PLATFORMS: My Verizon MIFI 2200 experience

Monday, January 3, 2011

http://3gstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=273&products_id=2130

With tremendous trepidation, I purchased a used verizon mifi 2200 advertised as a refurb with no impact on the existing unlimited data Verizon contracts. My concerns were: (1) “Used car” syndrome; would it work? (2) Would the ESN swap screw up my unlimited data contract with Verizon? (3) Would it work? Period! (4) Would I wind up in finger pointing between me, Verizon, and any number of others?

I received it promptly and in relatively good order. The power cord looked like it had just be wadded up and thrown in the box. So I was regretting my decision after seeing that.

I gathered up everything and went to the Verizon store for the ordeal of the ESN swap. Everything done with Verizon is an ordeal. And, I was right. The swap was trivial. And I even got a piece of paper that says nothing changed but the ESN. I’ll frame that! Cause I still don’t believe it. Then, I went over to “technical support” to activate it. An HOUR later, it was still “unactivateable” with NO explanation why. Three “experts” later, the verdict was that it was defective and I should send it back to where I got it. (Despite that it was in a Verizon box and was a Verizon refurbishment.) They wanted to undo the ESN swap so I could use my old hardware. Something made me question the whole thing. They wiped out my VZACCESS software to put an older version on. So, I said leave everything and I’d get back to them.

Went home. Downloaded, installed, and fired up the LATEST version of VZACCESS. It griped that the MIFI2200 needed a firmware update. (They “did” that at the Verizon store.) So I did it again. It then needed an updated “national map”. (They “did” that at the Verizon store.) So I did that again. Then, it complained it needed to be “activated”. (They “did” that at the Verizon store.) So I did it again. Then, it said it needed to be power cycled. I did that.

Then it started working. I shut everything down and disconnected it. Brought everything backup and the MIFI2200 was “wifi-ing”. Connected various devices to it. And it kept working.

So, if you do get refurbished MIFI2200 and think it needs to being returned, then you know that it’s the Verizon support “help” that needs “return”.

# – # – #

The MIFI2200 is NOTRECOMMENDED. The Verizon Wireless Broad Band (which I call VWBBIE) is NOTRECOMMENDED.

The MIFI2200 is fine and might be RECOMMENDED if it was attached to an unlimited 3G service and if activation wasn’t an ordeal.

The vendor 3GSTORE is RECOMMENDED because it was correct in the MIFI2200 offering.

The VWBBIE is NOT RECOMMENDED because of the network caps and the stiff charges for overage. Additionally, the network performance they sell is faster than an old 9600 baud modem, but not much. I was so frustrated with using it on a regular basis down at the shore that I bought the cable company’s triple play just to not have to use it.

This is definitely a “proceed at your own risk” type product.

Disclosure, I get nothing from nobody for this review.

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Posted by reinkefj

PLATFORM: The netbook ASUS is bricked inet-wise!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Last night, some automatic security fixes applied themselves.

Suddenly WINDOZE7STARTER is forcing a “select a location for the ‘3TYNE7328215850 2’ network.

And, no internet connectivity.

Everything was work fine before.

WTF!

Notice the “space 2” on the end of the wireless lan name.

There’s no way to delete that “space 2” or to change it.

WINDOZE7STARTER says that it can’t create a ‘home network group’, but only join one.

This is one of the reasons I HATE WINDOZE.

Numerous system rollbacks to dates in the past can NOT fix this.

Argh!

# # # # # posted 2010-12-16 08:35

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : ASUS

   Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid

   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Atheros AR8132 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller (NDIS 6.20)

   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 48-5B-39-81-5E-B9

   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter

   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 1C-4B-D6-FE-7D-60

   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::ed9d:a8ea:f652:9aad%11(Preferred)

   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.102(Preferred)

   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

   Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, December 16, 2010 8:34:23 AM

   Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, December 23, 2010 8:53:12 AM

   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1

   DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1

   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 236735446

   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-14-89-6E-E8-1C-4B-D6-FE-7D-60

   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1

   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{1880D8E4-AD10-4D35-B33E-0DD04215ACB2}:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter

   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0

   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No

   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{FF68CFF4-C30B-4730-BA8E-D44D45CA4170}:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2

   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0

   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No

   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface

   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0

   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No

   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

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Posted by reinkefj

PLATFORMS: Thinking “temporary” while MCBA is in for repair

Monday, November 29, 2010

http://www.walmart.com/ip/eMachines-Black-10.1-eM350-2074-Netbook-PC-with-Intel-Atom-N450-Processor-Windows-XP-Home/15231329

*** begin quote ***

eMachines Black 10.1″ eM350-2074 Netbook PC with Intel Atom N450 Processor & Windows XP Home

