6 Useful Linux Command Line Tools for System Administrators

The command line is seriously powerful. With it users can execute powerful actions on computers and even servers in quick succession without the need to fuss with heavy GUI tools, and even invoke automated scripts that can do massive amounts of actions at once. This is especially useful when it comes to doing serious system administration.

With a terminal-based tool, users can gain access to massive amounts of information remotely and with ease. What are some of the best command-line based tools on Linux? Let’s find out!

Lsof

When programs operate, they often have access to certain files on the system. These files could be images, video files, or even just library files being accessed. This tool is useful because it allows the user to view a list of any and all open files, along with processes from the programs accessing them.

Since Lsof is so well known, users don’t need to go out and install it. Chances are it’s already installed on the system. To test it out just run the lsof command.

Nmap

Nmap (Network mapper) is a command line tool that allows the user to create a map of a network. Despite being just a command line tool, Network mapper has many, many options. It can discover network hosts, operating systems, and scan ports, check firewall security, and even find network exploits that may be present.

Like many of the tools on this list, Nmap is found in most Linux distributions’ software repositories. To install it, search for nmap and install it.

Tcpstat

Tcpstat is a terminal program that can read and report back network interface information to the user. The program can do this by directly monitoring one specific device in real time or by reading data from a dump file. A simple, but useful utility especially for system administrators looking to find out the performance of specific network cards.

To install Tcpstat, check your Linux distributions’ package repository. Alternatively, download a package of it at pkgs.org, or get the source code directly from the developer.

Htop

Htop is an improvement on a terminal-based tool known as “Top.” It offers improvements on top such as better visual readouts (menus and user interfaces), more user-friendly and interactive than Top, etc. This program allows users to view running programs, processes, memory usage, and pretty much everything you’d see in a normal task management GUI tool on the Linux desktop.

This tool is especially helpful for system administrators who look for easy ways to kill, restart or suspend unresponsive programs over a remote connection. It also comes in handy when checking in on the overall CPU and Memory performance. The program is available in most Linux distributions’ package repositories. Open up a terminal window and search for “htop” to install it.

Tcpdump

For those looking for a way to look over network packets there is Tcpdump. It’s a simple package analyzing tool that can show TCP/IP network traffic as it happens. Using Tcpdump allows users to view detailed information about the contents of packets both coming (and leaving) through the network in real time and dump it into files for further viewing later.

This sort of tool is a favorite for forensic and security professionals, as it allows the ability to “spy” on Internet traffic from any computer it can connect with. To install Tcpdump, open up a terminal and search and use the package manager to install Tcpdump. It’s most likely in the default repositories.

Conclusion

System administrators on Linux might find themselves in a command line for most of their work from managing servers or even client computers and other things. That’s why it’s very important to find out the best command line-based tools to make the job easier. Each tool featured on this list does exactly that: makes system administration easier on Linux, each in its own way.

How to Fix DNS Errors and Regain Access to the Internet

Have you encountered a strange error in your web browser when trying to access a website? These particular errors state that the DNS has given an error, such as a DNS lookup error. You may still be able to use programs such as Skype or online games, but websites will refuse to load. Even more annoyingly, sometimes this error only affects some websites. So, what is this “DNS error,” why does it affect websites (or only some), and how do you fix it?

What Is a “DNS”?

“DNS” stands for “Domain Name System,” and it is usually associated with a “DNS server.” If you’re unsure how loading a website works, this doesn’t really help in revealing what a DNS does! Let’s analyse what role the DNS performs so we can get a better idea as to why it has errors and how to fix it.

A DNS server acts a lot like the address book on your phone. When you want to call somebody, you can manually enter their number, but remembering everyone’s numbers is a huge hassle. It’s so much easier to add their number in the phone’s memory and associate a name with it – such as “Mark” – so that when you want to call Mark, you find his name on the list and hit call.

The same goes for your computer. It doesn’t know what a “Google” or a “Facebook” or a “Twitter” is. It does, however, know what an IP address is. When you enter a website such as “www.facebook.com,” your computer figures that this is a URL and goes to its address book of URLs to figure out where Facebook is on the network. This is what the DNS server does – it acts as an address book for URLs.

Why DNS Errors Occur

What would happen if the address book on your phone was corrupted or deleted? If you entered “Mark,” your phone couldn’t look him up and wouldn’t be able to phone him. Similarly, when you enter a URL into your browser and the DNS server is down, your machine can’t get an IP address for that URL. Since your computer doesn’t know how to get to a “Google,” it comes back with a DNS error.

