Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

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Hal
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by Hal » Sun Sep 13, 2020 10:19 pm

Mark Leavy wrote:
Sun Sep 13, 2020 9:57 pm
Xan wrote:
Sun Sep 13, 2020 9:51 pm
speedtest.png
Damn. Do you have a laser link to the Pentagon?
Unreal! What kind of service do you have? :o

Meanwhile, just another day in Melbourne....
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by Xan » Sun Sep 13, 2020 10:21 pm

I have gigabit fiber coming into the house. It's pretty awesome. Unfortunately it requires a deal with the devil: it's Google Fiber. I've consider routing everything through a VPN of some shape or form, but haven't gotten around to it.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by Hal » Sun Sep 13, 2020 11:28 pm

Xan wrote:
Sun Sep 13, 2020 10:21 pm
I have gigabit fiber coming into the house. It's pretty awesome. Unfortunately it requires a deal with the devil: it's Google Fiber. I've consider routing everything through a VPN of some shape or form, but haven't gotten around to it.
And for a laugh, this was our communications up till about 1970. We then got *shock* dial phones 8)
And the town got more than six lines to Melbourne!

https://oldaustraliantelephones.weebly. ... -2015.html

Not sure how many bits per minute the line was ;)
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by Smith1776 » Mon Sep 14, 2020 1:29 am

Xan wrote:
Sun Sep 13, 2020 10:21 pm
I have gigabit fiber coming into the house. It's pretty awesome. Unfortunately it requires a deal with the devil: it's Google Fiber. I've consider routing everything through a VPN of some shape or form, but haven't gotten around to it.
Woah, man. That's crazy speed. Also perhaps consider using TOR when applicable?
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by Xan » Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:46 am

MangoMan wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 6:23 am
Xan wrote:
Sun Sep 13, 2020 10:21 pm
I have gigabit fiber coming into the house. It's pretty awesome. Unfortunately it requires a deal with the devil: it's Google Fiber. I've consider routing everything through a VPN of some shape or form, but haven't gotten around to it.
Won't that defeat the purpose? Every time I use a VPN, the speed is limited by the VPN connection to around 15Mb/s
That's a major concern. My tentative plan was to rent a virtual server with a ton of bandwidth and route everything through that. It wouldn't be anonymized in the way that (most?) VPNs theoretically are, because I'd still have IP addresses that pointed only to me, but nothing would be visible to Google.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by shekels » Mon Sep 14, 2020 10:05 am

Xan wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:46 am
MangoMan wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 6:23 am
Xan wrote:
Sun Sep 13, 2020 10:21 pm
I have gigabit fiber coming into the house. It's pretty awesome. Unfortunately it requires a deal with the devil: it's Google Fiber. I've consider routing everything through a VPN of some shape or form, but haven't gotten around to it.
Won't that defeat the purpose? Every time I use a VPN, the speed is limited by the VPN connection to around 15Mb/s
That's a major concern. My tentative plan was to rent a virtual server with a ton of bandwidth and route everything through that. It wouldn't be anonymized in the way that (most?) VPNs theoretically are, because I'd still have IP addresses that pointed only to me, but nothing would be visible to Google.
With the Google fiber, is you DNS also setup to them?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by Xan » Mon Sep 14, 2020 10:07 am

shekels wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 10:05 am
Xan wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:46 am
MangoMan wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 6:23 am
Xan wrote:
Sun Sep 13, 2020 10:21 pm
I have gigabit fiber coming into the house. It's pretty awesome. Unfortunately it requires a deal with the devil: it's Google Fiber. I've consider routing everything through a VPN of some shape or form, but haven't gotten around to it.
Won't that defeat the purpose? Every time I use a VPN, the speed is limited by the VPN connection to around 15Mb/s
That's a major concern. My tentative plan was to rent a virtual server with a ton of bandwidth and route everything through that. It wouldn't be anonymized in the way that (most?) VPNs theoretically are, because I'd still have IP addresses that pointed only to me, but nothing would be visible to Google.
With the Google fiber, is you DNS also setup to them?
I have my router set up to be its own DNS server, so it contacts the root directly and then maintains its own cache. It also routes a bunch of advertising/spam/etc domain names to 0.0.0.0.
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Re: Sister Sally Sitting by the Seashore

Post by pp4me » Mon Sep 14, 2020 12:33 pm

Mark Leavy wrote:
Sun Sep 13, 2020 9:30 pm
Getting a bit blustery here tonight.

