Re: [Discuss] Looking for WiFi router with certain characteristics
On Mon, Jul 28, 2014 at 9:14 PM, Richard Pieri wrote: > On 7/28/2014 9:00 PM, Glenn Burkhardt wrote: >> All interfaces connected to the Ethernet or two wireless networks end up >> on the same subnet (192.168.0.x). > > I'm figuring you don't have this but instead you have a second > 192.168.0.0/24 network inside your primary internal network. The Edimax > isn't a bridge but a second firewall/gateway with its own private > 192.168.0.0/24 network that's isolated from your primary internal network. Actually like many such devices these days, it seems like how you can use the the Edimax is dependent on software configuration. By default, devices like this typically come up in wi-fi router mode.According to the manual located here: http://www.edimax.com/edimax/mw/cufiles/files/download/manual/transfer/Wireless/BR-6228nS_nC_V2/BR-6228nS_V2_nC_V2_Manual.pdf it can be put into: Wi-Fi Router, Access Point, and Range Extender modes. Which it is in depends on software configuration and how the Edimax physically connects to the rest of your network. It might be a good idea to verify that the device is correctly configured. Bill Bogstad ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [Discuss] php dev's code with warnings and notices
On July 28, 2014 at 1:57 PM Rich Braun wrote: > Peter (peabo) Olson asked: > > What is a static-analysis gate? (Routine search revealed nothing.) > Quality gate: > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality_gate > That's a step in the continuous-integration process which, if it fails, your > build is rejected. Thanks, peter ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [Discuss] Looking for WiFi router with certain characteristics
On 7/28/2014 9:00 PM, Glenn Burkhardt wrote: > All interfaces connected to the Ethernet or two wireless networks end up > on the same subnet (192.168.0.x). I'm figuring you don't have this but instead you have a second 192.168.0.0/24 network inside your primary internal network. The Edimax isn't a bridge but a second firewall/gateway with its own private 192.168.0.0/24 network that's isolated from your primary internal network. -- Rich P. ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [Discuss] Looking for WiFi router with certain characteristics
Newegg has a half a dozen or so inexpensive access points. I recently bought this one for about $20: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833315134 However, it doesn't seem to act the way I'd expect a true access point to work. I have it connected by Ethernet to the router that has the Internet connection and is the DHCP server for the house's internal subnet. The access point presents a second wireless network to a part of the house that's farther away from the router. That area of the house has poor reception with the wireless network of the router. The two wireless networks use different RF channels. All interfaces connected to the Ethernet or two wireless networks end up on the same subnet (192.168.0.x). But some of the computers on one of the wireless networks have trouble connecting to computers on the other wireless network. For example, in order for any computer to use my wireless printer, it has to be on the same wireless network that the printer is on. I haven't been able to figure this out yet... ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [Discuss] Friends don't let friends run stock firmware
On 7/28/2014 6:41 PM, Tom Metro wrote: > He's trying to spread the line, "Friends don't let friends run stock > firmware." I take exception to this line. I'm not my friends' sysadmin or help desk. The problem isn't a matter of trust. It's a matter of embedded operating systems being a pain in the ass to maintain. If I'm going to bandy about recommendations then I recommend avoiding embedded OS "routers". Use wall-wart servers or the like booting dedicated firewalls like jtan or sentry firewall from ISO images copied to USB sticks. -- Rich P. ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [Discuss] access points
On 7/28/14 5:48 PM, Tom Metro wrote: > What goes into a consumer access point is nearly 100% the same hardware I use a Netgear router/wifi point here at home and I just found that there's a "switch" to put it into "access point mode" which I now have to do more reading on. As it is, acting as a smart box, it breaks my network into two subnets that limits some things working. ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [Discuss] Friends don't let friends run stock firmware