Particularly clever readers will realise that if you directly enter the IP address of a website into the address bar, you could technically surf the web even after your DNS server has gone unresponsive. While this is true, we don’t want to remember every IP address for when the DNS goes down! It’d be a lot better if we could fix the problem instead.

Fixing DNS Errors

So that’s enough about what a DNS is. Now, let’s take a look at the options you have when your DNS is acting up.

Flush DNS Cache

If you’re visiting the same page a lot, it makes sense for the computer to remember the addresses for URLs so it doesn’t have to page the DNS server every time. This storage of remembered URLs is called the DNS cache. Sometimes your machine will rely on this to resolve a URL, but if this cache is corrupted, it will return an error.

Windows

Flushing the DNS cache in Windows is very easy. To start, press the Win key and start typing cmd. When command prompt appears in the search results, right click on it, and select “run as administrator.” This brings up an elevated command prompt window which can accept system-level changes.

To flush the DNS cache in Windows, enter this command:

ipconfig /flushdns

Mac OS X

The commands for flushing DNS on Apple’s operating system seem to change with the direction of the wind. There are about four separate and different commands for each separate version of OS X. For this reason we’ve only included the most recent ones.

To flush the DNS cache on Mac OS, the user will need to launch a terminal window. Head over to the Applications area, look for an application named “terminal,” and launch it. With the terminal open, flush all DNS leases from your Mac and enter this command.

(OSX 10.10.4+)

dscacheutil -flushcache;
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

(OSX 10.10-10.10.3)

sudo discoveryutil mdnsflushcache;
sudo discoveryutil udnsflushcaches

Linux

If you’re using Linux, open a command window and type:

/etc/init.d/nscd restart

Use A Public DNS Server

If the above doesn’t work, then the ideal solution is to change the server you’re using. Perhaps the server you use by default has gone down so you can’t resolve URLs. A good public DNS server to try when yours dies is the Google public DNS server. It’s located at “8.8.8.8” and “8.8.4.4.” You can change your adapter settings to use that DNS server instead of your default one.

Disable Security (For a Short Time!)

It’s not ideal for security software to be disabled while using the Internet. However, an overzealous or corrupt security suite can sometimes block outgoing DNS requests, resulting in a DNS error. If you’re having trouble and have tried all of the above, try disabling firewalls and other security options to see if that fixes it. If it doesn’t, try uninstalling and reinstalling the software, or try a different vendor’s software. If it does, remember to turn the software back on!

Conclusion

DNS server issues can be frustrating to fix, especially when you don’t know how the errors occur in the first place. Hopefully, you now have a better idea of what causes these errors and how to fix DNS-based problems when web browsing.

5 Ways to Access Instagram from your Desktop

Instagram has approximately 500 million active users as of October 2016. Just in case you’re not one of those 500 million, Instagram is a social networking app that allows users to share photos and videos from their mobile devices. The app includes various photo editing tools and has become a staple of selfie-obsessed teenagers as well as an invaluable marketing tool for individuals and businesses.

Instagram allows users to share their life by providing an instant snapshot of what’s going on in that exact moment. Hence the name, Insta-gram. For that reason, the developers of the insanely popular app have chosen to only focus on mobile platforms. While it is possible to view your Instagram feed from your browser, you can currently only upload images from your phone or tablet. That means any photos taken from your DSLR or edited in Adobe Photoshop are deemed unsuitable for Instagram sharing.

The benefit of uploading Instagram posts from a PC or Mac appeals to a lot of people, and just because it isn’t officially sanctioned by the folks over at Instagram, doesn’t mean it can’t be done. To paraphrase Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park, “Life, uh, finds a way.”

1. Gramblr

Gramblr is a popular third-party application that allows users to upload photos and videos to Instagram from their PC. It is compatible with both Windows and Mac computers and features a similar interface to the official mobile app. Gramblr is simple to install and easy to use; however, glitches are not uncommon.

2. BlueStacks

BlueStacks made a splash in 2011 when they unveiled their proprietary software, BlueStacks App Player. To put it simply, BlueStacks App Player is an Android emulator that runs on either Windows or Mac OS. While BlueStacks is particularly popular with gamers, the App Player can run roughly 96% of the Android apps available in theGoogle Play Store, Instagram included.

