FullviewSTL

**How much do you trust the cloud with your important files?**

I've been using cloud storage and backups since **2008**. For nearly two decades, I trusted the cloud to protect the things I didn't want to lose.

Recently, I learned just how much trust I had placed in it.

**I lost roughly two-thirds of my photography portfolio.**

Years of work.

I lost files, documents, and tax records.

And worse than any of that, **I lost pictures of my daughter from when she was a kid.**

I can rebuild a portfolio. I can recreate or track down paperwork.

**I can't go back and take those pictures again.**

That experience completely changed the way I think about storing my data.

I'm not saying the cloud is bad. I've used cloud services since 2008, and I'll continue to use them. Properly configured cloud backup can be an excellent part of protecting your data.

But there's an important distinction that gets overlooked:

**Having something “in the cloud” doesn't automatically mean it's safely backed up.**

Many cloud services are primarily designed to **store and synchronize** files. If something is deleted, changed, corrupted, or becomes inaccessible, those changes can sometimes be reflected across synchronized devices. Recovery options, version history, retention periods, and protections also vary considerably between services.

And even with a true cloud backup service, you're still depending on access to that provider and your account.

My mistake wasn't using the cloud.

**My mistake was putting too much trust in one place.**

So I installed my own **NAS — Network Attached Storage.**

Think of a NAS as your own private storage system connected to your home or business network. Instead of everything living exclusively on individual computers or with a cloud provider, you have centralized storage on hardware **you own and control**.

Your computers can access it over your network. Your photos, videos, documents, and other important files can be stored in one central location. Depending on the system and configuration, multiple drives can also provide redundancy if a drive fails.

And you don't have to give up the cloud.

In fact, **a NAS and cloud backup can complement each other extremely well.** The NAS gives you local storage and control, while a properly configured cloud or off-site backup can provide another layer of protection.

And to be clear, **a NAS isn't invincible either.** Drives fail. Hardware fails. Files can be accidentally deleted. That's why I don't believe in putting all of my trust in any one storage system anymore.

The difference for me is simple:

**The cloud is no longer my only line of defense.**

This experience is also why **Fullview STL is now offering NAS installation and setup for homes and small businesses.**

We can help select the right NAS and drives for your needs, install it, configure it on your network, set up storage and drive redundancy, and connect your computers and devices.

Whether you're protecting business records, family photos, creative work, financial documents, or years of files you've accumulated, sometimes the most valuable thing on a hard drive isn't something money can replace.

**I can rebuild two-thirds of my portfolio.**

**I can't recreate my daughter's childhood.**

If you've been relying entirely on cloud storage—or a single computer—to protect everything important to you, it might be time to add storage that you own and control.

Contact **Fullview STL** to talk about a NAS solution for your home or business.

*Integrated. Intelligent. In Full View.*

🔊 **Tuesday Tip: Sometimes your TV isn't the problem — it's the speakers.**

Modern TVs look incredible, but getting them thinner and thinner doesn't leave much room for good speakers.

If you're constantly turning up the volume to understand dialogue, hearing buzzing or distortion during louder scenes, or your TV simply doesn't sound very good, it may be time to look at other options.

A **soundbar** can be a simple way to improve dialogue and overall sound.

A **stereo system** can be a great choice when music is just as important as TV.

And an **AV receiver with separate speakers** gives you the flexibility to go from a simple 2- or 3-channel system all the way to full surround sound and Dolby Atmos.

Before replacing a perfectly good TV because it sounds bad, consider upgrading the part that's actually making the sound.

**Fullview STL**
*Integrated. Intelligent. In Full View.*

**Need a Techspert?**

TVs. Wi-Fi. Security Cameras. Audio. Smart Home.

Technology should make your home easier — not give you another problem to solve.

Buying a new TV? **Fullview can supply it, price match qualifying retailers, deliver it, and install it** — one call from store to wall.

Whether you're mounting a TV, fixing unreliable Wi-Fi, adding cameras, upgrading your audio, or trying to make everything work together, Fullview STL can help.

**Stop fighting with your technology. Call a Techspert.**

Fullview STL
Integrated. Intelligent. In Full View.
314.690.1650
fullviewstl.com
facebook.com/FullviewSTL

**TUESDAY TECH TIP: How High Should You Mount Your TV?**

One of the most common TV mounting mistakes is simple: **mounting it too high.**

A common industry guideline puts the **center of the TV around 54–60 inches from the floor**. Thats a good starting point, but its not a rule that works for every room.

Another useful guideline is viewing distance. A simple starting point is to sit approximately **2 times the diagonal size of your TV** away from the screen.

