Is there such a thing as a power switch that can be controlled via a Mac?
I need to be able to remotely power cycle two ADSL routers.
They are the BT, 4-port black boxes. They've got a serial port at the back, but don't know if you can use this to force them to reboot?
Regards
On 19/4/04 16:40, in article c60rsi$523$1$8300dec7@redacted.invalid, "Martin" bitbucket@redacted.invalid wrote:
Is there such a thing as a power switch that can be controlled via a Mac?
I need to be able to remotely power cycle two ADSL routers.
They are the BT, 4-port black boxes. They've got a serial port at the back, but don't know if you can use this to force them to reboot?
No idea, but I doubt it. Probably just for programming.
Why not put the routers on a timer switch and get them to cut/reboot at 4.25am every morning or whatever....
Martin wrote:
Is there such a thing as a power switch that can be controlled via a Mac?
I need to be able to remotely power cycle two ADSL routers.
They are the BT, 4-port black boxes. They've got a serial port at the back, but don't know if you can use this to force them to reboot?
The serial port is the console (before they have addresses so you can set them up with telnet), but yes you can force them to reboot from telnet (or the console) by giving them the command 'reboot' in the bottom level of commands.
This is assuming you have the efficient network firmware in there, rather than BTs. If you have BTs firmware you can't do anything with them as the only people able to access them are bt from the outside.
In article BCA9B885.6B28E%bingbong@redacted.invalid, Bonge Boo! bingbong@redacted.invalid wrote:
On 19/4/04 16:40, in article c60rsi$523$1$8300dec7@redacted.invalid, "Martin" bitbucket@redacted.invalid wrote:
Is there such a thing as a power switch that can be controlled via a Mac?
I need to be able to remotely power cycle two ADSL routers.
They are the BT, 4-port black boxes. They've got a serial port at the back, but don't know if you can use this to force them to reboot?
No idea, but I doubt it. Probably just for programming.
Why not put the routers on a timer switch and get them to cut/reboot at 4.25am every morning or whatever....
Interesting idea, but all I'm trying to do is combat an intermittent problem that we get - usually at a weekend - where one of the routers will fail and require a simple power cycle to recover.
I can get a server to email me via an alternative route if this happens and would like to be able to issue a couple of commands that would result in the power being cut for a minute or so and then reconnected.
I would have thought that computer controlled power switches were available - just don't know if there is a Mac compatible version?
PS. I'm impressed with the control data from the new G5 Xserve. It even sends me an email if anybody undoes the enclosure screws!
Regards
In article 6dbdl1-rc3.ln1@redacted.invalid, "Woody" usenet@redacted.invalid wrote:
Martin wrote:
Is there such a thing as a power switch that can be controlled via a Mac?
I need to be able to remotely power cycle two ADSL routers.
They are the BT, 4-port black boxes. They've got a serial port at the back, but don't know if you can use this to force them to reboot?
The serial port is the console (before they have addresses so you can set them up with telnet), but yes you can force them to reboot from telnet (or the console) by giving them the command 'reboot' in the bottom level of commands.
This is assuming you have the efficient network firmware in there, rather than BTs. If you have BTs firmware you can't do anything with them as the only people able to access them are bt from the outside.
I think you can guess what I've got :(
One is from BT, the other is from Demon - but both use BT firmware.
They've got to be hackable though, haven't they?
Time to void a warranty or two...
Martin bitbucket@redacted.invalid wrote:
In article 6dbdl1-rc3.ln1@redacted.invalid, "Woody" usenet@redacted.invalid wrote:
Martin wrote:
Is there such a thing as a power switch that can be controlled via a Mac?
I need to be able to remotely power cycle two ADSL routers.
They are the BT, 4-port black boxes. They've got a serial port at the back, but don't know if you can use this to force them to reboot?
The serial port is the console (before they have addresses so you can set them up with telnet), but yes you can force them to reboot from telnet (or the console) by giving them the command 'reboot' in the bottom level of commands.
This is assuming you have the efficient network firmware in there, rather than BTs. If you have BTs firmware you can't do anything with them as the only people able to access them are bt from the outside.
I think you can guess what I've got :(
One is from BT, the other is from Demon - but both use BT firmware.
