Please tell me that you all have been paying attention and saw that Funcom’s The Secret World is now up for preorder!?

If not, you better head over there and get you some. June 19th is release, with beta weekends starting in May.

Happy New Year everyone, hard to believe it’s already 2012. But here we go, another year is here!

So in a normal brain fart moment, I failed to remember several of my own teachings when adding a second Access Point to my home network. You see, I have ATT UVerse TV service at home, and for those who don’t remember it uses IGMP to multicast the TV feeds to the receivers. So if you for example, have a receiver plugged directly into the 2Wire modem, it will send the traffic out that port. Now, if you have that receiver plugged into a switch and share the drop with other devices it still comes down that line, however the switch more than likely does not understand multicast. Unless you have a more expensive device in there that is.

But here’s how this works. A packet that is a multicast packet, the first part of your MAC address will be a 01. If a switch understands multicast packets, then it will deliver that packet out the port of the device that is part of that multicast group. (IGMP Group). Now lets say you have a switch that doesn’t understand it, know what it does then? Yup, it treats a multicast packet as a broadcast packet and sends it out all ports but the one it came in on.

Now, lets say you have a brain fart moment and forget this and try to plug an access point off a line that has a receiver. Guess what happens to that access point… Well the short story is you will see it work… until you try to connect to it. There would be so much data trying to hit the wireless that your connection will time out.

So you have a couple fixes.
1. Reshuffle your network so that there is nothing on the same line as the receiver.
2. Run additional cables.
3. Replace your switches with ones that support IGMP/Multicast.
4. VLAN your network, and isolate the receivers. (Which would also imply either your switches all support this or you ran more drops.)

or if you are me…

You run new drops, replace your core switch with a more business minded switch that supports multicast, and you VLAN your network and isolate the receivers. Then you go further and trunk the line to your AP’s so you can send a VLAN to a specific wireless SID and make it a public hot spot.

Oh the wife will not like me today.

Hello all, and long time no talk. I seem to remember I had this here website that I posted schtuff on many times. Today I think I will make a post on the Mac mini 2011 model. Why? Well put simply, because I purchase one!

So lets look at this device from a certain perspective, mine!

When I was considering the purchase of this machine, there were a couple factors that guided me to it:

• Xcode
• Lion
• Desire to develop for iOS devices
• Simplicity of the machine as an alternative platform, while keeping my Dell workhorse as my primary desktop.

That’s right folks, the WWDC 2011 Session Videos are now available to the masses! Get signed in and get downloading the goodness!

http://developer.apple.com/videos/wwdc/2011/

I sure hope you are all out there testing IPv6 today! If you are not, shame on you for dragging your feet and holding up progress.

For those who want to, go sign up for gogonet and install their IPv6 tunnel client.

So I’ve been quiet now for a bit, but here is the story on what I’ve been working on lately. Recently I’ve been helping do a migration from Exchange to Google Apps using ADFS 2.0 as the SSO. Everything in regards to authentication is working, but to simply user support and provide the end user the ability to change their own “built in google apps user” without envolving IT or purchasing some expensive product… I have created my own.

It will authenticate the user against ADFS and then using the Google API will allow that user to change their Google Apps User password to one they define. This allows them to set/reset their password that is used by non web requests such as IMAP, desktop software and mobile phones.

Here is a current screenshot, but no public code release yet.

UPDATE May 13th, 2011:

I have continued work on this project and now at version 0.6.0 it is almost to a completed first render model of the application. New features I have added:

• History Per User/Viewable by user.
• PIN Code Creation with detection of missing PIN and forced creation.
• Streamlined Menu, using DevExpress components.
• Various performance enhancements and bug fixes.

Coming up next:

• Implement PIN Code Management.
• Implement PIN Code usage in password change routine.
• Implement PIN Code encryption routines.
• Implement password complexity logic.
• Implement PIN Code validation logic.

Update June 3rd, 2011:

In short, the iPad 2 has many great uses ranging from education to business uses. The one that I hadn’t even used yet was of course as a productive blogging tool. This post was created on my iPad 2, which I find myself using more and more each day over sitting down at my desktop or using my laptops.

Pretty amazing how a form factor like this can completely change your normal actions and uses of technology.

If you are like me you probably love the smartcover, but also want something to carry the device in for added protection. For instance taking it to work and having a little more padding as you get it there since the smartcover only protects the screen.

Well good news for everyone who wants this!!! BoxWave has a case, the Elite Leather Apple iPad 2 Messenger Pouch, can handle your iPad 2 with the SmartCover still attached. I received confirmation today from BoxWave presales support in regards to this topic:

Thank you for your email!

