Category: eTip

misc passwd tips

Posted on by tiger40490

k_passwd

See also

“Site” := any authentication system, including smartphone.

I never let browsers remember my password (lazy and unwise choice). Rather I always type the passwords by hand as refresher. Furthermore, I practice logging in periodically – a necessary cost of maintenance, just like workout.

 

 

[24]gmail disk hogs #ForumTab=tempImp

Posted on by tiger40490

k_ctbz,,,, k_disk_hog

Accidentally and intentionally, Gmail is becoming an important archive of my life

  • accidental .. so much important info buried in my gmail
  • intentonal .. I avoid instant messaging for important communication

Based on educated guess (without enough evidence) I perceive two main categories of gmail disk hogs — AAttachment and RRepeated system-generated mails. See also AAA defind below.

Q: what if I don’t have time to (find and) delete thousands of worthless old emails?
%%A: I think they will stay in gmail account indefinitely. Not a big headache if footprint small. I think this is a benefit/tcost decision.

For AA (including AAA), I now use a combination of larger:1M and before:xxxx. Removing these AA items could free up at most 1GB. So how about RR?

I first go to the builtin PromotionTab, SocialTab, and ForumTab. These tabs tend to have usuallly worthless mails. These are often RR mails but not always. Once I wipe out those tabs, I look for any sender with high RR rate. I put such a sender into  theSearchBox and count the hits. If hundreds of hits, then we have a big red sender. I can then delete all the hits or move them to ForumTab. The UpdatesTab unfortunately has a huge mix of important/unimportant items, so I propose to designate ForumTab as Temp_Important.

best_practice ==> I have realized it is so important to be proactive about unsubscribing-ASAP esp. in UpdatesTab. In office mail box, I can ask tech support to help, but with Gmail, I must declutter by myself!

Extra 100GB storage costs SGD 28/Y, or SGD 300 for 10Y… affordable.

— (I often feel unsure about …) in gmail, all 5 tabs are part of a huge “inbox”. So “skip inbox” will make the new message go straight to archive, and disappear from all 5 tabs … not good, because I want to keep those messages in those tabs.

— identify individual disk hogs (usually AA items) .. gmail -> search -> specify size, but leave other settings unchanged.

You should see “larger:5M” as the only searchString_in_the_searchBox. You can also specify within 1Y of “today” and you will see “before:yyyymmdd after:yyyymmdd”. You can then remove the “after….”

best_practice ==> incoming large emails .. send straight to trash (30D expiry) rather than archive. Once achived, they tend to disappear into the dune (of emails)

Sugg: I have a tried-n-tested gmail tag for “attachments”. Drill into the tag -> its earliest segment -> delete (all AA) items selectively one by one. AAA [i.e. Ancient mails with attachments] tend to be worth-less. 

— Common practice: Using gmail as permanent archive for specific “data assets”
* is unsuitable for heavy items such as AAA. Alternatives? gDrive [categorization, easier eviction]
* is convenient for small items. Gmail offers history and context. Less than 0.1% of regular gmail items deserve permanent archiving.

— specific case: pff RR emails [banks, brokers,,,] .. Some are AA items.
I usually _need_ to keep recent 1Y-3Y history.

Sugg: set up Gmail filter to label them, and move them to ForumTab. Have a habit to monitor them.

— specific case: wpress RR mails .. I now apply a label. This way, I can see an unread_count (and total_count) on that label. Most of these mails are worth keeping for 1Y, and safe to delete even for those generated yesterday.

— risk of deleting “good” mails.. Any search-n-mass-delete operation is inevitably imprecise. It is prone to false-positive error i.e. deleting a “good” email that appears worthless based on search criteria.

We have to accept the “risk” in the risk-reward equation. We have to recognize the “tcost” in the cost-benefit equation — more effort/legwork could reduce those inevitable false-positives but is it worth the tcost?

best_practice ==> Here’s one way (as of 2023) to assess the false-positive rate — I go into trash folder, and randomly checks a given page. Suppose there are 55,000+ mails in trash, there will be about 550 pages. If I randomly visits /p77, I will get to see the 100 mails on that page. (It’s useful to display them on a long monitor in portrait orientation.) If I don’t see any false-positive on 5 pages, then I feel reassured.