3. Running Android on a Virtual Machine

A virtual machine is an emulation software that allows you to run entire operating systems within the Virtual Machine software. Think of it as a computer within a computer. Windows 10 has a built-in virtual machine in Hyper V; all you need is a copy of Android. Once you’ve configured your virtual machine, just download the Instagram app and start using it from your PC.

4. Andy/AMIDuOS

If the idea of configuring a virtual machine is a little over your head, you have other options. Programs like AMIDuOS and Andy package a virtual machine and the Android operating system together. These pre-configured solutions make running Android on your PC super simple. Andy and AMIDuOS aim to bring a fully functioning Android experience to the PC, which means you’ll be able to ‘gram to your heart’s content. Andy is free; however, AMIDuOS has a payment structure between $10 and $15 USD.

5. Dropbox

If everything above sounds like more trouble than it’s worth, Dropbox might be the answer you’re looking for. Simply upload photos or videos from your PC to Dropbox and transfer them to your phone. Then just fire up Instagram and start posting. It may not allow you to post to Instagram directly, but it works.

What is your favorite way of accessing and using Instagram on your desktop PC? Let us know in the comments!

First Time Getting a Laptop? Here is What You Need to Look Out For

When buying a laptop for the first time, some users will find all the advertised system specs quite confusing. Even worse, there’s no real way to tell if a laptop will meet your needs by brand names and numbers alone.

Obviously, the hardware is the most important aspect when surveying a laptop to buy. You want to make sure the machine is going to do what you want it to. At the same time, purchasing a computer more powerful than you need will mean you’re spending extra money for capabilities you’ll never fully utilise. Getting the right balance is the key to getting a machine that both does what you want and doesn’t make a dent in your bank account!

Processor

The processor is the heart of a machine, so it’s a good idea to look into the options you have. Of course, they come with their own confusing names, so it’s tricky for someone new to the market to identify what each processor means. Let’s break down each processor and what each one means in terms in performance.

Single Core

You’ll find that some laptops will have a single processor core in them, such as an “Intel Celeron” or “Pentium” processor. As far as speed goes, single cores aren’t great! Compared to its brothers, a single core processor will take a while to load software and process tasks. However, single core laptops will be very cheap to purchase, so if you just need something to process word documents or show presentations on the go, single core should be fine. Anything more than simple work use may tax it, however!

Dual Core

Some laptops will come with two cores within them, or as it’s known in the IT world, “Dual Core.” These include processors from the “Intel Core i3” range. Dual core processors are a solid workhorse for everyday activities, from web browsing to even less-intensive games. If you’re not going to be taxing your processor all the time, a dual core is a solid choice for a somewhat speedy processor without breaking the bank.

Quad Core

Quad core processors, however, are four processor cores bundled together, and you’ll see these in processors such as the ones in the “Intel Core i5” and “i7” ranges.

Processors that lower the quad core scale, such as the i5, are great for gaming and HD movie streaming, as they can handle strong loads without breaking the bank too much. If you want a quick machine that can handle quite intense tasks without having processor power “going to waste,” an i5 is a solid choice for a first-time buyer.

Higher up the scale, such as the i7, are processors ideal for very intensive activities that max out the processor for long periods of time. Activities such as video rendering, complex 3D work, or even something like Folding@Home, will benefit the most from an i7. While a very powerful processor will easily handle any loading tasks you give it, it might end up being too much rather than too little! Consider if you’ll really get the most out of something like an i7 before buying one.

What about “GHz?”

You’ll notice that processors also report a statistic in “GHz.” This stands for “gigahertz” and represents the speed of a processor. The higher the number, the faster the processor. One thing to remember, however: the GHz stated is usually the speed of one core. A 3GHz dual core processor (3+3=6) will be slower than a 2.8GHz quad core (2.8+2.8+2.8+2.8=11.2).

How do you check the cores?

If it’s not immediately obvious how many cores a processor has, you can visit the manufacturer’s page for that specific processor, and it should tell you its speed as well as the amount of cores it has.

What about “Core2” technology?

In some laptops, especially older ones, you’ll find that there are Intel processors that use “Core2” technology, such as Core2 Duo and Core2 Quad. You’ll also notice they’re cheap dual/quad core processors. So, do they offer i5/i7 for cheap? Not quite! They’re an older series of dual/quad processors, so they’re not as powerful as the i-series. You may find a powerful Core2 Quad can give a low-range i3 a run for its money, but anything higher will leave these older processors in the dust.

RAM

RAM can be quite cryptic, as it’s not very obvious how RAM affects system performance. Usually, the more the merrier, but how much should you be looking at in your laptop?

