Changing Service Providers for Phone (especially)

There is so much competition that everyone has been experiencing regarding the companies that offer service for TV, phone/voice, and Internet/data.

Here's something you really need to know when porting lines.

There is (I believe it's a Federal) law which says that if you request a change between phone service providers, the phone service providers must comply with the request.

I have had two experiences, one that I have experienced myself and another that one of my clients has experienced. Here is how it went.

In a perfect world, this is how it is supposed to work - so that the date that you were provided for proper phone service porting.

1 - Call Phone Service Provider (henceforth PSP) that you are porting FROM

2 - Contact the PSP that you are porting TO

3 - You will be given a date of installation. Between the time you order the porting of the line(s) and the time of the given installation date, between the two service providers, the lines themselves need to be released by the PSP you are porting FROM and allow access to the PSP you are porting TO

4 - If the action mentioned in #3 is not completed, then the installation cannot properly proceed, resulting in the delay of the installation. At that point, the PSP that you are porting TO will need to set up a new date of installation.

This can go on and on until the client pushes hard enough for a resolution. If the client chooses to push hard enough, s/he should contact the PSP FROM which the lines are being ported. The PSP of the lines that the lines are being ported TO cannot complete the installation until the lines are released.

One resolution is to establish brand new phone numbers with the PSP that the client wanted to port TO. This is fine, but businesses cannot change phone numbers, and this resolution is not viable because of that fact.

Another resolution might be litigation. I have not actually seen this in action, but this is where I would head with the matter if it does not get resolved properly.

Google Chrome

Google Chrome and Google Desktop are appearing more and more on the desktops of computers everywhere.

Google Chrome

Today I really got a lot of use of my new Toshiba L300, a professional laptop, and I love the way Chrome works. The thing I have to wonder and monitor is how compatible it is with other websites on the Internet. I have to use it a bit more to see the robust nature of the browser and its "quirks" if any.

Google Desktop

Google Desktop itself has come a long way. I recall it being a desktop search engine, but I have noticed it becoming a functional add-on to the desktop environment.

FREE GILAD SHALIT

riottech.com dedicates this day, the day that three years ago terrorist Hamas captured Gilad Shalit. Then 19, today 23, he must be released!! Twitter.com trend #GiladShalit campaign is up there in the rankings. Please join the cause. Login to Twitter.com and go to #GiladShalit - you will get it when you are there. #Tweet4Shalit #GiladShalit

RIOT RADIO?

Since there is so much to be said and discussed about computers today, RIOTTech will be making its debut of an Internet Radio Show. We will try and have a client or two come on and speak about the projects RIOTTech is working on, we will have experts in the field of Information Technology, we can discuss items that are part of our existing blogs, and we can just have a good time.

The schedule of our radio show will be determined. We are thinking about a circular host type of radio format where a different host will host the show in representation of RIOTTech each week.

Details are still being worked out, but let us know what you think - info -at- riottech -dot- com
Best regards for now, signing off..

WiFi - not working in concrete, around other wireless devices, etc.

Ever wonder why your Wireless Network (WiFi) doesn't work very well inside a concrete building... or even your phone, Blackberry, or other wireless device doesn't work very well inside a structure made of concrete? I could never pick up a radio station - or just barely - inside a concrete building, could you?

Some may wonder what exactly is this wireless signal that allows a computer to connect to the router that connects to the internet. All it is, as of this post, is a channel within the 2.4Ghz range (radio wave) that broadcasts and receives (just like a transceiver).

Concrete is a material that does not allow radio waves to travel through it very well.

Some buildings are made of concrete. The best thing to do is to get wireless access points which will allow the signal to travel to the gateway to the Internet (typically a router, modem, firewall, etc.).

Also, with too many wireless components (mice, keyboard, printer, etc., etc.), you may get interference between the devices, which will cause issues. If you have a wireless adapter which communicates to your wireless access point on a channel within the 2.4Ghz range, there is definitely a possibility that, if you have a 2.4 Ghz phone (as some phones are), the components will interfere with one another. What is the answer? The "relatively new" phones are DECT 6.0 phones should not interfere.

Keep all this in mind when you have a WiFi network.

After some extensive research, RIOTTech has found that there are not many IT solution providers who are willing to install WiFi networks in concrete buildings. Recently, RIOTTech did it in a healthcare facility. It took lots of hammer drilling and cable running, but we did it.

With regard to WAPs (wireless access points), you can physically connect them back to a switch which will provide you with wireless access interdependently with using the same network name "SSID." You may, however, need to login with a special key (or passphrase) to the network. This encrypts your transmissions between the devices and secures intrusion from outside the network. Without the cables back to the switch, the WAPs communicate between each other and create a "WDS" environment. RIOTTech went with the plenum Category 5e cable back to two managed CISCO switches.

Keep your desktop clean!

