Tech Talk

I've been using a Samsung T7 external SSD as my main backup drive for months without issues on my Windows PC. Recently, I switched to a MacBook Air M2 for work, and suddenly the SSD starts disconnecting randomly whenever I plug it into the MacBook's Thunderbolt port. It only happens when using that specific port; if I use a USB-A adapter on my older iMac, the drive is stable. I've tried different cables, updated macOS to the latest version, and reset the SMC and NVRAM, but nothing has helped. The disconnects are annoying because Time Machine backups fail midway, and I risk corrupting data. I need the drive to be reliable for daily backups and large file transfers. Has any…

I recently upgraded my main workstation from Windows 10 to Windows 11, hoping to get better performance and some new features. The machine is a custom build with a mix of older and newer USB devices: an external SSD, a mechanical keyboard, and a USB headset. Since the upgrade, I've been experiencing random USB disconnects that cause the external SSD to unmount unexpectedly during file transfers. I've updated all drivers I could find, including chipset and USB controller drivers, but the issue persists. I also tried changing USB ports and disabling selective suspend in power settings, but no luck so far. Does anyone know if Windows 11 has known quirks with USB stability o…

I just got a Fitbit Charge 5 and tried syncing it with my Pixel 6 running Android 13. The Fitbit app shows the device, but it keeps failing to complete the sync. I’ve already uninstalled and reinstalled the app, restarted both devices, and made sure Bluetooth permissions are granted. The tracker works fine when connected to my wife’s iPhone, so I’m guessing it’s an Android-specific issue. I want to get daily step counts and heart rate data syncing automatically, but right now it only shows old info and never updates. Has anyone else dealt with syncing problems between Fitbit and Android 13? Is there some hidden setting or workaround to force a full sync? Also curious if A…

So I've been having this annoying problem where my laptop keeps dropping Wi-Fi every few minutes, but my phone and tablet stay connected just fine. I've tried restarting the router, updating the laptop's network driver, and even resetting the network settings, but nothing seems to fix it. It’s super frustrating because streaming or video calls get interrupted all the time. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Could it be a hardware issue or something else I might be missing? Appreciate any tips or tricks you’ve used to fix this kind of random Wi-Fi drop!

I'm looking to snag a laptop that won't break the bank but can handle video calls, Word, Excel, and light browsing without slowing down. My budget is tight at $500 or less. I've been eyeing some refurbished models on Amazon and eBay but not sure if that's a smart move or if I should hunt for a new, lower-end laptop instead. I've tried a few Chromebooks, but they don't quite fit all my software needs. Anyone else found a great deal on a laptop that punches above its price? Any recommendations for brands or specs to look out for? Would love to hear your thrift-savvy tips or personal experiences with budget work laptops!

I recently updated the firmware on my ASUS RT-AX58U router to the latest version hoping to fix some connectivity quirks. One big reason was to get proper guest network isolation working - I want guests to access the internet but not see my main devices. However, after the update, devices on the guest network still seem to ping or access shared folders on my main network, which is a security no-no for me. I’ve double-checked the guest network settings to ensure isolation is enabled and even reset the router to factory defaults before reconfiguring. I also tried toggling AP isolation and tested with multiple devices (phones, a laptop). The router’s admin page shows guest is…

I recently upgraded to a Surface Pro 8 for work, and I’m using a USB-C dock to connect my monitor, keyboard, and an external SSD. The dock is powered, and everything works fine most of the time, but whenever I plug in my external 2.5" HDD (which needs a bit more power), the whole system freezes and I have to force reboot. I’ve tried different USB-C cables and ports on the dock, and even swapped the dock for a similar model from another brand, but the problem persists. Interestingly, if I plug the external drive directly into the Surface’s port (bypassing the dock), it works fine. I want to keep using the dock to avoid cable mess but also need the external drive connected …

I recently updated my Dell XPS 13 (late 2020 model) to the latest BIOS version because I was having some random sleep issues. After the update, my laptop started showing "Battery Not Charging" even though the battery percentage increases slowly. I swapped to a brand-new Dell 65W USB-C charger (official one), and the cable and port seem fine because it charges other devices without a problem. I’ve already tried a full power reset and checked Dell Power Manager settings, but nothing changes. The battery health is still good (85% capacity) and Windows reports no errors in Device Manager. Has anyone else seen this issue after a BIOS update? Could the BIOS be misreading the ch…

