Page 837 • Windows Report

Windows 11 L2TP VPN Not Working: How to Fix it

Posted on March 12, 2022September 30, 2025 by Loredana Harsana

VPNs are excellent services to provide an encrypted connection over the Internet. Unfortunately, L2TP VPN not working on Windows 11 has become a prevalent problem recently, and many users encountered the Can’t connect to VPN. The L2TP connection attempt failed error when they tried to connect to VPN.

This error occurs just after installing the new Microsoft KB5009543 update patch. In this case, Windows VPN fails to establish a secured connection to the server through Layer Two Tunneling Protocol (L2TP). ISPs use this protocol to trigger VPN connections.

The error arises from both VPN and Windows. So, it is vital to check the errors’ sources and causes before taking any measure. This guide shows you how to troubleshoot this problem.

Why does the L2TP connection error message appear?

This error message is one of the most common errors when connecting to L2TP. The main reason why this error appears is that you haven’t configured the connection properly to connect to the L2TP server.

Correspondingly, the server fails to respond. Another possible cause is that CHAP v2 Protocol is disabled. The L2TP connection error message also appears due to the following reasons:

Improper server settings
Blocked connection by anti-virus or firewall
An absent machine certificate on the VPN server
VPN or client is behind NAT

This error is reported by many users when they try connecting their VPN. If you set the VPN configuration manually, check that you use a pre-shared key.

So, make sure that you enable L2TP configurations in the router. If none of them works, we provide you with solutions to fix Windows 11 L2TP VPN not working. Let’s get started.

Several users complain that this error message appears when they recently used a built-in Microsoft VPN, after Microsoft’s update pack.

So, the solutions to resolve this issue are straightforward. In fact, there are six methods to fix this issue. Let’s dive into them.

What can I do if Windows 11’s L2TP VPN is not working?

1. Uninstall the KB5009543 update pack

NOTE

Uninstalling updates would remove previous vulnerability patches. So, take necessary security actions before doing so.

First, open the Settings by pressing Windows + I keys or by right-clicking on the Start menu and selecting the Settings.
Now opt for Windows Update then select Update history.
By selecting this option, you will see a list of Windows updates. Scroll down the list and click on Uninstall updates.
Right-click on the KB5009543 update pack and select Uninstall.
Reboot your computer.

Because the issue arises from the latest update that Windows offers for security updates, this method is the simplest way to fix L2TP VPN not working issues.

2. Reinstall the VPN Network Adapter

Open the Run dialogue box by pressing Windows + R shortcut keys.
To open Device Manager, type devmgmt.msc into the box and click OK.
Look for your VPN Network Adapter in the Network Adapters list, then right-click on it and choose Uninstall device.
Restart your computer.
Reinstall your VPN.

The network adapter is one of the causes of the L2TP connection attempt failed error. You can fix this issue simply by reinstalling the Network Adapter drivers. Now check to see if the problem has been resolved. If not, proceed to the next solution.

3. Activate the Microsoft MS-CHAP v2 Protocol

Press Windows + R hotkeys to open Run dialogue box.
Then, type ncpa.cpl and press the Enter key.
On Network Connections window, right-click your VPN connection and select the Properties option.
Go to the Security tab and select the Allow these protocols option, then tick the Microsoft-CHAP Version 2 box.
Select OK and reconnect to your VPN.

Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) is an authentication protocol that verifies users or hosts to prevent network replay attacks. Sometimes activating this protocol would enable us to resolve Windows 11 L2TP VPN not working issue.

4. Use a third party VPN

Private Internet Access (PIA) is a VPN with a number of key features, one of which is compatibility with every operating system and platform. This compatibility has allowed PIA customers to use the software without encountering Windows-related errors such as L2TP on Windows 11.

Not to mention that it has a no-logs policy, which means it does not collect data or keep any browsing history from customers, making it one of the safest VPNs available.

Furthermore, the PIA software has a very simple user interface that is easy to configure. Last but not least, this VPN includes a kill switch, split tunneling, torrenting support, and other features that ensure that the user can use it without any concern.

5. Create a new UDP registry key

Open Run by pressing Windows + R key combination.
After that, type Regedit and select OK to open the Windows Registry.
When the Registry Editor window pops up go to the following directory: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\PolicyAgent
Now, click the Edit menu, select New, and then opt for DWORD (32-bit) Value.
After that, rename the value to AssumeUDPEncapsulationContextOnSendRule and press the Enter key.
Now double click on the value you just created, set Value data to 2, and hit Enter.
Restart your computer.

Sometimes VPN cannot connect because of the registry key. This is because all essential information and settings related to VPN are stored in registry keys.

So, the solution is to modify them by creating a new UDP Encapsulation registry. Now check to see if the L2TP VPN not working error in your Windows 11 PC has been fixed.

6. Disable vendor ID

When your computer installs the Windows KB5009543 package, IPSEC connections no longer work. Microsoft recommends disabling Vendor ID in the server-side setting to fix this issue.

Depending on which VPN you use, disabling Vendor ID varies from one server to another.

7. Enable the LCP protocol extensions

Press the Windows + R key combination to open Run, then type ncpa.cpl and click OK.
Now, on the Network connection window, right-click on your VPN connection and select Properties.
In this step, navigate to the Option tab and click the PPP settings button.
Check Enable LCP Extensions box then click OK and head for the final step.
Reconnect to your VPN and check whether the problem is resolved.

Link Control Protocol (LCP) is used to establish, configure, and test data in the PPP setting. However, sometimes due to reasons such as third-party, L2TP connection fails.

How does L2TP work?

Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol connects VPN client to VPN server by assigning an IP address to every user. It uses two endpoints to establish a tunnel.

Once the connection between the two endpoints is established, the PPP layer is encapsulated to transmit multi-protocol data. Next, ISP triggers a PPP connection.

After initiation of the PPP connection, one endpoint accepts the connection. Then a slot is allocated in the tunnel. So, the connection waits for the other endpoint to respond.

Meanwhile, the connection is verified, and a virtual PPP interface is made. When this process is finished, the link frames move through the tunnel. Finally, the other endpoint accepts the frames and removes L2TP encapsulation.

Windows 11 latest cumulative update KB5009543 stops VPN from establishing a connection and shows users The L2TP connection attempt failed error message.

Hopefully, there are some workarounds to solve this issue. However, the fastest way to fix Windows 11 L2TP VPN not working is by uninstalling the KB5009543 update pack.

Note that if you’re having trouble with L2TP on Windows 10, the solutions might be slightly different. Let us know which one worked for you in the comments area below.

Best Equalizer for Windows 11 [Top 6 for 2026 Ranked]

Posted on March 12, 2022October 26, 2025 by Loredana Harsana

Listening to music or watching movies on a PC or laptop with a decent sound quality requires software to boost sound quality. A specialized Windows 11 equalizer software can help you achieve the best results.

Windows 11 has a built-in audio equalizer that helps you improve your sound quality. However, it may not provide the highest sound quality you want for different genres of music.

What does an audio equalizer exactly do?

An audio equalizer is a tool that reduces or enhances the frequencies of a sound. It uses parametric, bass, treble, high, and low pass filters for each tone.

Each filter specifies what frequency range. For instance, the bass tone frequency is between 16 to 256 Hz. For treble tone, the frequency ranges from 2 to 16.38 kHz.

An audio equalizer, in general, is an audio enhancer that adjusts output sound for a better experience, and tuning an equalizer software for a better output is simple.

What are the best equalizer software tools for Windows 11?

Boom 3D

Boom 3d is a powerful tool that comes with multi-channel 3D surrounding audio. There is no need to buy expensive hardware or speaker boosters when using this software. With its 3D surround technology, you no longer use headphones, headsets, or sound boosters.

One of the features that Boom3D offers is a 31-band equalizer that gives you countless choices. Moreover, this software provides you with different presets to enjoy listening to any music genres you love.

Never miss the joy of watching the latest movies on Netflix! Boom3D built-in volume booster allows you to watch movies and feel the natural surround sounds in the film. This software is not entirely free, and you have to purchase the premium plan after the 30-day free trial expires.

It has other key features as below:

Magical 3D surround sound
Nifty audio player
Strong audio booster
31-band equalizer presets
More than 20,000 Radio Stations

Boom 3D

Boom 3D is one of the best equalizers for Windows 11 that can output media content in stunning 3D effects. Get Boom 3D today!

Check price Visit website

Equalizer APO

APO (Audio Processing Object) is one of the most common equalizers for Windows 11. It comes with various features such as low PC usage and 3D sound support.

It also supports both 32 and 64-bit versions. In addition, this software has astonishing audio filters such as low-pass and band-pass to adjust low and high frequencies.

Additionally, it has a user-friendly interface that provides you with an analysis panel. This feature can alter sound properties such as peak gain and latency. Also, it supports the VST plugin to add extra effects to sound.

Here are some key features that APO offers:

Operates on multiple channels
Unlimited filters
Easy to use interface
It has a support community that provides users with supplementary apps
It consumes low CPU usage

⇒ Get Equalizer APO

FXSound

This equalizer is one of the best free equalizer software solutions compatible with any hardware and we recommend it for Windows 11. It boosts sound quality without any damage to the hearing.

It is an excellent audio-enhancing tool with diverse sound profiles designed for different applications such as movies, gaming, streaming videos, and transcription.

Moreover, you can use a mouse wheel to increase or decrease the frequencies with a simple GUI design. Furthermore, it boosts video games’ surround sounds, creating an insanely beautiful game experience. For ease of use, you can import or export your own presets.

The presets will enable you to decrease background noises in voices and podcasts. The main drawback of this software is that customizable presets won’t be available in the demo version.

Let’s look at other features that FXSound has:

Many customised presets
Many sound effects
boosts sound clarity
Visualizer
Completely free

⇒ Get FXSound

Viper4Windows

Viper4Windows is a freeware software designed for any audio mixing project. The unique feature of this software is its Post Volume function. This feature allows users to boost the instant message sound of programs such as YouTube, Skype, and even video games.

Furthermore, the same as FXSound, it has multiple sound effects presets. It also offers 18 incredibly diverse bands, adjusting frequencies from 20 kHz to 65 Hz.

Viper4Windows offers you ViPER Clarity and XHiFi modules to personalize your sound tones if you are highly enthusiastic about treble tones. The main downside of this software is its bugs for updates because its developers no longer upgrade it.

Also, in rare situations, it may accidentally lose some of its effects. So, it is up to you to weigh its pros and cons before installing.

This software has other features listed as below:

Customized audio configuration
IRS Power controller
ViPER XBass
ViPER XClarity
Field Surround, Differential Surround (Haas Effect), and Virtual Headphone Surround+

⇒ Get Viper4Windows

Breakaway Audio Enhancer

This all-in-one audio enhancement software automatically adjusts the output audio. It means that whenever you want to change your streaming media services, for example, from YouTube to Spotify, it automatically sets you the best sound quality suited for Spotify.

Breakaway audio enhancer lets you modify your sound, whether Hi-Fi or LOFI. For example, if you want to hear a louder harsh sound, it acts as a subwoofer to produce high-quality audio.

It employs the same technology used for DJs and webcasters, which gives you an extraordinary audio aura.

This software also has the following key features:

Multi-band processing
Louder high-quality sounds
Song-to-song volume shift correction
Many look-ahead peak limiters
Adjusts loudness shifts from song to song

⇒ Get Breakaway Audio Enhancer

Realtek HD Audio Manager

It is one of the well-known equalizer software used in previous Windows versions. Its simple UI allows users to adjust sound control via accessing a panel.

Moreover, Realtek HD Audio Manager supports Dolby and DTS audio coding. For better sound quality, it tests your speakers’ output sounds.

Besides, it provides additional supports including the following key features:

Compatible with many sound cards
Supporting home theater systems
Simple and user-friendly design
Many environment effects
Headphone Virtualization feature

⇒ Get Realtek HD Audio Manager

Why do we need audio equalizer software for Windows 11?

We can say that it goes back to the listening experience to answer this question. If you care about the quality of music or movie sound, we suggest you install audio equalizer software.

Also, when you use this tool in Windows 11, you can adjust the sound to be appropriate for every environment. For example, if you listen to a piece of upbeat music such as dance or pop in a room, you can easily change the frequency.

Additionally, in some situations, the Windows 11 built-in audio enhancer won’t give the sound quality that you want. In this case, you need a better audio enhancer to boost sound quality. If you haven’t yet upgraded to Windows 11, we suggest downloading the Windows 10 equalizers.

There are various free equalizer software solutions for Windows 11, such as Realtek HD Audio Manager and Viper4Windows. However, if you are an audiophile who looks for much more customized sound effects, Boom 3D is the number one choice you can attempt to find.

And do not forget to read about music.ui.exe in Windows, a process often responsible for high CPU usage.

Do not hesitate to let us know your choice in the comments area below.

How to Completely Uninstall WSL in Windows 11

Posted on March 12, 2022October 4, 2023 by Vladimir Popescu

It is feasible to uninstall the WSL in Windows 11, but this involves a series of actions that must be completed in the correct order.

Although Microsoft has simplified the installation of WSL2 by allowing it to be done with a single command or through the Microsoft Store, uninstalling the platform is not as straightforward as clicking the Uninstall button from the Apps & features settings page in Windows.

If you want to totally remove WSL from your computer, you must first uninstall the Linux distributions, followed by the uninstallation of any additional components, and finally, disable the platform itself.

Follow along as we will walk you through the uninstallation process right after we see in more detail what WSL 2 is all about. Keep up with us!

What does WSL 2 do?

A GNU/Linux environment, including most command-line tools, utilities, and applications, may be run directly on Windows using the Windows Subsystem for Linux, saving developers time and money by eliminating the need for a standard virtual machine or dual-boot configuration.

WSL 2 is a new version of the Windows Subsystem for Linux architecture that enables the Windows Subsystem for Linux to run ELF64 Linux binaries. It is built on a completely new architecture that benefits from the use of a genuine Linux kernel as its operating system.

It is the successor to WSL 1, which was released in 2008. Its key objectives are to improve file system performance while also enabling complete system call compatibility with other programs.

This new design alters the way in which these Linux binaries interface with Windows and your computer’s hardware, but it retains the same user experience as in the previous version, in terms of functionality.

Individual Linux distributions can be run on either the WSL 1 or WSL 2 architecture, depending on their configuration. The distributions can be run side by side, and each distribution can be upgraded or lowered at any point in time.

How can I uninstall WSL in Windows 11?

Press Windows and I simultaneously then access Apps followed by Apps & features.
Inside the search box type Ubuntu then click on the three dot menu and choose Uninstall.
Now type Linux and click on the three dot menu next to Windows Subsystem for Linux WSLg Preview followed by Uninstall.
Repeat the step for Windows Subsystem for Linux Update.
Now go back and access Optional features inside the Apps section.
Click on More Windows features under the Related settings section.
Now, uncheck the Virtual Machine Platform as well as Windows Subsystem for Linux. That’s it! Restart your computer to apply the changes made.

WSL will be completely removed from your computer at this point, just as you wanted.

What are the advantages of using WSL?

Because most developers do not have access to several computers, it is typical for programs to be developed across many platforms.

As a result of the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) functionality provided by Microsoft, it is now quite straightforward to set up a Linux development environment on a machine that is running the Windows operating system.

Until Microsoft released WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) in 2016, the only means to develop Linux applications on Windows machines were through remote host connections or virtual machines.

When you use WSL, you may install and run Linux distributions on 64-bit Windows 10 (starting with version 1607) PCs. Initially, it only supported the Ubuntu Linux distribution, but it currently supports a large number of additional Linux distributions.

Using WSL, one can run Windows applications and tools alongside Linux command-line tools while using fewer resources (such as CPU, memory, and storage) than running a full virtual machine on the same computer.

It offers substantial performance advantages over virtual machines (VMs) for developers who use Windows computers to develop Linux applications.

For more information on WSL, check out our post on WSL being available on the Windows 11 Store, and find out what’s new about it.

You might as well be interested in Linux Oracle as it is now available on the Microsoft Store. Don’t miss out on the article linked.

And lastly, take a look at our Windows 11 vs Linux in-depth comparison to make a choice between the two operating systems.

Was this guide helpful? Do let us know in the comments section below. Thanks for reading!

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Online Service error [Fixed]

Posted on March 11, 2022October 4, 2023 by Alexandru Poloboc

A lot has been said about Ubisoft’s latest Assassin’s Creed title, but most players still agree that it’s a masterpiece worth trying at least once.

However, as good as others claim it might be, Valhalla still came with a lot of bugs that absolutely ruined gameplay and made a lot of users uninstall and forget about it.

Among other problems, gamers reported Uplay errors, DirectX 12 errors, and the game constantly minimizing after being booted.

Another dreaded issue that can push most of us past the breaking point is the Online Service error, one that many gamers had to deal with.

There’s no need to be alarmed because every problem, no matter how serious, always has a solution, and we’re here to give it to you.

How can I fix the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Online Serice error?

Fortunately, as the AC Valhalla Norse gods would have it, this isn’t one of those cases where the solution is easier said than done.

You might be pleased to know that the fix for this problem is pretty straightforward and will only take up a couple of minutes of your time.

If you are ready to proceed and want to quickly restore the game’s functionality, carefully follow these easy steps.

Open your Windows Firewall settings pannel.
Click on Change Settings.
Press the Allow another app… button.
Click on Browse.
Navigate to where your AC Valhalla game is installed and add every service there to the Windows Firewall exception list.
Restart your PC.

This should help you get rid of the nasty Online Service error once and for all, allowing you to play AC Valhalla unhindered.

However, if for whatever reason, you still get the error even after going through the troubleshooting process, you should definitely try this as well.

Open Ubisoft Play, navigate to Settings, select the General tab and check the box next to Enable in-game overlay for supported games.

After this, simply restart Ubisoft Play and open Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, which should totally work by now.

has this guide been helpful to you? Let us know in the comments section below.

4 best tools for multi-store eCommerce with one database

Posted on March 11, 2022October 4, 2023 by Claudiu Andone

Managing one store can be challenging if you have a lot of products but if you have multiple stores that rely on the same database things get complicated.

You can have a whole team to manage the supply and demand for each store or you can use multi-store eCommerce software even if you have only one database.

Whether we’re talking about product management or customer service, you need an aggregated solution that will help you get the best of your resources.

There are plenty of such solutions on the market but only a few or just one will meet all your requirements so make sure you check the best multi-store eCommerce platforms.

What are the best multi-store eCommerce tools?

Znode

Znode is a multi-store eCommerce solution that allows easy management of your stores, your sites, and brands from one single place.

At the base of this solution, there is a PIM (Product Information Management) tool with a flexible data structure that allows you to share the same catalog for many stores, simplifying the catalog management.

Actually, you can do that with themes, categories, payments, accounts and users, taxes. You can apply them at one or more stores, or individually to each of them.

The way you pay for Znode is also flexible and it depends on the complexity of the services you choose for your stores. It can be applied by profile, customer, account, by store, exactly the way that makes it more convenient.

Let’s see a couple of Znode’s top features:

Flexible structure and tools that can be personalized to your demands
Multi-brand and multi-site capabilities
Tools for creating regional eCommerce stores
B2B presence with account-based pricing, and a B2B2C presence
The ability to test and launch new business models

⇒ Get Znode

StoreHippo

If you become a tycoon and your sales are only going up, you need some help in creating a store network with personalized features to grow your brands even more.

That’s what StoreHippo is for, creating multiple, unique storefronts but with centralized inventory and customer data, all managed from the same dashboard.

You can create geo-located based stores in multiple cities or even countries, you can create affiliate stores with unique URLs and multiple keywords for each store, and many more.

You can even set overrides for the prices of each product in each store based on location or other conditions and create store-specific discounts. StoreHippo can be the way to start off your chain so try it.

Let’s see what are the key features of StoreHippo:

Multiple store management from a single dashboard
Create unique storefronts for each store
Create different stores for each geographic location
Create price overrides and discounts for any product on each store

⇒ Get StoreHippo

AmeriCommerce

AmeriCommerce is called by its creators as the industry standard for multi-store management. And that’s because you will be able to manage your customers, inventory, and content from a single console.

You will benefit from a lot of B2B features and customization tools and be able to use the same database for all your stores, thus simplifying the product management.

Of course, you can have different prices for each store, different shipping settings, you can apply discounts but you can also display the same products in all the stores.

You can have custom domain URLs, design themes for each store, and edit every single aspect of the design. AmeriCommerce is great for agencies and resellers so give it a try.

⇒ Get AmeriCommerce

Wix eCommerce

Wix eCommerce is the go-to platform when it comes to professional online store websites that bring conversion rates.

You can efficiently build your online store using this website solution that includes 500+ free templates ready to generate profit.

