Showing posts with label Hacks. Show all posts
Perhaps one of the things we take for granted the most nowadays is Wi-Fi. Being able to always be online while at home or at a cafe is incredibly convenient. However, there are moments when the signal might have issues and the best most of us are used to doing, is simply, restart our routers.
There are other, better ways to monitor and ensure the optimal performance of your Wi-Fi signal though, and while in the past it might have been a bit technical, now all it takes is a great app (or apps) to make the most out of your Wi-Fi signal.
Let’s take a look at three very useful apps that you can have on your Mac or on your iOS device that can help you monitor every detail of your Wi-Fi signal for optimal performance.
Network Multimeter
The best way to improve your Wi-Fi signal at home is (of course) getting to where the signal is strongest. That’s a lot easier said than done though. Thankfully, Network Multimeter ($0.99) is an app designed just for that.
With it, you can move around home or any other place that provides a Wi-Fi signal and the app will read and display the signal strength just like those classic battery or electricity meters you can find in most garages.
What makes this app stand out from similar ones is that it provides a constant indication of the surrounding Wi-Fi signal, which makes its reading much more accurate and reliable. And if you combine Network Multimeter with a blueprint of your house and you write down the different values the app provides, you will be able to create an incredibly accurate ‘map’ of your home’s Wi-Fi signal strength.
NetSpot
On the Mac side of things, there is NetSpot, a better, more capable app targeted at professionals (but that also provides a free version) that lets you read the signal strength at home. With this information, the app draws the overall signal ‘map’ or helps determine the best place to locate your Wi-Fi router.
You do have to carry your Mac around for the app to do its job though, so its usability is limited to portable computers.
WiFi Explorer
Good Wi-Fi reception is not all about raw signal strength though. Interference can cause some serious dips your Wi-Fi’s performance regardless of how strong it is, and few things can interfere with a Wi-Fi signal as much as other Wi-Fi signals.
The reason behind this is that most old routers emit their signal in the same frequency, 2.4 GHz. If you have a counter capable of emitting a 5 GHz signal, then changing to that frequency can greatly improve your signal reception.
WiFi Explorer for Mac ($14.99) does just that. It shows on your Mac the channel by which each Wi-Fi signal within range goes through, letting you know which is the channel with less ‘traffic’.
The app also displays the type of security that each signal uses, its speed and more. This information will help you determine if interference from other networks is behind any Wi-Fi signal issue you might have.
Transfer Files over Wi-Fi: Now that you have improved your Wi-Fi, here’s how you can make the most of it by transferring files from your iPhone to Mac or PC.
Signal Boosters
There you have them. If you feel your Wi-Fi signal might be suffering from some issues, then any of these apps can help you solve them. And even if you think your Wi-Fi is perfectly fine, you can use these apps to make the most out of it.
Traditionally desktop PCs haven’t had any wireless connectivity hardware pre-installed on them. Usually they have got internet connectivity only via the Ethernet cable. Just recently, with the recent shift to ‘All Things Wireless’ have there been some motherboards that do come with wireless adapters for desktops.
Have desktops? Can get Wi-Fi! | Shutterstock
But, if you’re stuck with an old PC (like me) with no such luck, don’t despair. With the help of a few tips and tricks, it can not only access Wi-Fi, but can also act like a virtual router. Let’s find out how!
Good Things Aren’t Free
Okay, so let’s get one thing clear. Nothing can magically enable a PC to somehow get wireless capabilities without any additional hardware. This just won’t happen. At all. But, the good news is – the wireless adapters that you can buy these days are pretty cheap. They can be used on laptops too, so in case your wireless card on that spanking new laptop has given way, you can try a wireless adapter.
They are usually pretty small and at times even smaller than regular sized thumb drives. But, don’t let the small packaging fool you.
Setup
Plugging in the wireless adapter will automatically run you through the setup process, like any other USB plug-and-play device. It shouldn’t be a problem to find a vacant USB port on your PC and even if you are on the ancient Windows 7 OS, the drivers of such adapters usually get installed fairly easily.