MBR wrote: > 5. WHAT ROUTERS CAN BE TRUSTED? > >...I quickly learned that about >2 years ago, Cisco/Linksys had pushed out their Cloud Connect >firmware to all their routers without the router owners' permission, >and in order for the owner to continue using his own router, he had >no choice but to sign an agreement that allows Cisco to spy on his >Internet use... > >ASUS: The next router I've been considering is the ASUS RT-N66U. >It sounds like ASUS was informed of a major security flaw in their >firmware, and chose to bury their head in the sand instead of fixing >the problem. > >Have any of you seen other router manufacturers trying to seize >control of the hardware, either like Cisco tried to do, or in some >other fashion? If so, which manufacturers, and what have they done? Well, there was the well publicized backdoor that appeared in several router models. I mentioned it in this June BLU posting: http://www.mail-archive.com/discuss%40blu.org/msg09068.html I've been meaning to write up some notes from Jim Gettys talk I mentioned here also in June: http://www.mail-archive.com/discuss%40blu.org/msg09114.html He's trying to spread the line, "Friends don't let friends run stock firmware." But there's more to it than that. For a very long time I've ran 3rd party firmware on my consumer routers, but that alone isn't a great solution if the community around those third party firmware builds is small and fragmented, as has happened with the Tomato firmware. Jim's main takeaway from the talk is that whatever firmware you go with, make sure it is one that is getting regular updates, and apply the updates. He recommended OpenWRT and felt it was being well maintained. I've previously mentioned the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter here: http://www.mail-archive.com/discuss@blu.org/msg09064.html which I still don't have first-hand experience with, and thus can't recommend it, but it continues to look interesting based on specs and reviews. It runs a fork of Debian, but I haven't been able to get an answer as to how frequently it receives updates. Years ago I used to have a router separate from a WiFi access point (which was just another consumer-grade router reconfigured). I'm planning to switch back to that model. One reason is that one of the big stumbling blocks in getting third party firmware to support a router is getting the wireless radio to work. Often this requires using a binary blob supplied by the chipset vendor and borrowed from the commercial firmware that came on the router. Another reason is that the more complication you add to your border router, the more opportunities for vulnerabilities there are. (While technically WiFi is on the border of your network, the requirement for physical proximity vastly reduces the number of potential attackers.) So determine what software you want to run on your border router and then select appropriate hardware. (OpenWRT has good hardware guides.) Perhaps you can optimize for a box with more RAM so you can run intrusion detection tools, rather than having that money go to fancy radios. Focus on keeping this router always up to date. Run wires to your 1st floor and install a couple of consumer-grade routers with OpenWRT configured to act as access points. These you can be a bit more lackadaisical about updating. -Tom -- Tom Metro The Perl Shop, Newton, MA, USA "Predictable On-demand Perl Consulting." http://www.theperlshop.com/ ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [Discuss] signal propagation in old houses
> But it's not > > traditional wood lath. It's WIRE LATH. > agreed that Wire Lath is too-darn close to what you'd want to use to build a WiFi / 4G free space. Tom's wire lath in the basement ceiling may actually boost reception in *some* areas of 1st / 2nd floor (and create some null spots due to standing waves as well). In general, the longer wave / lower frequency devices will have larger hot / dead zones, and shorter/higher=smaller. If *your* ceilings are free of wire lath (or expanded metal sheet lath), you may be able to establish vertical cells. -- Bill Ricker bill.n1...@gmail.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/n1vux ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [Discuss] signal propagation in old houses
MBR wrote: >The construction of the house the router will be installed in is >problematic WRT getting signals through. It was built before >drywall was in common use in the U.S. But rather than using wood >lath, the plaster is held in place by lath. But it's not >traditional wood lath. It's WIRE LATH. I have an ASUS RT-N16 in the basement of a 1930's era house with metal lath in the plastered ceilings of the basement. Signal propagation isn't great, but devices on the 1st and 2nd floor are usable. My laptop at the opposite end of the house on the first floor gets 55% signal strength. In the same area my Nexus 7 sees a few bars below its maximum. Quite possible I'm getting less than the claimed bandwidth due to the reduced signal strength. Ideally, in your home environment you'd want a full strength signal, so yes, I'd recommend employing one of the suggested strategies, such as running wires to access points mounted near where your equipment will be used most of the time, or power line adapters. -Tom -- Tom Metro The Perl Shop, Newton, MA, USA "Predictable On-demand Perl Consulting." http://www.theperlshop.com/ ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [Discuss] access points
