Posts tagged remote

Electronic Gadgets – The Perfect Gift Any Day Of The Year

616 days
by in fibre Optic Cables

In today’s technological world, people are rushing to the mall to view the latest electronic gadgets. Who wouldn’t ? These gizmos and gadgets, which range from the lightweight mp3 players and mobile phone to the extravagant camcorders and portable DVD players, have become part of everyday life.

Although you may have set your mind on certain electronic gadgets for yourself, buying them as gifts can become a different story. Of course, you have to consider the price for each item you buy.

If you shop around online or in any electronic gadgets marketplace, you will discover that there is a plethora of selection for each kind of gadget. Therefore, before looking for gifts and becoming overwhelmed by your choices, narrow it down to the kind of gadget, whether it may be mp3 players, state-of-the-art remotes, portable audio players or whichever you wish to buy, and then settle on a budget range.

When you have decided on the price range and kind of gadget to buy, determine whether you want the items to be used in the office, at home or for travel.

If you’re going to give gifts for a group and have a budget of less than Rs. 1,000 for each, you may consider electronic gadgets such as the Skype Phone, Key Chain Remote, Golf Scope, Robotic Reading Light, USB Massager, and Wristband watch just to name a few.

If you can spare Rs. 1,000 more, you can opt for Wireless Car MP3 Transmitter, Ultrasonic Tape Measure, Personal Air Purifier, MP3 Player and many more.

Splurge your money with the trendiest electronic gadgets

If money is not an option for you, buying electronic gadgets can be an easier task. However, you should still narrow down your choices from portables, home use and office use.

For home use, the most sought-after gizmos are PlayStation or Xbox, complete entertainment theatre systems, flat-screen TVs, e-book readers and advanced PDAs.

Choosing electronic gadgets for the office can become tricky since the gifts will depend on how formal your office runs. If your office is like Google Office, which homes hundreds of toys and gadgets for relaxation, you could also choose gadgets for home use. However, if your office has a formal setting, look for gifts that are appropriate for the business needs, like a portable presentation system or a heavy-duty hard drive.

Gadgets that are perfect for travel include spacious hard drivers, portable DVD players, portable PlayStation, the latest mobile phone and the all-time favorite mp3 players.

Regardless of what gift you choose, the receiver will appreciate your gift. Who wouldn’t ? Electronic gadgets are the trend of this generation.

A/B Copper Network Backup Switches – A Complete Design Guide

617 days
by in cat-5 Crossover Cables

Introduction:
However simple the term A/B switch may sound, A/B switches are not necessarily simple to design. Following is a thought process with examples that can assist any network manager with the development of the exact switch to meet his or her requirements.

1. Location – where are you going to put the switch?:
A) Desktop – A desktop A/B switch may look like a black box with a knob, but that is not the total story. An example is the Model 8050 RJ45 A/B Switch that is CAT5 compliant. This manual switch enables access to two 10/100 Base-T networks (up to 100 Mbps) and incorporates a high-quality sealed switch with self-wiping low-impedance contacts. The switch is transparent to data speed and format. The anodized enclosure provides EMI/RFI shielding which enables the switch to perform well in noisy environments. A desktop switch can be compact, full-featured and sit right on a desk.

B) Computer Room Rack – Following are two examples of rackmount A/B switches.
i. Switch Modules – Model 9740 switching system includes switch modules and a rack that can accommodate up to 40 channels in only 8.75 inches of panel height. The A, B and COMMON connections are on the rear panel. The 2-position rotary switches are neatly lined up on the front panel. All 8 pins are switched which allows compatibility with all RJ45 interfaces. Systems are available to accommodate both CAT5 and CAT5e high-speed requirements. forty channels of A/B switching in a compact rack may meet your business requirements.

ii. Switch Box – A switch box instead of a module may be a better fit for some requirements. The Model 9716 16-Channel RJ45 CAT5e Compliant A/B Switch, with manual operation, fits into a standard 19 rack (2U high). Sixteen front-panel knobs provide individual control of each channel. This switch configuration is rated for 10/100/1000 networks (up to CAT5e).

C) Process Control System – DIN rail mounting is an ideal method of mounting switches for use in process control systems. The Model 9080 RJ45 A/B/Offline Switch allows the user to access two RJ45 devices connected to its A and B ports with one RJ45 device connected to its COMMON port, or to isolate all ports by switching to the OFFLINE position. This unit is a manually operated keylock switch requiring no power. The switch is easily integrated as a system component by utilizing its rear panel DIN rail mounting bracket. A grounding screw is mounted on the front panel.

D) Nuclear Power Plant or other Rough Environments – The Model 4503 is a Seismic-Proof DB9 A/B switch. This manual switch has been ruggedized to withstand vibrations. The switch and its feed-through connector have successfully passed the rigorous seismic testing of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Seismic Qualification Reporting and Testing Standardization SQURTS Program, qualifying it for use in nuclear power plants. The Model 4503 is ideal for factory floors, energy facilities, and any other harsh environment application.

E) Ship or other Mobile/Motion Application – The manual Model 4504 Ruggedized DB25 A/B switch is designed to withstand vibrations encountered in mobile and motion applications. This switch has also passed rigorous seismic testing. The optional mounting ears allow firm attachment.

F) In the Wall – The Model 7190 is a manually operated double gang wall box Online/Offline switch. When in the ONLINE position, the switch connects the COMMON device to Device A. In the Offline position, the switch disconnects the COMMON device from Device A. there are two RJ45 CAT5e ports on the bracket inside the wall box. The RJ45 network cables must be run into the box and bracket before installing in the wall.

2. Connectors – Types of Connectors/Ports
The common types of connectors and ports include: DB9, DB15, DB25, DB37, HD15, BNC, RJ45, RJ11/12, MINI-DIN and USB.

3. RJ45 Connector/Port – If the switch has RJ45 ports, is CAT5, CAT5e, or CAT6 required?
A) Cat5 is a type of twisted pair cabling. Twisted pair cabling is categorized according to its transmission capability. Category 5 (CAT 5) cabling transmits data at speeds up to 100 Mbps.
B) Cat5e is a variation of CAT5 that supports short-run Gigabit Ethernet (1000 Mbps) networking by utilizing all four wire pairs in a CAT5 cable.
C) CAT6 is a cable standard for Gigabit Ethernet and includes stringent specifications for crosstalk and system noise. The CAT6 cable standard provides performance of up to 250 MHz and is suitable for 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX (Fast Ethernet), 1000BASE-T/1000BASE-TX (Gigbit Ethernet) and 10GBASE-T (10-Gigabit Ethernet). Most high quality CAT6 cables will exceed the standard and actually provide performance of up to 550 Mhz.

4. Controls – how do you want to control the switch?
Our four categories include: Local Manual, Remotely Controllable, Automatic, or any combination.

A) Local Manual – All of the network switch examples above are manually operated. they can feature pushbuttons or rotary knobs and they require no power.