You know you have it correctly set up when you see two additional adapters in the Device Manager of your PC. Go there by right-clicking My Computer > Manage > Device Manager on the left. There should be one for a Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter and one Wireless USB Adapter with the brand name of your choosing. (TP-LINK, in my case)
Going Wireless
Connecting to a wireless network on a desktop PC is exactly the same as on a laptop. Click on the Network icon on the bottom right of the taskbar and then scan for wireless networks. From there, it’s a matter of typing your Wi-Fi network’s password and getting connected. If you need more desktop PC’s to be connected in this manner, buy more wireless adapters. Easy, right?
But Wait! There’s More
This was merely the hardware side of things. Getting wireless connectivity to a PC may not be path breaking, because all you’re really doing is introducing a new hardware to give it the same abilities as a laptop.
But, what if I told you that you can also take a desktop and turn it into a Wi-Fi router? Oh, yes. It can.
Virtual Router Software
I’ve looked high and low. In the depths of the fiery dark web to the most amazing software sharing repositories. But, I haven’t had a virtual router software that worked flawlessly on my desktop. Each had some clumsy issue after another. Or some were just way too complex for me to really care.
That’s when I accidentally discovered this great piece of software called mHotspot. It’s not only stable, reliable and easy, but also compatible with both Windows 7 and 8. (No doubt they will extend support to Windows 10 shortly, too).
Once you’ve downloaded and installed the software on the same desktop, all you need to do is configure it like you’re configuring a router. The good guys at the company already have a helpful video for their users, so I’m gonna put that down here for a quick look at how it works.
There is no audio in the video, so don’t start banging your computer! And if the video was still unclear in any way, let me say that all you have to do on the software is assign a network name (SSID) and password (WPA2-PSK). Since you already have a wireless adapter installed on your PC, this software will act in conjunction with that hardware and turn your PC in to a virtual router, once you hit that Start Hotspot button.
Yup, it’s really that easy.
Helpful Tip: The Internet Source needs to be selected on basis of what is giving internet to your PC. If it’s a wired connection, select that option, or you will run into errors. Also, in this example, we’re assuming that your desktop has a wired connection and you want to turn it into a virtual router for other devices like your iPad or Android phone.
Summarizing mHotspot
Okay, so I’ve already stated my undying love for this software. Which means anything more I say might come off as an ‘upsell’, but I’m only imparting my knowledge from all the trial and error I’ve put into this method, for all of you to enjoy.
The company also claims that mHotspot can be used to extend the Wi-Fi range of your router, which is true in theory, but in practice, it didn’t work to such a great degree. What’s more you can also use this software to give access to your other devices from your laptop, if you’re on a Public Wi-Fi and only your laptop has security software to tackle it.
The other devices will only be connecting to your laptop’s connection and merely piggy-backing on the internet it has running. Do not worry, it may sound shady, but it’s completely legal too.
Specifically For Laptop: We had previously written on sharing your laptop’s network with other devices, if that’s the only thing you are interested in.
A Wire-Free Life
I certainly hope you’ve enjoyed our quick look at how a desktop can get Wi-Fi access and even act like a virtual router. If you’ve got questions, do not hesitate to ask them in the comments below. Additionally, we’d also welcome questions around Wi-Fi which we haven’t previously covered.
We had loved LastPass so much that we had actually called it The Best Password Manager. So, when the story of the hack broke out a while ago, we were all in a state of shock. But, does that mean everyone ought to ditch LastPass and use something else? Are your passwords safe in the cloud? Can we trust the company again? That’s what we’re trying to find out.
Dont let them steal your passwords | Shutterstock
Don’t Panic
Needless to say, this is the first thing that needs to be done. Panicking, or worse, spreading false information via any medium, is just not the right way to respond to any crisis. While it’s natural to feel scared when you read a news like this, you have to realize that unnecessary panic just does not serve any purpose. In their blog post, LastPass have made it clear, and I quote,
In our investigation, we have found no evidence that encrypted user vault data was taken, nor that LastPass user accounts were accessed.
Yes, it does go on to say that
The investigation has shown, however, that LastPass account email addresses, password reminders, server per user salts, and authentication hashes were compromised.
But, what does this mean, you ask? Simply stated, it means while all your passwords are safe, other info may not be. For which, again, the blog post has already stated a few helpful tips.