MBR wrote: > ...when I look for "access points" nowadays, I find devices > that are at least as expensive as a WiFi router. A few months ago I > read what it said on the outside of a box for one in Microcenter, and it > seemed to list about a million features I couldn't make sense of. I believe the consumer market for access points shrunk once integrated router + access point devices became popular. Now the main market for access points is commercial settings, and they justify a higher cost by using higher-end hardware, having management software, and support contracts. What goes into a consumer access point is nearly 100% the same hardware as what goes into an integrated router + access point. The only part they leave off is the switch, which is a minor cost. The rest is just different software. I assume what you saw at Micro Center was aimed at the consumer market, and I'm guessing the cost was comparable to a router because the production volume was lower and the hardware essentially identical. -Tom -- Tom Metro The Perl Shop, Newton, MA, USA "Predictable On-demand Perl Consulting." http://www.theperlshop.com/ ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [Discuss] Seeking information on binaries called "entities" and "fixup"
Bill Horne wrote: > No, they work on the old server, but fail on the new. I assume it's a > permissions issue, but I can't figure out what might cause it. % strace entities -Tom -- Tom Metro The Perl Shop, Newton, MA, USA "Predictable On-demand Perl Consulting." http://www.theperlshop.com/ ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [Discuss] Looking for WiFi router with certain characteristics
What exactly is meant by "Access Point" nowadays? I ask because the thing I knew as an "Access Point"in the early 2000s was a simple-minded device that sold for $25. This was before routers incorporated WiFi, so my router had 4 RJ-45 LAN ethernet ports and one WAN port. In order to do WiFi, I had one of the LAN ports connected to my Access Point. The Access Point had a single RJ-45 connector and two antennas, and was basically a dumb device that just copied bits back and forth between the RF signal coming in/going out through the antennas and the Ethernet signal on the RJ-45 port. At the time, router + access point = today's WiFi router. I've been considering running CAT-6 from the basement to the living areas of the house, putting the WiFi router and cable modem in the basement, and using access points to get coverage on the 1st and 2nd floor. But when I look for "access points" nowadays, I find devices that are at least as expensive as a WiFi router. A few months ago I read what it said on the outside of a box for one in Microcenter, and it seemed to list about a million features I couldn't make sense of. It seems that today's Access Points do a whole bunch of stuff besides what the simple one I used to have did. I have no idea what the new functionality is or whether any of it would be useful to me. So, what is an "Access Point" in 2014? Mark On 7/28/14 9:52 AM, Jack Coats wrote: Another option, is to put out some Ubiquiti UniFi AP-Pro Access Points. Read more about them on ubnt.com ... http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Ubiquiti-UAP-PRO-3-UniFi-AP-3-Pack-Bundle-Includes-Mounting-Kit-U-S-Version-/300946015427?pt=US_Wireless_Access_Points&hash=item4611c7c4c3 This is 3 are under $700 in a pack on eBay. Not cheap, but commercial quality that can last quite a while. I know a college locally (in TN) that uses them in their dorms where they get heavy use (close to abuse ;-) ) but they stand up well and are remotely managed with Ubiquiti's management software (free I think). ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [Discuss] php dev's code with warnings and notices
Peter (peabo) Olson asked: > What is a static-analysis gate? (Routine search revealed nothing.) Static analysis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Static_program_analysis That's a step in the build pipeline where your code-base is evaluated for syntax and coding-standards compliance prior to compiling or executing the code. Quality gate: https://wiki.jenkins-ci.org/display/JENKINS/Build+Pipeline+Plugin and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality_gate That's a step in the continuous-integration process which, if it fails, your build is rejected. -rich ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [Discuss] Seeking information on binaries called "entities" and "fixup"
