Merlins Tower

Extending Your Wireless Reception Cheaply

Posted on June 22nd, 2006 by Merlin.
Categories: Communication, Computing, GTD, Gadgets, Hack, USB, Weird Stuff.

Everyone is selling antennas and extenders and all sorts of pieces of technology to extend your wireless reception. But what if you are on a budget like I am? Spouse, mortgage, car payment, 2.5 children, it all adds up to precious little for computer parts. And if your boss has put his foot down and won’t let you order ANYTHING from the internet on the company account. What do you do? Broadband is not a possibility (old house, old wiring old lady) so what is the alternative?

The neighbors! Out of everyone else around me there has to be SOMEONE that has their cable modem or DSL on a wireless router. I have an old notebook that work no longer wanted and it has a built in wireless adapter that is really low powered. No help there. I did a warride and found a few in the area but none could be access from within my house. After all, if their transmissions reach inside my home I can do with them whatever I want, right?

Along comes WOOT! and I get a cheap-o deluxe $14 wireless antenna that I can direct towards any direction I want. I slap it in and scan for available wireless networks. SUCSESS! FAILURE! SUCCESS! FAILURE! SUCCESS! ARRRRGHH!!! I get better reception but nothing that allows me to do anything more than wish my house weren’t made of bricks 100 years ago.

I google for ways to enhance my reception and I see all these propeller heads that have built these “wireless guns” that look like AR-15 rifles and antenna extenders right out of Johnny Quest. I am just an old hack trying to get around rewiring my entire house just so I can surf ebay faster.

I go into the kitchen to get a bowl of generic Corn Chex cereal and while I am scooping the spoon as fast as I can into my mouth before bed I wonder… will this metal bowl work? Not remembering any of my College Physics at the moment I can bring to mind the last episode of the Red Green Show. DUCT TAPE TO THE RESUCE!

I have an old speaker stand, some tape, a cheap USB wireless adapter, and a metal cereal bowl. Shucks, just try it and see if it works.

Don’t laugh. It drags in a signal. It is weak but it is reliable and I usually get 11 mb throughput.

Check with the laws in your area but privacy rights usually rule and if your neighbor is putting out an unsecure signal and it enters your home what you do with it is your business.

Tags: wireless, DIY, hack, duct tape, GTD, Walmart, network, dlink, woot, red green show, USB, notebook, DSL, cable modem, linksys

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$8 Network Rack - Cleaning up the Computer Desk

Posted on June 15th, 2006 by Merlin.
Categories: Computing, GTD, Gadgets, Tutorial.

OK here is one project I am putting on my GTD list right away. A quick and easy way to help me keep my desk a little neater.

This is such a wonderful Idea. He took 2 (2 Packs) of Rubbermaid Letter trays (Model 74095) and build a nice looking network rack. Keeping all the wires and wall warts placed neatly on his desk.
Such a simple Idea. I wish I had thought of this. The complete description and plans are found on Flickr.

Now, seeing this Idea. I can think of a few other Ideas to use these trays for. Like adding 2 more trays to the bottom to actually use for Paper or items I need to use on a daily basis. Would be nice to find a small plastic container like a craft organizer to put in all my small parts etc and just slide it into one of the trays.

Nice Job.

Tags: Network, GTD, Desk, Organizer, MAKE, Clutter, Organization

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Make Phone Calls for FREE

Posted on May 15th, 2006 by Merlin.
Categories: Communication, Computing, Gadgets, Web Service.

Yes you read the title right - free phone calls to the end of the year. Skype is offering (if you live in the USA or Canada) Free calls to any Landline or Mobile # as long as they are in the USA or Canada as well. According to their webpage there are no strings attached. You don’t need to do any credit cards, no prepayments and no minimum use, Basically it is there to use for free. This is a great money saver for people that still make calls and don’t have a good cell phone plan to make their long distance calls.