B) Remotely Controllable Network Switches – This switch group includes RS232 Serial Control, Contact Closure, IP Addressable, and any combination of the three.

i. RS232 Serial Control – The REMOTE connector accepts RS232 serial data ASCII commands. An example of a switch with RS232 Serial Control is the Model 7356 6-Channel RJ45 CAT5 A/B Switch with Local and Remote Individual Channel Control. Each channel maintains its current position in the event of a power loss and continues to pass data. The unit fits into a standard 19 rack and is 1U high. The Supervisory Remote Port consists of a DB9 female connector that accepts RS232 serial data. Switch positions can be selected locally via front panel controls or remotely via RS232 ASCII command via the Remote port.

ii. Contact Closure – An example of a Contact Closure switch is the Model 7359 Tri-Channel RJ45 CAT5 A/B Switch with Remote Control via Contact Closure. The switch is controlled manually via pushbuttons or remotely via the DB9 female connector on the rear panel that accepts contact closure signal switch commands.

iii. IP Addressable – An example of an IP Addressable switch is the Model 7465 8-Channel RJ45 A/B Switch with 10/100 Base-T LAN TELNET access. The 8 channels on this switch can be independently controlled via pushbuttons. Remote access can be accomplished via the RJ45 Female connector on the rear panel that accepts 10/100 Base-T LAN Access Ethernet for remote control operation. Remotely select switch position, query switch position, and lockout the front-panel pushbuttons. During power loss, the Model 7465 continues to pass data in the lost position.

iv. Graphical User Interface (GUI) – The remote GUI interface allows the user to control the switch remotely with simple point and click operation. The Model 7358 RJ45/48 T1 Interface A/B Switch features both Telnet and GUI remote control. This switch allows quick connection to any one of two RJ45/48 T1 interface devices from one COMMON device. Local control is via a front-panel pushbutton. The remote control RJ45 port is an IP addressable, 10/100 Base-T port. Remote control Telnet command interface or the Graphical User Interface allow the user to control the switch position, lockout the front panel operations and obtain switch status. The software features allow the user to access the switch via any standard Web browser. with simple point and click operation the user can control and monitor the Model 7358. The user can also change the switch’s IP address. LAN access gives users across the LAN or over the Internet access to control the switch.

v. Code Operated – The switch position and lockout status can be changed through the data stream on the COMMON port. The Model 4406 RJ45 Code-Operated A/B Switch shares one RJ45 interface device between two other devices. The switch may be controlled via a front-panel pushbutton or remotely by sending a trigger character sequence to the unit via the Remote port. Switch position status is displayed by front-panel LEDs or can be queried by the PC connected to the Remote RS-232 serial port.

5. Security Concerns – Keylock, Lockout and Offline Positions
A) Keylock – The advantage of a keylock is the security of knowing that only the person with the key can change the switch position. The Model 8076 Dual-Channel RJ45/110-Block, CAT5e 100 Base-T Network Access Keylock Switch accepts two 8-conductor CAT5e cables INPUT via two RJ45/110-Block punch-down connectors. This switch allows the user to switch-through or break-from two OUTPUT RJ45 exit ports. The user can remove the top cover of the switch and punch down the connections inside the unit.

B) Lockout – The advantage of the lockout feature is that the user can lockout the switch position remotely and be assured that the switch is operating as prescribed. The Model 7348 Tri-Channel RJ45 CAT 5 A/B Switch may be controlled manually via pushbuttons or remotely from an RS232 serial port. Each channel is an individual switch that is independently controlled. Remote commands can switch each channel individually or all channels simultaneously as well as lockout the front panel control. Remote commands allow monitoring of channel switch position and lockout status.

C) Offline and Cutoff Positions – with remote and automatic switches, the switch can automatically switch to an offline position before switching between ports A and B. Manual and remotely controllable switches are also available with a physical offline position that can be selected to stop the switch from passing data. The Model 7246-ESL Dual Channel RS530 Switch and RJ45 Secure/Non-Secure Switch with Cutoff position provides two-channel switching in a low profile, 19-inch 1U rack unit. Channel one shares a single DB25(M) interface device connected to the COMMON port among two other DB25(F) devices connected to the SECURE and NON-SECURE DB25 ports. Channel two shares an RJ45 device connected to the COMMON port among two other RJ45 devices connected to the SECURE and NON-SECURE RJ45 ports. both channels allow the user to set the switches to the CUTOFF position which stops any and all data throughput for the switch. If power to the Model 7246-ESL is removed, both switches will automatically move to the CUTOFF position. When power is restored, each switch will move to the programmed default position.

6. Power Loss – how do you want to handle a power loss?
Which position should the switch be in? Should the switch continue to pass data?

A) last Position, Pass Data – The Model 4421 CAT5 RJ45 A/B Switch with Password Serial Remote Port includes an RS232 serial security enhanced Supervisory Remote Port requiring a password login to access. upon proper authentication, a terminal or computer in terminal mode connected to this port can communicate with the unit, determine its status, change the switch position as desired, and/or lockout the front panel switching capability. The Model 4421 retains the last switch position in the event of a power loss and continues to pass data.

B) Default Position – The Model 4515 8-Channel A/B Single Contact Relay Port Switch, RJ11 Interface with 10/100 BASE-T LAN Access and Serial Remote Access shares a device connected to a single pin of each RJ11 interface port between two other devices connected to the A and B pins for each port. Remote access can be via a Web-based GUI interface through 10/100 BASE-T Ethernet connection or using ASCII commands sent to the unit via an RS232 connection. Each port has (4) active contacts: Normally OPEN, Normally CLOSED, the WIPER contact of the relay, and a pin for SG (signal ground referenced to the switch unit). The Model 4515 defaults to the Normally CLOSED position in the event of a power loss to the unit.

C) Switch Evaluates and Determines Power Up Position – The Model 7387 RS232 DB25 A/B Switch with Fallback and Remote Port shares a single port interface device connected to the COMMON port among two other devices connected to the A and B ports. This switch can sense RD activity or DCD presence on the ports and switch accordingly. The switch can also be controlled manually via pushbutton or remotely via contact closure. All switched signals are passed via latching copper contact relays that maintain their position and continuity in the event of a power loss. When power is restored, the Model 7387 loads the previous position and mode of operation and checks DIP switch settings and the remote port to determine the correct startup configuration.

7. Number of Channels per Chassis – From single channel A/B switches to multiple channel switches, the technology exists to handle specific requirements.

A) Combining Single Channel Switch Modules – Up to eight single-channel Model 7009 RJ45 CAT5e A/B/Off-Line Remotely Controllable Switch Modules compactly fit into a Model 9030 Rack. This modular expandable system allows the user to add switching capacity as required. Channels are switched individually.

B) 4 Channels in Slim Rackmount Configuration – The Model 7234 Quad-Channel RJ45 A/B Switch with Remote Control Port is slim, only 1U high, and fits into a standard 19 rack. All four channels are switched simultaneously. This switch allows local switching via pushbutton. Remote switching is accomplished via the transition from open to closed or closed to open via a single set of contacts connected across pins 1 & 2 of the DB9/Female REMOTE connector port. upon initial power to the unit, the unit will read the REMOTE port to determine the power up position state. If there are no connections to the REMOTE port connector, pins 1 & 2 are open, thus the unit will default to all four channels in the A position. All four channels are switched simultaneously.

C) 8 Channels in a Rackmount Configuration – Model 9066 8-channel RJ45 (2 Pair) 10BASE-T manual A/B Switch enables access to two 10 Base-T networks. The operator can reroute data between two networks with a simple push of a button. Switch each channel individually.

D) 16 Channels of Auto-Controlled Switching in Rackmount Configuration – The Model 7435 Auto-Controlled 16-Channel RJ45 A/B Switch system allows sharing a single port RJ45 interface device connected to the COMMON port among two other devices connected to the A and B ports for each of the switch’s 16 channels. The port position, A or B, of individual channels in the Model 7435 is user-configurable to be determined either manually, via the GUI, or automatically per the programming. In the Automatic mode, the position of the individual channels is controlled by sensing incoming data on ports A and B. All switched signals are passed via gold clad silver relays that maintain their position and continuity even in the event of a power loss. All channels can be switched simultaneously or independently.

