Re: Extending win to cover black spots

[Robin Belford]

Hi Marcus,

A couple of things to consider here.
How old is your unit? 
Did it have multiple telephone jacks install with the build? 
Is there an unused phone jack in the middle of the unit?
If you can relocate your modem to a more central location by utilising a 
different phone point you could possibly get complete coverage of your home 
with the existing router/modem. 
If you are going to do this you will probably need to get a network technician 
or electrician to ensure that the alternate incoming jack is properly 
configured, and to disconnect the current jack.

If you can't do the above there are a number of network extension methods and 
roughly in order of usefulness they are;
A wired, ethernet, backbone from the front of the house to the back. Use any 
WiFi bridge, e.g. a second hand Airport Express from Gumtree.
Mesh network solution (which will work even better with item 1 above installed)
Wireless range extenders, contending with all the other wireless devices, 
microwave ovens, and other electronic devices in your house.
Power-line adaptors. These have a number of problems but can provide a passable 
solution. They must definitely be on the same phase (if you have 3 phase power) 
and work most reliably if they are on the same circuit.
By the time you get to number 3 your network speed and reliability is getting 
to a state that by modern standards is unacceptable.

Here’s an analogy to consider. “You decide to put an outside shower at your 
back door. To use the shower you have choice of getting your 
son/daughter/wife/husband/significant other/neighbour keep pouring water in the 
funnel above the shower OR you get a plumber to connect the shower to the water 
supply.”  You decide!

The suggestions aired earlier using a couple of Apple Airports with a wired 
backbone is a tried and solid solution, working reliably for years on end. Like 
most reponders, when mine fails for some reason I will go for a mesh solution 
but I will utilise my existing ethernet back bone.

Hope this helps.

robin




> On 21 May 2020, at 4:04 pm, Marcus Harris  wrote:
> 
> Hello all at WAMUG, 
> 
> I live in a two storey apartment and I am connected to the NBN and my 
> provider is iiNET.
> 
> My router/modem is a TP Link Archer VR 1600v— AC 1600  Wireless Dual Band
> 
> It is connected at the front door and broadcasts wifi ok to the middle of 
> both levels but not to the rear of the either level
> 
> I decided to search for wireless range extenders and then came across power 
> line adapter kits.
> I found both items made by TP Link and available locally off the shelf.
> 
> My query is in parts.
> Would those using range extenders recommend I buy one? And would it be a TP 
> Link model again?
> And then, would a powerline adaptor of a wireless range extender be the 
> better choice.
> Regards   


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Re: auto-starting iMac

[kaye and geoff]

Hi all,

David Brown, who isn't on WAMUG but who has been following this thread, has 
suggested that the iMac might be set to auto re-start  on power failure. I 
haven't been into the new house, and I won't be going there today, but I'm 
certain he is right. I don't usually have that feature set, but the machine we 
are using is an old one, just set up to test that the NBN connection was 
working, and it could easily be set up that way.

It ties in with something else I noticed. The iMac shuts down quickly - 
noticeably quicker than the desktop machine I use at home. Because it is just a 
temporary setup there are no other devices attached, not even a backup disk, so 
there is nothing with a light to indicate that the shutdown is complete. When 
we're leaving the house I shut down the mac, turn off the modem, then flick the 
isolation switch as I walk out of the room. If the iMac is shutting down the 
screen well before it has completed its full power-down, I may be turning off 
the isolation switch while the iMac is still technically on (although it shows 
no sign of life).

When I want to use the machine I turn on the isolation switch, turn on the 
modem (or just walk over and wave my hand at it - takes the same amount of 
time) and lo and behold the iMac boot up - it has detected the return of power 
after what would have looked like a power failure. I've never had a pop-up 
warning me that the machine was shut down incorrectly.

It even allows for the fact that I've turned on the power, avoided the modem,  
and the iMac hasn't booted - if it had time to fully shut down last time it was 
used it wouldn't have re-started. 

I'll check it out next time I'm in at the house and let you know. 