2GB RAM can be found on most budget laptops. With 2GB, you can definitely load office software and browse the Web without too much hassle. You may notice things get a little slow at times, however. If you can afford more, 4GB of RAM is highly recommended over 2GB. For those without the money to spend, 2GB should be okay, as long as you don’t open too many applications.

4GB RAM is a good amount to buy. It suits a lot of use cases, and you won’t notice many (if any) problems with 4GB RAM. Some more system-intensive tasks will require more RAM, but if you’re not pushing your system to its limits, you shouldn’t find much issue with 4GB.

6GB or above RAM can be a bit of an overkill for some users. At the same time, however, laptops with this much RAM sometimes aren’t too expensive. Some modern games require this amount of RAM, so if you intend to do heavy gaming, 6GB+ is a safe investment, especially given how much of a pain it can be to upgrade a laptop’s RAM!

Video Card

Video cards are another confusing case for newcomers. Basically, a video card is an independent piece of hardware that handles rendering graphics. This can be from watching videos on YouTube to drawing high quality 3D models in a videogame. So, which one is right for you?

Integrated is a little confusing, as it means the laptop doesn’t have an independent video card. What it means is that the processor in the laptop also handles the graphical output of the machine. As you can imagine, it’s not ideal for really intensive graphical applications. If the most graphically-intense software you open is a word processor, however, you won’t need a dependent video card at all! An integrated graphics card should suit fine.

A Video Card Less Than 1GB means the laptop has its own dependent card. This will be useful if you want to watch high quality movies or play some low-spec videogames on your laptop.

A Video Card Greater to or Equal Than 1GB is for when you really mean business with your graphical output! If you’re looking to play games or do 3D modelling, anything short of 1GB can really harm your experience. Check for laptops with higher-end cards and read reviews and consume websites to ensure it’s the one you want.

On Spec

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding on what each component of a laptop means and can buy the machine that does what you want the best. What do you need most out of a laptop? Let us know below.

5 of the Best Alternatives to Adblock Plus that Won’t Show “Acceptable Ads”

Adblock has served me well over the years, making many websites clean and clear. Everything loads quickly, and it all goes on in the background. It’s often a shock when I open somebody else’s browser only to be attacked by spam and pop-ups, and that’s why ad-blockers are an important tool in everyday life.

With the news that Adblock has decided to allow what they deem to be “acceptable ads,” now is the perfect time to find a replacement. Here’s five alternatives that will allow you to browse in peace.

1. uBlock Origin

uBlock is one of the best known alternatives for a reason. It’s a capable ad-blocker that is completely free to download. It doesn’t catch as much compared to Adblock,  but it’s far less resource-heavy. If you’re working on a laptop or an older machine, it might be a good idea to see if it has what it takes to handle your needs.

If you want to know more, here’s an in-depth guide to uBlock Origin and Adblock Plus.

2.Opera

Opera is a great web browser with multiple features that it hopes will set it apart from the competition. It’s similar to Chrome in look and feel, and it’s easy enough to use and get used to. Pages tend to load at a reasonably competitive speed.

It’s true that some websites won’t recognise the smaller browser, and it can lead to longer load times. Nonetheless, it’s still a solid alternative to Adblock.

Here’s a direct link to their website if you’re interested.

3. Ghostery

Ghostery is a browser extension that has been installed over 50,000,000 times. There have been some issues regarding what they do with the data they collect, but it’ll keep most ads out of sight. It’s also completely free to download.

It’s a little resource heavy, but it’s dependable if you just want an extension to take care of your ad-blocking needs. We discuss Ghostery further in this article, so check it out if you would like to find out more.

4. Disconnect

Disconnect is a great tool that will allow you to browse the Internet safely. It was developed by former NSA and Google developers, so they should have a decent idea of how to keep your data more secure.

They display their recommendations prominently on their website as shown in the image above. It can be downloaded for free to one browser, so be sure to choose wisely.

Here’s a direct link to the download page.

5. Privacy Badger

Privacy Badger is a Chrome add-on that will keep you safe while surfing. It’s free to download, and it will block both adverts and trackers aiming to get your interest or information in one form or another. It keeps track of adverts and content that comes from the same source or company, and will block it if the adverts keep following you from site to site. It’s a little different, but it’s definitely worthy of this list.

Here’s a direct link to their download page.