E) Up to 40 Channels of A/B Switching – Model 9741 handles up to 40 channels of A/B switching in a high-density switch system that takes up only 8.75 inches of panel height. The A, B and COMMON connectors are on the rear panel. The 2-position rotary switches are on the front panel. All 8 pins are switched allowing compatibility with all RJ45 interfaces. This reliable switch system is manually operated and requires no power. Each channel is switched individually.

8. Channel Control – Simultaneous, Individual Remote Control or both. how do you want to switch your channels?
The examples above provide a variety of control systems:
Model 7009: Individual switching
Model 7234: Simultaneous switching
Model 9066: Individual switching
Model 7435: Individual or simultaneous switching
Model 9741: Individual switching

9. Power Requirements
Most remotely controllable and automatic switches require an external power supply.
A) UL approved 120VAC, 60Hz wall mount power module that supplies 12 VDC, 500mA to the unit.
B) CE and UL listed wall mount wide range power module, 100VAC, 240VAC, 50Hz/60Hz supplies 12 VDC, 1.5A to the unit.
C) Exceptions: Some switches require customer supplied voltage to the power input connectors.

10. Summary
The data networks of today are almost as diverse as snowflakes. Managers have huge tasks: trying to backup data, secure the network, deal with fiber to copper conversions and so much more. This white paper was developed to be used as a guide to help in the design of an A/B copper network backup switch.

Variable Power Supply Units

617 days
by in in-car & Dc Power Supplies

Variable Power Supplies are available in Linear and Switched Mode formats from 30W up to 32kW, and in bench top or 19 rack mounting styles. most units have analogue control of voltage and current values as standard enabling the user to set the voltage level and the current limit remotely, and offer the option for serial communications to a host device using IEE488.2, GPIB, RS232, RS485 or USB.

Variable Power Supplies are also referred to as Programmable Power Supplies, Laboratory Power Supplies or Bench Power Supplies. Essentially these terms describe the same equipment and refer to a device which can be plugged into the AC mains and produces a fully controllable yet variable dc voltage. for many applications (for example in research and development) there is also a need for parameters to be limited so the current limit on these units is also controllable, as well as additional overvoltage protection to prevent the voltage being accidentally increased beyond a predetermined level.

These units are used in a variety of applications and industries, including; universities and educational establishments, research and development, laboratories, automotive, space technology, aerospace, oil exploration, renewable energy, electronics, and production testing in many other industries. a common application is automatic test engineering (ATE) where these variable power supplies are rack mounted in 19 cabinets, controlled by an automated program and then monitored remotely so that the data for the items under test can be logged for pass/fail decisions and for future reference.

Remote control options representing 0-100% of voltage or current range include 0-5Vdc, 0-10Vdc, 0-20mA, 4-20mA or resistance programming. Many different serial remote control options exist but for test and measurement applications the most commonly used is GPIB/IEEE488.2 using the LabVIEW driver, as this has become almost a default standard within many laboratory environments. using this system up to 31 devices can be controlled or monitored from a single controller.

The beauty of the units available is the sheer number of variations that are on offer. Many different voltage and current ranges are available from low voltages of 0-6Vdc through to units offering 0-1000Vdc. the current ranges are also scalable from a few amps up to 0-600A meaning there is almost always a suitable solution available. in addition to the standard models we can also offer ruggedised versions of some units, so for applications where vibration could be an issue (if the unit is mounted on a vehicle for example) we can provide a more suited solution.

PC Support For Computer Networks

617 days
by in cat-5e Utp Patch Cables

It will not be an exaggeration to say that information is one of the most important issues for any business. Dissemination of the data to the concerned people is equally vital. Computer networking came into being to make the communication between the computers faster and easier. It not only provides faster communication, but also enabled the users to access remote programs and remote databases of the same enterprise or other organizations.

Apart from this, there are other reasons also to employ computer networking. Through computer networking, cost could be reduced by sharing hardware and software resources and by downsizing to microcomputer-based networks instead of using mainframes. Gathering information from multiple resources has become easier, which ensures the reliability of the data.

As per definition, computer networking is nothing but the process of connecting multiple computers for the communication purpose so that information as well as resources could be shared by all connected devices.

Categorization of computer networks could be done based on vast range of characteristics like medium used for communication, scale, networking topology used, communication protocol, etc.

Mediums used by computer networks
For communication between two devices, a medium is must. There are several mediums, such as electrical cable, optical fiber and radio waves which are used for networking. Electrical and optical fiber are used in wired technology while radio waves are employed in wireless technology.

Wired Networks
In the wired technology, twisted pair cable is the most commonly used medium for communication. Twisted pair wire is made of metal wire that are twisted into pairs. Computer networking wire contains 4 pairs of metal wires, which are used for data as well as voice transmission. The purpose of using twisted wires is to minimize noise which is caused by electromagnetic induction and crosstalk. There are two pairs of twisted wires, namely Unshielded Twisted Pair and Shielded Twisted Pair. The speed range of twisted pair cable is 2 million bits per second to 10 billion bits per second.

Another widely used medium in wired technology is coaxial cable. It is mostly used for local area networks, cable television systems, etc. It is made of metal wire, covered with insulating layer of a flexible material with a high dielectric constant, all of which are wrapped by a conductive layer. The purpose of using insulating layer is to minimize noise and signal distortion.

Optical fiber is the another communication medium, invented in the second half of twentieth century. Its components are filaments of glass fiber covered in protective layers that transmits data by means of pulses of light. It carries light signals over long distances. Electromagnetic interferences cannot affect the signals carried by it. Its maximum transmission speed could touch trillions of bits per second.

For all types of cable malfunctioning, network support is provided by many service providers.

Wireless Networks
There are several widely used wireless technologies, such as Wireless LAN Technology, Communication Satellite Technology, Infrared Communication Technology, Terrestrial Microwave Technology, etc.

Wireless LAN Technology employs hi frequency technology, which is akin to digital cellular and low frequency radio technology. This spread spectrum technology connects multiple devices in a limited area. Wireless LAN in an office or home could be easily set up with the help of numerous PC support providers.

Communication satellites utilizes microwave radio signals as communication medium because microwave radio signals are least affected by earth’s atmosphere. Data, voice and TV signals are transmitted and received using microwave radio technology.

Infrared Communication Technology is used to transmit signals between devices within short distance. The maximum distance covered by this technology is typically 10 meters.

Terrestrial Microwave Technology employs low gigahertz signal range, that restricts transmissions to line of sight. The maximum distance between microwave signal relay stations is 48km.

Wireless computer network is the backbone of business and technological processes, which could be immensely damaged if the networking system breaks down. In that eventuality, online PC support should be used to set the networking system right.

Your Friendly Neighbor #5

617 days
by in 10100 Mbps

You know what I like about people, beside their inherent greediness and gullibility. I like the communication. I especially like the fact that the greedier people are the more likely they are to communicate over the technological equivalent to a tin-can phone. that sort of communication can be very interesting.

So, this week at the poker game, I am holding my usual low pair and bluffing to everyone else’s wonderful hands. I needed a distraction, so I do something out of character.

Roger, Tim, Ray, Carol, and Steve stare at me as if I were green and nervously look at each other.

