Review: Free DD-WRT network router firmware

Most network routers have fairly basic firmware that limits the hardware's full potential. You can change that.

In most situations, a network router's normal purpose is to facilitate in connecting computers together to form a network, either for internal use or for granting access to the World Wide Web. Admittedly, if you actually want to do anything interesting with the hardware, most routers have fairly basic firmware that limits the hardware's full potential. I know this first hand, as I picked up an ASUS RT-N12 router from a good friend of mine recently to replace my underwhelming Belkin branded one. Although ASUS hardware is mostly of high quality, the firmware felt rather raw and unpolished. With that in mind, I did some research online and found that custom router firmware was available and I decided to give it a try.

DD-WRT

Product Information

• Title: DD-WRT
• Company: NewMedia-NET GmbH
• Product URL: http://dd-wrt.com
• Price: Free

Eventually, I settled on DD-WRT, which is quite honestly one of the best router firmware packages I've ever used. For those who are unfamiliar with it, DD-WRT can be flashed on any compatible router in order to grant the user extra functionality, which hardware manufacturers seem reluctant to include in stock software. Once you flash your router, you probably won't want to go back. You quite literally get everything but the kitchen sink at your fingertips.

For an idea of what DD-WRT can do for you, I will highlight some of my favorite features included with the firmware.
If you wanted to set up an OpenVPN gateway for all systems that connect through the router, you can add your VPN cert and private key, flip a few switches to determine the encryption and tunnel type, and voila! Every computer that connects to the router will pass right into the VPN. No client end VPN software is necessary.
I also like how DD-WRT is extremely verbose on stats, showing you total inbound and outbound traffic to date, as well as router performance information, including free memory and CPU activity. Having access to this panel will give you insights into what kind of traffic you are dealing with and if you need additional hardware down the road.

An example of some of the available router stats

Finally, DD-WRT just seems to improve network performance by a decent margin. For instance, after switching the firmware from stock to custom, surfing web pages and downloads seemed a bit snappier than before. Not to mention, I could be more discriminatory of what protocols (i.e. Bittorrent) could do what it needed to do with the network to improve balance.

Installing takes some research

Now, when it comes to getting DD-WRT installed to the router, there really is no one-size-fits-all method, as hardware from different manufacturers is handled on a case by case basis. There are some routers that are unable to be flashed too, so if you are shopping around for a new router, it would be advisable to refer to the DD-WRT hardware compatibility database first before committing to a purchase.
Fortunately, for my router, installation was as simple as dropping into the firmware upgrade menu, selecting the custom-tailored ROM file for my hardware make and model, and then uploading it over the network. After a several minute upload process, followed by a mandatory router reboot, I was up and running in DD-WRT. In the unfortunate event of an endless reboot or other strange issue that might arise in the process of flashing, I also have the option to boot into the router's low-level recovery mode in order to roll back to the stock firmware and try again.
With all this interest surrounding router modifications, it goes without saying that flashing with un-official custom firmware could invalidate your warranty coverage and cause other problems. If this all sounds too risky, companies like Buffalo actually offer routers with DD-WRT firmware already flashed and ready to go with full warranty coverage. This way, you won't have to worry about accidentally bricking any hardware if you don't feel adventurous.
DD-WRT is available to everyone as freeware under the GNU GPLv2 license. So long as your router make, model, and revision are all listed, you should be good to go. One thing to note: if you have less than 8MB of flash storage space on your router, you won't be able to take advantage of every feature available. Therefore, you will need to choose the mini firmware "edition" that best suits your needs for the hardware.






