September 2023 - WLUG - wlug.mailman3.com

Re: I need advice on a new ISP

by John Stoffel

Hi Keith, I've been mulling over this email from you all week and trying to work up a reply that will help solve your issues. Unfortunately, I think we're talking about two seperate but related issues here. And I honestly think that maybe having one or more of us come to your house would be a quicker solution here. Long long rambling email to follow.... -------------------------------------- internet at home -------------------------------------- First off, you want to get faster/better/cheaper internet working at your house, since the old provider to dumping you. At this point, I think you're options are cable modem. Now you have a whole bundle of wires you need to check over. But remember that you only really care about the wire coming in from the street, since the rest of them are just feeds to different rooms/locations inside the house. Since you do not have TV setup, this makes things simpler. Just disconnect everything. Then, hook the cable modem upto the one wire coming in from the street and give it power. If you get a single, the lights will come up and give you some status and let you know if you found the right wire. In my house I have Charter Spectrum and the wire comes in and goes through a splitter, and the cable modem gets the first and best signal port from my four way splitter. The rest go to various TV cable drops in rooms around the house. So once you have signal and you can get on the internet, that issue is mostly solved. Running ethernet or Wifi through the rest of the house is just icing on the cake. -------------------------------------- firewalls and wifi - lots to discuss! -------------------------------------- And of course running your own firewall and just using their cable modem as a modem is another wrinkle!! I tend to run my own firewall and wifi on seperate systems here at home. Charter will send you a combined box, but it's never clear how much control you really have over it. I'm going to skip over all this right now since I'm assuming Charter sent you (or will send you) a combined unit to do all this. -------------------------------------- email from/to your own domains -------------------------------------- The big issue here is that nowdays Charter and other big ISPs do NOT like people sending or even getting email on port 25. Mostly the sending. So they usually tend to block outgoing port 25 traffic. They might also not be totally happy with web services, but that's another issue. So this is where having a VPS (Virtual Private Server) in the cloud running linux is a solution. But!!! You need to change how email goes out from your internal linux systems. I can help since I have this exact same setup. My main system (quad) runs postfix and knows to forward all outgoing emails to mail.stoffel.org over port 587, the submission port. I have setup a username/password combination for postfix as a whole to use to login and send emails. mail.stoffel.org is a VPS running Debian (I think) out in Linode. Not perfect, but not terrible. I have postfix/dovecot/spamassin up there and it's costs me something like $9/mon for a one CPU/1gb of RAM server which I completely manage. This is where my limited external web server is, where my MX records for stoffel.org point to, and where I send emails from to the outside world. Works quite well. But there are some problems at times with places like charter.net blocking my IP since Linode does sometimes host spammers, and so the big big guys tend to block not by IP, but by entire subnet blocks. There might be other web providers out there, at varying levels of cost and performance that you can use. I used to use Digital Ocean, but their subnet blocks have such a horrible reputation that I moved to Linode. And I was still blocked by charter until I found an internal contact who was able to open up my single IP to allow incoming email. Whew. Anyway, I'd be happy to come on over and look at your systems and help you out. Just let me know! >>>>> "Keith" == Keith Wright via WLUG <wlug(a)lists.wlug.org> writes: > Kevin Stratton via WLUG <wlug(a)lists.wlug.org> writes: >> I am not sure how helpful this is, The Comcast technician that >> installed my cable modem insisted that all the splitters be removed > It might be very helpful. It explains why there are coax cables > hanging out of the walls all over the house and more hanging from > the basement ceiling, but almost none are connected at all. > Somebody thought it would be a good idea to put a TV in every room, > but it didn't work. >> If you can find a cable that leaves the house, that is the cable you >> should be most interested in. > It's difficult to trace cables; they are all inside the walls, > but I find one that comes out of the wall and goes into the > the bottom of a small metal box. The front of the box has 8 > coax connectors, but only one has a cable. That cable goes > through the ceiling and out of the wall upstairs behind a > big shelf that looks like a place to put a TV. > I have a DSL splitter, which has the outside line going in > and two outputs, one is voice the other digital. I think > that by "splitter" you don't mean that, but just a passive > one-to-many connector, with output just copies of the input, > like a power strip. That's what the metal box looks like. > -- Keith > _______________________________________________ > WLUG mailing list -- wlug(a)lists.wlug.org > To unsubscribe send an email to wlug-leave(a)lists.wlug.org > Create Account: https://wlug.mailman3.com/accounts/signup/ > Change Settings: https://wlug.mailman3.com/postorius/lists/wlug.lists.wlug.org/ > Web Forum/Archive: https://wlug.mailman3.com/hyperkitty/list/wlug@lists.wlug.org/message/OSDDL…