It’s possible to go from scratch and design your online store in only a few steps. You just have to log in to your account and start customizing your multi-store website.

There are practical tools you can utilize to establish your brand for your online store. At the beginning, you have tools like logo maker or business name generator.

After the first steps, you can start to develop your digital store and manage your inventory, add thousands of products and collaborate with other suppliers.

Let’s see what are the key features of Wix eCommerce:

Customizable cart and checkout
Automated sales tax
Limitless customization with APIs
Integrated shipping solutions
Advanced payment tools

⇒ Get Wix eCommerce

We hope that your business will grow by using one of the multi-store eCommerce solutions with one database presented here. If you tried one of them or have any other suggestions, leave us a comment below.

How to fix the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla DirectX 12 error [Guide]

Posted on March 11, 2022October 4, 2023 by Alexandru Poloboc

What can be said about Assassin’s Creed Valhalla? Nothing much, except that it’s a masterpiece that has captivated the imagination of the entire world.

Especially for people that are deeply enrooted or passionate about norther culture, fans of the Vikings TV series, or inhabitants of Scandinavia.

But don’t take our word for it, just scour the internet and see what reviews Ubisoft’s latest Assassin’s Creed title received since its 2020 release.

It’s true that even this title came with a mountain of problems, but nothing we can’t fix if we really put our minds to it.

Then, as well as lately, players are complaining about not being able to launch the game because of the dreaded DirectX 12 error.

What can I do to fix the DirectX 12 error for Valhalla?

We’re about to show you what exactly you have to do in order to get rid of this pesky error that won’t even let you start the game.

It will only take a couple of minutes and a few clicks, so there’s no need to get ready for back-breaking labor.

Note that you will have to download third-party software for this job. Without any further ado, let’s get right into this fix.

Download dxcpl.exe.
Run dxcpl.exe and press the Edit List… button.
Press the three dots button and locate your AC Valhalla directory.
Add Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and then press OK.
Tick the Force WARP box and press the Apply button.
Run Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.

It wasn’t even that hard, right? This is the fix that worked for all the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla that encountered this problem when trying to run the game.

If you or someone you know has the same problem, you will be the knight in shining armor for finding and distributing this fix.

Have you also had trouble with the Uplay error? Or is does your Assassin’s Creed Valhalla keep minimizing?

If you are experiencing any of the above-mentioned problems, or you are unable to save your game, you came to the right place.

Have you also encountered other major issues in Ubisoft’s latest title? Let us know in the comments section below.

5 best Shopify helpdesk [Apps / Platforms]

Posted on March 11, 2022October 4, 2023 by Claudiu Andone

Shopify is one of the most popular shopping platforms and the most prominent automated eCommerce software used by over 600.000 businesses in the world.

It’s obvious why you would like your helpdesk app or platform to include this eCommerce source. Yes, it’s all about increasing the sales for your business and a clever helpdesk solution can make a huge difference.

There are a couple of solutions that work on Shopify but the best helpdesk solution for Shopify will also include many other sources, including social networks.

Hence if you need to increase your e-commerce business or online shop, you can choose a pricing plan and then choose your Shopify helpdesk platform to start it.

Long story short, here’s our list of the best Shopify helpdesk apps or platforms that will boost your company sales.

What are the best Shopify helpdesk apps or platforms?

Monday.com

Monday.com’s Work OS allows you to create a help desk in a very customized manner.

For instance, you could use it for making requests to the IT team to manage your inventory or an entire project lifecycle so it all depends on you and your needs.

The software brings everything on one platform and it can integrate not only with Shopify but also with various tools like Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Slack, Zoom, Excel, Adobe Creative Cloud, and many more.

So, you can use it for inside management, marketing, sales, and it’s also a great work-from-home platform that will help you remain efficient.

Thereby using this software it’s all about integrating your task and project in one place, so you can track and perform multiple tasks efficiently, collaborating freely with your team.

Besides all, choosing this platform can scale up project management instantly, and keep track of anything required to be done.

This platform also comes with a free trial period so you can test it and see if it delivers the results you’re interested in.

Let’s go through the best features of Monday:

Collaborate using docs for projects
Integrate all your other apps in one place
Customizable automations
Dashboards with real-time data insights
Prioritize tasks efficiently

Monday.com

Monday.com not only has Shopify integration but also uses your corporate software to help you manage any project.

Free trialVisit website

Help Scout

Help Scout is a collaborative customer services platform that is used by over 11.000 businesses from 140 countries so you might also try it for your business.

The idea behind Help Scout is to offer tools for a team to be efficient and collaborate. So, for instance, you can share team inboxes whether your team is made from 2 or 200 people in your team.

However, the most important component is the live chat support so you can provide the most informed answers to your customers. You can also do that by creating relevant help pages support.

Moreover, the software is capable of reporting for multiple channels like email, chat, or even phone conversations with your valuable customers. Plus, you can use the knowledge base to design articles that respond to your clients automatically.

Therefore, hesitate no more and invest in your customers’ happiness to trend up your e-commerce business revenue.

Let’s see what are the best features of Help Scout:

Sharing inboxes within the team
Live chat support
Great self-service options for your clients
Recommend insight articles based on the page a customer is viewing
Escalation options based on the client’s needs

Help Scout

Consider this software to increase your customer happiness regarding your content and services, all with a minimum effort.

Check priceVisit website

Re:amaze

Re:amaze to help you engage with your clients by combining email, social media, mobile, and chat communication from them seamlessly.

The software also includes collaboration tools that help the team members from your business to assign, note, and share views.

All this engagement includes all the possible communication channels including the corporate email, a chat client, Facebook pages, and Messenger, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp, SMS, and voice messages.

In other words, you can benefit from customer-centric services and connect with the clients via multiple channels on the same platform. For example, chatbots are very popular nowadays and you can optimize your website and automate processes.

Hence this e-commerce helpdesk platform it’s perfect for your online business in order to increase sales and get closer to customer desires.

Let’s see what are the main features of Re:amaze:

Fast communication through live chat
Customer message preview in real time
All communication channels integrated
Live dashboard with customer’s activity
View your customer’s profile data customized for your needs

⇒ Ge t Re:amaze

Deskpro

All the philosophy behind Deskpro is to give your agents all the tools necessary to provide your customers with the best information and answers so they can be satisfied.

So first, this solution provides a complex ticketing system collected from all communication channels. It also comes with automation tools that will eliminate any repetitive tasks from the agent’s focus.

More exactly, all the requests that come from the clients across multiple channels will appear on your user platform as tickets, so you can improve business customer care and response time.

Also, all your tickets can receive urgency scores so that your agents can clearly prioritize their actions.

Therefore, your clients come first so using this tool, you can offer them a knowledge base center 24/7 self-service, messenger tickets, email threads tickets with text elements or attachments.

Here are some of the best features of Deskpro:

Automation tools that eliminate repetitive tasks
Complex ticketing system with integrated communication channels
Shared inboxes for easy team management tasks
Access all the history with a client for further problem identification
Clear organization tools for sorting, grouping and labeling

⇒ Get Deskpro

LiveChat

LiveChat is a really helpful chat automation software that offers qualitative customer service and assistance for Shopify account.

In the first place, you need great customer experience if you desire a lifelong business. For this purpose, it’s recommended to use automation tools like chatbots.

Using this AI powered chat solution, you can streamline the communication with loyal or new clients. There are helpful functionalities designed to generate more sales and boost your business growth.

To name a few, you can benefit from AI-powered chat automations, customer engagement tools, chat widgets customization, analytics reports and so on.

It is also worth mentioning that LiveChat has 150 connected countries and millions of chats monthly.

Here are some of the best features of LiveChat:

200+ apps integrations
Targeted messages for different segments
Message sneak-peak
Chat tags and file sharing
Chat reports or exports
Sales and e-commerce tools

LiveChat

Benefit from this automated cutomer service chat solution to double up your leads.

Check price Visit website

A great helpdesk app or platform can provide you with a great advantage over the other competing businesses, so we hope that you found the best tool for your trade-in our list.

If you’re also looking for a great live chat client for your business, you can take a look at our best automated chat list. If you have any other suggestions, leave us a thought in the comments section below.

WWE 2K22 Update 1.005: Everything you need to know

Posted on March 11, 2022October 4, 2023 by Alexandru Poloboc

It’s safe to say that a lot of us are wrestling fans. And, you really can’t think of wrestling without the WWE letters to come to mind.

However, we’re not going to talk about the actual sports organization. Today, we are going to take a look at the latest WWE game and what its latest patch brings to the table.

Developer Visual Concepts just released their latest WWE 2K22 update (1.005), in case you were wondering if that happened or not.

The patch is expected to make general stability improvements to the game as well as fix some of the technical issues present since launch.

What changes does the new patch bring?

The most important thing here, for players that like to duke it out with other online players, is the fixing of some of the server issues that this title had.

This patch also addresses issues related to MyRISE, so you can start your career and finish the entire competition by taking on not one, but two MyRISE adventures.

Also coming to this awesome fighting game are improved Superstar interactions, for those moments when a signature move is all you need.

#WWE2K22 Patch Update 1.05
⭐ Addressed server issues (ONLINE)
⭐ Addressed issues related to MyRISE
⭐ Improved Superstar interactions
⭐ Improved performance and visuals
AND MORE! Thanks for your patience, now get back into the ring! pic.twitter.com/VxHiiHkOyJ
— #WWE2K24 (@WWEgames) March 11, 2022

And just when you thought that developers couldn’t make the game look or feel any better, this patch also brings forth improved performance and visuals.

How about that for an early spring present from the people that designed WWE 2K22. Regardless of the platform you play on, it promises to only get better and better.

Visual Concept also promises many more beneficial changes and improvements coming to your favorite game in the near future.

As WWE 2K22 players spotted, update 1.005 also allows the editing of imperium/retribution entrances.

What other changes do you feel that this game would benefit from? Share your opinions with us in the comments section below.

Automated Chat Reply Software for Business: 9 Best to use

Posted on March 11, 2022October 4, 2023 by Ivan Jenic

More often than not, customer care representatives become overwhelmed by the sheer number of queries/ inquiries/ complaints they have to handle per day.

This often results in late replies or, at times, outright negligence of certain queries, which is very bad for business.

Ease of interaction with customers is one of the key elements in the growth of any business.

And every customer wants unrestrained access to valuable information about a product or service before committing their hard-earned money to purchase certain products/services.

Automated chat software is the ideal solution to use in your company. It ensures that all inquiries and complaints are aptly replied to in due time.

In the long run, the level of customer satisfaction in your business will surely take a leap forward.

Read on, as we bring you short reviews on five of the best-automated chat software on the market.

Which are the best automated chat tools for your business?

CloudTalk

CloudTalk is a cover-all call management service provider geared towards businesses. It’s a suitable, cloud-based, solution for phone sales or call centers.

The software offers a large set of features that can be highly customized in order to create a perfect service for each particular business.

CloudTalk can also be useful for internal calls with its Conference Calls feature. This can help maintain a good level of communication among your company’s agents so that everybody is up-to-date and well-trained.

Customers are really observant of the way a business carries itself and small details can help with creating and maintaining loyalty. This is the reason why the Call Queuing features provided by CloudTalk are very useful. You can create customized call queues, greetings and add your own music that matches your brand identity.

Moreover, you can give interactive information on the waiting time and the number of people in the call.

The software allows you to make call recordings which can be useful in keeping information about customers’ most frequent needs and also to assess the agent’s performance. However, keep in mind that in most locations you are required by law to disclose to all parts when they’re being recorded.

Other features of CloudTalk include:

Personalized Voicelmail which can be accesed directy from an Internet browser
Number porting
Toll-free numbers
International numbers
Short 5 digit numbers
Lets you pick your business hours and set special absence messages or redirections
Automatic Text Messages
3 way calling

Cloud Talk is a subscription-based service with various plans. You can try it for free for 14 days.

CloudTalk

Communicate efficiently to keep your customers satisfied and loyal.

Free trialVisit website

LiveAgent

Live Agents establishes quick contact between businesses and their customers with over 130 ticketing features and 200+ integrations.

The tool lets you integrate a live chat widget directly into your website. This allows real-time communication between your customers and agents.

The chat has its own automatic chat routing and built-in CRM.

Customers can contact your business from multiple channels, and this tool organizes all messages under one simple ticketing app.

It lets agents keep track of all conversations and has multiple time-saving options such as automation of repetitive tasks, support for teamwork, and more.

Along with the chat feature, LiveAgent also supports cloud-based phone calls. It offers all options necessary to ensure an efficient customer support process.

LiveAgent supports unlimited call recordings, call transfers, callbacks, IVR, ACD, and video calls.

Other key features of Live Agent include:

Fully customizable ticketing platform
Incoming message sneak peek
Supports ticketing from major social-media platforms, VOIP services, and email applications
Integrations of eCommerce platforms

LiveAgent is a subscription-based service. You can try it out for free for 14 days and see how it works for you.

Live Agent

Integrate the chat widget to your website and connect to hundreds of third-platform parties with the ticketing application.

Free trial Visit website

FreshDesk

Freshdesk is a very comprehensive helpdesk solution for business professionals. It is easy to use, coding knowledge isn’t needed. However, they provide the possibility to fully customize the look and layout of the app with CSS and to create and integrate custom apps.

The internal organization of your business is one of the software’s strong points. The dashboard of the app works with a ticketing system that can be highly categorized. This helps agents collaborate and make sure that every task is successfully completed. It is easy to assign tasks, set deadlines, and detect any possible agent collision.

Freshdesk offers its users the possibility to communicate across all platforms. The UI integrates all incoming messages and requests from emails, phone calls, chats, social media messages, websites, and WhatsApp.

On top of that, it offers some automatic solutions. You can set a Chatbot for repetitive questions so your agents can focus on the more demanding tasks. You can also set a Help widget on your website with can automatically suggest solutions for predictable questions.

Other important features of the software include:

High security with custom SSL certificates, IP and Network Restrictions
Integration of many popular apps like Zoom, Slack, Google Analytics or Github
Offers curated reports of agent perofrmance
Automatically assigns tickets to agents based on keywords or other pre-established parameters
Scheduling dashboard
Prevents reopening requests when customers respond with “thank you”

Freshdesk has a pretty limited free version and many different subscription plans. Each plan can be tried with a 21-day free trial.

Freshdesk

Keep high-standard communication with your clients across all platforms.

Free Trial Visit website

Collect.chat

Collect.chat is an automated chat software that uses chatbots to engage site visitors and/or customers in interactive chats, with the aim of providing credible responses to all their queries, complaints, or inquiries.

Benefiting from Zapier integration, Collect. chat easily integrates with a variety of offices (e-commerce, CRM, Instant Messaging) tools like Gmail, Google Sheet, Slack, Twitter, Facebook, WordPress, LinkedIn, Xero, and more.

Furthermore, the app is relatively easy to install (and use), as it provides various options for setting up chatbots on your website.

The conventional setup process implies copying and pasting the chatbot’s HTML codes on your website’s source page. Other options involve a WordPress plugin and Blog posts/links.

Notable features of Collect.chat to take into account are: chatbots, visual dashboards, templates, multiple language support, 24/7 customer support, email notifications, drag & drop builder, campaign tracking, custom domain, and more.

Collect.chat comes in four subscription plans, including a free one with only a few options. Payment can be made either monthly or on a yearly basis. Once you subscribe, you have a 3-month trial.

Collect.chat

Convert your visitors into customers with this highly interactive and user-friendly chat platform.

Free trial Visit website

LiveChat

Working with LiveChat is the perfect gateway to satisfy all your customers with a sound customer experience.

If you have a business or work in customer service, this all-in-one platform will sustain your communications needs, connecting with thousands of clients using responsive chats.

What’s more, you have multiple possibilities to make the customers loyal using interactive chats, AI forms, or automation chatbots to always respond on time.

You have chat tools to improve customer service for any business. For instance, using # sign to get standard suggestions for discounts, one-click saving for recurrent messages, visible messages from clients before sending.

It’s worth mentioning that AI tools can streamline the interaction with your clients. The automated chatbots can generate new leads and greet customers to never miss a buy.

Other features of LiveChat contain:

Customer engagement: targeted messages, eye-catchers, routing rules
Chat widget customization
Reports & analytics tools
Security, encryption
200+ apps integrations
Ticketing system
Sales and e-commerce

LiveChat

Talk to your beloved customers at any hour using this AI-powered chat software.

Check price Visit website

HelpOnClick

HelpOnClick is a prominent live chat/help desk software designed to help companies improve interaction with their customers.

The inbuilt Virtual Agent, available only in the Advanced paid plan, is an essential component of this software, as it could pass as an automated chat software itself.

The Virtual Agent enables you to provide instant and credible responses to inquiries (or queries) on your website(s). Also, it automatically initiates chats with every visitor on your website.

The software uses inbuilt chatbots, which deploy a set of algorithms to generate responses to basic (common) questions.

Downloading and installation are fairly easy, as is copying and pasting a chatbot’s HTML code on your website.

The software accommodates any device, be it a desktop (Windows, Mac, and Linux), smartphone, or tablet (iOS and Android).

Other notable features of HelpOnClick include:

Archives (Chat history)
Cross-platform compatibility
Reports
Web traffic monitoring
SSL secure connections
Seamless integration with a host of Social media, CRM, and e-commerce services like Facebook, Google Analytics, Zen Cart, OpenCart, Salesforce, osCommerce, Zoho, Shopify, Zendesk.

HelpOnClick

Engage visitors, improve customer satisfaction, and increase your conversion rate with this fully-featured chat tool.

Free trialVisit website

BotXO

BotXO is another top-rated automated chat software that uses chatbots to provide instant responses to customer inquiries and sales-related queries.

It generates quick responses to common questions and ensures that access to every key piece of information is only a few clicks away.

Key features of BotXO include:

AI-powered chatbots
Hybrid model (Bot-human)
Webforms connectivity
Follow-ups
Notifications (Real-time) Easy API & Webhooks
NLP Multilingual Algorithms (Multiple Language Support)
Multi-user accounts
Comprehensive analytics
24-hour customer support

The Hybrid model is one unique feature that uses special algorithms to track the progress of a conversation and transfers such conversation to a customer service agent, where and when required.

As a result, customer service reps are able to optimize their time by attending to only important, sensitive, queries, and inquiries.

BotXO automated chat software offers three major subscription plans to its users, each with a two-week trial period.

⇒ Get BotXO

ResponseQue

Considered one of the most prominent automated chat software on the market, ResponseQue is designed to provide quick-time responses to customers’ queries/inquiries on your products, staff, and/or partners.

As it stands, ResponseQue provides automated responses (via live chats) to about 80% of all inquiries on its website.

Easy integration, Auto-message routing, Auto Response(s), Quicklinks, Custom Branding, In-depth Analytics & Reports, Notifications (Email), Customized input forms are other features of this live customer service app.

ResponseQue offers three pricing plans, each with a generous data storage space which is more than welcome.

⇒ Get ResponseQue

Chat 4 Support

Chat4Support is arguably one of the leading com-solutions in the world of customer service. The software offers a wide range of services to its users, including instant help/live chat and traffic monitoring.

Chat4support is equipped with the latest in AI technology, using pre-set commands to deliver precise, error-free, responses to customers. This way, every piece of information needed by your customers/clients is provided within seconds.

Furthermore, this automated chat software hosts a unique functionality that initiates chats with everyone visiting your website, directing them to customer care representatives (as required/requested).

This ensures that prospective customers are provided access to updated information about your company’s services.

Other services/products offered by Chat4Support include:

Search Engine Analysis
Keyword usages
Screen Capture
Multiple Language support
Customizable Buttons
24/7 Support
Online Customer support
Chat Transfer

The software is compatible with a host of Windows computer operating systems, ranging from Windows NT 4.0 to Windows 7 or later.

Although setting up (downloading and installing) the software on these devices could be a little tricky, there is an easy-to-understand How-to guide on their website to assist you all the way.

Chat4Support offers four basic pricing plans to its users; one free version and three paid editions.

⇒ Get Chat4Support

We’ve rated these five automated chat software based on key factors like affordability, integrations, ease of use, and durability of inherent features.

Feel free to drop your suggestions on this topic in the comments box below.

Fix the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Uplay Error with These Easy Steps

Posted on March 11, 2022March 19, 2024 by Alexandru Poloboc

If we had a nickel for every time a new game we purchased drove us beyond rational thinking, we’d be millionaires by now. Since that isn’t the case, we’re faced with two options: uninstall the game and move on, or find a fix and resume playing.

If you decide to go with the second one, however, we might be able to help you overcome this annoying issue and resume your gameplay.

A lot of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla told us that they are dealing with a Uplay error and are unable to find a solution. After purchasing, it asked them to link their UPlay account, and then it said UPlay Redeem Required. Every time they click on it, they get an error in the bottom right corner saying An unexpected error has occurred. (102008)

How can I fix the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Uplay error?

