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Cloud accounts, a user’s manual

Avatar de ExpertConseil
ExpertConseil
Rédacteur Web
22-09-2017

Personal devices are evolving so fast, it’s enough to make you dizzy. But getting a new product doesn’t necessarily mean having to learn everything all over again. You Pro, Michel Baril, explains how cloud computing works.

Cloud solutions are a great example of this evolution. You’ve probably already heard that they can help you make better use of your devices. That’s true, but many people still aren’t clear on how they work and, more concretely, how can they help.

Here’s some handy information to help you understand what cloud services are all about.

1. Your cloud is yours only!

The first thing you need to know is that when you use a cloud service, the only person who can access your data is you. It’s important to let that sink in.

A lot of people are afraid that once their information is sent to the cloud, it will be accessible to everyone on the Internet. But the fact is that no one knows your password but you—not even the cloud service provider’s staff!

So don’t forget this important nugget of information: you are the only person who can access your information.

2. What exactly is the cloud?

In the IT field, the term “cloud” refers to storage space reserved just for you. Think of it as a bank account for saving your information.

To access it, you need a device (computer, tablet, smartphone, etc.) and an Internet connection. Most cloud services require an email address (to use as your ID) and a password.

To understand how the cloud system works, let’s go back to our banking analogy. When you want to access your bank account, you need a debit card (which is like a user name) and a PIN number (which is like a password).

3. What is the cloud used for?

The cloud’s main function is to make a copy of your information so that nothing is lost if your device is misplaced or stolen.

Services like Apple iCloud or Google Drive have features that enable automatic backups. In fact, whenever your device is connected to Wi-Fi, its contacts, photos, notes, reminders, appointments, search history and more are all saved in this virtual storage space.

That way, even if you lose your device, you can still access most of your personal information via websites like icloud.com or google.com/drive.

4. How does syncing work?

To get a better understanding of what we mean by “syncing devices,” let’s imagine that phones, tablets and computers are all ways of accessing the Internet and your accounts, much like an ATM at the bank.

No matter where you go, you still have access to the same amount of money. The same is true with the cloud! Syncing your devices allows you to access the same contacts, photos and other data on all your devices.

This means that if you make a change on one device, it will be automatically applied to all the others and saved in the cloud. Did you buy a new phone? Simply connect your new device to your cloud account and all your information will be available to you.

How do you know if these features are enabled? Open the settings on your various devices and go through the backup options.

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Mis à jour 18-06-2025
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    • Avatar de JulieL
      JulieL
      Moderator - Solution Expert

      Hi! I see that my colleague has sent the request again for a callback. We're sorry you didn't get one yet. If you're still not getting one, please don't hesitate to reach us at 1-877-380-2611.
      Thank you

  • Avatar de CedrikS
    CedrikS
    Moderator - Solution Expert

    Good morning rvferro1. We will write you in a private message and we will be able to directly reach you for verifications. Thank you.

  • To add insult to injury. I actually paid Videotron for my Helix modem / router over a 24 month period. All told it must have cost me $240 or somewhere in that vicinity. At that price it should allow me to configure simple port forwarding like the good old Linksys / D-Link / TP-Link routers. I could be wrong but I believe that this process was much smoother when we were able to setup PF via the web interface and not that lack luster mobile app.

    • Avatar de CedrikS
      CedrikS
      Moderator - Solution Expert

      Good morning petebata. We would like to contact you directly for this. We will write you in a private message soon!

  • can someone help me setup a port forward? i have a NAS at home that i am trying to setup port forwarding to beable to access it remotely but i can't figure out how to use port forwarding.

  • I've been trying for over a week to get port forwarding to work to use remote desktop. The port is still closed, does anyone know how to fix this problem?

  • You are absolutely right rvferro 1.

    Added to that, starting about 3 weeks ago, Videotron has blocked port 443 (incomming) without any warning to their customers. I was using SSL port to communicate with my home computer via a gateway. Now, I have to specify a port other than 443. I do understand that Videotron wants to avoid commercial usage of home computers running web sites.

    A simple warning would have been polite. I was also told by tech. support that port forwarding was 'allowed' but 'not supported' (whatever that means). The Videotron support site (web) explains how to add port forwarding but there is no mention of port restrictions.

    • Avatar de JulieL
      JulieL
      Moderator - Solution Expert

      Hi! We verified with our different teams in charge of this and they assure us that there has been no change. The 443 port is not blocked. The entire list of blocked ports is; 
      incoming ports; 25,135,161,162,445,1080,135,139,445,4444,53,55,77
      outgoing ports; 25,139,445,4444

      As for support; we offer technical support on a range of issues with your connection. However, the port configuration is not part of the support we offer. Therefore that means you can do it, but we can't help you with the configuration.

      Have a nice day!

      • Avatar de guinypig
        guinypig
        Initiate

        The port may not be blocked via routing or firewall,  but Helix-fi app will not let you redirect port 443. The result is the same: Port 443 is not usable. Besides, if you try to redirect a restricted port, the target device is immediately declared "offline" and is no longer in the list of devices available for redirection. To restore it to online, you have to delete it ("Forget") and re-create it. Passive/agressive behaviour?

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