They've got to be hackable though, haven't they?
Oh yes. If you need the files I have them somewhere - it seems like efficient have been bought out by seimens so it might be hard to find.
Time to void a warranty or two...
My server watches my router and if the WAN address goes to 0.0.0.0 for any length of time, the server will reboot the router. Seems to work nicely.
In article c60rsi$523$1$8300dec7@redacted.invalid, Martin bitbucket@redacted.invalid wrote:
Is there such a thing as a power switch that can be controlled via a Mac?
I've used an APC one that was manageable via telnet & http.
I need to be able to remotely power cycle two ADSL routers.
Why? Ours have been on 24X7 for nearly 2 years. They are "install and forget" units.
They are the BT, 4-port black boxes. They've got a serial port at the back, but don't know if you can use this to force them to reboot?
Sure; it's just a serial port - connect them to a terminal server, or to a modem. But the EN5861s are managed through telnet and http, so I'm not sure what the point of all this is.
In article sw-A64525.22163419042004@redacted.invalid, Sak Wathanasin sw@redacted.invalid wrote:
In article c60rsi$523$1$8300dec7@redacted.invalid, Martin bitbucket@redacted.invalid wrote:
Is there such a thing as a power switch that can be controlled via a Mac?
I've used an APC one that was manageable via telnet & http.
I'll look into that.
I need to be able to remotely power cycle two ADSL routers.
Why? Ours have been on 24X7 for nearly 2 years. They are "install and forget" units.
Sak, you are having a laugh!
BT installed ADSL routers are certainly not "install and forget".
Our first two died within 18 months. I asked the BT engineers if this was common and they both said: "yes".
Our BT link will fail about once every six months. The Demon one fails at least once every 3 months.
I've been told that this can be caused by work at the exchange - which is odd as both routers are connected to the same exchange and have never failed at the same time!
But, if they are "install and forget", I'm curious as to why both Demon and BT have similar messages when you are on hold for tech support:
"Please ensure that you have powered the router off and on again before calling tech support about loss of connection"
They are the BT, 4-port black boxes. They've got a serial port at the back, but don't know if you can use this to force them to reboot?
Sure; it's just a serial port - connect them to a terminal server, or to a modem. But the EN5861s are managed through telnet and http, so I'm not sure what the point of all this is.
If the http interface allowed you to power the router on and off then I'd expect somebody at BT or Demon would have worked out how to do this on the customer's behalf - but I've never been offered that service and am fed up with making a 100-mile round trip to do it.
Regards
On 19/4/04 11:42 pm, in article c61kjt$p3c$1$8300dec7@redacted.invalid, "Martin" bitbucket@redacted.invalid wrote:
But, if they are "install and forget", I'm curious as to why both Demon and BT have similar messages when you are on hold for tech support:
"Please ensure that you have powered the router off and on again before calling tech support about loss of connection"
Come on, they're just catering to their typical Windows customer who expects to have to do this sort of thing, and/or reinstall their OS.
Cheers,
Chris
In article BCAA7292.F8D92%chrisridd@redacted.invalid, Chris Ridd chrisridd@redacted.invalid wrote:
But, if they are "install and forget", I'm curious as to why both Demon and BT have similar messages when you are on hold for tech support:
"Please ensure that you have powered the router off and on again before calling tech support about loss of connection"
Come on, they're just catering to their typical Windows customer who expects to have to do this sort of thing, and/or reinstall their OS.
That, and the fact that all routers are not created equal. Some have dodgy firmware- viz: the DLink 504 I have, that would regularly get itself in a twist and start blocking IPs thinking they were port scanning when all they were doing was serving material in the normal way. Anecdotal evidence from others says that many routers have faulty firmware as delivered, and that a router reboot is a vital part of trying to sort out problems.
I'm sure that there are good routers, in the way that the only really perfect modem was/is the USR Courier. And I'm sure that in that case Sak will be using them. But as with the Courier, industrial strength often comes at industrial cost, so most people use flakier consumer standard gear. And those seem to need the occasional reboot.
