Michael Montez Online

Last night I went to Burbank to complete my “week of computer repair and networking”. I am glad to say that the girls are now wireless, have two replays connected, and all computers are surfing the Internet in a clean and happy way. Here�s what we did.

Kelly’s computer had Norton running on it. These programs are the Kiss of Death. If you are running a Norton Suite on your PC, take it out. You will notice improved performance almost instantly. So we removed Norton and guess what, all the network connection problems just seemed to stop. Done there.

Moving on to Caroline’s. I gave the girls the old MR314 wireless router and Caroline bought a wireless PCI card for her computer. So I set-up the router and installed the PCI card. Didn�t work, the computer kept restarting. Long story short and lesson #2, do not install Windows XP SP2. It’s not done cooking yet. Stay away from it for now. Once I uninstalled SP2, it worked just fine. Caroline is now a wireless web surfer (also, there are four wireless networks running in her apartment. Two are secure, two are not. I thought that was cool).

So that’s been my week, computers and networks. Let me know if you have any computer/network needs, I will be free this weekend. Caroline and I are going to the Dodgers on Thursday to watch them clinch the division. Look for us on Fox Sports West.

I went to Quizno�s last night for the third time. For me, it�s just no good. The food is crap. I don�t know if I�m just getting the �wrong� thing or what. If you have a favorite Quizno�s sandwich, let me know. They have to have something good there.

And finally, as part of “THE LOUNGE”, I want to get a Skybox Rookie Fridge. I think it would be so cool. I think this weekend I will start setting up “THE LOUNGE”. Look for pictures on Monday.

Over at the house we have quite a network going on. We have four xBox systems, two three Replay PVRs, two notebook computers, and three desktop computers, and one Playstation 2 with network adapter. So all these items are not in the same room. They are in bedrooms, living room, upstairs, downstairs, and they all want to talk to each other. So we network as much as we can. Cable here, cable there, wireless router here, modem over there and wires everywhere. Well, this is 2004 and we shouldn�t have wires lying around my house. The solution, multiple wireless access points around the house connecting all the devices. That dream came true last night.

We started with a Netgear MR314 wireless router. We had that about a year. I tried buying other Netgear products and using them as a wireless bridge but that didn�t work. So I read about the Buffalo series of routers having the ability to bridge and host. But does it work with xBox Live? I asked the genius at Fry�s (known around the world for their customer service) if the Buffalo routers were xBox Live compatible. His response (Brian was with me to witness this), �Um, sure. I don�t see why it shouldn�t.� Wow! He must be manger with that kind of tech knowledge. So I bought two and went home to test the network.

Last night after work, I took the time to finally put all the pieces together. Here are my results. The Buffalo WBR2-G54 Wireless router IS xBox Live compatible. Even though it is not listed on the xBox Live web site. You can watch Replay from upstairs to downstairs, without wires, and with no loss of video quality. It is also able to work as a wireless bridge and repeater. So if you buy a Buffalo WBR2-G54 you get a router, wireless access point, wireless bridge, and wireless repeater all in one. It�s only $56.99 at Fry�s with a $20 mail-in rebate ($36.99 total). I think I�ll pick up two more, or ask the guys buy their own so they have one when we all move apart. So we would have four access points. There would be one in Toby�s room, Brian�s room, in The Lounge (where the modem is), and the living room. Thus eliminating all the cables in the house. Isn�t technology great?

UPDATE: I found the WBR2-G54 online at Outpost.com for $54 ($34 after rebate).

Toby bought a new TV. Thus giving him three (living room, his room, extra TV). So he let me borrow it. So I now have a TV for THE LOUNGE. Add a little paint, move the recliner upstairs, add a DVD player and digital cable, and the room will be complete.

In other ‘projects’ news, I think I’m going to take the NetGear Router back to fry’s and pick up two Buffalo WBR2-G54 AirStations. The only thing I have to check is its compatibility with xBox Live. If it’s compatible, they we have a wireless solution. On the other hand, if it doesn�t work, I have to start testing wireless bridges and access points. I’ll work on it tonight and Sunday afternoon-ish.

POKER CORNER: We played two $20 tournaments last night. I finished third and second. During the second game I was behind. But I managed to let Kyle knock out everybody, including Matt (we battled for 2nd place for a while). Then it was me vs. Kyle, the best lucky and good player. Here�s what I mean, Toby is a good player, but he doesn�t take too many chances. Except for bluffs, but that’s a skill play, he’s not trying to get lucky. Kyle is both good, and he sticks his neck out. Maybe he doesn’t have the nuts, but he has playable cards considering the situation. Most of the time, he gets his cards. He is lucky. Here’s an example from last nights game:

Heads up play. I have A-3 off suit. I’m in the big blind. Kyle raises 200. I call. The flop comes 2-3-8 rainbow. I check with bottom pair and an Ace kicker. Kyle bets ‘all-in’. So I start to think about the hand and try to determine if the flop helped him and I think it did not. So I call. Kyle has A-10. So I have the lead with bottom pair, but we both have Ace kickers. That puts me way in the lead because the only thing that can save Kyle is one of three tens left in the deck. So he has three outs. An ace is no good, pairing the board is no good (I would have two pair). So Kyle had the best hand pre-flop and decide to try to push me around with his A-10. That’s a strong play. But he ran into my pair with an Ace. Now he needs luck to win the hand. It’s luck only because based on the cards on the board and the cards in the hole, Kyle can do nothing but let fate decide the victor. 4th street is a blank, the river drops a ten and Kyle wins with a pair of tens vs. my pair of threes. He’s a good player and he got lucky.”

Cross one and one-half items off my to-do list. Last night I plugged Caroline�s replay into her network. Then we watched �Kill Bill Volume Two�. I think this is only the third movie I have seen with Caroline. And only the fourth movie I�ve seen (theater or DVD) in the last year. I used to go all the time. When I was not working, I watched all the films in the 81st collection (that�s a lot) and I started colleting DVD�s myself. I also had a Netflix account and averaged 14 DVD�s a month. But that�s all gone. I have a job and watching DVD�s takes up time. Also, I don�t have my own DVD player or TV. If that changed, I would probably watch more DVDs in the upstairs lounge. But watching KBV2 just got me all excited about movies again. So here�s a quick list of: Films I have yet to see that will make you say �You didn�t see that yet?�

• Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (waiting for the super long directors version)
• Big Fish
• Finding Nemo
• Lost in Translation
• Pirates of the Caribbean – The Curse of the Black Pearl
• Wonderland
• 21 Grams
• Mystic River
• Thirteen
• The Cooler
• Pieces of April
• Monster
• Seabiscuit
• Whale Rider
• Elephant

And that�s just 2003. When I get a TV and DVD player in �THE LOUNGE�, I will get a subscription to Netflix (I cancelled the last one) and catch up on my films, while still (not) going to the gym after work. I think I need to quit my job (although I am writing this at work). I should watch movies at work.

So I got an email today with a political message. I liked it so I thought it might make you think about our upcoming election. Don’t forget to vote on November 9th 2nd.

“REMEMBER THIS FACE AND ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE HE BECAME PRESIDENT WHEN YOU GO OUT TO VOTE!

A picture is worth a thousand words. Or in this case, hundreds of lives. And growing daily.”

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