Whether you use a Mac or a PC, you'll want to keep your desktop relatively clean.

Why, do you ask?

Well, do you really want to save documents to your desktop? I notice that when computers have files saved to the desktops, they don't perform at their best.

What to do.

You can save everything in one folder on your Mac (remember what the name of that folder is) or the "My Documents" folder on your Windows computer. You can have aliases or shortcuts directly to those locations. The aliases or shortcuts will not affect the performance and you'll have a nice clean desktop.

When they say, "A clean desk is a sign of a sick mind," they are not referring to computers :)

101Mb/s? Science Fact!

Optimum Ultra has been released, and is kicking some broadband a** ...just think of speeds of 101Mb/s downstream - faster than you can snap your fingers, and 15Mb/s upstream.

The fact is the more components you have on your network, the more the signal has to split itself; but think of it this way, even if you get 50% of 101Mb/s downstream, that's some speed downstream.

Basically, who needs a T1 when there are speeds of up to 101Mb/s*

*speeds are not guaranteed, and are provided as a potential limit to the speeds that may be received. Optimum has stated that they will deliver without contract and 30 day money back guarantee. We believe there might be an installation cost, but even with the installation cost, it might be less expensive than other alternatives. Phone lines with this service are $29.95 each, with unlimited service rates to North America and Puerto Rico.

Blackberry Storm PIN location

Finding your BlackBerry Storm's PIN is quite an easy task, although if you don't know what to do it might be time-consuming; so, here it is.

1. From the Home screen select Menu.

2. Select Options.

3. Select Status.

Your PIN will be listed beside "PIN."

Internet link (Broadband) provided to facility v. number of components

Scenario:
Given. DSL line less than 1.5Mb/s equipping 5 computers, 2 routers, 3 expanders.

• DSL line speed NOT guaranteed
• Each component lessens signal
• Is DSL the proper Internet connectivity for this setting?

Answer. No. DSL line is not guaranteed. 1.5Mb/s is split among several components. Perhaps try a higher speed DSL line if available, T1, or other solution.

Currently, Fiber is replacing coax/cable in many locations, providing higher speed and better Internet throughput = performance. Here are some examples (without forming bias to any one of the following.

AT&T: U-verse. Fiberoptics at the poles, Ethernet cabling to the building structures. AT&T mentions that they may "eventually" replace the Ethernet cabling with Fiberoptic cable to the building structures.

Verizon: FIOS. Fiberoptics at the poles, fiberoptics to the building structures.

Cablevision: Optimum Ultra. Speeds at up to 101Mb/s. This speed is not guaranteed, and we have not yet seen its performance; but something to think about; even if the throughput performs at half that speed, it still is a very fast alternative.

Wireless signal = Good Internet performance

Purely fiction. Well, for the most part it is fiction. Here's why.

• Scenario: Newly-installed wireless network with all CISCO equipment.
  
• Strong signal from multiple WAPs (Wireless Access Points) throughout a concrete building.
• DSL connectivity to a DSLAM (DSL Access Multiplexer).
• Poor internet download/upload performance.

How is this possible? There are many reasons why DSL connection can produce poor performance.

• Many articles have been written about overloading a DSLAM
• There may be a bad port on a DSLAM
• The DSLAM itself may be faulty
• The speed of the subscriber line itself as part of the DSL technology is slow
• Weather may impact DSL
• Distance from the CO (central office where phone equipment is stored for a certain NPA/NXX (e.g. 203/847 (Norwalk, CT)) is greater than a certain distance. The distance is, for the most part, debatable, but if you plan on subscribing to DSL, ensure that the distance from the central office is less than (<14000>
• Faulty DSL router
• Faulty DSL line
• SDSL versus ADSL (a totally different topic to discuss) - some say SDSL actually produces slower speeds!
• Speed of line is not actually guaranteed
• Line tests pass, but that is only from the DSL provider's network to the DSL router. If someone wants true Internet, the true test is from outside the DSL provider's network.
• Poorly-configured DSLAM port
• Poorly-configured equipment
• Cross-connect issue
• OSPF (Open Shortest Point First) is misconfigured (e.g. Two routers, one in Stamford, CT and one in New York City. Stamford needs to reach New York City. Instead of communicating in such a way if or when the open shortest point is direct from Stamford, CT, data packets are sent to a router in Los Angeles, CA), producing poor Internet performance
• Poor latency due to multiple factors. One cause is unestablished BGP Peering, where one network has no relations with another network

What can you do about it? Depending on the DSL provider, you may wish to switch to one that has a tried and true backbone (AT&T, etc.). While many DSL providers CLECs (Competitive Local Exchange Carriers) actually state that their network is superior to that of other ILECs (Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers such as AT&T), the case may actually be that they are cross-connected or bridged between the two networks!