I recently got a pair of Bluetooth headphones that are great for my daily podcasts during my commute. However, I noticed a weird issue: whenever I plug them in to charge while listening, the audio cuts out every 10-15 seconds. It doesn’t happen if I’m just using them unplugged with decent battery left, and the connection to my phone stays strong when not charging. I’ve tried resetting the headphones and updating their firmware, and I tested them with two different phones (an Android and an iPhone), but the problem persists. The charging cable and port seem fine, no loose connections or visible damage. It’s frustrating because I like to top up the battery mid-trip without …

So my laptop keeps dropping Wi-Fi randomly, but my phone and tablet stay connected just fine. It's super annoying because I’m in the middle of work and bam, no internet. I’ve tried restarting the router and the laptop, updated the drivers, and even forgot and reconnected to the network, but it still happens. I noticed it mostly happens when I move around the house or switch rooms, but sometimes it drops even when I'm sitting still. Could it be some setting on the laptop or maybe interference? Anyone else dealt with this kind of weird selective Wi-Fi dropout? What fixed it for you?

Lately, while I'm on Zoom meetings using my work laptop (a Dell XPS running Windows 10), Chrome tabs just randomly freeze. It’s usually when I have about 5 tabs open, and I’m trying to look at docs or check emails alongside the call. I’ve tried disabling all extensions, clearing the cache, and even resetting Chrome settings, but the freezing still happens. The weird part is that the rest of the laptop seems fine - no lag or high CPU usage showing in Task Manager. Since my job requires multitasking during calls, this is super frustrating. Has anyone dealt with Chrome tabs freezing only during video calls? Could this be linked to how Zoom or Chrome handles resources? Would…

I recently set up a Synology DS220+ NAS to back up my home PC wirelessly. The backup process runs smoothly until it hits around 99% completion, then it just stalls indefinitely. I've tried connecting both the NAS and my PC to a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network to improve speed and stability, but the issue persists. Restarting the NAS or the router temporarily fixes it, but the problem returns on the next backup attempt. Wired connections aren’t an option right now because my PC is in a room far from the router, and running Ethernet cables isn’t feasible. I’m hoping to get reliable, full backups over Wi-Fi without this annoying stall at the end. Has anyone encountered this with Synolog…

I updated my Windows 11 laptop a couple of days ago, and since then the fan has been running constantly, even when I’m just browsing or writing emails. I’ve checked Task Manager, and nothing’s showing high CPU usage or background apps hogging resources. The laptop is a Dell Inspiron, about a year old, and before the update, the fan was quiet most of the time. I tried restarting a few times, even did a quick disk cleanup and driver update, but no luck. I’m hesitant to dive into BIOS settings since I’m not super tech-savvy and don’t want to mess things up. Also, I don’t really want to roll back the update unless I have to. Has anyone experienced this kind of fan behavior af…

So I've been battling this annoying issue where my Wi-Fi connection just drops every hour on the dot. It's super frustrating because everything else on the network works fine, and my devices show strong signal strength. I've tried rebooting the router, updating firmware, and even changing channels, but no luck so far. Interestingly, the drops happen like clockwork, which makes me think maybe some kind of scheduled task or interference is causing it? I haven't set any parental controls or time limits on the router. Anyone else experienced this or have ideas on how to track down what's triggering these drops? Would love to hear your troubleshooting tips or similar stories!

I’ve got a Synology DS220+ set up as my home NAS, and I’ve scheduled it to sleep overnight to save power. The issue is that when I try to access it the next morning, it sometimes fails to wake up properly. The network share won’t mount, and I have to physically restart the NAS to get it back online. I’ve double-checked that Wake-on-LAN is enabled, and tried sending magic packets from my laptop, but that doesn’t always trigger a wake-up. I’m running the latest DSM version and haven’t installed any new packages recently. The NAS is connected via Ethernet to a gigabit switch, which seems fine because other devices on the same switch don’t have issues. I want it to reliably w…

I recently switched to a USB condenser mic (Audio-Technica AT2020USB) for my Zoom meetings on my MacBook Air (M1, macOS Ventura). The mic sounds great in GarageBand and other recording apps with zero issues, but during Zoom calls, I get this annoying crackling/static noise that comes and goes randomly. I’ve tried toggling the mic input settings in Zoom, making sure no other apps are accessing the mic, and even reinstalling Zoom. The problem only happens on Zoom, not on other platforms like Teams or Skype, which is super confusing. My MacBook is fully updated, and I’m using the official USB-C hub from Apple to connect the mic. I also tested the mic directly plugged in with…

My laptop has started overheating lately and then it just powers off without warning. I've cleaned the vents and made sure the fans are running, but it still happens, especially when I'm streaming videos or gaming. The thermal paste was replaced about a year ago, so I don’t think that’s the issue. I’ve tried running a cooling pad and limiting background apps, but no luck so far. Maybe the BIOS needs updating? Has anyone dealt with this before and found a reliable fix? Any tips on monitoring temps or improving cooling would be great.