On 20/4/04 9:24, in article BCAA9CC296681E7821@redacted.invalid, "Peter Ceresole" peter@redacted.invalid wrote:
But, if they are "install and forget", I'm curious as to why both Demon and BT have similar messages when you are on hold for tech support:
"Please ensure that you have powered the router off and on again before calling tech support about loss of connection"
Come on, they're just catering to their typical Windows customer who expects to have to do this sort of thing, and/or reinstall their OS.
That, and the fact that all routers are not created equal. Some have dodgy firmware- viz: the DLink 504 I have, that would regularly get itself in a twist and start blocking IPs thinking they were port scanning when all they were doing was serving material in the normal way. Anecdotal evidence from others says that many routers have faulty firmware as delivered, and that a router reboot is a vital part of trying to sort out problems.
I've yet to find a router that doesn't occasional need a power cycle to get it working again. Usually after the local exchange has been on the fritz.
Martin must have some minions capable of pressing a power switch at said locations?
On 20/4/04 1:58 pm, in article BCAADCF5.6B374%bingbong@redacted.invalid, "Bonge Boo!" bingbong@redacted.invalid wrote:
Martin must have some minions capable of pressing a power switch at said locations?
The guy locked into the Xserve rack? Might as well make himself useful.
Cheers,
Chris
On 20/4/04 13:58, in article BCAADCF5.6B374%bingbong@redacted.invalid, "Bonge Boo!" bingbong@redacted.invalid wrote:
Of the subject of rebooting them;
Do these BT routers have a standard web interface, I have I got to tit about Cisco style to set-up port forwarding, DHCP, blah blah?
Can't find much useful on their web site.
If anyone has a PDF manual?
Bonge Boo! wrote:
On 20/4/04 13:58, in article BCAADCF5.6B374%bingbong@redacted.invalid, "Bonge Boo!" bingbong@redacted.invalid wrote:
Of the subject of rebooting them;
Do these BT routers have a standard web interface, I have I got to tit about Cisco style to set-up port forwarding, DHCP, blah blah?
Can't find much useful on their web site.
If anyone has a PDF manual?
Those routers have everything. Full web interface/telnet/snmp/serial control, dhcp, port forwarding, vpn whatever you want. But only if you have the efficient networks firmware in them. If you have the bt firmware you cant do anything with them at all unless you are at BT.
It is the router I have, in fact the config is on my website (at http://www.alienrat.co.uk/wood/routmap.html ) as it was a faff getting it going the first time. this is a status dump from telnet with some dummy settings put in where my details should be!
In article BCAADCF5.6B374%bingbong@redacted.invalid, Bonge Boo! bingbong@redacted.invalid wrote:
I've yet to find a router that doesn't occasional need a power cycle to get it working again. Usually after the local exchange has been on the fritz.
Martin must have some minions capable of pressing a power switch at said locations?
I have, but there is still too much downtime.
The last router failures were in November 2003 and March 2004. Both were in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Admittedly, I am a right bastard, but not enough of one to get people out of bed to turn a power switch off and then on again.
This sort of thing should be sorted automatically or remotely.
I may upgrade the firmware today. Apparently it takes an hour using the BT method :(
Regards
In article BCAADF25.F904A%chrisridd@redacted.invalid, Chris Ridd chrisridd@redacted.invalid wrote:
On 20/4/04 1:58 pm, in article BCAADCF5.6B374%bingbong@redacted.invalid, "Bonge Boo!" bingbong@redacted.invalid wrote:
Martin must have some minions capable of pressing a power switch at said locations?
The guy locked into the Xserve rack? Might as well make himself useful.
He's had to move out.
The G5 Xserve finally arrived last week and it's now sitting happily in its new home.
Glad I'm not scared of the CLI - you have to pay extra for a monitor card or Remote Desktop. Took 15 minutes to configure, but half an hour trying find it on the network :(
Regards
On 20/4/04 14:55, in article c63a4v$4mj$1$8300dec7@redacted.invalid, "Martin" bitbucket@redacted.invalid wrote:
I've yet to find a router that doesn't occasional need a power cycle to get it working again. Usually after the local exchange has been on the fritz.
Martin must have some minions capable of pressing a power switch at said locations?
I have, but there is still too much downtime.