“Really,” I insist. “I fold.” I even turn over my crappy hand for emphasis.

Roger shrugs as if I were speaking French. Tim glances down at his chips.

“I’m getting a beer,” I say. “Anyone else?”

When I get up from the table, I can feel everyone else relax.

“I’ll take one,” says Roger.

Tim chimes in and Ray nods and raises two fingers. Carol and Steve, of course, are dry.

A few minutes later I return and pass out the beers. Nice of me, especially since this is Carol’s house and Carol’s boyfriend’s beer. I take a seat on the couch and cast around for an opening. And there it is, the May issue of Popular Internet. on the cover is a WiFi antennae and the lead off for an article for neighborhood networks.

“Hey, Carol,” I interrupt, waving the magazine. “Is this yours?”

I know its her’s. She’s the network administrator and her name is on it. Still, an opening is an opening.

Tim bet three, which means he has at least two pair.

“Yeah. You can read it,” she tells me in a distracted voice.

Roger raises two, which means he has two pair, but didn’t pay attention to Tim.

“Is this where you got that idea for the neighborhood network you told me about?” I ask.

Carol is deep in the game, trying to figure out what to do. I can see she has a full house. she calls. Always safe.

“Yeah,” she says. “You should read the article.”

Steve folds and joins me on the couch.

“Let me see that,” he asks. I hand him the magazine.

“I’ve wanted to do something like that. Set up a network. How’s it done?”What a stroke of good fortune – or something. Carol took the bait and folded. she came over to the couch, leaving Tim and Roger to their battle of wits, which was more like thumb wrestling.

“Well,” began Carol. “For a space like Lake View Heights, you’d need about twelve broadcast points for good coverage.”

Tim drew a full house and Roger called. Both of them, geeks at heart, would rather be at the couch anyway.

“Wouldn’t that be expensive?” asked Roger, always the practicalist.

“Yeah, sure, but the cost could be spread out among subscribers.”

They were off. the poker game was abandoned.

It took them about three hours to put together a plan and about five seconds for them to realize they could never do it.

“It would be so slick,” Tim whined. “Too bad about the funding.”

That was my cue.

“You know, we might be able to do this at a profit.”

Now, I hadn’t said a thing the entire time. I just sat there reading the article and nodding, waiting for my moment.

They all turned to look at me as though I was wearing a red silk suit and carrying a pitchfork.

“No. Really. if we try to get people to join, no one will ever want to, but if we keep people out and charge for them to get in, they will fight for the chance.”

Fortunately, these people were the ones who regularly gave me money in the form of gambling losses. They thought they knew what I was capable of. They were close.

“He’s got a point,” Tim said.

“That’s the way Microsoft works,” added Carol.

“Yeah,” chimed in Roger, “and no matter how bad the service is, as long as everyone has an investment…”

‘No one will want to pull out,” finished Steve

“But how would we ever pull it off?” asked Carol.

Everyone turned to me.

I smiled. again with the pitchfork looks.

Two months later, the Lake View Heights wireless network was open to the public, so to speak. Thanks to Carol, the infrastructure was a secure as these things get, and thanks to Roger’s access to a city cherry-picker truck the WiFi routers were optimally placed high in some very sturdy telephone poles. With Tim’s investment, the equipment was state of the art and Steve was a big help lugging everything around. the LVH network stood to turn a profit after October, if things stayed on track, and I was doing my level best to get everyone in the neighborhood to join up, even if it meant postponing the profit as far as another year. on top of sales, I had the other duty of housing the T1 connection to the ‘net.

“I still can’t believe you drew the short straw,” Roger said as he toured the steel shed in my back yard that was home to the uplink and other “necessary” equipment. Fortunately Carol didn’t know as much about T-3 internet connections as she did about wireless networking. the other equipment was passed off as necessary to the T1. Lucky me.

“I guess you can’t be lucky all of the time,” I told him.

“That’s a nice PC,” he says, pointing to a very large IBM server on a table.

“Yeah. That’s what the installer says is the controller – or something. I don’t know what it does.”

Roger shrugs. his comprehension of technology is limited to how to run electric can openers and TV remotes.

“I still can’t believe you’re paying for the electricity and heat and for the shed install.”

I can see the wheels in his head grinding so it’s time for Roger to leave.

“Looks like it’ll rain. I should lock the shed up.”

I close the doors and Roger meanders back to his house. When he’s inside, I go back into the shed and close the doors behind me.

The room is completely mine and paid for by “contributions” from the entire neighborhood. I sit down in front of the big IBM box and flip on the monitor. It buzzes briefly and glows to life. then, the beauty begins.

Did you know that for four hundred fifty bucks, an installer will set you up with a network eavesdropping program and show you how to use it? For another hundred fifty, you can get a great little database that collects all of the information and sorts it according to point-of-origin. You gotta love America.now, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking this is about credit card fraud – and with anyone else you’d be correct. What I am interested in isn’t direct access to credit but access to their private lives. Knowing someone’s credit card number might net me a quick thousand bucks and probably a quicker trip to the county lock-up. Knowing they are chronically over-due on their electric bill – priceless. Ditto that for who has the crazy aunt and when she is coming to town or for who is dating, sleeping with or divorcing whom. And in the spring there are taxes. I hear E-Filing is pretty big now, thanks to our Federal government.It’s nice to help people.

Some Chinese named in WikiLeaks cables nervous, but so far unharmed

617 days
by in monitor Cables Dvi Svga Bnc

By Tom Lasseter | McClatchy Newspapers Tom Lasseter McClatchy Newspapers

BEIJING — The Chinese woman let out a sigh when told her name had been made public in a U.S. diplomatic cable posted to the Internet this month.

As a member of a rights advocacy group in Beijing, she had attended a dinner with U.S. Embassy staff. The guests chatted about the difficulties of operating a civil society organization in China, including unscheduled government inspections. Now, an account of that evening is available to the entire world on the Internet.

When the WikiLeaks website released its full set of 251,287 unredacted U.S. State Department cables two weeks ago, it lifted the curtain on hundreds of Chinese who've met with American embassy officials over the years.

That sudden unveiling has left both the cables' sources and observers of Beijing wondering whether the Chinese government will crack down.

Conversations and online exchanges with 10 people cited in the documents — McClatchy contacted eight more who didn't reply — found no evidence of harassment at the behest of Chinese leadership. but in a country whose authoritarian rulers are deeply suspicious of American intentions, it's difficult to know what could come next for those who did not have official permission to meet with U.S. Embassy staff.

People facing pressure from state security officers are often threatened with more serious trouble if they speak with the press. Or Chinese officials could decide to make no move at all, leaving a cloud of uncertainty to hang over those worried about the phone ringing or a knock at the door.

"It may get us into trouble, I can't say what kind of trouble, but it will be no good," said the woman from the rights group, who like several other cable sources interviewed for this article spoke on the condition that her name not be used to avoid calling further attention to her case. "We're in a grey zone, the government knows we exist, and they know to a certain extent what we do … but the cable sends them more details."

The woman said she could only wait and see what would follow.

"We need to do an assessment," she said, after hearing the contents of the cable for the first time. "I'm starting to get more and more worried."

The situation potentially could be even more complex for sources such as ethnic Tibetans or Uighur Muslims in remote areas, who are seen as being particularly vulnerable to government backlash.

"It would be very tricky and risky to try to contact these people and it would be very hard to monitor what happens to them … and if you did, it would probably make things worse," said Robert Barnett, a leading scholar on Tibet at Columbia University.