We'll see how it goes. I do so love raw power.
Mark


Sally.png
Say what? We were sitting on the back porch watching 90 day fiance right in the middle of this last night. All I remember is it was raining.

Things are really heating up in the Caribbean though - 5 named storms at once and they are about to run out of names. None of them are tracking this way however.

Image
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by Xan » Mon Sep 14, 2020 12:48 pm

Smith1776 wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 1:29 am
Xan wrote:
Sun Sep 13, 2020 10:21 pm
I have gigabit fiber coming into the house. It's pretty awesome. Unfortunately it requires a deal with the devil: it's Google Fiber. I've consider routing everything through a VPN of some shape or form, but haven't gotten around to it.
Woah, man. That's crazy speed. Also perhaps consider using TOR when applicable?
Tor would certainly slow things down to a trickle. Just hiding everything from the ISP in some way shape or form would probably be sufficient for me.

I've also considered running a Tor exit node. It's the liability concerns which prevent me from doing so. Anybody have any insights into that?
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Re: Sister Sally Sitting by the Seashore

Post by dualstow » Mon Sep 14, 2020 12:49 pm

pp4me wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 12:33 pm
Mark Leavy wrote:
Sun Sep 13, 2020 9:30 pm
Getting a bit blustery here tonight.

We'll see how it goes. I do so love raw power.
Mark


Sally.png
Say what? We were sitting on the back porch watching 90 day fiance right in the middle of this last night. All I remember is it was raining.

Things are really heating up in the Caribbean though - 5 named storms at once and they are about to run out of names. None of them are tracking this way however.

Image
What's a 90-day fiancé? Green card marriage? O0
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Re: Sister Sally Sitting by the Seashore

Post by pp4me » Mon Sep 14, 2020 1:01 pm

dualstow wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 12:49 pm
What's a 90-day fiancé? Green card marriage? O0
Yes. My wife was a 90-day fiance so we've been hooked on that show since it first came out. With all the spinoffs they've had they should probably change the name of TLC to the 90 day fiance channel.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by dualstow » Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:03 pm

Oh, man, I thought it was a typo!

Internet test for desktop with ethernet cable:
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by pp4me » Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:20 pm

Here's Mine.

When I switched internet providers back in January the salesman talked me into paying the extra $10/month for 1 gig speed vs the 50 Mbps I had before. He said I would be really impressed. I was skeptical and I was right. The only time you can tell any difference is when you run this speed test.

At this point in time I think internet speeds are so far beyond the speed at which client and server computers can exchange data that it makes no difference to the naked eye. Maybe if I was a gamer I would notice it.

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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by Xan » Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:27 pm

pp4me wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:20 pm
Here's Mine.

When I switched internet providers back in January the salesman talked me into paying the extra $10/month for 1 gig speed vs the 50 Mbps I had before. He said I would be really impressed. I was skeptical and I was right. The only time you can tell any difference is when you run this speed test.

At this point in time I think internet speeds are so far beyond the speed at which client and server computers can exchange data that it makes no difference to the naked eye. Maybe if I was a gamer I would notice it.

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I think you're largely right, but with some caveats. ISPs typically sell only one number: the downstream data rate. And note that that's all this test is about, too!

Most of the time (after the data rate is "high enough"), latency is what's really most important. Especially for something like gaming. If you have a 10mbps connection with a 30ms ping to your gaming server, you're much better off than with 1000mbps connection with a 100ms ping.

Having a low latency requires an ISP to have lines that aren't saturated, to have good peering arrangements with many peers, and to be very good at what they do. It's hard to advertise for this because it's multi-dimensional: it isn't just a single number like the data rate.

The other issue is that they only sell the downstream data rate, which is a shame. The promise of the Internet is that everybody can be both producer and consumer. Everybody can host a server. Instead the ISPs sell downstream and give everybody a pittance of upstream data. This isn't just a theoretical problem: the quickest way to absolutely kill your downstream performance is to have your teeny upstream be saturated. In this new world of Zoom calls, upstream is really important, not only because you're sending video as well as receiving it, but because your insufficient upstream can easily be saturated and then you've got nothing.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by pp4me » Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:59 pm

Xan wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:27 pm
pp4me wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:20 pm
Here's Mine.

