I wanted to get this out there for those that don't know and update those that do. As we all know, the classic cell providers are still doing to us what the cable companies of old did: over charge us and nickel and dime us to death. Then there's the iron clad - murder your wallet if you think about canceling early contracts. Most of you are familiar with NET10 & StraitTalk but, they aren't the only other players! I'm going to list a few alternatives and my thoughts on each.
1. RedPocket Mobile - These guys are a great alternative if you already have an AT&T phone. You order their SIM, call or activate online, and you're done.
The Good:
They'll port your phone number.
They have the exact same AT&T Service you're used to.
Their pricing structure is very competitive.
They aren't cancel happy if you stream a bit.
They offer up to 3GB @ 4G then throttle it to 2G and it's still unlimited usage.
Both setup and cancellation are quick and painless.
They offer auto renew via paypal!
They now have CDMA & GSM Support!
The Bad:
Technical support isn't real great and their command of the English language leaves much to be desired. Luckily I only had to call once.
Their phone offerings aren't the best. I BYOD my phone so it wasn't an issue.
They do have a reasonable use clause in there about the data usage. I never had an issue in the year I was with them. I'm betting if you're not stupid and stream movies over 3/4G you'll be fine.
You can only get their SIMs online. You can order them direct, from ebay, or buy them on Amazon.
2. Republic Wireless -
The good:
Their Plans!
$10 for unlimited talk/text over cell and unlimited Data over WiFi
Number porting from your existing cell service.
The Bad:
It looks a lot like sprint coverage... so a bit of roaming in our area.
You have to buy their phone.
3. Strait Talk & Net10
The good:
They both have decent rates.
Verizon Coverage (CDMA) & AT&T (GSM) Coverage available
CDMA Service now available!
They can port over your number
The Bad:
They can both be a little cancel happy if you're "abusing" the "unlimited" data
Note: As long as you're not streaming movies you'll be fine.
For GSM phones you'll need a SIM - they are about $10 @ Walmart
You may also have to pay a $7.99 fee to activate your phone.
"Unlimited" Data means 2-3GB @ 3/4G and the rest at 2G - Still not too shabby for the price!
Monday, April 20, 2015
Monday, April 6, 2015
Wireless Network Hardware - Best for the Money!
I wanted to go over some of our top wireless hardware picks. You'll notice a lot of Ubiquiti love. They make some of the best equipment in general let alone at the price point.
Wireless Access Point:
G/N/Overall: Ubiquiti PicoStation M2HP
AC: Ubiquiti UniFi AC
Cheap / Retro Fit: Cisco E1200 Router
Outdoor: Ubiquiti Rocket 5GHZ (or 2.4) w/ Sector Antenna (also available in 2.4)
Notes: AC is awesome, but unless you have hardware that can utilize it there isn't really any point. The PicoStation's get a little warm but their range and speed are second to none. The E1200 has the wonderful benefit of being a $15 wireless G/N. Plus you can add DD-WRT for more functionality. The E1200 is a router but you can use it as an AP with either firmware.
The Rocket Units are really great. They have excellent range and speed, but can be kinda rough to program initially. After you get them setup properly they are bullet proof. The Sector Antenna is semi-directional. If you're looking for an omni-directional solution you need this antenna (also available in 2.4).
Routers:
Wired: Ubiquiti EdgeRouter Lite-3
Wireless G/N: Budget New: Ubiquiti Air Router, Budget Used: Cisco WRT-610N
Wireless AC: Netgear Nighthawk AC1900
Cheap: Cisco E1200 Router
Notes: ATM nothing beats the Nighthawk... except the newer night hawk! That router is fast - very fast. You're definitely getting what you pay for as far as speed. Given the age of the units, it's still too early to see what kind of longevity they'll have. I've personally not had good luck with Netgear anything living much past the end of it's warranty but, I haven't seen any bad reviews on the Nighthawk yet.
If you're building a small high performance network: the EdgeRouter is the router for you. It is one of the fastest (if not the fastest) SMB routers out there. This little unit is wired only. I prefer that in a business / performance environment. It takes the WiFi load off the router, removes the reconfig / reboot issues, and allows better coverage placement. I'd pair this up with a couple of PicoStations and you're in the zone!
The AirRouter and the Cisco both score pretty well in the speed department and are great overall pieces of equipment without killing the budget. A huge benefit to the Cisco is the fact that DD-WRT is readily available for it and fairly easy to install. Ubiquiti's firmware is a little rough if you've never messed with it before but, they have excellent forums and support. You'll also notice the Cisco E1200 again... because seriously, it's $15.
