WiFi Connection Issues

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WiFi Connection Issues Fix

I’ve always been the neighborhood geek and I have done this simple wifi connection setting for so many people.  Let me set the scenario up for you.  I’ll get a call or see a post that says “My internet provider is crap.  My WiFi disconnects all the time.  Don’t get _____________ for your internet provider.  We hate them.”

Your Wifi Router

Most people think when you connect to your home wifi you’re connecting to 1 choice.  In reality there are 2 choices usually.

  • 2.4 GHz wifi network
  • 5 GHz wifi network

2.4 GHz is usually the most common connection made and it has the best range.  It consists of 11 channels in the US.  Each one of those 11 channels is selectable or most routers are set to obtain the channel automatically.

5 GHz is not utilized as much as a lot of people just don’t know about it.  Of the two wifi’s, 5GHz provides a faster connection albeit over a shorter range.  It consists of 24 channels.  Whenever possible you should try to utilize your 5 GHz connection.

The rabbit hole goes a little deeper than just the number of available channels but for now, this is all we really need to know.
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NIIMBOT B3S Review

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NIIMBOT B3S Review

NIIMBOT B3S

NIIMBOT B3S

The fine folks at NIIMBOT contacted me recently and asked me to review the B21 Label Maker.  Following that review they indicated that I could choose another label maker to review.  I chose the NIIMBOT B3S.

I fell in love with the B21 and so did my wife.  It is the most intuitive and stylish label maker I’ve gotten my hands on, maybe ever.

I have a similar enjoyment of the NIIMBOT B3S but make no mistake, they are 2 different animals entirely.

And I had to get past a couple of hurdles before I got the B3S to where I was effortlessly cranking out labels.
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A Week With The Sculpfun S9 Laser

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Sculpfun S9 – A Deeper Dive

Sculpfun gave me a Sculpfun S9 for review and I posted my initial impressions about a week ago.  After a week of some testing and more usage I can provide a more authoritative opinion on the laser.  In a nutshell I find that the S9 is far above average for the price point that it resides in.   In my opinion this would make an excellent entry level laser for someone.  Or even better, it would make an excellent back up machine for a home business or side hustle.

I read a lot of laser forums.  Everyday I  read posts like this.   “The laser has broken and I have orders to fulfill”.  You’d be able to fulfill them if you owned a backup machine.
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NIIMBOT B21 Review

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NIIMBOT B21 Review

NIIMBOT B21

NIMBOT B21 Label Printer

It’s no secret that I love label makers.  I own a LOT of label makers and I have blogged about them extensively.  Every household needs a label maker.  I’ll expand that to say that every household needs a couple of label makers for various tasks.   NIIMBOT contacted me and asked me to pick any printer in their line up, and they would send it to me to review.

I glanced through their printers and my eyes instantly locked on to the NIIMBOT B21 Thermal Label Maker.  If I had to describe my first impression in one word, that word would be “FUN”.

So many of my label makers are industrial looking and huge.  The B21 is small, sleek, and retro looking.  They promptly sent me one with some extra labels and I’m going to put it through its paces to see how it fares.

Even though NIIMBOT provided me a label maker absolutely no pressure was applied to me to provide a positive review.  If it is positive it will be because I think it is positive.  I’ll tell you exactly what I think here.
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SHTF Scenario

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The SHTF Scenario Happened!

SHTF

SHTF!

Last night the unthinkable happened.  I woke up in the middle of the night and grabbed my computer to catch up on the news and amuse myself.  To my surprise the internet was down.  Thanks Optimum!  No problem.  I’ll just use my cell phone for a hotspot.  I went and found my phone and the network reported “SOS” instead of “5G” or “LTE”. My first thought was that the SHTF, finally.  Where to turn now to see what is going on?

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AC4 Audio And ATSC 3.0

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AC4 Audio and ATSC 3.0

There is a new digital TV standard coming.  It is called ATSC 3.0 or NextGen Tv.  ATSC 3.0 uses AC4 audio as its codec.

