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What Is Wake-on-LAN, and How Do I Enable It?

Technology often yields ridiculous conveniences, like being able to turn on your computer from miles away without pushing the power button. Wake-on-LAN (WoL) has been around for a while, so let’s see how it works and how we c…

How to Diagnose and Fix an Overheating Laptop

One of the most common issues with aging laptops is overheating, something many people aren’t sure how to fix. We’ll help you figure out what’s causing the heat and how to keep your notebook functioning at a lower temperature…

How to Use Delay, Echo, and Reverb in Audacity

Sound engineers take really sterile tracks and make them sound natural through audio effects. The most common tools to do this are delay/echo and reverb, and with some know-how you can tweak your own tracks for the better….

What Are Computer Algorithms, and How Do They Work?

Unless you’re into math or programming, the word “algorithm” might be Greek to you, but it’s one of the building blocks of everything you’re using to read this article. Here’s a quick explanation of what they are, and how the…

How Do Noise Reducing Headphones Work?

Passive noise reduction, active noise cancellation, sound isolation… The world of headphones has become quite advanced in giving you your own private sound bubble. Here’s how these different technologies work….

How Does Dynamic Range Compression Change Audio?

Dynamic Range Compression is used in everything. Most audio editors have a “compressor effect,” and mastering it can mean the difference between an amateur and pro-level mix. To understand how it works, we need to see what ex…

What Is an Equalizer, and How Does It Work?

It’s in your car, home theater system, phone, and audio player but it doesn’t have an instruction manual. It’s an equalizer, and with a little know-how you can tweak your audio and fall in love with it all over again….

How Do Guitar Distortion and Overdrive Work?

With so many musical genres, it’s no surprise there are plenty distortion pedals out there. But what makes them so different? Let’s take a closer look at what happens to audio signals as they pass through these relatively…

How Do Linux File Permissions Work?

If you’ve been using Linux for some time (and even OS X) you’ll probably have come across a “permissions” error. But what exactly are they, and why are they necessary or useful? Let’s take an inside look….

What to Do When You Lose Your Smartphone

Phones get stolen or lost everyday. With a plethora of data ripe for identity-theft on it, a lost phone can easily make your blood run cold. Take a deep breath, How-To Geek will talk you through this.

How Does Email Work?

You send and receive it everyday, it’s instantaneous, and it doesn’t cost a thing. It’s email, one of the most important tools of today. Let’s take a look at how it works, under-the-hood and in normal language….

The How-To Geek Guide to 3D Monitors and TVs

Display technology has really been advancing and 3D is starting to become very commonplace, but with manufacturers using different technologies, things can get confusing quickly. We’re here to help you decide which to choose …

The Twelve Days of Geekmas, 2011 Edition

That’s right! It’s the holiday season once again, which means we’re here to help you shop for that important geek in your life. Time to Geek up Christmas with a silly song, the How-To Geek way!
How-To Geek is where you turn when you want experts to explain technology. Since we launched in 2006, our articles have been read billions of times. Want to know more?