Netgear security update
Check your router for a vulnerability by entering the string below into your browser (change [router-address] to the IP address of your router (example: 192.168.1.1)).
http://[router-address]/cgi-bin/;uname$IFS-a
If that page shows anything but an error or an empty page, your router is affected and you need to apply the patch just published by Netgear (link below).
Netgear models impacted by this vulnerability:
R6250
R6400
R6700
R6900
R7000
R7100LG
R7300DST
R7900
R8000
D6220
D6400
Hiking
I’ll start to post more about hobbies as well as technology.
On our Yosemite trip this month, I focused on packing light. I weighed and documented everything I took. This resulted in a much more successful and enjoyable trip.
New equipment included a new, lightweight sleeping bag, a 10L compression sack,and some lightweight packing sacks.
Raspberry Pi 3 start kit recommendation
Several people have asked about Raspberry Pi kits recently. I’m lazy, so I’ll maintain this list so I can just point people to this link. Any questions or suggestions, let me know.
Components
1. Raspberry Pi 3 – get
the latest one, best value for money, WiFi and Bluetooth included
2. Case for Raspberry
Pi
3. HDMI to VGA adapter –
lets you connect to older (and cheaper) monitors
4. USB to PS/2 adapters
– lets you connect to older mice and keyboards
5. MicroSD card – to
install OS, get an
a. 8GB to 16GB card
recommended
b. Get multiple cards so
you can have multiple system configurations without reformatting the card each
time.
6. Power
Supply
a. 1A with MicroUSB
cable
b. Get multiple power
supplies – spares always good, may require power for HDMI to VGA
Sources
Raspberry Pi 3 motherboard
Newark Element14 – sells kits as well as components,
shipping is reasonable, prices comparable to Amazon
http://www.newark.com/raspberry-pi/raspberrypi3-modb-1gb/sbc-raspberry-pi-3-mod-b-1gb-ram/dp/77Y6520
Amazon – $35 retail, but $40 with Prime
http://www.amazon.com/Raspberry-Pi-RASP-PI-3-Model-Motherboard/dp/B01CD5VC92
Raspberry Pi case – $9
http://www.amazon.com/SB-Components-Clear-Case-Raspberry/dp/B00MQLB1N6
HDMI to VGA adapter – $
http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Active-Adapter-Micro-USB/dp/B00879DM56
USB to PS/2 adapter – $2
http://www.amazon.com/SANOXY-USB-PS-2-Adapter/dp/B00007AP2O
32GB MicroSD card (Samsung) – $13
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-EVO-Plus-Adapter-MB-MC32DA/dp/B012DT8OJ4
Obihai Update
We have used an Obi 110 as our home phone service through Google Voice since June 2011. This month, we started having a problem dialing outbound and received a male voice referencing a password issue with the Google Voice account. The password was fine, and I found the screen shots below
Clicked link on support page, $10 for one year of Obihai Premium Support, and after the purchase, the software update was available. I have no problem with the support contract, and I’m very satisfied with the performance and features of the Obi110.
The problem I had was obscure, and I didn’t find any support references via Google or Bing searches. I hope someone finds this useful.
http://www.amazon.com/Obihai-OBi110-Service-Telephone-Adapter/dp/B0045RMEPI
Raspberry Pi-Hole
I was trying to optimize my home network and determined using a local DNS server significantly improved our internet experience. I did the testing with my home server, but it’s a beast (six cores, 32GB RAM, and 4-6TB storage). Since I have a spare Raspberry Pi B+, I figured I would use it.
Researching further, I found the Pi-Hole Project (http://pi-hole.net/). Not only does it provide a local DNS server, but it integrates ad filtering! It works quite well, and didn’t take any technical skills to provision.
- Install Raspbian build on Raspberry Pi – reference link below
- Run this command from the shell (command line): curl -L install.pi-hole.net | bash
- Configure your computers/devices to use the Pi as their DNS server – I configured my wireless gateway to point to the Raspberry Pi so all my systems automatically use it.
NOTE – setup your gateway to use an external DNS as a secondary to avoid issues
Reference Links
Raspbian image downloads
https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspbian/
Pi-Hole Project
http://pi-hole.net/
Edit Word Normal.dot template
How to open the Normal template in any version of Word
- To edit the normal template in any version of Word on any Windows operating system do the following:
- Open Word.
