Quick [tech] Questions Thread

[Yegolev]

My credit card is stolen every four to six months already, so I suppose Google is fine.

[Lantyssa]

I have my ISP as my primary and Google as my secondary.  Generally works pretty well.

[Yegolev]

I decided to not do anything difficult like split my network by starting up DHCP on one of the routers set to use alternate DNS... I just changed the DNS settings on my PC and the PS4.  If that fixes things, I'll gradually do this on the other networked equipments.

[Hawkbit]

Anyone know how to completely remove history/cache/cookies/location services from an iPad?

It's running iOS 8.1, but turning off location services, clearing history, cookies and data from the Settings is still retaining a local zip code for a website I'm viewing.  I can't figure out how it's pulling that information, it shouldn't do that from my wireless connection, I hope.

Weird.

[Trippy]

Anyone know how to completely remove history/cache/cookies/location services from an iPad?

It's running iOS 8.1, but turning off location services, clearing history, cookies and data from the Settings is still retaining a local zip code for a website I'm viewing.  I can't figure out how it's pulling that information, it shouldn't do that from my wireless connection, I hope.

Weird.

Are you on Wi-Fi? Sites can guess your ZIP code by IP address.

[Hawkbit]

That's what I figured. 

It's adding the zip as text into the input field on the site, which effectively is bypassing any type of "do not track" tools the ipad has.  Which is only a problem when the users can actually see the information we're collecting.

Thanks Trippy, that was helpful.

[Yegolev]

A trial last night seems to indicate that changing the DNS servers in my PS4 has eliminated all of the ass that I was getting while trying to play Destiny.  Seems to have fixed up the PC as well.

[Merusk]

Met with Marketing for next year's planning yesterday. They're looking for a hosted solution that also does page management because we don't do enough to keep a fulltime web dev employed. Sort of a one-stop shop that will take responsibility for both uptime and page templates, etc.

Our current guys are middlemen who push hosting out to Rackspace and therefore are really just taking our money since they always claim any problems are Rackspace's fault.

Any suggestions from the peanut gallery?

[Yegolev]

Thoroughly read the contract before you sign it.

[Merusk]

Thoroughly read the contract before you sign it.

They're just looking for suggestions from us, already leaning towards Rackspace.Marketing will sign it.

So you already know THAT outcome.

[Yegolev]

As far as I know, Rackspace is the de facto cloud provider that isn't Amazon.  However I have no experience with their services since they are a competitor.

[Chimpy]

I am a bit confused by your request as it sounds like you were asking about hosted web platforms with all the CMS bells and whistles but then you sound like you moved into just plain old cloud hosting of website data you already have.

I am sure there are dozens of MSPs out there that could do what exactly you are looking for in either respect. (At a minimum)

[Hammond]

We use Rackspace, Microsoft azure and Amazon AWS here at work. Rackspace is not the cheapest solution but our up time has been pretty impressive and I haven't honestly had any issues. No idea why you are looking at them though if you are just doing a simple CMS style site. Because almost any hosting company can handle that. Just don't go with the el-cheapo outfits and you will be fine.

[ezrast]

Sort of a one-stop shop that will take responsibility for both uptime and page templates, etc.

Do those exist? My impression is that most actual hosting providers aren't going to touch your site beyond making sure that it is connected to the internet and maybe is generating HTTP 200's, so you'd need a middleman, but I could be entirely wrong.

In any case, I happen to be a support troll for a managed hosting provider that caters to a lot of small-to-medium businesses without their own IT departments, so if you like the idea of me being the guy responsible for not fucking up your website, PM me.

I don't go near the sales guys so I have no idea how we compare to Rackspace economically.

[Merusk]

I am a bit confused by your request as it sounds like you were asking about hosted web platforms with all the CMS bells and whistles but then you sound like you moved into just plain old cloud hosting of website data you already have.

I am sure there are dozens of MSPs out there that could do what exactly you are looking for in either respect. (At a minimum)

Hey, good, you're as understanding of it as I am then.  I asked because I know a lot of you do web monkeying, I'm not the lead and we were only being 'consulted' on it because we're doing annual planning.

We launched a "new" website last year and evidently the design company we used is all proprietary template-based. One of the requirements was that it be easy to update with no tinkering, just upload articles to a site via wordpress and have them drop in. So now that they're realizing, hey, we're paying these guys to be middlemen and they're not doing anything for us it's been decided to start looking elsewhere.  However, since the templates were proprietary they're not sure we'll get the site if we move.

