Technology Thread.

[Montreal Wanderer]

I have a Linksys Wireless-N adapter - handles speeds up to 300 mbps (not that stuff gets sent to me at that speed). I used it rather than replace a blown network card on my old desktop PC since it was lying around. Worked fine until I got the new PC a year ago.

[a1]

you can get "dual band" wifi dongles, if yr new router is dual band (if its the newest bt hub one (the 4th) , then it is) 'sposed to be better.

this tplink wdn3200 is on amazon for about £20

netgear do a few dual band ones, but it is a pain in the arse finding and downloading the newest drivers for their stuff.

some dual band devices might only do one band (2.4ghz) or the other (5ghz) at once. i think the one i've pointed to does both at the same time, for less congestion or maximum get-thru-walls-ness or whatever

:/

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Bear in mind that the 5ghz band has less range than 2.4ghz. So, for use expressly upstairs I'd use 2.4ghz as you're most likely going to get a better signal, albeit with more possibility of interference. In a house you should find a usable channel though.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

My missus has got a new computer for home. I turned it on yesterday to set up the broadband. Jaysus Feckin H Christos on a donkeyyyy!
a) what's happened to the start button?
b)where the feck do I now find stuff, like for example, the Character Map?
c) and last but not least, how the fxck do you turn it off without a start button?

What are these people trying to do to me, why can't they leave stuff alone? Arrrrghhh

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

My missus has got a new computer for home. I turned it on yesterday to set up the broadband. Jaysus Feckin H Christos on a donkeyyyy!
a) what's happened to the start button?
b)where the feck do I now find stuff, like for example, the Character Map?
c) and last but not least, how the fxck do you turn it off without a start button?

What are these people trying to do to me, why can't they leave stuff alone? Arrrrghhh

Google Start8. Download free trial. Feel relief. Part with $4.99 to keep relief.

Good luck...

PS - Hit windows key. Right click and click on all apps (or something similar). Scroll horizontally and you'll see character map and stuff. It's user friendlier don't you know! <------------- it isn't. No wonder people think iPads just work!

[Lost Leopard Spot]

My missus has got a new computer for home. I turned it on yesterday to set up the broadband. Jaysus Feckin H Christos on a donkeyyyy!
a) what's happened to the start button?
b)where the feck do I now find stuff, like for example, the Character Map?
c) and last but not least, how the fxck do you turn it off without a start button?

What are these people trying to do to me, why can't they leave stuff alone? Arrrrghhh

Google Start8. Download free trial. Feel relief. Part with $4.99 to keep relief.

Good luck...

PS - Hit windows key. Right click and click on all apps (or something similar). Scroll horizontally and you'll see character map and stuff. It's user friendlier don't you know! <------------- it isn't. No wonder people think iPads just work!

You're beginning to sound like that a1 chap AT!

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Ta, I'll try it tonight. User friendly my donkeyhole

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

My missus has got a new computer for home. I turned it on yesterday to set up the broadband. Jaysus Feckin H Christos on a donkeyyyy!
a) what's happened to the start button?
b)where the feck do I now find stuff, like for example, the Character Map?
c) and last but not least, how the fxck do you turn it off without a start button?

What are these people trying to do to me, why can't they leave stuff alone? Arrrrghhh

Google Start8. Download free trial. Feel relief. Part with $4.99 to keep relief.

Good luck...

PS - Hit windows key. Right click and click on all apps (or something similar). Scroll horizontally and you'll see character map and stuff. It's user friendlier don't you know! <------------- it isn't. No wonder people think iPads just work!

You're beginning to sound like that a1 chap AT!

I'll start worrying when you say Dan

Seriously. Start8 stopped me from throwing my laptop out the window.

[bobo the clown]

Ta, I'll try it tonight. User friendly my donkeyhole

Jeysus ... I've avoided W8 so far and begin to appreciate why it caused a furore when it was introduced.

Just how did the project team sit down and conclude that "hey ... I've got an idea ... lets get rid of the 'start' button !!" was a winning idea ??

I understand they've changed W8 at the next upgrade to include a start button (of sorts, though they deny this was the reason ... as that would mean the marketing people having to commit Hare-Kari or something.). It is highly responsible for W8 having failed to take off as expected. Given that so many people will have got it as part of a package I wonder how many really are happy with it ?

Oh, & while we're on about it ... who the fck decided those tiles were an attractive presentation feature ??