Kaye and Geoff
k...@kgweb.org.au





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Re: Extending win to cover black spots

[Peter Hinchliffe]

> On 21 May 2020, at 4:04 pm, Marcus Harris  wrote:
> 
> Hello all at WAMUG, 
> 
> I live in a two storey apartment and I am connected to the NBN and my 
> provider is iiNET.
> 
> My router/modem is a TP Link Archer VR 1600v— AC 1600  Wireless Dual Band
> 
> It is connected at the front door and broadcasts wifi ok to the middle of 
> both levels but not to the rear of the either level
> 
> I decided to search for wireless range extenders and then came across power 
> line adapter kits.
> I found both items made by TP Link and available locally off the shelf.
> 
> My query is in parts.
> Would those using range extenders recommend I buy one? And would it be a TP 
> Link model again?
> And then, would a powerline adaptor of a wireless range extender be the 
> better choice.
> Regards   

I have to say Marcus that my experience with Powerline devices has not been a 
happy one. I have also tried a few different range extenders, with varying 
degrees of success, but I have finally settled on the Apple Time Capsule/ 
Airport Express combo that Peter Crisp describes, and have not had a single 
problem in the several years I’ve been running them. The main problem with them 
now is that Apple have discontinued them. 

When my units eventually die I’ll be looking one of the new Mesh solutions, 
such as the Netgear Orbi. These things have a very good reputation, and are 
about a third of the price they were when they first appeared in shops. 
Although I haven’t yet had personal experience with any of them, it will be 
definitely something I’ll be looking very closely at when the time fro 
replacement comes, certainly ahead of any Powerline solution.

I would be good to hear from anyone on the list who has had any practical 
experience with a Mesh solution.

Kind regards,

Peter HinchliffeApwin Computer Services
FileMaker Pro Solutions Developer
Perth, Western Australia
Phone (618) 9332 6482Mob 0403 046 948

Mac because I prefer it -- Windows because I have to.

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Re: auto-starting iMac

[Philippe Chaperon]

Hi Kaye and All, 

Though I do not see how my suggestion further down can help in your case, but 
you could ask your electrician to ensure that the power plug in which your 
computer is connected is properly wired. If the return or neutral cable is 
incorrectly connected to the on/off switch, if you have one, it is quite 
possible that the computer would be continually connected to the live 240V 
wire. 

A proper and safe connection is for the ‘live’ wire to be cut off by the 
‘on/off’ switch, then any equipment connected to the plug would not be exposed 
to the 240V live at all times. 

Would that explain your ‘spooky’ booting up of the iMac, I am not sure but its 
worth checking. 

Wishing you all the best, and if not resolved I may be able to get you an 
exorcist … 

Good night, 

Philippe Chaperon


On 21 May 2020, at 10:14 pm, Daniel Kerr  wrote:

Hi Kaye

Though it shouldn’t really affect it when it’s “off”, but a couple fo things to 
try/check - 
In System Preference - Energy Saver. Untick “Wake for Network access”. If it is 
ticked.

Also try an SMC reset. On the iMac, this is to shut it down, unplug all the 
cables including the power cable from the back of the iMac. So nothing at all 
is plugged in. Leave it off for a few minutes, then plug things back in and 
start it up again. This will reset the Power Management etc. Incase there’s 
something “playing up” there.

Try those two things and see if it helps.

Oh, and another thing to check. Do you have any devices in System Preferences - 
Bluetooth that aren’t being used. I once had a rogue bluetooth keyboard that 
was in a cupboard that did strange things to a computer as it was still on and 
connected, but no longer used. Removing it from Bluetooth resolved a lot of 
“weird happenings”.

Just a few thoughts before you go in a ghost remover :)
Kind regards
Daniel
---
Daniel Kerr
MacWizardry

Phone: 0414 795 960
Email: 
Web:   


**For everything Apple**

NOTE: Any information provided in this email may be my personal opinion and as 
such should be taken accordingly, and may not be the views of MacWizardry. Any 
information provided does not offer or warrant any form of warranty or accept 
liability. It would be appreciated that if any information in this email is to 
be disseminated, distributed or copied, that permission by the author be 
requested. 