On 7/27/2014 11:18 PM, John Abreau wrote: Do they work on the old server but not on the new server? Or do they fail on the old server as well? No, they work on the old server, but fail on the new. I assume it's a permissions issue, but I can't figure out what might cause it. Bill -- E. William Horne William Warren Consulting 339-364-8487 ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [Discuss] Looking for WiFi router with certain characteristics
How much RF interference do these things generate? -Original Message- From: discuss-bounces+joe=polcari@blu.org [mailto:discuss-bounces+joe=polcari@blu.org] On Behalf Of Stephen Ronan Sent: Monday, July 28, 2014 9:35 AM To: discuss@blu.org Subject: Re: [Discuss] Looking for WiFi router with certain characteristics While it may not meet your needs, another alternative often worth considering when trying to extent coverage in a building like that would be Powerline equipment, such as: this pair of Asoka Pluglink devices http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/221257888711?lpid=82 that would cost you close to $25 total including shipping. I have a couple like that (not sure if it's precisely the same model) in operation in an old Victorian and am pleased with the results. - S. On Mon, 28 Jul 2014, Jim Gasek wrote: > MBR: > > Regarding "COVERAGE" (RF signal strength): > > The obvious answer, easy for me b/c I built my house with CAT5 in the walls, > home-runs to basement, is to have multiple (hard wired, in my case) > wifi routers throughout the house. I have one in the basement Comm room, > and another in the upstairs bedroom. > > In your worst case, you could hardwire one in the North and South corners > of the basement, for example. Or pop a hole up to the first floor > in a couple spots. > > Remember the "donut shaped" energy field off each antenna, and point > appropriately. > > I use hardwired where I can, off the wifi router. The rest of the > family, with ipads and smartphones need wireless. > > Even with no wires at all, you can do (less effective, but...) at least > I think you can do radio to radio wifi routers. Called mesh? Never > needed to do myself. > > > > I've been told, but not positive, that the radio sections of wifi routers > seem to crap out over time, especially "consumer grade" products. > Maybe just salesman folklore. > > There used to be a Linksys "power pack" type thing that boosted the > RF signal, up to IETF RF signal limits. No opinion there. I'd guess > all manufacturers tend to build today up to maximum power limits? > > And there are a plethora of directional antennas. I found them > cost prohibitive, and too much trouble. > > Thanks, > Jim Gasek > > --- m...@arlsoft.com wrote: > > From: MBR > To: BLU Discussion List > Subject: [Discuss] Looking for WiFi router with certain characteristics > Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 02:38:27 -0400 > > Apologies to Lewis Carroll. I'm afraid the following doesn't scan as > well as his version: > >"The time has come," my router said, "to talk of many things. >Of 802.11 ac and n and g and b, >And why Cisco updates without permission. >And the safety of ASUS settings." > >:-) > > It's long past time for me to replace my 802.11 g router with something > more recent. But I have a few constraints that make it tricky to select > the right router. So my question is, do any of you have experience with > the ASUS RT-N66U or any other router that fits the constraints I > describe below? While I'm interested in recommendations of what's > worked well for you, I'd also appreciate warnings of what to stay away > from. advTHANKSance for your help. > > My constraints are: > > 1. COVERAGE: > >The construction of the house the router will be installed in is >problematic WRT getting signals through. It was built before >drywall was in common use in the U.S. But rather than using wood >lath, the plaster is held in place by lath. But it's not >traditional wood lath. It's WIRE LATH. Also, the heating system is >forced hot air, which means that there's SHEET-METAL DUCTWORK >between all the ceilings and floors. > >So all the walls, floors, and ceilings have metal in them. > >With the old router, I had to replace one of the stick antennas with >a directional antenna aimed toward the part of the house where >coverage was weakest. But since 802.11 N and AC use MIMO, I believe >that replacing one of the stick antennas with a directional antenna >would screw up the interference pattern that MIMO depends on. > >I'm hoping that MIMO will solve the coverage problem that the >directional antenna solved with the old router. > >Do any of you have any experience with routers in environments like >this? If MIMO doesn't get me the coverage I need, what are my options? > > 2. N vs. AC: > >I have a 5 GHz cordless phone that I do not want to replace. It >implements features that would be difficult to find a replacement >for, and even if I could, replacing it would be quite expensive. So >it was important for me to figure out whether this phone will >interfere with an 802.11-AC router. It took several months of >research, but eventually I determined that it definitely will >interfere with over half of the 5 GHz WiFi channels used in the U.S. > >Since 802.11-AC only operates in the 5 GHz band, but 802.11-N >operates
