Network upgrades almost done
I finally purchased the last little bit of gear for my prosumer setup from Unifi. So everything should be upgraded and done for the next 5 to 10 years by the end of August 2024. I am looking forward to completing it and having all Unifi network gear. So far it has been good and I am learning alot.
Next project putting my Raspberry Pi 5 together with the neat miniPC case I bought and getting Pi-Hole up and running. Still thinking about UnBound too.
Well have a great weekend everyone and thanks for going on this networking journey with me.
What a day from a simple upgrade
Well, today I woke up took down my old router the TP-Link Omada ER7206 v1.6 and install and setup my new Unifi Cloud Gateway Ultra. The primary WAN (which is Frontier Fiber) went smooth no problems. When I was setting up the failover WAN (Spectrum) man did I have problems it was not finding it even after the small changes I had to do in the console screen. 2 hours later trouble shooting the Spectrum 3.0 DOCSIS modem would not reconnect and then just didn't power on (which leads me to believe it may not have been working for at least a couple of weeks). So chatted with Spectrum and had then activate my own S33 Arris DOCSIS 3.1 modem and bam bang bong it was up and running. The CGU found it speed test went great and everything is up and running.
Then I look at my Elgato Stream Deck and no stock tickers they are all blank. Thinking it might be the CGU and the DNS secure setting I poked around. Found that there was a plugin update to the plugin for the stocks and that I now needed an API Key. Got that taken care of and everything seems to be as it should just a strange day. Not saying it is related to the CGU change out but it was definitely a chain of things happening at once.
Home Network upgrades incoming
I hope to redo my network equipment before the end of the year. I am hoping to switch everything to UniFi. I already have the Cloud Gateway Ultra router. I am going to get 2 WiFi 7 AP's 2 switches one network extender (this is just in case) and 2 flex mini's. My whole system will then be UniFi from start to finish. I am thinking about getting a Raspberry Pi 5 to use Pi-hole and some other stuff on it.
This will all replace my aging Orbi WiFi Mesh 5 system that I am currently using in AP mode only with a TP-Link first generation ER7206.
Why am I doing all this because I want things in place for the next 5 to 10 years and not have to worry about my network cables or network equipment and I can finally do this since I can finally afford it.
Interesting Newsworthy things that happened around our house
In the last 3 years some news worthy things have happened. For instance yesterday on my birthday in the afternoon I was helping my mother unload some groceries she had brought over and we both heard a loud bang and short after a loud scream by a women. A look at my mother and said what was that. That was loud but at least it didn't shake the house and windows violently like a few years ago. At the 10 clock news I found out what it was this.
Which brings me to a few years ago. A house around a couple of corners from ours blew up. That shook the house and the windows and was again on the news here. My dad happened to be here when that happened. I don't know what is going on around here.
At least yesterday no one died and was not seriously injured unlike when the house blew up.
This was the interesting thing I was looking on. Well have a great weekend everyone.
My Birthday
Today is my birthday. I celebrated by having a steak dinner with my family and bought myself a watch. I took today and tomorrow off from work. It was a good day overall.
I am working on another post about something that did happened today. Not related to my birthday but interesting. Hope to share more in the days to come.
New Theme
Well, I updated the website with a new theme. Let me know what you think. I think it looks good. I add a couple of plug-ins and widgets. I don't want to make it too busy. I did try another one before this one but I could not make it work. I went with this one instead.
Thinking for the future
Hope everyone is doing great. I am sitting here on a Saturday getting little things done and over with and checked off my list. I am also thinking of future problems.
I have embarked on moving my email across many different emails to one centralized email address. Why for privacy and security. I am just fed up with Microsoft, Google and AOL/Yahoo and other scanning my email and what if they ever decide to kill the product or increase the prices even more than they have recently. My own domain is shared and there is always that security problem. So I have been moving almost everything to Proton mail as it is encrypted at rest and my domains email. I am only keeping very specific things at Hotmail/Outlook and Gmail and really have moved 98 percent of the stuff I had going to AOL/Yahoo off. But companies don't make it easy sometimes. Some companies are great about letting you change your email address. They verify who you are and then verify your new email. Other companies are just terrible make it difficult and arduous so instead of still getting there emails I just unsubscribe if I really want it then I subscribe like I am new, but that has been very few. I just unsubscribe.
I am also thinking of moving away from WordPress and going to Ghost. It all depends on when I have to renew by InMotion Hosting shared plan next year. If it stays at the price they already have there it will not happen. I am probably little strain on their resources (maybe an argument can be made for email for my mom, dad and myself, but that is a hard one to make in the overall scheme of things). I will ask them if they can offer a better price as I have been with them for for over 10 years. But if they don't I will be gone. I am also going to try and update the WordPress theme shortly. I am hoping that goes well.
Well this has been a long one if anybody has any thoughts on WordPress versus Ghost let me know.
Microsoft gaming disappointment
I am disappointed with the direction Microsoft is taking with their gaming: A Review
This isn't a complete takedown of Microsoft, as I admire them overall, alongside tech giants like Google. However, both companies share a penchant for shutting down consumer-oriented projects, which extends to their gaming endeavors. This review focuses on my disillusionment with recent Microsoft-backed titles, particularly from Rare and Bethesda.
Sea of Thieves: Broken Promises and Grindy Gameplay
My frustration began with Sea of Thieves. I paid $60 for a visually stunning game, only to be thrown into a confusing world lacking basic instructions. Twitch streams offered little solace, as the rampant PvP culture led to constant harassment and mockery. While some enjoyed the challenge, I, and many others, simply desired a peaceful solo or cooperative experience. The developers, Rare, initially dismissed our pleas, urging us to "git gud." My argument remains: why dictate how I play a game I paid full price for, especially when PvE content offered a viable alternative? After five years, a single-player mode finally arrived, highlighting the missed opportunity for a truly inclusive experience. This isn't a free-to-play title where microtransactions dictate progress; it's a premium game, accessible via Game Pass or direct purchase.
While I applaud Rare's eventual concession to solo play, I believe full access to in-game items, except for PvP-oriented Reaper items, is essential. These rewards are earned, not gifted, and hold no tangible advantage over other players as they are just cosmetic. Those who prefer the chaotic PvPvE experience can freely enjoy it, but forcing me, or anyone else who paid for the game, to endure unwanted harassment is unacceptable.
Halo Infinite: Hype Deflated, Expectations Unmet
Halo Infinite, another Microsoft Studios title, similarly failed to live up to its pre-release hype. While enjoyable in parts, it lacked the innovation and polish expected from a flagship franchise.
Starfield: A Disappointment That Saved Me Money
My pre-order for Starfield's "Watch" edition was thankfully canceled by Best Buy, potentially sparing me from further disappointment. The trailers and gameplay demos painted a picture that the final product, reminiscent of The Outer Worlds but arguably inferior, couldn't match. This experience makes me hesitant to blindly trust Microsoft's AAA marketing in the future.
Moving Forward: A Cautious Gamer My recent experiences with Microsoft-backed games have instilled a sense of caution. I'll approach them with a critical eye. Until then, I'll be holding onto my hard-earned money.
A-FIB
Well, it all started at around 4 PM on Saturday, December 10, 2023. I went into A-FIB and I don't know why. Almost 3 days later on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, at around 12:30 AM, I went back into normal heart Rhythm.
I am glad I didn't have to go to the Emergency room and that I had my Samsung Galaxy watch Classic6 and my Kardia device to keep track of my A-Fib incident.
I really can't wait until 2023 is over as this has been a very bad year for me and my family.
Thanksgiving 2023
Happy Thanksgiving 2023. I hope everyone gets stuffed.
I was thinking what I am Thankful this year for. Well, my salvation, my Lord, my family and getting up every morning and having a job that pays me for my work. Other than that not much. 2023 has not been a very cheerful year for me. My family and me have had continued health problems and a little bit of money problems this year (mainly due to inflation). Other than that I am looking forward to this year being over. I am not looking forward to one thing next year and that is Politics both people that will be running for President are just too old as well as most members of Congress and the rest are just there for themselves.
Not all has been bad this year. I have found a few good things about this year in addition to what I talked about being thankful already. So, I look forward to saying good bye to 2023.
New Integrations
WordPress has tied into Mastodon. So I am going to try that. Lets see if it works. Just another way where I can follow myself :).
No seriously this seems big and another step away from Twitter.
Need to do better
I need to do better at blogging. Sometimes I forget or think no one wants to hear about this anyway. Even though it does make me feel better when I type/write things.
An update since Hurricane Idalia. We came through relatively unscathed and it appears that we just might not have a major storm hit us this year. Which is always good news. I bought a Disney World annual pass and have gone once so far. I need to go about 7 more times to break even and get more than what I paid for.
Disney World was fun though hot and humid. I posted a couple of things on my Mastodon server if you want to check those out.
Lastly, I was thinking of upgrading my phone this year. I moved away from Pixel for a few reasons. One that Pixel 6 Pro got too hot and the modem and wireless were not a great experience on that phone. I would drop calls or just not connect a lot. I wanted to throw that phone out a window so many times. I also didn't like that Google kills almost everything I love and use with them or let it stagnate (i.e. Blogger). I just can't trust that they won't kill the Pixel. I mean there is history. They killed the Nexus line of phones. So I went with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and loved the phone. It used to be not great at battery life barely getting me through a day and it is still almost quite like that but I am ending the day with slightly more battery than I had been for a couple of updates. Speaking of updates they have been pretty fast this year with the updates. I am looking forward to seeing what the S24 Ultra will hold and if it is much better than the S22 Ultra if not I can wait.
