Week Two Questions, Tech News, & Tips

Program Notes for the 2nd Week of the Month

May 11, 2026, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > Learn What A Chromebook Can Do | If you own a Chromebook, here is where you start learning how to use it. Are you interested in buying a Chromebook? Learn what to look for.
7 Of The Best Laptops For Seniors In 2026 – BGR – bgr.com

This Week’s Tip or Trick

Restart Your Computer Weekly

Make it a habit to fully restart your computer at least once a week.

Why? It clears out system memory (RAM), fixes minor bugs, prevents performance degradation, and ensures critical system updates are applied.
Best Practice: Do it after this Senior Tech Group session or another weekly activity to start fresh.

BitWarden Tip & Info

Is Your Password Manager Actually Protecting You? (Bitwarden Interview) – youtube.com · Techlor
This is a 1-hour listen that I think many of you would find a good use of your time.

Q: I think I remember one time that you said you can use the camera setting to detect if a room has a hidden camera in it. Can you go over that again in the next class, and what setting it is? Mark B

A: To detect hidden cameras, perform a physical inspection of items with clear views of the room (smoke detectors, outlets, USB chargers) and look for unusual pinholes or wiring. Use a flashlight to identify reflections from lenses in the dark, and use your smartphone camera to find infrared (IR) light from night-vision LEDs.

1. Physical Inspection & “Glint” Method

Targeted Search: Check common hiding spots: smoke detectors, air vents, alarm clocks, lamps, tissue boxes, and picture frames.
The Flashlight Trick: Turn off the lights and shine a bright flashlight or phone light slowly around the room. A camera lens will produce a tiny, distinct glint or reflection.
Check Mirrors: Use the “fingernail test” on mirrors. If there is no gap between your fingernail and its reflection, it could be a two-way mirror.

2. Smartphone Camera & IR Detection

Find Infrared (IR) Lights: Most hidden cameras use IR for night vision.
1. 1. Make the room completely dark.
  2. Open your smartphone camera (front-facing often works best as it lacks an IR filter).
  3. Scan the room for small, pulsating white or purple dots.
Test your phone: Point your TV remote at your camera and press a button; if you see a flashing light on your screen, your camera can detect IR.

Q: Must I disable remote management for my Google Wi-Fi router that is turned on by default in the Google Home app Stew R

A: Note: Google Wifi/Nest Wifi is designed for cloud-based management via the app, making it impossible to completely disable all remote access while maintaining functionality.

Q: Google Authenticator. How to use? Want to add a 2-step verification to Bitwarden? Passkeys, please talk about them too. Thank you. Andrea

A: Google Authenticator is a software-based security application developed by Google that generates two-factor authentication (2FA) using Time-based One-Time Password (TOTP) algorithms. It adds a second layer of security to your online accounts by requiring a temporary six-digit code in addition to your password during sign-in.

Note: The TOTP algorithm is a generic system implemented by many security providers.

> My current recommendation for a stand-alone tootp generator is Proton Authenticator. It has many more features than Google Authenticator itself. It offers convenient ways to use it and back up your information. I use Proton Authenticator for storing my TOTP Information for Bitwarden, my Gmail account, and a few other high-priority accounts. It’s kind of a chicken-and-egg thing; you need to be able to access your password manager to find the information for your other accounts.

> For convenient access to TOTP information on all my other accounts, I use the built-in TOTP feature in the paid Bitwarden service to store it. Here are the steps to take to implement this in your Bitwarden account.

TOTP stands for Time-based One-Time Password. It’s a temporary verification code used as part of two-step login (2FA/MFA) to add an extra layer of security to your accounts.

How TOTP works

Generates a 6-digit code
Rotates every 30 seconds
Based on a shared secret key and your device’s clock
Typically uses the SHA-1 algorithm by default 1

Because TOTPs are time-based and expire quickly, they help protect accounts even if someone knows your password.

Using TOTP with Bitwarden

Bitwarden to generate TOTPs:

Integrated Authenticator (in Password Manager) – Help
- Generates verification codes directly inside your vault
- Available for Premium users or members of paid organizations (Families, Teams, Enterprise)
- Supports QR code scanning or manual secret entry

Setting up TOTP in Bitwarden – Help

You can set up TOTP by: