Yearly Archives: 2015

Lux GEO WiFi Thermost — Thermostats have come a long way since the days of the gold-colored round Honeywell dial thermostats at your grandma’s house. Ecobee launched the first “smart” thermostat in 2007, but others like Google’s Nest and Honeywell’s Lyric weren’t far behind. But now even those manufacturers are shipping 2nd or 3rd generation hardware… meaning that […]

Review: Lux GEO WiFi Thermostat

This entry was posted in Home Theater & Automation Product Reviews Technology and tagged air conditioning ecobee Honeywell HVAC Lux Lux GEO Nest review smart thermostat thermostat WiFi WiFi thermostat on December 10, 2015 by Steve Jenkins (updated 3255 days ago)

Postfix 2.9 Upgrade — To help reduce the load on my Postfix mail servers, I rely on Postscreen (which is built in to Postfix) to help weed out bot spam and misconfigured mailers. And to reduce the load on Postscreen, one of my tricks is to whitelist the outbound IP addresses of a couple of […]

Postscreen Whitelisting of SMTP Outbound IP Addresses from Large Webmail ...

This entry was posted in Linux Technology and tagged CIDR Gmail Hotmail Microsoft Outlook Outlook.com Postfix Postscreen white list whitelist Yahoo on November 23, 2015 by Steve Jenkins (updated 3144 days ago)

Setting up multiple WLANs in DD-WRT — For the past while, I’ve recommended DD-WRT K2.6 firmware builds for the Linksys E4200 router, as well as other Linksys / Cisco WiFi routers. The builds based on the newer K3.x Linux kernel have now reached a stable enough point where you can run them… but I still recommend the […]

DD-WRT K2.6 Kernel vs. K3.x and How To Upgrade

This entry was posted in Linux Technology and tagged 30-30-30 DD-WRT K2.6 K2.6 vs K3.x K3 K3.x kernel reset router Upgrade WiFi WiFi router on November 20, 2015 by Steve Jenkins (updated 3162 days ago)

The Ubiquiti EdgeRouter Lite can replace the Google Fiber Network Box — I’ve been a Google Fiber user (and fan) since the service first hit Provo, Utah. I have a vacation home there, so while I don’t get to benefit from the Gigabit speeds on a daily basis, I certainly take advantage of it while I’m there. Because it’s a vacation home, I rely […]

Replace Your Google Fiber Network Box with a Ubiquiti EdgeRouter ...

This entry was posted in Linux Reference Technology and tagged config.boot EdgeMax EdgeOS EdgeRouter EdgeRouter Lite EdgeRouter POE EdgeRouter X ER-LITE ER-POE ER-X ERL ERLITE-3 GFNB Google Fiber Google Fiber Network Box Google Fiber Network Jack POE replace replace Google Fiber Network Box Ubiquiti UBNT on November 8, 2015 by Steve Jenkins (updated 2778 days ago)

If you ask someone “what’s your favorite holiday?” you’re sure to get a variety of responses. Some love the festive lights, music, and spirit of Christmas. Others prefer the smells, tastes, and family atmosphere of Thanksgiving. Hanukkah, Easter, New Years, and even Kwanzaa might make the list. But for me, Halloween will always […]

Why Halloween is an Australian Kid’s Favorite Holiday

This entry was posted in Personal and tagged Australia candy Halloween trick or treat on October 31, 2015 by Steve Jenkins (updated 2589 days ago)

After an unseasonably warm and dry Seattle summer this year, fall finally arrived. And with it, an abnormal amount of houseflies. In talking with my neighbors, I realized I wasn’t alone. I don’t know exactly why a warmer summer and later fall result in more houseflies (I’m sure there’s a […]

Review: Aspectek Electronic Indoor Fly Killer/Zapper

This entry was posted in Product Reviews and tagged bug killer bug zapper electronic flies fly fly trap fly zapper fruit flies insect mosquito review UV zapper on October 31, 2015 by Steve Jenkins

Steve Elliot's destroyed Ruger 9mm pistol — Last week, a friend of mine shared a public Facebook post on my timeline and asked me what I thought of it. So, after thinking about the post for a few days, I’ve decided to reply to the post (thereby answering my friend’s question about what I think about it) […]

Steve’s #ONEMOREGUN reply to Steve’s #ONELESSGUN

This entry was posted in Guns Rants and Raves and tagged destroyed gun Facebook onelessgun onemoregun Ruger Steve Elliott twitter on October 15, 2015 by Steve Jenkins (updated 3323 days ago)

Whirlpool inverter box — The most popular DIY post on my blog is, by far, How to Fix a Whirlpool & KitchenAid W10219463 / 2307028 Control Board for $6. As of this post, it’s received over 430 comments; the vast majority from frustrated homeowners who went online in a last ditch effort to find a way to […]

A Cheap(er) Fix for Whirlpool / KitchenAid / Kenmore Refrigerator ...