3]1 printers #dependency@@

Posted on by tiger40490

 

3-in-1 print/scan[1]/copy is what I need since 2017. My priorities:

  1. low-maintenance .. mostly about outages. Cartridge-replacement is LG2
  2. initial cost .. small amount actually
  3. total consumable cost over a unit’s lifespan (2Y typically)

maintenance ^ TCO trad-off …. For my “occasional printing”, inkjet likely wins on TCO while Laser has a slight edge in terms of maintenance.

Jolt: Once again, the mainstream priorities are unimportant to me, such as print finish, wireless print, even consumable cost

I don’t need any fancy features. I just need basic printing. All features come with headaches [reliability, set-up,,, ]

— feature: outage .. laser beats inkjet, but both types hit outages including scanning.
sleep mode is an outage when I need to access the LCD and power cycle the device ! However, if I can easily see the sleep mode, and easily wake it up, then not an outage.

Printer companies offer _onsite_ repair .. a testimony to the poor MeanTimeBetweenFailure in printers. There are more moving parts in the inkjet model, and more outages.
— feature: consumable replacement t-cost.. (including shopping, refill) laser beats inkjet. A light-duty laser toner can last 1000+ pages before replacement, but (Jolt) a heavy duty inkjet cartridge can last up to 800 pages if not drying up. Some Canon printers can configure for drying.. see below.
— feature: consumable cost… laser beats inkjet. This is LGlp, because I have a low “lifespan” expectation for both inkjet (1->1.5-2Y) and laser models (3-4Y) –> Jolt: As soon as it starts giving problem, I would want to terminate the pain and abandon it. So during the short lifespan, our consumable cost can’t escalate.

A laser toner costs about SGD 40 and can print 1000+

A 300-page Canon cartridge (original) costs SGD30. To reduce cartridge cost, you can get a $7 refill at a Simlim shop. Canon Singapore estimates that for 1080 prints [30 prints/M * 36M] ink consumable costs $100 … inferior to laser consumable. However, there are inkjet models with $0.0018/page. High-end inkjet can rival laser in consumable cost.
… Now I feel the simlim trip to refill is too t-costly. New cartridge can be bought near home.

— feature: initial cost… inkjet beats laser hands down. This cost difference /dwarfs/ the consumable cost difference
! The cheaper, the less baggage.. In 2019, I bought a USD 25 print-only model.

price range .. inkjet is much cheaper than laser in initial cost (also including consumable).
* Laser: [SGD200-300].
* inkjet: [SGD 69 – 100]

— feature: weight and size… inkjet beats Laser.
Lighter models can be moved easily and mounted on a higher shelf. Easier transport for repair
— feature: dry-up .. laser beats inkjet since there’s no worry about “dry-up if 3M no use”.
— [1] Need for scanning .. many people use camera but once a while we still need a “proper” scan of an important document like transcript, certificates.

— new advanges of inkjet over laser

  • energy .. inkjet printer uses (up to) 85% less energy
  • paper jam .. reduction, thanks to lower heat!
  • less bulky therefore easier to fit in.

water-proof? New inkjets are Completely safe, though my low-cost models may not
— $50 HP 2723e details
Android installer download takes a few minutes. The install requires 🙁 🙁 an HP account (Ldn 2011 with one metachar). This printer offers utterly unimportant features [wireless printing, instant ink] that require non-trivial set-up involving wifi capabilities that I don’t have or don’t know.

However, the $50 is a bargain price for the basic functionalities (I ignore those fancy features), so no complaints.

Wireless printing might be useful to wife. Need to confirm with her. Newer printers may have this feature too. Next buy can include this optional requirement.
— $69 Canon MG2570S (PG-745XL cartridge) details
PrintingPreference -> Maintenance -> Custom -> InkDryingWaitTime
~ Canon Pixma printer cartridge replace
🙂 no computer required, but stay powered
open the front cover. See youtube.
cartridge would automatically move to the middle for your access.

— Printer driver install
After driver installation, sooner or later, we need an initial connection between the hardware. A common juncture of failure.

If cable is loose or printer is off, then you can check using device-manager — unplugging/turning-off will remove an item immediately from device-manager; plugging/turning-on will add an item immediately to device-manager. Windows may also beep 🙂 These are good signs. If you don’t see any of these signs, then driver is broken or windows is broken.

Note Device manager is more low-level than Printers-n-scanners-page. It is able to show the new device earlier than PnSP can. Windows restart may be required before PnSP shows the new device.