> On 21 May 2020, at 9:47 pm, kaye and geoff  wrote:
> 
>> Time to review the X-Files?
>>> ...Where are Fox Mulder & Dana Scully when you need them?
>>> 
> I'll do some experiments - pull out the ethernet connection, for example, or 
> change the port on the modem. If I find out anything that explains it I'll 
> let you know. 
> 
> Cheers, Kaye
> 
> 
> Kaye and Geoff
> k...@kgweb.org.au
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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Re: auto-starting iMac

[Ronni Brown]

Yes Kaye, time to experiment. Can you connect via WiFi?
If you connect via Wi-Fi plug the cable into UNI-D1

Kind Regards,
Ronni

 Ronni Brown’s iPad Pro 12.9-inch 256GB 


> On 21 May 2020, at 9:48 pm, kaye and geoff  wrote:
> 
> 
>> Time to review the X-Files?
>>> ...Where are Fox Mulder & Dana Scully when you need them?
>>> 
> I'll do some experiments - pull out the ethernet connection, for example, or 
> change the port on the modem. If I find out anything that explains it I'll 
> let you know. 
> 
> Cheers, Kaye
> 
> 
> Kaye and Geoff
> k...@kgweb.org.au
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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Re: auto-starting iMac

[Ronni Brown]

Time to review the X-Files?

Kind Regards,
Ronni

 Ronni Brown’s iPad Pro 12.9-inch 256GB 


> On 21 May 2020, at 6:32 pm, Neil Houghton  wrote:
> 
> 
> Hehe
>  
> Where are Fox Mulder & Dana Scully when you need them?
>  
> Cheers
>  
>  
> Neil
>  
> From:  on behalf of kaye and 
> geoff 
> Reply-To: 
> Date: Thursday, 21 May 2020 at 17:08
> To: 
> Subject: Re: auto-starting iMac
>  
> Are you plugged directly into the NBN termination box?
> Is the system status light ON?
>  
> I might have to agree with Neil’s suggestion “do you know any exorcists”?
>  
> Yes - the modem is plugged directly into the NBN termination box. The modem 
> is off - no lights showing at all. The only connection between the modem and 
> the iMac is the ethernet cable (as I said, they are even on different power 
> circuits), and the the modem and computer are about 1.5 metres apart. This is 
> a temporary setup in an otherwise bare computer room.
>  
> To be honest, in more the 50 years of computing I've never seen anything like 
> it. When it was just the computer booting when I turned the modem on I was 
> prepared to accept that there may have been an effect, but with the modem 
> off, it is quite spooky.
>  
> Cheers, Kaye
>  
> 
> Kaye and Geoff
> k...@kgweb.org.au
>  
>  
>  
> 
> 
> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- Archives - Guidelines - 
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Re: auto-starting iMac

[Daniel Kerr]

Hi Kaye

Though it shouldn’t really affect it when it’s “off”, but a couple fo things to 
try/check - 
In System Preference - Energy Saver. Untick “Wake for Network access”. If it is 
ticked.

Also try an SMC reset. On the iMac, this is to shut it down, unplug all the 
cables including the power cable from the back of the iMac. So nothing at all 
is plugged in. Leave it off for a few minutes, then plug things back in and 
start it up again. This will reset the Power Management etc. Incase there’s 
something “playing up” there.

Try those two things and see if it helps.

Oh, and another thing to check. Do you have any devices in System Preferences - 
Bluetooth that aren’t being used. I once had a rogue bluetooth keyboard that 
was in a cupboard that did strange things to a computer as it was still on and 
connected, but no longer used. Removing it from Bluetooth resolved a lot of 
“weird happenings”.

Just a few thoughts before you go in a ghost remover :)
Kind regards
Daniel
---
Daniel Kerr
MacWizardry

Phone: 0414 795 960
Email: 
Web:   


**For everything Apple**

NOTE: Any information provided in this email may be my personal opinion and as 
such should be taken accordingly, and may not be the views of MacWizardry. Any 
information provided does not offer or warrant any form of warranty or accept 
liability. It would be appreciated that if any information in this email is to 
be disseminated, distributed or copied, that permission by the author be 
requested. 

