What wireless router should I buy?

Posted by on Mar 15, 2014 in Blog, hardware, internet, internet appliance | 0 comments

It’s a common question that gets asked a lot, and I’m here to shed some light on what I have learned. First of all a lot of ISP’s are incorporating wireless and a four port wired LAN into their modems. I know ATT does this with their U-Verse and Comcast does this with their newest modems. So if you have a wireless light on your modem you will not need to buy a separate wireless router,  you already have wireless capability...

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What is the C wire that is needed for a Wifi “smart” thermostat?

Posted by on Jan 24, 2014 in Blog, home automation, internet appliance, Technology | 8 comments

I recently jumped into the wifi smart thermostat game and ended up installing a Honeywell RTH9580WF. The thermostat requires a C wire to be hooked up to your thermostat and your 24V AC transformer in your furnace. I initially installed a Nest thermostat, but after a week of use my Nest base unit shorted the red and green causing the fan to run non-stop. I’ll talk more about this in another blog post. I spent a ton of time trying to figure...

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derekscomputer.com review Loftek CXS 2200 IP Camera

Posted by on Aug 28, 2012 in Blog, camera, internet appliance, Technology | 0 comments

I was recently looking for an affordable wireless IP camera that had infrared and Pan/Tilt. There a quite a few of these to choose from if you are in the market for an IP camera. Foscam makes popular low budget IP cameras but I have yet to try one. The price range for a Foscam starts out at around $80. The bad news about Foscam is that there are fake Foscam cameras out there so you need to watch out. I decided to search for an even lower budget...

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Pogoplug kills very helpful pogoplugged.com website

Posted by on Jul 8, 2012 in Blog, cloud, computer backups, hardware, internet appliance | 8 comments

It seems as if the best days of owning my Pogoplug may be behind me. This is what happens when you get onboard a cloud service that you have no control of. As of June something 2012 the website pogoplugged.com is no longer active. If I recall the website was an unofficial pogoplug support website, unofficial meaning it was not owned by Pogoplug. Along with the shutter of the website was tons of helpful information regarding your Pogoplug. When...

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What happens when a cloud type company with hardware goes out of business?

Posted by on May 6, 2012 in Blog, cloud, computer backups, hardware, internet appliance, Technology | 3 comments

Something that has been on my mind recently is the fact that cloud type businesses are bombarding us from every direction. Suddenly everything is “out in the cloud” or just “out there”, well my question is what happens when a cloud type business fails and you depend on them? There is no way all of these cloud businesses are going to make it, they will get weeded out and some will go under. Cloud = Internet.  A cloud...

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derekscomputer.com review of Logitech Squeezebox Radio Music Player

Posted by on Mar 2, 2012 in Blog, internet appliance, internet radio, music, Technology | 1 comment

One of the best Internet appliances I have found is the Logitech Squeezebox. It is an Internet radio that allows you to stream podcasts, music, and talk radio from all over the world.  It connects using either wireless or a wired connection to your home or office Internet. The fit and finish on the Squeezebox is excellent as well as the sound. It has a “well built” type of feel to it with tactile rubber buttons and knobs.  It is...

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