For example, with a 65" TV, thats roughly **10–11 feet away**.

Your seating height, viewing distance, TV size, furniture and how you normally watch TV all matter. A bedroom TV may need to sit higher because youre watching while reclined. A TV above a fireplace may also need to be higher because of the mantel and fireplace itself.

The goal is simple: **the TV should be comfortable to watch without constantly looking up or feeling like youre sitting on top of the screen.**

Start with the guidelines, then adjust for the room and how you actually watch TV.

Fullview STL
Integrated. Intelligent. In Full View.
314-690-1650
fullviewstl.com
facebook.com/fullviewstl

TUESDAY TIP- Understanding Your Wi-Fi
Main vs. guest vs. open networks, 2.4 / 5 / 6 GHz, and Wi-Fi 6 / 6E / 7. The key is explaining that GHz refers to the radio band while Wi-Fi 6/7 refers to the generation of Wi-Fi technology. This can be slightly longer than our normal tip because there's a lot of useful confusion to clear up.
Wi-Fi Security — WPA2 vs. WPA3, what a good password actually looks like, why hiding the SSID isn't security, and basic things homeowners should do. This follows Wi-Fi perfectly.
IP Addresses & Your Home Network — Combine everything useful into one lesson: what an IP address is, public vs. private, roughly how many addresses/devices a typical network can support, DHCP addresses versus static/reserved addresses, and a very light explanation of subnet size. Basically: “How does your router keep track of 40 different things?”
Ethernet & PoE — Why wired networking is still relevant, what Ethernet actually does, and how PoE lets us deliver power and data over the same cable for things like access points and cameras.

**Techspertise.**

Is it a real word? No.

Is it what happens when you've spent enough years working with TVs, networks, cameras, audio, and smart-home technology that people start asking you about every electronic device they own?

Apparently. 😂

At Fullview, we've accumulated quite a bit of **techspertise** over the years. So whether your TV won't cooperate, your cameras aren't doing what they're supposed to, or your Wi-Fi has a favorite room, give us a call.

**We may have made up the word, but we know the technology.**

New lower TV-mounting prices from Fullview! 📺

Basic TV mounting now starts at just $80 for TVs up to 64" and $155 for 65"–86" TVs.

Need a new TV too? Fullview offers competitive pricing with major retailers, and when you purchase your TV and approved mount through us, you'll receive a mounting credit equal to the basic installation price.

Every basic TV installation also includes our complimentary 10-minute Tech Checkup. While we're there, we'll take a quick look at your Wi-Fi, streaming, audio, or other home technology and let you know if we spot anything worth addressing.

Professional installation. Straightforward pricing. No unnecessary upsells.

Based in Arnold, serving STL, Jefferson and St. Charles Counties.

Fullview STL
Integrated. Intelligent. In Full View.

📶 TUESDAY TECH TIP: ROUTER/WI-FI COMBOS, MESH & WIRED ACCESS POINTS

The router/Wi-Fi combination provided by your internet company may work fine in a smaller home, but one device in one location often can’t provide reliable coverage everywhere. Mesh Wi-Fi adds coverage without requiring new cable, though its wireless connections between units can reduce speed and reliability. Wired access points connect directly back to the network, giving each location a stronger, faster, and more consistent connection.

The best option depends on your home’s size, construction, and where coverage is needed. Fullview STL can help design a Wi-Fi system around your space instead of relying on a one-size-fits-all solution.

For more home technology tips, follow Fullview STL at facebook.com/fullviewstl.

Tuesday Tip: Basic Network Components

This week, we’re covering the basic components of a home or small-business network. Although networking equipment can seem complicated, most networks are built from the same four basic pieces: a modem, router, switch, and wireless access point.

The modem connects the building to the internet service provider and brings the internet connection into the network. The router then creates and manages the local network, directing information where it needs to go. It assigns each connected device an IP address—essentially a designated parking place on the network—so the router can identify it and deliver information to the correct location.

A switch expands the number of wired connections available, but it is more than a simple port splitter. It carries data between wired devices such as computers, TVs, printers, cameras, and access points. A wireless access point—or the access point built into a Wi‑Fi router—creates the Wi‑Fi signal that phones, tablets, laptops, and other wireless devices use to join the network. If that access point or Wi‑Fi router stops working, the Wi‑Fi network goes down, even if the modem still has a working connection to the internet.

Many ISP-provided gateways combine the modem, router, switch, and wireless access point into a single box. Even when they share the same enclosure, each component still performs a separate and important job.