> On 21 May 2020, at 9:47 pm, kaye and geoff  wrote:
> 
>> Time to review the X-Files?
>>> ...Where are Fox Mulder & Dana Scully when you need them?
>>> 
> I'll do some experiments - pull out the ethernet connection, for example, or 
> change the port on the modem. If I find out anything that explains it I'll 
> let you know. 
> 
> Cheers, Kaye
> 
> 
> Kaye and Geoff
> k...@kgweb.org.au
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List --
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> 

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Re: auto-starting iMac

[kaye and geoff]

> Time to review the X-Files?
>> ...Where are Fox Mulder & Dana Scully when you need them?
>> 
I'll do some experiments - pull out the ethernet connection, for example, or 
change the port on the modem. If I find out anything that explains it I'll let 
you know. 

Cheers, Kaye


Kaye and Geoff
k...@kgweb.org.au





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Re: auto-starting iMac

[Ronni Brown]

Hmmm 樂 

Are you plugged directly into the NBN termination box?
Is the system status light ON?

I might have to agree with Neil’s suggestion “do you know any exorcists”?

Kind Regards,

Ronni

 Ronni Brown’s iPad Pro 12.9-inch 256GB 


> On 21 May 2020, at 4:39 pm, kaye and geoff  wrote:
> 
> 
>> Are you very sure that the iMac does shut down completely?
> 
> Absolutely. The room's isolation switch is turned off before we leave the 
> site - it has no power going to it. The modem is on a separate power circuit 
> that stays on, but the modem itself is definitely off.
> 
> I come into the house, turn on the room's isolation switch, then do my magic 
> hand wave near the modem and the iMac (but not the modem) turns on, with a 
> satisfying "boing".
> 
> The floor is solid concrete with tiles - no vibrations, and not even carpet 
> to spark up static. It is truly inexplicable.
> 
> Cheers, Kaye
> 
> 
> Kaye and Geoff
> k...@kgweb.org.au
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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Re: auto-starting iMac

[Ronni Brown]

Hi Kaye,

Are you very sure that the iMac does shut down completely?

Kind Regards,
Ronni

 Ronni Brown’s iPad Pro 12.9-inch 256GB 


> On 21 May 2020, at 12:09 pm, kaye and geoff  wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> This isn't a problem, but a rather puzzling behaviour from my iMac. We have 
> recently connected the NBN to a house we are building, so I have the modem 
> and an old (~2007) iMac in the house, connected by ethernet. Because we 
> aren't living there I turn both computer and modem off most of the time.
> 
> Right from the start I noticed that if I turned the modem on first the iMac 
> booted itself up without being touched. OK, I can accept that. But one day I 
> reached out to turn on the modem, changed my mind and didn't touch it, but 
> the iMac booted anyway. The next time I was on site I tried an experiment, 
> and just walked over to the modem and waved my hand in front of it. Sure 
> enough, the iMac booted. Yesterday I got Geoff to try (in case I had a high 
> static charge and it was me doing it). He never even got to wave his hand - 
> he just walked briskly over to the modem and the iMac booted!
> 
> It does seem to be associated with the modem - I can go to the desk and sit 
> in front of the iMac and nothing happens unless I get close to the modem.
> 
> Any ideas?
> 
> Cheers, K
> 
> Kaye and Geoff
> k...@kgweb.org.au
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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Extending win to cover black spots

[Marcus Harris]

Hello all at WAMUG, 

I live in a two storey apartment and I am connected to the NBN and my provider 
is iiNET.

My router/modem is a TP Link Archer VR 1600v— AC 1600  Wireless Dual Band

It is connected at the front door and broadcasts wifi ok to the middle of both 
levels but not to the rear of the either level

I decided to search for wireless range extenders and then came across power 
line adapter kits.
I found both items made by TP Link and available locally off the shelf.

My query is in parts.
Would those using range extenders recommend I buy one? And would it be a TP 
Link model again?
And then, would a powerline adaptor of a wireless range extender be the better 
choice.
Regards 

Marcus Harris
P.O. Box 7135
Shenton Park
Western Australia 6008
Australia

cryptodo...@me.com
Mob: +61 (0) 417965618


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Re: auto-starting iMac

[Neil Houghton]

Hehe

 

Where are Fox Mulder & Dana Scully when you need them?

 

Cheers

 

 

Neil

 

From:  on behalf of kaye and 
geoff 
Reply-To: 
Date: Thursday, 21 May 2020 at 17:08
To: 
Subject: Re: auto-starting iMac

 

Are you plugged directly into the NBN termination box?