Exit the Epic Games Store.
Exit Ubisoft Connect.
Connect VPN to region you purchased the game.
Start Ubisoft Connect and login.
Start Epic Games Store and login.
First time you get an error – Unable to activate license.
Restart Epic Games Store.
Game activated and you can download now.
Disconnect VPN after license is activated.

Remember that this is far from an official fix. Just treat it as a temporary workaround that worked for many players in the same situation.

We can also help you if Assassin’s Creed Valhalla keeps minimizing, or if you are unable to save your game.

If Uplay compatibility errors hinder your gaming experience, follow our guide on solving Uplay_r164.dll Not Found or Untrusted System File issues.

Was this guide helpful to you? Let us know in the dedicated comments section below.

6 Best Backup Software for Synology NAS in 2026

Posted on March 11, 2022January 8, 2024 by Milan Stanojevic

To make sure that you don’t lose your files, you should frequently back up your data. As for backups, many users tend to use NAS storage for storing backups.

NAS stands for Network Attached Storage and is a useful storage device connected to your own network in order to extend your storage for more significant files.

The reasons you would need this storage device are many. Firstly, the number of images and videos becomes bigger every day and the backup storage of your device will eventually run out of space.

Even though you can use online backup services like OneDrive or Dropbox to extend the storage space, it has limited memory available, and you would have to get a subscription or pay for more.

Hence, using Synology NAS technology you will back up your files and store family memories automatically on your PC.

Since NAS storage can be quite convenient for backing up your files, in this article we’re going to show you the best Synology backup software.

What is the best Synology backup software?

Acronis Cyber Backup

Acronis Cyber Backup is a backup software that can create disk images and store them on your local disk or NAS. Speaking of NAS, Synology NAS devices are supported.

The software also has cloud protection, and you can protect your Office 365 mailboxes, Microsoft Azure VMs, and Amazon EC2 cloud workloads. You can also migrate workloads between different clouds.

It’s worth mentioning that the device has a universal restore feature that lets you restore your backup to a computer that has different hardware.

If you want to ensure that your data is secure, there’s Acronis Cloud Storage available that will store your backups in one of many Acronis Cloud Data Centers.

Acronis Cyber Backup is great backup software, so if you want to ensure that your data is safe, be sure to try it out.

Acronis Cyber Backup features:

Support for local and NAS backups
Acronis Cloud Storage
A centralized web management console
256-bit encryption
Universal restore feature

Acronis Cyber Backup

Acronis Cyber Backup is professional backup software with full support for Synology NAS.

Check price Visit website

Aomei Backupper

Another great Synology backup software that we want to show you is Aomei Backupper. The software supports advanced system cloning, UEFI, GPT to MBR, and customized cloning.

The software can back up your data to the external or local drive, but you can also save your backups on a DVD, NAS, or several cloud storage services.

Using this software, you can perform system backup, disk backup, partition, or file/folder backup. To ensure that your data is always secure, there’s support for scheduled and event-triggered backups.

We have to mention that the software can remove old backups in order to save precious storage space, and for advanced users, there’s support for command line backups.

Aomei Backupper offers great features, and if you’re looking for powerful backup software with NAS support, be sure to consider Aomei Backupper.

Aomei Backupper features:

Can perform system, disk, partition, and file backup
Support for scheduled and event-triggered backups
Can backup to local and external storage, DVD, cloud, and NAS
Support for command line
Support for incremental and differential backups

Aomei Backupper

Aomei Backupper is an advanced backup software that offers full compatibility with Synology devices.

Check price Visit website

IDrive

If you need to back up your data to Synology NAS, you might want to try IDrive. The software can work with multiple devices including PCs, Macs, iOS, and Android devices, and back them up to a single account.

Thanks to the file sync feature, all your files will be synced and available across all devices. The service also has a web-based console, so you can easily manage your backups remotely.

Regarding backups, you can perform sector-level backups or file-level backups. The software also supports snapshots and versioning, so you can easily restore to older backup versions.

It’s worth mentioning that the service uses 256-bit AES encryption, so you can rest assured that all your files are perfectly safe from third parties.

IDrive is a great service because it works with Mac, PC, iOS, and Android devices, so we encourage you to try it out.

IDrive features:

Works with unlimited PCs, Macs, iOS, and Android devices
Online file syncing
Ability to perform sector-level or file-level backups
Web console for remote backups
Snapshots and versioning

IDrive

IDrive is a backup service that works with a wide array of platforms, and it’s also compatible with Synology devices.

Check price Visit website

Ashampoo Backup Pro

Another great software with Synology support is Ashampoo Backup Pro. The software is designed to check the health of your hard drive, so you can be completely sure that your backup won’t get damaged.

It’s important to mention that the software allows you to have access to all your backups, and you can even access your backed-up files without restoring the backup.

Ashampoo Backup Pro is designed to work in the background, so you won’t even notice that it’s running. As for backups, the application supports disk, partition, file, and full system backups.

Regarding the backup destination, you can store files on local/external hard drives, online storage, NAS storage, and popular cloud storage services.

Overall, Ashampoo Backup Pro is solid backup software, and if you want simple but powerful backup software, be sure to try it out.

Ashampoo Backup Pro features:

Built-in disk checking feature
Can access backed up files without restoring the backup
Can run in the background without affecting your PC
Ability to back up disk, partition, system, or individual files
Can store backups to local/external drives, online storage, NAS, and cloud storage

Ashampoo Backup Pro

Ashampoo Backup Pro is simple but powerful backup software with full support for NAS storage backup.

Check price Visit website

MiniTool ShadowMaker

If you’re looking for simple backup software, then MiniTool ShadowMaker might be just what you need. The software can create backups of your system, files, and disks with ease.

Regarding the storage, you can store files on both local and external drives, NAS, or your home file server. It’s worth mentioning that all your backups can be encrypted, so they’ll remain perfectly safe.

MiniTool ShadowMaker also has a built-in file sync feature, as well as a Safe System Restore feature that can easily restore your system from the external drive.

The software can create incremental backups, and you can even automate backups and ensure that they are performed regularly.

Overall, MiniTool ShadowMaker is a solid backup tool, and since it’s completely free, there’s no reason not to try it out.

MiniTool ShadowMaker features:

Ability to create system, file, and disk backups
Can save backups to local/external drives, NAS or home servers
Built-in sync feature
Scheduled backups
Free to use

⇒ Get MiniTool ShadowMaker

Backblaze

BackBlaze is a backup storage service that works for anyone who needs to guard their essential files on secured cloud locations.

You can protect your digital most essential files for all devices or secure a business data center using reliable backup support with NAS native integrations.

This backup option is straightforward and follows a simple integration process. In only two steps you can back up crucial files on the cloud without any technical knowledge required.

You should know that every information stored on this NAS cloud is available right away and you can download saved files immediately.

In order to deploy this data storage tool, you only need to choose the offsite data storage service and then use software to get data from the NAS device to the cloud.

Additionally, using Blackblaze you have multiple native NAS integrations for devices like Synology, TrueNAS by ixSystems, and more.

Backblaze features:

GoodSync function to sync all the files
Qbackup for cross platform file backup
Syncovery for backup and mirroring
MSP360 to backup Windows Servers
Retrospect storage data protection

⇒ Get Backblaze

Backing up your files shouldn’t be a tedious task, and if you’re looking for Synology backup software, the applications from this list should be more than helpful.

Fix: Can’t change static IP address & DNS server in Windows 10

Posted on March 11, 2022February 20, 2025 by Elena Constantinescu

Your IP address represents your ID when you go online. It’s assigned by your ISP and can be used to trace your approximate location.

Meanwhile, your DNS servers are responsible for translating the domains you search online into IP addresses so that machines can understand where you want to go. They are also assigned by your ISP.

However, many privacy-concerned users understand why it’s critical to change their IP address and DNS servers on Windows 10 and 11and other operating systems. It’s problematic when that’s not possible.

Many of our readers reported that they can’t change the IP address and the Internet Protocol v4 properties are greyed out.

In other cases, the following error message pops up from Local Network: An unexpected condition occurred. Not all of your requested changes in settings could be made.

Windows 10 says that Windows 10 an unexpected condition occurred

However, you can fix the unexpected condition error on Ethernet or Wi-Fi so that you can change your static IP address and DNS servers.

How can I change static IP address & DNS in Windows 10?

1. Set a static IP address using PowerShell

Press the Windows 10 Start button and type powershell, then click on Run as administrator from the results.
Copy and paste the following command, but don’t hit Enter until setting your actual IP address and other properties:

New-NetIPAddress
   [-IPAddress] <String>
   [-DefaultGateway <String>]
   [-AddressFamily <AddressFamily>]
   [-Type <Type>]
   [-PrefixLength <Byte>]
   [-ValidLifetime <TimeSpan>]
   [-PreferredLifetime <TimeSpan>]
   [-SkipAsSource <Boolean>]
   [-PolicyStore <String>]
   -InterfaceIndex <UInt32>
   [-CimSession <CimSession[]>]
   [-ThrottleLimit <Int32>]
   [-AsJob]
   [-WhatIf]
   [-Confirm]
   [<CommonParameters>]

You can use the New-NetIPAddress cmdlet to set up a new IP address and customize settings.

We suggest reading Microsoft’s complete documentation on New-NetIPAddress to understand the role of each parameter.

2. Reset your IP address using Command Prompt

Press Win + R, type cmd and press Enter.
Type this command and press Enter to release your current IP. The Ethernet adapter section will now be void of numerical values: ipconfig/release
Enter this command and press Enter to reset your IP: ipconfig/renew

You can use the first command to release the current IP address of your computer. Keep in mind that you will have no Internet access at this point.

However, you’ll get back online in no time after using the second command. Your computer will request a new IP address from a DHCP server, such as your router.

3. Change your DNS server using Windows PowerShell

Click the Start button, type powershell, and select Run as administrator from the results.
Copy and paste the following command, but don’t hit Enter until specifying the server address of your DNS client and other properties:

Set-DnsClientServerAddress
   [-InterfaceAlias] <String[]>
   [-ServerAddresses <String[]>]
   [-Validate]
   [-ResetServerAddresses]
   [-CimSession <CimSession[]>]
   [-ThrottleLimit <Int32>]
   [-AsJob]
   [-PassThru]
   [-WhatIf]
   [-Confirm]
   [<CommonParameters>]

You can use the Set-DnsClientServerAddress command to specify at least one IP address for the DNS servers associated with your network adapter.

It statically adds the DNS server addresses, which will override any DHCP configuration for that network adapter.

Find out the goal of each property involved in Microsoft’s full specifications about Set-DnsClientServerAddress.

4. Flush your DNS and reset Winsock

Select the Start button, type cmd and select Run as administrator to start Command Prompt with administrative privileges.
Copy and paste the following commands one by one and press Enter between each line:

ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /registerdns
NETSH winsock reset catalog
NETSH int ipv4 reset reset.log
NETSH int ipv6 reset reset.log
exit

Reboot your computer to finalize changes and see if the problem has been fixed on your PC.

If you can’t change your static IP address and DNS server on Windows 10, use the commands above to flush your DNS servers and reset Winsock, which is responsible for your TCP/IP configuration.

5. Set DHCP IP assignment

Press the Win key, then select Settings.
Click Network & Internet.
- If you’re using Wi-Fi, select Wi-Fi > Manage known networks. Then, pick your network and select Properties
- For Ethernet, select Ethernet and then your network
At IP settings, click Edit.
Select Automatic (DHCP) and click Save.

If you use automatic DHCP settings, it will be easier to configure TCP/IP settings on your Windows 10 PC.

6. Use a VPN service

If you wish to regularly change your IP address and protect your DNS queries, we suggest opting for a premium VPN service.

You just have to connect to a VPN IP address. It will not only hide your true IP and location but also encrypt all data traffic to secure your network from hackers.

We think that Private Internet Access is the best VPN for the job. It’s incredibly intuitive, supports more than 3,300 VPN servers across 48 countries, and can be used to access blocked content, including Netflix US from anywhere.

PIA supports static and dynamic IP addresses, native port forwarding, and exclusive DNS servers. It also comes with a kill switch and a malware blocker for browsers.

More about PIA:

WireGuard and OpenVPN with up to 256-bit military-grade encryption
No IP, DNS or WebRTC leaks
24/7 live chat support
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

⇒ Get Private Internet Access

How do I change the IP address and DNS in Windows 11?

The new OS is not that much different from Windows 10, especially when it comes to the networking settings.

Therefore, apart from some design differences, all the solutions we outlined for the older OS will work perfectly on Windows 11.

However, there are a few differences in the menus. For instance, to access the network adapters in Windows 11, you need to click on the Advanced network settings from the Network & internet section from Settings.

To summarize, if you can’t change your static IP address and DNS server on Windows, you can try resetting them from the PowerShell or Command Prompt.

It’s also a good idea to refresh network settings by flushing DNS and resetting Winsock. Plus, you can specify automatic DHCP IP assignments.

We hope that you managed to modify your IP address and DNS servers using our solutions.

You can also get around this problem by using one of the best VPN software for Windows to use an external server and IP.

What other fixes worked for your computer? Let us know in the comments section below.

How to stop Assassin’s Creed Valhalla from constantly minimizing

Posted on March 11, 2022October 1, 2024 by Alexandru Poloboc

Everyone can agree that it can get incredibly frustrating when you are trying to play your favorite game and it keeps minimizing, for whatever reason.

People that bought Assassin’s Creed Valhalla also reported dealing with a similar bug. Needless to say, this totally and utterly ruins any gameplay.

Problems like these can happen for a multitude of reasons, and we’re about to go through all of them together, just to make sure you can get rid of this pesky bug.

It won’t take up too much of your time, but just to be on the safe side, let’s review why this happens and how we can move past it.

What can I do to stop AC Valhalla from minimizing?

What you don’t need to do is throw your controller or smash your keyboard, because the problem doesn’t originate from there.

As satisfactory as running one’s hardware can be at certain times, we’ll show you a fix that will also preserve any keyboards, mice, or gamepads you have lying around.

It’s important to understand that this issue can actually be caused by malware, so the very first step should always be checking for that.

Run an antivirus/malware scan on your PC.
Update your GPU.
Disable Game Mode.
Disable system notifications.

Besides the above-mentioned steps, some AC Valhalla players specified that there’s another workaround that managed to do the trick for them

Just have Discord opened in your taskbar and, when the game minimizes, click on the Discord icon, then back on the game.

This should supposedly work, although some gamers said that it didn’t for them. That being said, one of the solutions here is bound to work for you as well.

Valhalla gamers also reported not being able to save their progress, and we can show you how to fix that as well.

Optimized settings and healthy files should also stop and prevent Assasin’s Creed Black Flag from crashing on startup.

Have you managed to fix this issue? Let us know in the comments section below.

[Fix] How to save your game in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Posted on March 11, 2022October 1, 2024 by Alexandru Poloboc

The last title in the beloved Assassin’s Creed series, which is Valhalla, has been out for a year and a half now, and everybody is in love with it.

Even though, like all other games in existence, it came with a wide array of bugs and glitches, that doesn’t stop gamers from enjoying every second of it.

Especially now that the game’s first DLC, Dawn of Ragnarok, has officially been released yesterday. However, Ubisoft didn’t manage to eliminate all the annoying issues.

Players are still struggling with not being able to save or auto-save their games and end up either playing really long stretches, or losing their progress.

As you can already imagine, that can become insanely frustrating in a short amount of time, so we’re here to show you some interesting workarounds for this issue.

How can I save my Assassin’s Creed Valhalla game?

Needless to say, modern problems require modern solutions. That’s the mentality that drove Valhalla users to find solutions of their own when Ubisoft failed to fix things.

And since starting a new game and finishing it in one go, without saving, is out of the question for mostly all of us, we’ll show you some neat workarounds for the issue.

Before we start, make sure you are not in a restricted area, where saves are not actually possible at all. Also, note that saving while during combat isn’t possible.

AC Valhalla players reported this problem last year. It apparently came with an update and decided to stay for good.

So what can you do? Turn to the easiest solutions there are, ones that do have the effect you desired, so you can save your progress.

Start a feast with your crew. This feature is only available when you have unlocked either the bakery or brewery in your settlement.
Go to sleep on your bed.

It might not seem like much but players that had this problem managed to temporarily solve it by using either one of the above-mentioned solutions. Those tips will help with related issues like AC Black Flag not launching.

Both actions will force the game to autosave, thus temporarily fixing the bug. But the issue comes right back as soon as you initiate a new quest.

Until Ubisoft permanently fixes this annoying problem, we’re afraid this is all that stands between us and not being able to save our progress.

Were you able to save your game using one of these solutions? Share your experience with us in the comments section below.

Anime Maker Software for PC: 10 Best Apps in 2026

Posted on March 11, 2022January 8, 2024 by Madalina Dinita

If you love anime movies and you’re planning to create animes yourself, you’ll need dedicated animation software.

Fortunately, there are many animation tools that offer you a variety of features that come in very handy when creating this type of animation.

Most of them, as you’ll see from the list below, will allow you not just to learn the art of animes, but also to enhance your creations with rich effects and lots of customizations.

So check out this list of the best anime software you can find on the market today.

What anime/animation software can I find online?

Adobe Animate

In the case of animation in general, be it cartoons or anime, few tools can come closer to the level of professionalism brought by Adobe Animate.

This neat tool lets you design interactive animations for games, TV shows, and the web, so plain old animation that you only watch is no longer the limit.

This tool now lets you bring cartoons and banner ads to life, create animated doodles and avatars, and add action to eLearning content and infographics.

Once your anime masterpiece is done, you can also use the tool to publish your artworks on multiple platforms in just about any format, and reach viewers on any screen.

Adobe Animate is part of the Creative Cloud and lest users integrate multiple related tools in the creation process.

It offers support for character creation, with intuitive tools that help you animate movement frame by frame.

Moreover, you can integrate interactive banners that respond to user interaction.

Along with that, from the same panel, you can add audio footage and make your character talk.

Other key features include:

Frequent updates
Cross-platform publishing capabilities
Full range of animation and character design tools
Familiar interface style for those used to Adobe products
Brush library that can be enriched with third-party brushes
A community that provides regular guides, tutorials, and other neat tips and tricks

Adobe Animate is a subscription-based service. You can try it out for free for 7 days and see if it meets your needs.

Adobe Animate

Sketch, draw and create captivating characters and bring them to life with Adobe’s easy-to-use, next-gen tool.

Free trial Visit website

Autodesk 3ds Max

A recent trend in anime that’s been around for a few years is to make cell-shaded 3D animations.

These are much easier to handle once character design is complete since you no longer have to waste time figuring out how to draw them by hand in all possible angles.

That is why a 3D animation tool can be extremely handy, and if you get one as professional as Autodesk 3ds Max, then you are on the right foot.

The great thing about Autodesk 3ds Max is that it is not a unidirectional tool. Once you subscribe to it, you can use it to do pretty much anything where you may require both 3D modeling and animation.

This includes anime, 3D feature-length films, video games, video game cutscenes, etc.

Features:

Frequently updated
Familiar interface for those that use AutoDesk products
Detailed hair and texture design
VR support
Refined shape modeling

All things considered, even if you end up deciding to use another tool for creating anime, never forget how versatile Autodesk 3ds Max.

Now that you have it, you can always use it again in case inspiration leads you down another path other than anime.

Autodesk 3ds Max

Create highly realistic anime characters with refined shape modeling, detailed texture design, and plenty of other handy tools.

Free trial Visit website

Maya

Maya is a powerful animation software that allows you to create 3D anime. If attention to detail is one of your strong points as an animator, then this is the right tool for you.

Maya provides a strong set of character design features. It includes an interactive grooming workflow with easy-to-use brush-based tools that let you create and style your character’s hair, create fur, and more.

The brusher is intuitive, but they let you create highly customizable and realistic stylings.

It also provides a cutting-edge sculpting toolset that lets users sculpt and shape characters more artistically and intuitively.

Autodesk Maya can be implemented in Adobe After Effects so you can operate changes on your character’s appearance.

Along with advanced character creation, the tool also helps you make realistic and complex environments. For example, you can create atmospheric effects, such as smoke and mist, render photorealistic liquids, and more.

Other key features of Autodesk Maya include:

Fast playback for 3D animation
Clip-based time editor
Motion library plug-in
Polygon modeling
NURBS modeling

Do you want to see Maya in action? Check out the video below to see how you can use the tool to create anime:

You can try Maya for free for 30 days from the official website.

Autodesk Maya

Implement realistic movements and style every detail of your 3D anime character for professional results.

Free trial Visit website

Animaker

If you want a tool that is highly intuitive and requires no previous knowledge and experience, you may want to take a look at what Animaker has to offer.