The last router failures were in November 2003 and March 2004. Both were in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Sounds pretty good uptime to me.
Admittedly, I am a right bastard, but not enough of one to get people out of bed to turn a power switch off and then on again.
This sort of thing should be sorted automatically or remotely.
Well, I'm with the time switch theory. How precisely are you going to remote cycle the router, if you haven't got the router on the internet?
Dial into a machine running Win RAS / Timbuktu, then VNC / whatever the machine to use the web interface or telnet to reboot the router?
How about a Applescript (u the man) that checks ever 5 mins if it can ping www.apple.com.
If it can't it then reboots a UPS that you can mac control?
I may upgrade the firmware today. Apparently it takes an hour using the BT method :(
S'cuse the dumb question. But if you want to configure additional port forwarding, DMZ etc. can you do this on your "BT controlled" router, or do you have to ask them to do it?
Martin wrote:
In article BCAADCF5.6B374%bingbong@redacted.invalid, Bonge Boo! bingbong@redacted.invalid wrote:
I've yet to find a router that doesn't occasional need a power cycle to get it working again. Usually after the local exchange has been on the fritz.
Martin must have some minions capable of pressing a power switch at said locations?
I have, but there is still too much downtime.
The last router failures were in November 2003 and March 2004. Both were in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Admittedly, I am a right bastard, but not enough of one to get people out of bed to turn a power switch off and then on again.
This sort of thing should be sorted automatically or remotely.
I may upgrade the firmware today. Apparently it takes an hour using the BT method :(
anything here of any use?
http://en5861.5p.org.uk/
Bonge Boo! wrote:
S'cuse the dumb question. But if you want to configure additional port forwarding, DMZ etc. can you do this on your "BT controlled" router, or do you have to ask them to do it?
you can't do F.All on it while it has the BT stuff on it. It does have a web interface. It is a word that says 'connected' or 'Not connected' (last time I looked!)
On 20/4/04 15:40, in article tbpfl1-mha.ln1@redacted.invalid, "Woody" usenet@redacted.invalid wrote:
S'cuse the dumb question. But if you want to configure additional port forwarding, DMZ etc. can you do this on your "BT controlled" router, or do you have to ask them to do it?
you can't do F.All on it while it has the BT stuff on it. It does have a web interface. It is a word that says 'connected' or 'Not connected' (last time I looked!)
That's daft. And thank you for the other link.
A customer has one of these things, and wants to set up a bunch of remote access stuff to internal resources, including VPN at some point.
I'm tempted just to say stuff it and get a new router to slot in, but....
In article BCAAEF43.6B38D%bingbong@redacted.invalid, Bonge Boo! bingbong@redacted.invalid wrote:
On 20/4/04 14:55, in article c63a4v$4mj$1$8300dec7@redacted.invalid, "Martin" bitbucket@redacted.invalid wrote:
I've yet to find a router that doesn't occasional need a power cycle to get it working again. Usually after the local exchange has been on the fritz.
Martin must have some minions capable of pressing a power switch at said locations?
I have, but there is still too much downtime.
The last router failures were in November 2003 and March 2004. Both were in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Sounds pretty good uptime to me.
Admittedly, I am a right bastard, but not enough of one to get people out of bed to turn a power switch off and then on again.
This sort of thing should be sorted automatically or remotely.
Well, I'm with the time switch theory. How precisely are you going to remote cycle the router, if you haven't got the router on the internet?
We've got multiple connections.
Dial into a machine running Win RAS / Timbuktu, then VNC / whatever the machine to use the web interface or telnet to reboot the router?
The connections are managed using Vicomsoft's InterGate. I can use a different ADSL connection or dial in to reach the main router.
How about a Applescript (u the man) that checks ever 5 mins if it can ping www.apple.com.
If it can't it then reboots a UPS that you can mac control?
That's a good suggestion - have to see what the options are on the MGE UPSs that we use.
I may upgrade the firmware today. Apparently it takes an hour using the BT method :(
S'cuse the dumb question. But if you want to configure additional port forwarding, DMZ etc. can you do this on your "BT controlled" router, or do you have to ask them to do it?