Free Shipping to Home

From $248.00

With its Intel Atom processor and dedicated graphics, the eMachines eM350-2074 Netbook PC powers through everyday apps and brings a great visual experience while remaining small and easily portable. This ultra-mobile black 10.1″ eMachines netbook PC is super light and less than 1″ thin, making it easy to tote anywhere. Plus, its larger keyboard and touchpad features are perfect for fast-paced, accurate data input while you’re on the move. With the eMachines eM350-2074 Netbook PC, you can stay connected to your mobile world.

eMachines Black 10.1″ eM350-2074 Netbook PC with Intel Atom N450 Processor, Windows XP Home

   * Intel Atom N450 processor

   1.66GHz, 667MHz Front Side Bus, 512KB L2 Cache

   * 1GB DDR2 system memory

   Allows you to do the computer basics of web surfing, emails and documents

   * 160GB SATA hard drive

   Store 106,000 photos, 45,000 songs or 84 hours of HD video and more on the black 10.1″ eMachines netbook PC

   * 10/100 Fast Ethernet; 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi

   Connect to a broadband modem or a wired broadband router with wired Ethernet, or wirelessly connect to a Wi-Fi signal or hotspot with the 802.11b/g/n WLAN built right into your PC

   * 10.1″ LED widescreen display

   Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 with 64MB of dedicated video memory, supporting Microsoft DirectX 9

Additional Features:

   * Built-in 1.3 megapixel Webcam

   * 2-in-1 digital media card reader

   * 2 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x VGA port, 1 x headphone/speaker/line-out jack, 1 x microphone jack, 1 x RJ-45 Ethernet port

   * 3-cell lithium-ion battery (up to 4 hours battery life)

Software:

   * Genuine Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 3

   * Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 (60-day trial)

   * Microsoft Works 9

   * Norton Internet Security (60-day trial)

   * Windows Live Essentials Wave 3 (with Photo Gallery and Writer)

   * eMachines ePower Management, eMachines eRecovery Management

Support and Warranty:

   * 1-year parts and labor limited warranty with toll-free tech support

   * Restore discs are no longer included with PCs. We recommend you use the installed software to create your own restore and backup DVD the first week you use the black 10.1″ eMachines netbook PC.

What’s In The Box:

   * Power supply and power cord

   * 3-cell Li-Ion battery

   * Quick Start Guide and documentation

*** end quote ***

It should be good enough for a week. But, can I then put ubuntu on it?

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Posted by reinkefj

PLATFORMS: Separate out data

Monday, October 5, 2009

http://www.wxpnews.com/LEM1E6/090929-Save-the-PC

*** begin quote ***

Dividing the hard disk into separate partitions and keeping your data on drive that’s separate from your operating system is second nature to many of us – but it’s not what happens by default when you install an operating system. Now Jason Hiner is petitioning both Microsoft and Apple to make this the default behavior, so that people will be less likely to lose all their important documents, photos, music, etc. if the OS fails and a clean reinstall is the only solution. Do you agree, or do you think it’s a non-issue as long as we all back up our data as we’re supposed to?

*** end quote ***

It is a great idea.

Unfortunately, no one makes that easy.

IMHO all my data and all my “settings” should be on “MY SIDE” of the disk partition.

Then, all I have to back up is EASILY identified.

Wish it were so.

Microsoft is the biggest offender with the concept of the “registry” in the first place. That’s the thing that makes you have to reinstall in the first place. And, heaven forbid, you have a power drop while it’s writing to it’s precious registry. You may have an unbootable system.

Inexcusable!

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Posted by reinkefj

PLATFORMS: Windoze7 is on the horizon

Saturday, January 17, 2009

http://windowssecrets.com/comp/090108/

Will the Windows 7 RTM make an early entrance?

*** begin quote ***

The official release of Beta 1 of Windows 7 to the public is widely expected to occur next week. If all goes well with the remaining testing, indications are that the final, RTM (released to manufacturing) version will be available as early as August. Lending support to this theory is the fact that the end-user license agreement of Beta 1, like all recent prerelease versions of Windows 7, states that the software will expire Aug. 1, 2009.

*** end quote ***

With a tip of the hat to the folks at WINDOWSECRETS.COM … …

Why do I feel like I have seen this “morality play” before?

Because we have?

Now everyone will be urged to test and upgrade asap. Hardware won’t support it? It’s an Intel / Microsoft treadmill. Intel needs you to buy more hardware so Microsoft makes fatter OSes. Microsoft needs you to send them money so they need to inflate their OSes with more “features”.

For what?

To do websurfing, email, wp, spreadsheets, and some slides.

Ya gotta be kidding!

If your platform works — which for most home users it does — sit tight.

Windoze cruds up over time. Fact of life. So focus your energy in a “refresh”.

Or move to Linux. With free software.

And. get off the treadmill entirely. It’s not taking you anywhere you want to go. Except to spending more money.

Computing should now be a commodity.

A very cheap one.

imho

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Posted by reinkefj

LINUX: Well, the die is cast!