Review: Free DD-WRT network router firmware - TechRepublic

Snort :: Home Page

Snort :: Home Page

Restore Windows 8 with System Image Recovery

In a recent series of blog posts, I've shown you how to use two of Windows 8's new recovery tools, Refresh your PC and Reset your PC. While the Reset your PC tool will allow you to essentially start from scratch and the Refresh your PC tool will allow you to install a new copy of the operating system while retaining your data, you may also want to have a backup of your full system - data and applications - on hand, just in case you encounter a catastrophic hard disk failure.
If so, you'll be glad to know that the tried and true System Image tool still exists in Windows 8 and as long as you have created a system image of your hard disk, you can use the System Image Recovery tool to recover your entire system in the event of a hard disk failure. In other words, if your hard disk goes south, you can purchase a new hard disk and use the System Image Recovery tool to restore your system to the state it was in at the time that you created the image.
Now, keep in mind that for this type of backup to be truly effective, you need to regularly create new System Images so that in the event of a recovery, you will have a recent version of your system.
In this edition of the Windows Desktop Report, I'll show you how to use System Image Recovery tool from the Recovery Drive to restore your hard disk. As I do, I'll also show you how to create a System Image on a set of optical discs.
This post is also available as a Slideshow Image Gallery.

What you need

In order to run the System Image Recovery tool as I'll describe in this article, you'll need to have created a Recovery Drive as I showed you in the article Create a Recovery Drive in Windows 8. You'll also need a set of optical discs or on an external drive on which to create a system image of your hard disk.

 

Creating a System Image

As I mentioned, in order to use the System Image Recovery tool you must have created a system image of your hard disk. As such, I'll begin by walking you through the steps required to create a system image.
To create a system image in Windows 8, you'll start by accessing the oddly named Windows 7 File Recovery window. (Why not just call it File Recovery or Windows Backup and leave it at that?) To do so, use the [Windows] + W keystroke to access the Search Settings page. Then, type Windows 7 File in the text box and click Windows 7 File Recovery, as shown in Figure A.

Accessing the Windows 7 File Recovery tool from the Start screen is easy.[Figure A]

In a moment, you see the Windows 7 File Recovery user interface and you should select the Create a system image command on the left side of the screen to launch the creation tool. On the first screen you will need to choose where you are going to create a system image. For my example, I am going to create the system image on a set of DVD+R discs in the DVD RW drive, as illustrated in Figure B.

 

On my test system, I'll create the system image on a set of DVD+R discs.[Figure B]

When you click Next, you will be prompted to confirm your backup settings, as shown in Figure C. As you can see, in addition to the main partition, the System Reserved partition is also selected to be backed up. On my test system, which is pretty bare bones at this point, the system is indicating that the image will take up 36GB of space. (When the operation was complete, the system image, with compression, only required three 4.7GB DVD+R discs.) When you are ready, just click the Start backup button.

 

On the Confirm your backup setting page take a look at the information presented and then click the Start backup button.[Figure C]

As Windows begins preparing for the operation, it will prompt you to label and then insert the first DVD disc This process is illustrated in Figure D.

 

To get started, insert the first disc and click OK.[Figure D]

Once you insert the blank disc, you'll be prompted to format it. Make sure that you select the Don't ask me again for this backup check box before you click the Format button. The operation will then format the optical media, as shown in Figure E.

 

Make sure that you select the Don't ask me again for this backup check box.[Figure E]

As the backup operation gets under way, you'll see progress indicators letting you know the status of the operation, which includes verification of the media once the backup portion is complete. After each disc is verified, you'll be prompted to insert a new disc. This process is illustrated in Figure F.

 

Creating a System Image on DVDs includes a verification operation.[Figure F]

When the System Image creation procedure is complete, you'll be prompted to create a System Repair disc, as shown in Figure G. However, as you may remember, a System Repair disc is the same as the Recovery Drive and if you have already created a Recovery Drive, you can just click No and you will be notified that the backup completed successfully.

 

In Windows 8, the System Repair disc is the same as the Recovery Drive.[Figure G]

Now that you have a System Image backup, you are ready for an emergency situation.

 

Launching System Image Recovery

In the case of a hard drive failure, you can restore Windows 8 by running the System Image Recovery tool from the Recovery Drive. While I am booting from a USB Recovery Drive, you can just as easily boot the Recovery Drive from the optical disc. (As a part of my research for this article, I ran the System Image Recovery tool after booting from an optical disc and the procedure is basically identical.)
After your system boots from the Recovery Drive and you are prompted to choose an option, select the Troubleshoot tile as shown in Figure H.