Nah, that'd be a pain in arse with multiple ISPs. Our routers are non-NAT - all routing issues are controlled via InterGate.
In article r6pfl1-aha.ln1@redacted.invalid, "Woody" usenet@redacted.invalid wrote:
anything here of any use?
http://en5861.5p.org.uk/
I reckon there might be one or two useful things there ;-)
Cheers
Bonge Boo! wrote:
On 20/4/04 15:40, in article tbpfl1-mha.ln1@redacted.invalid, "Woody" usenet@redacted.invalid wrote:
S'cuse the dumb question. But if you want to configure additional port forwarding, DMZ etc. can you do this on your "BT controlled" router, or do you have to ask them to do it?
you can't do F.All on it while it has the BT stuff on it. It does have a web interface. It is a word that says 'connected' or 'Not connected' (last time I looked!)
That's daft. And thank you for the other link.
It is very daft because without the crippled setup that BT use, it is a very capable adsl router.
A customer has one of these things, and wants to set up a bunch of remote access stuff to internal resources, including VPN at some point.
I'm tempted just to say stuff it and get a new router to slot in, but....
Just have a look at that link I put up in the post to Martin, update it to new firmware (unless they have to give it back to BT) and it can do all the stuff you want. I have had mine now for over 3 years and it just sits there and works - it is a good thing
On 20/4/04 16:14, in article c63eon$b0i$1$8300dec7@redacted.invalid, "Martin" bitbucket@redacted.invalid wrote:
Admittedly, I am a right bastard, but not enough of one to get people out of bed to turn a power switch off and then on again.
This sort of thing should be sorted automatically or remotely.
Well, I'm with the time switch theory. How precisely are you going to remote cycle the router, if you haven't got the router on the internet?
We've got multiple connections.
Ah. Fallover. Then (doh; dim question from me) why not wait until Monday to switch it over?
Dial into a machine running Win RAS / Timbuktu, then VNC / whatever the machine to use the web interface or telnet to reboot the router?
The connections are managed using Vicomsoft's InterGate. I can use a different ADSL connection or dial in to reach the main router.
I really must have a proper look at it some time. I grabbed the demo and it looked verrrry nice.
I may upgrade the firmware today. Apparently it takes an hour using the BT method :(
S'cuse the dumb question. But if you want to configure additional port forwarding, DMZ etc. can you do this on your "BT controlled" router, or do you have to ask them to do it?
Nah, that'd be a pain in arse with multiple ISPs. Our routers are non-NAT - all routing issues are controlled via InterGate.
So has that machine got a million ethernet sockets and lots of routers plugged into every available orifice?
Or have you configured a single interface to have multiple IPs?
Ignore me if this is too boring and not helping solve your problem....
AFAIK the APC Mac software has an option to cycle the UPS. Maybe even kill certain power sockets? Mind you the PC software is invariable better / more full functional...
On 20/4/04 16:26, in article u1sfl1-mpa.ln1@redacted.invalid, "Woody" usenet@redacted.invalid wrote:
A customer has one of these things, and wants to set up a bunch of remote access stuff to internal resources, including VPN at some point.
I'm tempted just to say stuff it and get a new router to slot in, but....
Just have a look at that link I put up in the post to Martin, update it to new firmware (unless they have to give it back to BT) and it can do all the stuff you want.
Well that's always the question.
Did you rustle up the cable? Assuming I read it right and that you have to telnet through serial to ethernet socket. Why can't /didn't these wankers (Cisco are you listening?) just make web interfaces?
Dunno if I can be arsed when decent little routers cost £50 these days.
I have had mine now for over 3 years and it just sits there and works - it is a good thing
Worth knowing. Like the fact has proper PSU. Not so impressed by pics of popped capacitors...
Bonge Boo! bingbong@redacted.invalid wrote:
On 20/4/04 16:26, in article u1sfl1-mpa.ln1@redacted.invalid, "Woody" usenet@redacted.invalid wrote:
A customer has one of these things, and wants to set up a bunch of remote access stuff to internal resources, including VPN at some point.
I'm tempted just to say stuff it and get a new router to slot in, but....
