Martyn Tech Services

08/16/2026

Is your family’s computer ready for the first day of school? 🎒💻

Between summer gaming marathons and laptops sitting in backpacks for three months, August tech surprises are real! Avoid the last-minute scramble with a Back-to-School Tech Tune-Up from Martyn Tech Services.

Here are the most common issues we’re fixing this month:

🔹 The "Neglected All Summer" PC: Turned it on for the first time in months and hit a wall of failed updates, slow startup, or weird errors? We’ll get it updated and optimized.

🔹 Post-Summer Clean-Up: Bogged down with Roblox, Discord addons, suspicious downloads, or running out of drive space? We’ll clean out the junk and speed it up.

🔹 New PC & College Setup: Got a new machine for school? We handle clean setups—removing pre-installed bloatware, migrating old files/photos, and securing it properly.

Get homework-ready without the headaches. Both in-home and remote support available across the Fox Valley!

Set an appointment at the MTS website, link in comments

📩 Or send a direct message right here on the page!

08/14/2026

Aurora Repair Cafe is tomorrow at Santori Library. I will be there helping with electronics and tech!

07/16/2026

📅 Tech Tip Thursday: Internet Connectivity Issues? Try a Power Cycle!

If you are a MetroNet customer in the Fox Valley area, you likely noticed some connectivity issues yesterday. While service has been fully restored for most of the region, it’s incredibly common to experience a "hangover" effect where your local hardware fails to check back in automatically.

If your internet is still acting sluggish, or if you're getting a "No Internet Connection" error despite the lights being back on, your network equipment just needs a fresh start.

Here is the proper, step-by-step way to reset your equipment to ensure everything syncs back up correctly:

🔄 The 4-Step Network Reset Sequence

Don't just pull all the cords at once! The sequence matters because your devices need to boot up in a specific order to assign IP addresses correctly.

1. Unplug the Power: Disconnect the power cables from both your modem (or MetroNet ONT box) and your wireless router.

2. Wait 60 Seconds: Leave them completely unplugged for a full minute. This allows the temporary memory (cache) in the devices to completely clear and ensures the hardware fully powers down.

3. Power Up the Modem/ONT First: Plug the power back into your modem or ONT box only. Wait 2 to 3 minutes. Watch the lights—you want to see the "Power," "PON," and "Data" lights stabilize and turn solid.

4. Power Up the Router Second: Once the modem is fully online, plug your Wi-Fi router back in. Give it about 2 minutes to boot up, broadcast your Wi-Fi network, and successfully grab a fresh connection from the modem.

💡 Bonus Tip

If you have critical devices (like a primary desktop or network printer) that still won't connect after doing this, go into that specific device's network settings, turn the Wi-Fi off for 10 seconds, and turn it back on to force it to reconnect to the freshly rebooted router.

Still having trouble getting back online after a full power cycle? Drop a comment below or send us a message—we're here to help get your home or business network running smoothly again!

07/09/2026

Tech Tip Thursday 💻

If you spilled coffee on your laptop right now, what is gone forever?

Most clients tell me, "I’m fine, I save everything to OneDrive/Google Drive." But file syncing is not a true backup. If ransomware hits your computer and encrypts your local files, those scrambled files instantly sync to the cloud, overwriting your good data. If you delete a critical folder by mistake, the sync deletes it everywhere.

You need an isolated, automated backup that follows the 3-2-1 rule:

-3 copies of your data.

-2 different types of media (e.g., your local drive and an external backup).

-1 copy stored entirely off-site (a dedicated cloud backup service, not just a sync folder).

If you need any advice regarding setting up a secure, reliable backup solution reach out in the comments. If you'd like to set an appointment to review your backup plan send a message or schedule yourself at martyntechservices.com 🗓️

07/02/2026

Tech Tip Thursday

💻 Before you toss that old PC... read this.

Upgrading your home or office tech? Don't just throw your old computers in the trash—and don't let them gather dust in a closet because you're worried about your private files and banking history. Simply hitting "delete" or formatting a drive doesn't actually erase your data. Think of your hard drive like a book; formatting just tears out the table of contents, but leaves all the chapters entirely intact. The files are still there—they are just hidden from view until new data eventually overwrites them, meaning anyone with basic, free recovery software can pull up your old financial documents and photos.

To truly protect your identity before letting go of a machine, you need a secure, professional-grade data wipe. We utilize multi-pass overwrite standards (like NIST 800-88 compliance) that overwrite every single sector of the drive with random data patterns. This ensures your private files, stored passwords, and banking history are permanently and completely unrecoverable before the computer is ever repurposed.

🔄 The Martyn Tech Services Guarantee:
We don't just ensure your data is permanently unrecoverable; we look out for your privacy from start to finish. When you book a secure data wipe visit with us, we don’t leave you stuck with the leftover hardware. We will handle the recycling for you.

Computers, laptops, & gear: Recycled completely free of charge after service.

Monitors & TVs: Subject to the standard Illinois recycling fee based on screen size (we handle the logistics, you just cover the state fee).

Even better? When possible we securely refurbish older, usable tech to provide reliable, highly affordable computer options for local Fox Valley students, seniors, and families right here in our community.

Ready to clear out the tech clutter safely? Drop us a message to schedule your data wipe and recycling pickup!

06/25/2026

Tech Tip Thursday: Don't Let Summer Heat Fry Your Devices! ☀️💻

As the summer temperatures climb here in the Fox Valley, it’s not just us feeling the heat—your computers and gaming consoles are too. Dust buildup combined with poor airflow is the #1 cause of hardware failure during the summer months.

Quick tips to keep your tech cool:

Give it space: Ensure your desktop towers, gaming consoles, or media PCs have at least 3–4 inches of breathing room from walls or cabinet backs.

Off the carpet: Avoid leaving laptops running directly on carpets or blankets, which block the bottom intake vents.

The "Blow Out": A simple can of compressed air to clear out dusty vents can drop your system's internal temperatures drastically and prolong its life.

If your computer sounds like a jet engine taking off lately, it might be time for a deep internal cleaning or a fresh application of thermal paste. Stay cool out there!

06/24/2026

It's official! Martyn Tech Services has joined the Batavia Chamber of Commerce. 🎉 MTS is excited to dive in, meet our neighbors, and keep the Fox Valley running smoothly. Thanks for having us!

06/18/2026

Excited to join the Batavia Chamber of Commerce! Looking forward to meeting and helping local businesses with all their IT needs.

Martyn Tech Services provides dedicated IT support and repair for the Tri-Cities and surrounding Fox Valley area. Our 24/7 proactive management services offers businesses essential security and monitoring with remote support, plus additional services. Professional business-grade service extends to r...

06/18/2026

MTS will be at the Aurora Repair Cafe again this Saturday. Stop by with your broken tech and let's try to get it back to working condition!

06/11/2026

📊 Tech Tip Thursday: "It looks like you're trying to save time..." 📎

​If your daily workflow involves a lot of copying and pasting data between emails, spreadsheets, or documents, this built-in feature is a total game-changer.

​Most people copy one thing, paste it, go back, copy the next thing, and paste it. It’s a lot of tedious back-and-forth window switching. Instead, use Clipboard History.

​The Trick:
​Next time you need to paste, don't press Ctrl+V.
​Press Windows Key + V instead.
​A small menu will pop up showing a history of everything you've copied recently (including images!). Just click the item you want to insert.
​(Note: The first time you press it, Windows will ask you to click "Turn On".)

​Small tweaks to your digital workflow can save your team hours every week. If your business technology feels more frustrating than efficient, it might be time for a professional review. Reach out to schedule a Business Assessment today! 🚀
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