Conclusion

Blocking ads is one thing, but it’s also important to keep personal information as secure as you can. Internet privacy tends to be murky enough as it is, so it makes sense to take precautions to stay safe. Taking care of troublesome trackers should be helpful, and it’ll keep repeat offenders away.

Adblock can still provide the goods, and the acceptable ads platform isn’t the worst thing in the world. Nonetheless, it isn’t really ideal for many users.

If you want to make a change, there are lot of services to choose from. Hopefully, the five options listed above will be able to handle your needs. If you have a great alternative (or we’ve been able to help you out), please let us know in the comments section below!

Quickly Restore Deleted Files with EaseUS Data Recovery Software

Have you ever deleted an important file by accident or maybe before you should have (thinking you didn’t need it anymore)? More than likely, you have. Luckily, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is one that can come to the rescue when you get carried away deleting files.

EaseUS Data Recovery is available for Windows and Mac. Here we’ll be looking at the Windows version (on aWindows 10 computer) to see just how quick and easy it is to recover lost files.

Installing Data Recovery Wizard

The program is very easy to download (.exe file) and only takes a minute to install. I didn’t have any issues, and the few options that are available (e.g. create desktop icon) are self-explanatory.

After installation, the Data Recovery Software will open as long as you keep the “Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard” option checked.

Using Data Recovery Wizard

The program has a clean and minimal UI that is very easy to navigate. As a matter of fact, the first thing I noticed was the lack of a menu bar. Instead, there are just a few icons in the top-right corner (feedback, import scan status, menu, minimize, maximize, close).

From the menu icon you can access everything from language to online help to updates. There are no settings to bother with, which is really convenient.

What and Where to Search

You’ll always start at “Home.” From the Home window you can choose the types of files to scan for: graphics, documents, email, audio, video, other.

On the next screen you can choose the location of your hard drive (or any attached drives) to search through. Keep in mind that you can only search through one location (folder or drive) at a time.

Quick Scan vs. Deep Scan

Once you click on “Scan” in the bottom-right corner, the software does a true Quick Scan. By “true,” I mean that it doesn’t take much time at all; a scan of my Desktop took around four minutes.

The Quick Scan finds a decent amount of files, but it’s nothing compared to the Deep Scan. It finds 100 times more but also takes more time (average two to three hours). You can do a Deep Scan by clicking on the orange button at the bottom-left corner.

If you find that the scan is going to take much longer than you’d like, you can pause or stop it. While paused, you can also preview recovered files. Don’t worry if you decide to stop it early; you can still recover any found files.

Even when stopping the Deep Scan after just 7% had been scanned, almost 1 million files had already been found, which says a lot about its thoroughness. When viewing your recoverable files, you can sort them by type: all, graphics, audio, document, video, email, other. You can also view them as a list or as icons. There’s even a preview option so that you can see exactly what the file is before restoring it.

If you want to save your scan results for later use, you can click on “Export Scan Status” to export your results as a Recovery State File (.rsf).

This can later be imported via the “Import Scan Status” icon at the top of the window (between Feedback and Menu).

Using Valuable CPU

I did notice that both the Quick Scan and Deep Scan are pretty CPU-intensive, especially the Deep Scan since it takes so much longer. Honestly, it’s to be expected with a hard-working program like this.

If you plan on doing a deep scan, it’s probably best to have it running while you’re asleep or away from your computer doing something else.

Recovering What Was Lost

When you’re ready to recover a file (or more), you can right-click on each one and choose “Recover,” or you can select all of the ones that you want to cover and click on “Recover” in the bottom-right corner.

You’ll be asked to choose a location to save the files and will also be warned not to save the recovered files to the drive where you lost them. I feel that this is just a precaution in case the drive is damaged; in that case, it’s a good idea to save it somewhere else. However, if the drive it’s recovered from is fine, I personally see no harm in saving it there.

For me, recovering two files took around 10 seconds. Upon completion, you can even “share your happiness with friends” on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

No More Lost Data!

While there is a free trial of the Data Recovery Software, you can’t actually recover files with the trial; you can only do a scan and see what may be recoverable on your system. I do think it’s nice that you can see if the program will help before spending your money on it.

In a nutshell, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard makes it alright to be careless – at least when deleting files from your computer! Plus, it provides peace of mind knowing that you can get back your coveted kitten videos collection that was mistakenly deleted by a friend just trying to help you with your addiction. Well, maybe that’s not your life, but it could be!

We would love to know your best recovery softwares. Please comment below and let us know your list of recovery softwares for windows or linux.