He added: "I look at some (cables) and think perhaps that's OK, that's 'allowed chat' … but some are very worrying and it's not always the content that's worrying, it's the frequency of contact."

A partial list of some 200 names from the files — mostly Chinese, but with a few foreigners included — was posted on the popular Weibo micro-blog site over the weekend, in both English and Chinese. some Weibo users interpreted the "protect" and "strictly protect" designations for cable sources to mean those people were informants for the U.S. government. In a few corners of the Chinese nationalist Internet sphere, there were calls for the "informants" or "spies" to be punished.

The English edition of Global Times, a state-run tabloid, carried an article on Tuesday detailing an online spat between two Chinese academics after one highlighted the fact that the other had appeared in a cable.

Yu Jianrong, an expert on rural issues at the state-supervised Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, has long avoided interviews with Western reporters, presumably to buttress the argument that his troubling findings about government dysfunction in rural China are the product of scholarly research and not outside influence.

His being cited as a source in U.S. diplomatic documents was almost certainly unwelcome news. In one cable, Yu is paraphrased as telling the embassy that local governments in China resist rural land reform because their budgets are supplemented by "un-compensated or unfairly compensated land transfers" and, additionally, that, "local officials benefit personally from the transfers."

Another reported that Yu "insisted that rural conflict is already occurring nationwide and on a daily basis."

Yu quickly clarified on his Weibo page that he was not a traitor: "I fully believe in the capacity of our country's security departments. They wouldn't have missed such a big case."

Prior to the public release of the entire trove of documents, WikiLeaks had given the documents to a variety of news organizations, including McClatchy.

Under their agreements with WikiLeaks, the news organizations were to remove the names of anyone who might face persecution or prosecution for speaking with American officials.

WikiLeaks' founder, Julian Assange, also required that the news organizations keep the cables only on computers that were not connected to the Internet. In his conversations with McClatchy, he specifically singled out the Chinese government, which is notorious for computer hacking, as the reason for the requirement.

But WikiLeaks released the full text of the cables after they'd begun to appear on the Internet through a complex series of events kicked off by the discovery that a password that would open a publicly available encrypted file had been revealed in a book published earlier this year.

With the unredacted documents already spreading on the Internet, WikiLeaks said it had no choice but to make its files public as well.

"We have a case where every intelligence agency has the material, and the people who are mentioned in the material do not have the material," Assange explained to an audience at a Berlin conference earlier this month, via a video link. "So you have a race between the bad guys and the good guys, and it was necessary for us to stand on the side of the good guys."

Assange's detractors say WikiLeaks' move was reckless and dangerous.

"any unauthorized disclosure of classified information by WikiLeaks has harmful implications for the lives of identified individuals that are jeopardized, but also for global engagement among and between nations," said a statement emailed to McClatchy by Richard Buangan, spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. "given its potential impact, we condemn such unauthorized disclosures and are taking every step to prevent future security breaches."

One Chinese political analyst said that U.S. Embassy personnel visited him last year to alert him that WikiLeaks was in possession of documents that named him.

"They explained the whole situation," the analyst said. "It was embarrassing for them."

But not all sources named in the documents said they received such alerts. Another man, whose work involves ethnic minorities in China and whose identity was designated "strictly protect," said he hadn't heard anything about the issue.

Contacted by telephone, he said, "This is a sensitive topic in China" and apologized for not being able to say more.

Asked whether there were State Department guidelines for which sources to warn, Buangan referred back to a section of the emailed statement: "The Department of State does not comment on materials, including classified documents, which may have been leaked."

A former writer for a Chinese state news outlet who was cited in a cable said he didn't expect much trouble.

"I'm not too worried, I wasn't talking about something secret — I was just expressing my opinion," he said. "The information wasn't confidential, it was just small talk among friends."

A blogger, whose thoughts about the potential uses of the Internet for political activism in China were detailed in a cable, also said the situation is "not as serious as some people (are) worried (about), it's old information anyway."

Still, the former state news staffer said he was disappointed to learn that his conversations with U.S. Embassy staff — including reports of discontent about Premier Wen Jiabao's economic policies — were typed up in cables, and even more chagrined that those cables had been made public.

Reached by an online message, one of many academics who appeared in the files politely declined to be interviewed.

"I am very sorry, but I don't think it is convenient for me to be interviewed about that now," said the researcher, who was quoted in several cables on the issue of internal Chinese political intrigues. "We could talk about this in the future only if the time is right."

WikiLeaks makes all its U.S. diplomatic cables public

In China's gold capital, soaring prices do little to lift miners

Woman's rape case shows pitfalls of Chinese justice

Claims of injustice spur wave of unrest in China

After wreck, it's not just railway safety that worries Chinese

Digital Video Recorder

617 days
by in firewire

A digital video recorder (DVR) (or personal video recorder (PVR)) is a device that records video without videotape to a hard drive-based digital storage medium. The term includes stand-alone set-top boxes and software for personal computers which enables video capture and playback to and from disk.

History

Please expand and improve this section as described on this article’s talk page or at Requests for expansion, then remove this message.

The first DVR was tested on July 8, 1965, when CBS explored the possibilities of instant freeze-frame and rewind for sporting event broadcasts. Ampex released the first commercial hard disk video recorder in 1967. The HS-100 recorded analog video onto a digital hard disk and could store a maximum of only 30 seconds.

Hard disk-based DVRs
The two early consumer DVRs, ReplayTV and TiVo, were launched at the 1999 Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas. although ReplayTV won the best of show award in the video category, it was TiVo that went on to much greater commercial success. The devices have steadily developed complementary abilities, such as recording onto DVDs, commercial skip, sharing of recordings over the Internet, and programming and remote control facilities using PDAs, networked PCs, or Web browsers.

This makes the time shifting feature (traditionally done by a VCR) much more convenient, and also allows for trick modes such as pausing live TV, instant replay of interesting scenes, and skipping advertising. most DVRs use the MPEG format for encoding analog video signals.

The two consumer DVR brands in the United States are the TiVo and DNNA’s ReplayTV. In the UK TiVo has a small presence; Thomson, Topfield, Fusion, Pace and Humax also supply digital terrestrial (DTT) DVRs. BSkyB markets a popular combined EPG and DVR as Sky+.South African based Africa Satellite TV beamer Multichoice recently launched their PVR which is available on their Dstv platform.

Many satellite and cable companies are incorporating DVR functions into their set-top box, such as with DirecTiVo, DishPlayer/DishDVR, Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8xxx, Motorola 6xxx from Comcast, Moxi Media Center by Digeo (available through Charter, Adelphia, Sunflower, Bend Broadband, and soon Comcast and other cable companies), or Sky+. In this case there is no encoding necessary in the DVR, as the satellite signal is already a digitally encoded MPEG stream. The DVR simply stores the digital stream directly to disk. having the broadcaster involved with (subsidizing) the design of the DVR–and directly recording encrypted digital streams–can lead to features such as the ability to use interactive TV on recorded shows, pre-loading of programs. It can, however, also force the manufacturer to implement non-skippable advertisements and automatically-expiring recordings.

Software is available for transferring programs recorded on DVR hardware to or from PC’s (e.g., TiVoToGo and DVArchive).
PCs
Software and hardware is available which can turn personal computers running Microsoft Windows, Linux and Macintosh into PVRs, and is a popular option for home-theater PC (HTPC) enthusiasts.
Linux
There are many open source and GPL-licensed DVR applications available for Linux:

  • MythTV
  • Freevo
  • DVR
  • VDR
  • KnoppMyth – provides an out of the box MythTV based PVR solution

Commercial Linux version available from SageTV based on Gentoo Linux. Brightbox, a consumer electronics device, uses SageTV.

