Thursday, June 08, 2000
The Persistant FAX
Ring.
Is that the alarm clock? I thought.
Ring.
Oh, it's the phone. Still half alseep I reached over and answered the phone. “Hello?”
Beep.
Beep.
Beep. Great, I thought. Someone dialed the wrong number and I'm talking to a fax machine. I hung up and went back to sleep.
A few minutes later. Ring.
Ring.
I pick up the phone. “Hello?”
Beep.
Beep.
I hung up again. Went back to sleep. A few minutes later.
Ring.
Ring.
I answer the phone.
Beep.
Beep.
I hung up.
Three more times that happened. Three! Almost made me wish I had a fax machine just to accept the fax, then fax back “WRONG NUMBER!”
The Electric Network, II
I went to CompUSA and picked up a few Intelogis PassPort units. The package included two PC units and a printer unit and the price wasn't all that bad. I was able to install the Linux drivers for the PassPort on the laptop easily enough, as the Linux kernel was compiled to support modules (because of the PCMCIA support).
Try to install the modules on the primary system here. Oops, I don't have module support in the kernel.
Recompile recompile recompile lilo reboot.
Try to install the modules on the primary system here. Oops, seems I included the parallel port driver in the kernel and that's grabbing the port. Need to remove that driver.
Recompile recompile recompile. That's where I'm at right now.
Compile Compile Compile
Now, while I'm waiting for the Linux kernel to finish compiling, I might as well review the Intelogis PassPort. Well, at least what I've worked with so far.
The package I picked up included three units—two for PCs and one for a printer. It included two cables for the PC connections and two power strips. I found the included power strips to be rather odd because you can't plug the units into the power strips, or any power strips for that matter. And I already have power strips and UPSes. Oh well.
Ah! Compile is done. Time for another test …
The Electric Network is Online
Well, it worked! Not bad at all. The only thing left to do is figure out some routing issues so I can access the outside world from the far end of the Intelogis PassPort network. And possibly move the connection from my primary machine to a secondary machine.
Oh, and rewrite the Computer Room again to resolve the Power Outlet Shortage. That's the only bad thing about the PassPort—you can't plug it into a power strip.
Or at least it recommends against doing that.
