Firefox is a great everyday browser if you want something calm, simple, and private.

It isn’t run by a big advertising company, so it isn’t trying to follow you around the internet. That means fewer pop‑ups, fewer surprises, and a cleaner, easier experience while you browse. Firefox is also the only major browser not built on Google’s Chromium code. Yes, even Microsoft Edge uses Chromium. Safari uses Apple’s own system, but it only works on Apple devices, which makes things tricky if you use a mix of computers or phones.

It also helps keep different parts of your life separate.

Your banking, your email and social life, and your shopping don’t have to mix together. This greatly helps guard against scams. It improves the chances scammers will become confused and give up. It reduces the possibility that something accidentally clicked from email or a social account “reads” your bank account information or other private websites you’ve had open. If you’d like this set up for you, B. A. Computer Services can install Firefox and configure it for stronger privacy and better organization. We can turn on the helpful features for you so everything is ready to go from day one.

Firefox works well as your main browser because it’s built to be steady and dependable.

When other browsers get fussy or a website acts strange, Firefox often handles it smoothly. Using it day‑to‑day gives you a simple, reliable way to get things done without extra fuss. We personally love the bookmark sharing features — set up on a desktop, then shared to our phone, we can see our desktop bookmarks there too, and keep unique ones for mobile phone only too.

In short, Firefox is private, steady, and easy to use — and with our help setting it up, it becomes an even safer and more comfortable way to browse the web, consistently on any platform, Windows, Macs, Tablets, and Phones.

Disclaimer: B. A. Computer Services receives zero (nada) 0.00 compensation for this message, which is not intended to be a promotion, but a help to our clients. (In fact, thwarting scams before they happen might reduce our revenue in fixing them, but we want our clients happy, not suffering loss!)

Some websites restrict access to specific browsers and may refuse to load unless Chrome or Microsoft Edge is used. This behavior is often caused by user‑agent filtering rather than any actual incompatibility with Firefox. A user‑agent string identifies the browser to a website, and some sites block Firefox by checking this string and rejecting anything outside their approved list.

Firefox supports domain‑specific user‑agent overrides, allowing it to present itself as Chrome for selected sites. This enables access to pages that would otherwise refuse to load. The method applies to any site that performs browser filtering. StateFarm.com is one example where this technique has been used, but the procedure is identical for any domain.

---

Creating a Site‑Specific Chrome User‑Agent Override in Firefox

Steps

1. Open Firefox and enter:

about:config

2. Confirm the warning prompt.
3. Create a new string preference:
   • Right‑click anywhere in the list
   • Select New → String
   • Enter the preference name in this format:

general.useragent.override.example.com

Replace example.com with the domain that requires Chrome.

Example:

general.useragent.override.statefarm.com

4. Set the value to this sample or any current Chrome user‑agent string:

Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/122.0.0.0 Safari/537.36

5. Reload the site. Firefox will now identify itself as Chrome for that domain only.

---

Platform Compatibility

This method works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. The override is handled internally by Firefox and does not depend on the operating system.

---

Summary

• Some websites block Firefox by filtering user‑agent strings.
• Firefox allows domain‑specific user‑agent overrides.
• Setting the override to a Chrome user‑agent enables access to sites that require Chrome.
• Only the targeted domain is affected; all other sites continue using the standard Firefox user‑agent.

Without violating their privacy, one of our clients recently had lightening strike their home resulting in a total loss of their personal property, including computing equipment. We will be assisting them in the interim to rescue if possible their burned computing device data and restore whatever networking they may need in the longer term. If you would like to contribute, you may consider donating with this pre-designed gift card: app.squareup.com/gift/24ER1QAJFBYWD/group/oUH1-qD0QmyHoyD6QfSknQ

Old iPads, modern email, and the “Purchased” workaround in 2026

Trying to use a modern email provider on an old iPad (iOS 9) in 2026 is brutal:

• The built‑in Mail app can’t negotiate modern TLS
• Most third‑party mail apps now require very recent iOS versions
• The App Store hides or blocks almost everything

But there is still one path that works—using a newer device to unlock older app versions.

1. Why old iPads fail with modern mail

a. TLS is too old

• iOS 9’s Mail app only supports older TLS (e.g., TLS 1.0)
• Modern providers (Titan, Google, Microsoft, etc.) require TLS 1.2+ for IMAP/SMTP and HTTPS

Result: the handshake fails, so Mail just sits on “Verifying…” forever. No settings fix this.

b. App Store support has moved on, that is, Apple has decide your iPad is not worth supporting anymore even if you paid a several gold

Using Modern Email on an Old iPad (iOS 9) in 2026

Old iPads running iOS 9 cannot connect to modern email services using the built‑in Mail app because the operating system uses outdated TLS that modern servers no longer accept. The App Store has also raised minimum iOS requirements, making most email apps unavailable.

---

What No Longer Works

Built‑in Mail App

Uses obsolete TLS. Cannot complete IMAP/SMTP handshakes.

