OzCableguy

Draytek Australia have produced the following sneak previews of the new 2710 series due out in the next month or so.

Click here for case design and physical features.
Click here for some of the configuration menus and software features.

Models will be:

Vigor2710 non-wireless ADSL modem/router. RRP $219.95
Vigor2710n 802.11n wireless ADSL modem/router. RRP $329.95
To be announced yet is the 2710Vn incorporating 802.11n wireless and VoIP hardware.

The 2710n will also be available with 5 & 7 dbi antenna upgrades as well as a combo with an N61 802.11n USB adapter.

Once officially released, this link will show prices and availability at OzTechnologies. (If still not released you’ll just see a message saying “Sorry, we found no text in our product details to match your search”)

Also to be released shortly are non-ADSL modem versions (ie to suit Cable or an external bridged ADSL modem) are the 2110 series.

Vigor2110 non-wireless router. RRP $229.95
Vigor2110n 802.11n wireless router. RRP $319.95
I’d also expect a 2110Vn model with VoIP and 802.11n wireless but there’s no word about that one at this stage.

The wireless models will also be available with the same antenna upgrades and N61 combos as the 2710 series.
 This link will show prices and availability at OzTechnologies as soon as they’re available.

Online now and taking backorders!

Billion have 4 new models due out December and January. All are new versions of the popular 7404VGPM and 7404VGOM wireless VoIP ADSL modem/routers to include support for USB 3G modems*, and upgrades to giga-switches and 802.11n wireless in the two flagship VNPX & VNOX models.

	Billion 7404VGPX 4 Port 802.11G Wireless ADSL Modem/Router with 3G modem support* & VoIP	RRP $299.00   Click here for my price.
	Billion 7404VGOX 4 Port 802.11G Wireless ADSL Modem/Router with 3G modem support* & VoIP + VPN	RRP $379.00   Click here for my price.
	Billion 7404VNPX 4 x 10/100/1000 Port 802.11N Wireless ADSL Modem/Router with 3G modem support* & VoIP	RRP $479.00   Click here for my price.
	Billion 7404VNOX 4 x 10/100/1000 Port 802.11N Wireless ADSL Modem/Router with 3G modem support* & VoIP + VPN	RRP $529.00   Click here for my price.

* Click here for 3G modem compatibility list (not all 3G modems are compatible)

Santa comes early with these great cashback offers from Linksys.

Simultaneous Dual-N Band Wireless Router (WRT610N) Dual channel networking technology helps prioritize time-critical activities like video, voice and gaming. Download Rebate Form

	Wireless-N ADSL2+ Gateway (WAG160N) All-In-One Internet Connectivity with enhanced speed and range. Download Rebate Form

(Date of purchase must be between 1st Nov 08 to 31st Jan 09)

I’m heading out once again to do what I enjoy the most and that’s being on site fixing problems with PCs and small networks. The retail side of things at OzTechnologies.com will continue as normal but I find I’m needed there less these days so it’s time to diversify and get my hands dirty again. I will however be continuing my work there assisting with sales enquiries and so on as time allows.

I specialise in broadband Internet connectivity and networking for homes and small businesses but can handle all the usual stuff that goes wrong with PCs as well as installing multimedia/home entertainment equipment. For any higher end or server type work I can call in and/or refer to other technicians I have an association with.

I’m charging a basic $55.00 an hour with a minimum 1hr charge for a callout but I’ll work on some set fees for standard jobs like PC formats where I can take the PC back to the office to fix.

Whether you’re a local needing IT assistance or an out-of-town technician needing someone trustworthy to perform a task for one of your local clients, or even if you’re a local technician that needs someone to look after your clients while you have a break, give me a buzz on 07 3325 5917 or email darren@oztechnologies.com for a booking.

If you’re in South East Queensland and need a man with a chainsaw, tip truck, kanga or small excavator, my brother in law Shane has all of those and more and is on the lookout for work at the moment.

He’s based at the Sunshine Coast but will go just about anywhere so give him a call.

Or download his flyer in PDF format here.

