|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 8,987
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 8,987 |
While I and family were stationed in Germany we would get frequent visits from encyclopedia sales people, usually British college students trying to earn some spending money.
I became so familiar with the sales pitch that I would recognize their errors and omissions. It became our regular weekend entertainment listening to them pushing Encyclopedia Britannica.
I would interrupt by asking: "Aren't you supposed to spread a big folded banner of educational benefits to our children on the carpet about now?"
They would throw their hands up in frustration, chuckle, then enjoy a cold beer with us.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,505
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,505 |
I don't do business with the door-to-door students selling magazines. I did at one time because I figured they were just trying to pay for school. I know the magazines they sell are more expensive, but I figured I'd help.
Then I found that many of them aren't going to school at all. And finally, I get my few magazines on my iPad now.
If what I think is a legitimate telemarketer calling (and it is hard to make that judgement in the first few seconds) I simply say "I have a strict policy not to respond to unsolicited calls, please take me off your list." Then I hang up even if they are still talking.
I know the caller is just trying to make a living, and probably hates the job as much as I hate the call. And since time is money to a salesperson, getting me off the phone quickly helps them out. I'm not buying anyway.
The telemarketing company is a problem, but the employee might have taken the job in desperation, not able to find anything else.
If I think it's a cracker, (grandpa is that you?) I'll just hang up. If I need a question or two to determine if it's real or not, as soon as I figure it's false I hang up with no explanation.
I have the attitude, that every unsolicited call from a stranger is an attempt to take money from me, whether a legitimate sales call or a thief - unless they prove otherwise.
Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,926
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,926 |
rharv, I (finally) take your point about router security, and no, I failed to check that. It is buried behind the PC in a cramped cabinet and is difficult to see. (I've handled the hardware, and don't recall whether there IS a router, or just a modem.) I'll make a point to visit soon and see.
Eddie, early in my journey I learned how to change file dates. It's not difficult.
Team Viewer requires a password with changes every session, UNLESS it is configured to remain the same. This is useful if, as I did, one wishes to access one's own computer(s) remotely. It's also the first thing I'd do if I was a bad guy. (As a PC tech, I, with the customers' knowledge, would install Team Viewer for future access. I considered using the static access code in case someone got hinky about paying, but never did. I'm strictly a white hat kinda guy.)
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
Also take the router off the default IP. It's a step that can be defeated with an IPCONFIG command, but if I was hacking into a router and saw that the user knew how to change the default IP from 192.168.x.x I would assume they also know how to change the default password and move along to the next one.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,926
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,926 |
Good idea, Eddie. It's a priority. Thanks.
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,629
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,629 |
The number of people with routers that still have the original password is quite large. Which is why, if you are seriously concerned about your network security, I recommend NOT using the router supplied by your ISP provider. If you think the guy with 12 setups on his list for the day is going to come to your home, set up your internet, and then take the time to truly secure it I think you are fooling yourself. He's going to plug it in, show you it works and go to the next one. Even if he does set up a password, it is likely going to be a standard password that he and others will know. In my current position I can't risk that. When I switched my ISP, the installer was a little surprised when I told him he couldn't use their router, and even tried to talk me into WHY I should use their router (so they could fix it remotely if anything goes wrong!) ..OK so you're saying I SHOULD allow you and others to remote into my router!? I don't think so. If they want to cut me off at the modem (I'm required to use theirs) OK, but they are not getting into my network any further than that. As for Eddie's recurring question on how to turn the internet on/off; Once in the router simply turn off DHCP or change the DNS to point to a machine that does not return the requested website. If I went this far being 'the bad guy' I'd go ahead and have that machine return a website that displayed a page saying something like 'Ha Ha we turned off your internet. Now pay us' If you can control DNS you can control a lot. The router is the first place your computer checks for DNS settings. You can route a system(s) anywhere you want once you control it. Later, to turn it on just return it to DHCP or set the DNS to the 8.8.8.8 Google DNS and everything suddenly starts working. No file system date changes required on the local machine by the way. Stored in router. How this is accomplished for various routers will vary, but most people are running the local cable service provider's hardware= good chance of success on method used, whether it be telnet or whatever. If you don't know for sure that your router password has been secured, it may be worth having someone look into it. It is not the same as setting a password for people to connect to your wifi/network (which a lot of people ignore also), it is the user/password to actually access the router itself. While you are in there make sure your hardware firewall is enabled. This is sometimes missed also. Now the boring part;I say I am the head of a web department. Most people assume that means we build websites. This is true. However we also are a hosting and MSP provider which involves literally running part of the internet. We have a large block of IPs we control, 3 DNS/SOA servers, hundreds of websites ranging from mom&pop to multimillion dollar corporations running on many Web Servers, as well as the SQL servers that support them. We are also responsible for large corporate private networks, some that span many states. So I have been granted access to some pretty serious stuff and have quite a bit of responsibility in this regard. I take my personal network security so seriously because of the access I have to these systems. If I was ever compromised it could potentially become a pretty serious breach. I was concerned yesterday that I had lost the password to the router; I remembered it today, and did my quarterly audit. This is more than most people would ever need to worry about, but is yet another practice to help keep things secure.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,926
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,926 |
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697 |
Wow Rharv, I knew you were an IT pro but I didn't know you're involved in all that. Good to know.