Insufficient diskspace can mess up the installation in some strange way.

I prefer test-printing a single dot (notepad file).

==== 2-printer low cost set-up is one of the top 20 lifestyle improvements since 2020, but ..
Q1: will it be _needed_ in the long run? Probably for a few years
A: I choose to focus on the next few months

Q2: is it lifestyle creep?
A: depends on total cost [the dollar amount + the furniture support]. I think it’s worthwhile

Q3: is it unhealthy dependency?
A: also depends on “availability”. When I can’t have these printers, I will cope fine.

2-printer set-up proved to be surprisingly cost-effective and worthwhile, even though it entails lots of shelf space, wiring, power socket..

— j4: reflective writing.. 2-printer is useful for reflective writing.
When it’s available, I tend to print out, annotate, update online, then print out again.
Reflective writing is part of my wellness-driven life.
— j4: standing .. 2-printer also helps me stand more.

fancyZones #

Posted on by tiger40490

— dragging a window without snapp .. is essential. I don’t want snapp to take over my world. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/fancyzones#settings -> Row#2 explains that we can use shift key to activate snapp-while-dragging.

If we accidentally uncheck this config, then dragging a window unconditionally activates snapp (snapp taking over my world).

— snapp to two zones .. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/fancyzones

 

2nd home router4deadZone #unconventional

Posted on by tiger40490

Conventional wisdom in Simlim shops says that dead zones in your home require mesh router. They also believe that a good lone-wolf router would cost $500+. I think they didn’t know the simple technique in this bpost?

For a few years, I used an Aztech HAP (Home Access Point) built into my first (Aztech) powerline device. It provided a new SSID without any WebGUI. In 2023, again I am setting up a HAP. The devcie is a TPLink.

  • I had no luck with the RangeExtender feature as described in the TPLink manual.
  • I had no luck with the LAN-LAN set-up as described in https://hetmanrecovery.com/recovery_news/connection-of-2-routers-in-one-network-wifi-gain-shared-resources.htm
  • So I ended up with WAN-LAN. This is also the recommended set-up on TPLink manual.

It can be helpful to run a ping test in an endless loop in a console window, during a lengthy set-up process.

For smart phones, private/random MAC (the default) proved to be problematic.

Due to frequent reset of the HAP, I have decided to keep the default password and SSID .. on sticker.

— j4 extra t$cost

  • j4: lower mobile data usage while in the kitchen
  • j4: easier to move the HP71

— admin WebGUI access.. I think 192.168.0.1 sometimes goes to the host rounter (DLink) sometimes to the TPLink 🙁

  1. unplug the TPLink from the powerline device, disconnecting it from the host network
  2. keep the TPLink on, so its WebGUI remains accessible.
  3. A cable between the TPLink and the computer is possibly more stable. In contrast, the wifi connection is perceived less stable but was usable at least once.
  4. now 192.168.0.1 goes to TPLink WebGUI. Log in with root/se8.
  5. Now you can configure password, SSID,,,

Only after you gain admin WebGUI access, can you have confidence to proceed.

 

 

webcam

Posted on by tiger40490

 

— safe storage of video footage
privacy … sd-card provides privacy. I think cloud also provides privacy.

data loss ..
* gmail and cloud are permanent
* cloud service is commercial .. more reliable
* whatsapp should not remove video content by default, based on my reading

— anxiety and stress .. The biggest anxiety comes from the set-up process. Taking a step back, webcam is a mature product. Procedure is fairly standard and accessible by the lay public.

I can ask a Beijing neighbor or call xiaomi hotline, though I can probably figure out.

I won’t move it to Beijing home becaus when they move out to nursing home, they are likely to forget and lose this webcam. I may try to install it in nursing home, but if not needed there, then … with a sigh of relief I can discard it without guilt.

— low-cost, throwaway device .. Main cost if tcost (esp. set-up). Convenience, reliability, tech support,,,, dwarfs $cost.  So I decided to buy without OT, with a license to discard without guilt. The first purchase will be an experiment, a learning journey. (Situation is similar to wifi router.) This infrastructure is valuable yet complex [learning, troubleshooting,,,]. To deal with the complexity,

  • I need to allocate plenty of time.
  • I need to celebrate every small achievement and progress.
  • Better do the research well in advance

— xiaomi .. is the preferred brand for Beijing home. I shopped around and did my due diligence. I concluded price range is Rmb170 ~ 400. As of Nov 2024, Xiaomi Singapore has only one service centre.

— feature: data archive/storage .. optional but valuable.
I think a 256G SD card is $10 only.

Resolution control?

recording frequency control?

— account+device paring

Each device is paired with eactly one Xiaomi account. Each account has exactly one mobileNum… xxx-1025-xxxx. (AccountNum 2-837383-586 is not used anywhere.)

Update mobileNum? I was told it is not possible. A new mobileNum will need a new account.

Re-login to the xiaomi account requires passwd (se8) or smsOTP.

— set-up

When webcam starts, I think it starts in “unconnected” mode (blinking orange). Then it tries to load the saved connection settings from its builtin memory, and connects to the local wifi SSID.

  1. Factory reset … clears “its memory”. Device speaker (the only I/O) would anounce successful reset.
  2. Init .. Use the MiHome APP to scan on-device QR. Ensure region is mainland China.
  3. Upon successful QR, APP prompts you to first select a stable wifi SSID that webcam will use permanently. If your wifi SSID doesn’t use password, then the APP will not present it as a candidate 🙁 I think this is for data security.
  4. APP then prompts you to connect to a temporary wifi SSID hosted by the webcam. I guess this is the all-important initial paring (bluetooth?) between this hardware and this instance of the APP. I think the APP reminds you to get physically close to the hardware.
  5. Upon successful paring, the device speaker would anounce successful pairing between device and this particular instance of the APP.
  6. Then the APP may prompt you to scan the on-device QR.

##[24]ext mem #laptop++

Posted on by tiger40490

Some models are designed for phones and cameras. They are concealed and can’t use USB ports. They are slower.

— For laptops, you can consider all types, if you have the required ports

Fastest .. USB-C and some USB-A devices, up to 400MB for reading. Standard SSD offers 500MB.

SD cards (concealed) .. require card readers. Speed is up to 200MB for reading, unaffected by SD card adapters.

SD cards can be a suitable choice if you want to keep your ext storage permanently attached. However, SSD offers better reliability and longevity for day-to-day storage in computers compared to SD cards.

Warning: installing software in these ext storage devices … may fail, although portable USB-installers should work.

— Device cost … depends on read/write speed, stick-out and GB. For 64GB (becoming smallest), typically $10+, very affordable.

Price tends to drop over the decades, as smaller, slower models phase out.

 

Nokia+Linksys routers #192.168.18.1

Posted on by tiger40490

==== Nokia modem/router .. much faster setup than Linksys, perhaps due to parental control…
not http, but https://192.168.18.1 accessible even if you are connected to the another hotspot downstream.

https://192.168.18.1/web_whw/#/security/mac-filter
https://192.168.18.1/web_whw/#/wifi/wifi-networks .. can edit wifi key to daba******
https://192.168.18.1/web_whw/#/maintenance/password .. can change pw to eng xxxxxxxx !1 (min 10-char; meta required) for the default username printed on casing ( It’s a good habit to only mention hints, never full passwords.)

The white tplink is confirmed necessary in the kitchen deadzone. Nokia signal strength is unreliable. No need for further test.

This Nokia product is rather new and kinda beta version.

— issue of frequent disconnection

IPhones can experience slow switching when using an auto-switching hotspot. Such a hotspot automatically switches channel between 2.4 and 5Ghz, when a mobile device roams in and out. The switching is faster on Android, and some Android devices don’t switch channel at all, but iPhones are known to be slow switching.

My older routers don’t have auto-switching hotspot. Therefore, we created a traditional non-switching hotspot  (0Nokia_2.4) for iPhones.

— WMF (wifi Mac filter)

  • A device (indirectly) connected via the ethernet “interface” is not subject to WMF. I think the ethernet mac filter is not really necessary.
  • If a devices wants to connect via 0Nokia SSID, then it can use either channel .. (mysterious) SSID#1 or SSID#5. If one of these channels allows the device, then it would connect.
    • One way to “allow” is … disable WMF for that channel. EVERY channel (SSID 1 to 8) have WMF disabled by default. So by default, any device can connect via SSID#1 and #5 !
    • One way to “allow” is … enable WMF for that channel, and add the device into the white list. Need to create a tiny whitelist on SSID 5. Otherwise, any MAC can join SSID 5

In conclusion, to stop unauthorized access by an unknown device JJ,

  • you must physically block it from the ethernet interface .. easy
  • you must enable WMF on both SSID #1 and #5, otherwise any device can connect by default
  • you must ensure device JJ is not in any white list

==== In Sep I started using a $70 EA8100 model I bought from a Simlim shop (Indian gentleman). This model was originally a Starhub bundle router. Such units are usually below $100, so some people say “crap” but my first-hand experiences are convincing.

Factory default SSID/pw: in manual and sticker on hardware, but the manual has incorrect (non-customized) 192.168.1.1.

— Q: is Linksys better than other brands [dlink, tplink etc]

A: I have some limited evidence.

  • WebConsole better designed, but other routers I had were older and cheaper.
  • tech support perhaps better

— MAC filter ..
Access via website .. wifiSettings>MacFilter. Verified by misspelling one MAC
Access via APP .. delete only. No edit.
guest network is also subject to MAC filtering.

— console log-in … by 1) email/pw or 2) router pw

Using router pw, your phone must be (physically close to ) and connected to the router.

Using email/pw, the computer/APP can be anywhere. However, there is a system bug affecting APP login.

— WebConsole > networkMap

The displayName of each device can be cryptic. Looks like you can look into and edit each displayName — NetworkMap > click on a displayName > deviceInfo > Edit

NetworkMap > FilterMap .. lets you filter out devices by certain criteria.

On the network map (actual map), each device has an icon on its right, indicating LAN/5Ghz/2.4Ghz. The central item (router) has a misleading displayName. This name could be 0tiger2 but it represents not only the 2.4GHz channel.

— warranty .. was over in 2022, but free tech support is still available.

Service life .. let’s target 2Y till Sep 2025.

— Some good things to focus on (when in bad mood)

  • WebGUI: 192.168.10.1, fortunately different from the DLink and TPLink.
  • 24×7 tech support… slightly better than other vendors. Can be slow at peak hours like late night. 800 120 4280 in Sg.. 1 for home-wifi
  • With a free Linksys Smart Wi-Fi account (Linksys!978) you have WebConsole anytime, anywhere, even if you don’t know your router’s IP. Verified. I think this is better than other brands.
  • WebGui can show (Troubleshooting and NetworkMap) all clients currently connected… good. I think the earlier routers (across brands) didn’t have this feature.
  • parental control

==== parental control .. complexity -> huge legwork but insufficient reliability [2]

You need to identify the device by displayName, not MAC. Web console > Troubleshooting > status > devices > IPv4 and IPv6 tables seem to show displayName/MAC for each (connected?) device.

can pause inet access indefinitely for a given device [64:70:33:BF:7F:8D / 2d94ab5c and 80:45:DD:6A:06:44 for CB ]. For old models like EA8100 [1][2], the “pause” feature is known to be less reliable than scheduled internet access, though I have NO confirmed evidence. You can have a 23.5/7 blackout, almost the same as “pause” but recommended as more reliable.

Warning … do not use a 24/7 blackout. It would be converted to “pause”, and the actual schedule would be discarded… confusing everyone.

Warning … some sites are uncontrollable via parental control. We might need to call Linksys to find out, but it could take too much effort.

Warning … The mobileApp and the webGUI are synched up in specific ways.

  • mobileApp is connected directly to router. Any change (including toggle) is saved inside the router memory. WebGUI would need some time to show it (I tested webGUI refresh 🙂
  • webGUI is connected to the cloud. Any change (including schedule) is saved to the cloud + router. MobileApp has to re-login to show it. Therefore, the mobileApp display is frequently outdated…. but I will embrace the technical limitation.

[1] no more firmware upgrades after 2021. To get better-supported models, I was “advised” to consider MX2000 [three downstream ports] or MX4200. The same Linksyssmartwifi.com account will be usable.

— [2] real-world reliability and usability of parental control .. Regardless of manufacturer, I always had an unfounded perception that parental control features use complicated GUI, but are not the most reliable thing compared to simpler technologies like MAC filtering. Now I have heard a similar comment from the Linksys hotline, and I have a confirmed evidence in my router. Some may say “You are a novice and don’t know how to use this feature”, but most users are like me.

I suspect the cheaper, older models are probably even less reliable, less predictable, less consistent. No evidence.

Whenver there’s a reliability issue, Linksys tech support would say “upgrade your firmware” but this feature is not new.