Netgear have a recycling program where you can send in any brand of old product free of charge to be recycled when you purchase a new Netgear product. Details at http://www.netgear.net.au/recycle/

Procedure wise just pack up the old unit, fill out the form which generates a reply-paid label then drop it in the post.

On receipt, Thiess Services (the recycling company) will separate out the heavy and ferrous metals and plastics to be melted down and made into new stuff. Brilliant!

Thumbs up to Netgear!

I was recently sent this link to Gizmodo showing a robot that can be controlled via the internet based on the open source Linksys WRT54GL router. Amazing stuff!

More at jbprojects.net.

For more information about the WRT54GL see my quick review at http://www.ozcableguy.com/review.asp?router=WRT54GL.

Some recent additions to OzTechnologies (Click product names for prices and more info)

Routers

Billion BiGuard 50G 802.11g wireless Dual WAN 4 Port Router with SPI Firewall & VPN
D-Link DIR-130 8 Port VPN Router
D-Link DIR-320 4 port 802.11G Wireless Router with USB Print Server
D-Link DIR-855 DIR-855 802.11N MIMO Xtreme N Duo Gigabit Router
D-Link DWL-G730AP 802.11G mini Router
Linksys WRT54G2 4 Port Wireless 802.11G Router
Linksys WRT610N 802.11N Dual Band Wireless Router with giga-switch
Netgear DGN2000 4 Port + 802.11n Rangemax Wireless-N Wireless Router with built-in ADSL modem
Netgear DGNB2100 DGN2000 Rangemax Wireless-N Wireless Modem/Router + WN111 Wireless USB adapter combo
Netgear MBM621 Single Port 3G/HSDPA modem/router
Netgear WNR2000 Wireless-N Router
Netgear WNB2100 WNR2000 Wireless-N Router + WN111 Wireless-N USB adapter combo

ATA

D-Link DVG-2101SP 1 x FXS + 1 x FXO Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) for VoIP

Print Server

D-Link DPR-1061 Multifunction Print Server

IP Camera

Linksys WVC54GCA 802.11G (11/54mb) IP Camera

Wireless Access Points

Netgear WNDAP330 Prosafe 802.11n Dual Band Wireless Access Point
Netgear WNHDE111 5 GHz Wireless-N Access Point
Netgear WNEB3100 WNDR3300 5 GHz Wireless-N Access Point + WNDA3100 RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N USB Adapter combo

Antennas

D-Link ANT24-1800 18dbi High Gain Directional Panel Antenna

Multi WAP controller

D-Link DSA-3600 Multi-Service Business Gateway

Powerline/Homeplug

Netgear XET1001 85 mbps Powerline Ethernet Adapter
Netgear XETB1001 85 mbps Powerline Ethernet Adapter kit (includes 2 x XET1001)
Netgear XAV101 200 mbps Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter
Netgear XAVB101 200 mbps Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter kit (includes 2 x XAV101)
Netgear XEPSB103 Space Saving Powerline Network Extender kit (includes 2 x XEPS103)

Storage/Backup

Netgear RND2150 ReadyNAS Duo (1 x 500GB) Network Storage Device
Netgear RND2175 ReadyNAS Duo (1 x 750GB) Network Storage Device
Netgear RND2110 ReadyNAS Duo (1 x 1000GB) Network Storage Device
Netgear RNDP6350 ReadyNAS Pro Business Edition Network Storage (3 x 500 GB HDDs included)
Netgear RNDP6310 ReadyNAS Pro Business Edition Network Storage (3 x 1000 GB HDDs included)
Netgear RNDP6610 ReadyNAS Pro Business Edition Network Storage (6 x 1000 GB HDDs included)