I’ve got a mid-2022 custom build with a Ryzen 7 5800X, RTX 3070, and 32GB RAM, running Windows 11. Usually, games run smooth in fullscreen, but whenever I alt-tab out to check Discord or browse, the game crashes to desktop without error. Tried updating GPU drivers, disabling fullscreen optimizations, and even switching to borderless windowed mode temporarily, but the crashes happen only in true fullscreen when alt-tabbing. I want to keep playing in fullscreen for the best performance and visuals, but this crash is killing my flow, especially during multiplayer matches. Anyone else faced something like this? What fixed it for you? Also, is there a way to safely alt-tab wit…

I've been using a Chromebook for remote work, connected via a wired Ethernet adapter since my Wi-Fi is spotty in this part of the house. The setup used to be rock solid, but recently the Ethernet connection drops every 10 minutes or so, forcing me to unplug and replug the adapter. Meanwhile, Wi-Fi stays connected and stable if I switch back to it. I tried swapping the Ethernet cable and even tested the adapter on another device - both seem fine there. I updated the Chromebook OS to the latest version too, but the issue persists. I want to stick with wired for better speed and stability but it's just unusable like this. Has anyone seen their Chromebook act up like this wit…

I've got a Canon EOS 60D that I've used for years without major issues, but recently it refuses to read any of my new SD cards. These are all Class 10, 32GB cards from reputable brands, and I've tried formatting them both on my computer and in-camera (when it recognizes them briefly). The camera either shows "Card Error" or just says "No Card Inserted." I even cleaned the card slot contacts gently with isopropyl alcohol but no luck. Firmware is up to date as of last year, and batteries are fully charged. I want to keep using this camera without having to buy an older SD card model or a new camera altogether. Has anyone run into this with older DSLRs? Is there a way to res…

I just got a USB-C hub for my Dell XPS 13 to help with ports since the laptop only has two USB-C ports. The hub has HDMI, Ethernet, and two USB-A ports. The strange thing is, whenever I connect my external monitor through HDMI, the Ethernet connection keeps dropping randomly every 10-15 minutes. When I unplug the monitor, the Ethernet connection is stable again. I’ve tried updating drivers for the network adapter and the USB-C hub firmware (from the manufacturer’s site), but it didn’t fix the issue. Also swapped the Ethernet cable and used a different monitor HDMI cable just in case. The hub’s power delivery is plugged in, so it’s not a power issue as far as I can tell. I…

So my laptop keeps dropping Wi-Fi randomly, but my phone and tablet stay connected just fine on the same network. I've tried rebooting the router, updating the network drivers, and even resetting the network settings on Windows, but no luck so far. It’s super frustrating because the drops happen every 10-15 minutes and mess up video calls and downloads. Has anyone else dealt with this kind of selective Wi-Fi dropout? Could it be a hardware issue inside the laptop or something else I’m missing? Would love to hear any tips or tricks that worked for you!

So recently my laptop started randomly dropping Wi-Fi connections every 10-15 minutes. The weird part is my phone and other devices stay connected just fine on the same network. I've tried updating the network drivers, rebooting the router, and even resetting the laptop's network settings, but no luck. It’s super frustrating because streaming or video calls just cut out mid-way. I’m running Windows 11 on a Dell XPS if it matters. Also noticed the drops happen more often when the laptop is on battery rather than plugged in. Has anyone run into this before? Any tweaks or fixes that worked for you? Or maybe a setting I should be looking for? Would love to hear your experienc…

I recently upgraded to a 2021 MacBook Pro and paired it with my Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones. Everything sounds fine when I listen to music or podcasts, but whenever I enable noise-canceling mode on the headphones, I start getting random audio dropouts - like the sound just cuts out for a second or two every few minutes. I’ve tried resetting the Bluetooth connection, updating both macOS and the headphone firmware, and even tested the headphones on my phone with noise-canceling on (which works perfectly there). I’d really like to keep using the noise-canceling feature while working on my MacBook, but these dropouts are driving me nuts. Has anyone else experienced something s…

Lately, my home office PC has been losing Wi-Fi connection randomly, but only when I’m on video calls like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. It’s weird because my laptop and phone stay perfectly connected on the same network without issues. I’ve already tried updating the network drivers and resetting the router, but the problem persists. I also disabled some background apps that might interfere, but no luck. I work from home full-time, so stable video calls are a must. Has anyone seen this kind of selective Wi-Fi drop before? Could it be something about how the PC handles video streaming or network traffic? What troubleshooting steps should I try next to keep the connection stead…