When I switched internet providers back in January the salesman talked me into paying the extra $10/month for 1 gig speed vs the 50 Mbps I had before. He said I would be really impressed. I was skeptical and I was right. The only time you can tell any difference is when you run this speed test.

At this point in time I think internet speeds are so far beyond the speed at which client and server computers can exchange data that it makes no difference to the naked eye. Maybe if I was a gamer I would notice it.

image deleted to save space
I think you're largely right, but with some caveats. ISPs typically sell only one number: the downstream data rate. And note that that's all this test is about, too!

Most of the time (after the data rate is "high enough"), latency is what's really most important. Especially for something like gaming. If you have a 10mbps connection with a 30ms ping to your gaming server, you're much better off than with 1000mbps connection with a 100ms ping.

Having a low latency requires an ISP to have lines that aren't saturated, to have good peering arrangements with many peers, and to be very good at what they do. It's hard to advertise for this because it's multi-dimensional: it isn't just a single number like the data rate.

The other issue is that they only sell the downstream data rate, which is a shame. The promise of the Internet is that everybody can be both producer and consumer. Everybody can host a server. Instead the ISPs sell downstream and give everybody a pittance of upstream data. This isn't just a theoretical problem: the quickest way to absolutely kill your downstream performance is to have your teeny upstream be saturated. In this new world of Zoom calls, upstream is really important, not only because you're sending video as well as receiving it, but because your insufficient upstream can easily be saturated and then you've got nothing.
The one thing this test does seem to tell me is that my inside wiring is able to handle the greater speed. I've read that for a lot of people, upgrading to higher speeds has no effect because it stops at the box outside your house. If you have older cabling this might be a problem.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by Libertarian666 » Mon Sep 14, 2020 3:12 pm

pp4me wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:20 pm
Here's Mine.

When I switched internet providers back in January the salesman talked me into paying the extra $10/month for 1 gig speed vs the 50 Mbps I had before. He said I would be really impressed. I was skeptical and I was right. The only time you can tell any difference is when you run this speed test.

At this point in time I think internet speeds are so far beyond the speed at which client and server computers can exchange data that it makes no difference to the naked eye. Maybe if I was a gamer I would notice it.
That's easy for you to say. Try living out here where satellite is the only option. :P
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by flyingpylon » Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:47 pm

Many people also use cheap WiFi routers and that will negatively impact the speeds you experience. For example, if you're just using your internet provider's WiFi router, there's a good chance you can do better. Many people are starting to use mesh WiFi systems that are not the absolute fastest but eliminate dead spots and deliver consistently solid connections throughout the house.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by dualstow » Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:47 pm

Xan wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:27 pm
...
Having a low latency requires an ISP to have lines that aren't saturated, to have good peering arrangements with many peers, and to be very good at what they do. It's hard to advertise for this because it's multi-dimensional: it isn't just a single number like the data rate.

The other issue is that they only sell the downstream data rate, which is a shame. The promise of the Internet is that everybody can be both producer and consumer. Everybody can host a server. Instead the ISPs sell downstream and give everybody a pittance of upstream data. This isn't just a theoretical problem: the quickest way to absolutely kill your downstream performance is to have your teeny upstream be saturated. In this new world of Zoom calls, upstream is really important, not only because you're sending video as well as receiving it, but because your insufficient upstream can easily be saturated and then you've got nothing.
Do you think I should look into having a server?
or just network attached storage?
I have good speed (at a high price) and I feel like I'm wasting it.

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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by Smith1776 » Mon Sep 14, 2020 6:12 pm

Xan wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 12:48 pm


Tor would certainly slow things down to a trickle. Just hiding everything from the ISP in some way shape or form would probably be sufficient for me.

I've also considered running a Tor exit node. It's the liability concerns which prevent me from doing so. Anybody have any insights into that?
Can't say I have personal experience running a node, and it's for exactly the reason you mentioned. I've read up plenty on it, and it seems like nothing but a really good way to get the FBI knocking down your door one day on child pornography suspicions.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by WiseOne » Tue Sep 15, 2020 9:37 am

I have plain vanilla Verizon FIOS, which is 50 Mbps for both up and downstreaming. I've never had any reason to need more, and I have no desire to pay extra for faster speeds.