- Open the vba Editor by Pressing Alt+F11 together.
- At the bottom of the vba Editor window is something called the Immediate window. (Press Ctrl+G to activate this window if you don’t see it.) Click in that Immediate window.
- Type the following (or copy it from here and paste it):
- application.NormalTemplate.OpenAsDocument
- Press Enter
- Close the vba editor
- You are now editing the normal.dot or normal.dotm template.
- Make the appropriate changes and save.
The next time you open a new document, it will have the defaults you saved in the template.
Raspberry Pi 3
I just ordered one from Newark Electronics. At a meeting today, we had a discussion about Raspberry Pi 3, so I thought I would post my notes for reference.
I did some quick checking, and I would recommend only buying the Raspberry Pi 3 because it has better specs (faster CPU, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth included), it’s the same price ($35), and it’s compatible with just about everything you would want to do (including Windows 10 IoT).
Raspberry Pi 3 Model B
http://www.newark.com/buy-raspberry-pi
Note – Raspberry Pi 2 case works with 3, and I just buy the cheapest one I can find. I use extra micro-USB phone chargers to power mine, and I’ve been buying Samsung SD cards for my phone and projects. You can buy kits, too, but with my basement of spare parts, this hasn’t been an issue for me ;).
Raspberry Pi (Pi-Hole project)
https://pi-hole.net/
Notes – I have seen some side effects, for example links on CNN seem to go through an ad service, so they are blocked. Overall, it hasn’t had any impact on any work I’ve done at home, or on any devices we have in my house. There are tons of articles about customization of Pi-Hole via Google Search.
Windows 10 IoT Core support for Raspberry Pi 3
https://blogs.windows.com/buildingapps/2016/02/29/windows-10-iot-core-support-for-raspberry-pi-3/
2600 Magazine article – New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/print-magazine-hackers
Joybubbles – guy with perfect pitch, discovery of 2600 Hz vulnerability attributed to him.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joybubbles
Wikipedia 2600 entry – also notes H.O.P.E. originally organized by 2600
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2600:_The_Hacker_Quarterly
Samsung Note 4–contact sync issue
After updating my Note 4 to Android 5.1.1, I noticed that a few of my contacts weren’t synchronizing correctly from Google. After looking into it further, I realized there were MANY contacts that were missing. No real pattern, but I’ve never seen this before.
I tried to resolve the problem by stopping the sync for Google Contacts, but that didn’t work. I also read several articles (many, many articles) that were inaccurate or incomplete, then I started from scratch and documented my process.
- Removed all the accounts that synchronized contacts (Google, Samsung, Company e-mail, etc).
- Cleared cache for all applications
- Cleared System Cache
Process to clear system cache
- Press Home, Volume Up and Power buttons together.
- Let the Power and Home buttons go off when the Note 4 starts vibrating.
- Now recovery screen will be shown to you. Select Wipe Cache partition using the Volume Down key.
- Confirm the step by pressing the Power button.
- Reboot System Now option needs to be selected and confirm it by pressing the Power button.
Raspberry Pi-Hole
I was trying to optimize my home network and determined using a local DNS server significantly improved our internet experience. I did the testing with my home server, but it’s a beast (six cores, 32GB RAM, and 4-6TB storage). Since I have a spare Raspberry Pi B+, I figured I would use it.
Researching further, I found the Pi-Hole Project (http://pi-hole.net/). Not only does it provide a local DNS server, but it integrates ad filtering! It works quite well, and didn’t take any technical skills to provision.
- Install Raspbian build on Raspberry Pi – reference link below
- Run this command from the shell (command line): curl -L install.pi-hole.net | bash
- Configure your computers/devices to use the Pi as their DNS server – I configured my wireless gateway to point to the Raspberry Pi so all my systems automatically use it.
NOTE – setup your gateway to use an external DNS as a secondary to avoid issues
Reference Links
Raspbian image downloads
https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspbian/
Pi-Hole Project
http://pi-hole.net/
Windows 10–favorite new feature
I’ve been using Windows 10 through the Windows Insider program, but I’m still discovering new features. This morning I was using Sysinternals to test something and realized it wasn’t on my Path. I decided to edit my system settings (clean things up, and add a path to my Sysinternals folder). Normally I cut and paste into a text editor, edit, then paste it back in, but lo and behold, Windows 10 has a new feature!
Be still my heart!
