Quick [tech] Questions Thread

[Engels]

Hmm, that's odd. Public network doesn't block RDP by default on Windows 7 or 8. I hope it doesn't do so in 10 or I'm gonna have to mess with extra stuff at work when that comes out. Mutter...

[Lantyssa]

Not outgoing connections, but incoming ones.  It gives me all kinds of headaches.

"Goddammit you stupid machine, it's the same network it was yesterday and the week before that, and the month before both of them.  It's a server!  I am not plugging it in at my local Starbucks.  Why the hell do you think this is a public network!?!"

[apocrypha]

Not outgoing connections, but incoming ones.  It gives me all kinds of headaches.

"Goddammit you stupid machine, it's the same network it was yesterday and the week before that, and the month before both of them.  It's a server!  I am not plugging it in at my local Starbucks.  Why the hell do you think this is a public network!?!"

This exactly. I have no idea why swapping routers made it decide it was a public network but it's very annoying. Still, at least I'm wise to it's tricksy ways now.

[Chimpy]

I always set my rules for all network types on Windows servers. Sure, I would love to lock it down to domain only for almost everything but you never know when the network detection is going to throw you for a loop and change. I have edge firewalls for the bulk of stuff, and my servers don't live on subnets I don't control.

[Engels]

Not outgoing connections, but incoming ones. 

Wait, on a Windows 10 desktop, one cannot remote desktop -into- the desktop on a Public network setting by default? Because that a change from Windows 7. We haven't used Win 8 except on a few tablets here and there, so I can't comment on that.

[Lantyssa]

I haven't touched 10 yet so I cannot say, but I would not be surprised if it denies it by default.  (I mean, really, it's a smart thing to do.  Just annoying if it decides your home network is public when it's not.

Hopefully I work up the nerve to tell work to stuff it before 10 comes out so I don't have to worry about it.  Just want to get this renewal cert under my belt...

[apocrypha]

Wait, on a Windows 10 desktop, one cannot remote desktop -into- the desktop on a Public network setting by default?

That seems to be the case at the moment, yes.

I've submitted feedback about it, no idea if there's the slightest chance in Basingstoke that it will have any effect.

[lamaros]

So I unplugged my computer today, opened up the case, vaccumed up some dust (on the floor of the case), packed it back up.

And now it won't turn on. No power of any kind, no lights, no sound heat or movement.

I've tried to check everything I could think/search. It won't turn on with only the MB connected. The PSU to wall cable still works and the wall socket still has power (both confirmed with monitor). I've checked the PSU to mb connections several times. I've taken out the CMOS battery for 15 min and retried. I'm using the mb power buttons and not the case ones.

I don't have a means to check the PSU unit itself at the moment but I'm wondering if I'm correct in my assumption that either the PSU or mb must have gone? The computer is less than six months old.

The only other thing that may be relevant is that when I opened the case I noticed that the CPU fan was loose and the connection between it and the processor had been lost. Messing up the thermal compount a little.

I'm assuming this was the case prior to me opening the case, when the computer was working fine, as I didn't touch it.

I have not had any issues of any sort with the comp before this.

Any ideas on what might be the problem and what I could check?

Have I somehow stuffed the PSU/mb or processor?

[Salamok]

Maybe fried something with the static from the vacuum cleaner?  There is a good reason we use canned air to blow shit all over the place as opposed to vacuuming the insides of computers.

[Trippy]

Did you somehow short the motherboard to the case? I would take the motherboard out of the case and try to power it on that way.

[lamaros]

I'm not sure what you mean Trippy, just take the MB out and try to power it on with the PSU? How would that differ from doing it in the case?

Also if no action there any way to see if it is psu or mb issue?

[Goreschach]

If the computer was working fine before you took it apart, then the cpu fan being loose wouldn't be the problem. It's not like it'll start overheating the minute you turn the computer on.

You can do a ghetto psu test by pluggin a fan or something into the unit and shorting power on to ground using a paperclip or something. Leave everything else unplugged, and don't leave the thing running like this, but just turning it on for a second or two to see if the fan spins up is fine. It doesn't tell you if the psu is fully functional, but if the fan spins up correctly it probably is.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-power-up-an-ATX-Power-Supply-without-a-PC/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVt3nYv4zlU

And yeah, take the mb out of the case, just to make sure there isn't a screw or something wedged in there and shorting something out.

[lamaros]

Cheers for the tips, PSU runs the fan when shorted, mb does nothing at all when just it is plugged in to the PSU.

Pretty conclusive that I've fried the mb then, right? I guess I could have fried more part too tho? Or would it be less likely to bugger the HDS, ram and GPU? Would suck if I somehow stuffed the whole computer.

Edit: looks like this might be a common issue with my mb. Asroxk extreme gameing z97. There's a a reddit post with the exact issue.

[Mandella]

Make sure your RAM is still well seated too.

[lamaros]

Confirmed I have the exact same issue from the reddit thread.http://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/2jrt1b/psarequest_possible_reoccurring_problem_with_the/

Hopefully this means I didn't damage anything else, at least.