Switches

D-Link DES-1008P 10/100 8-Port Unmanaged PoE Switch
Linksys SFE1000P 8-Port 10/100 Ethernet Switch with PoE
Linksys SFE2010 48 Port 10/100 Managed Switch with 2 x 10/100/1000 ports + 2 x SFP slots
Linksys SFE2010P 48 Port 10/100 Managed Switch with 2 x 10/100/1000 ports + 2 x SFP slots & PoE
Linksys SGE2010 48 Port 10/100/1000 Managed Switch with with 4 shared SFP slots
Netgear GS724AT 24-Port Prosafe Gigabit Smart Switch with four shared SFP ports
Netgear GS724TR 24-Port Prosafe Gigabit Smart Switch with 2 built-in shared SFP Gigabit Ethernet fiber ports
Netgear GS748TR 48-Port Prosafe Gigabit Smart Switch with 4 built-in shared SFP Gigabit Ethernet fiber ports
Netgear GSM7224R 24 Port Layer 2 Gigabit Switch with static routing + 4 x SFP slots
Netgear GSM7248R 48 Port Layer 2 Gigabit Switch with static routing + 4 x SFP slots
Netgear GSM7328FS 4 Port Prosafe Gigabit Layer 3 Managed Stackable Switch with 24 SFP Slots

Switch Modules

D-Link DEM-310GT Gigabit Interface Converter - 1310nm Singlemode SFP (mini-GBIC) transceiver
D-Link DEM-311GT Gigabit Interface Converter - 850nm multimode SFP/mini-GBIC transceiver
D-Link DEM-312GT2 Gigabit Interface Converter - 1310nm multimode SFP/(miniGBIC) transceiver
D-Link DEM-340MG 4 Port SFP/mini-GBIC Expansion Module for DGS-3212SR
D-Link DEM-340T 4 Port 10/100/1000 Gigabit Expansion Module for DGS-3212SR
D-Link DEM-410CX 10-Gigabit CX4 Module
D-Link DEM-410X 10-Gigabit XFP Module
D-Link DEM-420X 2-Slot XFP 10Gigabit Uplink Module
D-Link DEM-421XT 10-Gigabit XFP
D-Link DEM-422XT 10-Gigabit XFP
D-Link DEM-540 4 Port Stacking Expansion Module for DES-3226S with DGS-3212SR
Netgear AF711F Prosafe 100base-FX Module
Netgear AGM722F Prosafe GBIC Module 1000base-LX Fiber
Netgear AGM733 Prosafe GBIC Module 1000base-ZX Fiber SFP

I’ve had my amazingly tiny iPod shuffle for a few months now and it’s been great for clipping onto my shirt collar while cycling etc. I love it and it’s never given me any trouble.

Until last Tuesday…

I plugged it into my PC to update its playlist and give the battery a charge but the PC refused to recognise it all of a sudden. Windows gave the little sound it does when a USB device is plugged in or unplugged but iTunes wouldn’t pop up like it normally does and I eventually got a Windows message saying something to the effect of “One of the USB devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned, and Windows does not recognize it”.

So I try it in a few other PCs and get the same response. Now the iPod works fine otherwise, if I plug the earphones in I can listen to tunes just fine, so I figure maybe it needs a reset or something. So I go to plug it back into my main PC but before the USB plug reaches the plug, there’s a spark to the case, the PC switches off and there’s a burning smell.

Oh crap!

I turn the PC back on and get a warning that the processor has changed, press F2 to continue or F1 to enter setup (or something like that), but it’s frozen and that’s the closest that PC will ever get to booting up again. The motherboard is fried.

After replacing the motherboard after not even two months since I fried the last one, I then learn that the boot sectors on both my hard drives have been lost and no amount of chkdsk or replacing the hive and so on will get things happening.

So I’m back to formatting.

Oh joy oh joy. At least this time I was adequately backed up but my PC is still a nightmare to reinstall with lots of specialised applications and takes a good 20 hours of solid work to get back to operating the way I need it to.

D’oh! D’oh! D’oh!

Lessons learned:
1. Get a USB hub if hot swapping USB devices
2. Don’t use important PCs for non-essential tasks if you can help it.
3. Ghost complex installations using DriveImage XML or similar.

Many thanks to my old mate Russty for losing almost as much sleep as I did to get me up and running again and for having the most amazing collection of spares around his house that I’ve ever known anyone to have. I swear there’s enough around that place to put a lot of PC shops to shame…

BTW, I took the iPod back to the place I bought it from and after trying it on another USB cable it appeared to be fine, so they swapped my cable for theirs and away I went and all’s been good with it since. For some strange reason they seemed reluctant to try my cable in one of their PCs though…