Just have a look at that link I put up in the post to Martin, update it to new firmware (unless they have to give it back to BT) and it can do all the stuff you want.
Well that's always the question.
Did you rustle up the cable?
The cable came with it. Just a serial port with an RJ11 plug on it.
Assuming I read it right and that you have to telnet through serial to ethernet socket.
If it has the BT stuff on - except it is just normal serial to a serial port.
Why can't /didn't these wankers (Cisco are you listening?) just make web interfaces?
They made it with a nice web interface - BT took it out.
Dunno if I can be arsed when decent little routers cost £50 these days.
May not be, depending on how long it takes. However it is a good little box and very reliable.
Doesn't have the plasticy feel of the newer ones I have seen.
On 20/4/04 18:17, in article 1gck012.urct2v70ybcbN%usenet@redacted.invalid, "Woody" usenet@redacted.invalid wrote:
Dunno if I can be arsed when decent little routers cost £50 these days.
May not be, depending on how long it takes. However it is a good little box and very reliable.
Doesn't have the plasticy feel of the newer ones I have seen.
It shows our age. Picture if you will: old farts, in pub, packet of Capstun Full-strength, pint....
"I remember when plastic was plastic, not this nasty stuff coming out of China. Workmanship; real workmanship. That's yer craftsmenship from Taiwan."
In article BCAB1499.6B3C7%bingbong@redacted.invalid, Bonge Boo! bingbong@redacted.invalid wrote:
On 20/4/04 16:14, in article c63eon$b0i$1$8300dec7@redacted.invalid, "Martin" bitbucket@redacted.invalid wrote:
Admittedly, I am a right bastard, but not enough of one to get people out of bed to turn a power switch off and then on again.
This sort of thing should be sorted automatically or remotely.
Well, I'm with the time switch theory. How precisely are you going to remote cycle the router, if you haven't got the router on the internet?
We've got multiple connections.
Ah. Fallover. Then (doh; dim question from me) why not wait until Monday to switch it over?
Yeah, fallover is what it feels like - but it's supposed to be failover :-)
Dial into a machine running Win RAS / Timbuktu, then VNC / whatever the machine to use the web interface or telnet to reboot the router?
The connections are managed using Vicomsoft's InterGate. I can use a different ADSL connection or dial in to reach the main router.
I really must have a proper look at it some time. I grabbed the demo and it looked verrrry nice.
We had a couple of minor problems initially.
Vicomsoft had a couple of bugs in the Mac version of the software, so you'd configure a couple of hot firewall settings and then wonder why they wouldn't work. Applying the same settings using an NT version of the admin software worked fine :-(
I may upgrade the firmware today. Apparently it takes an hour using the BT method :(
S'cuse the dumb question. But if you want to configure additional port forwarding, DMZ etc. can you do this on your "BT controlled" router, or do you have to ask them to do it?
Nah, that'd be a pain in arse with multiple ISPs. Our routers are non-NAT - all routing issues are controlled via InterGate.
So has that machine got a million ethernet sockets and lots of routers plugged into every available orifice?
Or have you configured a single interface to have multiple IPs?
Ignore me if this is too boring and not helping solve your problem....
Hey, this isn't boring - I've spent hundreds of hours fiddling with this stuff!
I like using Macs and don't like using proprietary software/hardware unless absolutely necessary. We'd used IPNetRouter on OS 9 for years and were keen to use it on multiple interfaces. Technically it's possible - but we just couldn't do it.
I kept holding out for an OS X version that offered more features, but it never happened.
I downloaded the Vicomsoft demo and spoke to the tech guys and managed to put something together where we could manage everything on one G4.
The G4 has 3 ethernet interfaces: Demon ADSL, BT ADSL and our internal network. It does DNS, firewalling, routes 15 IPs to 6 internal servers and gives me the ability to monitor and control all traffic - including limiting the browsing of certain web sites to fixed times during the day etc.
We have a bit of teaming going on, but failover is more of a problem - because it requires a lot of buggering about with the DNS.
Something like mail is easy to sort by assigning MX records to IPs from both ISPs. But web sites are a bit more problematic as they require more proactive routing actions from the ISPs.