Yes, the data from password managers is stored on the cloud, but the information is encrypted right on your computer. And even though the cloud computing architecture does involve a slight risk, you can still rest easy knowing that all encrypted data is never stored there. Which includeall your passwords.
Helpful Tip: Check out our Ultimate Guide on passwords to know everything about creating and managing passwords on the internet.
Prevention is Always Better Than Cure
This old adage could never be more relevant than in these times of internet snooping and loss of privacy. Here are some steps that you should follow when it comes to your LastPass account, to ensure you don’t lose your sleep over such incidents.
Change the Master Password
To change the Master Password of LastPass, simply click on Preferences, where you will find the Account settings section on the left. Clicking that will give you the option to Click here to launch account settings as shown below.
Clicking that will open a new tab, where all you need to do is hit the Change Master Passwordbutton and go for a newer (and stronger) alternative.
That’s it, the most important step that you should be doing after this incident is done!
2-Factor Authentication and Other Security Options
We feel it is a good idea to use 2-Factor Authentication wherever possible, and especially in places where sensitive data is stored. LastPass is absolutely correct in suggesting the use of this service and we feel that you should do this right away, after changing your master password. In fact, while you’re at it, do consider adding the 2-Step Authentication Factor to all the services you use which hold sensitive data.
In LastPass, you will find Multifactor Options in Account Settings (see above). This is where you will find options to further secure your LastPass account. You will also see the Grid Authentication option that we have written about before.
Country-based Restriction
Another layer of security that LastPass entails its users to explore is the country-based restriction policy. Once enabled, this will enable only devices originating from the country of your residence to access your LastPass data. If a device from any other country tries to access it, they will show an error message. We’ve covered this in much detail and you should definitely read it, if you haven’t already.
Still Worried?
Don’t be. There’s nothing more to be done here. LastPass has already updated their security and is already prompting users to be verified via email, if they are using a new device or a new IP. To verify this, we tried just that and were happy to report that this step works just as advertised.
Existing users are also being prompted to change their Master Password, but even if you don’t get that prompt, we urge you to do it anyway. Lastly, we’d like to quote Jeremi Gosney (a password security expert at Stricture Group) who spoke to Ars Technica about the hack –
On an NVIDIA GTX Titan X, which is currently the fastest GPU for password cracking, an attacker would only be able to make fewer than 10,000 guesses per second for a single password hash. That is proper slow! Even weak passwords are fairly secure with that level of protection (unless you’re using an absurdly weak password.) And this doesn’t even account for the number of client-side iterations, which is user-configurable. The default is 5,000 iterations, so at a minimum we’re looking at 105,000 iterations. I actually have mine set to 65,000 iterations, so that’s a total of 165,000 iterations protecting my Diceware passphrase. So no, I’m definitely not sweating this breach. I don’t even feel compelled to change my master password.
In fact, quite a few members of our own team use the tool and we have done exactly the same things that we have stated above. And now we wish to spread the knowledge to as many people as possible.
Want To Try Alternatives?
Okay, if you feel that you have lost faith in LastPass because of all this, then of course, there are always alternatives. If you’re willing to invest a little money (and some of that lost faith) then there’s always 1Password. It’s the same architecture and security measures at play, but Agilebits, the company behind 1Password, does have a better track record than LastPass. By that, we mean that it’s never been hacked. Hasn’t been reported, to be more precise. Yet.
Transfer Your Passwords in iOS: It’s easy to transfer your data from LastPass to 1Password for iOS, once you read our helpful article on it.
If you’re unwilling to spend anything, then there is a free alternative. It’s called KeepPass and it’s open source, too. And we have also written a guide to transfer your LastPass passwords to Keepass.
Even though it is not as convenient as 1Password, if you’re willing to play around, a few plugins can be added to match the functionality of its paid peer. It does take some patience, though, so be prepared.
Our 2 Cents
It’s very easy to blame a company and say they weren’t careful with your data. But that’s as good as blaming banks when there is a robbery. People haven’t stopped putting their money there and neither should you stop trusting password managers, just because one was hacked.
