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Leader in Remote Tech Support Offers Free Wi-Fi Troubleshooting to Hurricane Ike Evacuees

With Hurricane Ike bearing down on Texas, support.com, a leader in repairing computer problems remotely over a broadband connection, offers tips to ease the stress of getting personal technology back up and running after an evacuation, plus a free offer for residents of the affected area.

Many families who return from an extended evacuation will find that long periods without power have knocked their wireless networks offline. Hurricane Ike evacuees who still need help with their wireless network after following these steps are invited to call 1-800-PC-Support, where an expert, North America-based solutions engineer will help reset their wireless connection for free.*

Take the following steps to get your network back up and running:

1.  Make sure the walls and all components are dry and power has been
    restored to your home before powering up your system.
2.  If your wireless network is not coming online, try rebooting your
    router by turning it off and unplugging it for a few minutes, then
    plugging it back in, turning it on and letting it cycle through the
    booting process.
3.  If you still do not have connectivity, call your service provider to
    ensure that service has been restored to your area.
4.  If your service provider confirms that service has been restored to
    your area, but your WiFi network still is not online, call
    1-800-PC-Support for free assistance with the promotional code IKE08*

From lightening storms to hurricanes, foul weather is no friend to personal technology. As the final step in returning home, set your family up with a plan for protecting your personal technology next time nature strikes:

--  Protect Yourself from Power Surges. When lightening strikes, it can
    travel along power lines causing damage to electronics and posing a serious
    safety risk. To reduce the risk, never use your computer in a lightening
    storm. Make sure your computer is plugged into a UL-rated surge protector
    and unplug all components if you have to evacuate.
--  Backup Critical Data and Take it With You. Of course you want to
    ensure the safe evacuation of your family first, but if you regularly back-
    up important files and precious memories, be sure to take them with you.
    At the very least, take your laptop, which will house many of these
    important items and function as a critical communication tool while you are
    away from home.
--  Move your CPU to Higher Ground. Many people keep their CPU on the
    floor or underneath the desk. If forced to evacuate in a hurricane or
    flood, move the CPU to higher ground by placing it on the desktop if there
    is risk of flooding, and be sure it is protected from breaking glass and
    falling objects.
--  Protect your Monitor from Flying Debris. If you have a flat-panel
    monitor, flip it face-down onto a padded surface to prevent it being
    damaged by flying debris.
--  Write Down your WEP Key and Router Passwords. Keep all your important
    system information in a safe place so that it will be available to you if
    you need to reset your internet or wireless connection upon your return.
--  Powering Back Up. When returning home to a system that has been
    without power for a period of time, make sure the walls and components are
    dry before powering back up.
    

(*To receive a free Wireless Network Set-Up and Troubleshooting service, residents should call from their home phone registered to an area code in the affected area and use the discount code IKE08. Offer good through November 1, 2008.)

About support.com

support.com, a leading provider in the growing remote technology services space, wants to fundamentally change the way people fix technology problems. Previously, a computer meltdown meant pleading phone calls to tech-savvy friends and family, a trip to the computer store or a long wait for a technician to arrive and fix it. support.com's suite of tools mean a qualified technician can diagnose and repair most technology problems quickly over the phone, typically for less than the cost of in-store or in-home service. Additionally, support.com's services can happen while you watch, so they are ideal for people who are concerned about privacy and security. The company behind support.com is SupportSoft (NASDAQ: SPRT), which provides software and services that make technology work. The Company's solutions reduce technology support costs, improve customer satisfaction and enable new revenue streams for companies reaching 50 million users worldwide.

support.com is a registered trademark of SupportSoft, Inc. All other company names, brand names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. None of the entities mentioned herein, other than SupportSoft, is a sponsor of or otherwise affiliated with this promotion.