Wireless Bridge:
Best: Ubiquiti Air Fiber
Least Expensive: Ubiquiti NanoBeam
AP/Bridge Solution: Outdoor: Ubiquiti Rocket 5GHZ (or 2.4) w/ Sector Antenna (also available in 2.4)
Notes: The Air fiber is incredible! Putting it bluntly: It goes stupid fast. It's less expensive than it's peers from other companies, but at $1500 per unit it's a little cost prohibitive - unless you need it. The NanoBeam's are really inexpensive, have amazing range, and have good WiFi speeds. If you need to have an AP in the mix you can use a pair of Rockets or a Rocket and a NanoBeam mix.
A Few Notes About 5GHZ vs 2.4GHZ:
1. You cannot mix them or their antennas.
2. 5GHZ is faster and gets less interference than 2.4GHZ.
3. 2.4GHZ usually has a bit longer range.
4. Omni-Directional Antenna's have less range than directional.
There's too many solution to include them all! If you need a custom system - contact us (Facebook, Google plus etc.) and we'll do our best to help you.
Wireless Access Point:
G/N/Overall: Ubiquiti PicoStation M2HP
AC: Ubiquiti UniFi AC
Cheap / Retro Fit: Cisco E1200 Router
Outdoor: Ubiquiti Rocket 5GHZ (or 2.4) w/ Sector Antenna (also available in 2.4)
Notes: AC is awesome, but unless you have hardware that can utilize it there isn't really any point. The PicoStation's get a little warm but their range and speed are second to none. The E1200 has the wonderful benefit of being a $15 wireless G/N. Plus you can add DD-WRT for more functionality. The E1200 is a router but you can use it as an AP with either firmware.
The Rocket Units are really great. They have excellent range and speed, but can be kinda rough to program initially. After you get them setup properly they are bullet proof. The Sector Antenna is semi-directional. If you're looking for an omni-directional solution you need this antenna (also available in 2.4).
Routers:
Wired: Ubiquiti EdgeRouter Lite-3
Wireless G/N: Budget New: Ubiquiti Air Router, Budget Used: Cisco WRT-610N
Wireless AC: Netgear Nighthawk AC1900
Cheap: Cisco E1200 Router
Notes: ATM nothing beats the Nighthawk... except the newer night hawk! That router is fast - very fast. You're definitely getting what you pay for as far as speed. Given the age of the units, it's still too early to see what kind of longevity they'll have. I've personally not had good luck with Netgear anything living much past the end of it's warranty but, I haven't seen any bad reviews on the Nighthawk yet.
If you're building a small high performance network: the EdgeRouter is the router for you. It is one of the fastest (if not the fastest) SMB routers out there. This little unit is wired only. I prefer that in a business / performance environment. It takes the WiFi load off the router, removes the reconfig / reboot issues, and allows better coverage placement. I'd pair this up with a couple of PicoStations and you're in the zone!
The AirRouter and the Cisco both score pretty well in the speed department and are great overall pieces of equipment without killing the budget. A huge benefit to the Cisco is the fact that DD-WRT is readily available for it and fairly easy to install. Ubiquiti's firmware is a little rough if you've never messed with it before but, they have excellent forums and support. You'll also notice the Cisco E1200 again... because seriously, it's $15.
Wireless Bridge:
Best: Ubiquiti Air Fiber
Least Expensive: Ubiquiti NanoBeam
AP/Bridge Solution: Outdoor: Ubiquiti Rocket 5GHZ (or 2.4) w/ Sector Antenna (also available in 2.4)
Notes: The Air fiber is incredible! Putting it bluntly: It goes stupid fast. It's less expensive than it's peers from other companies, but at $1500 per unit it's a little cost prohibitive - unless you need it. The NanoBeam's are really inexpensive, have amazing range, and have good WiFi speeds. If you need to have an AP in the mix you can use a pair of Rockets or a Rocket and a NanoBeam mix.
A Few Notes About 5GHZ vs 2.4GHZ:
1. You cannot mix them or their antennas.
2. 5GHZ is faster and gets less interference than 2.4GHZ.
3. 2.4GHZ usually has a bit longer range.
4. Omni-Directional Antenna's have less range than directional.
There's too many solution to include them all! If you need a custom system - contact us (Facebook, Google plus etc.) and we'll do our best to help you.
Home Network Setup & Cutting The Cable
I just did some updates to my home network and I wanted to share my latest setup.
Internet Service:
Time Warner Cable - 20/2 MBPS (free upgrade from 15/2 - always re-negotiate about a month after your current promotion expires!)