We’re not even saying that the security was lax on LastPass’ part, but they definitely need to pull up their socks. It wasn’t the first time a threat was detected in their system, but both times nothing major was stolen/lost. They acted quickly and promptly notified users and have already dealt with the security issue which lead to this. With a little more precaution yourself, you can ensure a much happier state of mind. If you can spend all that time thinking about your bank balance, we’re certain you can spare a few thoughts for the passwords that keep them safe, too?
There’s no shortage of file transfer apps and services on the web. You can use something like Xender to transfer files between Android and iOS devices, Dukto to easily share between PC and Android, Dropbox to stay in sync everywhere and BitTorrent Sync to do the same without involving any servers.
Image via Shutterstock
But one thing all of these services have in common is they’re just that – services. And they come with the baggage of proper services as well. You need to sign up for accounts, download apps, make sure everything is set up just right and more importantly, have the other party do the same. There’s clearly a need for a dead simple, fast, secure, web-based service to take care of this issue.
There’s an answer in the form of file.pizza.
How to Use File.pizza
Other than a clever and playful use of the new TLDs, What file.pizza does is almost poetically simple. It uses a combination of P2P networks (just like torrents work) and WebRTC protocol (that enables things like video chat right in the browser) available in many modern web browsers.
When you go to the website, you’re asked to upload a file, just 1 file at a time and the website generates a link instantly. No matter the size of the file, the link generation will be instant because the file isn’t going anywhere, it’s staying there in the browser’s cache.
After the link is generated, you can send it to anyone in the world, they don’t need to be on the same Wi-Fi network. Now, as long as you have the web page open, the other party can open the link on any compatible device – Chrome/Firefox on desktop, Chrome on Android (but not in iOS browsers or Safari on the Mac) and they can click Download to start downloading.
More on P2P: Using a P2P network for syncing or sharing files means a much faster syncing time between devices (more than 10X difference sometimes) and it also means no one can easily track your data. Learn more about downloading torrents right on your Android device and learn how to use BitTorent Sync to create your own decentralized Dropbox clone.
When that happens, the website is sending the file directly from your computer to theirs. No servers involved, no uploading/waiting times. This way, not only is it fast, it’s also secure. When the transfer is going on, make sure either of the devices don’t time out or go to sleep (especially your Android phone) or the transfer will fail.
How Well Does it Work?
When it works (that is, if you’re using a supported browser), it works pretty well. On Android, I encountered a weird issue where the native Downloads app wasn’t able to open the downloaded files but switching to ES File Explorer did the trick.
No support for iOS right now: On iOS, I tried multiple third-party browsers including Chrome and UC browser, but I got a “No WebRTC support” error every time, as you can see below.
I also tested it on 3G and the transfer for small files worked just fine.
Right now, the website only supports 1 file at a time but if you want to send more than 1 file, a workaround would be to create a zip file or just send them one by one (but as each file has a unique URL, this can become a chore). Honestly, the transfer speed isn’t great. It took more than 5 minutes to deliver a 260 MB file. But as it’s P2P and entirely web-based, it’s impressive that file.pizza pulled it off without any issues.
What Will You Use it For?
File.pizza is great for sending your friends TV shows or music files when they’re on the same network but don’t want to install any apps. It’s also a great way to send files to your family members without creating much fuss. And, of course, when you’re sharing something privatethat you don’t want someone else to snoop around in.
What do you plan to use file.pizza for? Share with us in the comments below.
One of the coolest features on the Android Lollipop update is the ability to smart unlock. This feature marks a safe location for your Android device by recording the Wi-Fi network or the Bluetooth device you connect to and then keeps your device unlocked in that location. The feature can be handy when you are in your home or car and are sure that no one will try to gain unauthorized access to your device behind your back. But the saddest thing is, I still don’t have the Lollipop upgrade on my device and I am sure there are quite a lot of users like me stuck on KitKat and Jelly Bean, waiting forever for this feature.
Smart Unlock for every Android. Shutterstock
However, when it comes to Android, most of the times there’s an app for that. Last time wediscussed an app that can get the Smart Unlock feature on rooted Android devices. But this time, we will be talking about an app that will mirror the feature without root access. Sounds interesting, I know! So let’s have a look at the app and see how it performs.
Smart Unlock for All Android Devices
As I already mentioned, Smart Unlock can be installed on any Android device running on Android 4.x and above, even without root access. After you install and run the app for the first time, the app will ask you to grant it admin privileges. These privileges are necessary for the app to gain control over the Android’s lock screen and you must grant it before proceeding.