Sept. 9, 2023

Re: I need advice on a new ISP

by kevin.paetzold

If you disconnect all the cables so that none of them are connected to anything... you can short out the cables in the rooms one at a time and then use an OHM meter to look for the cable that is shorted.i used this to determine which cable went to which room. OrPut a small DC voltage (like with a 9-volt battery) on a cable and then go to the other end and look for which one has 9 volts on it.Since you are looking for the input I guess use process of elimination. -------- Original message --------From: Keith Wright via WLUG <wlug(a)lists.wlug.org> Date: 9/7/23 14:21 (GMT-05:00) To: Worcester Linux Users' Group General Discussion <wlug(a)lists.wlug.org> Cc: wlug(a)lists.wlug.org, kstratton(a)fastmail.us, Keith Wright <kwright(a)keithdiane.us> Subject: [WLUG] Re: I need advice on a new ISP Kevin Stratton via WLUG <wlug(a)lists.wlug.org> writes:> I am not sure how helpful this is, The Comcast technician that> installed my cable modem insisted that all the splitters be removedIt might be very helpful. It explains why there are coax cableshanging out of the walls all over the house and more hanging fromthe basement ceiling, but almost none are connected at all.Somebody thought it would be a good idea to put a TV in every room,but it didn't work.> If you can find a cable that leaves the house, that is the cable you> should be most interested in.It's difficult to trace cables; they are all inside the walls,but I find one that comes out of the wall and goes into thethe bottom of a small metal box. The front of the box has 8coax connectors, but only one has a cable. That cable goesthrough the ceiling and out of the wall upstairs behind abig shelf that looks like a place to put a TV.I have a DSL splitter, which has the outside line going inand two outputs, one is voice the other digital. I thinkthat by "splitter" you don't mean that, but just a passiveone-to-many connector, with output just copies of the input,like a power strip. That's what the metal box looks like. -- Keith_______________________________________________WLUG mailing list -- wlug(a)lists.wlug.orgTo unsubscribe send an email to wlug-leave(a)lists.wlug.orgCreate Account: https://wlug.mailman3.com/accounts/signup/Change Settings: https://wlug.mailman3.com/postorius/lists/wlug.lists.wlug.org/Web Forum/Archive: https://wlug.mailman3.com/hyperkitty/list/wlug@lists.wlug.org/message/OSDDL…

Sept. 7, 2023

Re: I need advice on a new ISP

by Keith Wright

Kevin Stratton via WLUG <wlug(a)lists.wlug.org> writes: > I am not sure how helpful this is, The Comcast technician that > installed my cable modem insisted that all the splitters be removed It might be very helpful. It explains why there are coax cables hanging out of the walls all over the house and more hanging from the basement ceiling, but almost none are connected at all. Somebody thought it would be a good idea to put a TV in every room, but it didn't work. > If you can find a cable that leaves the house, that is the cable you > should be most interested in. It's difficult to trace cables; they are all inside the walls, but I find one that comes out of the wall and goes into the the bottom of a small metal box. The front of the box has 8 coax connectors, but only one has a cable. That cable goes through the ceiling and out of the wall upstairs behind a big shelf that looks like a place to put a TV. I have a DSL splitter, which has the outside line going in and two outputs, one is voice the other digital. I think that by "splitter" you don't mean that, but just a passive one-to-many connector, with output just copies of the input, like a power strip. That's what the metal box looks like. -- Keith