It is a very visual animation creator. You can create your video designs with drag and drop.

As opposed to other mentions on this list, the character builder integrated into this tool is much simpler. It works with a large library of items that you can mix and match to create highly unique characters.

This of course can save you lots of time, as you only use pre-made objects.

That said, we have to make clear that this tool does not offer as many customization features as other items on this list. However, it has a generous library of pre-made templates, character items, video assets.

It is a good starting point, especially for beginners or for those of you that are not necessarily willing to invest a lot of time in anime character creation.

Besides designing your character’s appearance, you can also add multiple facial expressions and integrate audio files and make the characters talk.

The lip-sync feature automates the movement of your character, which means you do not have to animate frame-to-frame when you want to integrate audio files.

When it comes to the animation process, Animaker uses a powerful HTML 5 engine that aims to offer high performance when you produce your animations.

Other key features include:

Massive asset library
1000+ cartoon video templates
3D and 2D animations
Support for social media videos, video presentations, and more

Animaker is a subscription-based service with 3 different plans, billed yearly. You can also get a custom plan and integrate only the features you plan on using. For that, you will have to contact the Animaker team.

Animaker

Design characters intuitively, with drag-and-drop, and produce your videos seamlessly with a powerful HTML5 engine.

Check price Visit website

Daz3d

Daz3d is mainly a figure design tool that is known for its extensive toolset that allows you to customize characters in many different art styles.

The tool ensures highly realistic results and offers plenty of customization features. However, keep in mind that it does not let you create characters from scratch.

You need to import pre-made models, either from its pre-existing library, or models made with compatible platforms.
It is equipped with character styling features. You can create both highly realistic human features and other types of characters.

It is a really good platform to customize anime characters. Besides its standard toolset, Daz3d also has an item shop that you can use to integrate specific features into your animation.

You can find ready-made anime characters, poses, hairstyles, accessories, clothing items, and more. If you want to get started with anime creation and need some inspiration, you can just head to the shop and type anime.

You will see that there are plenty of ready-made items that can help you get started. Most of them are customizable, and you can mix and match multiple items to create your unique character.

The Daz3d library also offers plenty of highly realistic facial expressions and body movement options.

Other key features of Daz3d include:

Integrates Autodesk 3Ds Max, Mudbox and Maya
Puts forward tons of tutorials and guides
Works in browser

Daz3d is free to use. The only expenses you may have are if you decide to use additional items from the shop. Keep in mind that the shop offers free items as well.

Daz3d

Give life to your ideas and create unique 3d anime characters with this comprehensive 3D modeling tool.

Free Visit website

Storyboard Pro

Storyboard Pro from Toon Boom is amongst the most popular storyline creation tools. It is equipped with several character creation and animation features that help bring creative visions to life.

The tool lets you use drawing and sketching tools to get started with your project. Afterward, you can implement animatic creation capabilities and sound.

Due to the fact that it is a storyline-based tool, StoryboardPro lets you upload and integrate your scripts. It is compatible with all major script software.

As it works primarily with sketching and drawing tools, Storyboard gives users lots of creative freedom. It has multiple brush options and effects, such as airbrush modes, ink, and crayon.

It incorporates multiple animations and movement features. Similar to Photoshop, it works with layering.

This means that you can easily integrate your character in various scenes, move and animate them on their own.

The tool is fairly easy to use. The UI is quite intuitive and similar to what you can find in other products of this kind. If you have trouble getting started, know that Storyboard provides in-depth video tutorials on how to use the whole toolset.

Other key features of Storyboard Pro include:

Advanced color management
Edit drawings on video tracks
Effects control view
Clip speed management
Plenty of audio effects

Storyboard is compatible with Windows and macOS. It is a subscription-based service, with a 21-day free trial.

⇒ Get Storyboard Pro

Cinema 4D

If you want professional-level results and a quick and efficient workflow, we recommend you look into Cinema 4D.

This rendering software offers a strong toolset that aims to meet the requirements for all sorts of film and animation makers.

The software offers multiple modeling options. It offers support for polygonal modeling, parametric modeling, volume modeling and it can also help you turn pictures into 3D models.

Cinema 4D is great for highly realistic and customizable character creation. Its sculpting feature is very intuitive, allowing users to play around with the models with pull, smooth, flatten, cut, pinch, and other similar functions that let you easily adjust and change up your meshes.

On the topic of character creation, you should also know that this software incorporates a comprehensive set of tools that help you paint detailed textures directly on 3D objects.

Users can create photo-realistic materials with the advanced texturing tool. Cinema 4D offers multi-layered material channels, reflectance, procedural shaders, and more.

In terms of animations, Cinema 4D includes manual animation basic tools that let you animate any 3D object with keyframing. You can also automate animation with an auto-key frame or by using parameters.

It also includes some animation presets. If you want to create anime, you can benefit from the Character Animation toolset which offers tons of realistic movement parameters that you can mix and match in your project.

Cinema 4 can also help you convert facial and body movements from video footage, animate moving objects, track models along with video materials, and more.

Other key features of Cinema 4D include:

Intuitive and customizable user interface
Easy to learn
Strong online community with tons of guides and tutorials
Easily save multiple versions of the same project

Cinema 4D is subscription-based, with monthly and annual plans available. You can try out the full-feature version within a 14-day free trial.

⇒ Get Cinema 4D

Cartoon Animator 4

Cartoon Animator 4 is another beginner-friendly option that can help you get started with your Anime project.

It is a 2D animation software, but it supports imports for 3D motions. You can upload pre-made 3D motions and convert them to multi-angle 2D performance motions.

This gives more possibilities and lets you create more precise movements.

Cartoon-animator lets you upload character models, and it also offers some presets.

Along with that, it offers several character templates for humans and animals. It offers 2D character rigging and bone tools. It supports multiple angles for 2D characters.

The animation features are intuitive and can save you a lot of time, as Cartoon Animator has an extensive set of pre-animated motion clips.

You can mix and blend them together, cut them off, and change their timing to perfectly fit your requirements.

If you want to create your own motions, you can do so with the intuitive IK/KF system. Along with that, it also offers a curve-based Motion Key editor.

This allows you to combine presets with curve-based movements and create professional-level animations.
The tool also has some pre-made poses and natural gestures motions that you can implement into your animation.

Other key features of Cartoon Animator 4 include:

Photoshop pipeline
Support for audio implementations
Motion path and timeline editing
Render style

Cartoon Animator 4 is sold as a one-time purchase license. It is compatible with Windows and macOS and you can try it for free for 30 days.

⇒ Get Cartoon Animator 4

DP Animation Maker

DP Animation Maker is the perfect tool to bring your anime to life on screen with just a few clicks. You can add special effects and also fine-tune them from settings.

The software toolset includes the following powerful instruments:

Smart Animation Brushes allow you to paint over a still image turning a picture of water, fire, or light into real-time animation.
Morphing/Deformation Brushes make stars spin, plants wave, ships sail and many other cool movements with little effort.
Library of Ready-to-Use Animations
Automatic Looped Video Generation

The program was not built for creating cartoon animations, but it is great for making quick animations from pre-existing elements.

Here’s what you can create with DP Animation Maker:

Animated Backgrounds
Animated introductions for games
Animated videos
Animated pictures for multimedia products
Music videos
YouTube videos

With DP Animation Maker you can create seamless animations automatically.

⇒ Get DP Animation Maker

Moho

Moho is one of the best animation software that you can use to create Japanese-style anime. Whether you’re an experienced animator or a complete beginner, this tool will make the creation process easier.

The software comes in two versions: Moho Debut and Moho Professional, which brings a bevy of advanced features allowing to create stunning anime. Both versions successfully mix traditional animation tools with modern, cutting-edge animation features.

The latest version of the software improves Smart Bones, the feature that allows users to control character movement and facial expressions.

Distortion around your character’s joints has been significantly reduced, and you can control facial expressions and head-turning with simple dial movements, so you no longer need to touch each bone point. This makes it much easier to repeat complex movements, allowing you to complete your animation work faster.

⇒ Get Moho

We’ll end our list here. Have you encountered any other worth-mentioning anime software to create amazing videos? Feel free to share it in the comments box.

Ghost Recon Wildlands Not Launching on PC: 5 Ways to Fix

Posted on March 11, 2022September 8, 2025 by Madalina Dinita

Many reported that Ghost Recon Wildlands is not launching for them, and this can be a frustrating issue, but luckily you can fix it with these steps.

Why is my Ghost Recon not launching?

This is usually due to issues with Visual C++ Redistributables or UPlay cache.

What can I do if Ghost Recon Wildlands is not launching?

What can I do if Ghost Recon Wildlands is not launching?

If you have MSI After burner installed, disable it before starting the game. Ubisoft Connect can also cause the problem, so reinstall it to fix this issue.

1. Repair your Redistributable package

Navigate to the path below:
C:\Program Files (x86)\CorePack\Tom Clancy Ghost Recon Wildlands\Support
Right-click the vcredist_x64_2012.exe file and select Run as administrator.
Select Repair.
Restart your computer.
Go back to the game folder and run the game’s executable as admin.
C:\Program Files (x86)\CorePack\Tom Clancy Ghost Recon Wildlands

Alternatively, you can download Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2012 Update 4. If your game fails to start due to connection errors, you might be dealing with Tarija 00019 or 00014. In that case, follow our dedicated guide to fix Ghost Recon Wildlands error Tarija 00019 and 00014.

2. Delete Uplay cache folder

Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
Go to the path below:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Ubisoft\Ubisoft Game Launcher\cache
Delete everything from the cache folder.

3. Run the game in Compatibility Mode

Go to the installation directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Wildlands
Next, right-click rungame.exe and choose Properties.
Go to Compatiblity tab and check Run this program in compatiblity mode for and select Windows 7.
Also, check Run this program as administrator.
Save changes.
Now do the same for GW.exe.

This is a simple solution, but it will help if Ghost Recon Wildlands is not launching on Steam.

If the game still refuses to open after trying compatibility mode, you can also check our complete guide on fixing Marvel Rivals not launching, since many solutions apply to Ghost Recon Wildlands as well.

4. Install the required certificates

Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
Go to Steam directly using the path below:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Wildlands\EasyAntiCheat\Certificates
Now locate and run the game.cer file. By doing so, you’ll install the required certificates.
Few users suggested running EasyAntiCheat_Setup.exe as administrator so try that as well.

Once the certificates are installed, the issue should be resolved, and the game will start running again.

5. Disable Cloud Save Synchronization

Start Uplay Client.
Enter your login credentials and go to the menu icon in the top left.
Choose Settings from the menu.
Now uncheck Enable Cloud Save Synchronization for supported games option.

This isn’t the only issue, and we covered Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands bugs in a separate guide, so don’t miss it. We also have a guide on Ghost Recon Wildlands lag and other network issues.

If you’ve encountered other solutions to fix the Ghost Recon Wildlands not launching on Windows 11, please list the troubleshooting steps in the comment section below.

Huion tablet not connecting [Driver Fix]

Posted on March 11, 2022September 13, 2025 by Tashreef Shareef

Huion is popular for its graphic drawing tablets and pen displays. However, several users have reported the Huion tablet not connecting issues with a device is disconnected message.

The error seems to be triggered due to glitchy or incompatible drivers installed for the tablet. This can also happen due to a loose connection or a faulty USB port.

In this article, we take a look at a few troubleshooting steps to help you resolve the Huion tablet not connecting issue in Windows 10.

Why is Huion tablet not working on Windows 10?

This is most likely caused by a driver issue, and to fix it, we advise you to update Huion tablet driver and check if that solves the problem.

Do keep in mind that sometimes installing drivers isn’t as simple as you think, and many reported that Huion driver installation is stuck on their PC.

Luckily, this guide should be able to help you fix this issue on your PC, so make sure to keep reading until the end.

How do I fix the Huion tablet not connecting issues in Windows 10?

1. Update Huion tablet using Outbyte Driver Updater

Outbyte Driver Updater automatically update drivers

Outbyte Driver Updater is a driver management application for Windows computers. You can scan, download, and install driver updates for your Windows machine automatically.

Featuring a database with over 18 Million driver files, Outbyte Driver Updater comes with a download and schedule manager to perform automatic scans and updates.

This can simplify the process considerably, and on top of that, it allows you peace of mind that the exact version and type of drivers are being used on your machine.

As you know, even one faulty or non-compatible driver can cause mayhem on your system, so why risk it when you can use this incredibly powerful software? Give it a try today!

Here are the steps required to set it up on your computer.

Click the Download button and install Outbyte Driver Updater.
Launch the tool.
Select Huion Tablet driver from the list and click Update.
Wait for the update to download and install.

Outbyte Driver Updater

This lightweight and powerful tool detects all your driver requirements automatically and updates them to the latest version instantly.

Free trial Visit website

2. Reinstall the driver manually

Press the Windows key + R.
Type control and click OK.
In Control Panel, go to Programs, and choose Programs and Features.
Select Huion Tablet from the list of installed apps.
Click Uninstall. You may have to confirm the action by clicking on Yes/Uninstall.
Wait for the device to uninstall and then restart the computer. After the reboot, head over to the Huion Tablet driver download page.
Search for the Product Model and click Submit.
Click the Download button to download the latest driver for your tablet for Windows. If you are using a Mac, download a compatible driver for macOS.
Run the driver installer to finish the installation.

Once installed, restart your computer and check for any improvements.

Note: Make sure you are downloading the driver made for the Huion tablet model you are using. Drivers made for other Huion tablet may not work for your tablet.

3. Downgrade to the older version

Visit Huion’s driver download webpage.
Select your product by clicking the drop-down menu.
In the download section, download the older version driver depending on the release date.
Click the Download button to save the file.
Run the installer and proceed with the installation.
Once installed, reconnect the tablet and check if the error is resolved.

4. Check for hardware issues

Check USB port

If the issue persists, disconnect the tablet and connect it to another vacant UBS port. This will allow you to see if you have a faulty USB port that is causing the issue.

Check with another computer

If you have tried it all, connect the tablet to another computer that you have in your home or office. If the tablet works with a new computer, the issue is mostly with your current system and not a tablet.

Use Clean Boot to diagnose

On your main computer, press the Windows key + R.
Type msconfig and click OK.
In the System Configuration window, open the Services tab.
Check the ‘Hide all Microsoft services’ box.
Next, click the Disable All button.
Once done, click Apply and then Restart the computer.

Your computer will now boot in Clean Boot state and load only essential Microsoft services. Connect your Huion tablet and check if it is working.

If it is working, a third-party app installed on your computer is most likely conflicting with the tablet. Before you proceed to uninstall the conflicting app, make sure to enable all the disabled services once again by opening the System Configuration window.

The Huion tablet not connecting issue can be resolved by updating the driver or by downgrading to an older driver version. Follow the steps and let us know which method helped you resolve the issue in the comments.

How to fix missing COM ports in Device Manager

Posted on March 11, 2022May 15, 2024 by Matthew Adams

The Device Manager usually lists COM ports for desktops. However, those COM ports can sometimes disappear from the Device Manager window after users upgrade their Windows platforms.

It’s only natural to wonder where the COM ports have gone. Thus, you might need to restore missing COM ports so they can configure them via Device Manager.

Why is COM port not detected in Windows 10?

If the COM port isn’t detected, you’ll get a Unable to open serial port message on your PC. This can occur if the software can’t recognize the device you want to connect to the PC.

Other ports can also encounter issues, and users reported that USB ports aren’t working on their PC. This is most likely a driver issue, and it can be fixed with a update.

Speaking of issues, there are reports that Arduino port isn’t showing up for some users, and this is most likely caused by driver issues, so reinstall or update them.

How can I restore missing COM ports?

1. Select the Show hidden devices option

Open the Win + X menu and click the Device Manager.
Then click the View menu.
Select the Show hidden devices option.

Show hidden devices option device manager add com port

You can also use dedicated motherboard information software. These can give you precious specs about your motherboard, CPU, BIOS, or memory. They can also detect issues such as the one at hand and help you fix them.

2. Update motherboard drivers

One way to restore missing COM ports in Device Manager is to update antiquated motherboard drivers.

You can do that either manually or using a dedicated driver updating tool, which will scan for devices and components that need driver updates.

3. Add COM ports

Open Device Manager as explained above.
Click the Action menu.
Select Add legacy hardware.
Press the Next button on that window.
Select the Install the hardware that I manually select from a list radio button.
Click the Next button to open a list of hardware to add.
Then select Ports (COM & LPT) on the list, and press the Next button.
Select the manufacturer for the ports or the Standard port types option, and click the Next button.
Press the Finish button.

So those are some of the potential fixes that should restore COM ports in Device Manager. Afterward, you can configure the ports as required.

If you used another method to fix this problem, share it with the community using the comments section below.

Learn how to master your Windows OS from our extensive tutorials in the Windows 10 Hub.

Be prepared to deal with any software-related issue with our Troubleshooting Guides.

Windows 10/11 GameGuard error: What it is and how to fix it

Posted on March 11, 2022October 10, 2025 by Milan Stanojevic

GameGuard or GG as it is commonly known as an anti-cheating software installed alongside multiplayer online roleplaying games (MMORPGs) like 9Dragons, Cabal Online, and others, to block malicious apps and other common cheating methods.

GG hides the game app process while monitoring the memory range, and terminating apps defined by the vendor of the games as well as INCA Internet cheats, plus it blocks some calls to DirectX functions, Windows APIs and makes automatic updates with every new threat that arises.

This tool works like a rootkit so it may have some unwanted side effects, like blocking hardware installation and activation of peripherals while the programs are running. It also monitors your computer’s memory, so it will affect performance when the game that is being protected loads more resources at the same time.

Some users of GameGuard have reported that they’ve experienced issues on their computers, and we’ll look at some of the common Windows 10 GameGuard error types, and how to fix them.

FIX: Windows 10/11 GameGuard error

General fixes
Use a reliable antivirus
Download a new version of GameGuard
Common Windows 10 GameGuard error types and their fixes
Other errors

1. General fixes

GameGuard is a delicate tool, so one of the things you can do to resolve the Windows 10 GameGuard error includes ensuring that GameGuard is not being interrupted by your antivirus.

Most Windows 10 GameGuard error problems are caused by the large use of proxy servers such as restricted internet connections due to security software like firewalls or antivirus, which makes GameGuard not update.

In this case, add GameGuard and PSO2 to the real-time protection whitelist in the control panel of your antivirus. Multiple antivirus software on your computer may be one of the causes of the problem.

Also, ensure your operating system is up to date. You can also run a system file checker scan to check the operating system files for corruption and attempts to repair them, plus check your hard drive for consistency issues.

If a proxy server is on, launch your browser, and disable or turn it off by doing the following:

Open Internet Explorer and click Tools

Select Internet Options

Click Connections tab
Select LAN settings
Uncheck the option: Use a proxy server for your LAN

You can also fix Windows 10 GameGuard errors by modifying the hosts’ file, which can change an internet address to a different one, due to modifications by spyware or viruses. Here’s how to fix it:

Open the hosts file from File Explorer in the System32 folder
Select Notepad in the Open With window
Delete all game and GameGuard related lines (lines without #) and save them

2. Use a reliable antivirus

For each computer, we recommend having good protection software installed. You can’t always depend on common sense only to evade malware. Get a good antivirus solution and keep it updated.

As far as reliability goes, we highly recommend TotalAV. This anti-malware guarding software can offer anti-phishing tools and no slowdowns on your PC while you’re playing or watching anything.

Moreover, this multi-layered antivirus can protect the operating system from spyware or ransomware attacks, and without interfering with GameGuard software or other applications on your PC.

TotalAV

This lightweight antivirus tool is perfectly suited for malware without compromising GameGuard software.

Free Trial Visit Website

3. Download a new version of GameGuard

In order to do this, you need to delete the GameGuard folder in your blade and soul folder, then run the repair from the launcher, and start the game. It should download a new version of GameGuard. This also works for the 4049 Windows 10 GameGuard error.