Here is a quote from their site on how to use this if you didn’t buy any skype credits:

Note that if you haven’t bought any Skype Credit, your Skype client may still tell you something about needing to buy some before you can use SkypeOut. Just disregard that and place your call. It will work fine :) We already had this for toll-free 800 numbers where you could call them for free without actually buying any credit so we know this works. And it works on all platforms where SkypeOut is available, which at this time means Windows, Mac, Linux and Pocket PC.

This also works with call forwarding. If you have call forwarded to your US or Canadian phone or cell number and someone calls you from the US or Canada, it gets forwarded to your phone or cell and it costs you nothing. If you get a call from another country, the forwarding costs you the standard calling rate. Note that this is not applicable with SkypeIn - calls received with SkypeIn and then forwarded with SkypeOut cost you the standard rates.

As far as we know, this is the first time in history when unlimited calls to a standard telephone network are free without any form of payment or subscription. That’s kind of cool.

Enjoy - I know I will.

Tags: Skype, Free, phone calls

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Universities and Colleges Start to Ban Laptops

Posted on May 9th, 2006 by Merlin.
Categories: Computing.

According to a news article at Yahoo News- Laptops in classrooms are soon to be a thing of the past. Many of the students have been caught playing poker and doing other “Non-Educational” pursuits. These include playing games, playing online poker, online gaming, etc.. Besides playing games some professors have found that the students are typing more then they are paying attention to what is being said. The students seem to be no more then transcriptionist.

So Far the bans are in Professor June Entman at the University of Memphis and Professor Charles Mooney at the University of Pennsylvania law school.

Students tried to fight back but the bar association dismissed it.

I have to agree with the professors. Laptops can be bothersome to others from the clicking sound and just what is wrong with having to take notes the old fashioned way. Honestly, I believe I learn better writing the notes down. There is just something about the words being formed with the pen that makes it an active learning experience for me.

Tags: laptop, notebook, college, notetaking, note, taking, paper, analog

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Beatles Lose Apple Trademark Case

Posted on May 8th, 2006 by Merlin.
Categories: Computing, MP3.

Well - the ruling is out - The Beatles lose to Apple Computer - The judge ruled this morning that the company had not breached trademark agreements because the image was used for its store and not for any Musical operations. Of course the Beatles will appeal this decision, but they have to pay Apple Company court costs.

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The RFID Hacking Underground - How to stumble into millions….

Posted on May 8th, 2006 by Merlin.
Categories: Computing, Gadgets, Hack.

Wired Online has an interesting article about the Underground RFID hacking scene and show how easily it is for someone to brush up against you and steal your RFID. Yes the ones that many Credit Card Companies are using for those quick pay cards - The Turnpike E-Z Pass - The Social Security and Passport IDs - even the swipe cards used to get into security rooms and many business’.

Here is an excerpt from Wired:

“I just need to bump into James and get my hand within a few inches of him,” Westhues says. We’re shivering in the early spring air outside the offices of Sandstorm, the Internet security company Van Bokkelen runs north of Boston. As Van Bokkelen approaches from the parking lot, Westhues brushes past him. A coil of copper wire flashes briefly in Westhues’ palm, then disappears.

Makes me want to make a wallet out of foil or at least a RFID Blocking wallet like these guys did.

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Ruling due in Apple vs Apple case

Posted on May 7th, 2006 by Merlin.
Categories: Anything Else, Computing, Weird Stuff.

Well I was just reading that the High Court Judge is due to rule Monday in the Legal fight between Apple Computer and the Beatles Apple Corps Record Label over the use of the Apple Logo.

Here is what I understand:
Apple Corps is suing Apple Computer saying that the Apple Computer company has broken a 1991 agreement in which each agreed not to enter into the other field of busines. Well - Looks like Apple Computer stepped over the line with its itunes. Apple Corp has been using the Logo since 1968 and they want Apple to remove the logo from iTunes and pay for damages.

I wonder who will come out riper.

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