Sept. 7, 2023

Re: Old DEC/Sun Video cables from late 1980s/early 90s

by Adam Rheaume

I help out at RICM (Computer Museum) I am sure they would love to have them. If you would like to donate them I can bring them down (also a tax write off if you wish to do that). Adam -----Original message----- From: Michael Voorhis via WLUG <wlug(a)lists.wlug.org> Sent: Thursday, September 7 2023, 10:43 am To: Worcester Linux Users' Group General Discussion <wlug(a)lists.wlug.org> Cc: mvoorhis(a)mcvau.net <mvoorhis(a)mcvau.net> Subject: [WLUG] Old DEC/Sun Video cables from late 1980s/early 90s Hey all: This isn't necessarily a Linux-related post so apologies up front, but this seemed like a good forum in case someone has old computer hardware and is looking for such things, or knows someone in such a situation. I've come across a cache of old video cable from about 30 years ago, Sun and DEC cables (and one Apple cable). They might be difficult to obtain now. I'm not trying to sell these cables; ideally I'd like to get them into the hands of some historian trying to keep their old computer hardware working. Thanks; list of cables follows: 6x 13W3/M-to-13W3/M cables, two of them Sun-branded and four generic. Since the non-sun cables were found in the same box as the sun video cables I assume they're all sun-compatible. 4x 13W3/M-to-4BNC/M Sun video cables. Two still bagged, all Tatung-branded. Tatung once manufactured of "Generic" (i.e., less expensive) Sun UltraSPARC hardware. 4x LCC17/M-to-3BNC/M DEC-branded BC29G-09 video cables, for some sort of Vax- or DECStation monitors. 2x DB15/F-to-3BNC/M DEC-branded BC23J-03 video cables, for some sort of Vax- or DECstation. These two are in somewhat rough shape. 1x 13W3/M-to-DA15/M Apple video connector, for Apple Mac-2 or Quadra machines of the late 1980s. [end of list] _______________________________________________ WLUG mailing list -- wlug(a)lists.wlug.org To unsubscribe send an email to wlug-leave(a)lists.wlug.org Create Account: https://wlug.mailman3.com/accounts/signup/ Change Settings: https://wlug.mailman3.com/postorius/lists/wlug.lists.wlug.org/ Web Forum/Archive: https://wlug.mailman3.com/hyperkitty/list/wlug@lists.wlug.org/message/IHSG7…

Sept. 7, 2023

Old DEC/Sun Video cables from late 1980s/early 90s

by Michael Voorhis

Hey all: This isn't necessarily a Linux-related post so apologies up front, but this seemed like a good forum in case someone has old computer hardware and is looking for such things, or knows someone in such a situation. I've come across a cache of old video cable from about 30 years ago, Sun and DEC cables (and one Apple cable). They might be difficult to obtain now. I'm not trying to sell these cables; ideally I'd like to get them into the hands of some historian trying to keep their old computer hardware working. Thanks; list of cables follows: 6x 13W3/M-to-13W3/M cables, two of them Sun-branded and four generic. Since the non-sun cables were found in the same box as the sun video cables I assume they're all sun-compatible. 4x 13W3/M-to-4BNC/M Sun video cables. Two still bagged, all Tatung-branded. Tatung once manufactured of "Generic" (i.e., less expensive) Sun UltraSPARC hardware. 4x LCC17/M-to-3BNC/M DEC-branded BC29G-09 video cables, for some sort of Vax- or DECStation monitors. 2x DB15/F-to-3BNC/M DEC-branded BC23J-03 video cables, for some sort of Vax- or DECstation. These two are in somewhat rough shape. 1x 13W3/M-to-DA15/M Apple video connector, for Apple Mac-2 or Quadra machines of the late 1980s. [end of list]