[lamaros]

Possibly stupid question: should I remove and apply some new thermal compound when putting the cpu and fan in to the new MB? I assume yeah...

[Chimpy]

Possibly stupid question: should I remove and apply some new thermal compound when putting the cpu and fan in to the new MB? I assume yeah...

If it is damaged, definitely.

[Cyrrex]

Possibly stupid question: should I remove and apply some new thermal compound when putting the cpu and fan in to the new MB? I assume yeah...

If it is damaged, definitely.

Fo sho.  I had a similar problem in one of the boys' PCs six months ago where I noticed that the fans were working too hard and the CPU temp was borderline extreme (and causing slowdowns).  The connection between the CPU and fan was going to poop.  I repasted it, and it instantly dropped 30 freaking degrees.  Celsius, that is.  Never before have I seen so clearly demonstrated just how important that stupid paste really is.

Also, surely you can RMA that mb?

[lamaros]

Yeah working through that now. Impatient to be without a computer for however long this is going to take though.

3-5 weeks.

What's the point of a warranty that only replaces parts that takes that long. Let me take a replacement up front at least so I can actually use my PC for the next month!

[Yegolev]

Making progress on my file repo project using AWS.  Finally figured out what I was doing wrong with S3 access via boto, so now I can get_all_buckets() and everything.

The question concerns whether to write my own file put-get program in python, or is there a canned tool which either:
1. Creates something like a nfs mount which I can use as a location for vsftp files.
2. Some other tool that works with vsftp somehow.
3. Something other than vsftp for uploads?

Since I'm supposed to be learning python, I'm inclined to write my own thing but I am curious about how this might be best done.

[Trippy]

You can use S3FS if you want to use FUSE.

[Yegolev]

Saw that in a google search, but the enrgish was bad.  I'll give it a try.

[Sky]

I suddenly find myself in the position of having to set up DNS on our network. Kinda got hung out to dry by our system people, not too happy about the way they did it.

We're running an apache server for our media dispenser and it works great outside our network. However, inside our network it won't accept the connection to the URL that points to the external IP (there is a working internal IP, the apache server is in a DMZ and we have multiple vlans staff/public/etc on some cisco doohickey the system people have locked me out of). Our system folks said we need to set up our own DNS and good luck byekthx. We'd like to get the service up and running ASAP, since it's working except this one issue.

Never having looked at linux but having many years experience using the command line supporting our OSX file server, should I bother trying to tech myself enough linux and bind to get it running?

[Chimpy]

What are your workstations using for their DNS server?

[Trippy]

Is there a reason why you can't just use a URL that has the internal IP address instead of the hostname? You can setup your own DNS server but then you have to tell all the clients that need to access that media server to use that DNS server. Do you control the DHCP server?

I haven't tried this guide I found myself but it should give you an idea what would involved in setting up your own DNS server:

https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-configure-bind-as-a-private-network-dns-server-on-ubuntu-14-04

Edit: Also if there are only a handful of devices that need to access this media server and they all have proper /etc/hosts (or equivalent) files it's probably a lot easier to just customize those files.

[Sky]

Chimpy: google dns, mostly

Trippy, it's a subdomain that is accessed primarily via the web, using the external IP that forwards to the webserver in the dmz. I don't control the DHCP but they said they would point it as needed after I go ahead and learn linux and set up dns by myself.

For our computers in the library, I could edit /etc/hosts, that's how I'm running it for my work computer for now. Changing the 75 or so machines wouldn't be ideal, but it's doable.

Problem is wireless and mobile patrons inside the library. Currently they're SOL and we strive to provide our services on anything that walks through the door. (And technically mobile patrons could just turn off wifi to connect externally via cell but blah).

Times like this is when I get resentful of not being allowed to do the lower level network stuff, I hate being at the mercy of a not necessarily cooperative agency. They just decide they don't want to do it and throw some contractual language at me, when for the most part we cooperate way beyond what our contract stipulates because we try not to be douchebags in a cooperative nonprofit environment where their mission statement is to serve the member libraries. But I digress. (We're also the only library asking for anything more advanced than 'order and set up our computers for us, might magicians', so I guess we're uppity and whatnot)

[Hammond]

Setting up bind is trivial to do and the link that Trippy posted should be straight forward enough. Just make sure you spend a little time "hardening" the server. Since you are allowing any public user to connect to it you will get some people that will most likely have something malicious attack it. Preferably put the server behind a firewall and only allow the dns ports through the firewall to that ip space.

Also a word of warning, if you setup a domain that is valid and is using external dns servers make sure you replicate any and all records for it. So for example you have www.example.com, you also want to setup example.com and if the media server is something like media.example.com make sure you set that up as well. This is really important to make sure that it is as seamless as possible to the end users.

