Quarantine Home-Office Hacks: Episode 1

Some of you settled on taking a monitor home to work. I decided not to. Because to me, it meant more wires and less space. I have a Toshiba ThinkPad, running Windows 10, which has one HDMI port. I also have a LED TV which doubles as a monitor. So I decided to connect my laptop to my monitor. The benefit of my setup, is that it allows me to use both my laptop and TV monitor as screens.

I also sometimes prefer to avoid physically touching the laptop. To do that I use a mouse which I connect to the laptop, then I use the On-Screen Keyboard option on the laptop. The On-Screen Keyboard works for me because I do not type much. To find your On-Screen Keyboard, just type either  "osk" or On-screen Keyboard in the Search menu. To close your laptop lid and use your additional monitor as a screen, go to Settings>System>Power & then select the option to do nothing when the laptop lids closes.

I prefer the Extend option because it allows me to utilize more desktop space. I am able to recreate the affect of having multiple screens by selecting the Extend option. My second choice would be Duplicate. I do not use the Duplicate option often, because I prefer the affect of more space, not a replica used space. To me, the Duplicate option would be best for someone who wants to project their PC onto a bigger screen.

How to Extend Your Laptop Screen to Your TV Monitor using Windows 10

1. Plug a HDMI cable from your laptop to your TV Monitor (use a cable that is compatible with your devices)

2. Using your laptop, navigate to the taskbar, then click on the notification bar then select Project

3. Select Extend 

4. You should now see a display on both screens

Review of the TP-Link N300 WiFi Extender

I wanted an extra Ethernet port, but I did not want to purchase a new router nor did I want to run lots of additional wiring. I researched several extenders before I decided on the TP-Link N300 Wi-Fi Extender. I needed it because the Optical Network Terminal (ONT) from my internet service provider was in a space, that didn’t allow from much wiggle room. So, I read the reviews and initially decided on the Netgear Wi-Fi Range Extender EX3700. I liked the fact that it was dual band, however I could not get the Ethernet port to work. It was a major deal breaker because I could foresee myself using the Ethernet port for guests. Then I read feedback on various websites and determined that other users could not get the Ethernet port to as well. So I returned the Netgear Wi-Fi Range Extender EX3700.

Ultimately, I chose the TP-Link N300 WiFi Extender. Download/Upload speeds were identical to the WIFI speeds coming from my router. Because it’s a single band extender, I was not really concerned with speed variation. If you are concerned with speed, you should purchase a dual band extender. The Ethernet port worked great. The user interface is user friendly and you must be connected to the network to access the management page. Or you can download their App to manage the device on your portable device. The power supply is attached to the device, which is nice because it’s one less cord to run. 

I primairly use the extender to connect cameras, computers and VOIP phones. This product is very reliable and provides speeds very similar to a direct router connection. However, I do experience some quality of service loss, that I do not experience with a direct ethernet or WIFI connection. The distance of my cameras from the access point create an automatic signal loss, which I cannot attribute to the quality of the product. The extender works great with my cameras and provides a signal at distances my router cannot reach. Overall, I would definitely recommend this product.

  

PROS:

Ethernet port

Easy to setup

You can manage the extender via the App

CONS:

Bulky

 

Conclusion:

I recommend this product

Adobe Reader Could Not Open PDF...Damaged

I received an error message which stated "Adobe Reader could not open pdf because it is not a supported file type or has been damaged" when opening PDF files, while using Adobe Reader Acrobat DC and while using another PDF reader program. I changed file associations and that did not work. I have used Adobe Acrobat Reader DC in the past and had no issues opening documents until recently. I did not want to reinstall another program. So I simply repaired the program and I was able to open PDF documents with no issues.

Error Message

Repair Steps using Windows 10

Control Panel>Programs and Features >select Adobe Reader>select Change>choose the repair option>restart

AD installation stalls at the "Creating the NTDS settings object"

I attempted to install AD on a 2nd server so that I could upgrade it to a domain controller. For simplicity purposes I named all of the Admin passwords the same (test environment). I waited 5, 8, 10 minutes and the install would initiate but never complete and stall on the "Creating the NTDS Settings object for this Active Directory Domain Controller on the remote AD DC dc1-full.corp.contoso.com" step. So I searched for various solutions and I found the Microsoft support article 2737935, which states the issue was likely caused by the Default and Domain Admin passwords being the same.