4. Common Windows 10 GameGuard error types and their fixes

Error 100, it means your computer has a virus infection. Update your antivirus to the latest and then scan your computer. If the error persists, it may be a virus that cannot be easily detected.
Error 110 indicates that NProtect has been loaded once but still resides in your computer’s memory. Open Task Manager from CTRL+ALT+DELETE, select Processes, and end process for u_skidprogram and GameMon.des. If this doesn’t help, restart your computer.
Error 112: to resolve this error, ensure your computer is virus free and you have enough memory available. Update your antivirus, and ensure you have few programs open at the same time. Disable any security software, temporarily, as these may prevent GameGuard from executing, then scan your computer with an updated antivirus to remove any viruses that are affecting GameGuard, and check your computer for minimum system requirements.
Error 114 is very common, but there’s no specific solution to this error. However, it generally indicates that some software on your computer is hindering NProtect from loading. Check that you have admin access to your computer and you have shut down any unnecessary software. You can also end processes or system services that aren’t necessary, and temporarily disable your security software which may prevent GameGuard from executing. Restart your computer and see if the Windows 10 GameGuard error 114 goes away.
Error 115: This indicates that the game has executed multiple times, or that GameGuard is running already. Close the game and reboot your PC.
Error 120/124/141/142: this Windows 10 GameGuard error indicates that NProtect is either incomplete or damaged. In this case, delete the GameGuard folder and repatch it, or try to click on the Check Files button.
Error 150/153: This means the setup file for GameGuard either doesn’t exist, or has been corrupted. Delete the GameGuard folder and restart your computer, then download GameGuard all over again. You can also download the setup file for GameGuard and install the GameGuard folder.
Error 155: this error indicates your computer has a severe virus or your OS/Hard disk are corrupted. Check with Microsoft support to help restore the file in your specific operating system version. You can also check for viruses and reinstall your browser or rsabase.dll in the system folder based on the version of Internet Explorer you use.
Error 157: if you get this Windows 10 GameGuard error, the tool may still be running, but close 9Dragons if it is open, then wait for about one to two minutes and restart the game. If it persists, restart your computer.
Error 170: this is caused by a problem with GameGuard INI, so the program doesn’t launch. Delete the GameGuard folder and re-run the game again to download the NProtect files. You can also delete the folder, restart your computer and let the launcher download the GameGuard folder again, or reinstall the setup file and try running the game again.
Error 174: this is also called the completer skill bug, and it is caused by overlapping computer and other skills and can cause frequent DC’s leading to a permanent ban as it is considered speedhacking. Reinstall GameGuard and ensure the client is functional to fix this Windows 10 GameGuard error.
Error 200: this indicates that an illegal program has been detected. Close all unnecessary programs and try again (check for third party tool programs as well). Launch Task Manager and terminate any illegal or unnecessary programs and processes. Scan your PC with an updated virus scanner to remove viruses that may be in the NProtect blacklist. Run Windows in Diagnostic startup by right clicking Start>Run>type msconfig>OK then under General, select Diagnostic startup and reboot your PC
Error 230: this is an initialization error. Update DirectX and your graphics card drivers. If this doesn’t help, delete the GameGuard folder and restart the game to reinstall and update GameGuard.
Error 340: this indicates that NProtect patches failed to download either due to network issues or an overly restrictive firewall leading to failed downloads. Check your firewall or antivirus settings and let GameGuard patch its files. if the network is not stable currently, the internet or firewall settings might be having some issues so you need to manually adjust them. If GameGuard still doesn’t update, find the hosts files from C:WindowsSystem32drivers and right click on the host file, select properties, then ensure the read only option is unchecked. Open the hosts file with Notepad, and delete all lines and text under …. # …….. 127.0.0.1 …….. localhost. Close the hosts file, accept changes, and restart your computer. Ensure you have enough bandwidth and no upload/download is crowding your internet connection. If using WiFi, ensure it is stable and no one else is using it, then close any other apps besides 9Dragons.
Error 350: GameGuard has been canceled by the computer’s user, so restart and do not cancel GameGuard option. You can also try connecting again or confirm if the network status by pressing retry button.
Error 360: this means the NProtect patch process has failed due to corrupted files or an overly restrictive firewall. To fix this Windows 10 GameGuard error, allow NProtect access through your firewall, and if it persists, delete GameGuard directory. If the update isn’t successful or GameGuard file is corrupted, try again later or check firewall settings. Also scan GameGuard folder from the game directory and download it using the manual link, install and try again.
Error 361: this means GameGuard did not install well, probably it was canceled or something happened. You can download GameGuard again, or go to Internet>Settings>Network>Check security program is working or not. Also check if you need authorization to use the internet before connecting to it.
Error 380: this indicates the problem is with your internet connection, and security software. You can either wait and try later, or verify your firewall settings. If you fail to connect to GameGuard update server, download GameGuard manually and install it again.
Error 405: this relates to invalid timestamp or the timestamp is out of the acceptable boundaries, encountered when entering dungeons so it is a failsafe to stop bots from entering dungeons using fake or forged packets. You need to trace all cases to either multiple people in a team trying to enter a dungeon at the same time so each will get the error as the team is DC, or, the people’s connection is unstable due to excessive uploading/downloading on the network, or inefficient networking hardware (router/WiFi cards/WiFi Ariels). Resolve it by checking the connection status and identify the source of the weak connection, then remove the problem.
Error 421: this is due to a GameGuard error, so delete the GameGuard folder and reinstall it or let the launcher download a fresh copy, or replace with the one that works (from another person)
Error 500: indicates that there’s a program that conflicts with GameGuard. Check Task Manager for such a program and close it by clicking End Process.
Error 610/620/102/1013/1014: this indicates that GameGuard files are not found or have been changed. Delete the GameGuard folder and try again.
Error 905/1015: This is related to animations and GameGuard too. Reinstalling GameGuard and ensuring the client is functional will resolve this Windows 10 GameGuard error.
Error ____ (no numbers): indicates that your computer is lagging

5.Other errors

If you get an error such as ‘Cannot display video mode’, reinstall the game or reinstall the graphics card. If you keep getting DC’ed a few minutes into the game, go to C:ProgramFilesGamersFirst9dragonsNDLAUNCHERprogram. Right-click and select Properties>Compatibility>Change to other lower ones.

Did any of these solutions help resolve the Windows 10 GameGuard error for you? let us know in the comments section below.

This article is part of the Gaming series where we write about the latest games news but also troubleshoot any errors or glitches they have.

You can scroll through our multiplayer section on the site to read news about new game launches and other tools. Or search straight for your favorite game.

5 Best VPNs For Toshiba Laptops

Posted on March 11, 2022October 6, 2025 by Elena Constantinescu

Nowadays, carrying your laptop wherever you go is practically mandatory, whether you use it for work or entertainment.

But it becomes a matter of security when you connect to the Internet, especially over public Wi-Fi hotspots.

If you’re a privacy-concerned user with a Toshiba notebook, you can use various security solutions, such as a trustworthy antimalware tool. But you should get a VPN, too.

A VPN works differently than a proxy server because it’s designed to encrypt every data packet you send and receive over the Internet.

If you’re wondering how this affects you, remember that anyone with a few computer skills can pull off a man-in-the-middle attack to acquire your Internet data.

That means someone else could steal your email login info or online banking details, to name a couple of examples. But a VPN keeps you safe because it uses encryption to defend your data from cybercriminals.

What are the best VPNs for my Toshiba laptop?

ExpressVPN – best VPN for Toshiba laptops

Last but not least, the VPN solution, ExpressVPN, provides strong privacy and security for your Toshiba PC.

By choosing this VPN, you highly contribute to your online anonymity, which can solve privacy issues when you access various websites or applications.

You also have stronger encryption for your network connection, which means you can be relaxed regarding cookies or tracking ads present everywhere on the web.

There are also remarkably fast servers in 94 countries that confirm the security of every user, plus unrestricted content for blocked streaming platforms or social apps anywhere you are.

What else you should know about ExpressVPN:

160 servers in 94 different regions
Integrated platforms for many devices
Unrestricted content from censored websites
Network lock kill switch
Split tunneling functionality
Private DNS on each server
No connections log

ExpressVPN

Increase the security of your Toshiba device with this advanced VPN solution.

Check price Visit Website

Private Internet Access – best for data encryption

Private Internet Access is the best VPN for Windows 10 laptops

Private Internet Access deservingly takes the first spot on the list of top VPNs for your Toshiba notebook.

A solid infrastructure, including stable VPN connections, a large network of servers, and advanced settings, sustains PIA.

You can use PIA to connect to more than 3,300 VPN servers spread across 48 different countries. It can avoid geoblocks and unlock Netflix US even if you’re outside of the United States.

At the same time, PIA uses advanced techniques to improve your security and prepare your laptop for gaming, such as a kill switch, port forwarding, and split tunneling.

What else you should know about PIA:

Private DNS servers
10 connections
No logs
24/7 live chat support
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

Private Internet Access

Take control of your laptop’s online security and privacy using PIA.

Check price Visit Website

NordVPN – best for security

NordVPN is one of the most secure VPNs for your Toshiba laptop.

It contains many advanced safety options that other similar services lack, such as obfuscated servers and integration with the Tor anonymous network.

The VPN service includes an emergency kill switch, an ad, and a malware blocker named CyberSec.

It encrypts your data traffic with OpenVPN and has a network of more than 5,100 VPN servers in 59 countries.

Although it doesn’t have native support for split tunneling, you can achieve this by independently controlling its browser extension from the desktop client.

What else you should know about NordVPN:

Private and custom DNS servers
6 connections
No logs
24/7 live chat support
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

NordVPN

Take your Toshiba notebook’s security to the next level by downloading and installing this VPN.

Check price Visit Website

Surfshark – best for multiple devices

use Surfshark for your Windows 10 laptop

If you have a limited budget and a large family, you can use Surfshark.

It has affordable subscription plans and can protect any devices using the same account. It’s the top budget-friendly VPN for your Toshiba laptop.

Made by Surfshark LTD, this tool has the fewest VPN servers on this list: over 1,700 in more than 63 countries.

But it makes up for it by implementing a few advanced security options, such as obfuscated servers.

Plus, if you want to maximize your security and fix network congestion, you can stay connected to two VPN servers at the same time by taking advantage of Surfshark’s multi-hop VPN feature.

It also supports split-tunneling mode.

What else you should know about Surfshark:

Exclusive DNS on each VPN server
Unlimited connections
No logs
24/7 live chat and email support
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

Surfshark

Install this VPN on your Toshiba notebook to protect all household devices using only one account.

Check price Visit Website

CyberGhost VPN – best free VPN

use CyberGhost VPN for your Windows 10 laptop

CyberGhost VPN is the best free VPN for your Toshiba laptop.

We advise against trusting a free VPN with your data because it might be compromised. However, CyberGhost VPN doesn’t fall into this category because it’s a premium service that offers a limited free trial.

This VPN service has the largest network of VPN servers on this list (over 6,500 in 89 countries), which is ideal for exploring IP addresses from countries worldwide. You can also connect to the nearest VPN server for the best speed.

CyberGhost VPN is wrapped in a good-looking interface with intuitive options, where you can easily access the VPN servers dedicated to streaming and torrenting. It has a split-tunneling mode and a kill switch.

What else you should know about CyberGhost VPN:

Exclusive DNS servers and DNS leak protection
7 connections
No logs
Up to 45-day money-back guarantee
1-day free trial for Windows
7-day free trial for Android and iOS

CyberGhost VPN

Use this free VPN on your Toshiba laptop to access an impressive network of VPN servers.

Check price Visit Website

To sum up, you can safely install one of the VPN desktop clients from above on your Toshiba laptop if you want to get the best out of your Internet connection, including better security and entertainment.

If you can’t make up your mind about which virtual private network service to use, we suggest opting for Private Internet Access since it’s the best overall VPN for Toshiba notebooks.

And you are in the right place as well if you are also looking for a VPN with Pittsburgh servers. Take a closer look at our dedicated guide and avoid any TV restrictions.

Social Media Protection Software: 5 Best to Try Out

Posted on March 11, 2022September 29, 2025 by Radu Tyrsina

Social media started out as a new way for people to connect and share their life experiences.

In time, it has evolved into big platforms that offer a way to consume news (Twitter), create fan communities (Facebook), search for a job (LinkedIn), create and promote your own brand (Instagram), and so much more.

This means that keeping your accounts secure is more important than ever.

Whether you are a person or a business, there are tools you can use to lower the risks of damaging your own image or losing access to your social media accounts.

From free tools to premium solutions that cost a pretty penny, here’s how to choose the right one for your needs.

How can I protect your privacy on social media? [Best tools]

1. Use a password management tool

You don’t want a cybercriminal to take over your online identity and steal all of your personal information. However, social media is a vulnerability through which hackers may gain access to all of this.

There are several tools out there that can help keep your online accounts safe, and the one that got our attention, particularly in this case is RoboForm.

Make your passwords unique and tough to guess, and save them securely with the RoboForm application.

Thus, benefit from this free trial service to encrypt all passwords online and also consider the premium plans to sync up all your devices.

Furthermore, with this trustworthy password manager for social media accounts, you won’t have to remember where you placed your passwords because everything is in one place, safe on the cloud.

Password managers frequently provide supplementary security measures in addition to an encrypted vault. For example, RoboForm allows you to autofill and autosave passwords while you’re browsing the internet.

RoboForm

Have social media passwords encrypted and hidden with this full-featured manager.

Free trial Visit Website

2. Covering the basics: social login security

The most important aspect of the security of an online account is the login password. Many people choose a very weak password, so it’s best to begin there. A good rule of thumb is to make it as long as possible – aim for at least 12 characters.

Most social networks will ask you to use at least one upper case letter, one number, and one special character, but in reality, it’s just better to aim for a lengthy password that you can easily remember.

You can find tools that can help you generate secure passwords, but you’ll have to keep those safe.

Password Managers are growing in popularity, and they provide a lot of convenience and security in both free and paid versions.

Notable examples are LastPass, Enpass, Dashlane, RoboForm, and 1Password, but there’s no shortage of options out there.

A password manager will also do the remembering for you. You will only have to use a master password, which is the key to a vault where all the login details are stored encrypted.

Paid versions analyze the strength of your passwords, and notify you to change them if a service has been hacked.

Lastly, make sure to use multi-factor authentication whenever possible, as it’s free and easy to set up using a mobile phone and QR codes.

Popular tools like Google Authenticator, LastPass Authenticator, and Microsoft Authenticator will provide you with a one-time security code every time you log in on a new device, ensuring you’re the real owner of that account.

3. Use an antivirus to avoid scams and phishing

If you’re not already using an antivirus on your Windows PC, we strongly recommend you do. Dedicated tools are more robust and capable than the built-in Windows Defender.

In short, online threats have only grown with the rise of social media. In turn, the antivirus has evolved to match the increased complexities of online security.

Good antiviruses with high detection rates protect your computer in real-time. They have built-in vulnerabilities detectors that always run in the background.

They can send quick notifications whenever they detect suspicious activity such as an unsafe Wi-Fi network that may monitor your online endeavors.

Modern-day antiviruses are generally light and configured to be as non-intrusive as possible, whilst still providing top-level security.

Many of them can also detect whether there are any problems in your system such as missing security updates for your OS and software.

This way, you can rest assured that rogue software will not take control of your computer and use the social media accounts that you are connected to in order to spread malware to your friends.

4. Taking it to the next level with cloud protection

Perhaps you are a parent looking to keep your children safe online. You may be interested in filtering the content they find on social media and protecting them from cyber-bullying and stalking.

There are many options available, and choosing between them can get a little confusing. But let’s talk about what might be the best – even if it’s not exactly the cheapest.

Net Nanny is a great internet filtering tool, which greatly reduces profanity and blocks adult sites. It also has a social component, designed specifically to monitor children’s activity on popular sites.

This includes Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr, among others. From instant messaging to image and video posting, Net Nanny Social records everything – even what friends are doing.

Parents have access to a dashboard where they can see an overview of their kids’ activities. This includes the current threat level for stalking and bullying.

You’ll get notified by SMS only when action is necessary, and there’s no need for any software installation. This is a cloud-based service, which means you can set up and do everything from the comfort of your browser.

5. Cloud protection is a must for business owners

If you own a business, managing your always-on social media presence is very important.

Protecting your brand image isn’t just about what happens on your official pages, but also about making sure you track what your employees are doing on their pages.

A simple bad tweet can do irreparable damage, but there are ways to reduce these risks to a minimum.

One good example is Hootsuite, which is great even for professionals who work alone.

This cloud service allows you to do monitoring, analytics, engagement, and security in one package. Security is actually provided via a platform called Zerofox, which integrates seamlessly with your Hootsuite stream.

Visual representation of important social media security features in Hotsuite

It works great with content curation software. Using these tools will help you set an approval system for social posts. This will give you control of the level of access for each user, and flag sensitive content.

On top of that, you get automated protection against hijacking. Nothing is worse than brand impersonation or having an executive lose control of their social media account.

A good rule of thumb is that security is only as good as the weakest link. Attackers have devised ways to piece together the information they need by targeted phishing, which can translate into data leaks.

In today’s fast-moving world, using a service like Hootsuite is just as important as having a contingency plan.

These are our top suggestions when it comes to social-media security tools. We hope we helped you establish a good system. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to use the comment section below.

If you want more suggestions, the articles in the Software Hub will help you stay ahead in this game of protecting your personal information as much as possible.

If you are interested in more advanced online security and privacy, check out the VPN Hub on our website.

6 Best VPNs For Acer Laptops

Posted on March 11, 2022October 6, 2025 by Elena Constantinescu

Whether you work from home or often travel to various parts of the world for business, you need a VPN for your Acer laptop to keep your work documents safe.

A virtual private network solution is ideal for Internet-enabled Acer notebooks.

You can use it to protect your device from cyber-criminals when connecting to public Wi-Fi in airports, restaurants, pubs, hotels, etc.

But a VPN also adds entertainment value to your laptop. For example, you can watch your Netflix library anywhere in the world while traveling.

Whatever the case, if you wish to fit your Acer laptop with a reliable VPN, here are the 5 best options.

By the way, if you want to replace your old notebook, check out the best Acer laptops for business and gaming.

What are the best VPNs for my Acer laptop?

ExpressVPN – best VPN for Acer laptops

ExpressVPN markets itself as a premium option and costs accordingly. This implies that it is more expensive than most of its competitors, but the features and services it provides are well worth the money.

When you have an ongoing need to travel with your Acer laptop, for personal or business purposes, it may be risky to encounter dodgy hackers whenever you connect to a public WiFi network.

ExpressVPN has the Traveler VPN feature to keep you connected with friends and family, can let you access your social networking accounts, unblocks your favorite entertainment sites, and secures your online business.

Why chose ExpressVPN as your security assistant:

3000+ servers in 160 different locations, 94 countries
Military-grade 256-bit AES encryption, no leaks, split tunneling
24/7 user support
30-days money-back guarantee
Best for working abroad, or doing online business

ExpressVPN

Travel, work, shop safely with military-grade encryption and 24/7 user support with the fastest VPN on the market!

Check price Visit Website

Private Internet Access – No logs or leaks

Private Internet Access (PIA) is the best overall VPN for your Acer notebook, thanks to its VPN connection speed, security features, number of simultaneous connections, and cost.

PIA uses OpenVPN to encrypt your data without sacrificing the connection speed. It has an integrated kill switch, port forwarding, split tunneling, and private DNS servers to protect your DNS requests.

You can even disable VPN encryption if you need more speed, although this shouldn’t be necessary. The virtual private network solution allows 10 simultaneous device connections and provides 24/7 live chat support.

What else you should know about PIA:

+3,300 VPN servers in 48 countries
No logs or leaks
Compatible with all major platforms
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

Private Internet Access

Protect your Acer laptop from the dangers of the Internet using this dependable VPN.

Check price Visit Website

NordVPN – best for security

NordVPN is the most secure VPN for your Acer laptop, thanks to its advanced safety options that can be easily toggled.

It has VPN servers organized in various groups, such as dedicated VPNs and Onion-over-Tor VPNs, if you want to maximize your security by joining the Tor anonymous network while staying connected to the VPN.

What’s more, NordVPN has an obfuscation mode in case your VPN gets blocked. If the remote host rejects your regular VPN connection, you just have to connect to an obfuscated VPN server to make it look like typical HTTPS traffic.

What else you should know about NordVPN:

+5,100 VPN servers in 59 countries
No logs or leaks
Compatible with all major operating systems
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

NordVPN

Make your journeys more secure by installing this reliable VPN on your Acer laptop.

Check price Visit Website

Surfshark – best for unlimited connections

Developed by Surfshark LTD, Surfshark is a budget-friendly VPN solution for your Acer notebook.

What’s more, you can use it to protect the devices of your entire family by installing the VPN client, since one Surfshark account allows any number of simultaneous connections.

But its functionality doesn’t end there. Surfshark also boasts some top-notch security features that other VPNs envy, including an ad and malware blocker, split-tunneling mode, and obfuscated servers.

Plus, if you want to change your GPS location with a VPN, Surfshark is the only app we know that does that by default. Although it has the lowest count of VPN servers here, it protects each of them with private DNS.

What else you should know about Surfshark:

+1,700 VPN servers in +63 countries
No logs or leaks
Compatible with all major operating systems
30-day money-back guarantee
7-day free trial for iOS and Android

Surfshark

Protect all your household devices using a single and affordable VPN account.

Check price Visit Website

CyberGhost VPN – best free VPN

CyberGhost VPN is the best free VPN for your Acer notebook, thanks to the fact that it’s a premium service that offers a free trial (no credit card required).