After the initial setup, launch the app and you will see a black app home page and the option to add a trusted network. Here, make a selection between Wi-Fi or Bluetooth and proceed to the next step. The app will show you images for NFC and Location, but those are only there as proposed features for future updates. Right now you can choose one of the saved Wi-Fi or Bluetooth networks as a trusted network.
If you choose a Wi-Fi connection, you can only choose the network you are currently connected to; there’s no option to add any saved networks. You must connect to the Wi-Fi at least once and launch the app to save it as a trusted source.
For Bluetooth however, you can add any of the devices from the Android’s history.
That’s it – whenever you are connected to these sources, your device’s lock screen will be disabled and you will be able to access the home screen directly. The first unlock however, when you switch locations, should be done manually.
The app automatically starts on boot. The version downloaded from the Play Store is a trial version of 7 days, after which you will have to purchase the full version for around $1.99. If you are an XDA Member, there’s a special version for you. The XDA version is limited to 3 trusted devices, but you can use the app as long as you wish. Still, there will be an option to buy the full version and donate to the developer.
Note: The app is not compatible with some Samsung devices and for the same reason, the developers have hidden it from the Play Store for specific devices. If for some reason you are not able to locate app on Play Store, don’t be surprised.
Conclusion
Smart Unlock gets the work done smoothly without any glitches and some say that it’s even better than the stock settings on Android Lollipop. But I have only heard these things and would love a confirmation from you after you install and use the app.
In the article about how to use Microsoft remote desktop, we explained how to connect remotely to your PC. But for that to work, both PC’s were required to be on the same local network. What if you are far away from home, using another Wi-Fi or mobile data connection? In this scenario, you will require your PC’s external IP address to connect. Dynamic DNS is a service that gives your PC a link, like websites, so you don’t have to remember long numbers.
Image via Shutterstock.
To learn more about DDNS and how to get one, read the explanation below.
What is DNS?
While we have already explained in the past about DNS and IP addresses, here’s a quick rundown. All the websites and devices connected to the internet have a unique address, known as an IP address, which is a string of numbers used to identify the connecting setup.
But who wants to type http://74.125.224.72/ to access Google? It’s much easier to type and remember google.com, right? The Domain Name System or DNS redirects you to the IP address of the website when you type its URL (google.com) in your browser.
What is a Dynamic DNS?
This brings us to Dynamic DNS or DDNS. Just like websites, your PC (or router) is also a device connected to the internet, which has an IP address, assigned to it by your ISP. But this address keeps changing unless you have opted for a static IP. Dynamic DNS service gives your PC a host name, which always redirects to your PC’s IP address and also updates it automatically if it changes. Now you may ask, why do I need my PC’s IP address? For many reasons, such as to access it remotely, run an FTP server, run a static website, etc.
Cool Tip: If you can’t see extensions then go to Folder Options > View tab and uncheckHide extensions for known file types.
How Do I Get DDNS Service?
To get DDNS service you will need to sign up with a provider. There are both paid as well as free services. A simple Google search will lead you to many free DDNS providers. Earlier, DynDNS was a popular service, but a while ago they shut down all the free plans. Its popular alternative, which I use and recommend, is No-IP.com. They provide 3 hostnames, which is enough for a regular user. To set up DDNS using No-IP follow these steps:
Step 1: Go to No-IP and sign up for a free account. After logging in, click on your username in the top left corner to open the My No-IP settings page. Then click on Add a Host.
Step 2: Enter the host name that you want the IP address to be associated with and leave the other settings as they are.
Step 3: Now we need to set things up at your end. Based on your network configuration, the process will differ. DDNS can be set in the router itself if it supports the DDNS service or you can use No-IP’s application on your PC.
Setting Up in Your Router
Find the DDNS setting for your router by going to the manufacturer’s website. See if it supports No-IP (or any other free service you have chosen).
If the DDNS service is supported, then enter your No-IP username, password, and domain name you set in Step 1 during signup. Click on Save or Login to finish.
Setting Up in Windows
Download No-IP’s application for Windows and install it. Open it and enter your username and password. That’s it, now whenever your public IP changes, the app will update the domain name automatically.