The article also recommended to delete the failed upgrade PC in AD, remove the server from domain, remove AD,  restart and reinstall. I tried those steps several times and I got the same error. I even changed the default Admin passwords and completed the steps in the article. Luckily I did not have much configuration done on that server, so I removed it from AD and the domain. Next I deleted the server all together. Then, I created another server under a similar name and then I was able to install AD and upgrade the new server with no issues. I do not know if changing the Admin passwords helped but I was able to resolve the issue.

Docsis 2 vs Docsis 3 and Beyond

In the market for a new modem? Don’t forget to read the specifications. DOCSIS 2 modems are still in demand and available for purchase. However DOCSIS 3 modems include channel bonding which is a feature that provides much more speed capability. Channel bonding using multiple frequency channels on a modem to transmit data, thereby increasing the overall download and upload speed. For example the ARRIS Surfboard 32X Cable Modem - White (SB6190) is listed as a “32X”, which means 8 downstream by 4 upstream channels.-1 No, 32X isn’t the highest there are 256x modems available for gigabit speeds.

For the average user I would recommend a DOCSIS 3 modem. Although most users don’t require speeds in excess of 30 Mbps for future assurance of quality service, you should choose a DOCSIS 3 or higher. To me, the best thing about DOCSIS 3 is that you have the ability to maintain consistent download/upload speeds during peak service times with channel bonding.-2 Check with your internet provider to determine which channel bonding combination is best for your desired speed.

1- http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/24802/~/DOCSIS -2-vs.-DOCSIS -3-differences?cid=wmt_netgear_organic
2- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4-9ZtThZHs (great description of channel bonding)
3- Based on the specifications of the ARRIS / Motorola SURFboard SB5101U DOCSIS 2.0 Cable Modem
4- Based on the specifications of the ARRIS - SURFboard 600 Series DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem – White - 32x

Lenovo Ideacentre Stick 300

Lenovo Ideacentre Stick 300

The size of a modern PC is changing, most likely due to competition from devices like tablets and compact media boxes. Coupled with the explosion of open source and Android-like devices, USB PCs are slowly but surely creating demand. The Lenovo Ideacentre Stick 300 Signature Edition Windows 10 PC is categorized as a PC but reads like a tablet. It has 2GB of RAM, 32GB of eMMC and an Intel Atom Z3735F processor. Reviews are mixed. Some users are excited to have a PC on any TV with a HDMI slot. However, some users report compatibility and booting issues. Compared to the RCA Cambio 2-in-1 Tablet 32GB the specs are practically the same but the RCA is classified as a tablet and $100 more.

RCA Cambio 2-in-1 Tablet

Alternatively there are many free Linux based operating systems that are bootable on a standard USB drive. For example Ubuntu can be installed on a USB drive with at least 2GB of free space. USB PC’s are totally sensible seeing as though computing today is mostly composed of cloud based apps with minimal add-ons. Currently I have 2 USB drives running Ubuntu, which I use for guests and travel. Although Linux is not as point-and-click as Microsoft, I suspect the market will shift to more compact choices. 

For ease of use, I recommend Pendrivelinux.com, which has an app called The Universal USB Installer that allows you to choose various Linux based operating systems to install on an USB drive.

Review of the Mini Wireless Keyboard Touchpad

The Mini Wireless Keyboard Touchpad is great for use between devices. I use the keyboard for my PC, PS3 and smart TV. The keys correspond with my devices beyond my exceptions. The keyboard has a 30 ft. range and I have not had any issues with signal interference. Overall I give the product a 4/5, because it only works with a flat, Li-ion rechargeable battery. Even though there are slots for 2-AAA batteries, there are no coils to receive the signal. If the keyboard had both battery options I would rate it higher.

10 Best Tech Blogs

The "10 Best Tech Blogs" article nailed the top online sources of tech info. Mashable is my favorite. Somehow my bookmarks get deleted or I forget the name of the site. So, I decided to just blog and share 10 Best Tech Blogs