CyberGhost VPN has the biggest network of VPN servers on this list. It can be used to circumvent geo-restrictions and unlock all popular Netflix catalogs, including Netflix US, UK, Australia, Germany, and Canada.

It supports exclusive DNS servers, trusted Wi-Fi networks, a kill switch, an ad and malware blocker, OpenVPN, and up to 7 device connections at the same time.

Plus, you can make Windows 10 auto-connect to this VPN on OS boot.

What else you should know about CyberGhost VPN:

+6,500 VPN servers in 89 countries
No logs or leaks
Up to 45-day money-back guarantee
1-day free trial for Windows
7-day free trial for iOS and Android

CyberGhost VPN

Preserve your online anonymity when connecting your Acer notebook to the Internet, thanks to this trustworthy VPN.

Free trial Visit Website

Vypr VPN – best for streaming

Vypr VPN is one of the fastest VPNs for streaming on PC and Mac. You can use it to secure all incoming and outgoing Internet connections, making sure that you’re safe from hackers.

The VPN service is produced by Golden Frog, a renowned security company. You can easily set it up on your Acer notebook to shield your router from cyber-criminals, as well as use it in your travels to unblock streaming services like Netflix.

Vypr VPN supports OpenVPN. It can be installed on 5 devices to protect all of them using the same account. However, it’s possible to set it up on your router to share your VPN account with all connected devices (it doesn’t matter how many they are).

What else you should know about Vypr VPN:

DNS protection
Secure kill switch in case the connection drops
Public Wi-Fi protection
Access to Chameleon protocol
700+ servers nd 30, 000 IP addresses
No logs policy

Vypr VPN

Connect your Acer laptop to a Vypr server and get complete online privacy.

Check price Visit Website

To sum up, it’s not mandatory to download and install a VPN on your Acer laptop. But it’s highly recommended to increase its security level and protect your online identity this way, especially if you’re always on the move.

Granted, you can set up a VPN between two PCs to connect to the workplace and use your company’s internal resources as if you were on the same LAN.

But a VPN comes with numerous other benefits, including anti-hacker and anti-DDoS protection.

If you can’t decide between the 5 VPNs, we suggest opting for Private Internet Access since it’s the best overall. And local TV content availability can be one of the reasons you need something as specific as Pennsylvania VPN servers. In such a case, we’ve got you covered as well.

Minecraft Launcher Black Screen: Here’s Why & How to Fix

Posted on March 11, 2022October 26, 2025 by Milan Stanojevic

One of the most popular games in the past few years was Minecraft, but many users reported Minecraft black screen issues that prevent them from starting the game.

This can be a big problem for gamers, so today we’re going to show you how to fix this issue.

There are many issues that can occur with Minecraft, and speaking of issues, here are some common problems that users reported:

Minecraft launcher black screen Windows 10 – Sometimes problems with Minecraft can be caused by your antivirus or drivers. To fix the issue, we advise you to temporarily disable your antivirus and make sure that your graphics card drivers are up to date.
Minecraft Windows 10 edition black screen – Problems with the Windows 10 edition of Minecraft can occur due to your graphics card settings, so be sure to disable 3D Display Mode and the Stereoscopic 3D feature.
Minecraft black screen on startup, after launch, crash – These are some common problems that can occur with Minecraft, but you should be able to fix most of them by using one of our solutions.
Minecraft black screen when alt tabbing – This can be caused by an incompatible or incorrectly set resolution from its settings.

How do I fix Minecraft black screen issues on Windows 10?

1. Check your antivirus

If you’re unable to start Minecraft, the first thing that you need to check is your antivirus software.

Many third-party antivirus tools tend to interfere with certain applications, and sometimes your antivirus can prevent you from running Minecraft and other games.

If you’re getting a black screen while trying to run Minecraft, be sure to check if your antivirus is blocking Minecraft. You can also add Minecraft to the list of exclusions in your antivirus and check if that helps.

If Minecraft isn’t blocked, try disabling certain antivirus features or your antivirus altogether. Sometimes this might not be enough, so your best choice would be to uninstall the third-party antivirus.

Once you remove the antivirus, try running Minecraft again.

If removing the antivirus solves the problem, you might want to consider switching to a different antivirus.

If you’re a gamer, and you want to be sure that your antivirus doesn’t interfere with your gaming sessions, you might want to try out antivirus software with gaming modes.

2. Reinstall your graphics card drivers

Open Device Manager by pressing Windows Key + X and choosing Device Manager from the list.
Locate your graphics card driver, right-click it and choose Uninstall device.
If available, check Remove driver software for this device Now click on Uninstall.
After the driver is removed, click Scan for hardware changes icon.

Of course, you can use Device Manager or you can even look for the driver by visiting your graphics card manufacturer’s website and downloading the latest drivers for your model.

However, the easiest way to update your driver is by using a third-party tool such as Outbyte Driver Updater that will work through the whole process automatically.

You only need to download and install Outbyte Driver Updater, then open it. You don’t have to click on anything because the software will automatically run a driver scan on your PC.

After a short while, there is only one step left, deciding whether to install the drivers separately or all together.

For the first option, you have to check the boxes on the left of the drivers and then click the update boxes from their right. For the second, you just click on the Select All box.

Outbyte Driver Updater

Reinstalling your graphics card driver is a breeze with Outbyte Driver Updater because the whole process is automatic.

Check price Visit website

3. Try using WinZip as an archiver software

If you’re using a Java version of Minecraft, perhaps the black screen is caused by your file archiver software.

In order to run the Java version of the game, your PC needs to be able to unzip the Java files, and if that doesn’t happen, you might have to switch to a different file archiver software.

According to users, they reported that the problem was fixed after switching to WinZip software, so you should definitely try it out.

The procedure is as easy as right-clicking the Java files and selecting the extract option.

After solving the Minecraft problem you will still have an excellent compression tool that also connects to Dropbox or Google Drive.

4. Disable the 3D Display Mode feature

Open the Settings app. The fastest way to do that is to use the Windows Key + I shortcut.
When the Settings app opens, navigate to the System section.
In the right pane scroll down and select the Advanced display settings.
Locate 3D Display Mode option and disable it.

Note: Bear in mind that not all PCs support this feature, so if it’s not available on your PC, you should try a different solution.

5. Disable the SLI mode

According to users, you can experience Minecraft black screen issues if you’re using two graphics cards in SLI mode. In case you don’t know, some users tend to use two graphics cards for gaming in order to get better performance.

Although this feature can be useful, sometimes it can lead to various issues, such as this one. To fix the problem, users are suggesting disabling the SLI feature and the problems with Minecraft should be resolved.

6. Disable the Stereoscopic 3D feature

If you’re having issues with Minecraft black screen on your PC, the problem might be the Stereoscopic 3D feature.

Some graphics cards support this feature, and if you have it enabled, it might give you problems while trying to run certain games.

To fix the issue, it’s advised that you check your graphics card control panels software, such as the Nvidia Control Panel or Catalyst Control Center, and disable this feature.

Once you find and disable the Stereoscopic 3D feature on your PC, start Minecraft again and check if the issue is still there.

7. Run the game in compatibility mode

Locate the Minecraft.exe file, right-click it and choose Properties from the menu.
Navigate to the Compatibility tab and check Run this program in compatibility mode for option.
Select the desired version of Windows and click Apply and OK to save changes.

Note: Bear in mind that you might have to experience different settings until you manage to find the one that works for you.

It’s also worth mentioning that this solution doesn’t work for the UWP version of Minecraft, so if you’ve downloaded your copy from the Microsoft Store, this solution won’t work for you.

8. Use the Ctrl + Alt + Del shortcut

Start the game normally.
When the black screen appears, press the Ctrl + Alt + Del keys.
Click Cancel to return back to Windows.

The black screen should be gone and you’ll be able to run the game again without any issues. Bear in mind that this is just a workaround, so if this solution works for you, you’ll have to repeat it every time this problem appears.

9. Run the game with integrated GPU

If your PC or laptop has both integrated and dedicated graphics, the problem can occur if you’re using the dedicated graphics to run Minecraft.

The dedicated graphics almost always offer better performance, but sometimes it can cause issues with games.

If you’re having Minecraft black screen problems on your PC, perhaps you should try running the game using the built-in graphics. To do that, just right-click the shortcut and choose the Run with graphics processor option.

If this method works, you might want to change your graphics card settings and set your built-in graphics as the default GPU for Minecraft.

Bear in mind that your integrated graphics don’t have the same performance as your dedicated one, so use this solution as a temporary workaround.

Of course, the list is not exhausting and users reported many other related issues including Minecraft black screen when joining the server, blank screens, and of course, variations across various Windows versions including Windows 11.

But one particular problem caught our attention due to its apparently harmless nature (that can easily turn into a nightmare, though). We’re talking about the Minecraft black screen when Alt-tabbing/fullscreen.

My Minecraft goes black screen when alt tabbing:

In fact, users mentioned that this happens across all versions of Minecraft, sometimes when using the Alt + Tab shortcut, other times when exiting the game and there’s nothing they can do about it.

The interesting part is that none of the solutions mentioned above seem to work here. But that does not mean it’s a lost cause.

Here’s what we suggest:

Make sure your display resolution as well refresh rate match the in-game settings
Disable HDR and check if that solves the issue
Run the game in full-screen Windowed mode (which is different from full screen)

Note that this distinction is important since you might encounter the same issues by using the standard option and Windows 10 games simply won’t go fullscreen.

Minecraft black screen issues can be quite problematic, but in most cases, these problems are caused by your settings or drivers, and we hope that you managed to solve them using one of our solutions.

This isn’t the only error that can be caused by drivers, and we wrote about Bad video card drivers error in Minecraft in our previous article.

If you have any additions or suggestions, please leave them in the Comments section below.

Don’t expect to find a lot of Dell PCs with the Microsoft Pluton chip

Posted on March 11, 2022 by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft’s Pluton chip promises a lot of advancements for keeping your device safe from the latest security threats, but not every PC maker is fully on board with the technology just yet. As first reported by The Register, Dell says that it isn’t fully ready to include the Pluton chip in “most” commercial PCs.

More specifically, in a statement to The Register, the laptop maker said that “Pluton does not align with Dell’s approach to hardware security and our most secure commercial PC requirements.” The reason why? It has to do with the fact that Intel isn’t using Pluton technology in 12th generation processors, instead opting for the Platform Trust Technology. Dell’s commercial PCs mainly have these types of processors inside, which also use Platform Trust Technology to meet FIPS 140-2 standards.

But all hope is not lost. Another statement from Dell indicates that the company will “continue to evaluate” Pluton ” to see how it compares against existing TPM implementations in the future.” This builds on Dell’s own software and hardware technology, which can help defend against cyber attacks. Microsoft also offered this statement to the publication on the matter.

Microsoft and our partners are giving customers the flexibility and choice to configure Pluton to meet their specific needs. Microsoft is committed to working with partners and customers in the coming months and years to continue to bolster security with Pluton.

Dell isn’t alone in this decision though. Lenovo’s latest Intel-powered ThinkPads do not support Pluton at launch, yet AMD Ryzen Powered ThinkPads do, even though it is disabled by default. The ThinkPad X13s, meanwhile, does have the Microsoft Pluton chip inside, as we detailed just a few weeks ago.

Oculus has detected a problem with graphics drivers

Posted on March 11, 2022September 22, 2025 by Matthew Adams

Some Oculus Rift users have posted on the NVIDIA forum about an Oculus has detected a problem with graphics drivers error.

When that issue arises, the Oculus Rift headset doesn’t turn on or display anything for users. That issue typically arises after updating Oculus software.

What can I do if Oculus has detected a hardware issue?

There are many problems that can occur with Oculus, and according to users Oculus not working on Windows 11 for many users. This is mostly a driver issue and it can be easily fixed.

Unfortunately, sometimes this isn’t as easy to perform, and sometimes you might get Sorry we’re having trouble updating Oculus error while trying to update your device.

If you have this or any other issue, we suggest reading our VR problems on Windows guide to see how to properly deal with those issues.

How can I fix the Oculus problem with the graphics driver error?

1. Use Outbyte Driver Updater

Outbyte Driver Updater software oculus has detected a problem with your graphics drivers

First, try updating your graphics card driver with driver updater software, such as Outbyte Driver Updater. Outbyte Driver Updater Pro will download and automatically install the latest drivers for your PC hardware.

Outbyte Driver Updater has a big driver database that includes more than 18 million drivers. Furthermore, this software also scans very quickly so that you don’t have to wait about much to see what drivers need updating.

Other useful Outbyte Driver Updater features

Enables users to schedule driver scans
Includes a download manager that displays download progress
Live chat support provided for Outbyte Driver Updater
Includes a driver backup utility

Outbyte Driver Updater

Fix any issues with Oculus by quickly installing the missing drivers today!

Free trial Visit website

2. Reinstall the graphics card driver

Navigate to your graphics card company website.
Download the latest driver for your graphics card.
Click the Type here to search button on your Windows 10 taskbar.
Type Device Manager in the search box and open it.
Double-click Display adapters to expand it.
Right-click your graphics card and select Uninstall device.
Select the Delete the driver software for this device checkbox on the confirmation prompt that opens.
Press the Uninstall button.
Thereafter, restart Windows.
Then install the graphics card driver you downloaded from NVIDIA or AMD’s website.

3. Check your AMD or NVIDIA graphics card is enabled

Open Device Manager as outlined for the second resolution.
Double-click the Display adapter category to expand its device list.
Right-click the NVIDIA or AMD graphics card to open its context menu.
Select the Enable device option if it’s disabled.

4. Uninstall video-capturing software

Try uninstalling video-capturing software, such as Bandicam, by pressing the Win + R hotkey.
Enter appwiz.cpl in Run and click OK to open the Windows uninstaller.
Select an installed video-capturing utility.
Then click the Uninstall option for the selected video-capturing software.
Click Yes to provide further confirmation for any prompt windows that might open.

Those are some of the resolutions users have fixed the Oculus has detected a problem with the graphics drivers issue with.

If other potential fixes are needed, however, you can send a support request at the Submit a request Oculus support page.

[wl_navigator]

Fix: Dropbox installer failed to start

Posted on March 11, 2022September 24, 2025 by Loredana Harsana

Dropbox is one of the most established and dependable cloud storage platforms available. Since its inception in 2008, it has provided one of the most user-friendly graphical user interfaces. Thus, we will show you today what to do if the Dropbox installer failed to start.

Cloud storage has fully eliminated the need to carry about actual portable storage devices as a result of the rising prevalence of the internet and our need for convenience.

The app can work wonders for you if you are someone who frequently sends and receives data to people in your immediate vicinity or if you do not always have access to your personal computer while traveling.

Follow along as we will show you how to troubleshoot the Dropbox installer failed to start error, right after we see in more detail what Dropbox’s main functionality is. Keep up with us!

What does Dropbox do?

In addition to being a file-hosting service, Dropbox is sometimes referred to be a cloud storage service. Despite the fact that it is one of the most established and widely used cloud storage systems available today, there are numerous competitors such as Microsoft OneDrive, Box, Sync, and Google Drive.

dropbox startup dropbox installer failed to start

Whenever you sign up for Dropbox, you will be given a set amount of storage space on an online server, which is referred to as the cloud.

Following the installation of the app on your computer, or mobile device, any files that you keep in your Dropbox locally will be copied to the server as well as the server’s backup. If you make modifications to these files in a single location, the changes are automatically replicated throughout the system.

By synchronizing your Dropbox files both locally and online, you will be able to access them from any location and share them with others with greater ease and accuracy than before. But now, let’s jump into the methods to fix the Dropbox installer failed to start.

How can I fix Dropbox installer failed to start?

1. Run a quick SFC scan

Right-click on the Windows/Start icon from your Taskbar and choose Windows Terminal (Admin).
Now type or copy-paste the following command and let it run: sfc /scannow

2. Run DISM

If you exited the Windows Terminal as an admin, you should access it again as we have shown above.
Now, type or paste inside it the following commands, pressing Enter after each one of them: Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
The DISM tool will report whether the picture is healthy, repairable, or non-repairable based on the results of the analysis. Assuming that the image can be repaired, type or paste in the following command: Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

That’s it! The Dropbox failed to install error should now be gone. However, we also recommend that you try out alternative software applications that have the same or similar functionality as Dropbox. One of them is Sync which we use on a daily basis and support in you doing the same.

What are the advantages of using Dropbox?

When you sign up for a Dropbox account, you’ll automatically receive 2 gigabytes (GB) of storage space for your photos and videos.

There are no upfront fees or additional charges once you begin using the service, and there are several ways to increase storage space, including sending out fan mail about Dropbox, connecting it to social media, and inviting others to join it.

An additional paid option, which will provide you with 2 TB of space, which can be used to store numerous backups of your hard drive, is available as well.

Dropbox is simple to use, and everyone who has access to the Internet can take advantage of this technology. You can easily install the application on your smart devices as well as your computer. Every file will always be the most recent version available to you.

In order to share files using the software, all you have to do is place the files in a folder that has been marked for sharing with authorized users and if you need to exchange files with colleagues or other stakeholders, Dropbox makes the process simple and straightforward.

For more information on Dropbox and potential solutions to troubleshoot it successfully, check out our post on Dropbox not syncing on Windows 11.

Another good source of troubleshooting guidelines is our article on Dropbox sync icons missing on Windows 10/11. Don’t miss it out if you still need help!

Alternatively, if you got it up and running, take a look at how to add Dropbox to File Explorer and make your tasks even swifter.

Was this guide helpful for you? Tell us in the comments section below as well as whether you have more solutions in mind. Thanks for reading!

Developer provides instructions on how to install Windows 11 on the Surface Duo

Posted on March 11, 2022 by Radu Tyrsina

Developer Gustave Monce has been working on installing Windows 11 on their own Surface Duo for a while now and now you can try it on your own at your own risk as a guide of sorts is now available (via Neowin.)

Available on Github, this new guide is the result of Gustave’s tweaking. It is only for the 128GB Surface Duo (the Duo 2 is not supported,) and is not an easy task, to say the least. As you’d expect, it involves using a custom UEFI and dealing with drivers and other sensitive things. You’ll also have to unlock the bootloader, and create custom partitions, too.

???? pic.twitter.com/p8DSvCtlI7

— Simone Franco (@Simizfo) March 10, 2022

If all goes well, you can end up enjoying native Windows 11 on your Duo, though some things in Windows like touch, cellular, cameras, might not work right. Fair warning, as another developer puts it, “almost nothing works right now.”

So, if you decide to try this at your own risk, you’ll pretty much end up with a niche device that can’t do much. Still, it’s a nice little side project, especially if you’re highly technical, and want a peek at what things would have been like if the dual-screen Surface Neo tablet was never canceled.

Aggregator Host: What is it & What Does is do?

Posted on March 11, 2022October 6, 2025 by Radu Tyrsina

Many users noticed aggregatorhost.exe in Task Manager, and naturally, some are curious about this process.

In today’s guide, we’re going to take a closer look at this process and see what it does.

How can I know if aggregator host.exe is safe in Windows 11?

1. Run the SFC scan

Start by pressing the Windows + S keys together to bring up the Search box. Type cmd into the search bar, and then right-click on the most relevant result to run it as an administrator.
Type or paste in the following command and press Enter: sfc /scannow

2. Run the DISM scan

To access the Search bar, press the Windows + S keys. Type cmd and right-click on the most relevant result to run it as an Administrator.
Type or paste in the following commands and press Enter after each: DISM /online /Cleanup-Image / ScanHealth DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Relax and wait patiently for the process to be completed in its entirety. The process could take up to ten minutes, so please keep this in mind.

3. Run a virus scan

Click on the carrot arrow in the right corner of your taskbar to locate the antivirus program you’ve installed, then right-click on it and select the option that opens the app interface.
Now click on the button that performs a Smart scan or anything similar to a virus scan.

We strongly recommend that you use a professional antivirus software that will take care of your computer’s security such as TotalAV.

4. Check the location of the file

Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC to open the Task Manager window, locate the aggregator host.exe process, and right click on it to choose Open file location.
If it takes you to this folder, then it means it is a safe process that has to do with the Windows OS: C:\Windows\System32

Is Aggregator Host a virus?

No, this is a legitimate Windows file, and it poses no threat to your PC. If you suspect that it’s malicious, you can always scan it.

And lastly, users have reported that their virus and threat protection is not working in Windows 11, to which we have responded with a guide on how to fix it. Make sure to check the article linked below if you encounter the same problem.

To learn more about lesser-known files, we have guides on Startmenuexperiencehost.exe and Wwahost.exe, so don’t miss them.

Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments section below whether this guide was helpful for you. Thanks for reading!