This entry was posted in DIY Reference and tagged compressor control control board digital inverter digital speed control DIY fix fridge inverter board inverter box JennAir Kenmore KitchenAid Maytag referigerator Repair replace W10133449 W10629033 on October 11, 2015 by Steve Jenkins

Bandwidth test as Sender — In the top-right corner of the Ubiquiti EdgeMAX EdgeRouter’s GUI interface, you’ll find a Toolbox menu with plenty of goodies inside (assuming you’re running a version of the firmware that has them, such as 1.7.0+). One of the menu items lets you test the Bandwidth to or from your router: Selecting […]

Using the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter’s Built-In Bandwidth Tester

This entry was posted in Linux Reference Technology and tagged bandwidth tool EdgeMax EdgeRouter iperf iperf3 networking router speed test toolbox Ubiquiti UBNT on October 10, 2015 by Steve Jenkins (updated 3329 days ago)

Ubiquiti EdgeMax EdgeRouter Lite — When I installed a UBNT UniFi Access Point Pro (UAP-PRO) in my house, I also decided to try out a new router: Ubiquiti’s EdgeMAX EdgeRouter. I chose their PoE version so I could run some powered web cams, but for most home or small office installations, I recommend their EdgeRouter Lite router: […]

Install an SSL Certificate on a Ubiquiti EdgeMAX EdgeRouter

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged certificate custom certificate EdgeMax EdgeRouter EdgeRouter SSL self-signed SSL ssl cert SSL Certificate Warning Ubiquiti UBNT valid on October 7, 2015 by Steve Jenkins (updated 3044 days ago)

Ubiquiti UAP-PRO access point — Getting decent WiFi coverage at my house has always been a challenge. The house is three stories (the bottom floor is a daylight basement) and has a footprint of 50′ x 100′. A four car garage extends the footprint even farther to the south, and because I use WiFi-controller irrigation […]

How to Install a Ubiquiti UniFi Access Point Pro (UAP-PRO)

This entry was posted in DIY Reference Technology and tagged antenna bad wifi DD-WRT how to install UAP install UAP router UAP UAP-PRO Ubiquiti UBNT WiFi on September 30, 2015 by Steve Jenkins (updated 3340 days ago)

Linksys WRT54G — I said “goodbye” to a couple of good friends today when I asked them to step down and retire after years of stellar performance. These two old friends were the last remaining Linksys WRT54G routers in use on any of my networks. I replaced them today, and in doing so, […]

Saying Goodbye To An Old Friend: Linksys WRT54G

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged Belkin DD-WRT firmware flash Linksys router Tomato Ubiquiti UBNT ugprade WRT54G WRT54GL on September 27, 2015 by Steve Jenkins

Our family has a cat and two indoor dogs (Japanese Chins). And on most days, we love them. OK, so we love them every day. But when you’re training a new puppy to “wait to go outside,” or dealing with a cat that believes she owns the house and can cough up […]

Best Products for Dog or Cat Stains and Odors

This entry was posted in Product Reviews Reference and tagged best pet odor remover best pet stain remover carpet cleaner cat cat urine do enzyme cleaners really work dog dog stain dog urine enzymatic enzymatic cleaner enzyme pet odor remover pet stain remover on September 18, 2015 by Steve Jenkins (updated 3352 days ago)

I’ll be running my third Tough Mudder in Seattle this weekend, and with every event I’ve learned more about what shoes, socks, and clothing works well.. and what doesn’t. Here’s what I’ll be wearing at this year’s 2015 Seattle Tough Mudder. Best Tough Mudder Shoes A good set of trail […]

Recommended Tough Mudder Shoes, Socks, and Clothing

This entry was posted in Fitness Reference and tagged best Tough Mudder shoes best Tough Mudder socks gear insoles recommended shirt shoes shorts socks Tough Mudder on September 17, 2015 by Steve Jenkins (updated 3349 days ago)

