Frustrating Day with Networking

Today I spent a long time struggling with what turned out to be very basic networking issue. I'm trying to move from Window's built-in VPN software to the mobile VPN software that watch guard puts out which in turn works with my XTM 505 Firebox. I'm still trying to make that move because I had to spend most of the day correcting issues with my air card which I will need next week as I travel.

For whatever reason, my laptop decided all of a sudden that it did not want to recognize the USB connector lightning AT&T provided me or the Dell wireless 5530 air card (C6807R). I tried several options to fix this issue all of which proved to be superfluous. My normal fix, simply uninstalling and reinstalling the device drivers, did not work.

What ended up working was going into the Device Manager -> Modems -> Right Click -> Properties -> Advanced Tab -> Advanced Port Settings and then looking at the very bottom of the window by the COM port number drop-down. I simply selected a different port dollars order using hit okay and like magic everything was fixed.

FYI I am using Windows 7 Professional 64-bit.

Is Your Blue Tooth too Quiet? Mine Isn't!

I've been an avid user of bluetooths (and yes, that is the correct plural for bluetooth) for a number of years. The convenience in answering speed and the safety afforded in a number of scenarios make using a bluetooth logical.

However, many of the standard earpieces left bluetooth devices too quiet - I simply could not get them loud enough. Many standard earpieces were also uncomfortable for me. I ordered an Avery Sound custom earpiece for my bluetooth and it has been a lifesaver. It is comfortable, and increases the perceived volume of my calls.

The volume is so much greater that I had a problem - it was too loud! I easily remedied this by ripping some cotton from a cotton ball, and stuffing it in the earpiece.

Will My Dell 5530 Wireless Card withT-Mobile

I purchased a 5530 Wireless card for use in my Dell Precision M4400, hoping that it would work with T-Mobile. It does - great news, which I wanted to share, since I couldn't find any resources with this information available.

BCM 50 Date and Time

For the past few years, my BCM50 has required a constant reset of the time. It would always slowly lag behind my network, which is constantly checking with time servers to make sure it is sending the right time out.

I thought I was properly pinging NTP with the BCM50, and was frustrated. However, it was not - but I've fixed it.

What I did was simple:
In element manager under the configuration Tab, I went to System-Date and Time.

The first thing I needed to change ws the Date and Time Source. I had been using "Trunk." The confusing thing was that even when set to "trunk" you are allowed to configure an NTP server address. Even though you are allowed to set these options, it does not appear to use them unless you select "NTP" as the Date and Time Source.

So, select that first. Then, make sure you have pool.ntp.org as the server, tell it to synch however often you desire, and you should be set.

Great Article on Guns by... A Hippie

I don't like hippies, but this one wrote a good article. And it's on the Dailykos... a stupid hippy liberal website that I resent.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/7/4/881431/-Why-liberals-should-love-the-Second-Amendment