Well that is all for now. Hope everyone is doing great.
Hurricane Idalia
Well, Hurricane Idalia has come and is still hanging around (at least the effects). Hopefully, in a day or two it will be completely gone. We fair much better than we did with Hurricane Ian last year. Hope everyone is staying dry, as we are continually trying to do.
The Chosen
I have been watching the series on Amazon Prime Video The Chosen. I am at the beginning of the second season. It is a wonderfully done series. It may not be exactly 100 percent accurate but the message is 100 percent accurate and on point. If you haven't watched it you should. Can not recommend it highly enough. The Actors and Actresses are doing an excellent job.
Everytime
Every time I have a holiday off and take additional time off my sister and youngest niece causes a raucous for the whole family and ruins it. Only some of the things I wanted to accomplish during this time off have been done.
I did watch the first season of Silo from Apple TV and it was good. I think they could give you more of a history and made the season say 15 episodes.
Well, I hope everyone else had a great 4th of July.
Nothing much going on
Like the title says nothing much is going on right now. I did cook my dad his favorite for him an early Father's Day gift. Other than that it has been working, home rinse, and repeat.
Update on the car the right front wheel bearing was the issue. The car has been solid and working great since then. Now I am going to get my yearly detail and thinking strongly about getting window tint. That should be standard in Florida.
I am going on Monday to get some new glasses made at Costco. The other place, a family shop, closed down after the whole family retired. They had no one that wanted to take over the business.
Other than that everything is moving along. I will be taking some time off in July the first week. That will be nice. Take care everyone and be safe.
Busy week for the Mitchell family
I just got new tires, alignment and a front brake job last month. This month it is a right wheel hub with wheel bearings. This was not cheap, but since I am not automotive/mechanically incline I have to outsource this. I pick the car up tomorrow and will see if the problem is fix. I will know right away when the car gets to 40mph and above if the problem is fixed.
So why not fix it last month. Well it was getting worse and the dealership was not 100% sure what the problem was back then. As the problem worsened they figure it out or we will see once I pick it up. Like I said I will be able to tell almost immediately if the problem is fixed. I will update everyone if the problem has been fixed.
That is not the only thing this week. This week was my Mom and Dad's 55th wedding anniversary. This week was also my nephew's (my brother's son) 19th birthday and would have been my Grandmother's (on my dad's side) 110th birthday if she were still alive.
****Update**** My car is fixed it was definitely the right front wheel hub assembly/bearings and is now fix. Thanks to all the fine folks at Jarrett Scott Ford.
Big News
I have been teasing some big news for this month. Here it is. I have sold my 15.15 acres in Paris, Tennessee. I didn't want to say anything until it was finalized. I only had 8 years to go on paying it off. But due to life circumstances living in Florida and it being 14-16 hour drive away I had not been up there in over 8 years. So I got a call out of the blue from someone who lives up there and offered me a price I could not refuse. So it is done. I will miss it as it was a gorgeous piece of vacant land, but I just could not justify keeping it anymore.
The money I got for it will help pay off a majority of my bills and get me on a better tract and allow me to have a sufficient savings.
So in addition to my discontinuing posting on my Blogger site, it is also the end of an era for the land I used to own in Paris, Tennessee. I hope everyone has a great and thoughtful and thankful Memorial Day.
Saturday morning blues
I am currently spending an early, beautiful Saturday morning at Ford for vehicle maintenance. Wish the car could drive itself for this so I could sleep ☺️.
Network Upgrades
Today I spent almost the entire day upgrading my network cable in the attic and setting up for bringing a backup internet connection online. While upgrading the network, I thought I had Cat5e Cable in the attic. It turned out to be Cat 5 and my Dad and myself installed it in 1995 almost 30 years ago. So now I have Cat 6 and I ran two lines with my dad's help and then made my own keystone Cat 6 jacks for the first time. A lot of people might ask why Cat 6, not 6A, or 7, or even 8. Well, I chose Cat 6 because it should be fine for my needs and I watched several videos that Cat 7 or 8 are not official specs.
There were a few hiccups on the way but it is done. Now I just have to set up my TP-Link Omada Router and turn my Wifi5 Netgear Orbi and Satellite into Access Points.
I will eventually upgrade the Access Points but I am taking this one thing at a time. I already have a backup internet connection. Frontier Fiber 500/500 is my main internet connection. Spectrum stopped by my house a few weeks ago and offered me a deal I could not refuse. 300/10 for 19.99 for 2 years. So I figured since I am working from home 3 times a week and while Frontier Fiber has been reliable it has gone down a few times in the almost 2 years I have had it. So for that amount, it was worth having as an insurance policy.
Finally, things are lining up and I have been learning a lot lately. WordPress, how to make keystone jacks. Hopefully more exciting things and news coming.