 

When you are prompted to choose and option, select the Troubleshoot tile.[Figure H]

When you see the Troubleshoot screen, as shown in Figure I, select the Advanced options tile.

 

From the Troubleshoot screen, select the Advanced options tile.[Figure I]

When you see the Advanced options screen, as shown in Figure J, select the System Image Recovery tile.

 

From the Advanced options screen, select the System Image Recovery tile.[Figure J]

You'll then be prompted to choose the operating system that you want to recover, as shown in Figure K. Now, when performing a system image recovery operation, it seems redundant to have to select the operating system, but you must click the Windows 8 tile to get started.

 

Choose Windows 8 [Figure K]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The recovery process

As soon as you click the Windows 8 tile, you'll see the Re-image your computer wizard and the tool will immediately begin looking for media containing the system image, as shown in Figure L.

The Re-image your computer wizard will immediately begin looking for media containing the system image.[Figure L]

When it can't find the system image, it will prompt you to insert a disc. Take note that when restoring from DVD, you must first insert the final disc in the set, as shown in Figure M. The reason being is that when you create a system image, information required by the restore operation is saved on the final disc.

Information required by the restore operation is saved on the final disc. [Figure M]

When you insert the final disc, the Re-image your computer wizard will read the information on the final disc and then display the details of the system image, as shown in Figure N. As you can see, my system image is on drive F, it was created on 2/25 at 11:28 PM, and it is the image for the computer named Jovian-8. When you are ready, just click Next.

When Re-image your computer wizard is ready to begin, it will display the system image details.[Figure N]

You'll then see the second screen of the Re-Image Your Computer wizard, as shown in Figure O. As you can see, this screen provides you with several options. If you are restoring to the same hard disk, you don't need to select the Format and repartition disks check box. (For my example, I selected the Format and repartition disks check box, just to see if that changed the process in any way. Other than possibly adding a little time to the process, the steps and the end result were the same.) If you are restoring to a new hard disk, chances are that the Format and repartition disks check box will be selected by default and will be unavailable. If that is the case, there is nothing to worry about as long as the new hard disk is of the same capacity or greater than the old one.

The second screen in the Re-Image Your Computer wizard provides you with a number of options to choose from.[Figure O]

If you have multiple drives you can click the Exclude Disks button and choose the drive(s) you want to leave untouched. If you click the Advanced button, you'll see a dialog box that will present you with two additional options. An Automatically Restart check box will be selected by default and you'll have the option to enable a disk check operation as a part of the procedure. (Now, if none of the options are available on this dialog box, you may have to install drivers for the disks you are restoring by clicking the Install Drivers button.)
When you click Next, you'll see the confirmation screen of the Re-Image Your Computer wizard, as shown in Figure P. To continue, just click Finish.

To complete the Re-Image Your Computer wizard, just click Finish.[Figure P]

Of course, there is one more confirmation to work through, as shown in Figure Q. Just click Yes to get started.

Just click Yes in the final confirmation dialog box.[Figure Q]

You'll then be prompted to insert the first DVD in the set, as shown in Figure R. Once you do so, just click OK.

Once the operation is set to begin, you'll be prompted to insert the first disk in the set.[Figure R]

In a moment, the restore operation will begin and you'll see a progress bar that keeps you apprised of the status of the restore operation. Depending on how big your hard disk is, the restore operation can take a few hours. As each DVD in the set is restored, you'll be prompted to insert the next one.
When the restore operation is complete, you'll be prompted to click the Restart now button. If you happen to be away from your desk when this occurs, your system will restart on its own, as shown in Figure S.

If you happen to be away from your desk when the restore operation is complete, your system will restart on its own.[Figure S]

When, your system restarts, you'll see the familiar logon screen.



