Idlemind - nickcoster.com

Well today I have finally set up a wireless network @ home. This is not the first attempt, however i an amazed at how easily this one fell together particularly after the failures to date.

In my first attempt I was using a Netgear modem/router that was over twice the price and half the maximum performance. It all seemed to be working fine until I closed the doors in the house. Blink! Bye bye internet. That went back to the shop.

Then, a month or so ago I borrowed a Dlink modem + a Dlink wireless router and again partial success leading to ultimate failure. That went back to the office.
(Having now played further with this at the office I think that i have worked out the problems but it was not a obvious fix. Certainly not consumer friendly.)

Today I took the plunge again, this time back to Netgear (see link) mainly because the thing looks better than the competition at the some price. This time the process was so easy I could hardly believe it.
1) I plugged it in to both the power and the phone line.
2) I turned on my Laptop (WiFi capable) and flicked on the Wireless switch. Up comes the default network setting.
3) After punching in the default IP address for the router I am presented with the config page. I go straight for the wizard option and moments later i am net connected and secure.

Now as I write this (remember… Tablet PC) I am sitting in the lounge room completely wireless. This is the future and I like it.

The Problem, the Balloon, and the Four Bedroom House: A List Apart
This article jumped out at me as a repeat of project wisdom that is universally believed in but is hardly ever followed. Everyone seems to want to start doing right NOW and not wait until everything is agreed on.

While at my current job I have been writing for the monthly newsletter under the guise of the E-Genie. This time I thought that I would post my latest creation here as well.

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There have been an increasing number of security threats that use email as their way of getting onto your home computer. These threats have used features and in some cases security weaknesses in the email software to launch their attacks. The software makers have responded to these problems by adding security features to their email readers. This month we will deal with some of the side effects of these features.

Question:
“I received an email that I was expecting and the information I needed was sent as an attachment. When I tried to access this it received a message stating I was denied access to an “unsafe attachment”. Others I talked to received the same attachment with no warnings and no consequences to their system.”

The problem here is that the email program is assuming that the attached file is dangerous and will not allow it to be used. This is based on the file type and not the contents of the file. File types that are considered dangerous include .exe, .zip , .scr, .pif, .bat, etc. Also applications like Word and Excel that can contain macros will also be considered unsafe.

To access these files you will need to change the security settings of your email program. It is best to do this only when there is a particular file that you want and that you are expecting. This way the software forces you to think twice before clicking on a dodgy attachment. For example in Outlook Express (version 6.0) go to “Tools –> Options” then select the Security tab.

Uncheck the box next to “Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus”. You should now be able to open the file but don’t forget to re-check this setting once you have opened your file.

All the best from the E-Genie!

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It is coming…
The next big update to Microsofts XP operating system. I have downloaded the beta version and fired it up on the tablet PC. The text enty interface has completely changed and I am just trying to workout if I like it.

One of the things that I do like is the new ability to correct the text before it is sent to the page. In fact it is outstanding. Here is a look at the text entry tool. I had a hard time capturing the input tool with text on it, but I’ll keep trying.

This service pack also has a heap of security features that practically replace other 3rd party software apps.

I am frantically writing up documents right now. Many of the ones that I have been procrastinating doing for a while. It has taken most of the morning but I am now in the grove to some extent.

This may also be because people have started to leave me alone as my value to the business here fades before I leave. I expect that there will be a flurry of activity in my last week but I also won’t be disappointed if there isn’t.

This is also my second attempt to post a message via email. I screwed it up the first time.

You may also notice the inclusion of a photo here. This was taken in a pub in Washington DC. The beer was one of 4 in a beer sampling menu that ran parallel to the food. hmmmmm beeer.