God forbid you ever involve your IT department in any tech issues prior to making decisions.  No, you're supposed to run to them the day before a marketing initiative or trade show. Long after decisions about things have been made and you can't figure out why you can't get your iPhone to stream videos to your PC and 4 TVs at the same time over the convention center wireless. 

[Yegolev]

Rabbit not appearing from hat, go find the magician.

[Sky]

I love when a project is planned, budgeted, approved and funded before I'm involved. It doesn't happen too often, but often enough that it makes me crazy. If you have not consulted the person actually responsible for purchasing and installing the relevant stuff, your budget (and possibly the entire project) is completely fabricated from wishes.

[Merusk]

IT is just support, they aren't actively involved in "The Real Work."

 

[Venkman]

Have a tech neophyte with a Windows 7 Lenovo laptop and a Sony Bravia he wants to wireless mirror his screen too, and he's got an Apple TV and Chromecast. Chromecast only does Chrome browser (I haven't had luck gettin the "experimental" share whole screen to work), so I was thinking Apple TV with AirServer.

Anyone have a better idea?

[Trippy]

If the laptop has WiDi he could use a WiDi receiver:

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/architecture-and-technology/connect-mobile-device-tv-wireless.html

[Venkman]

Wow, interesting, I'll see if his TV is compatible. Thanks!

[apocrypha]

So I want to increase the memory in my PC and, as ever, am slightly confused about the options.

Motherboard is an Asus P6T and the memory section of the manual says:

• A*: Supports two (2) modules inserted into slot A1 and B1 as one pair of Dual-channel memory configuration
• B*: Supports three (3) modules inserted into the orange slots (A1, B1 and C1) as one set of Triple-channel memory configuration
• C*: Supports four (4) modules inserted into the orange slots (A1, B1 and C1) and the black slot A2 as one set of Triple-channel memory configuration
• D*: Supports six (6) modules inserted into both the orange slots and the black slots as two set of Triple-channel memory configuration

Currently it's got 6Gb installed like this:

So, should I get 2x8Gb or 3x4Gb DDR3 1066MHz? Will 12Gb in 3 sticks as triple channel have any benefits over 16Gb in 2 sticks as double channel?

[Salamok]

I would get 3x4gb and purchase a set that is advertised as triple channel ram.  I would guess that memory advertised as not triple channel ram would work fine as well but personally I would just bite the bullet as long as you are fine with a 12gb upgrade vs a 16gb upgrade it actually comes out to be cheaper.

[apocrypha]

Brilliant, thanks Salamok.

[rattran]

I have a similar Asus board, I opted to pull the triple channel 6gb and dropped 2 8gb sticks in. Works fine, and was cheaper at the time than 3 decent 4gb sticks.

[apocrypha]

Oh well, I ordered the 3x4Gb ones now! Prices were pretty much identical either way.

[Lantyssa]

Since you will soon have two 3-channel kits you could just slot the new ones into the open slots and get 18 gb.  (Or reverse them.  Too busy to look at exact specs to see which is better for your board.)

[apocrypha]

Zomg really? Awesome 

[Yegolev]

I've been trying to figure this one out since the picture made it look like there were 3x6GB modules installed.

[Lantyssa]

It's a kit, so total 6 gb, but really three sticks of 2 gb each.  Thus the 6 (3x2).

[Strazos]

Any particular suggestions on a wifi adapter for a PC? I'd rather not have to add in a card, so I've been looking at the USB adapters. Is there any particular drawback to be aware of besides an uptick in latency and (as far as I can tell, inconsequential) lower bandwidth versus ethernet?

[Rasix]

I fondly remember some games just not fucking working with a wireless PC card.  Good luck.

[Strazos]

Eh, I just need to occasionally swap networks, though since my routers are right here I could just move the cable between the two as needed.

[Trippy]

Any particular suggestions on a wifi adapter for a PC? I'd rather not have to add in a card, so I've been looking at the USB adapters. Is there any particular drawback to be aware of besides an uptick in latency and (as far as I can tell, inconsequential) lower bandwidth versus ethernet?

Try to get one that's made by the same manufacturer of your wireless router.

[lamaros]

I just got whatever was cheap and hoped for the best. Ok so far.