Friday, August 31, 2007

placed my order for a Linux laptop. I’ve begun to separate myself from the Microsoft Death Star and join the Linux revolution. I’m returning to my roots as an injineer, unix nerd, and “falling knife” catcher. Good bye, Bill! No more winrot! No more verbose network conversation as all the workstations in my home lan try to elect a domain controller. No more treadmill of fatter operating systems needing bigger hardware.

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Posted by reinkefj

LINUX: Anything windoze does, it should do better?

Thursday, August 23, 2007

http://www.emperorlinux.com/mfgr/dell/tiger/?tab=overview

The Tiger (Dell Latitude D630) 5# Linux

*** begin quote ***

# Full Linux support: up to 15″ SXGA+ w/ X @ 1400×1050
# Full Linux support: 1667 – 2200 MHz Core 2 Duo
# Full Linux support: 512 – 2 G RAM, expands to 4 G
# Full Linux support: 60 – 120 GB Hard Drive
# Full Linux support: DVD+/-RW Drive, or DVDROM Drive, or CDRW/DVD Drive
# Specification: 5.2 pounds
# Full Linux support: up to 10/100/1000 Mbps ethernet
# Full Linux support: 802.11a/b/g (54Mbps) WiFi
# Specification: Linux Pre-Configured (dual boot available)
# Specification: EmperorLinux user’s manual
# Specification: Three year warranty & One year tech support

*** end quote ***

Getting ready to take the plunge. Only two real obstacles to plopping down Frau’s credit card.

(1) Critical: Can I use my existing VWBBie card and subscription?

(2) Moderate; Can it fax?

(3) Trivial: Can it support usb thumb and disk drives?

(4) Trivial: Printer support?

(5) Trivial: Anything windoze does, it should do better?

Did I miss anything?

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Posted by reinkefj

LINUX: Linux Desktop – Is it an Option for Normal Users?

Friday, March 16, 2007

http://www.techsupportalert.com/review-linux-for-windows-users.htm

Linux Desktop – Is it an Option for Normal Users?

Linux has long held the promise of offering normal users an alternative to Windows. With the arrival of the high priced Windows Vista Support Alert subscriber “Briard” decides to put 12 Linux distros to the test. (March 2007)

***Begin Quote***

Rumbles of Mutiny

Murmurs of revolt spread through the taverns in the Kingdom of Windows. The flashy new Vista model King William had promised the people had taken 5 years to put into production, and the price matched its splendour. During those five years, the Apple Opera Company had staged several new productions of impressive polish. The upstarts from Google were giving people free software and email services, and there were rumours that Desktop Linux was mature enough to rival Vista.

In the rugged mountains of Mozilla, far from the Court at Redmond, fiercely independent tribes had held out against King William. Long ago their artisans had sworn an oath to share their ideas and inventions freely. Their creations were built on open platforms like UNIX and Linux, with liberal use of arcane tools. Now there was talk that they’d produced a Linux desktop of great beauty.

The once loyal-to-the-royal media began asking if King William was losing the steely resolve of old. Would people baulk at the outrageous price of Vista and do the unthinkable: rebel and buy a Mac, or replace their Windows with Linux? Was this the autumn of King William’s reign and would Vista become his elaborate tomb? And who would reign after King William? Would it be Big Jobs and Apple or would it be the rebels from Mozilla? Would 2007 be the year of Linux?

***End Quote***

I’m revolting!

from Vista, Windoze, and Microsoft in general.

I’m tired of fighting to make the platform perform.

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Posted by reinkefj

LINUX: UBUNTU610 on an old DELL C610 notebook

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Yesterday, I threw up on an old DELL C610 notebook the latest version of UBUNTU610. It went up in less than 20 minutes wall clock time. I was doing other stuff so that’s probably not a fair time. I’m playing with it just to see what works and what doesn’t. has a fair number of games, firefox, and OpenOffice. I don’t have a spare inet connection for it. (Have to borrow a hub.) And, a lot of apps don’t like a 386. (Hey one plays with what one has!)

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Posted by reinkefj

TECHNOLOGY: Ubuntu Open Week

Saturday, November 25, 2006

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuOpenWeek

Ubuntu Open Week

***Begin Quote***

Jono Bacon writes “Next week (Mon 27th Nov 2006 – Sat 2nd Dec 2006) the Ubuntu community hold their Ubuntu Open Week – a week of IRC tutorials and sessions designed to encourage more and more people to join their diverse community. In just two years, Ubuntu has grown to a user base of over 6 million and a worldwide community spanning many different disciplines.

***End Quote***

A good free intro and online support. If it’s a dead week, what better time to dip a toe into Linux.

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Posted by reinkefj

LINUX: Here’s a resource of linux laptops

Monday, November 13, 2006

http://www.linux-on-laptops.com/dell.html

Have to try my old dells first.

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Posted by reinkefj

LINUX: KNOPPIX50 doesn’t recognize LUGGABLE’s inboard wireless

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Arghhh! Have to do some poking around!

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Posted by reinkefj