Major Email Apps

Current App Store versions require much newer iOS versions:

• Gmail: requires a modern iOS release; no legacy versions offered to new installs
• Outlook: requires iOS 18 or later
• Spark: requires iOS 15 or later
• Edison Mail: requires iOS 14 or later
• Airmail: requires iOS 14 or later

These apps no longer provide iOS 9–compatible builds unless the Apple ID downloaded them many years ago.

---

Why the App Store Blocks Installation

The App Store only shows apps compatible with the device’s OS.
Older versions are hidden unless the Apple ID previously downloaded the app.
If the Apple ID never owned the app, the older version cannot be retrieved.

---

The Workaround

A newer iPad can be used to “claim” an app so the older iPad can download its legacy version.

On a newer iPad (iOS 12+)

• Sign in with the same Apple ID used on the old iPad
• Install the desired email app (for example, BlueMail)
• Open it once

On the old iPad (iOS 9)

• Open the App Store, be sure to be signed in with your appleid and use the same applieid on the old ipad too.
• Go to Purchased → My Purchases
• Locate the app
• Tap the cloud icon
• When prompted to download an older version, ACCEPT. This is the beautiful trick.

This installs the last iOS‑9‑compatible build. (Or whatever older version you happen to have.)

---

What Still Works in 2026

BlueMail (legacy version)

• Still downloadable through the Purchased list
• Supports manual IMAP/SMTP
• Uses its own TLS implementation
• Connects to modern providers such as Titan

---

Summary

iOS 9 cannot use modern email through the built‑in Mail app or through most App Store apps.
By installing an app on a newer iPad first and then downloading the older version from the Purchased list, it is still possible to run a functional email client on an iOS 9 device.
As of 2026, BlueMail is the only widely available option that still works.

Repairing or replacing an HDMI port on a motherboard is extremely difficult. The connector is soldered directly to the board with many small pins and anchor points, and even a slight error can damage nearby components. For this reason, our shop does not perform direct HDMI port soldering on motherboards.

We do replace HDMI‑related parts when they are modular—such as daughterboards, cable assemblies, or removable I/O modules—but we do not take on main‑board port‑level soldering.

Common failures include loose ports, bent pins, and broken solder joints. When this happens, the most practical solution is usually to use a dedicated graphics card or an alternative video output such as DisplayPort or USB‑C (if supported).

What About Xbox HDMI Ports?

Xbox consoles are even more challenging. They use a proprietary HDMI connector enclosed in a tight metal shield with heavy ground anchors. Replacing one requires specialized tools, precise alignment, and careful soldering under magnification.

If the repair is not done correctly, the console may show:

• No video signal
• Flickering
• Static or distortion
• Reduced resolution
• Intermittent black screens

Because of this, Xbox HDMI repair is a specialized service, and many shops decline it.

Bottom Line

Motherboard HDMI ports are rarely practical to repair, and we do not perform direct soldering on them. Xbox HDMI ports can be repaired, but only with the proper equipment and experience. If you have a damaged HDMI port, we can evaluate the device and recommend the most appropriate and cost‑effective solution.

Despite multiple reverse lookup attempts, there is no publicly verifiable owner or business registration linked to the phone number 844-393-1636 used by Casey Computer. This strongly suggests the number is part of a centralized or anonymous call routing system, not tied to a specific local entity.

What We Found

• No Registered Owner: Reverse lookup tools like USPhoneBook, ZLOOKUP, and Truecaller do not return a named individual or business for this number.
• Toll-Free Pattern: The number is part of a toll-free 844 exchange, commonly used by national or remote-first businesses. These numbers are often routed through VoIP or call centers.
• No Reviews or Local Mentions: There are no user-submitted reviews, scam reports, or business listings that tie this number to a physical location or named owner.
• Website Behavior: The Casey Computer website uses the number across dozens of cloned pages for different cities, reinforcing the idea that it’s a generic contact point, not a local line.

—

About the Person Shown on the Website

• No Name or Credentials Provided: The individual pictured is not identified by name or role.
• Likely a Stock or AI-Generated Image: The image appears highly polished and generic — a common tactic in templated websites. Without a name or verifiable identity, it’s almost certainly a stock photo or AI-generated likeness.
• No External Matches Found: Reverse image searches do not return any credible social media or professional profiles tied to the image, further suggesting it’s not a real technician.

—

What This Means for Local Consumers

• No transparency: The lack of identifiable ownership or staff raises red flags about accountability and service quality.
• SEO deception: The site is designed to appear local in many towns simultaneously, but likely operates from a central or outsourced location.
• Risk of impersonation: These tactics are commonly used by remote tech support firms — some legitimate, others not — to gain trust and access to personal devices.

For local East Texas service, call B. A. Computer Services at 903-662-8832.

