Author: Dave Farquhar

How to fix loose vinyl tiles

Dave Farquhar DIY

Sometimes a vinyl tile pops loose. When it happens, it’s best to replace it with a new one. But if the tile is old enough, replacements may not be available. When that’s the case, here’s how to fix loose vinyl tiles.

First things first: if the tile is asbestos, just glue it back down, disturbing it as little as absolutely possible. That’s the safest thing to do.

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Why to avoid a flexible p-trap

Dave Farquhar Landlording , , ,

I guess it was inevitable that someone would make a flexible p-trap out of expandable, accordion-style pipe. I’ve written about that stuff before, and you definitely don’t want your p trap to be made of it.

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Using the DD-WRT firewall

Dave Farquhar DD-WRT, security
Using the DD-WRT firewall

I get a lot of questions about the DD-WRT firewall. There’s a lot of talk out there that goes deep into theory and advanced firewall usage, but what if you just want to know how to set up your firewall to protect your network and open up a few ports?

Here’s how to set that up.

Note: If you have multiple DD-WRT boxes running as access points like I do, only the one directly plugged into the Internet needs to be configured this way. Disable the SPI firewall on your internal access points.

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Cleaning up Plasticville

Dave Farquhar Toy trains , ,

Plasticville buildings in less than stellar condition are dirt cheap, but restoring them is often possible. There is no need to be afraid of a dirty lot of Plasticville from a train show or Ebay–cleaning up Plasticville is easy.

Of course these tricks work for Plasticville-like buildings from the 1950s as well, such as Littletown, Skyline, Ideal, and Marx.

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Wiring an old house for Ethernet

Dave Farquhar Servers and Networking , , , , , , ,
Wiring an old house for Ethernet

Wiring an old house for Ethernet can be challenging but offers real benefits. Wired Ethernet is faster and more reliable than wireless, so devices that have a wired connection can take advantage of it. Having wired connections also allows you to distribute wireless access points throughout your house for better, faster coverage.

So you even if you’re a heavy wireless user, there’s a lot to gain from having good wired connections. Believe it or not, you can do it with simple tools and very little tearing into your walls.

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How to load Commodore 64 games

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing ,
How to load Commodore 64 games

You had to know a command to load Commodore 64 games, because, unlike many other computers of its day, it didn’t automatically boot game disks when you turned it on.

Things worked best if you followed a process.

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What appliances should a landlord provide

Dave Farquhar Landlording , , ,

What appliances should a landlord provide? Every landlord has a different opinion. I tend to be fairly generous. I’ll explain what I provide and why.

First, let me give you a hint: Often you have to spend money to make money, and a fully-stocked house can easily net you $20 additional in rent every month. Assuming a 10-year service life, that means you can afford to spend $700, and $700 buys a lot of used appliances. Also, if a tenant stays an extra year and your house isn’t vacant for a month while you’re getting a new tenant, that’s worth a few hundred dollars alone. Here are some tips on saving money on appliances if you need them.

Second: This isn’t what a landlord is required to provide. It’s what I recommend they provide based on my own experience.

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Should I switch to Fastrack?

Dave Farquhar Toy trains , , , , , , ,
Should I switch to Fastrack?

A common question is whether to switch from traditional Lionel tubular track to Fastrack, or from traditional American Flyer track to the new S-gauge Fastrack.

If you make the switch, I stand to possibly make a couple of bucks from affiliate links. But my integrity is worth more than a couple of bucks, so let’s talk this through.

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SQL injection explained

Dave Farquhar security ,

I’ve never seen SQL injection explained really well, until one of my coworkers did just that. I’m going to try to repeat his explanation here, because SQL injection is something that everyone seems to expect everyone else to just know.

SQL injection (sometimes abbreviated SQLi) is the technical term for getting a form in a web site to run SQL commands when it shouldn’t. You need to know this if you get into vulnerability management and especially web app pen testing. Here’s what it is and how and why it works.

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Lenovo Thinkpad won’t turn on? Fix it easily.

Dave Farquhar Hardware
Lenovo Thinkpad won’t turn on? Fix it easily.

If your Lenovo Thinkpad won’t turn on, I have an easy fix. It takes less time than calling the helpdesk, and less time than going straight to desktop support too. Here’s how to fix your Thinkpad that won’t turn on all by yourself and save. Save time, at least.

Remove your Thinkpad from all power sources, including removing the battery or pressing the emergency reset on the underside, then open the lid back up and hold the power button for a few seconds. Then replace the battery, plug the laptop back in, and try the power button again.
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