Daddy Bob

DADDY BOB'S COMPUTER Q & A

November 20, 2005

Q. The text is so small on some of the web pages I visit that I cannot read it. Even when I try to go to View then Change text size and try to change the font to a larger size, it stays small. Is there a way to make the text larger?

A.  The reason this happens on some web sites is that the writer of the page has “locked” the text size and style so the normal way of increasing its size doesn’t work. You can click on Tools, then Internet Options, and on the General tab, click the Accessibility button, and confirm that “Ignore font sizes/styles specified on Web pages” is checked.

Here is an easier way if you use a scroll mouse. Just place the cursor on the web page, hold down the CTRL key, and scroll the mouse wheel. This will override the locked text size on a web page. This trick works on Internet explorer and Firefox browsers.

Q. What is an IP address and how can I find out what mine is?

A.  In most installed applications of Internet Protocol (IP) today, an IP address is a 32-bit number that identifies each sender or receiver of information that is sign on line to the Internet. We are currently using the Internet Protocol Version 4, which consists of four groups of 3 numbers each, with the maximum in any group being 255. A typical one would look like 65.7.144.248.

However, because of its limited amount of allowable numbers, it is generally bypassed today by using something called Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR) addressing. This type includes a network identifier that is sent along with the IP address, greatly expanding the number of possible IP addresses. However, it still works basically the same.

Any time you sign onto the Internet, you are assigned an IP number by your ISP (Internet Service Provider). There are two main types of these assign numbers. They are called Dynamic and Static. If you sign on using a dial-up connection, you will always be assigned a dynamic IP address, meaning the number will change each time. The ISP has a pool of IP numbers, and chooses one by random to assign to you when you sign on line.

If you sign on using a broadband connection you may also be assigned a dynamic IP address, or you could have been assigned a Static IP address by your ISP. In my case, I use BellSouth’s Extreme DSL, and have a Static IP address. This means that it is always the same. A static address usually cost more, but is required with some types of service. Mine IP is always 65.7.144.248.

A new system, called Internet Protocol 6 (IPv6) is in the testing stage. It will be a 128 bit system which will give the system an almost unlimited number of possible addresses. When it will go into general service has not yet been determined.

  

Sidebar

The current 32 bit IPv4 system has a theoretically limit of 232 numbers and it is running out. The new IPv6, a 128 bit system, will have 2128 and that’s a whole bunch.

As the number of bits doubles, the resultant number of addresses is squared.

 Here’s an example. Remember that everything a computer does is in powers of 2.

8 bits=28=256
16 bits=216=65,536
32 bits-232=4,294,967,296
64 bits =264=18,446,744,073,709,551,616 128 bits=2128= more than my computer can calculate without using scientific notation.

You can check your IP address at any time you are signed on line by going to a web site HERE. It is envisioned that at some time in the future, everything including everyday appliances, will be inter-connected which means that everything that is connected will need its own IP address.

 Q. Every time I create a shortcut, Windows insists on adding the words ‘Shortcut to” to its name. Can I turn this off somehow?

A. This would require a registry edit, which I don’t recommend. However, Microsoft has supplied something they call “Power Toys”. It is a group of little applets that controls many of the things that in Windows that cannot be easily done otherwise. These were written by the same programmers that wrote Windows, but not officially supported by Microsoft. It is free and can be downloaded HERE. All the power toys are described there too. One of the applets in Power Toys is called “Tweak UI”, and this one will allow you to turn off the “Shortcut To”.

 

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