Here's something that just popped up in my inbox. The ringleader of the IRS phone scam just got 14 years in the big house. Of course as usual, that's reactive. Being proactive is the problem with government. Just like the latest admission that the OPM hack actually involves over 22M current and former government workers, most with security clearances. NOW they'll work to secure those databases. Great. What's that about a barn?
That is extremely serious and it just amazes me that this could happen but that's civil service for you. Government simply can't handle this stuff because of complacency. I think (hope) the true security agencies are ok but all the other agencies like OPM? No way. Nobody gets fired because of all the work rules protecting everybody.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
|
eddie1261
Unregistered
|
rharv, one thing to make clear is the difference between your own router (which is TRULY a router in the sense that it connects your network to the ISPs network) and the box you get from the ISP (more accurately named a network connection device). That word "router" gets tossed around a lot. YOUR router in your home, that Dlink, or Netgear, or Linksys, or Cisco, or Belkin... is the one you can secure by changing the password from admin/admin, or admin/password, or password/password, or no username/password.... and take it off 192.168.x.1. Granted using the IPCONFIG command you can see the gateway that the network is using, but they'd need to be inside your network to see it. True that there are a lot of hacker toolkits that you can set to brute force hack into home routers, but the original topic we are talking about is someone calling on the phone with a BS story about your computer sending viruses, not someone in a van parked outside your home trying to hack into your router. And honestly, when someone calls you, a random phone number, claiming to see your computer sending virus infected data packets (to where, they don't say) you need to be some special kind of gullible to fall for it. We are pretty much all rather smart people here. That is on the scale of believing that someone you don't know on the other side of the world picks YOUR name at random from every city in the USA to bestow their millions on.
We've pretty much buried this one.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,629
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,629 |
Kinda; they offered me a wireless router. I said no thanks. Not all modems include the wireless router. Mine would have been an extra monthly charge. So A I chose to use my own.
Calling was the easy part. You asked how they could turn it off and on. Router access would make it easy. No matter which device in your network provides this service, make sure it is not vulnerable.
/rant over
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,439
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,439 |
FWIW, in your home, that modem IS a router (99.99% of the time). It has to be unless your computer is the device authenticating to the ISP for the basic connection.
As for "turning off the internet", that can just as easily be done with a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack. Use a bot-net to flood the thing with so many appropriatly mal-formed packets (E.G. a continuous stream of SYN packets but never responding to the SYN-ACK packet the router would respond with) it has no reserve capacity to do anything. Turn it back on by stopping the DDoS...
Easy and effective.
--=-- My credo: If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing - just ask my missus, she'll tell ya  --=--You're only paranoid if you're wrong!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 7,258
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 7,258 |
Buy yourselves a call blocker, or, a phone with a good call blocking facility. We havn't received any spam calls for months, and better still, they'll block a series of numbers that the spammers like to use.
I've had some fun with the theiving ****s in the past, like pretending to be Scotland yard, Bill Gates personal manager, Buckhingham palace press office etc...
World's your oyster if you're bored
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,309
Posts803,076
Members40,090
| |
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean