How to find my router IP

How to find my router IP

It’s hard to know how to find my router IP address, since it’s arbitrary. Usually your router lives at one end or the other of your network, but there’s no reason why it has to. So if someone decided to get tricky, here’s how to find it.

There was a time when knowing your router IP was a matter of survival, but these days networking normally configures itself, using a technology called DHCP. That puts your router IP address out of sight and out of mind. But it turns out there are several ways to find the router IP, and some of them work no matter what kind of computer you have.

Read more

What is a runbook?

What is a runbook?

What is a runbook? It’s an IT phrase you hear thrown around a lot these days and everyone assumes you know what one is. I actually wrote runbooks at a couple of different points in my career without knowing that’s what I was doing. So it’s OK if you don’t know what one is. I’ll explain it.

Read more

What is Internet speed?

What is Internet speed?

You may have noticed different Internet plans have different prices, and the difference between the packages is the speed. But they may not explain it. So what is Internet speed? Read on.

Read more

Cheap home server options

Cheap home server options

If you have a large collection of music or movies, it’s nice to have a server to put it on. And having a server lets you do some other cool stuff too. But if you’ve priced an enterprise server, it might scare you off. Let’s talk about cheap home server options.

Read more

Do I need a managed switch at home?

Do I need a managed switch at home?

Like most people, I used consumer-grade switches on my home network for years and years, like TP-Link switches. They’re fine, but my older Linksys switch started acting flaky the other night. My oldest son’s computer kept dropping off the network. So that got me thinking. Do I need a managed switch at home?

Whether I need a managed switch for my home network or not, I bought a Dell Powerconnect 2824 smart managed switch, and I got it for less than a Linksys. This is a great opportunity to learn wired networking at home, the way businesses do it. Sure, it’s overkill, but here’s why I think it’s a good idea.

Read more

How far can you run an Ethernet cable?

How far can you run an Ethernet cable?

How far can you run an Ethernet cable? The limit is around 90-100 meters. You can generally push that limit harder with CAT6 than with CAT5e, and there are ways you can cheat. Here’s how.

You may be able to buy an Ethernet cable longer than 100 meters, but don’t assume that just because you can buy one that it will work.

Read more

Fast Ethernet vs Gigabit Ethernet

Fast Ethernet vs Gigabit Ethernet

You may hear the words Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet thrown around a lot, and it can raise some questions. Which one is faster? Which is better? How can one compare Fast Ethernet vs Gigabit Ethernet? Despite the name, Gigabit Ethernet is faster than Fast Ethernet. Here’s why you need to care about the difference.

Read more

Hosting your own web server at home

Hosting your own web server at home

Hosting your own web server at home isn’t for everyone, but I’ve been doing it for the better part of two decades now. I think it’s good operational experience. My stories of running my own web server get mixed reactions at work, but some people certainly take interest in my experience dealing with it, especially since such stories tend to be rare from a security professional. I think hosting my own web server helps me stay in touch with the rest of the IT world.

Read more

Is TP-Link good?

Is TP-Link good?

You’ve probably seen TP-Link network equipment on computer store shelves, but it’s possible you’ve never bought any. TP-Link hasn’t been around as long as other brands, after all. But I don’t blame you for wondering: Is TP-Link good?

I like their stuff and recommend it. Here’s why.

Read more

Is powerline networking safe?

Is powerline networking safe?

Is powerline networking safe? It may sound strange to send computer networking signals down the same wire you use to get electricity. Here’s what you need to know.

Read more