Classic/Open Shell for Windows 11 [Download & Install]

Posted on March 11, 2022December 1, 2025 by Loredana Harsana

Customizing your operating system is a fantastic way to make your regular life a little more enjoyable. You have the ability to change the user interface, apply a custom theme, add widgets, and much more. Thus, we will show you today how you can install Classic Shell on Windows 11.

The program has been around for a long time and allows you to modify the OS. Volunteers have now taken up the running of the organization, which was disbanded in 2017. The new project is titled Open Shell, and it is presently available on Github for those who are interested.

Follow along as we will show you how you can download and install the software on your computer, right after we see a little bit of its history. Keep up with us!

How are Open Shell and Classic Shell related?

A derivative of the popular but now-defunct Original Shell program for Windows, Open Shell can be used to restore the classic Start Menu, Explorer, and Internet Explorer shells to a computer’s operating system.

You can learn more about restoring the classic interface by reading this guide on the Open Shell Classic Start Menu.

Classic Shell was a popular software that allowed users to restore functionality to OS iterations that had been discontinued by Microsoft. After the first introduction of Windows 8, the software gained in popularity as users chose to operate with a traditional Start Menu rather than the Start UI.

old website How to install Classic Shell on Windows 11

It was not the only program to see an increase in user numbers as a result of the record-breaking amount of Start Menu programs that were downloaded.

Classic Shell’s principal developer said in 2017 that he would no longer be working on the project. He made the decision to make the software’s source code public in order to allow other developers the opportunity to fork the program and continue development.

The name of one of the very first forks was Classic Start. It was published in June 2018 that the initial version of Classic Start was made available. When the first stable version of the application was launched in September 2018, the program was renamed Open Shell.

Their project is not defunct, as work on the Nightly versions of the software is still ongoing. Users are welcome to download and install these Nightly versions, which can be seen on the main GitHub page. Below, we will show you how you can get Classic Shell on your Windows 11 PC.

How can I install Classic Shell on Windows 11?

1. Download the Open Shell asset

Visit the Github repository and expend the Assets section under Periodic update.
Now click on OpenShellSetup_4_4_169 to download the file to your PC.
Double-click on the setup file and follow the on-screen instructions in order to install OpenShell on your system.

Once installed, you can launch the app from your Start menu and customize Windows 11 according to your liking. Optionally, some computers may require a reboot.

2. Use a third party website

There are other secure websites from which you can download Classic Shell from such as SourceForge.
The interface of all of them is simple enough to just click a button and get delivered what you had came for.

Keep an eye out for websites that appear to be untrustworthy by having Not secure next to their link at the top of your browser’s window. You should definitely refrain from interacting with them.

To ensure your computer’s privacy and security, we recommend that you use a specialized and trustworthy tool such as TotalAV.

Why shouldn’t I use an old iteration of Windows?

Unlike other items in our lives, computers are not something that we replace frequently. When compared to cellphones, which typically have a lifespan of two to three years, a computer has a lifespan of more than five years.

If it’s of good quality, it should be able to last for at least 10 years after you initially purchased it. However, a large number of people have a propensity not to update their hardware at all.

Windows 7 and Windows XP are two Windows iterations that we all hold dear to our hearts. However, if we were to go on a nostalgia trip and use them on an older system, we would most likely want to keep that machine away from the Internet in order to maintain privacy.

check updates How to install Classic Shell on Windows 11

The problem with obsolete and discontinued Windows iterations extends beyond simply upgrading to a newer iteration of the operating system. The underlying problem is that the company has already stopped providing maintenance for these systems.

This implies that if a severe security vulnerability is discovered in Windows XP or Windows 7, you will not be able to receive any updates to address it. In the coming years, Windows 8.1 and 10 will be confronted with the same problem, and you can anticipate that viruses will emerge.

However, if a vulnerability is severe enough, Microsoft has been known to defy its own standards on occasion. For example, it is well-known for issuing patches for the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities in Windows XP.

But, for the vast majority of reasons, Microsoft considers Windows XP and 7 to be out-of-date platforms that they no longer provide support for. Other difficulties, such as major browsers or even device drivers ceasing to support your system, could potentially result in your PC being inoperable.

For further information and changes, you can make to your OS, check out our article on how to change Windows 11 to classic view. Alternatively, you should take a look at five best Windows 11 tips to streamline your OS.

And lastly, since we talked about privacy and security, don’t miss out on our post with five of the best antiviruses for Windows 11.

Let us know in the comments section below whether the guide was helpful for you as well as how you will change your OS with Open Shell.

5 Best VPNs For Asus Laptops To Secure Your Connection

Posted on March 10, 2022October 6, 2025 by Elena Constantinescu

Virtual private network tools, including ASUS laptops, are indispensable for your computer’s privacy and security.

You can use a VPN to protect your browsing sessions from phishing and keep hackers at bay by encrypting all Internet traffic. But there are countless other cases where a VPN can help your laptop.

For instance, if you can’t access restricted content due to your geographical position, you can use a VPN to bypass firewalls, circumvent geo-blocks, and access blocked websites. For example, we’ve carefully selected the best VPN services with Pennsylvania servers.

Although you might be tempted to use a free VPN, we advise against it. Free VPN service providers are dangerous, but a premium VPN is worth the money.

Here are the 5 best VPNs for your ASUS laptop, designed to maximize your laptop’s security and help you freely navigate the Internet.

What are the best VPNs for my ASUS laptop?

Express VPN – best VPN for ASUS laptops

Express VPN is another suitable option for Asus laptops. It has an extensive set of features that provide everything you need from a VPN.

The tool focuses on providing high levels of privacy and performance without compromising.

It has applications dedicated to all major operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is easy to configure; you can connect to a private network with just one click.

It fights against online attackers that try to steal your sensitive data. ExpressVPN hides your real IP address and uses AES-256-bit encryption to protect your privacy.

Express VPN uses private DNS on every server, contributing to even better privacy and increasing speed rates.

Other key features of Express VPN:

Network kill switch in case the connection drops
No logs policy
VPN split tunneling
Compatible with all devices
Blocks trackers and threats

ExpressVPN is available under several subscription plans. Each plan includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Express VPN

Check price Visit Website

Private Internet Access – best for streaming

Private Internet Access is the top VPN on this list for your ASUS notebook, thanks to numerous VPN servers and advanced security features.

It supports exclusive DNS servers that can speed up your Internet connection and secure your DNS queries simultaneously.

Instead of adding manual VPN connections to Windows 10, you can download and install PIA’s desktop client to use OpenVPN or WireGuard.

And if you do stumble upon any problems with PIA, you can always resort to its 24/7 live chat support.

More about PIA:

+3,300 VPN servers in 48 countries
Port forwarding and kill switch
Protects up to 10 devices
No identifying logs

Private Internet Access is a subscription-based service with a 30-day money-back guarantee for all the plans available.

Private Internet Access

Use the best VPN for your ASUS laptop to enhance its security and protect your online identity.

Check price Visit Website

NordVPN – best for security

NordVPN is a super-secure VPN for your ASUS notebook, which you can use for streaming, torrenting, gaming, and secure browsing.

For instance, if you’re into crypto-trading, you can use this VPN to protect your Binance transactions. Also, NordVPN supports obfuscation mode to help you bypass VPN blocks.

For example, if Instagram isn’t working on a VPN because the social media site rejects VPN connections, you can connect to NordVPN’s obfuscated servers to hide the VPN identifier and make it look like HTTPS traffic.

The virtual private network tool is compatible with all major platforms and has CyberSec malware blocker.

More about NordVPN:

+5,100 VPN servers in 59 countries
An integrated kill switch
6 simultaneous connections
No logs
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

You can install it on your computer or on your ASUSWRT router. It features 24/7 live chat support.

NordVPN

Ensure the security and privacy of your ASUS laptop using a premium VPN app.

Check price Visit Website

Surfshark – best for multiple devices

Developed by Surfshark LTD, Surfshark is another great VPN for ASUS notebooks.

It’s the most affordable VPN on this list and can be installed on all major platforms without any problems. You can also use it to block bandwidth limitations set by your ISP, such as AT&T throttling.

This VPN app supports OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2 protocols, together with the Shadowsocks proxy server. It has obfuscation mode and a malware blocker.

You can even make Windows 10 auto-connect to this VPN so that you can secure your Internet connections as soon as you boot the operating system.

This tool has VPN servers optimized for torrenting and streaming and private DNS on each server to preserve your anonymity.

More about Surfshark:

+1,700 VPN servers in +63 countries
Split tunneling and kill switch
Unlimited device connections
A strict no-logging policy
30-day money-back guarantee
7-day free trial for iOS and Android

You can safely access files through this VPN without having to worry about eavesdroppers.

Surfshark

Use this dependable virtual private network solution to take your ASUS laptop’s security to the next level.

Check price Visit Website

CyberGhost VPN – best free VPN

CyberGhost VPN is another top VPN for your ASUS laptop. It uses the OpenVPN protocol to encrypt your traffic. You can even install it on ASUSWRT and other firmware at the router level.

This VPN tool comes with private DNS servers and DNS leak protection. You can use it to increase the security of your ASUS notebook and fix VPN errors.

What makes CyberGhost VPN one of the best VPNs for Windows 10 laptops is its impressive network of VPN servers, top-grade security features, and the fact that it can unblock most Netflix catalogs.

More about CyberGhost VPN:

Plus, it’s the only free VPN for ASUS laptops that you can trust with your data.

+6,500 VPN servers in 89 countries
Split tunneling and kill switch
7 simultaneous connections
No traffic logs
1-day free trial for Windows
7-day free trial for iOS and Android

CyberGhost VPN is a subscription-based service with several plans available. Each plan includes a money-back guarantee.

CyberGhost VPN

Protect your ASUS laptop from all Internet dangers, thanks to this fast and reliable VPN.

Check price Visit Website

Taking everything into account, you can use the best VPNs for your ASUS laptop to raise its security level, maintain your online anonymity, and safely navigate the web.

If you can’t make up your mind about the 5 VPNs we handpicked for you, we recommend going for Private Internet Access because it hits all marks.

3 best VPNs for Terraria to reduce ping and lag

Posted on March 10, 2022September 15, 2025 by Elena Constantinescu

Terraria is an action-adventure game available on Steam, where you can explore a voxel-based world to dig, build, and engage in combat. It’s the 2D equivalent of Minecraft, making it possible to seek fortune, fight various creatures to survive, and construct towns for others to move in.

Terraria is one of the best survival games on Steam. It hosts many gaming servers all over the world, including the US, UK, Europe, Russia, Brazil, Turkey, and Germany.

If you are having trouble when trying to play Terraria on your computer, use a VPN to improve your ping. The way it works is easy: you connect to a VPN server close to the game server, launch Terraria, and start playing.

What a VPN does is hide your IP address to make it look like you’re closer to the Terraria game server. And a shorter distance means better connection speed. But you need the best VPN software to play Terraria, and we’re here to help.

What are the best VPN apps to play Terraria?

Private Internet Access

Made by Kape Technologies, Private Internet Access (PIA) is our first choice when it comes to VPN software to play Terraria and reduce ping.

It’s also evaluated as one of the best Terraria VPNs for Android users.

It has numerous fast VPN servers from which you can choose, along with exclusive DNS servers to further optimize your Internet connection.

If you’re not sure how to begin, you can quickly connect to the PIA recommended server and join a Terraria server to inspect your ping.

Private Internet Access secures your data even in rare cases when the connection drops. The kill switch feature automatically triggers when you get disconnected and blocks all traffic data.

This protects you against any malicious third-parties getting access to your personal information but also prevents your ISP from throttling your traffic.

What you need to know about PIA:

More than +3,200 VPN servers in 46 countries
Install it on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Opera
Connect up to 10 devices from the same PIA account
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

Private Internet Access is a subscription-based software. Users can benefit from frequent offers and sales.

You generally get the best deal if you subscribe for a longer period of time. Each plan includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Private Internet Access

Decrease your ping time with PIA when playing Terraria on Steam.

Check price Visit website

Nord VPN

Another reliable VPN software that can help reduce ping and lag is NordVPN.

This tool has an impressive number of over 5 000 fast-responding servers across 60 countries all around the globe.

It uses advanced encryption and privacy features in such ways that not even the fact that you use a VPN in the first place can be detected by third parties.

This removes the risk of your ISP placing restrictions on your traffic and it ensures that you will be able to bypass geo-restrictions and access international websites as platforms with no hassle.
NordVPN has a strict no-logs policy. They keep no record of your identity, browsing history, or location.

They use their own version of the WireGuard protocol which has been thoroughly tested and proven to provide both high-speed rates and great security.

Other key features of NordVPN include:

Anti tracking
Split tunneling
Secure kill switch
Malware blocker
Obfuscated servers
Compatible with most devices

NordVPN is a subscription-based VPN service with multiple plans available. Each plan includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Nord VPN

Connect to a fast and secure NordVPN server and enjoy Terraria without interruptions.

Check price Visit website

CyberGhost VPN

Also owned by Kape Technologies, CyberGhost VPN is another excellent VPN to help you improve ping when playing Terraria.

Just like PIA, it automatically detects the fastest VPN server based on your current location.

At the same time, you can explore a wide range of servers all over the world. Ideally, you should connect to a VPN server that’s in the same region as your Terraria game server.

CyberGhost VPN, just like the other options on this list, combines multiple security features to make sure your connection stays private.

This is essential especially when you frequently engage in online gaming. Unfortunately, many malicious third parties try to steal data from gaming platforms users.

Thankfully, a good VPN like CyberGhost will hide your IP address and encrypt all your traffic data with powerful end-to-end encryption, so no one will be able to detect your activity or identity.

What you need to know about CyberGhost VPN:

Over 6,400 VPN servers in 89 countries
Compatible with Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox
Supports up to 7 simultaneous connections

CyberGhost VPN users can try out the VPN for free for one day. The software is subscription-based and each subscription includes a 45-day money-back guarantee.

CyberGhost VPN

Boost your Terraria gaming experience by eliminating lag with this VPN tool.

Check price Visit website

All aspects considered, Terarria is a wonderful 2D game that you can play on Steam whenever you need a break from work.

However, if you can’t fully enjoy the game due to lags, delays, and Internet connection issues, the VPN apps on this list should fix that.

5+ best VPNs for Netflix on Mac that don’t get blocked

Posted on March 10, 2022October 3, 2025 by Elena Constantinescu

Netflix is a fantastic streaming service, but it doesn’t offer the same library of movies and TV shows to all countries. Due to copyright issues, Netflix only provides a limited range of titles for each region.

However, you can fix this problem with a VPN. By concealing your true IP address and connecting to a VPN server from another country, you can change your region to unblock Netflix libraries from other countries.

For example, if you live in the US and want to watch Netflix UK, you just have to connect to a UK VPN server and then fire up the Netflix app or access the streaming service in your web browser. You just need a VPN for Netflix UK.

It’s all incredibly easy but only if you have the right VPN in your hands. Because Netflix has a no-VPN, no-proxy policy, you can rarely find a VPN that won’t get blocked.

Fortunately, you don’t have to buy and test numerous VPNs just to find one that works with Netflix on your Mac since we already handled it.

What are the best VPNs that work with Netflix on Mac?

Private Internet Access

Developed by Kape Technologies, Private Internet Access (PIA) is one of the fastest VPNs for streaming on Mac. It supports numerous VPN servers and comes bundled with some cool security features.

For instance, PIA runs an ad and malware blocker to protect your browsing sessions. It works with OpenVPN and WireGuard, as well as SOCKS5 and Shadowsocks proxy. You can even temporarily disable the VPN encryption if you need a speed boost.

PIA is compatible with all major platforms, including Mac and iOS. It has port forwarding, split tunneling, and a kill switch. Plus, it’s one of the few VPNs with 24/7 live chat support. It’s also one of the best VPNs for Microsoft Edge.

More about PIA:

+3,300 servers in 48 countries
Unblocks Netflix US
10 simultaneous connections
No logs
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

Private Internet Access

Start watching Netflix US on your Mac by masking your true location with PIA.

Check price Visit website

NordVPN

NordVPN is one of the best VPNs for Windows 10 and Mac. You can use it to unblock a wide range of streaming services, including Netflix, by connecting to its numerous VPN servers spread across the globe.

Created by Tefincom & Co., NordVPN has its own antimalware tool for browsers called CyberSec. It also supports private and custom DNS servers, P2P activities like torrenting, OpenVPN, and a kill switch.

Moreover, you can connect to NordVPN’s obfuscated servers to defeat censorship and access blocked websites in case your VPN connection gets blocked. It’s compatible with all major devices.

More about NordVPN:

+5,100 servers in 59 countries
Unlocks Netflix US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Japan, the Netherlands
Allows 6 simultaneous connections
No traffic logs
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

NordVPN

Watch the most awesome Netflix catalogs using this reliable VPN.

Check price Visit website

Surfshark

Surfshark can help you unblock websites on your Mac, including streaming services like Netflix. It’s a virtual private network created by Surfshark LTD, which can be installed on all major platforms.

This VPN service has servers optimized for streaming and torrenting. It can encrypt your data traffic using OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard, or L2TP, depending on your preferences. Furthermore, it runs private DNS on each VPN server.

Similar to NordVPN, Surfshark has obfuscation mode. It also contains an ad and malware blocker, a kill switch, and a split-tunneling mode to isolate your VPN traffic from the rest of your Mac.

More about Surfshark:

+1,700 servers in +63 countries
Unlocks Netflix US, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Japan, India, and others
Unlimited connections
No data logs
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

Surfshark

Get access to numerous Netflix libraries, including the US and UK, using this trustworthy VPN.

Check price Visit website

CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost VPN is also a virtual private network solution that belongs to Kape Technologies. It has the most impressive network of VPN servers on this list, and you can use it to circumvent geoblocks and watch Netflix on your Mac.

The tool features exclusive DNS servers that protect your DNS queries and make your Internet connection faster. It can be installed on all major devices, including Mac, and it’s the only free VPN for Netflix on this list.

CyberGhost VPN supports OpenVPN, an ad and malware blocker, split tunneling, and a kill switch. What’s more, it has a special category of VPN servers optimized for streaming.

More about CyberGhost VPN:

+6,500 servers in 89 countries
Works with Netflix US, UK, Canada, India, France, Germany, and others
7 connections at once
Zero logs
Up to 45-day money-back guarantee (1-day free trial)

CyberGhost VPN

Unlock the entire Netflix catalog on your Mac with the help of this VPN service.

Check price Visit website

ExpressVPN

There’s no need for a fancy introduction to this software because its services speak for it. ExpressVPN is definitely your solution when you want to access blocked websites.

This software features useful options in terms of browsing speed, data encryption, or multifunctionality. Above all, it has the capability to give access to streaming platforms like Netflix or more.

Except for a few locations where Netflix can’t be accessed, you have the doors open for servers worldwide who can give you access to restricted content. Thus, anyone can watch preferred content from Netflix or other streaming websites on Mac or other operating systems

More about ExpressVPN:

More than 20 devices support
Available content for Netflix US, UK, Canada, Australia
Network lock kill switch
3000 servers in 94 countries
30 days money-back guarantee

ExpressVPN

Enlarge your content library from Netflix with immeasurable help from ExpressVPN.

Check price Visit website

ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN is a Swiss VPN software that will unblock your streaming content on Netflix or other platforms with secure servers worldwide.

Using such VPN support on your Mac device will be of great help to encrypt the internet connection and improve privacy on every web destination.

Back to streaming benefits, this VPN is packed with servers in 60+ countries that give you access to thousands of TV shows or series on Netflix and other popular streaming apps.

Plus, you have double safety due to Secure Core functionality which routes the traffic through multiple servers.

More about ProtonVPN:

High-speed server connections
NetShield feature to block ads and trackers
Strict no-log security
Maximum encryption with AES-256 bits

ProtonVPN

Watch all your Netflix shows without geo-blocking limitations using this unblocking VPN tool.

Check price Visit website

To conclude, you can use one of the 5 VPNs above to unblock Netflix on your Mac, depending on which Netflix library you’re interested in.

You might visit our Netflix Troubleshooting Hub to handle all Netflix-related issues. Also, we recommend the Streaming section to read the best reviews and guides.

6 Best VPNs To Watch NHL Gamecenter/All Games/Preseason

Posted on March 10, 2022September 28, 2025 by Elena Constantinescu

If you’re a hockey fan looking for the best ways to watch NHL Gamecenter, all games, or preseason, you need a powerful VPN that can quickly connect you to the NHL streaming website.

The role of a VPN isn’t only to conceal your IP address and encrypt your Internet traffic. You can also use a virtual private network solution to speed up your Internet connection for gaming, get better online deals like cheaper flights, as well as lift geo-restrictions on streaming services.