Re: [Discuss] Selling GNU/Linux Hosting Business
Check out webhostingtalk.com They have a section for people looking to sell their hosting business. Just do due diligence to make sure whoever is taking over your business is good. Even though they will no longer be your customers, the customers will still remember who you choose to care for them in the future which will affect the rest of your business. Matt On Mon, Jul 28, 2014 at 10:06 AM, Will Rico wrote: > Hello everyone, > > As a side effect of my web consulting business, my company has been > hosting websites for 15 years. Over this time, we've transitioned away > from web development/application work to marketing, and it makes little > sense to continue with the technical services related to hosting. We > host about 80 sites and generate roughly $1500/month in income. > > I'm looking for a good home for my hosting clients and some compensation > for selling this part of our business. I'd be happy to provide more > information to any interested parties. > > If anyone has any feedback or suggestions, please send them along. > > Will > > > > > > ___ > Discuss mailing list > Discuss@blu.org > http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss > ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
[Discuss] Selling GNU/Linux Hosting Business
Hello everyone, As a side effect of my web consulting business, my company has been hosting websites for 15 years. Over this time, we've transitioned away from web development/application work to marketing, and it makes little sense to continue with the technical services related to hosting. We host about 80 sites and generate roughly $1500/month in income. I'm looking for a good home for my hosting clients and some compensation for selling this part of our business. I'd be happy to provide more information to any interested parties. If anyone has any feedback or suggestions, please send them along. Will ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [Discuss] Seeking information on binaries called "entities" and "fixup"
On Sun, Jul 27, 2014 at 11:18 PM, John Abreau wrote: > If it's > just mapping html entities, it should be easy enough to recode it in perl > or python. > That script surely already exists, ready for reuse in some CPAN or other archive? (But to be really helpful, it should detect MACscii and convert that too.) -- Bill Ricker bill.n1...@gmail.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/n1vux ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [Discuss] Looking for WiFi router with certain characteristics
Another option, is to put out some Ubiquiti UniFi AP-Pro Access Points. Read more about them on ubnt.com ... http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Ubiquiti-UAP-PRO-3-UniFi-AP-3-Pack-Bundle-Includes-Mounting-Kit-U-S-Version-/300946015427?pt=US_Wireless_Access_Points&hash=item4611c7c4c3 This is 3 are under $700 in a pack on eBay. Not cheap, but commercial quality that can last quite a while. I know a college locally (in TN) that uses them in their dorms where they get heavy use (close to abuse ;-) ) but they stand up well and are remotely managed with Ubiquiti's management software (free I think). ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [Discuss] Looking for WiFi router with certain characteristics
While it may not meet your needs, another alternative often worth considering when trying to extent coverage in a building like that would be Powerline equipment, such as: this pair of Asoka Pluglink devices http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/221257888711?lpid=82 that would cost you close to $25 total including shipping. I have a couple like that (not sure if it's precisely the same model) in operation in an old Victorian and am pleased with the results. - S. On Mon, 28 Jul 2014, Jim Gasek wrote: MBR: Regarding "COVERAGE" (RF signal strength): The obvious answer, easy for me b/c I built my house with CAT5 in the walls, home-runs to basement, is to have multiple (hard wired, in my case) wifi routers throughout the house. I have one in the basement Comm room, and another in the upstairs bedroom. In your worst case, you could hardwire one in the North and South corners of the basement, for example. Or pop a hole up to the first floor in a couple spots. Remember the "donut shaped" energy field off each antenna, and point appropriately. I