Sept. 7, 2023

Re: I need advice on a new ISP

by kevin.paetzold

I have cable at two houses. One is on the cape (Comcast). the other one is a local municipal cable systemComcast claimed there was too much Ingress coming from my house. They came into my house and pretty much replaced every piece of cable that I had outside of the walls. They also installed some kind of isolator amplifier unit (that requires power that I had to put on a UPS).I believe on the Comcast website for your account you can actually see how much noise they think you produce.On the municipal system I had an issue where my cable boxes were not working right. The first thing the guy did is removed every filter, splitter, trap and other doodad that previous technicians had put over 30 plus years.And then I got rid of all my cable channels at both houses :-) -------- Original message --------From: Kevin Stratton via WLUG <wlug(a)lists.wlug.org> Date: 9/6/23 08:38 (GMT-05:00) To: Worcester Linux Users' Group General Discussion <wlug(a)lists.wlug.org> Cc: Keith Wright <kwright(a)keithdiane.us>, Kevin Stratton <kstratton(a)fastmail.us> Subject: [WLUG] Re: I need advice on a new ISP I am not sure how helpful this is, The Comcast technician that installed my cable modem insisted that all the splitters be removed so that there is only one cable (with connectors) from the cable going into the house to the modem. It is my understanding that this was done for signal integrity reasons. I am using a consumer router to interface to the modem. I do not know how TVs are wires using this configuration, since I only use over the air for TV.If you can find a cable that leaves the house, that is the cable you should be most interested in. Follow the cable once it gets inside a house. There is some art to this, I did not know of the cable being routed under a rug. Maybe you can do a perimeter walk of the house outside to find where the cable enters the house to localize the correct cable. I was surprised to learn where my cable was, it was not where logic said it would be.On 9/6/2023 12:23 AM, Keith Wright via WLUG wrote:> John Stoffel via WLUG <wlug(a)lists.wlug.org> writes:>>> For you, I suspect that in Worcester charter.net (spectrum.net) is>> your only other option for connectivity.> I am thinking of going that way.>>> Do you have Cable with them?> No. I don't own a television, but the previous owner of this house did,> and when I called Spectrum, they said that I do have a cable, it just> needs to be plugged in and activated. They suggested a self-install> kit, which can be picked up at the Spectrum store. That would be quick,> if it worked, but I foresee all kinds of possible problems.>> Of the many co-axial cables hanging out of the walls, how can I> tell which is the input? Most of them seem to be disconnected.>>> Once you get this figured out, then you can figure out how you will>> host your personal domain(s) and web services and such from either>> home, or out in the cloud.> For that, based upon Hosting Advice 2> http://www.free-comp-shop.com/none/final.html#adv2> I am looking at Afterbrst> https://afterburst.com/operating-systems/>> Has anybody had any experiance with Afterburst?>> I like them because Linux is their OS, and because a short> question got a quick answer which made sense, and I'm not> even a customer yet.>> My current ISP (GTT) thinks I want to read about their big> "milestone", which is a slightly different LOGO that they> call re-branding.>> I looked at Oracle Cloud, but it was page after page of "services"> with names like:> Block, Object, and Archive Storage; Load Balancer and data egress;> Monitoring and Notifications>> Huh? What's that and why do I need it? A few dozen pages of that> kind of bafflegab is enough for me. I could find no starting point.>> -- Keith>>>> _______________________________________________> WLUG mailing list -- wlug(a)lists.wlug.org> To unsubscribe send an email to wlug-leave(a)lists.wlug.org> Create Account: https://wlug.mailman3.com/accounts/signup/> Change Settings: https://wlug.mailman3.com/postorius/lists/wlug.lists.wlug.org/> Web Forum/Archive: https://wlug.mailman3.com/hyperkitty/list/wlug@lists.wlug.org/message/AUKBV… mailing list -- wlug(a)lists.wlug.orgTo unsubscribe send an email to wlug-leave(a)lists.wlug.orgCreate Account: https://wlug.mailman3.com/accounts/signup/Change Settings: https://wlug.mailman3.com/postorius/lists/wlug.lists.wlug.org/Web Forum/Archive: https://wlug.mailman3.com/hyperkitty/list/wlug@lists.wlug.org/message/5N7OQ…