Your Own DIY DDNS (Sort of)
This method, which I use, requires no sign up with a third party provider or any application installation. It will update your public IP to a text file in Dropbox (or any other cloud service you use) and you have to just open the file to get your current IP address. So in cases when you just need an IP address of your PC and don’t care about the domain name, this method is useful.
Step 1: Create a text file in your Dropbox folder. You can name that file as per your wish. To make things clear I have named it ExternalIP. Save that file and make sure its extension is.txt. Create a folder, preferably in your C:\ drive, and inside that folder create another text file named myscript. Make sure that you name the text file of the script and folder in which it is stored, without any spaces.
Step 2: The main work here is done by a Powershell script. Don’t fear, you don’t have to learn Powershell or some programming language, the script is already made, you just have to copy it.
$OutputFile = "<path to save>"
"" | Out-File $OutputFile
While ($True) {
$IP = $(Invoke-WebRequest "http://icanhazip.com" | Select -ExpandProperty Content).Trim()
If (((Get-Content $OutputFile)[0]) -ne $IP ) {
$IP | Out-File $OutputFile
"The IP for " + $env:COMPUTERNAME | Out-File $OutputFile -Append
Get-Date | Out-File $OutputFile -Append
}
}
Start-Sleep-Seconds 180
Copy the above script to the myscript text file you created in the previous step, and change the<path to save> to the address of the ExternalIP text file you made previously in your Dropbox folder. Now save the myscript text file (the one with the above script, not the one in Dropbox folder) with a .ps1 extension.
Step 2: Now open Powershell (press Win key + S, search for Powershell), right click it, and select Run as Administrator. In the Powershell window, type the following:
Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned
It will ask again to confirm, type Y and then Enter. Then type the following and press Enter.
c:\<folder name in which script file stored>\myscript.ps1
It may seem nothing has happened after pressing Enter, but don’t worry, the script has started running in background.
Step 4: Now whenever you need the IP address of your PC, just open the text file. The script also mentions the time of the IP address update.
Conclusion
I hope now you know more about DDNS. Still have questions or doubts? You can always clear them via the comments section.
WhatsApp is the world's most popular cross-platform instant messaging app with over 600 million users and the company is making vigorous efforts to ensure complete security for its content. Facebook-owned WhatsApp has partnered with Open Whisper Systems, a security company that makes open source encryption software, in order to offer end-to-end encryption to its users by default. This will be available to Android users in the form of an update while iOS users will have to wait a little longer.
The new change comes on the heels of WhatsApp's CEO Jan Koum's assurance to millions of users that the Facebook acquisition will not change its priority about users' data privacy. Other companies such as Google and Apple have also added encryption on mobile communications, a move which has drawn praise from privacy advocates and criticism from the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.
Government agencies have expressed their displeasure toward such encryptions as they hinder criminal investigations of suspects. WhatsApp's new update replaces its half-baked security encryption, which was in place since launch. For users, the end-to-end encryption and the company's partnership with a third party expert brings a greater sense of security.
Open Whisper System's software enables developers to voluntarily look for vulnerabilities and create new encryption codes. With a new key for every message that is sent using WhatsApp, it makes it difficult for spy agencies to snoop on user data.
"We believe that by continuing to advance the state of the art for frictionless private communication with open source software, open protocols, and simple libraries, we'll have additional opportunities to support mass adoption of end-to-end encryption," Open Whispers said in a blog post.
Despite the new change, users' data isn't entirely secure as authorities can gain access to any information transmitted between devices through court warrants. But it certainly shuts the back door and minimizes the risk of losing personal data to hackers and government organizations.
In past entries, we explained how to hack your PS Vita in order to run TN-V, a PSP emulated firmware that allows to play your PSP game backups, install emulators for other consoles, and more. This time, we’ll show you how to install and run a PS1 emulator that provides perfect emulation of most PS1 titles.
Important Note: To use the PS1 emulator on your PS Vita, you need game backups in the form of EBOOT files (which you can search for in Google). Be warned though, these and any other emulators out there exist for game owners to be able to play backups of games they own and not to foster piracy, which is illegal.