use hardwired where I can, off the wifi router. The rest of the family, with ipads and smartphones need wireless. Even with no wires at all, you can do (less effective, but...) at least I think you can do radio to radio wifi routers. Called mesh? Never needed to do myself. I've been told, but not positive, that the radio sections of wifi routers seem to crap out over time, especially "consumer grade" products. Maybe just salesman folklore. There used to be a Linksys "power pack" type thing that boosted the RF signal, up to IETF RF signal limits. No opinion there. I'd guess all manufacturers tend to build today up to maximum power limits? And there are a plethora of directional antennas. I found them cost prohibitive, and too much trouble. Thanks, Jim Gasek --- m...@arlsoft.com wrote: From: MBR To: BLU Discussion List Subject: [Discuss] Looking for WiFi router with certain characteristics Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 02:38:27 -0400 Apologies to Lewis Carroll. I'm afraid the following doesn't scan as well as his version: "The time has come," my router said, "to talk of many things. Of 802.11 ac and n and g and b, And why Cisco updates without permission. And the safety of ASUS settings." :-) It's long past time for me to replace my 802.11 g router with something more recent. But I have a few constraints that make it tricky to select the right router. So my question is, do any of you have experience with the ASUS RT-N66U or any other router that fits the constraints I describe below? While I'm interested in recommendations of what's worked well for you, I'd also appreciate warnings of what to stay away from. advTHANKSance for your help. My constraints are: 1. COVERAGE: The construction of the house the router will be installed in is problematic WRT getting signals through. It was built before drywall was in common use in the U.S. But rather than using wood lath, the plaster is held in place by lath. But it's not traditional wood lath. It's WIRE LATH. Also, the heating system is forced hot air, which means that there's SHEET-METAL DUCTWORK between all the ceilings and floors. So all the walls, floors, and ceilings have metal in them. With the old router, I had to replace one of the stick antennas with a directional antenna aimed toward the part of the house where coverage was weakest. But since 802.11 N and AC use MIMO, I believe that replacing one of the stick antennas with a directional antenna would screw up the interference pattern that MIMO depends on. I'm hoping that MIMO will solve the coverage problem that the directional antenna solved with the old router. Do any of you have any experience with routers in environments like this? If MIMO doesn't get me the coverage I need, what are my options? 2. N vs. AC: I have a 5 GHz cordless phone that I do not want to replace. It implements features that would be difficult to find a replacement for, and even if I could, replacing it would be quite expensive. So it was important for me to figure out whether this phone will interfere with an 802.11-AC router. It took several months of research, but eventually I determined that it definitely will interfere with over half of the 5 GHz WiFi channels used in the U.S. Since 802.11-AC only operates in the 5 GHz band, but 802.11-N operates in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, 802.11-N seems like a much better choice for my circumstances. Furthermore, most of the computers on my network don't support 802.11-AC, but are recent enough that I'm not likely to replace them anytime soon. So it makes sense to me to ignore 802.11-AC routers and only look at 802.11-N. Does this logic make sense to you? 3. SPEED: Of the 802.11-N offerings, the highest aggregate speed seems to be 450 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band plus 450 Mbps
[Discuss] CELL PHONE MODEM: CDMA access code hijacked by verizon: involuntary dial code insert
Welcome back ...to the trials and trivialities of Verizon in it's venture to suck the last dollar, dime and drop of blood from us all. When last we heard, I was attempting to install a generic USB driver for an old blackberry...not a bad idea since the BB's now retail for $10.00 and they have limited use anyway. After some aggravation, I got this up and running as a MODEM perfectly...for a few days...until suddenly the CDMA access code was hijacked with a new dial code inserted. I like using Canadian equipment because the C's steal a lot less then those in the US...and I plan to continue to use this vintage cell phone because it worked perfectly as a modem, but now? the laptop doesn't even recognize it as a modem and I can't "dial" out. I like vintage because it gets hacked less...so let's skip the scoffing. Somebody, anybody: help! MCBouman ___ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