Sept. 6, 2023

Re: I need advice on a new ISP

by Tim Keller

Keith, I love the term bafflegab, it's the truth. Every cloud provider has preferred names for things that should just be named sensibly. This doc gives a good overview on how to setup a web server. https://docs.oracle.com/en/learn/lab_compute_instance/index.html#connect-to… Basically you create a VM "compute" in their parlance, deploy your favorite web server, copy your HTML over, DNS shenanigans and away you go. you'll also need to modify the security settings on the private network that your VM is running on to give it a public IP and allow port 80 in. You're not going to need a load balancer, etc.. Tim. On Wed, Sep 6, 2023 at 8:38 AM Kevin Stratton via WLUG <wlug(a)lists.wlug.org> wrote: > I am not sure how helpful this is, The Comcast technician that installed > my cable modem insisted that all the splitters be removed so that there > is only one cable (with connectors) from the cable going into the house > to the modem. It is my understanding that this was done for signal > integrity reasons. I am using a consumer router to interface to the > modem. I do not know how TVs are wires using this configuration, since > I only use over the air for TV. > > If you can find a cable that leaves the house, that is the cable you > should be most interested in. Follow the cable once it gets inside a > house. There is some art to this, I did not know of the cable being > routed under a rug. Maybe you can do a perimeter walk of the house > outside to find where the cable enters the house to localize the correct > cable. I was surprised to learn where my cable was, it was not where > logic said it would be. > > On 9/6/2023 12:23 AM, Keith Wright via WLUG wrote: > > John Stoffel via WLUG <wlug(a)lists.wlug.org> writes: > > > >> For you, I suspect that in Worcester charter.net (spectrum.net) is > >> your only other option for connectivity. > > I am thinking of going that way. > > > >> Do you have Cable with them? > > No. I don't own a television, but the previous owner of this house did, > > and when I called Spectrum, they said that I do have a cable, it just > > needs to be plugged in and activated. They suggested a self-install > > kit, which can be picked up at the Spectrum store. That would be quick, > > if it worked, but I foresee all kinds of possible problems. > > > > Of the many co-axial cables hanging out of the walls, how can I > > tell which is the input? Most of them seem to be disconnected. > > > >> Once you get this figured out, then you can figure out how you will > >> host your personal domain(s) and web services and such from either > >> home, or out in the cloud. > > For that, based upon Hosting Advice 2 > > http://www.free-comp-shop.com/none/final.html#adv2 > > I am looking at Afterbrst > > https://afterburst.com/operating-systems/ > > > > Has anybody had any experiance with Afterburst? > > > > I like them because Linux is their OS, and because a short > > question got a quick answer which made sense, and I'm not > > even a customer yet. > > > > My current ISP (GTT) thinks I want to read about their big > > "milestone", which is a slightly different LOGO that they > > call re-branding. > > > > I looked at Oracle Cloud, but it was page after page of "services" > > with names like: > > Block, Object, and Archive Storage; Load Balancer and data egress; > > Monitoring and Notifications > > > > Huh? What's that and why do I need it? A few dozen pages of that > > kind of bafflegab is enough for me. I could find no starting point. > > > > -- Keith > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > WLUG mailing list -- wlug(a)lists.wlug.org > > To unsubscribe send an email to wlug-leave(a)lists.wlug.org > > Create Account: https://wlug.mailman3.com/accounts/signup/ > > Change Settings: > https://wlug.mailman3.com/postorius/lists/wlug.lists.wlug.org/ > > Web Forum/Archive: > https://wlug.mailman3.com/hyperkitty/list/wlug@lists.wlug.org/message/AUKBV… > _______________________________________________ > WLUG mailing list -- wlug(a)lists.wlug.org > To unsubscribe send an email to wlug-leave(a)lists.wlug.org > Create Account: https://wlug.mailman3.com/accounts/signup/ > Change Settings: > https://wlug.mailman3.com/postorius/lists/wlug.lists.wlug.org/ > Web Forum/Archive: > https://wlug.mailman3.com/hyperkitty/list/wlug@lists.wlug.org/message/5N7OQ… > -- I am leery of the allegiances of any politician who refers to their constituents as "consumers".