Every fresh-idea project should get themselves a tame idiot to review what they're doing and how it's explained.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Ta, I'll try it tonight. User friendly my donkeyhole

Jeysus ... I've avoided W8 so far and begin to appreciate why it caused a furore when it was introduced.

Just how did the project team sit down and conclude that "hey ... I've got an idea ... lets get rid of the 'start' button !!" was a winning idea ??

I understand they've changed W8 at the next upgrade to include a start button (of sorts, though they deny this was the reason ... as that would mean the marketing people having to commit Hare-Kari or something.). It is highly responsible for W8 having failed to take off as expected. Given that so many people will have got it as part of a package I wonder how many really are happy with it ?

Oh, & while we're on about it ... who the fck decided those tiles were an attractive presentation feature ??

Every fresh-idea project should get themselves a tame idiot to review what they're doing and how it's explained.

My missus didn't even warn me. How heartless was that!

[bobo the clown]

I've just signed up to BT Sport. We have BT as the internet provider, so it's just an add on.

Routinely advertised as free, it actually costs £6pm. It also required a box ... costing £50. It's THAT free !!

The box then is lined up to the TV and will then override the access and need a retune. As I live on the Welsh border this will take fine tuning to ensure I don't start getting Welsh TV (this is vital). There is an App, for phones and tablets, but can't yet be put onto Smart TV's (why not ?) even via downloading it to a USB and then slotting it onto the telly that route.

Nothing's ever simple.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

I've just signed up to BT Sport. We have BT as the internet provider, so it's just an add on.

Routinely advertised as free, it actually costs £6pm. It also required a box ... costing £50. It's THAT free !!

The box then is lined up to the TV and will then override the access and need a retune. As I live on the Welsh border this will take fine tuning to ensure I don't start getting Welsh TV (this is vital). There is an App, for phones and tablets, but can't yet be put onto Smart TV's (why not ?) even via downloading it to a USB and then slotting it onto the telly that route.

Nothing's ever simple.

I've got BTwitinternet too. I was thinking of ringing up for the BT sport - I don't think I'll bother now. Thanks for the heads up.

[Athers]

I've just signed up to BT Sport. We have BT as the internet provider, so it's just an add on.

Routinely advertised as free, it actually costs £6pm. It also required a box ... costing £50. It's THAT free !!

The box then is lined up to the TV and will then override the access and need a retune. As I live on the Welsh border this will take fine tuning to ensure I don't start getting Welsh TV (this is vital). There is an App, for phones and tablets, but can't yet be put onto Smart TV's (why not ?) even via downloading it to a USB and then slotting it onto the telly that route.

Nothing's ever simple.

What was the £6pm to pay for? It shouldn't be the channel!? so for TV or broadband?

[Bruce Rioja]

Thanks for the advice on the wireless adapter thing, Chaps. However, the young fellow in PC World said that I'll probably be better off with this powerline adapter thing that sends the signal (or whatever it's called) through the house wiring.

If this works then, well, you know exactly what;

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Are those some town hall steps I spy?

[Bruce Rioja]

Are those some town hall steps I spy?

They are indeed, Spotto.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Them powerline things can be a bit hit and miss depending on your wiring. When they work, they work well

[Bruce Rioja]

Them powerline things can be a bit hit and miss depending on your wiring. When they work, they work well

House was fully re-wired last week, AT.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Them powerline things can be a bit hit and miss depending on your wiring. When they work, they work well

House was fully re-wired last week, AT.

Sure it'll be fine. I don't know the technicalities of why they sometimes don't, just a problem I'd heard of. Worst case you could just drill a hole in the ceiling and run a cat 5 up there

[bobo the clown]

Them powerline things can be a bit hit and miss depending on your wiring. When they work, they work well

That's what we use. Piece of piss .... well, so it said on the wrapper. As with about 50% of plug n play things it simply refused to work. I had got it from Maplin's & the very helpful nerd who sold it me had said "call by if there's any problem" ... so I did.

He came round to mine with an "I don't know, you techno-phobes" face on him expecting it to be sorted in about 3 minutes. He was here almost 2 hours. Being a nerd he was not going to be beaten. He had to reconfigure things, re-set up other things, and swear ... very, very quietly ... rather a lot.

He sorted it in the end and it's been totally perfect since then, but fck knows what he did.