[Discuss] Looking for WiFi router with certain characteristics
MBR: Regarding "COVERAGE" (RF signal strength): The obvious answer, easy for me b/c I built my house with CAT5 in the walls, home-runs to basement, is to have multiple (hard wired, in my case) wifi routers throughout the house. I have one in the basement Comm room, and another in the upstairs bedroom. In your worst case, you could hardwire one in the North and South corners of the basement, for example. Or pop a hole up to the first floor in a couple spots. Remember the "donut shaped" energy field off each antenna, and point appropriately. I use hardwired where I can, off the wifi router. The rest of the family, with ipads and smartphones need wireless. Even with no wires at all, you can do (less effective, but...) at least I think you can do radio to radio wifi routers. Called mesh? Never needed to do myself. I've been told, but not positive, that the radio sections of wifi routers seem to crap out over time, especially "consumer grade" products. Maybe just salesman folklore. There used to be a Linksys "power pack" type thing that boosted the RF signal, up to IETF RF signal limits. No opinion there. I'd guess all manufacturers tend to build today up to maximum power limits? And there are a plethora of directional antennas. I found them cost prohibitive, and too much trouble. Thanks, Jim Gasek --- m...@arlsoft.com wrote: From: MBR To: BLU Discussion List Subject: [Discuss] Looking for WiFi router with certain characteristics Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 02:38:27 -0400 Apologies to Lewis Carroll. I'm afraid the following doesn't scan as well as his version: "The time has come," my router said, "to talk of many things. Of 802.11 ac and n and g and b, And why Cisco updates without permission. And the safety of ASUS settings." :-) It's long past time for me to replace my 802.11 g router with something more recent. But I have a few constraints that make it tricky to select the right router. So my question is, do any of you have experience with the ASUS RT-N66U or any other router that fits the constraints I describe below? While I'm interested in recommendations of what's worked well for you, I'd also appreciate warnings of what to stay away from. advTHANKSance for your help. My constraints are: 1. COVERAGE: The construction of the house the router will be installed in is problematic WRT getting signals through. It was built before drywall was in common use in the U.S. But rather than using wood lath, the plaster is held in place by lath. But it's not traditional wood lath. It's WIRE LATH. Also, the heating system is forced hot air, which means that there's SHEET-METAL DUCTWORK between all the ceilings and floors. So all the walls, floors, and ceilings have metal in them. With the old router, I had to replace one of the stick antennas with a directional antenna aimed toward the part of the house where coverage was weakest. But since 802.11 N and AC use MIMO, I believe that replacing one of the stick antennas with a directional antenna would screw up the interference pattern that MIMO depends on. I'm hoping that MIMO will solve the coverage problem that the directional antenna solved with the old router. Do any of you have any experience with routers in environments like this? If MIMO doesn't get me the coverage I need, what are my options? 2. N vs. AC: I have a 5 GHz cordless phone that I do not want to replace. It implements features that would be difficult to find a replacement for, and even if I could, replacing it would be quite expensive. So it was important for me to figure out whether this phone will interfere with an 802.11-AC router. It took several months of research, but eventually I determined that it definitely will interfere with over half of the 5 GHz WiFi channels used in the U.S. Since 802.11-AC only operates in the 5 GHz band, but 802.11-N operates in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, 802.11-N seems like a much better choice for my circumstances. Furthermore, most of the computers on my network don't support 802.11-AC, but are recent enough that I'm not likely to replace them anytime soon. So it makes sense to me to ignore 802.11-AC routers and only look at 802.11-N. Does this logic make sense to you? 3. SPEED: Of the 802.11-N offerings, the highest aggregate speed seems to be 450 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band plus 450 Mbps in the 5 GHz band. This is commonly known as an N900 router. Given the potential interference from the 5 GHz cordless phone, I may not get the full 450 Mbps from the 5 GHz range, but a dual band N router seems the choice most likely to get me the fastest throughput possible for my circumstances. 4. PORTS: In addition to supporting WiFi, I also need the router to provide 4 LAN Ethernet ports in addition to the 1 W