The interesting question is what's going to happen when true 5G phones are introduced. 5G will be even faster than this, so theoretically you could get a generous data plan on your phone, use it as a hotspot whenever you're home, and dispense with cable internet entirely. I wouldn't risk this while still working, but for a retired person on a limited income it could be a great option. Some wireless providers are already advertising 5G home internet at a price that slightly undercuts Verizon FIOS. More competition will surely help drive prices down.

Sadly, the 5G iPhone is delayed, so I guess experimenting with 5G will have to wait a bit longer.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by vnatale » Tue Sep 15, 2020 9:55 am

WiseOne wrote:
Tue Sep 15, 2020 9:37 am
I have plain vanilla Verizon FIOS, which is 50 Mbps for both up and downstreaming. I've never had any reason to need more, and I have no desire to pay extra for faster speeds.

The interesting question is what's going to happen when true 5G phones are introduced. 5G will be even faster than this, so theoretically you could get a generous data plan on your phone, use it as a hotspot whenever you're home, and dispense with cable internet entirely. I wouldn't risk this while still working, but for a retired person on a limited income it could be a great option. Some wireless providers are already advertising 5G home internet at a price that slightly undercuts Verizon FIOS. More competition will surely help drive prices down.

Sadly, the 5G iPhone is delayed, so I guess experimenting with 5G will have to wait a bit longer.
I'd most recently read that actual implementation is FAR away. But from what I read what you have above, it is already being advertised, which means it is available?

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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by Xan » Tue Sep 15, 2020 11:46 am

flyingpylon wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:47 pm
Many people also use cheap WiFi routers and that will negatively impact the speeds you experience. For example, if you're just using your internet provider's WiFi router, there's a good chance you can do better. Many people are starting to use mesh WiFi systems that are not the absolute fastest but eliminate dead spots and deliver consistently solid connections throughout the house.
I'm a wire guy, myself. WiFi is for devices and places where there's no other option. You're definitely right that WiFi performance is likely to be a bottleneck these days.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by Xan » Tue Sep 15, 2020 11:47 am

dualstow wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:47 pm
Do you think I should look into having a server?
or just network attached storage?
I have good speed (at a high price) and I feel like I'm wasting it.

{ FYI: I'm traveling tomorrow, so if I don't respond right away, it just means....I'm traveling }
Renting a VPS or some other "cloud" storage solution might not be a bad idea, mostly in order to get off-site backups in case of a fire or other local disaster.

I would think long and hard before delivering all your data to some third party, though. You may want to recommend encrypt it before uploading (that is, don't trust their encryption, if they have any).
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by Xan » Tue Sep 15, 2020 11:49 am

WiseOne wrote:
Tue Sep 15, 2020 9:37 am
I have plain vanilla Verizon FIOS, which is 50 Mbps for both up and downstreaming. I've never had any reason to need more, and I have no desire to pay extra for faster speeds.

The interesting question is what's going to happen when true 5G phones are introduced. 5G will be even faster than this, so theoretically you could get a generous data plan on your phone, use it as a hotspot whenever you're home, and dispense with cable internet entirely. I wouldn't risk this while still working, but for a retired person on a limited income it could be a great option. Some wireless providers are already advertising 5G home internet at a price that slightly undercuts Verizon FIOS. More competition will surely help drive prices down.

Sadly, the 5G iPhone is delayed, so I guess experimenting with 5G will have to wait a bit longer.
For performance, consistency, latency, and reliability it's hard to beat a wire. There's going to be (and is) a lot of noise on the spectrum. Maybe I'm just old fashioned. Depending on the pricing it could be a good option as you say for somebody on a fixed income who doesn't need much.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

Post by Mark Leavy » Wed Sep 16, 2020 11:18 am

I'm getting some serious Sally action in Panama City Beach this morning. I still have power, but the weather is tripping the building fire alarms every few hours. Three times this morning so far. Yeah, with buckets of water flying around in swirls everywhere, I don't think so...

Also, the winds have somehow sucked all of the water out of the toilets. They just sit there like enormous shop vacs now, gobbling up air and whooshing it down into the bowels of Hades. Anything that approaches them will never return from the underworld. Thank Neptune's minions that the shower drain is still approachable.
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