Restore Windows 8 with System Image Recovery - TechRepublic

Why Programmers Work At Night - Business Insider

Why Programmers Work At Night

Microsoft testing prototype of Facebook-like social network

Office Labs testing TownSquare network sought by Office, SharePoint developers - By Heather Havenstein

June 10, 2008 (Computerworld) BOSTON -- At the request of its SharePoint and Office product development teams, Microsoft Corp.'s Office Labs operation has created and is testing a prototype of an internal social network that can provide employees with feeds and updates about their colleagues.

Chris Pratley, general manager of Office Labs, is slated to disclose details of the prototype - called TownSquare - Thursday at the Enterprise 2.0 Conference in Boston. He spoke to Computerworld today about the project, which was launched in January and has already been used by about 8,000 Microsoft employees.

With a layout that is strikingly similar to Facebook.com's (in which Microsoft invested $240 million in October 2007), TownSquare is fueled by enterprise news feeds that use Web services to query SharePoint for public information, such as promotions and company anniversaries, about an employee.

TownSquare also notifies users when a document or file is modified. Users can customize their feeds and monitor who is receiving information about them.

In early January, Pratley's group told 100 Microsoft employees about the network. Since then, 8,000 employees who learned of TownSquare by word of mouth have visited the network at least once, Pratley noted. About 700 use it daily.

Some Microsoft customers, which he declined to name, are testing the TownSquare network for use in their companies.

Office Labs works as a sort of advance development team that tests technology concepts suggested by employees and, as in this case, development teams. Pratley stressed that TownSquare is not a product, but a platform to test the technology concepts. By hammering out the various likes and dislikes of its users before releasing a product, "We're trying to get version three goodness into a first release," he added.

"We have instrumentation …so we know which things people use," Pratley noted. "We share that with the client teams we work with. They take the knowledge about usage so they don't make so many mistakes in product design."

Many third party vendors have targeted SharePoint as the core data source for information to feed their enterprise social networking and other Enterprise 2.0 applications. Several have announced upgrades to their products or new integration with SharePoint this week at the conference.

Anecdotal evidence has shown that employees like the TownSquare tool, Pratley noted. Employees especially appreciate being able to monitor the creation and editing of documents by colleagues, he added. One employee used the network to find a sponsor within Microsoft to fund her trip to the Enterprise 2.0 Conference.

"That is the kind of information that spreads through an enterprise social network," he said. "By posting it out there, the people interested can pick up on it, and other people can ignore it. It's a way to keep in touch in a social way with people you work with."

Like Facebook, TownSquare also includes a photos of users and allows them to note when they are away from their workstations, such as at a meeting or in the cafeteria for coffee.

While some employees have expressed initial surprise at all the information that Microsoft has about them in its intranet, once people see the type of information that is included in the feeds about them, "they see it's pretty safe stuff and say okay," Pratley said.

Microsoft Buys Facebook Stake for $240million!!!

Rapidly rising Internet star Facebook Inc. has sold a 1.6 percent stake to Microsoft Corp. for $240 million, spurning a competing offer from online search leader Google Inc.

The deal announced Wednesday after several weeks of negotiation values Palo Alto-based Facebook at $15 billion — less than four years after Mark Zuckerberg started the online social networking site in his Harvard University dorm room.

Microsoft also will sell Internet ads for Facebook as the site expands outside the United States, broadening an existing marketing relationship that began last year.

Besides validating Zuckerberg’s decision to rebuff a $1 billion takeover offer from Yahoo Inc. last year, Microsoft’s money should be more than enough to pay for Facebook’s ambitious expansion plans until the privately held company goes public.

Zuckerberg, 23, has indicated he would like to hold off on an initial public offering for at least two more years. In the meantime, Facebook hopes to become an advertising magnet by substantially increasing its current audience of nearly 50 million active users, who connect with friends on the site through messaging, photo-sharing and other tools.

The Facebook investment represents a coup for Microsoft because it provides the world’s largest software maker with a toehold on one of the Internet’s hottest platforms and a potentially lucrative forum for selling online ads.

Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft has been trying to become a bigger force in Internet advertising for several years, only to watch Google deepen its dominance of the space.

In its fiscal year ending in June, Microsoft’s online ad revenue rose 21 percent to $1.84 billion. Over the same period, Google’s ad revenue totaled $13.3 billion.

With the Facebook investment, Microsoft dealt a rare setback to Google, which had previously trumped its bitter rival in earlier bidding battles involving AOL and Internet ad service DoubleClick Inc.

“Making this investment … is a great win for not only for our two companies, but also our collective users and advertisers,” Kevin Johnson, president of Microsoft’s platforms and services division, said in a statement.

The coup shows Microsoft is getting more savvy about the Internet, said Matt Rosoff, an analyst for the research group Directions on Microsoft. “I think they understand it now and they’re proceeding correctly. Two years ago, I would have said they don’t get it at all.”

Tim Armstrong, who oversees Google’s North American advertising, declined to comment on the Facebook negotiations during s meeting held with analysts Wednesday at the company’s Mountain View headquarters.

“We have tremendous respect for them,” Armstrong said of Facebook.

Although News Corp.’s MySpace.com remains the largest social network, Facebook has been growing at a far more rapid clip during the past year. Facebook attracted 30.6 million U.S. visitors during September compared with 68.4 million at MySpace. Microsoft’s social networking equivalent — called “Windows Live Spaces” — attracted an audience of 9.8 million, according to comScore Inc.

Facebook…Silicon Valley’s Favorite Darling…

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is only 23 yrs old and already owner and founder of one of Silicon Valley’s most sought after properties. Wall Street is completely infatuated and consumed with this man’s every move. Will he sell? Will he open the company up to major outside investors such as Microsoft who is rumored to want to lay $500million in Zuckerberg’s hands for a potential %5 stake in the company which would value Facebook at $15billion.

Zuckerberg has already raised $37.7million from venture capitalists. Yahoo was interested in buying Facebook for a reported $1billion and Zuckerberg verbally agreed to sell but then Yahoo’s stock price plunged 22 percent overnight and Yahoo’s then CEO Terry Semel lowered the offer to $800million, but Zuckerberg and his board walked away from the offer after that. Yahoo then returned with the original $1billion offer but it was too late.

Facebook is now the most buzzed about company in Silicon Valley and Zuckerberg is continuously compared to visionaries like Steve Jobs (Apple, ipod, iphone) and Bill Gates. Facebook has opened up a platform for independent developers to implement software for the 40million some registered users. Since then some 3,200 new applications have sprung up on the site, a number that is growing at about 180 a week.

Facebook is generating more than a billion page views a day. Half of it’s $150million revenue comes from an advertising deal with Microsoft. So much for thinking Zuckerberg was literally nuts for turning down the $1billion offer from Yahoo. Now everyone in the valley is looking at this kid with green dollar signs in their eyes!

Microsoft might invest in Facebook!

I know it's now old news, but will post it anyway as a lead up and I'll track it's progress from here.

The rumors are swirling on Wall Street about a possible investment of $300-$500 million investment from Microsoft, which would land Facebook’s current total value in between $10-$15billion! Wow and this whole time we thought Peter Thiel (one of Facebook’s investors) was smoking rocks when he said that $1billion offer for the company was laughable. Thiel said that he placed Facebook’s value somewhere around $7 or $8 billion up there with MTV.

Zuckerberg said last year that he felt that Myspace sold themselves short to Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp for $580 million. He was probably right because in the next few months video giant YouTube sold out to Google for $1.65billion in stock.

So whatever is going on in silicon valley it seems that Mark Zuckerberg has the right idea and knows how to play the game. (The longer you hold out and refuse to sell, the more value it places on your company and product! Wow its just like dating. The longer a female withholds her goodies the harder the guy tries, the more he likes her, and he ends up spending more money for that ass!) Don’t you just love our business acumen???