. If more than this number of computers tries to connect to your router, they will not be able to.
- Count the number of computers that will connect to the router, and type it into the Maximum Number of DHCP Users textbox.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the Web page and click Save Settings. Once the settings have been saved, click Continue to return to the Web page.
Step 3: Change your Admin Password.
- At the top of the Web page, click the Administration option in the menu bar.
- On the Management Web page, you should see two password text boxes. This is where you should * change your administrative password. Type in a new secure password into both boxes.
- Once you have typed in your password, click Save Settings at the bottom of the Web page.
- You may be prompted to login again, if you are then enter you new password in the password field.
- Navigate back to the Management Web page by clicking the Administrative option in the menu.
Step 4: Encrypting Traffic
We will now encrypt your connection to your router setup from your computer.
- Click the HTTPS checkbox next to the Access Server option.
- Once again, click the Save Settings button at the bottom of the Web page.
- You won’t get the settings saved page again because the URL in the address bar is not longer correct. Since you have changed your connection to HTTPS, it you need to specify that in the address when you connect to the router setup.
- In your browser, change the address to: https://192.168.1.1. If you get a security error, ignore the error and continue to the Web page.
- Login with your password and then click the Wireless menu option.
Step 5: Specify an SSID
- Beside the Wireless Network Name (SSID) option, type in a name for you network connection.
- Click the Save Settings button and the Continue button to return to the Basic Wireless Settings page.
In order for DHCP to work when WEP is enabled, the SSID Broadcast setting must be set to "enabled".
Step 6: Assigning WPA
- Click the Wireless Security sub-menu option at the top of the page. This is where we will provide the most important security setting.
- Next to Security Mode, select WPA – Personal from the drop-down list. If you have trouble connecting to your wireless connection, you can try selecting WEP, but your connection will be much less secure.
- Next to WPA Algorithms, select AES. Once again if you have trouble connecting to your wireless router, select TKIP.
- Specify a long WPA Shared Key with a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers and punctuation. The longer the better.
- Make sure you write down this key somewhere, either on a piece of paper or in a text document on your computer. You will need this information when you connect to your wireless network.
- Click the Save Settings button at the bottom of the Web page, and then the Continue button.
- Now you are all done securing your wireless router and network.
After Securing how do you connect to the network?
- Connect to your network, and enter your WPA Shared Key exactly as you specified it.
Why WPA and not WEP?
The previous standard called Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) was easy to crack within about 30 seconds. The new Wi-fi Protected Access (WPA) is more secure and should be enabled. You must also choose a passphrase that will be needed for each computer to connect to your router. Choose a passphase that is long, hard to guess, but easy to remember. Write it down somewhere so you don't forget it.
Network Address Translation (NAT)
Network Address Translation (NAT) Technology -
- Prevents hackers from seeing and attacking your network address while you are surfing the web.
- NAT takes a public IP address and translates it into several private IP addresses, so a computer behind a router with NAT technology is difficult to see by outside hackers.
- translates IP addresses of a local area network to a different IP address for the Internet.
- Each computer on your network has a local IP address. When the router gets the data transmission to forward out to the Internet, the router puts a different IP address on the transmission. This way, whoever receives the data transmission doesn't know what the actual IP address of the computer is. The computer is hidden, safe from prying eyes.
Network Ports Used by Key Microsoft Server Products
7
TCP Echo Simple TCP/IP Services
7
UDP Echo Simple TCP/IP Services
9
TCP Discard Simple TCP/IP Services
9
UDP Discard Simple TCP/IP Services
13
TCP Daytime Simple TCP/IP Services
13
UDP Daytime Simple TCP/IP Services
17
TCP Quotd Simple TCP/IP Services
17
UDP Quotd Simple TCP/IP Services
19
TCP Chargen Simple TCP/IP Services
19
UDP Chargen Simple TCP/IP Services
20
TCP FTP default data FTP Publishing Service
21
TCP FTP control FTP Publishing Service
21
TCP FTP control Application Layer Gateway Service
23
TCP Telnet Telnet
25
TCP SMTP Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
25
UDP SMTP Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
25
TCP SMTP Exchange Server
25
UDP SMTP Exchange Server
42
TCP WINS Replication Windows Internet Name Service
42
UDP WINS Replication Windows Internet Name Service
53
TCP DNS DNS Server
53
UDP DNS DNS Server
53
TCP DNS Internet Connection Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing
67
UDP DHCP Server DHCP Server
67
UDP DHCP Server Internet Connection Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing
69
UDP TFTP Trivial FTP Daemon Service