If you have a hacked PS Vita, you might be wondering why this emulator is needed in the first place, since the PSP emulator provided in TN-V also lets you run PS1 games.
Well, the reason is quite simple. This PSP emulator is based on the original PSP software, and as such, carries the same limitations as that software did when it comes to PS1 games. As a result, the native PSP emulator doesn’t support several games, and many of the ones that it does support, it does not support fully. Some PS1 games lack proper sound or have no audio at all, you can’t take screenshots of your PS1 games, along with other issues.
That is where TN-X comes into play.
What is TN-X
This 3rd party PS1 emulator provides perfect emulation of games of the original Playstation, including perfect sound, the ability to take screenshots of your PS1 games, as well as supporting several games that are not available via the Playstation Network Store (PSN).
What was your favorite PS1 game? Photo Credits: Deviantart
Let’s take a look at how you can install TN-X on your hacked PS Vita.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- A hacked PS Vita able to run TN-V, that’s on OFW (official firmware) 3.18 or lower
- qCMA – an app for transferring data between your computer and your PS Vita without requiring an internet connection (available for both Mac and Windows)
- A PS1 ‘exploitable’ game. There are three of these: Sports Superbike 2, Tekken 2, and XS Moto. For this tutorial we will use XS Moto. You need to have bought this PS1 game on your account and have it installed on your hacked PS Vita
- TN-X exploit save files: Download link
- Backups of your PS1 games
If you fulfill all the requirements above, then head to your computer to get started.
On Your Computer
Important Note: While this tutorial was created on a Mac, the instructions still apply if you have a Windows PC.
Step 1: Make sure you download all the files mentioned above. If you have a hacked PS Vita, then you must already have qCMA. So the only file you should download is TN-X.
Step 2: Let’s start by unzipping the exploit file to access its contents, which should be as shown below: a readme file, a TNV special exploit and the save files for the three PS1 games that can run this emulator.
Since I have the XS Moto game, I will be using the save files for that game (shown below).
Step 3: As with previous hacks, in order to install the TN-X PS1 emulator your PS Vita, you will need to ‘seed’ the XS Moto (or other game you are using) save data file into the game. This is the file you just downloaded.
So on your computer, head to where all the save files for your PS1 games are located. It should look something like the screens shown below. Open that folder and leave it open.
Now in the folder where the TN-X exploit is, look for your PS1 game folder and open it to find its save file. In this example, the save file for XS Moto is the one named ‘SLUS01506′. Click on that file and copy it to the folder you have opened just before, where all the save files are.
After you do that, head back one level on the TN-X folder you downloaded and also copy the TNV folder there to where you copied the previous one.
In the end, the folder with all the save files on your computer should contain these two new folders, as shown below.
Now you have to access your PS Vita via the qCMA app, so head to your PS Vita to transfer the files.
On Your PS Vita
Step 4: Before starting the qCMA app, plug your PS Vita to your computer using its USB cable and then start the app.
Step 5: Then, on your PS Vita open Content Manager, select Copy Content and then choosePC > PS Vita System.
Next, select Applications and on the next screen, under Saved Data select PlayStation.
If you did things right, then you should now see a save file for XS Moto there. Select it and thenCopy it to your device.
Likewise, head back one level and now under Saved Data select PSP/Other.
There you will see a new save file named ‘TN-V Launcher’. Select that file and Copy it to your device as well.
How to Use the PS1 Emulator
Important Note: Before using the TN-X PS1 emulator, you will need to have games for it on your PS Vita. To transfer your PS1 game backups to your Vita, follow this guide and use FTP to do so. Just make sure you transfer your PS1 eBook files to the PSP/GAME/ folder in your Vita.
Step 6: Now that you are done copying the files, exit the Content Manager on your Vita and start your game (XS Moto in this example).
Once it starts, head to Options, select Load Game and then choose either Single or 2 Player Race.
To trigger the exploit on the other two games:
- Tekken 2: Start the game in Survival mode and lose the match.
- Sports Superbike 2: Load the save file via Options and then start a 2 player race.
Once the exploit triggers, you will be running the PS1 emulator on your PS Vita.
And thanks to all the improvements it boasts, you will now enjoy features like screenshots, perfect audio, and more.
Enjoy!