Macintosh
Elgato makes a series of DVR devices called EyeTV (400 / 500 / DTT etc.). The software supplied with each device (but available separately) is also called EyeTV. Elgato have recently released version 2.3 of their EyeTV software, with a redesigned interface, better program guide (built into the program) and a ‘One Click’ to iPod video feature. Miglia also makes DVR hardware that runs the EyeTV software, as well as DVR devices that use other software.

Other DVR products include myTV.PVR from EskapeLabs and ConvertX PVR from Plextor. MythTV (see above) also runs under OS X, but most recording devices are currently only supported under Linux. Precompiled binaries are available for the MythTV front-end, allowing a Mac to watch video from (and control) a MythTV server running under Linux.

Apple provides applications in the FireWire software developer kit which allow any Macintosh with a FireWire port to record the MPEG2 transport stream from a FireWire equipped cable box (e.g., Motorola 62xx, including HD streams). Applications can also change channels on the cable box via the firewire interface. Only broadcast channels can be recorded as the rest of the channels are encrypted. iRecord is a free scheduled-recording program derived from this SDK.
Windows
Microsoft Windows has several free DVR applications including GB-PVR, got all Media and MediaPortal. DScaler has also DVR support in works.
There also are several proprietary applications including SageTV, SnapStream Beyond TV, ChrisTV, Showshifter, Meedio (now a dead product – Yahoo bought most of the company’s technology and discontinued the Meedio line, and rebranding the software Yahoo go – TV, which is now a free product), InterVideo WinDVR, Recordit plus and the R5000-HD.

There is also a separate version of Microsoft Windows called Windows XP Media Center Edition which has DVR capabilities.

And Microsoft Windows Vista will include in its standard version the Media Center functionalities.

Source video
Television and video are terms that are sometimes used interchangeably, but differ in their technical definitions. Video is the visual portion of television, whereas television is the combination of video and audio modulated onto a carrier frequency (i.e., a television channel), so that multiple frequencies (i.e., multiple channels) may be transmitted at the same time.
Analog television
Analog television in NTSC, PAL or SECAM formats, analog cable, or regular VHS tapes use a signal that is fed directly to the electron beam within the television set. there are a number of details on how this is done, but in essence each line in each frame corresponds to a specific fraction of time within the signal.

To record an analog signal a few steps are required. A TV tuner card tunes into a particular frequency and then functions as a frame grabber, breaking the lines into individual pixels and quantizing them into a format that a computer can comprehend. Then the series of frames along with the audio (also sampled and quantized) are compressed into a manageable format, like MPEG-2, or WMF, usually in software. Some TV tuner cards like the DVR-250/350 or the TiVo chip deliver an MPEG-2 or other compressed stream directly to the computer, performing both the frame grabbing and compression in silico. This greatly reduces the load on the CPU allowing an overall cheaper implementation.

Analog Broadcast Copy Protection
Many mass-produced consumer DVRs implement a copy-protection system called CGMS-A (Copy Generation Management System–Analog). This encodes a pair of bits in the VBI of the analog video signal that specify one of the following settings:

  • Copying is freely allowed
  • Copying is prohibited
  • Only one copy of this material may be made
  • This is a copy of material for which only one copy was allowed to be made, so no further copies are allowed.

CGMS-A information may be present in analog broadcast TV signals, and is preserved when the signal is recorded and played back by analog VCRs, which of course don’t understand the meanings of the bits. but the restrictions still come into effect when you try to copy the tape onto a Player.

Digital television
Digital television is audio/visual signals that are broadcast over the air in a digital rather than analog format. Recording digital TV is generally a straightforward capture of the binary MPEG-2 data being received. No expensive hardware is required to quantize and compress the signal (as the television broadcaster has already done this in the studio). The MythTV DVR supports both international DVB signals and American ATSC signals while the HDTV Tivo supports only the ATSC signals. In the U.S., the FCC attempted to place a road-block before digital DVRs with its Broadcast flag regulation. Digital video recorders which had not won prior approval from the FCC for implementing effective digital rights management would have been banned from interstate commerce as of July 2005. The regulation was struck down on may 6, 2005.

DVD-based PVRs available on the market as of 2006 are not capable of capturing the full range of the visual signal available with high definition television (HDTV). This is largely because HDTV standards were finalized at a later time than the standards for DVDs. However, DVD-based PVRs can still be used (albeit at reduced visual quality) with HDTV since currently available HDTV sets also have standard A/V connections.

Satellite or Digital Cable
Recording satellite or digital cable signals on a digital video recorder is more complex than recording analog signals or broadcast digital signals. This is so because the MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 stream is usually encrypted to prevent people from viewing the content without paying for it (usually via subscription).

The satellite or cable set-top box does two things. First, it decrypts the signal. second, it decodes the MPEG stream into an analog, DVI, or HDMI signal for viewing on the television. In order to record cable/satellite digital signals you must get the signal after it is decrypted, but before it is decoded (between steps one and two); this is how DVRs built into set-top boxes work.

An alternative is that some satellite or (more commonly) cable set-top boxes have a FireWire port that can be connected to a computer. The recorded MPEG stream can be relayed to the computer via this FireWire port; though it can be done live, this is more commonly used for transferring shows from a set-top box with built-in DVR. (For instructions on doing this on a popular set-top box with DVR, please see the Wikibook entry How to use a Motorola DVR; some of the ideas there may apply to other set-top boxes as well.)

DVD
Many DVD-based DVRs are equipped with two DVD drives or an additional internal hard drive. This arrangement can be used to copy content from a source DVD, which is disallowed in the US under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act if the disc is encrypted. most such DVRs will hence not allow recording of video streams from encrypted movie discs.

Digital camcorders
Some DVD-based DVRs incorporate a Firewire connector which can be used to capture digital video from a MiniDV or Digital 8 camcorder, possibly recording a simple DVD as the camcorder is played back. Some editing of the resulting DVD is usually possible, such as adding chapter points.

Security applications
Digital video recorders configured for physical security applications record video signals from closed circuit television cameras for detection and documentation purposes. many are designed to record audio as well. DVRs have evolved into devices that are feature rich and provide services that exceed the simple recording of video images that was previously done through VCRs. A DVR CCTV system provides a multitude of advanced functions over VCR technology including video searches by event, time, date and camera. there is also much more control over quality and frame rate allowing disk space usage to be optimized and the DVR can also be set to overwrite the oldest security footage should the disk become full. In some DVR security systems remote access to security footage using a PC can also be achieved by connecting the DVR to a LAN network or the internet.

Security DVRs may be categorized as being either PC based or embedded. A PC based DVR’s architecture is a classical personal computer with video capture cards designed to capture video images. an embedded type DVR is specifically designed as a digital video recorder with its operating system and application software contained in firmware or read only memory.