Personally, I have found that ADSL from AT&T outperforms SDSL from other providers. ADSL is asymmetric "rides" on one of your two existing pairs that exist within a regular phone line. SDSL is symmetric and does not - rides on its own phone line.

The initial thought when DSL was first introduced was that DSL would out-perform Cable. The truth is that Cable is faster and more reliable than DSL!

wireless devices as part of your computer solution

Wireless devices approximately use the same frequency ~2.4Ghz. Too many wireless devices and a cordless phone that is in the same location which occupies 2.4Ghz may interfere with other wireless devices.

"Newer" frequency wireless phones, set to operate at DECT 6.0 Ghz, may cause less interference.

In the United States, the following channels can be used. Remember the original cordless phones that used to "auto-select" channels? Well, this table basically shows the channels. As stated, in the United States only channels up through channel 11 are able to be used.

Some devices, such as microwave ovens and speakers may also cause interference to wireless devices, or impede performance.

So, with all of this in mind, use caution because the following devices are some of the list that are available as wireless.

• Video Monitors
• Routers
• Firewalls
• Printers
• Mouse (mice)
• Keyboards
• cordless phones

We have no data at this time that either proves or disproves whether wireless/mobile phones or other devices (BlackBerry, iPhone, etc) by the Wireless telecommunications companies (Verizon, ATT, Sprint, T-Mobile) impede performance or interfere with other devices. We do know that there is a debate of whether wireless telecommunications interfere with instruments such as avionics.

Table 2-1. 802.11g Radio Frequency Channels

Channel	Center Frequency	Frequency Spread
1	2412 MHz	2399.5 MHz - 2424.5 MHz
2	2417 MHz	2404.5 MHz - 2429.5 MHz
3	2422 MHz	2409.5 MHz - 2434.5 MHz
4	2427 MHz	2414.5 MHz - 2439.5 MHz
5	2432 MHz	2419.5 MHz - 2444.5 MHz
6	2437 MHz	2424.5 MHz - 2449.5 MHz
7	2442 MHz	2429.5 MHz - 2454.5 MHz
8	2447 MHz	2434.5 MHz - 2459.5 MHz
9	2452 MHz	2439.5 MHz - 2464.5 MHz
10	2457 MHz	2444.5 MHz - 2469.5 MHz
11	2462 MHz	2449.5 MHz - 2474.5 MHz
12	2467 MHz	2454.5 MHz - 2479.5 MHz
13	2472 MHz	2459.5 MHz - 2484.5 MHz

iTunes sync with Blackberry Storm

If you thought there was not a way to sync your BlackBerry playlists (at least your BlackBerry Storm used for this purpose), with (at the very least) your Macintosh computer, read ahead! In this case, RIOT Computer Technology, LLC sync'd a podcast with its BlackBerry Storm.

Warning: Before performing this task, RIOT Computer Technology, LLC assumes no responsibility for any damage or any resulting affect on the computer and device being used for this purpose, if you or anyone affiliated by you or any entity whatsoever performs this task. However, RIOT Computer Technology, LLC will assist you in the case of failure on either device, without guarantee or any form of warrantee, and you assume all liability in the event that RIOT Computer Technology, LLC is not able to recover either device. If RIOT Computer Technology, LLC is summoned for a service call, RIOT Computer Technology, LLC reserves the right to charge for support service time, based on billable time that is in effect during the support service call that RIOT Computer Technology, LLC performs.

Instructions. RIOT Computer Technology, LLC assumes that you have already downloaded the BlackBerry Media Sync Application from Blackberry.com

1. Launch iTunes on your Macintosh computer
2. Ensure that there are podcasts that exist in the "podcasts" category on your iTunes
3. Create a playlist (or use an existing one) and copy the contents of your podcast into your new (or existing) playlist
4. PHYSICALLY connect your BlackBerry device (in this case we used a Storm) to your Macintosh - the Macintosh will sense that the device has been connected and will bring up the BlackBerry Media Sync application
5. Under playlists, select the playlists to sync (or it provides the option of sync'ing all the playlists
6. The playlists will not appear on your BlackBerry is disconnected from your Macintosh computer. DO NOT DISCONNECT WHILE THE BLACKBERRY IS SYNC'ing WITH YOUR MACINTOSH COMPUTER
7. Upon disconnection, the music/playlists/podcasts should appear on your BlackBerry device
8. That's it! Enjoy.

When a PC gets a virus on a network

By no fault of anyone's own, PCs are always subject to viruses. The most common ways to get a virus is by using Internet Explorer as a web browser and proceeding to a particular website, where the virus "lives" among the coding of that site, through a web link that redirects the computer to another site that will spread the virus, or by launching an attachment of an email.

Before removing the virus, as soon as it is discovered on any infected PC, remove the PC from the computer network. Not doing so may infect more than one PC on the same network.

RIOT's on vacation

RIOT has been on vacation - back on Monday..

Threat Resource Center | Trend Micro