Most TV markets have at least one ATSC 3.0 channel.  Where I live it is 125.11 PBS, Greenville, NC.  I have a tuner capable of ATSC 3.0 and I supposedly have a TV capable of AC4 audio.  So everything should be hunky dory, right?  Wrong.

No sound.

But John, it says right in the LG specs for this specific TV that it supports AC4 audio.  What gives?

AC4 Audio

TV Specs

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Over The Air TV ATSC 3.0

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Over The Air TV ATSC 3.0

NextGen TV Explainer Page FAQPeople don’t think much about their TV tuners.  If you go to buy a TV you’ll see plenty of buzzwords like LED, QLED, or 4K but not much discussion on the tuner itself.   And usually not much about ATSC 3.0.  It is also referred to as NEXTGEN TV.

The current broadcast standard is called ATSC or Advanced Television Systems Committee.  That is a series of standards for digital TV broadcasts.  In Europe, their system is called PAL.  Most TV’s in the US meet the ATSC 1.0 standard however a newer standard, ATSC 3.0 is slowly rolling out.

Someday, your ATSC 1.0 won’t work for you anymore although that day seems to be down the road a ways.  Many TV markets have rolled out at least one ATSC 3.0 channel while simultaneously broadcasting an ATSC 1.0 signal.

And of course you won’t get the benefits of that crisp, more powerful, higher resolution signal unless you have a tuner or TV capable of decoding it.   Where I live there is one NEXTGEN TV signal and it is a local PBS channel.  They also still broadcast in ATSC 1.0 and likely will for years. There doesn’t seem to be any danger of any other channels rolling out in the immediate future.
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Sculpfun S9 Laser Review

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Sculpfun S9 Review

I was recently contacted by Sculpfun and provided a Sculpfun S9 laser to review.

I have owned multiple desktop lasers since they first became mainstream around 2019.  Fast forward 5 years and desktop lasers are gaining in popularity.  The laser side hustle is a real phenomenon and seemingly getting stronger all the time.   Despite the many choices in desktop lasers, they are all fairly similar.

Sculpfun S9

Typical 450nm diode module

Most machines contain a 450 nanometer (nm), 5 watt blue laser diode.  That is roughly the most powerful diode on the market.  Manufacturers who have 10 watt, or 20 watt optical output simply combine multiple diodes into one beam.  A 10 watt laser has 2 diodes, and a 20 watt laser has 4 diodes, and so on.

Similarly, most of these devices have a rectangular frame somewhere around 350 to 400 mm in length and width.  The laser head is driven by an 8 bit or 32 bit motherboard and stepper motors, and the laser is manually focused.

Since the machines are all so similar, the thing that sets them apart is cost.  Many desktop diode laser offerings come in around the $500 price point.  Lasers that cost less than that price point are a little tougher to find.

Enter the Sculpfun S9 at the current price of $269.99.  And as a bonus, Sculpfun has provided my readers a 7% off discount code only for the S9. KJKXP7  (S9).  By my calculations that makes the laser approximately $251.09.  I have done blogs on budget lasers and $250 is an EXCELLENT entry level price point.
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Tasmota Light Bulb Kauf A21

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Tasmota Light Bulb Kauf A21

Tasmota Light

Kauf A21

There are a ton of smart Internet of Things (IoT) devices out there.  Most of them are a security nightmare to introduce into your home network.   But I’ve found one that ISN’T a security nightmare.  The Kauf A21 bulb with ESPHome Firmware is one such device.  An ESPHome or Tasmota Light will ONLY communicate within your home network.  A Tasmota Light is my personal preference for home automation.

These lights are designed to work with home automation software such as Home Assistant

If you buy a light bulb at Walmart you can control it with an app you put on your phone.  And while that seems cool, it really isn’t. That app, and that bulb communicate off of your phone and contact servers outside of your home network.

IoT devices that are app controlled are a security risk.  And in your quest to smarten up your home you may have several devices and several apps. Additionally,  those apps want you to grant permission to use your camera (presumably to scan a QR code) and they also want location control enabled.   Why does my Lifx bulb I bought at Walmart need to know where I and my phone are?  Riddle me that, Batman.
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