Hardware Features
Hardware features of security DVRs vary between manufacturers and may include but are not necessarily limited to:

  • Designed for rack mounting or desktop configurations.
  • Single or multiple video inputs with connector types consistent with the analogue or digital video provided such as coaxial cable, twisted pair or optical fiber cable. The most common number of inputs are 1, 4, 8, 16 and 32. Systems may be configured with a very large number of inputs by networking or bussing individual DVRs together.
  • Looping video outputs for each input which duplicates the corresponding input video signal and connector type. These output signals are used by other video equipment such as matrix switchers, multiplexers, and video monitors.
  • Controlled outputs to external video display monitors.
  • Front panel switches and indicators that allow the various features of the machine to be controlled.
  • Network connections consistent with the network type and utilized to control features of the recorder and to send and/or receive video signals.
  • Connections to external control devices such as keyboards.
  • A connection to external pan-tilt-zoom drives that position cameras.
  • Internal CD, DVD, VCR devices typically for archiving video.
  • Connections to external storage media.
  • Alarm event inputs from external security detection devices, usually one per video input.
  • Alarm event outputs from internal detection features such as motion detection or loss of video.

Software Features
Software features vary between manufacturers and may include but are not necessarily limited to:

  • User selectable image capture rates either on an all input basis or input by input basis. The capture rate feature may be programmed to automatically adjust the capture rate on the occurrence of an external alarm or an internal event
  • Selectable image resolution either on an all input basis or input by input basis. The image resolution feature may be programmed to automatically adjust the image resolution on the occurrence of an external alarm or an internal event.
  • Motion detection: Provided on an input by input basis, this feature detects motion detection in the total image or a user definable portion of the image and usually provides sensitivity settings. Detection causes an internal event that may be output to external equipment and/or be used to trigger changes in other internal features.
  • Lack of motion detection. Provided on an input by input basis, this feature detects the movement of an object into the field of view and remaining still for a user definable time. Detection causes an internal event that may be output to external equipment and/or used to trigger changes in other internal features.
  • Direction of motion detection. Provided on an input by input basis, this feature detects the direction of motion in the image that has been determined by the user as an unacceptable occurrence. Detection causes an internal event that may be output to external equipment and/or be used to trigger changes in other internal features.
  • Routing of input video to video monitors based on user inputs or automatically on alarms or events.
  • Input, time and date stamping.
  • Alarm and event logging on appropriate video inputs.
  • Alarm and event search.
  • One or more sound recording channels.
  • Archival.
  • Remote control.

How To Extend Your WiFi Network Range [MacRx]

617 days
by in cable Modem-router Combos

Wireless networking is de rigeur these days, but in large buildings or crowded urban environments it can sometimes be difficult to get connections working reliably throughout a facility. Extending your WiFi network allows you to provide strong coverage through a home or workplace while allowing wireless devices to roam about and keep connectivity.

The most reliable way I’ve found to extend WiFi network coverage is to create a single network with multiple Wireless Access Points, connected via a wired backbone to a single internet router. Here’s how this is done.

Create a Single WiFi Network

Many times I’ve arrived at a client’s home or office to find a plethora of WiFi networks in place: Smith Family front and Smith Family Rear, or in a business ABC Corporate WiFi, ABC Sales and Jim’s Network. not only does that mean your computers and smartphones need to join and remember multiple network passwords, but you are probably using multiple routers (and thus multiple DHCP servers and NAT conversions) on the network.

A better alternative is to create a single WiFi Network – Smith Family or ABC Corp WiFi – that is available everywhere via multiple Wireless Access Points (WAPs) thoughout the structure. This provides a single sign-on for convenience and security, and allows you to roam throughout a facility on the same network.

Each WiFi device should be configured to broadcast the same wireless network name (SSID), and use the same password and method of wireless security (WPA2 encryption is best). This image below shows a configuration for an Apple Airport router, other vendor’s equipment will work similarly.

The second important setting is to make sure you have only one router handing out DHCP addresses on your network. for most homes and small businesses this will be the device which connects to your internet provider (Cable, FIOS, DSL, etc.). Your primary router may include WiFi (like an Airport Extreme or Time Capsule) or may be wired only, but either way this should be the only device on the network with a DHCP server enabled.

On all other devices – if they have routing capability – turn off DHCP capability. This prevents potential IP address conflicts and keeps all equipment on the same network subnet. with Apple Airport gear this is via the Internet tab, turn Connection Sharing to Off (Bridge Mode).

Many brands of WiFi routers have a dedicated bridge or wireless access point mode. with others (like the wildly popular Linksys gear) you can disable DHCP services, tape over the WAN port and give the device a fixed IP address on your network to use the router as a WiFi bridge (additional instructions here).

Plan Your Placement and WiFi Channels

WiFi coverage tends to drop off about two rooms or one floor away from the transmitter, varying with the construction of your building. Additional WiFi routers or access points placed throughout your structure about every three rooms or two floors apart will balance out and broaden coverage.

In crowded WiFi environments like an office downtown in a major city, you may need to place WAPs closer and on every floor. Large metal objects, old plaster walls with wire mesh grids inside, or new metal-and-concrete structures can weaken or block signals, so some placement experimentation may be required.

Modern WiFi devices will default to using Automatic channel selection, and in most cases this is fine. if you are in an area with many competing WiFi signals, you may want to use scanning software (like iStumbler on the Mac or a WiFi Finder for the iPhone/iPad) to see what’s around and choose a channel which has relatively little traffic for your setup.

If you set the channel manually, use the same channel on all access points to flood your network with a strong common signal.

Use a Wired Backbone When Possible

Once you’ve configured and placed access points throughout your facility, you need to network them together. a wired backbone is by far the most reliable way to distribute WiFi coverage throughout a structure, and provides a central LAN for fixed computers and devices like printers or non-WiFi equipped gear.

Standard network cabling uses cat5 or cat6 (GigE) ethernet lines, and runs can be up to 500 feet long. if you don’t have enough outputs on your primary router to run a cable to each access point, a switch can be attached to any port to provide additional ethernet jacks for distribution. many newer homes and businesses have ethernet cabling and wall jacks already installed. with older buildings a bit of elbow grease or an electrician’s help may be required to get things setup.

Connect each ethernet cable to your primary router or switch on one end, and to your remote access point on the other. This kind of setup creates a wired-to-wireless bridge in each remote location, nodes that provide WiFi coverage for each area.

If running ethernet cabling isn’t an option, another solution is to use powerline networking. These devices plug into your electrical outlets and bridge your network over in-wall power cabling. This is very convenient, though in practice the brand of equipment used and the condition of your building’s electrical wiring will dictate how speedy and reliable this solution is.

Use WiFi Extenders as a Fallback Choice

Another popular method for extending your WiFi network range is to use a WiFi extender, or a wireless extension feature built into a WiFi router. These devices pick up on existing WiFi signals and rebroadcast them to give a signal boost and extra range. the extender needs to be placed closer to the primary transmitter than a second wired access point would be, in order to stay in range of the original signal for relay.

Configuration should account for the same details as above: use the same network name and password for the extended/repeated signal as the original network, and turn off any DHCP or routing capabilities on the device. You’re just looking to bridge and extend a signal, not create a new network.

In my experience WiFi extenders can be a hit-or-miss proposition. some of my clients have had very good luck with WiFi extenders, others find them unreliable. a wired backbone is preferable when available.

For additonal tips on troubleshooting WiFi issues, see How to Fix Common WiFi Problems [MacRx].

If you enjoyed this article:Subscribe via RSS or email, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter

PRODUCTS: The latest from Logitech, Netgear, Lite-On, Crucial and Seagate

617 days
by in dvd Rrw Drives

Sanity Music stocks Logitech products

In response to the demand for high-performance audio, peripherals vendor, Logitech has partnered up with music retailer, Sanity, to make its products more accessible.

