Admit your ignorance - things you've only just realised/learned

[ebikeerwidnes]

I bought a CD player last year so I could listen to music in the garage. It’s about 20 metres away from the house and I have to run an extension cord across to have power in it. Getting the tinterweb is a no.no.

You can get network extension things where you plug one end into the router and a nearby power socket
and the other end in another room on the same power supply and then you computer (or a wifi thingy)
and it connects the remote bit to your normal indoor network over the power cabling

I used to use one in a house I used to have that had dead zones
might work on your extension and allow some internet access

 

[ColinJ]

You can get network extension things where you plug one end into the router and a nearby power socket
and the other end in another room on the same power supply and then you computer (or a wifi thingy)
and it connects the remote bit to your normal indoor network over the power cabling

I used to use one in a house I used to have that had dead zones
might work on your extension and allow some internet access

My sister uses one of those to get wifi to the rooms of her large cottage that the router signal doesn't get to. Last time I was there I treated her to another one which I installed in one of the outbuildings at the far end of her garden so now there is a good signal everywhere on the property.

 

[albion]

Seems global warming is linked to the massive US winter storms.
The Arctic warming 4 times faster than the global average weakens and the polar vortex, and the warmer, still freezing air can thus stretch much further.
Ominously for us, a weakened jet stream caused by a lower temperature differential also came into play.

It takes a basket case of rotten oranges to disagree.

 

[raleighnut]

Seems global warming is linked to the massive US winter storms.
The Arctic warming 4 times faster than the global average weakens and the polar vortex, and the warmer, still freezing air can thus stretch much further.
Ominously for us, a weakened jet stream caused by a lower temperature differential also came into play.

It takes a basket case of rotten oranges to disagree.

Or one Orange fool.

 

[Webbo2]

You can get network extension things where you plug one end into the router and a nearby power socket
and the other end in another room on the same power supply and then you computer (or a wifi thingy)
and it connects the remote bit to your normal indoor network over the power cabling

I used to use one in a house I used to have that had dead zones
might work on your extension and allow some internet access

We got one of those in a room up stairs. Actually saying the garage is 20 meters away is a big under estimate more like 50.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

We got one of those in a room up stairs. Actually saying the garage is 20 meters away is a big under estimate more like 50.

I have known people to run an ethernet cable along their fence to get to the shed
some people even go as far as putting it in a waterproof sleeve

Technically you should probably bury it or something and maybe put in a special sleeve

but if it was just for me I might be tempted to take a shortcut

 

[ColinJ]

We got one of those in a room up stairs. Actually saying the garage is 20 meters away is a big under estimate more like 50.

The TP-Link one I fitted in my sister's garden outbuilding must be at least 40 metres from the house.

I checked that it worked for general web browsing, wifi calling (no phone signal there so that is why I fitted it), but didn't check what speed I was getting.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

The TP-Link one I fitted in my sister's garden outbuilding must be at least 40 metres from the house.

I checked that it worked for general web browsing, wifi calling (no phone signal there so that is why I fitted it), but didn't check what speed I was getting.

I have seen cables laid in offices and warehouses (and schools) that are way longer than that
you just need better quality cables for longer distances

you can also get microwave systems that will go over distances
the University of Bangor used to have one that went right over the Menai Straits to connect the Marine Biology building to the main network
probably over the top for a shed - unless you live in a mansion with extensive grounds
or - I suppose - a granny flat and you want the mother-in-law a LONG way away!!

 

[ColinJ]

I have seen cables laid in offices and warehouses (and schools) that are way longer than that
you just need better quality cables for longer distances

It is a powerline wifi extender which sends the signal up the mains supply to the outbuilding!

Speaking of ethernet cables... When I moved here about 10 years ago I fitted one up to the attic bedroom for my desktop computer but I don't use a desktop computer anymore so the cable is redundant. I just checked the wifi speed that I am now getting up there: 293 Mb/s download & 47 Mb/s upload, which compares very favourably with the 305 Mb/s download & 47 Mb/s upload that I am getting two floors down right next to the router. That impresses me a lot compared to what I used to get with older technology!

 

[Jameshow]

It is a powerline wifi extender which sends the signal up the mains supply to the outbuilding!

Speaking of ethernet cables... When I moved here about 10 years ago I fitted one up to the attic bedroom for my desktop computer but I don't use a desktop computer anymore so the cable is redundant. I just checked the wifi speed that I am now getting up there: 293 Mb/s download & 47 Mb/s upload, which compares very favourably with the 305 Mb/s download & 47 Mb/s upload that I am getting two floors down right next to the router. That impresses me a lot compared to what I used to get with older technology!

You got internet in Tod?!!! 🤔🤣🤣🤣

 

[ColinJ]

You got internet in Tod?!!! 🤔🤣🤣🤣

Well, I was only able to get my 300 Mb/s fibre connection a few months ago. Before that I had to put up with a crappy 7 Mb/s ADSL connection. I could upgrade to 1 Gb/s but there is no point for just me. If I had to share the connection with several other people, maybe it would make sense.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

It is a powerline wifi extender which sends the signal up the mains supply to the outbuilding!

Speaking of ethernet cables... When I moved here about 10 years ago I fitted one up to the attic bedroom for my desktop computer but I don't use a desktop computer anymore so the cable is redundant. I just checked the wifi speed that I am now getting up there: 293 Mb/s download & 47 Mb/s upload, which compares very favourably with the 305 Mb/s download & 47 Mb/s upload that I am getting two floors down right next to the router. That impresses me a lot compared to what I used to get with older technology!

Things have improved massively over the years

When I started with networky things we had a whole customer service centre working over a network link to the Main Frame
the speed was 9600bps
not 9.6 M bytes - i.e. 9.6 million bytes (maybe - there is some argument about what the M means - whether 1000 or 1024 is the key thing!)
not 9,600 bytes - 1 per character
but 9600 bits - 8 per character (plus a bit for "overhead!")
I was the techy part of the team - I spent a lot of time changing new specifications for applications that would have increased the data requirements and totally screwed the system

 

[Chris S]

You can clean cassette recorder heads using methylated sprits on a cotton bud.

 

[Webbo2]

You can clean cassette recorder heads using methylated sprits on a cotton bud.

Vodka also works.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Vodka also works.

If you are a Chemistry student at university - ethanol and methanol are easier to "have at home" - as is acetone

Chemistry teachers at schools may not wish to comment