Cable Modem:
Motorola SB6121 Docsis 3.0
Notes: I use this modem specifically because it doesn't have a router or WAP. I had an all-in-1 but, as we know: most all-in-1's don't really do any of their functions as well as the individual components. I also use my own modem to skip out on paying the rental fee my ISP charges. You'll have to call them and get the MAC address switched for your account if you already had a modem.
Router:
Cisco / Linksys WRT-610N v2
Notes: The v2 version of this router has more RAM so try to get that one. I flashed mine with dd-wrt and I haven't looked back! That said, if you're not tech savvy - you can leave the Cisco firmware, but be sure to upgrade it to it's latest version. It's also good to configure both the 2.4 GHZ and 5GHZ. I have mine setup with 802.11G ONLY on the 2.4 GHZ and Channel 5 and I have the 5GHZ setup N ONLY. I have Unique SSID's setup for both modes. I don't use the WiFi in my router that often. I have other AP's that are closer to their targets. I also don't use the other integrated service (NAS etc.) They have a huge performance hit and I have other devices for that. You can see the dd-wrt install instructions here.
Switch:
Cisco / Linksys 8 Port Gigabit Switch
Notes: This is the best bang for your buck (IMO). I have this in my workbench area as this is where most of my hardware lives. I have my main PC, VOIP, & Streaming Xbox 360 connected to the gigabit switch in the router.
AP2:
Cisco E1200 v2 Router
Notes: Now, This isn't a bad router. In fact, it's the first router I had AD (After Divorce). It has full on N and works like a champ (no 5GHZ though). I have it running N/G mixed mode in 2.4GHZ on Channel 6 - 20MHZ, dd-wrt, and a guest network setup jailed to the free version of sputnik (it's built into dd-wrt). Again - I got the v2 b/c it has more RAM but the v1 would be fine in this case. You can see how to configure dd-wrt as an AP here. You can see the dd-wrt install instructions here. This unit handles a large part of my WiFi traffic. It feeds my bedroom TV's Amazon Fire Stick, my laptop, the cell phone, tablets, & my guests.
AP3:
Cisco E1200 v2 Router
Notes: LOL! These things are cheap and work like a champ! I have a second unit feeding my Amazon Fire TV and living room. It's in N ONLY mode 40 MHZ Upper. So, no channel overlap! It's overkill but, I don't like buffering... and like I said it's cheap.
VOIP:
Obi100 w/ Google Voice as the provider.
Notes: This thing isn't the easiest to configure. You can see a decent walk-through here. After configuration, this thing is solid as a rock! This is one piece of hardware that is truly " Set it and Forget it". Pairing it up with Google voice means that every analog phone in my home is lit up and can make free telephone calls! I did have to Static Lease this unit and add it to the DMZ in the main router b/c I had some connectivity issues during initial setup. Obihai has since updated their firmware and I don't think that's necessary any more.
Phone:
Panasonic KX-TGE233B Dect 6.0 w/ integrated answering machine
Notes: I picked this unit based on price and features. The Uniden and V-Tech equivalents seem to have better battery life and are a bit louder. That said, this unit has served me well and it was cheap.
NAS:
Synology DS150j
Notes: I had an Intel NAS that grew legs AD. It worked well but, it had limits (no RAID0 or JBOD as the biggest PITA's). I acquired one of these Synology units and a pair of 2 TB Seagate NAS drives really cheap so, I wasn't expecting much. Yup, I was totally wrong! This unit consistently out performs the Intel and I have it in RAID 1 w/ an external USB 2TB backup drive. It has amazing speed, a great interface, and tons of free apps and plugins! It's also easy to setup shares and the security settings are very intuitive. It also has a DLNA media server built in for your videos. I keep a PC Image, picture, home videos, and software installations on mine and it's perfect.
Streaming Devices:
Amazon Fire Stick, Amazon Fire TV, & an Xbox 360
Notes: My living room TV is powered by the Amazon Fire TV (Full Size), my office by the Xbox 360, and my bedroom by the Amazon Fire Stick. They all have Netflix, Crunchy Roll, Crackle, & Kodi (everything but the 360). You can open up the 360 steaming options with playon and some of it's plugins.
Power Protection:
(3) APC Smart Strips, (2) APC Standard Surge Proctors, & (2) APC 550VA UPS Units
Notes: I have (1) UPS on the master router / cable modem - (1) UPS on the Switch / NAS / AP setup, & the smart strip on the TV / Fire TV setup. I have the 2nd AP and the upstairs TV's on the electronics grade APC surge protectors. I also have my PC and Bench area on an APC Smart Strip each.
Summary:
IMO this is a really good setup (LOL - If not the best) w/ lots of options. I used inexpensive commodity hardware and I've been able to get excellent speed and resiliency. This is just 1 way to "cut the cord" and have an amazing network at home. Here is the wiring diagram for my setup:
Cable Modem --> Cisco Router --> Switch --> AP1 --> Fire TV
--> PC --> AP2 --> Guest Network
--> VOIP --> Bedroom Fire TV Stick
--> Xbox 360 --> Main WiFi
--> Bench PC's
--> NAS
Total Monthly Cost for Internet, TV, & Home Phone: $57.98 (including Netflix)
I get asked constantly about what I'm running: people want to duplicate my setup and speed. The real secret is the gigabit and wireless N (AC would be better but, it's cost prohibitive at this point). I could also have used less AP's. I have them split like that specifically for load balancing / WiFi coverage. I use routers in lieu of AP's b/c they generally have better processors and more RAM so, better speed all around.
Some of our followers will notice that i'm not running a playon / Plex server w/ Roku units anymore. I did this b/c the Fire TV units don't need it, have a better interface (Kodi), are faster, and I don't have to run a PC. I'm also saving electricity and I don't have the "Windows Update Factor" messing with my streaming.
FYI: I linked all the parts from Amazon. You don't have to get them from there. Sometimes you can snag a great deal on eBay or Newegg, just to name a couple. You need to shop around for the best deals. I'm a huge Amazon fan-boy (esp. with Prime!) and they are easy to deal with but, they don't always have the best deal.
Internet Service:
Time Warner Cable - 20/2 MBPS (free upgrade from 15/2 - always re-negotiate about a month after your current promotion expires!)
Cable Modem:
Motorola SB6121 Docsis 3.0
Notes: I use this modem specifically because it doesn't have a router or WAP. I had an all-in-1 but, as we know: most all-in-1's don't really do any of their functions as well as the individual components. I also use my own modem to skip out on paying the rental fee my ISP charges. You'll have to call them and get the MAC address switched for your account if you already had a modem.
Router:
Cisco / Linksys WRT-610N v2
Notes: The v2 version of this router has more RAM so try to get that one. I flashed mine with dd-wrt and I haven't looked back! That said, if you're not tech savvy - you can leave the Cisco firmware, but be sure to upgrade it to it's latest version. It's also good to configure both the 2.4 GHZ and 5GHZ. I have mine setup with 802.11G ONLY on the 2.4 GHZ and Channel 5 and I have the 5GHZ setup N ONLY. I have Unique SSID's setup for both modes. I don't use the WiFi in my router that often. I have other AP's that are closer to their targets. I also don't use the other integrated service (NAS etc.) They have a huge performance hit and I have other devices for that. You can see the dd-wrt install instructions here.
Switch:
Cisco / Linksys 8 Port Gigabit Switch
Notes: This is the best bang for your buck (IMO). I have this in my workbench area as this is where most of my hardware lives. I have my main PC, VOIP, & Streaming Xbox 360 connected to the gigabit switch in the router.
AP2:
Cisco E1200 v2 Router
Notes: Now, This isn't a bad router. In fact, it's the first router I had AD (After Divorce). It has full on N and works like a champ (no 5GHZ though). I have it running N/G mixed mode in 2.4GHZ on Channel 6 - 20MHZ, dd-wrt, and a guest network setup jailed to the free version of sputnik (it's built into dd-wrt). Again - I got the v2 b/c it has more RAM but the v1 would be fine in this case. You can see how to configure dd-wrt as an AP here. You can see the dd-wrt install instructions here. This unit handles a large part of my WiFi traffic. It feeds my bedroom TV's Amazon Fire Stick, my laptop, the cell phone, tablets, & my guests.
AP3:
Cisco E1200 v2 Router
Notes: LOL! These things are cheap and work like a champ! I have a second unit feeding my Amazon Fire TV and living room. It's in N ONLY mode 40 MHZ Upper. So, no channel overlap! It's overkill but, I don't like buffering... and like I said it's cheap.
VOIP:
Obi100 w/ Google Voice as the provider.
Notes: This thing isn't the easiest to configure. You can see a decent walk-through here. After configuration, this thing is solid as a rock! This is one piece of hardware that is truly " Set it and Forget it". Pairing it up with Google voice means that every analog phone in my home is lit up and can make free telephone calls! I did have to Static Lease this unit and add it to the DMZ in the main router b/c I had some connectivity issues during initial setup. Obihai has since updated their firmware and I don't think that's necessary any more.
Phone:
Panasonic KX-TGE233B Dect 6.0 w/ integrated answering machine
Notes: I picked this unit based on price and features. The Uniden and V-Tech equivalents seem to have better battery life and are a bit louder. That said, this unit has served me well and it was cheap.
NAS:
Synology DS150j
Notes: I had an Intel NAS that grew legs AD. It worked well but, it had limits (no RAID0 or JBOD as the biggest PITA's). I acquired one of these Synology units and a pair of 2 TB Seagate NAS drives really cheap so, I wasn't expecting much. Yup, I was totally wrong! This unit consistently out performs the Intel and I have it in RAID 1 w/ an external USB 2TB backup drive. It has amazing speed, a great interface, and tons of free apps and plugins! It's also easy to setup shares and the security settings are very intuitive. It also has a DLNA media server built in for your videos. I keep a PC Image, picture, home videos, and software installations on mine and it's perfect.
Streaming Devices:
Amazon Fire Stick, Amazon Fire TV, & an Xbox 360
Notes: My living room TV is powered by the Amazon Fire TV (Full Size), my office by the Xbox 360, and my bedroom by the Amazon Fire Stick. They all have Netflix, Crunchy Roll, Crackle, & Kodi (everything but the 360). You can open up the 360 steaming options with playon and some of it's plugins.
Power Protection:
(3) APC Smart Strips, (2) APC Standard Surge Proctors, & (2) APC 550VA UPS Units
Notes: I have (1) UPS on the master router / cable modem - (1) UPS on the Switch / NAS / AP setup, & the smart strip on the TV / Fire TV setup. I have the 2nd AP and the upstairs TV's on the electronics grade APC surge protectors. I also have my PC and Bench area on an APC Smart Strip each.
Summary:
IMO this is a really good setup (LOL - If not the best) w/ lots of options. I used inexpensive commodity hardware and I've been able to get excellent speed and resiliency. This is just 1 way to "cut the cord" and have an amazing network at home. Here is the wiring diagram for my setup:
Cable Modem --> Cisco Router --> Switch --> AP1 --> Fire TV
--> PC --> AP2 --> Guest Network
--> VOIP --> Bedroom Fire TV Stick
--> Xbox 360 --> Main WiFi
--> Bench PC's
--> NAS
Total Monthly Cost for Internet, TV, & Home Phone: $57.98 (including Netflix)
I get asked constantly about what I'm running: people want to duplicate my setup and speed. The real secret is the gigabit and wireless N (AC would be better but, it's cost prohibitive at this point). I could also have used less AP's. I have them split like that specifically for load balancing / WiFi coverage. I use routers in lieu of AP's b/c they generally have better processors and more RAM so, better speed all around.
Some of our followers will notice that i'm not running a playon / Plex server w/ Roku units anymore. I did this b/c the Fire TV units don't need it, have a better interface (Kodi), are faster, and I don't have to run a PC. I'm also saving electricity and I don't have the "Windows Update Factor" messing with my streaming.
FYI: I linked all the parts from Amazon. You don't have to get them from there. Sometimes you can snag a great deal on eBay or Newegg, just to name a couple. You need to shop around for the best deals. I'm a huge Amazon fan-boy (esp. with Prime!) and they are easy to deal with but, they don't always have the best deal.
Friday, April 3, 2015
** Article / Site Updates **
1. For ease of use we added links to our top menu for (2) of our most popular articles!
For posterity sake here are some of our most popular posts:
2015 Malware Removal Guide
Kodi Setup Guide **Constantly Updated as we figure out new stuff!**
Amazon Fire TV Guide / Review - See the Kodi Setup Guide for everything else.
Original Post
Update 1
Update 2
NOTE: Please read through all 3 posts before you start.
2. If you're using Adblock and some of the other Chrome extensions like Chris suggested: Please disable them for this blog (Adblock - Click the Icon and then click the button to disable for this site). There aren't that many ads, they are un-intrusive, & they have some really great tech deals! Thanks in advance.
3. We're now mobile friendly! The site and content is now optimized for cell phones, tablets, and other handheld devices.
For posterity sake here are some of our most popular posts:
2015 Malware Removal Guide
Kodi Setup Guide **Constantly Updated as we figure out new stuff!**
Amazon Fire TV Guide / Review - See the Kodi Setup Guide for everything else.
Original Post
Update 1
Update 2
NOTE: Please read through all 3 posts before you start.
2. If you're using Adblock and some of the other Chrome extensions like Chris suggested: Please disable them for this blog (Adblock - Click the Icon and then click the button to disable for this site). There aren't that many ads, they are un-intrusive, & they have some really great tech deals! Thanks in advance.
3. We're now mobile friendly! The site and content is now optimized for cell phones, tablets, and other handheld devices.
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