Is the system status light ON?

 

I might have to agree with Neil’s suggestion “do you know any exorcists”?

 

Yes - the modem is plugged directly into the NBN termination box. The modem is 
off - no lights showing at all. The only connection between the modem and the 
iMac is the ethernet cable (as I said, they are even on different power 
circuits), and the the modem and computer are about 1.5 metres apart. This is a 
temporary setup in an otherwise bare computer room.

 

To be honest, in more the 50 years of computing I've never seen anything like 
it. When it was just the computer booting when I turned the modem on I was 
prepared to accept that there may have been an effect, but with the modem off, 
it is quite spooky.

 

Cheers, Kaye

 



Kaye and Geoff

k...@kgweb.org.au

 

 

 


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Re: Extending win to cover black spots

[Peter Crisp]

Hi Marcus, have you considered moving your current modem to a more
central location to improve WIFI signal to all corners (maybe your
communications incomer is limiting that opportunity)? Is the floor
concrete or timber, this may limit the WIFI strength to the floor the
modem is NOT on.
Notwithstanding those items, I have a house which is very long (single
storey) and the base WIFI (Apple Time Capsule) is up one end because
of where the phone line comes into the building. Some years ago I
bought a 30m Ethernet cable to run down the length of the house
(through the ceiling but properly laid and fitted with fascia plates
at each wall entry). At the far end I set up an Apple Airport Extreme
(donated by Dad). This improved the wifi signal at that end of the
house sufficiently to now service three extremely data hungry kids
with constant video streaming "requirements". No problems for me. Once
or twice a year I need to reboot the Express but for peace of mind
probably not because it was technically needed.

Kind Regards

Peter Crisp

- Original Message -
From: wamug@wamug.org.au
To:"WAMUG" 
Cc:
Sent:Thu, 21 May 2020 16:04:05 +0800
Subject:Extending win to cover black spots

 Hello all at WAMUG, 
I live in a two storey apartment and I am connected to the NBN and my
provider is iiNET.
My router/modem is a TP Link Archer VR 1600v— AC 1600  Wireless
Dual Band
It is connected at the front door and broadcasts wifi ok to the middle
of both levels but not to the rear of the either level
I decided to search for wireless range extenders and then came across
power line adapter kits.I found both items made by TP Link and
available locally off the shelf.
My query is in parts.Would those using range extenders recommend I buy
one? And would it be a TP Link model again?And then, would a powerline
adaptor of a wireless range extender be the better choice.Regards 

Marcus Harris
P.O. Box 7135
Shenton Park
Western Australia 6008
Australia

cryptodo...@me.com [1]
Mob: +61 (0) 417965618

 

Links:
--
[1] mailto:cryptodo...@me.com

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Re: auto-starting iMac

[kaye and geoff]

> Are you plugged directly into the NBN termination box?
> Is the system status light ON?
> 
> I might have to agree with Neil’s suggestion “do you know any exorcists”?

Yes - the modem is plugged directly into the NBN termination box. The modem is 
off - no lights showing at all. The only connection between the modem and the 
iMac is the ethernet cable (as I said, they are even on different power 
circuits), and the the modem and computer are about 1.5 metres apart. This is a 
temporary setup in an otherwise bare computer room.

To be honest, in more the 50 years of computing I've never seen anything like 
it. When it was just the computer booting when I turned the modem on I was 
prepared to accept that there may have been an effect, but with the modem off, 
it is quite spooky.

Cheers, Kaye


Kaye and Geoff
k...@kgweb.org.au





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Re: auto-starting iMac

[kaye and geoff]

> Are you very sure that the iMac does shut down completely?

Absolutely. The room's isolation switch is turned off before we leave the site 
- it has no power going to it. The modem is on a separate power circuit that 
stays on, but the modem itself is definitely off.

I come into the house, turn on the room's isolation switch, then do my magic 
hand wave near the modem and the iMac (but not the modem) turns on, with a 
satisfying "boing".

The floor is solid concrete with tiles - no vibrations, and not even carpet to 
spark up static. It is truly inexplicable.

Cheers, Kaye


Kaye and Geoff
k...@kgweb.org.au





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