I'm still working on it :-)
AFAIK the APC Mac software has an option to cycle the UPS. Maybe even kill certain power sockets? Mind you the PC software is invariable better / more full functional...
Shame that...
Martin bitbucket@redacted.invalid wrote:
Is there such a thing as a power switch that can be controlled via a Mac?
Have a look at these two articles on macdevcenter - here's the URL for the first...
http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2004/02/13/home_automation.html
In article 1gckcwy.lezibs13rugc4N%bounce.this@redacted.invalid, bounce.this@redacted.invalid (Hugh Chaloner) wrote:
Martin bitbucket@redacted.invalid wrote:
Is there such a thing as a power switch that can be controlled via a Mac?
Have a look at these two articles on macdevcenter - here's the URL for the first...
http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2004/02/13/home_automation.html
Hugh
Frankly, I'm scared.
Firstly, by the fact that you are teasing me with one URL at a time.
Secondly, by articles that include stuff like this:
"Going to bed" is one of my favorite settings. When you press the wall switch, the upstairs lights turn on, and the downstairs lights dim. After five minutes, the downstairs lights turn off one by one."
And thirdly, by the fact that I find this so interesting (despite the fact my wife is in stitches and has expressed serious doubts that the writer actually has a wife or child...).
:-)
Cheers
Martin bitbucket@redacted.invalid wrote:
And thirdly, by the fact that I find this so interesting (despite the fact my wife is in stitches and has expressed serious doubts that the writer actually has a wife or child...).
:-)
Cheers
here's the second URL...
http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2004/02/20/home_automation.html
Personally, I picture the author as one of those Merkins with an enormous backside and skinny shoulders wearing dazzling plaid pants and a burgundy poloneck. Not sure why but I suspect he has a mustache.
I hope I haven't offended anyone's stereotypes.
H
:)
Martin bitbucket@redacted.invalid wrote:
In article sw-A64525.22163419042004@redacted.invalid, Sak Wathanasin sw@redacted.invalid wrote:
In article c60rsi$523$1$8300dec7@redacted.invalid, Martin bitbucket@redacted.invalid wrote:
I've been told that this can be caused by work at the exchange - which is odd as both routers are connected to the same exchange and have never failed at the same time!
Possibly because the two line cards aren't connected in the same area in the exchange, BT have a habit of doing things such as knocking the card out whilst working on another in the general vacinity, we've lost our ADSL connection for a weekend after an engineer has done that.
On 20/4/04 22:47, in article c645qa$g2o$1$830fa79d@redacted.invalid, "Martin" bitbucket@redacted.invalid wrote:
The G4 has 3 ethernet interfaces: Demon ADSL, BT ADSL and our internal network. It does DNS, firewalling, routes 15 IPs to 6 internal servers and gives me the ability to monitor and control all traffic - including limiting the browsing of certain web sites to fixed times during the day etc.
Seems to me (on the basis of no experience of using failover except on routers with a dial-up failover) like the problem is this:
Your external connections are all ADSL. Which is fine, except all the probs I see with routers going down is the exchange, not the ISP, hence all your connections will get shout.
Why not have a dial-up or ISDN failover?
In article BCABDC3E.6B448%bingbong@redacted.invalid, Bonge Boo! bingbong@redacted.invalid wrote:
On 20/4/04 22:47, in article c645qa$g2o$1$830fa79d@redacted.invalid, "Martin" bitbucket@redacted.invalid wrote:
The G4 has 3 ethernet interfaces: Demon ADSL, BT ADSL and our internal network. It does DNS, firewalling, routes 15 IPs to 6 internal servers and gives me the ability to monitor and control all traffic - including limiting the browsing of certain web sites to fixed times during the day etc.
Seems to me (on the basis of no experience of using failover except on routers with a dial-up failover) like the problem is this:
Your external connections are all ADSL. Which is fine, except all the probs I see with routers going down is the exchange, not the ISP, hence all your connections will get shout.
Why not have a dial-up or ISDN failover?
We had ISDN2e, but I got fed up paying for stuff that was never used.
And the problems are still the same: if one route fails how can I get data to follow another?
I guess the answer is to run primary dns (or shadow primary) but I'm not sure that I want the responsibility.
Regards