We handpicked the 5 best VPNs to help you watch NHL games, whether you’re interested in the preseason, Gamecenter, or all games.

What are the best VPNs to watch NHL streaming?

Private Internet Access

Created by Kape Technologies, Private Internet Access (PIA) is the best VPN for streaming. You can use it to not only watch NHL games but also unlock Netflix libraries from all over the world, including Netflix US.

PIA is a great solution to evade geoblocks and access blocked websites. You can use it to defeat online censorship, protect your browsing sessions from malware attacks, and even host game servers for you and your friends.

PIA supports exclusive DNS servers, OpenVPN and WireGuard, static and dynamic IP addresses, SOCKS5 and Shadowsocks, port forwarding, split tunneling, and a kill switch. Plus, it comes with 24/7 live chat support.

What else you should know about PIA:

+3,300 VPN servers (48 countries)
10 simultaneous connections
No logs

Private Internet Access is a subscription-based VPN service with several plans available. Each plan includes a 30-day money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the service.

Private Internet Access

Watch NHL Gamecenter, preseason, and all games using this fast and secure VPN.

Check price Visit website

NordVPN

NordVPN is one of the most secure VPNs on the market and is ideal for watching NHL online.

Owned by Tefincom & Co., this app has a lot of cool features under its hood, including obfuscation mode.

Therefore, if your VPN gets blocked by the remote host, you can connect to obfuscated servers to hide the fact that you’re using VPN.

NordVPN uses OpenVPN to apply encryption. It has exclusive DNS servers, a malware blocker called CyberSec that protects your browsing sessions, along with a built-in kill switch.

What else you should know about NordVPN:

+5,100 VPN server (59 countries)
6 connections at the same time
A strict no-logging policy

NordVPN is a subscription-based service with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

NordVPN

Unblock NHL streaming services and watch hockey games using this VPN app.

Check price Visit website

Surfshark

Surfshark is an excellent VPN service to help you watch NHL preseason, Gamecenter, or all games. Developed by Surfshark LTD, you can use it to optimize your entire network for streaming. It provides you with exclusive DNS on each VPN server.

You can use Surfshark not only to unlock streaming services but also to get around censorship, find cheaper prices online, and enhance your gaming experience by fixing lag and minimizing jitter.

Surfshark has an ad and malware blocker for browsers, Shadowsocks proxy server, kill switch, and split-tunneling mode.

What else you should know about Surfshark:

+1,700 VPN servers across +63 countries
Unlimited connections
No logs

Surfshark is a subscription-based service with a 30-day money-back guarantee available for all plans. The mobile applications have free trial versions.

Surfshark

Watch NHL online streaming by connecting to the high-speed servers of this VPN.

Free trial Visit website

CyberGhost VPN

Also a product of Kape Technologies, CyberGhost VPN can be used to spoof your IP address and connect to another region to unlock NHL streaming. It has an extensive number of VPN servers and can be used to redirect your entire network traffic through VPN.

CyberGhost VPN has special categories dedicated to streaming and torrenting. Plus, you can connect to the recommended VPN server to get the best possible speed and fix network congestion.

This VPN service features private DNS servers and DNS leak protection, a built-in ad, and a malware blocker to protect your browsing sessions from phishing, together with a kill switch and split-tunneling mode.

What else you should know about CyberGhost VPN:

+6,500 VPN servers (89 countries)
7 connections at the same time
No identifying logs

CyberGhost users can get various subscription plans, depending on how long they want to keep the service. Each plan has a 1-day free trial and a 45-day money-back guarantee.

CyberGhost VPN

Watch NHL streaming from anywhere in the world with the help of this reliable VPN app.

Free trial Visit website

ExpressVPN

Your fastest way to watch your favorite sports TV through a private DNS and military-grade encryption is ExpressVPN.

Although we all enjoy watching a good game, networking on free websites might expose you to spyware, data breaches, and plenty of other viruses.

To avoid shady live broadcasts, we recommend using safe servers provided through your trusted VPN.

ExpressVPN locks your traffic across servers and hides your IP location, so you can enjoy a live game without the hassle of third-party intrusion.

Get hold of ExpressVPN if you want:

Reach over 94 countries with 160 distinct locations
Unrestricted downloads and no ISP throttling
Rigorous confidentiality for your time online

ExpressVPN has several subscription plans available and a 30-day risk-free money-back guarantee.

ExpressVPN

With this high-end VPN supporter, you can watch sports at lightning-fast speeds and in complete anonymity.

Free trial Visit website

Vypr VPN

Vypr VPN is a reliable VPN service that allows users to bypass restrictions and watch NHL GameCenter. The VPN can automatically detect the best server for your particular configuration, but you can also select it yourself.

It offers the possibility to connect to multiple types of ports such as Chameleon, WireGuard, Open VPN, and L2TP/IPSec.

All these ports are well tested and promise high-speed rates and great security. Vypr VPN secures your connection with powerful AES-256-bit encryption.

Other key features of Vypr VPN include:

Automatic Troubleshooting
Public Wi-Fi safety
Kill switch
Automatic reconnect

To connect to Vypr VPN servers, you will have to get a subscription. There are two major plans available, each with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

VyprVPN

Protect your data and watch NHL at the top-level video quality.

Check price Visit website

In conclusion, you can watch NHL Gamecenter, preseason, or all games by getting equipped with a reliable VPN service. The 5 VPNs we presented above should meet your expectations. However, if you can’t decide between them, we suggest going with PIA.

If you have technical difficulties with your VPN, see our VPN Troubleshooting area.

Visit our Streaming Hub to discover what other streaming services you can unlock.

5 Best VPNs For Laptops On Windows 10

Posted on March 10, 2022October 2, 2025 by Elena Constantinescu

If you’re looking for the best VPN for your laptop running Windows 10, it means that you want to protect your device from hackers when connecting to public, unencrypted Wi-Fi hotspots.

That’s just one of the benefits of using a virtual private network solution on laptops.

You can also use a VPN on Windows 10 while waiting at airports, checking in to hotels, getting online at pubs or restaurants, or when trying to work at your local Starbucks.

It’s also possible to stay connected with your country’s Netflix library while traveling abroad. Needless to say, a VPN is indispensable for traveling.

However, not VPNs are equal. If you’re interested in finding the top VPN for your personal notebook, don’t hesitate to check out our recommendations below for Windows 10.

What are the best VPNs for Windows 10 laptops?

Private Internet Access – best overall

Private Internet Access is the top-ranked VPN on this list. It’s wrapped in a super-intuitive interface and features advanced options to preserve your online anonymity.

You can use it to redirect your entire network traffic through a VPN and keep your confidential information away from prying eyes.

PIA can be installed on all major operating systems and devices, including Windows 10 laptops.

You can use it to get around geographical restrictions, watch Netflix US from anywhere in the world, and protect your financial info while shopping online.

What else you should know about PIA:

+3,300 VPN servers in 48 countries
10 connections at once
No logs
24/7 live chat support
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

Private Internet Access supports port forwarding, split tunneling, a kill switch, exclusive DNS servers, an ad and malware blocker, together with OpenVPN and WireGuard.

Private Internet Access

Protect your Windows 10 laptop from hackers and other Internet dangers using this reliable VPN.

Check price Visit website

NordVPN – best for security

NordVPN excels in security, which is the most important feature you should take into account when looking for a VPN for your Windows 10 laptop.

This VPN service has obfuscated servers that help you bypass firewalls if your remote connection is refused by the host. It’s practical for accessing blocked sites that intentionally reject VPN traffic.

Furthermore, NordVPN supports OpenVPN, a malware and ad blocker called CyberSec, and a kill switch. You can also create a list of hotspots to prevent the VPN from auto-connecting to trusted networks.

What else you should know about NordVPN:

+5,100 VPN servers in 59 countries
Protects up to 6 devices
No tracking logs
Most secure VPN for Windows 10 laptops
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

NordVPN

Maximize the security of your Windows 10 laptop by turning to this dependable VPN.

Check price Visit website

Surfshark – best for unlimited connections

Surfshark is frequently a top choice in the VPN user community, thanks to its affordable subscription plans. Developed by Surfshark LTD, this tool is one of the best VPNs for your Windows 10 laptop.

For example, Surfshark is the only tool on this list that can change your GPS location with a VPN.

It has private DNS on each VPN server, obfuscation mode, OpenVPN and WireGuard, split tunneling, and a kill switch.

What else you should know about Surfshark:

+1,700 VPN servers in +63 countries
Unlimited simultaneous connections
No logs
Best budget-friendly VPN for Windows 10 laptops
30-day money-back guarantee
7-day free trial for Android and iOS

Surfshark

Protect all your household devices using this affordable and secure VPN.

Check price Visit website

CyberGhost VPN – best free VPN

CyberGhost VPN is the top free VPN for your notebook. Unlike the other VPNs on this list, it’s a premium-level service that offers a limited free trial for Windows 10 users (no credit card required).

Plus, it has a huge network of VPN servers worldwide and comes delivered in an intuitive graphical interface.

But there aren’t too many configuration options available for skilled individuals.

Nevertheless, CyberGhost VPN has an integrated kill switch, exclusive DNS servers, DNS leak protection, split-tunneling mode, and special categories of VPN servers dedicated to streaming and torrenting.

What else you should know about CyberGhost VPN:

+6,500 VPN servers in 89 countries
7 simultaneous connections
No logs
24/7 live chat support
45-day money-back guarantee
1-day free trial for Windows (no credit card)
7-day free trial for iOS and Android

CyberGhost VPN

Use one of the best VPNs for your Windows 10 laptops while traveling.

Check price Visit website

Express VPN best for streaming

ExpressVPN offers a well-rounded set of features. The tool provides pretty much everything you need from a VPN and packs it all up in a simple-to-use application.

This VPN allows you to connect to virtual locations across the whole globe. It has 160 server locations in over 90 countries.

You can benefit from a fast connection regardless of your actual location. It can also help you access geo-restricted websites or content platforms.

Express VPN combines several privacy-oriented features to make sure that your data is private. It masks your IP address, activates a kill switch in case the connection drops, and more.

Other key features of ExpressVPN include:

Split tunneling
Trusted server technology
Unrestricted torrenting/P2P
Unlimited data
Dedicated apps for multiple platforms

You can install ExpressVPN directly to your new laptop, but you can also secure your whole household by adding it to your router. ExpressVPN is subscription-based, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Express VPN

Secure your laptop and benefit from unlimited data and fast servers.

Check price Visit website

Conclusion

All aspects considered, you can use the best VPNs to strengthen the security of your Windows 10 laptop, especially when you’re always on the move and must often connect to public hotspots.

If you have a hard time deciding which VPN service to choose between the five options, we recommend going with Private Internet Access.

Without a doubt, PIA is the best VPN for Windows 10.

5 Best VPNs For Macbook [Buying Guide]

Posted on March 10, 2022October 6, 2025 by Elena Constantinescu

If you’re a Macbook user who often travels, you can use a VPN to increase your online safety and privacy. With a virtual private network service, you can fake your IP address, change your geo-location, and access restricted content on the Internet.

Furthermore, a VPN provides the necessary security when you must use public, unencrypted Wi-Fi to get online and send confidential data.

By encrypting your traffic, you are basically protecting your data from hackers. Even if a cybercriminal manages to get hold of your critical documents, they won’t be able to unscramble the coded message.

Besides, a VPN can also make your Internet browsing sessions more entertaining. For instance, you can watch Netflix US with a VPN even if you’re not currently in the United States territory.

However, not all VPNs are the same. Here are the 5 best VPNs for your Macbook to boost its security, improve your Internet connection speed, and protect multiple devices at the same time.

What are the best VPNs for my Macbook?

Express VPN – best VPN for Macbooks

ExpressVPN is another great option for Macbook users. It has a native macOS application that is very easy to use. Users can access a secure virtual server in just a few clicks.

This VPN provides a good balance when it comes to data privacy and performance. It encrypts all traffic without negatively impacting speed rates.

ExpressVPN has servers all over the world. Users of this VPN can access over 160 virtual locations and bypass any geographical restrictions.

ExpressVPN uses AES-256-bit encryption and private DNS so no third party can have any information regarding your activity or identity.

The tool also implements advanced VPN features such as a kill switch, split tunneling or public Wi-Fi protection.

Other key features of Express VPN include:

Works with streaming services
Suitable for torrenting and P2P
Zero logs policy
24/7 support

ExpressVPN is a subscription-based service with a 30-day money-back guarantee for each plan.

Express VPN

Install ExpresVPN to your Macbook and connect to a fast and secure server in just a few clicks.

Check price Visit Website

Private Internet Access – Port forwarding support

Created by Kape Technologies, Private Internet Access (PIA) is a premium VPN service that has a bit of everything: a vast network of VPN servers, great connection speed, and advanced security settings.

PIA protects your Macbook using the OpenVPN or WireGuard protocols, depending on what technology you prefer. It keeps your DNS requests safe by rerouting them through exclusive DNS servers. Plus, you can use the VPN to access Binance or other blocked sites.

The virtual private network solution supports port forwarding, split tunneling, a kill switch, SOCKS5 and Shadowsocks proxy, malware blocker for browsers, and 24/7 live chat support. You can even enable debugging mode to monitor your VPN connection and detect any issues.

More about PIA:

+3,300 VPN servers (48 countries)
No logs or leaks
10 connections
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

Private Internet Access

Protect your Macbook when you’re on the go using this fast and secure VPN.

Check price Visit Website

NordVPN – No logs or leaks

NordVPN is a popular tool for users interested in a premium VPN solution. Created by Tefincom & Co., it’s a top VPN for your Macbook because it offers a bunch of advanced security options that other VPNs lack.

For example, if you don’t want to trust the VPN provider with your VPN traffic, you can join the Tor anonymous network to increase your online privacy. But you don’t have to do it by downloading the Tor browser since NordVPN has integrated support for Onion-over-VPN servers.

Additionally, NordVPN can obfuscate your VPN traffic to bypass VPN blocks. It supports OpenVPN, a malware blocker called CyberSec, exclusive and custom DNS servers, and a kill switch. You can even use it to stop Verizon throttling or other ISP limitations.

More about NordVPN:

+5,100 VPN servers (59 countries)
No logs or leaks
6 connections
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

Nord VPN

Maximize the security of your Macbook by turning to this dependable VPN app.

Check price Visit Website

Surfshark – Unlimited connections

Last but not least, Surfshark makes the cut on the list of best VPNs for Macbook thanks to its affordable subscription plans and unlimited device connections. You can basically connect any number of devices using the same VPN account to protect your entire family’s devices.

But Surfshark brings other cool features to the table, too. For instance, it features support for obfuscation mode to make your VPN traffic look like HTTPS traffic. It’s a great way to access websites that normally block VPN connections. The service is owned by Surfshark LTD.

Furthermore, Surfshark is the only VPN that can spoof your GPS location (that we know of). It has private DNS on each VPN server, OpenVPN, WireGuard and Shadowsocks, split-tunneling mode, and a kill switch.

More about Surfshark:

+1,700 VPN servers (+63 countries)
No logs or leaks
Unlimited connections
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

Surfshark

Ensure the protection of your entire family’s devices using this budget-friendly VPN solution.

Check price Visit Website

CyberGhost VPN – best free option

CyberGhost VPN is the best free VPN for your Macbook since it’s a premium service that offers a limited free trial. Owned by Kape Technologies, the tool has the most extensive network of VPN servers on this list.

You can unblock Netflix libraries from all over the world if you can’t watch your favorite movies or TV series due to geo-restrictions. Moreover, you can enable split tunneling on networks with limited bandwidth.

CyberGhost VPN has private DNS and DNS leak protection, streaming and torrenting categories, OpenVPN, ad blocker, trusted Wi-Fi networks, and a kill switch. Also, it’s wrapped in a user-friendly UI.

More about CyberGhost VPN:

+6,500 VPN servers (89 countries)
No logs or leaks
7 connections
Up to 45-day money-back guarantee (1-day free trial)

CyberGhost VPN

Ensure the online privacy and security of your Macbook using this reliable VPN service.

Check price Visit Website

To summarize, you can use one of the top-ranked VPNs to protect your Macbook, especially for frequent travelers.

Besides, you can also enhance your entertainment and gaming experience with a VPN. For instance, you can unblock Netflix libraries on Mac and reduce your ping with a VPN while gaming.

All you have to do now is find and install the appropriate VPN for your Macbook. And, if you’re having trouble deciding, we’re confident that these articles will help you clarify your thoughts and pick the best product for your specific needs.

Even more, if you want a VPN that comes with servers that are physically located in Pennsylvania or, at least, virtual servers that location services won’t identify as outside of Pennsylvania, rest assured that our guide can help.

Join our Mac section to stay tuned with Apple-related news and troubleshooting guides.

If you’re a globetrotter, visit our Traveling Hub to see how a VPN can help.

Elden Ring No Sound or Sound Cutting Off? Try These!

Posted on March 10, 2022October 29, 2024 by Alexandru Poloboc

Elden Ring players pointed out that after starting the game, the sound either cuts out, or there’s no sound to begin with. Today we’ll show you how to quickly fix this audio issue in just a few easy steps.

Let’s get started.

How can I fix the sound problems in Elden Ring?

1. Check volume mixer

Click on the speaker icon in the system tray.
Open Volume Mixer and adjust Elden Ring sound volume.
Make sure it’s set to an audible volume and unmute it if necessary.

2. Verify integrity of game files

Open Steam and go to your games.
Right-click on Elden Ring and select Properties.
Click Local Files.
Check game file integrity for Elden Ring.

3. Reinstall audio drivers

Open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button.
Expand Sound, video, and game controllers.
Right-click your audio device and choose Uninstall device.
Restart PC. Windows will automatically re-install them.
Check if the Elden Ring issue persists

Elden Ring is definitely no short of errors. Either players can’t summon ashes, get in-game horizontal lines, have no haptic feedback, or are stuck at a 60 FPS cap.

Hopefully, you won’t have to install the audio drivers, and checking game file integrity will be enough. If it isn’t, however, go ahead and do that as well.

Have you managed to restore proper audio functionality in Elden Ring? Share your experience with us in the comments section below.

Why does the L2TP connection error message appear?

What can I do if Windows 11’s L2TP VPN is not working?

1. Uninstall the KB5009543 update pack

2. Reinstall the VPN Network Adapter

3. Activate the Microsoft MS-CHAP v2 Protocol

4. Use a third party VPN

5. Create a new UDP registry key

6. Disable vendor ID

7. Enable the LCP protocol extensions

How does L2TP work?

What does an audio equalizer exactly do?

What are the best equalizer software tools for Windows 11?

Boom 3D

Why do we need audio equalizer software for Windows 11?

What does WSL 2 do?

How can I uninstall WSL in Windows 11?

What are the advantages of using WSL?

How can I fix the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Online Serice error?

What are the best multi-store eCommerce tools?

What can I do to fix the DirectX 12 error for Valhalla?

What are the best Shopify helpdesk apps or platforms?

Monday.com

Help Scout

LiveChat

What changes does the new patch bring?

Which are the best automated chat tools for your business?

CloudTalk

Live Agent

Freshdesk

Collect.chat

LiveChat

HelpOnClick

HelpOnClick

How can I fix the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Uplay error?

What is the best Synology backup software?

Acronis Cyber Backup

Aomei Backupper

IDrive

Ashampoo Backup Pro

How can I change static IP address & DNS in Windows 10?

1. Set a static IP address using PowerShell

2. Reset your IP address using Command Prompt

3. Change your DNS server using Windows PowerShell

4. Flush your DNS and reset Winsock

5. Set DHCP IP assignment

6. Use a VPN service

How do I change the IP address and DNS in Windows 11?

What can I do to stop AC Valhalla from minimizing?

How can I save my Assassin’s Creed Valhalla game?

What anime/animation software can I find online?

Adobe Animate

Autodesk 3ds Max

Autodesk Maya

Animaker

Daz3d

Table of contents

What can I do if Ghost Recon Wildlands is not launching?

1. Repair your Redistributable package

2. Delete Uplay cache folder

3. Run the game in Compatibility Mode

4. Install the required certificates

5. Disable Cloud Save Synchronization

Why is Huion tablet not working on Windows 10?

How do I fix the Huion tablet not connecting issues in Windows 10?

1. Update Huion tablet using Outbyte Driver Updater

Outbyte Driver Updater

2. Reinstall the driver manually

3. Downgrade to the older version

4. Check for hardware issues

Why is COM port not detected in Windows 10?

How can I restore missing COM ports?

1. Select the Show hidden devices option

2. Update motherboard drivers

3. Add COM ports

FIX: Windows 10/11 GameGuard error

1. General fixes

2. Use a reliable antivirus

TotalAV

3. Download a new version of GameGuard

4. Common Windows 10 GameGuard error types and their fixes