Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2003 07:06:25 -0300 From: "Mark Dodel" Subject: [VOICENWS] HW: Tim's Warped Bargains: More Wireless, Security Advice, Free Ethernet, IBM Calculator From: Timothy Sipples Dear Bargain Hunters: Still looking to connect your eComStation or OS/2 Warp system(s) wirelessly? I'm a big fan of the platform-neutral ethernet-to-wireless converters that work with any operating system that speaks TCP/IP. It's really the only viable choice for wirelessly connecting eCom/Warp desktops, in fact. And these devices work for printers that have ethernet ports, too, not to mention Sony Playstations. There's a terrific bargain going right now on just such a device. PC Mall has the SMC 2670W ethernet-to-wireless (802.11b) box for a mere $59.99 plus shipping (about 10 bucks, it looks like). http://www.pcmall.com/pcmall/shop/detail.asp?dpno=753019 That beats my last mention of a similar device by about 25 bucks. Setup couldn't be simpler. Just plug in any ethernet device, use the built-in web-based configuration program (if needed), and you're wirelessly connected The Speedstream 2623 wireless router I mentioned in one of my last updates is still available from Tigerdirect.com, although the USR brand router with the same features is sold out now. The Speedstream is only $39.99 plus shipping there, and that includes the parallel printer port and serial port (for backup external dial-up modem connection if you wish), as I mentioned earlier. By the way, for those of you who bought the USR wireless router I mentioned (USR268011 a.k.a. just model 8011), rest assured that you can print fine from eComStation or OS/2 Warp, or any other operating system (Linux included), as long as you have the regular printer driver -- despite what USR's documentation says. Just configure an LPD-style port (using the new streaming LPD port driver ideally). For the USR box you'll use a print server address of 192.168.123.254 (the router's address) and a printer name of simply "lp" (the default for UNIX-style printing). I'm doing that with my own USR box, and it works like a champ with my HP LaserJet 4L, both wired and wirelessly. Also, be sure to turn on as much wireless security as you can. (Granted, it's still not perfect, but it's better than nothing.) In particular, turn on 1. 128-bit WEP encryption. 2. Change the SSID to something that meets good password rules. 3. Tell the router not to broadcast the SSID. (The sold out USR box doesn't have this setting, as far as I can tell. Some routers do, some don't.) 4. Use MAC address "locking." Make sure the router will only assign a connection to devices with a specific MAC address, such as your PC. 5. Use "shared key" WEP authentication, not "open key." 6. Change your WEP key every week or so on both your wireless client and wireless router. At least choose a WEP key that's truly random. All that won't encrypt your networking once it leaves your router and goes over the Internet. Keep using SSL, PGP, and other encryption software for sensitive communications. But these steps should help prevent someone from "borrowing" your bandwidth without your consent. By the way, do you need a free PCI ethernet adapter as part of your networking solution? Well, check this out: http://fatwallet.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=18&threadid=187827 Officemax has one from June 8th through 14th that's free after rebate. That D-Link ethernet adapter uses the Realtek RTL8139 chipset, and you can find the driver for that. There's also a 50-pack of CD-R disks free after rebate which looks nice. And I've got another IBM bargain to pass along. Staples has a $13.90 IBM printing calculator here: http://www.staples.com/Catalog/Browse/Sku.asp?PageType=1&Sku=383441 I didn't know you could still buy an IBM calculator, but evidently you can, at least for now. Rely on IBM to add up all the savings you get in reading Tim's Warped Bargains. I have no affiliation with any of these companies, except IBM. I really wish you would buy everything you can from us. But if you must buy from another supplier, at least have the decency to pay absurdly low prices to deny our competitors all possible profit. :-) - - - - - Timothy F. Sipples PGP Public Key: http://wwwkeys.pgp.net:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x45D3DE3E [Moderator's note: Because of the incredible increase in SPAM lately I will now endeavor to add DESPAM to email addresses in all posts to the News list. If you wish to send a response to someone listed in the post be sure to remove the "DESPAM" from the email address.] -- To unsubscribe yourself from this list, send the following message to majormajor at os2voice.org unsubscribe news end If you have an announcement you would like posted to the VOICE News list, please send it to submit at os2voice.org. Please include a valid reply address and a real contact name. If you wish to comment on this post, please reply to feedback at os2voice.org