80
TCP HTTP Windows Media Services
80
TCP HTTP World Wide Web Publishing Service
80
TCP HTTP SharePoint Portal Server
88
TCP Kerberos Kerberos Key Distribution Center
88
UDP Kerberos Kerberos Key Distribution Center
102
TCP X.400 Microsoft Exchange MTA Stacks
110
TCP POP3 Microsoft POP3 Service
110
TCP POP3 Exchange Server
119
TCP NNTP Network News Transfer Protocol
123
UDP NTP Windows Time
123
UDP SNTP Windows Time
135
TCP RPC Message Queuing
135
TCP RPC Remote Procedure Call
135
TCP RPC Exchange Server
135
TCP RPC Certificate Services
135
TCP RPC Cluster Service
135
TCP RPC Distributed File System
135
TCP RPC Distributed Link Tracking
135
TCP RPC Distributed Transaction Coordinator
135
TCP RPC Event Log
135
TCP RPC Fax Service
135
TCP RPC File Replication
135
TCP RPC Local Security Authority
135
TCP RPC Remote Storage Notification
135
TCP RPC Remote Storage Server
135
TCP RPC Systems Management Server 2.0
135
TCP RPC Terminal Services Licensing
135
TCP RPC Terminal Services Session Directory
137
UDP NetBIOS Name Resolution Computer Browser
137
UDP NetBIOS Name Resolution Server
137
UDP NetBIOS Name Resolution Windows Internet Name Service
137
UDP NetBIOS Name Resolution Net Logon
137
UDP NetBIOS Name Resolution Systems Management Server 2.0
138
UDP NetBIOS Datagram Service Computer Browser
138
UDP NetBIOS Datagram Service Messenger
138
UDP NetBIOS Datagram Service Server
138
UDP NetBIOS Datagram Service Net Logon
138
UDP NetBIOS Datagram Service Distributed File System
138
UDP NetBIOS Datagram Service Systems Management Server 2.0
138
UDP NetBIOS Datagram Service License Logging Service
139
TCP NetBIOS Session Service Computer Browser
139
TCP NetBIOS Session Service Fax Service
139
TCP NetBIOS Session Service Performance Logs and Alerts
139
TCP NetBIOS Session Service Print Spooler
139
TCP NetBIOS Session Service Server
139
TCP NetBIOS Session Service Net Logon
139
TCP NetBIOS Session Service Remote Procedure Call Locator
139
TCP NetBIOS Session Service Distributed File System
139
TCP NetBIOS Session Service Systems Management Server 2.0
139
TCP NetBIOS Session Service License Logging Service
143
TCP IMAP Exchange Server
161
UDP SNMP SNMP Service
162
UDP SNMP Traps Outbound SNMP Trap Service
389
TCP LDAP Server Local Security Authority
389
UDP LDAP Server Local Security Authority
389
TCP LDAP Server Distributed File System
389
UDP LDAP Server Distributed File System
443
TCP HTTPS HTTP SSL
443
TCP HTTPS World Wide Web Publishing Service
443
TCP HTTPS SharePoint Portal Server
445
TCP SMB Fax Service
445
TCP SMB Print Spooler
445
TCP SMB Server
445
TCP SMB Remote Procedure Call Locator
445
TCP SMB Distributed File System
445
TCP SMB License Logging Service
445
TCP SMB Net Logon
500
UDP IPSec ISAKMP Local Security Authority
515
TCP LPD TCP/IP Print Server
548
TCP File Server for Macintosh File Server for Macintosh
554
TCP RTSP Windows Media Services
563
TCP NNTP over SSL Network News Transfer Protocol
593
TCP RPC over HTTP Remote Procedure Call
593
TCP RPC over HTTP Exchange Server
636
TCP LDAP SSL Local Security Authority
636
UDP LDAP SSL Local Security Authority
993
TCP IMAP over SSL Exchange Server
995
TCP POP3 over SSL Exchange Server
1270
TCP MOM-Encrypted Microsoft Operations Manager 2000
1433
TCP SQL over TCP Microsoft SQL Server
1433
TCP SQL over TCP MSSQL$UDDI
1434
UDP SQL Probe Microsoft SQL Server
1434
UDP SQL Probe MSSQL$UDDI
1645
UDP Legacy RADIUS Internet Authentication Service
1646
UDP Legacy RADIUS Internet Authentication Service
1701
UDP L2TP Routing and Remote Access
1723
TCP PPTP Routing and Remote Access
1755
TCP MMS Windows Media Services
1755
UDP MMS Windows Media Services
1801
TCP MSMQ Message Queuing
1801
UDP MSMQ Message Queuing
1812
UDP RADIUS Authentication Internet Authentication Service
1813
UDP RADIUS Accounting Internet Authentication Service
1900
UDP SSDP SSDP Discovery Service
2101
TCP MSMQ-DCs Message Queuing
2103
TCP MSMQ-RPC Message Queuing
2105
TCP MSMQ-RPC Message Queuing
2107
TCP MSMQ-Mgmt Message Queuing
2393
TCP OLAP Services 7.0 SQL Server: Downlevel OLAP Client Support
2394
TCP OLAP Services 7.0 SQL Server: Downlevel OLAP Client Support
2460
UDP MS Theater Windows Media Services
2535
UDP MADCAP DHCP Server
2701
TCP SMS Remote Control (control) SMS Remote Control Agent
2701
UDP SMS Remote Control (control) SMS Remote Control Agent
2702
TCP SMS Remote Control (data) SMS Remote Control Agent
2702
UDP SMS Remote Control (data) SMS Remote Control Agent
2703
TCP SMS Remote Chat SMS Remote Control Agent
2703
UPD SMS Remote Chat SMS Remote Control Agent
2704
TCP SMS Remote File Transfer SMS Remote Control Agent
2704
UDP SMS Remote File Transfer SMS Remote Control Agent
2725
TCP SQL Analysis Services SQL Analysis Server
2869
TCP UPNP UPNP Device Host
2869
TCP SSDP event notification SSDP Discovery Service
3268
TCP Global Catalog Server Local Security Authority
3269
TCP Global Catalog Server Local Security Authority
3343
UDP Cluster Services Cluster Service
3389
TCP Terminal Services NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing
3389
TCP Terminal Services Terminal Services
3527
UDP MSMQ-Ping Message Queuing
4011
UDP BINL Remote Installation
4500
UDP NAT-T Local Security Authority
5000
TCP SSDP legacy event notification SSDP Discovery Service
5004
UDP RTP Windows Media Services
5005
UDP RTCP Windows Media Services
42424
TCP ASP.Net Session State ASP.NET State Service
51515
TCP MOM-Clear Microsoft Operations Manager 2000