Network connector

[RockDoctor]

My ONEt+ Green arrived last week, and I'm getting used to it.
I only use wired networking in the house, because I've zero confidence in the security of wireless, and even less confidence in my ability to secure wireless.
Using the RJ-45 port on the back is OK, but I notice that the latch to prevent the cable coming out doesn't seem to work. So, I end up with the cable dropping out all the time (yes, there is a tooth on that cable ; it's the same with other cables).

Anyone else noticed this, or is this grounds for a return?

[oldbloke]

RockDoctor,

We mostly use our white T+ with wifi, but when I've used the ethernet connection it has been fine. The RJ45 latches firmly. I use a "booted" cable if that is relevant.

Martin

[jasuk70]

I use the RJ45 at work and wifi at home, and yes the latch is a little weak. It does click into place but you can easily pull it out again.

Jas

[RockDoctor]

I use the RJ45 at work and wifi at home, and yes the latch is a little weak. It does click into place but you can easily pull it out again.

Jas

I'll see if I've got a booted cable in the cupboard, and see if that's more reliable.

[fu53b0x]

Try bending the plastic clip on the RJ45 connector away from the main body a bit (up to 45 deg) - be careful but they are quite forgiving. I find that this works well on most loose connections. I have used a matchstick in the past, not ideal but it does work

Stephen

[sand_danser]

@RockDoctor, there's no need to worry about w/l encryption as long as you use WPA/PSK2 - AES or TKIP (256bit security). Our whole house is w/l including printers & consoles galore. I think that if you can get WPA running on your laptop then you'll have a lot less bother than using cables as well as have the freedom of the house to use it.

I've got issues with these lil laptops having the ability to use WPA & came in here to enquire about it when I saw your post. I'm working on a couple of ONE's here & it seems to me that WEP (128bit security) is the only option which is hackable.

merry christmas

[RockDoctor]

@RockDoctor, there's no need to worry about w/l encryption as long as you use WPA/PSK2 - AES or TKIP (256bit security). Our whole house is w/l including printers & consoles galore.

It's one thing in the house. I often bring client's data home to work on (because there are fewer comprehending eyes at home than in the office), which rules out wireless. It's not worth my job.

I think that if you can get WPA running on your laptop then you'll have a lot less bother than using cables as well as have the freedom of the house to use it.

Actually, I did manage to get the ONE-t connected to a wireless network when we were in a guesthouse a couple of days ago. Well, I got connected to the router, after spending several hours trying to decipher the non-existent instructions (and as a sub-task, to find out which light in the building was blowing the whole building's lighting, so I could see to read the hexadecimal codes written on the router...), and the router told me that the phone line wasn't connected (which it was at one end), at which point I gave up and went to bed, as being the more productive option.
From the general competence of the guesthouse's construction, electrics, flooring, driveway and hot-water system, I take it that connecting to a wireless network should be a matter of seconds, not hours.
Yes, I can see that wireless could be nice, if it's properly secured. Just powering up the WiFi on the ONE-t, I saw 3 networks available this afternoon, and five earlier this evening. Which simply doesn't sound right to me.

I've got issues with these lil laptops having the ability to use WPA & came in here to enquire about it when I saw your post. I'm working on a couple of ONE's here & it seems to me that WEP (128bit security) is the only option which is hackable.

WPA is the original protocol with the atrociously non-existent security - right? Which was replaced by WEP in a variety of slightly less insecure forms?

merry christmas

Well, at least I was on the right continent this time.

[Unhban]

WPA is not the original encryption, WEP is. The latest encryption is WPA-2 which works fine on my 1T. The wiki tells all

[Brianb]

Hi

I'm replying to the subject of networking.  The question of security (either confidentiality or the intimate details of the RJ45 connector) never occurred to me.  I'm still struggling with the transfer of data down the RJ45 cable.  So far, I have only  managed to connect  my Onet+ to the internet via public WiFy or my Win XP desktop PC using a crossover RJ45 cable  However, I infer from the Elonex user manual (and from some of the posts in this thread) that internet connection is possible without using my desktop as a gateway.  How do you do it guys?

Brian Banks

[RockDoctor]

I'm replying to the subject of networking.  The question of security (either confidentiality or the intimate details of the RJ45 connector) never occurred to me.  I'm still struggling with the transfer of data down the RJ45 cable.  So far, I have only  managed to connect  my Onet+ to the internet via public WiFy or my Win XP desktop PC using a crossover RJ45 cable 

My comments about the security of the RJ-45 connector were only about it's physically staying connected. With a different cable, it's not being a problem.
If you have to connect to your WinXP computer with a network cable (straight or X/Over shouldn't matter for modern network cards which will automatically detect what cable is being used), then presumably you have two network cards in that machine, with the other card connecting your desktop to the modem/router.
Or do you have one of those fake USB modem things?
How many network ports does your router have? Can't you run a cable into the router directly?
(I must admit that I've forgotten most of what I learned about this stuff - I wired the house in CAT-5 nearly a decade ago and have now forgotten what the alternatives were then. It was a big choice to go for CAT-5 cable instead of co-axial, but for once in my life I got the technical decision right. Anyone want a Sun portable, or a VL-bus video card? RLL hard drive controller?)

However, I infer from the Elonex user manual (and from some of the posts in this thread) that internet connection is possible without using my desktop as a gateway.  How do you do it guys?

Well, I just unplugged the cable from the back of the wife's laptop (which was surfing last night ; I can't remember if it's Win2K or Unix this week) and plugged it into the back of the Elonex. I can ping machines on my network (well, on the network that the cable is connected to ; I have a physically separate network, but that runs on different wires in the same floorspaces) and I can browse to the web pages for devices inside my network. But for some reason within the Elonex I can't see beyond the router. Which tells me that I've fsck'd up the network configuration on the Elonex.
Unless you've broken things in exactly the same way that I have, once you plug the network cable in, the Elonex and your DHCP server (on your router, most likely, including the WinXP box if that's acting as a gateway and DHCP server) will communicate and your Elonex should acquire a network address. After that, you're on the network, with the access to the Internet that your network configuration and gateway rules permit.
Damn it - more things to sort out. In addition to the 5.25" floppy data recovery and 74 other things.

[RockDoctor]

Having remembered how to get a "root console", I'm getting "ping" and "traceroute" to work fine after a re-boot, so I deduce that I'd pressed some button in the configuration earlier that was making things wonky in the user-visible bits of networking. But in "root-land" instead of "user-land" I'm unable to see beyond my router. Something I'll have to look at later.

[Freddie43]

Using the RJ-45 port on the back is OK, but I notice that the latch to prevent the cable coming out doesn't seem to work. So, I end up with the cable dropping out all the time (yes, there is a tooth on that cable ; it's the same with other cables).

Anyone else noticed this, or is this grounds for a return?

Yes, I have this problem. Some RJ-45 cables which latch into other devices OK won't latch into the CnM - yet seemingly identical cables will! For me it is the grey cables which won't latch - maybe they need a bit cutting off the side of the lugs?

[barrm]

I have the same problem with my Alpha 400. I have many cables to select from, and they all are 'iffy' at best. I have been tempted to dissemble and modify the jack, but have just not done so yet. I have resorted to  sliding a rubber band, or a toothpick up under the clip to hold it in place. I rarely find the need to connect with the cable anyway...just using the wireless most of the time.  To the best of my knowledge (and experience) all encryption is crackable...limiting the broadcast power, and direction of your AP/router's signal to the minimum required seems to afford the best security for your wireless network...but then again...it depends on the quality of your neighbor's antenna,  his resolve, and the data you are trying to protect. .../\/\