After speaking with our product design team, they have confirmed that the Elite Leather Messenger Pouch will be compatible with the Apple iPad 2 with the Smart Cover installed. I have attached a link to the product page below for your reference:

http://www.boxwave.com/products/eliteleathermessengerpouch/apple-ipad-2-elite-leather-messenger-pouch-case_4284.htm

I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns!

So if you want one, go order one! And they are only $10 to boot, can’t beat that! Click the link to see the order page.

Craplet – An inferior, cheaply produced, cheaply sold device in the form factor of a tablet computer. Meant to compete with the now infamous iPad, but in the same stroke vastly undercut the price. These devices can come so cheap you might just find them mixed in with gum at the checkout line in Walmart.

Please, don’t fall for the craplets! Show the world you want a real tablet!

Hey all, in case you have not seen the loveliness that was released upon the world… tonight at 9pm PST Microsoft released Internet Explorer 9 upon the world.

You too may obtain it by going to www.beautyoftheweb.com and clicking download.

For those who have a Shell Gas Station close by, you may or may not have noticed their new promotion that starts today for their $aver’s Card.

Beginning today, new accounts will receive 10 cents off per gallon of gas until April 30th 2011. After April 30th the discount lowers to 2 cents per gallon off.

This card is a lot like the Speed Pass that Exxon has, which is just an account that links to your checking account for direct debits. It itself is not a credit card or a store card. But for 10 cents off a gallon, that beats the Walmart/Sams club discount and worth the use in my opinion.

http://www.shell.us/home/content/usa/products_services/shell_cards/shell_saver_card/

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Windows Live Writer 2011 has a nice plugin that is available for download, it adds the ability as seen above to insert code samples with proper coloring and themes applied.

If you are interested in snagging the Code Insert Plugin for Windows Live Writer 2011, head on over to this link and grab a copy.

http://plugins.live.com/writer/detail/insert-code-for-windows-live-writer

This is a great way to insert code snippets using Live Writer and your WordPress blog account or personal site.

This Christmas was a great time of year, several things wound up under ye-ole tree. One of which was an Apple TV. Fantastic I though, and even further GREAT that I have a harmony so I won’t set the Apple remote on my bed head board only to watch it vanish into the nether reaches as it falls off.

Well that was until I started searching for Apple TV in the supported devices. There are several articles on how to setup Apple TV, but they all instruct you to mimic a Mac system and adjust remote timing, etc. However, with Harmony version 7.7.0+ it is much easier than that. And really, it only requires the understanding of where exactly Logitech decided the best place was to put the Apple TV. Also, considering the online device search from Logitech hardly if ever works right… the below is hopefully just to poke those who cannot find it into … well finding it!

So lets start off signed into the Harmony Remote Software, and guide yourself to adding a device.

You will want to add a device with the following settings:

Device: Media Center PC
Manufacturer: Apple
Model: Apple TV

After that of course I recommend changing the name of the device so that is says Apple TV instead of Media Center PC.

Click Settings on the device you added as your Apple TV, then under device options select ‘Rename this device’ and click next.

After renaming the device you can proceed with adding it into your activities. Which is the same simple method you’ve always used.

A final note on the use of Harmony with Apple TV, you will need to ensure in the settings of the Apple TV for remotes, you are un-paired. Otherwise your new remote will not be able to control the device.

Now if only Logitech would add a ‘Search for device’ option in the Harmony software, the world would be perfect!

Nook firmware version 1.5 is now available for download. If you are having issues obtaining over wifi, download it manually from the link below and side load it onto your device.

Software Updates – Version 1.5
Our current software update has exciting new features and improves NOOK’s overall performance. Included in Version 1.5:

1. NEW! Stay in Sync Across Multiple Devices
Automatically sync the last page you read on your NOOK or NOOK app with another. For instance, if you stop reading on a certain page on your NOOK, you’ll automatically open to the same exact place on your iPad, iPhone or Android-based Smartphone using our FREE NOOK apps.
2. NEW! Stay Organized with “My Shelves”
Create, name and organize shelves in “My B&N Library” and “My Documents” in “My Shelves”. For instance, you can put all your cookbooks on one shelf, all your spy novels on another shelf, for quick and easy access.
3. NEW! Password Protect Your NOOK
Your NOOK can now be secured in two ways to prevent unauthorized use. First – you can set up your NOOK to lock when it goes into sleep mode, then unlock it with a pass code. Second – you can require a password to purchase content, so others using your NOOK cannot buy anything without your permission.
4. Faster page turns, improved search, and other optimization
The software update is available for NOOKs connected to Wi-Fi® through automatic download or via manual download, available here. (Note: This update will not be distributed via the 3G network.) For an automatic Wi-Fi® update, you may need to tap ‘Check for new B&N content’ in the My Library area in order to initiate the update.