Put Airport Base Station in 2wire DMZ

Those of our clients who have AT&T DSL probably got talked into purchasing AT&T’s “wireless” networking along with their internet package. This service [sic] comes with about the crappiest network hardware, made by 2wire, with which I’ve ever had the displeasure of working. They have poor wireless range, and lame networking options. Your best bet is to get a wireless router you can be proud of; we typically choose Apple Airport Extremes or Time Capsules, as they are much easier than any others to help a client configure or troubleshoot, even over the phone.

Anyway, to use the 2wire as just a modem, and put another router behind it to make your actual LAN, do the following:

Put main Airport base station in 2wire DMZ (“De-militarized zone”):
  1. Make sure 2wire is in WAN port of the Airport Base Station.
  2. Get 2wire system password from sticker on bottom of box.
  3. surf to 192.168.1.254. 
  4. I can’t find the exact nav links, but navigate to something like Settings > Firewall > Advanced > “Applications, DMZ, etc.”
  5. (possible that this direct link might work: http://192.168.1.254/xslt?PAGE=J11&THISPAGE=A02_POST&NEXTPAGE=J11)
  6. You will see a list of connected devices, possibly as a drop-down menu. They will mostly be IP addresses, but the base station should appear with its actual host name. Click on that name.
  7. Then, below, you will see three options, selectable by radio buttons. The bottom one should be, like, “DMZplus” or “Use device in a DMZ” or “Put this sucker in the DMZ.” Choose that one, and save your settings.
  8. Reboot the Airport. When it comes back on, it should have a public IP. (You may have to switch wifi networks to check.)
  9. Return to the 2wire wifi network. Log back into the 2wire and turn off its crappy wireless.
  10. Return to the Airport network, and configure the base station with Airport Utility according to the needs of the environment.
Finally, unless they have Uverse, suggest to the client that they call AT&T and ask them to turn off wireless on their internet service. They may get a fight, along the lines of “Well, you now own the hardware, and you’d have to pay for the new modem.” I’d ask for the “Retention Department.” I admit that I don’t know how successful this conversation would be. I want to try it sometime when I have extra moments at a client’s site. I’d do it for free, once.  

These are screen shots from the earlier model of crappy 2wire hardware: http://www.sbbala.com/uverse/pg2.html. I can’t find any for the newer crappy model, which appears to be the previous piggy software with lipstick on.

I’m not biased against AT&T or anything. Suckas.

Posted via email from J2 Tech Blog

Chart of remote desktop solutions

Amy Rinehart sent me this link to a very helpful chart of remote-desktop solutions currently on the market, which platforms they support, what protocol they use, how strong their encryption is, etc. Remote screen control has become a major interest not just of nerds, but increasingly of iPad and other mobile users in general. After trying Copilot from Fog Creek for a while, I myself have landed on GoToAssist as an affordable and easy-to-implement tool for servicing clients (as of writing, this link from twit.tv gets you a discount; thanks, Leo!). I’m anxious for Citrix to release an iPad app for GTA.

Begin forwarded message:



The link to my chart is:

Thank you so much!

Posted via email from J2 Tech Blog

Reaction to today’s Apple announcements

Apple TV
1) At $99, they’re likely to sell a gajillion!
2) I love the ability to stream data. Curious if it will confuse people to have to work it through iTunes.
3) Netflix. Awesome.
4) I’m gonna be disappointed if they don’t allow other apps and services like Pandora.
5) Micro USB means they’re trying to make it hard to hack, which is annoying and hopefully not a dealbreaker. I need to get non-MPEG content on there.

iPod touch
With a mic and two cameras, that thing becomes an awesome communcation device, no AT&T contract required. You could do wireless off of a Mifi or whatever and have VoIP and Facetime everywhere.

iPods nano and shuffle
Very smart updates. 

Ping??
I just have no idea what to think.

Posted via email from J2 Tech Blog