Sept. 6, 2023

Re: I need advice on a new ISP

by Kevin Stratton

I am not sure how helpful this is, The Comcast technician that installed my cable modem insisted that all the splitters be removed so that there is only one cable (with connectors) from the cable going into the house to the modem. It is my understanding that this was done for signal integrity reasons. I am using a consumer router to interface to the modem. I do not know how TVs are wires using this configuration, since I only use over the air for TV. If you can find a cable that leaves the house, that is the cable you should be most interested in. Follow the cable once it gets inside a house. There is some art to this, I did not know of the cable being routed under a rug. Maybe you can do a perimeter walk of the house outside to find where the cable enters the house to localize the correct cable. I was surprised to learn where my cable was, it was not where logic said it would be. On 9/6/2023 12:23 AM, Keith Wright via WLUG wrote: > John Stoffel via WLUG <wlug(a)lists.wlug.org> writes: > >> For you, I suspect that in Worcester charter.net (spectrum.net) is >> your only other option for connectivity. > I am thinking of going that way. > >> Do you have Cable with them? > No. I don't own a television, but the previous owner of this house did, > and when I called Spectrum, they said that I do have a cable, it just > needs to be plugged in and activated. They suggested a self-install > kit, which can be picked up at the Spectrum store. That would be quick, > if it worked, but I foresee all kinds of possible problems. > > Of the many co-axial cables hanging out of the walls, how can I > tell which is the input? Most of them seem to be disconnected. > >> Once you get this figured out, then you can figure out how you will >> host your personal domain(s) and web services and such from either >> home, or out in the cloud. > For that, based upon Hosting Advice 2 > http://www.free-comp-shop.com/none/final.html#adv2 > I am looking at Afterbrst > https://afterburst.com/operating-systems/ > > Has anybody had any experiance with Afterburst? > > I like them because Linux is their OS, and because a short > question got a quick answer which made sense, and I'm not > even a customer yet. > > My current ISP (GTT) thinks I want to read about their big > "milestone", which is a slightly different LOGO that they > call re-branding. > > I looked at Oracle Cloud, but it was page after page of "services" > with names like: > Block, Object, and Archive Storage; Load Balancer and data egress; > Monitoring and Notifications > > Huh? What's that and why do I need it? A few dozen pages of that > kind of bafflegab is enough for me. I could find no starting point. > > -- Keith > > > > _______________________________________________ > WLUG mailing list -- wlug(a)lists.wlug.org > To unsubscribe send an email to wlug-leave(a)lists.wlug.org > Create Account: https://wlug.mailman3.com/accounts/signup/ > Change Settings: https://wlug.mailman3.com/postorius/lists/wlug.lists.wlug.org/ > Web Forum/Archive: https://wlug.mailman3.com/hyperkitty/list/wlug@lists.wlug.org/message/AUKBV…

Sept. 6, 2023

Re: I need advice on a new ISP

by Keith Wright

John Stoffel via WLUG <wlug(a)lists.wlug.org> writes: > For you, I suspect that in Worcester charter.net (spectrum.net) is > your only other option for connectivity. I am thinking of going that way. > Do you have Cable with them? No. I don't own a television, but the previous owner of this house did, and when I called Spectrum, they said that I do have a cable, it just needs to be plugged in and activated. They suggested a self-install kit, which can be picked up at the Spectrum store. That would be quick, if it worked, but I foresee all kinds of possible problems. Of the many co-axial cables hanging out of the walls, how can I tell which is the input? Most of them seem to be disconnected. > Once you get this figured out, then you can figure out how you will > host your personal domain(s) and web services and such from either > home, or out in the cloud. For that, based upon Hosting Advice 2 http://www.free-comp-shop.com/none/final.html#adv2 I am looking at Afterbrst https://afterburst.com/operating-systems/ Has anybody had any experiance with Afterburst? I like them because Linux is their OS, and because a short question got a quick answer which made sense, and I'm not even a customer yet. My current ISP (GTT) thinks I want to read about their big "milestone", which is a slightly different LOGO that they call re-branding. I looked at Oracle Cloud, but it was page after page of "services" with names like: Block, Object, and Archive Storage; Load Balancer and data egress; Monitoring and Notifications Huh? What's that and why do I need it? A few dozen pages of that kind of bafflegab is enough for me. I could find no starting point. -- Keith

Sept. 6, 2023