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REXTINE1's Recent Blog Entries
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Thursday, July 14, 2011
We now have maximum security on the wireless router. The key was that you can not use the same name as one that was used before, or the satellite devices stay with the old per-shared key, and won't work. I am sure I used a new name at least once without good results, but at this point I don't care. The tech-support lady told me to go to the right web site, turn the security on, and THEN change the name but not the password. I assume this would have worked when I reset the routers, but every time I just tried to re-establish the old link.
As a side issue - when I turned the notebook on it wanted to update with 37 files and 107 MB. I decided it was time to wait it out (I got tired and stopped the upgrades on July 1) and it took from 8:28 until 12:00 - when it still wasn't done installing. It got 36 of the upgrades but had an error in one, which might have been part of the problem. Anyhow, at midnight I gave up and went to bed. I checked at 2:00, and turned it off. Then at 7:00 it said the install failed, it was going to revert, and it fooled around doing various things until about 8:30, when it seemed to be OK. That's when I got everything up and on line and called tech support again, and in minutes all my problems were solved. If I had known last Friday what I know now, I could have saved $26 and a whole lot of hours.
There's an old German saying - "Ve get too soon oldt, und too late schmardt." I think I just proved it.
PS - The trick is to change the name of the network (or enter the name) AFTER you set the security level.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
After all my years in the Electronic Warfare business with lots of security emphasis, I got in the habit of keeping my head down. I just don't want to have someone coming into the network, and the notebook hasn't been updated since the first of the month. I read about one virus that changed the control settings of your router so that you pass through a web site that can monitor your addresses, user names, and passwords without you realizing it because the signal passes to the right address and you see only the one you entered - not the one that is looking over your shoulder.
I called the technical services at D-Link, just wanting to know if a cable would take preference over the wireless connection. If so, I could plug the notebook in to the modem and still not be showing my signal on the air. I never got an answer - the technician just wanted me to have everything up and maybe she would be able to fix the problem. I could call back later - just keep the problem number, so I turned on the television and notebook. Then I immediately had updates, so I finally let them come ahead. There were 37 updates and 107 MB of data, so it is taking a long time. We have downloaded everything and installed the first 31 updates, but it's 10:09 and I started at 8:38.
I think I will go to bed when the updates finish and work on it some more between times tomorrow. The BW and I are going down to the pier for lunch with Charlie and his wife (from Venice) tomorrow, and I have to be at a church at 5:00, so there will be some time to mess with the modem tomorrow and Friday.
I wouldn't log on to any financial web site with an unsecured wireless internet, so it will turn out OK however the installation turns out.
Monday, July 11, 2011
I don't teach a class - it's a seminar. All the people have to do is show up and sit through it, and they get a certificate. I do throw in a lifetime of experiences to make the points necessary, and I make sure they understand the concepts instead of just reading the text.
After I passed out the certificates Wednesday, several people did tell me how much they enjoyed the class, and the stories I used to make some of the points.
I can't remember Thursday, but Friday the rain really came, the power did drop out for a second, and the Brighthouse modem didn't work any more. We have had momentary power losses before with no ill effects, and all the significant electronics in the house are on good surge protector, but we didn't have any internet or telephone service from Friday morning to Saturday at 8:00 PM. Then I had internet for the desktop if it was plugged directly into the modem, the the wireless router didn't work. I bought another router Sunday, and it did work for the cables but not for the Roku or laptop. It eventually turned out that it has a strong signal, but nothing can connect to it if it is secured, so today I finally came up with a scheme that lets me use this computer while the router is turned off, and the router is unsecured so that I can turn it on when we want to watch Netflix of the NASA TV channel or use the laptop to update the antimalware programs. The desktop doesn't have an ethernet connection to the modem any more, but the USB cable works just fine. I don't know if someone can load a virus into the router, but even if they can the firewall will keep it out of the desktop, and the notebook just sits in the BW's antique writing desk anyhow. I should have kept the old notebook for emergencies, but we run out of space and it didn't seem necessary.
I sort of hate the klugey setup, and I'm going to check out finding the setting information for the Netgear router to see if I can get it to work again, but two long days is enough to fool around with one problem for a while. It still makes me nervous to have the D-Link router open to the whole world for any use, and for any time.
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
I had 14 out of 15 registered students show up this morning for a safe driving course, which is pretty good. The guy who didn't show up registered yesterday, and I called him by accident twice, so I was a little surprised that he didn't get there this morning. The class lives over an area from Tarpon Springs in the north all the way down to Largo, so maybe I'm one of the few people with a class this month. I did start on time, finish on time, and not make any terrible blunders. We all seemed to have a pretty good time.
The only problem was that Coral Oaks came up with a new tray of oatmeal cookies with either chocolate chips or raisins scattered through them. They didn't get there until after the last break, so there were a lot left. I choked down three before I left, and carried another home for a fresh cup of coffee.
I rolled out at six this morning, and was done with the certificates and ready for tomorrow by 3:30, so it was a pretty good day.
Saturday, July 02, 2011
This morning we had a great walk. There was cool air and a light fog, and the dogs and I were nearly alone in the world. We heard one braking dog, saw one curlew, a few geckos, and no people, and when we were nearly home (after more than two miles) we saw three cars moving on Nebraska, one from the east and two from the west. After we let them pass and crossed the street, we didn't see anything else moving until we got home. It was like being a kid again and going for a walk on Ohio Rt. 598 in front of my grandparent's farm.
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Member Comments About This Blog Post:
love early morning walks.. Like a cup of solitude..
