Computers and Related Hardware/Software

krim wrote:have to ask.. did i burn dvd's before? :hehe:

Good point.

Try a different brand of DVD-R, if available.

bmwracer wrote:Looks like I'm gonna get the Netgear RP614 4-port DSL router. :sweat:

I have two routers (a Linksys and a Netgear) laying around somewhere in my garage. Let me know if you wanna try them out.

@LMF: My burner did the exact same thing....ended up getting a new one. :sweat:

dochira wrote:I have two routers (a Linksys and a Netgear) laying around somewhere in my garage. Let me know if you wanna try them out.

Too late: I placed my order Saturday.

Thanks all the same. :victory:

@LMF: My burner did the exact same thing....ended up getting a new one. :sweat:

They're inexpensive. :)

bmwracer wrote:
They're inexpensive. :)

I myself had to replace my burner a few months ago....chucked my broken Sony for an NEC....yeah it was really cheap.

Tu_triky wrote:I myself had to replace my burner a few months ago....chucked my broken Sony for an NEC....yeah it was really cheap.

I've read the NECs and Pioneers are the cream of the crop. Or is that crap? :hehe:

bmwracer wrote:
I've read the NECs and Pioneers are the cream of the crop. Or is that crap? :hehe:

i did some research prior to buying my NEC and read some positive reviews ..i can only speak out of my own experience.....i have had no problems thus far and it seems to run smoothly and quietly, too. it's a 16x burner although like many others I don't often utilize the fastest speed to burn video data discs.....having said that...even at lower speeds it seems to burn discs faster than my Sony burner.

Tu_triky wrote:i did some research prior to buying my NEC and read some positive reviews ..i can only speak out of my own experience.....i have had no problems thus far and it seems to run smoothly and quietly, too. it's a 16x burner although like many others I don't often utilize the fastest speed to burn video data discs.....having said that...even at lower speeds it seems to burn discs faster than my Sony burner.

One of these days I'll pick up an NEC and try it out... Then, I'll put my Pioneer in my old machine...

i've always had a Pioneer DVD burners (DVR-102 thru 106).. before that i was all Yamahas.

It's been crappy eversince I started backing up my dragonball z files.
My laptop is so crappy. I just plan to transfer all files, totally clean up and sell.

Looks like Sony and NEC have joined forces, forming Optiarc: http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Reviews/Specific.aspx?ArticleId=18307&PageId=0

Interesting. :)

bmwracer wrote:Looks like Sony and NEC have joined forces, forming Optiarc: http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Reviews/Specific.aspx?ArticleId=18307&PageId=0

Interesting. :)

still waiting to see how the blu-ray hoopla pans out.

Anime Dad wrote:Sorry for the double post :)

At work we have just changed how our comps log on to the network - it's a domain setup now. I've just discovered that Win XP firewall on my comp won't allow Bit Tornado access to the net :( and I can't change it because this setting is covered by something called "Group Policy" (This is where my comp knowledge falls down). I tried logging on as Administrator but still the same problem - and i've noticed that other things are blocked too, such as Dreamweaver. Anyone know how to override this? I would like BT to work, since we will be getting a 24M/bit connection soon ;)
I guess I could use HTTP Tunnel?

Just an update on this: I removed Bit Tornado and installed Azureus, and now it works! Yay! Bring on the 24Mb/s connection!

Been doing quite a bit of reading on routers and software/hardware firewalls... Some say if you have a router (which is sort of a hardware firewall) and anti-virus/anti-spyware software, it's all you need, where others say you need a router AND a software firewall.

You guys 'n' gals wanna chime in?

it really depends.. how thick of a aluminum foil hat are you wearing?

having a router firewall and a software firewall just means you have 2 things to configure and adjust. IMHO.

krim wrote:having a router firewall and a software firewall just means you have 2 things to configure and adjust. IMHO.

So you're saying a router is all you need...

if it has a built in firewall (and maybe a packet filter) then yeah, i think that'd be enough. Though.. if you leave your PC on 24/7, then it wouldn't hurt to have more than 1 firewall.

again IMO.

I'm connected to large LAN network via Linksys router with dd-wrt firmware and so far built-in firewall is working fine. I used to have a software firewall as well (Sygate), but I didn't install it after last windows preinstallation...

bmwracer wrote:Been doing quite a bit of reading on routers and software/hardware firewalls... Some say if you have a router (which is sort of a hardware firewall) and anti-virus/anti-spyware software, it's all you need, where others say you need a router AND a software firewall.

You guys 'n' gals wanna chime in?

It's just like krim says. Nearly all consumer routers use NAT (network address translation) to "hide" the internal computers from the outside network. By default (out of the box), routers do not allow access to network ports...more specifically they simply drop them because they don't know where it should go. (If you look at the BT talk, that is what port forwarding does: it tells the router to send requests to specific ports to specific machines. For example, if you have a webserver, you would forward port 80 to that web machine).

For most people, that is enough protection. As long as you don't start randomly opening (forwarding) ports, you should be okay. Even more so if the router has SPI (stateful packet inspection). Short answer: good stuff.

More info: http://www.homenethelp.com/router-guide/features-firewall.asp

Adding a software firewall is added protection (wearing an armor suit over the football pads). But IMHO, there is a chance for the router and the software to interfere with each other. And changes to one may require changes to all, or in order words, if you only change one firewall, it may have no effect unless the other is modified as well.

I personally make sure ALL updates are installed, the antivirus software is updated, and only essential ports (ahem BT) is opened.... and I don't open unknown email attachments. ;)

So far so good... it's the popups (sneaky bastards) and the random crap on the 'net that hurting.

dochira wrote:
It's just like krim says. Nearly all consumer routers use NAT (network address translation) to "hide" the internal computers from the outside network. By default (out of the box), routers do not allow access to network ports...more specifically they simply drop them because they don't know where it should go. (If you look at the BT talk, that is what port forwarding does: it tells the router to send requests to specific ports to specific machines. For example, if you have a webserver, you would forward port 80 to that web machine).

For most people, that is enough protection. As long as you don't start randomly opening (forwarding) ports, you should be okay. Even more so if the router has SPI (stateful packet inspection). Short answer: good stuff.

More info: http://www.homenethelp.com/router-guide/features-firewall.asp

Adding a software firewall is added protection (wearing an armor suit over the football pads). But IMHO, there is a chance for the router and the software to interfere with each other. And changes to one may require changes to all, or in order words, if you only change one firewall, it may have no effect unless the other is modified as well.

I personally make sure ALL updates are installed, the antivirus software is updated, and only essential ports (ahem BT) is opened.... and I don't open unknown email attachments. ;)

So far so good... it's the popups (sneaky bastards) and the random crap on the 'net that hurting.

i prefer to open all ports and charge a cover charge for ppl wanting to come in.

Tu_triky wrote:
i prefer to open all ports and charge a cover charge for ppl wanted to come in.

:lol: *Notes Tu's IP address*

(I can't do that you know. ;) )