[Lantyssa]

DNS is pretty simple, though most of my experience is on the Windows side.  Other than the commands it's just a matter of getting it all straight.  If I understand it, your setup is something such as:

WAN IP:  7.7.7.7 (library.sky.net)
DMZ IP:  172.16.50.10
LAN IP:  192.168.1.25

So from outside someone can go to http://library.sky.net and get to the server.  Inside trying to go to that address times out, because the routers don't want to send a connection out then back in.  You can get there by using http://192.168.1.25, but you want patrons to use the name address?

What DNS servers do computers on the network currently use?  Is it all public stuff like Google or your Library's ISP?  Do you not have internal name addresses at all, only numerics?

[Chimpy]

If it is accessible via the DMZ, then you should just have everything go to that IP (and unless there is some really pressing reason why you need to have an internal IP, get rid of the internal interface entirely.) Give that DMZ address a DNS host record that is advertised to the world and then have your internal staff go out through the "Cisco doohickey" to get to the pages just like anyone else.

Provided your internal staff who need to connect to this resource are able to get out to the web, that is going to be a hell of a lot easier to set up and manage than running your own internal DNS server. It also keeps that box from becoming an easy gateway into your trusted network if it is compromised.

[Sky]

If it is accessible via the DMZ, then you should just have everything go to that IP (and unless there is some really pressing reason why you need to have an internal IP, get rid of the internal interface entirely.) Give that DMZ address a DNS host record that is advertised to the world and then have your internal staff go out through the "Cisco doohickey" to get to the pages just like anyone else.

Provided your internal staff who need to connect to this resource are able to get out to the web, that is going to be a hell of a lot easier to set up and manage than running your own internal DNS server. It also keeps that box from becoming an easy gateway into your trusted network if it is compromised.

Want to come work for our library system? This is the kind of response I was hoping to get from them. They hired some Melvin and paid for his Cisco certs and I get 'good luck, buddy'. Guaranteed that kid is looking for jobs, he believes 'libraries are for old people' (since the system doesn't serve the public, they don't see our patronage).

Aaanyway.

Killing that internal interface sounds like one of those obvious things I should've thought of :) I only use it for smb to dick around with a couple files, which I could easily do over the web. Trying to think of any other use for it, and coming up empty. So I'd request he kills the internal interfaces and locks down whatever he's opened between the dmz and the internal network (which as I type it doesn't make any sense anyway!)

I'll request that change and see how it goes...

[Sky]

Hmm, my VNC software is using the internal interface and won't use the external one (connection refused).

Is there some limitation on the router that won't let it connect to the external interface the connection is originating from?

[Hammond]

Hmm, my VNC software is using the internal interface and won't use the external one (connection refused).

Is there some limitation on the router that won't let it connect to the external interface the connection is originating from?

Yes the problem you are running into is due to traffic coming from the same interface. And you really really should not be managing the server from the outside ip anyway. Judging from what you posted so far I think we do not have enough information about your setup. If you are running into this issue your public users will most likely run into the same.

Here is my guess on your setup.

1 internet connection which both your Guest users (patrons) and the Library (you) share. They are split up to a guest network and the library network separated on different Vlans (think separate networks). The Server is in a DMZ(dmz is really in its own vlan) which really allows both the guest users and your users to access it. And allows external users to access it as well. This is a pretty standard setup for networks. To do what Chimpy suggests in this scenario you have to implement something called Hair-pinning.  https://nat0.net/cisco-asa-hairpinning/  . Not all network devices support that and it can create additional load for the network device let alone not many network guys really understand how that works... Which is probably why the network guys kicked it over to you. They really don't understand how to make it work.

I take it the Media server you are running is a linux box? if so just install bind have the network guy forward the DNS ports internally and call it good. Make sure he doesn't expose those ports to the internet and you should have no more issues than you already have. Just keep in mind if they setup that server to act as a DNS forwarder in the DHCP any and all users that get ips from that DHCP scope (which is hopefully just the guest network users) will then be using that server for dns resolution. Its probably the quickest solution although from a security standpoint it royally sucks.

[Lantyssa]

That's why I was asking about the setup.

[Hawkbit]

My kid has been trying to up her YouTube video quality. She really likes the Minecraft videos that people makes, and she's been making her own for almost a year.

So now she wants an editing program. Does anyone know of a decent, cheap video recorder and editor software? She would like to incorporate her webcam and mic, she's really trying to emulate the Stampy and IhasCupquake folks.

For better or worse...

[Trippy]

My kid has been trying to up her YouTube video quality. She really likes the Minecraft videos that people makes, and she's been making her own for almost a year.

So now she wants an editing program. Does anyone know of a decent, cheap video recorder and editor software? She would like to incorporate her webcam and mic, she's really trying to emulate the Stampy and IhasCupquake folks.

For better or worse...

The Webcam thing is likely done through something like OBS. If you wander over to twitch.tv you can see what people are doing with software like that. For basic video editing I usually use some version of the non-Pro Vegas.

Just a word of caution: I would be very careful letting her post videos of herself on YouTube. There are very bad people out there who may decide to harass and stalk her.