My naked laptop part II

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Liang Vincent WANG

3年前经过一番研究，买了个山寨白牌上网本。由于是山寨的反而不受Intel对上网本屏幕尺寸限制，所以配置反而比品牌上网本高，Atom 1.6G CPU 2G Ram 12寸 1366 x 768 LCD。而且内外部做工也都不错。以当年的标准，够轻够用，之前出门旅行一直靠这个。甚至我PhD答辩都用的这台机器。现在主要放在客厅接电视当播放器。

最近发现CPU长时间100%运转，机器会自行关机，底部也很烫，风扇出风口倒是温度不高。排除了软件问题后，综合以上现象，也就剩下一个解决方案，拆！

费了点周折总算将其大卸八块。吃惊的发现风扇下面居然没有CPU。原来Atom参考设计风扇不是必须的。CPU通过一个大片散热片将热倒入风扇上部。这台机器问题就出现在，导热硅胶干了，而且CPU接触散热片面积不够。恰好手头多一块小散热片，将其塞入CPU与主板散热片之间，两边抹上硅胶。然后整机原样装回。再开机让CPU长时间100%运转，温度没以前那么烫，也不会自动关机了。

之前说了，这山寨本配置不错，经过拆解发现内部布版设计也不错，可见方案商还是有点功力的，就是用料稍差，不过和品牌厂商低端产品是一个水平上的。这年头消费电子不好做啊。

For part I, please visit here https://vincent4wang.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/my-naked-notebook/

How to make your home WiFi better?

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Liang Vincent WANG

I was driven crazy by the poor internet and WiFi in my home. Called Singtel for on-site support twice. They even replaced one set of the integrated modem+router, rewired the whole cable in the flat. Since the last on-site support, the DSL connection is better but DNS and WiFi still poor. Finally I manged to sort all these out myself and share with you here.

So what are the problems?

1. Internet down too often, not just WiFi, LAN or Mio TVdown either? Switch ON/OFF, no use? Consider contact Singtel first, let them update the firmware or replace the 2wire router for you. I had mine replaced and Mio TV since working fine.

Before you read further, I assume you know how to access the router setup page. Try open in your browser http://192.168.1.254

Note: this IP is dependent on your router manufacturer.

2. You can log on QQ, Skype, PPstream, but can’t browse the net? Singtel DNS fails. You can try set your modem using Google DNS, free and more stable! Don’t know how? Google is free.

3. WiFi too slow and unstable, drop like crazy?

Get inssider from http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/

Scan your neighbours’ WiFi channel frequencies, set your WiFi channel frequency away from the crowded area, usually channels 1 and 11 should be avoided.

If you using Android device, get WiFi analyzer from Play market

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer&hl=en

4. Place your WiFi router above the ground level, central to your devices not blocked by concrete walls.

5. Use WPA2 AES to encrypt your WiFi, it is more secure. It may improve your WiFi SNR as well. But this might be dependent on various situations, some ppl find WEP higher SNR. But if you’re on a 802.11n network, you should only use WPA2, otherwise the speed would be capped at g level.

6. Set static IP on your device.

7. What? After all these your apple ipad, android pad or phone still refused to be connected? Replace it! I mean your WiFi router. (I have tried all the tips/changes online in my router and Nexus 7. They just don’t mate..) What I did was disable the Singtel 2wire WiFi, just keep the DSL and connect it to my Cisco Linksys WiFi router. Voila! my Nexus 7 finally connected to the world again and has not be dropping so far. WiFi SNR for all my devices up by >10dB!

The tips here are not specific for Singtel. Most works for any ISP, WiFi routers.

Update:
8. Adding new gear:
If you flat or house is bigger than the coverage one wireless router can offer, you will need to set up a second access point in your remote room.
In my own apartment I’m using powerline adaptor + access point. Forget about WiFi repeater, extender, they are just too slow.

Hope this helps!

My mobile phone timeline

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Liang Vincent WANG

Just realized I’ve been using mobile phone for 10+ years. Here is my mobile phone time line. (The first and last photos are by me, the rest are taken from official release photos or as credited in the watermark)

Before I bought my first mobile phone, I was using an Alcatel OT301 from my mother, while she actually switched to a PHS phone..The first mobile phone I bought was

Siemens 3618 (ME45), 2003

It was with the top specs for a black&white phone, big & high res screen at that time, also water, dust, and shock resistant. It even had English to Chinese dictionary 文曲星 embedded. This is phone is still with me after ten years. It is my GSM backup phone. Standby 10 days.

Siemens SX1, 2004

This phone had the most unique design I ever used. It was the most powerful smartphone phone at that time. Huge, high res color screen, and useful. It also ran the N-Gage games. I actually played Tomb Raider original on this phone! More important to me, it was the only smartphone that supported stereo mp3 playback (compared to Nokia 6600). I sold my mp3 player right after I got this beast. Before I got the Canon A610, it served as my main camera. The keypad design however wasn’t one hand operation friendly. While the biggest problem I had with this phone was the proprietary adaptor with remote for the headphone, which failed easily with my daily usage. (I always carry my phone when running). After failing three or four of such adaptors in two years, I finally decided to move on.

Nokia 5500 Sport, 2006

The Siemens SX1 in many way was a better phone than the Nokia 5500 Sport. But I still “upgraded” to the 5500 due to its sports functionality, I use the pedometer to track my runs. also water, dust, and shock resistant.

Nokia 5800 ExpressMusic, Mar 2009

Nokia 5800, featured in the movie “Dark Knight”, code name “tube”, was Nokia’s answer to iphone. Singapore had a late release, at that time iphone 3G was already on the market. I actually traveled to KL, Malaysia to purchase this pal, attended a concert by Deutsche Symphony Orchestra Berlin in the same trip. Given a chance again, I would still pick up a Nokia 5800. For my usage, it is a better phone than iphone (up to iphone 3GS).

Nokia N8, Mar 2011

At this time, I was considering Nokia N8 togather with iphone 4 and HTC desire HD. Iphone has become a real great phone. In fact iphone 4 was the first ever apple product I seriously considered buying. In the end, I still got N8 due to the offline map, sports tracking feature, stereo recording ability, FM radio, and the best camera in market. However, the slow CPU, small ram, low res screen and aging OS has finally put down Nokia N8. (I bought my first tablet Lenovo A1 to pair it. The N8 functioned most of time as wifi hotspot to my tablet.)

In the meantime, iphone 4 has evolved as a true performer. Android had also matured with Gingerbread. Given a choice again, I could go with either iphone 4 or HTC desire HD.

Nokia 5800 ExpressMusic, June 2012

After the Nokia N8 headphone adaptor failed just like the Siemens SX1, I looked around the market, there was no phone I was actually interested at all. I instead decided to pick up a used Nokia 5800 and wait until my next upgrade target emerges.
This Nokia 5800 is still with me now, serves as my UMTS 3G backup phone.

HTC One XL, Dec 2012

After half year of waiting and seeing what’s coming in the first half of 2013, I finally decided to purchased TWO HTC One XLs (not the One X) before it disappearing from the market. One black for me, one white for my wife. (She was using a Samsung Omnia II). After two months of usage, I still consider it the best in the market (compared to Samsung Galaxy SIII LTE I9305, Nokia Lumia 920, Apple Iphone 5). I hope it will last me at least to 2014 when more interesting phones come up. Cross my fingers for the headphone adaptor. It is also my main video shooting equipment before I upgrade my Canon 40D. The camera on One XL is great, I retired my backup Canon A610 to my parents as their backup.