1. Run Speedtest.net (Ookla) on a wired device
   • Connect a computer directly to your modem or to the Eero gateway via Ethernet.
   • Run Speedtest.net or Fast.com.
   • This bypasses Wi‑Fi and shows the true ISP speed to your device.
   • Compare the result to what Eero reports in its app.
2. Test Wi‑Fi speeds on multiple devices
   • Use Speedtest.net or Fast.com on your phone, laptop, or tablet.
   • These results reflect real‑world Wi‑Fi performance, which will usually be lower than the Eero app’s number.
   • If Eero shows 1 Gbps but your phone only gets 200 Mbps, that’s normal — the difference is Wi‑Fi limitations.
3. Use another router or ISP‑provided tool
   • Many ISPs have their own speed test portals.
   • Running those gives you a second ISP‑level measurement to compare against Eero’s result.
4. Check consistency over time
   • Run tests at different times of day.
   • If Eero consistently shows high speeds but independent tests show much lower, the bottleneck is Wi‑Fi or device hardware.
   • If both fluctuate together, the ISP connection itself may be inconsistent.

How to interpret differences

• Eero app test: ISP → router (best case, backbone speed).
• Independent wired test: ISP → router → device (verifies Eero’s claim).
• Wi‑Fi device test: ISP → router → Wi‑Fi → device (your real‑world speed).

To independently confirm Eero’s number, run a wired Speedtest.net check. If those match, Eero is accurate. If not, you’ve uncovered a gap between what the ISP delivers and what Eero reports.

The purpose of this article is to help consumers relate Internet speeds to something more tangible like water pipe sizes so that they may make more intelligent decisions about the amount of Internet they actually need. Major companies are selling “city water mains” to individual households when they cannot possibly use that kind of bandwidth. The prices suggested here are only estimates and vary by region.

Connection type	Like this size water line	Avg speed (Mbps) w/ latency (+wait time per click)	Usable (Mbps)	Acceptable for simultaneously used devices*
DSL ($40)	1/8-inch tube (coffee stir straw full of holes)	10 Mbps (+0.03 s)	9	1
Satellite ($60, 25 Mbps)	1/16-inch spiral novelty straw (long detour)	25 Mbps (+0.60 s)	7	1
Fiber 50 ($50)	1/2-inch high-pressure pipe	50 Mbps (+0.01 s)	48	4
Fiber 100 ($70)	1-1/4-inch high-pressure pipe	100 Mbps (+0.01 s)	95	6
Fiber 300 ($90)	3-1/2-inch high-pressure pipe	300 Mbps (+0.01 s)	285	12
Fiber 500 ($110)	6-inch high-pressure pipe	500 Mbps (+0.01 s)	475	20
Fiber 1 Gbps ($130)	12-inch high-pressure pipe (city main)	1000 Mbps (+0.005 s)	950	32

What is especially important to consider is the type and age of devices that are in your home. Up until recently most computers only had 100 Mbps capable network interfaces. Speeds over Wi‑Fi often top out at no more than 100 Mbps in everyday households. Even if you have a 1 Gbps fiber connection to your home, like having a water main directly attached to your home, the devices inside the home cannot use that much volume. Now just like water lines, if you happen to want to fill the pool at full blast, water the lawn at full blast, take a full shower, flush the toilet, run the washing machine, and the dishwasher all at the same time, then maybe it is well worth bumping one notch above the minimum. For most households, this kind of usage is simply unreasonable. A 1 Gbps line is sufficient for a business of 100 employees in many cases.

Almost all households, and most companies too, need primarily download-only speed. Unlike something like YouTube.com or Facebook.com, very few individuals are expecting thousands of people contacting their home Internet connection at the same time. Huge companies, like Google, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook and so on must have Internet capacity enough to handle 100,000s of customers using their resources simultaneously. This scenario simply does not apply to consumers who are not hosting their own websites on their own computers in their own homes.

Unless you have a server farm in your garage (that is like it sounds, racks and racks of computers), it is highly unlikely you will use more than 200 Mbps at any given time, and you can be quite happy with 50 Mbps. Fifty megabits per second is enough to run 5 smart TVs at the same time all on different streaming channels without missing a bleep, and still make 3 phone calls through WiFi, and run Windows Update on several computers all at the same time. If you bump it to 100 Mbps, eh, the Windows Update will finish about twice as fast, but the TVs and phone calls won’t blink at the addition because they were very happy getting more than they needed already anyway. Our suggestion — if you can get fiber, by all means get it — and the moment it is hooked up drop ALL cable TV contracts. Change that $100 monthly dish bill into a fixed $100 one-time cost on brand new top of the line Roku TV device, remote and speakers!

Roku is the simplest and most neutral streaming stick, focused on affordability and wide app support. Amazon’s Fire TV Stick ties closely to Alexa and Prime Video, while Google Chromecast with Google TV emphasizes Assistant integration and casting. Apple TV is more expensive but offers seamless iOS and Apple service integration, and NVIDIA Shield TV is the most powerful, aimed at gamers and advanced users. Virtually everything offered on those other platforms is also available on Roku, making it the most universal choice.