As of July, Sanity has been stocking a range of Logitech Ultimate Ears line earphones – designed to enhance sound quality by fitting into the ear canal and cancelling background noise.

An array of speakers for laptops, PCs and portable devices are also available, alongside a selection of mice, keyboards, webcams, and Harmony universal remote controls.

To promote the partnership, Logitech is offering fans the opportunity to meet Perth’s rock quartet, Birds of Tokyo, during their Australian tour throughout September.

Eight competition winners will be awarded backstage passes, Logitech Laptop Speaker Z305, a Pure-Fi Anywhere 2 portable speaker and a pair of Ultimate Ears 700 earphones.

Runners up will receive Birds of Tokyo merchandise, Ultimate ears 600 and MetroFi 200 earphones.

The Logitech products are available in Sanity stores, or through its online shopping portal.

Netgear introduces 10-gigabit smart switch

Netgear has released its GS752TXS, the first smart switch with 10-gigabit connectivity, targeted at mid-market networks.

The ProSafe 48-port Gigabit Stackable Smart Switch is designed to improve server utilisation, availability and application management through its Layer 2 management features, switching performance and advanced security measures.

To accommodate for varying businesses, the GS752TXS provides 48 gigabit ports to connect devices to the network, while an additional four 10-gigabit SFP+ ports allow for stacking or uplink servers. this creates the ability to stack up to six switches with full redundancy, protecting investments by allowing uninterrupted network access if one switch fails.

The GS752TXS also provides advanced security for edge access and dynamic VLAN assignment to increase network protection. It operates by imposing a consistent policy and user credential across the network regardless of location.

Netgear included its Smart Switch management via a web-browser interface for monitoring switch performance, configuring ports, setting up port trunks, VLANs and traffic prioritisation.

The Netgear Smart Control Centre is available for multiple switches, and the Network Management System allows businesses to configure multiple products from a designated device and location.

The Netgear ProSafe 48-port Gigabit Smart Switch (GS752TXS) will be available for $3149.

Lite-On launches burning software for iOS users

Lite-On, an optical storage solutions provider, is simplifying iOS burning with its MyDisk Suite.

The software contains a set of applications for iOS PC, iPad and iphone – including DiskMobile, DiskCase, DiskIndex, and DiskCollection. These are configured to simplify data management, storage, and tracking through drag-and-drop burning, file/disc indexing, customised menus, personalisation and user-centricity.

DiskMobile is built to allow direct transfer between iOS systems and Lite-On DVD burners, as well as providing a back-up storage solution for data. DiskIndex allows this data to be categorised through a customised menu system for tracking and identification and DiskCase, an iPad-only app, offers users the option to design covers.

The DiskCollection application serves as a data-management solution as it builds a disc index by allowing users to describe and group discs and saving the settings within its memory. the Lite-On MyDisk Suite will be included with the Lite-On eNAU808 DVD writer. Availability and RRP are yet to be confirmed.

Crucial’s new 8GB memory module

Crucial, a memory testing and upgrading company, has released its 8GB DDR3-1333MHz UDIMM (desktop) and SODIMM (laptop) memory modules to support Intel Core i7 and i5 processors.

The high-capacity memory module caters for excessive multi-tasking without hindering system performance and maintaining responsiveness.

The 8GB high-capacity module is a memory solution for smaller form factors such as laptops, all-in-one PCs and home theatre PCs – which contain only one DIMM slot.

The 8GB DDR3-1333MHz SODIMM memory modules are also 1.35V, compared to the 1.5V standard, both reducing power consumption in lower voltage devices and increasing battery life.

Desktop users can also benefit as the 8GB Crucial memory module cancels the needs to utilise multiple DIMM slots to take advantage of the maximum RAM capability of their system.

The Crucial 8GB DDR3-1333MHz desktop and laptop memory modules are available in kits ranging from 16GB to 24GB and include a limited-lifetime warranty. They can be purchased via Crucial’s local channel partners.

Seagate introduces its GoFlex Satellite wireless storage device

Storage solutions provider, Seagate, has debuted its GoFlex Satellite – a battery-powered external hard drive which uses wireless technology to extend the storage capacity of Wi-Fi enabled devices.

The new member of the GoFlex family contains 500GB of disc space, Wi-Fi access over 802.11b/g/n, a rechargeable battery and can be paired with up to three devices at any one time. It connects to compatible devices through the free GoFlex Media application, which operates on Apple iOS (iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch) and any Android.

Seagate Technology senior vice-president and managing director of Asia-Pacific and Japan, BanSeng Teh, said, “no longer will a consumer feel as though it is a compromise to purchase a lower capacity tablet or iPad. with GoFlex Satellite, people will be able to carry their entire media library with them without the need for wires or the Web.”

The GoFlex Satellite has a stand-by battery life of up to 25 hours, with the ability to stream five hours of continuous video. the GoFlex Media App contributes to its battery life using a progressive download feature that sends the Satellite into stand-by mode after a portion of data is temporarily synchronised.

For large and fast data transfers, the hard drive is equipped with a USB 3.0 port and comes with a back-compatible cable. Seagate’s GoFlex Satellite is available from selected retailers and resellers for $219.

Garmin Montana 600 – A Durable Personal Navigator To Help You Find The Right Track

617 days
by in gps

If you enjoy hiking, hunting or traveling, a personal GPS navigator is a device you can’t forget to bring. this gadget helps you find the right track even when you travel to the remote areas. One of the best personal GPS navigators on the market is the Garmin Montana 600. this 4 inch touch screen navigator supports multiple mapping options such as BlueChart, Satellite Imagery and BirdsEye. its key features are a barometric altimeter and a 3-axis tilt-compensated compass. this waterproof navigator is named Montana for its versatility and toughness.

Features

Large Touchscreen Display

This personal navigator comes with a 4 inch sunlight-readable, high resolution touchscreen display. It also comes with easy-to-use interface so that you can search for information with ease. the Garmin Montana 600 is specifically designed to withstand dirt, dust, humidity and water. With this great durability, this device should be your number one choice for outdoor activities.

Go Anywhere

You can mount the device on your car’s dashboard using the auto mount, or on your motorcycle or ATV using the rugged mount. It can be used as a handheld as well. for spoken turn-to-turn driving directions, you can use the City Navigator maps.

More Maps

Adding maps to your GPS unit is easy with Garmin’s wide selection of detailed marine, topographic, and road maps. you can load TOPO 24K maps using the microSD card slot. when you plan to use the navigator on the water, just plug in the BlueChart g2 preloaded cards. for roads, you can use the City Navigator map data. It also supports BirdsEye Satellite Imagery that allows you to download satellite images to the device.

Share Wirelessly

This navigator enables you to share routes, tracks and waypoints wirelessly with other Garmin users which are compatible. Thus now you can send your favorite routes or tracks information to your friend’s GPS unit.

Locate Your Position Precisely

The Garmin Montana 600 has a WAAS-enabled GPS receiver and HotFix satellite prediction that help you locate your position precisely. It can even maintain its GPS location even when you are in the hard-to-reach locations. Thus you can always find your way with this remarkable navigator.

Double Power

This new navigator offers dual battery system. To power your Garmin Montana 600, you can either use AA alkaline batteries or the rechargeable lithium-ion pack.

The navigator comes with a lithium-ion battery pack, AC charger, USB cable, owner’s manual disk, quick start manuals, and a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty.

Next »
Go to Top