WRT54G

The WRT54G router has been reincarnated as the WRT1900AC. I had one of the WRT54G routers and recommended it to many others. I'd be interested in the new one, but not for $300. I'll stick with my ASUS RT-N66U for half the price.

For Star Wars Geeks

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Users\brick>tracert 216.81.59.173

Tracing route to read.more.at.beaglenetworks.net [216.81.59.173]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

  6    29 ms    22 ms    24 ms  10gigabitethernet1-3.core1.atl1.he.net [198.32.132.75]
  7    20 ms    18 ms    17 ms  216.66.0.26
  8    59 ms    55 ms    57 ms  10.26.26.22
  9   709 ms    57 ms    63 ms  Episode.IV [206.214.251.1]
 10    59 ms   261 ms    63 ms  A.NEW.HOPE [206.214.251.6]
 11    56 ms    56 ms    57 ms  It.is.a.period.of.civil.war [206.214.251.9]
 12    60 ms    59 ms    56 ms  Rebel.spaceships [206.214.251.14]
 13    59 ms    59 ms    56 ms  striking.from.a.hidden.base [206.214.251.17]
 14    59 ms    56 ms    57 ms  have.won.their.first.victory [206.214.251.22]
 15    57 ms    57 ms    59 ms  against.the.evil.Galactic.Empire [206.214.251.25]
 16    57 ms    56 ms    57 ms  During.the.battle [206.214.251.30]
 17    62 ms    58 ms    59 ms  Rebel.spies.managed [206.214.251.33]
 18    58 ms    57 ms    58 ms  to.steal.secret.plans [206.214.251.38]
 19    59 ms    59 ms    58 ms  to.the.Empires.ultimate.weapon [206.214.251.41]
 20    59 ms    58 ms    59 ms  the.DEATH.STAR [206.214.251.46]
 21    59 ms    56 ms    58 ms  an.armored.space.station [206.214.251.49]
 22    58 ms    56 ms    56 ms  with.enough.power.to [206.214.251.54]
 23    61 ms    58 ms    56 ms  destroy.an.entire.planet [206.214.251.57]
 24    61 ms    61 ms    58 ms  Pursued.by.the.Empires [206.214.251.62]
 25    58 ms    60 ms    60 ms  sinister.agents [206.214.251.65]
 26    59 ms    60 ms    60 ms  Princess.Leia.races.home [206.214.251.70]
 27    64 ms    59 ms    60 ms  aboard.her.starship [206.214.251.73]
 28    59 ms    64 ms    58 ms  custodian.of.the.stolen.plans [206.214.251.78]
 29    61 ms    58 ms    59 ms  that.can.save.her [206.214.251.81]
 30    58 ms    61 ms    59 ms  people.and.restore [206.214.251.86]

Trace complete.

Networked Devices at Home

I have marveled at how many devices I have on my network at the house. Beyond the usual smartphones, tablets, printers, game consoles, and even laptops; I now have my thermostat on my wireless. I can control the HVAC from anywhere via a webpage or app. It was pretty cool (no pun intended) to be on vacation and remotely change the heating/cooling schedule to save a few pennies since we were out of town. (I ended up not getting a Nest even though I still think it is neat.)

I had to get a new controller for my irrigation system - it was only as I was checking the thermostats program that I realized I should have asked about one with network connectivity. It would have saved a lot of running around the house - start zone 1, walk to check it, walk back to start zone 2, etc.

If I ever have to replace the cipher lock on my front door, maybe I need to upgrade to an August lock.

Netware 3.12 Server

I cut my teeth on Netware 3.12. I even have my 3.12 CNA. I never had a server run for sixteen years, but it was not uncommon to have up-time over 400 days.

Via Slashdot.org

IT Generalists

Scaling lessons from Google’s CIO — Cloud Computing News:

"In the question and answer period that followed, Fried elaborated on these concepts, telling someone that IT generalists are probably born, not made. He said at Google, the company looks for folks that want to keep improving their skills, and even has a program to help give those people the tools to be better engineers when they find those traits in employees. He said the Google culture is one where the general engineers who understand the system have a lot of input and power, which is a cultural shift that organizations that want to build at scale should try to implement."

We are all becoming generalists at our company. When there are so few of us, you have to learn a little bit of everything.

Blank Area Networks

LAN - Local Area Network
WAN - Wide Area Network
MAN - Metro Area Network
PAN - Personal Area Network

and now we have the MBAN - Medical Body Area Network.

"The MBAN radio spectrum would create a wireless body sensor network for remotely monitoring critically and chronically ill people via small wireless devices so that medical workers can track the person's health status as well as take swift action in emergencies."

The impacted frequencies:

"The bandwidths being requested for MBANs -- 2360-2400 MHz; 2300-2305 MHz and 2395-2400 MHz; 2400-2483.5 MHz; or 5150-5250 MHz -- reside next those now used by Bluetooth devices."

Cool Tool - RJ45

This is a neat idea from Platinum Tools - the RJ45 connector allows the 8 wires to pass through the end. It makes it easier to verify the order of the wires and you don't have to worry about trimming them too short or long.