The 2015 Seattle Tough Mudder is this Saturday and Sunday (September 19th & 20th), and like many other pre-registered participants, I just received the course map via email. As it’s been in previous years, Seattle Tough Mudder 2015 will take place at Palmer Coking Coal Company in Black Diamond, WA. The […]

Tough Mudder Seattle 2015 Unofficial Course Preview

This entry was posted in Fitness Reference and tagged 2015 course map obstacles Seattle Seattle Tough Mudder Tough Mudder Tough Mudder obstacles Tough Mudder Seattle on September 17, 2015 by Steve Jenkins (updated 3353 days ago)

Linux Uptime — If you’re getting permissions errors when trying to update WordPress plugins or themes (or even WordPress itself), it can be a major pain to try and troubleshoot WordPress permissions, and the documentation is unclear on exactly what the optimal WordPress permissions settings are. I recommend these using the following four easy Linux […]

Correct Permissions for WordPress

This entry was posted in Linux Reference Technology and tagged 644 755 chmod chown optimal WordPress permissions perfect WordPress permissions permissions right permissions for WordPress set permissions WordPress WP on September 4, 2015 by Steve Jenkins

Reverse lights (top row) illuminated. — A burned out bulb on your car isn’t just an annoyance, it’s a safety issue… and one that could get you pulled over. So many of my favorite COPS episodes on TV start with a plain old “your tail light is burned out” traffic stop. Bad boys, bad boys… what’cha […]

How To: Replace Ferrari 512 TR Bulbs with LEDs

This entry was posted in Cars DIY Reference and tagged 1156 1157 512 TR 512TR amber bulbs Ferrari LED LED brake lights LED bulbs LED stop lights LED tail lights LED turn signals red replace with LED replacement replacement bulbs Testarossa on August 18, 2015 by Steve Jenkins (updated 3365 days ago)

Replacement dual capacitor ready to install. — Summer 2015 in Seattle has been officially declared the hottest summer here on record (check my weather station’s 2015 max temps on my Weather Underground weather history graph for geeky details). For those in the Pacific Northwest living without central A/C, it’s been miserable. And for those fortunate enough to have central air conditioning, […]

Air Conditioning Not Blowing Cold? Replace your Capacitor or Contactor

This entry was posted in DIY Reference and tagged 440/370 A/C air conditioner air conditioning air conditioning not working capacitor contactor cooling DIY DP1025A 5006 fix air conditioner Honeywell HVAC MFD micro-farads not blowing cold air R8242A-1032 replace capacitor replace contactor Rheem Ruud thermostat on August 16, 2015 by Steve Jenkins (updated 3383 days ago)

I went to update the mod_cloudflare package on a CentOS / RHEL box this morning, and ran unto the following problem: % sudo yum update -y mod_cloudflare Resolving Dependencies --> Running transaction check ---> Package mod_cloudflare.x86_64 0:1.2.0-1360806316.el6 will be updated ---> Package mod_cloudflare.x86_64 0:1.3.1-1.el6 will be an update --> Finished Dependency […]

Fixing “Public key for mod_cloudflare-*.rpm is not installed” Error

This entry was posted in Linux Reference Technology and tagged CloudFlare error GPG key mod_cloudflare not installed public key yum on August 1, 2015 by Steve Jenkins

My baby - a 1992 512 TR. — The Ferrari Testarossa, along with its later 512 TR and F512M variants, are iconic cars of the 80s and 90s. Every kid my age wanted to be Sonny Crocket cruising around Miami in a white Testarossa. What we never saw, however, was Crocket having trouble starting his Testarossa. Every time he had […]

DIY: Fix a Ferrari Testarossa / 512 TR Hot Start ...

This entry was posted in Cars DIY Reference and tagged 512 TR 512TR Bosch DIY Ferrari Ferrari 512TR Ferrari Testarossa hot start hot start fix hot start problem how to problem replace solenoid replace starter replace starter solenoid solenoid starter Testarossa won't start on July 29, 2015 by Steve Jenkins (updated 3398 days ago)

Relay assembly close-up. — Last week, I was working in my back yard when I noticed that the big red light on top of my septic system control box was lit up. That light is triggered when one of two alarm floats (in either the main effluent pump chamber or the clearwell pump chamber) detects that the fluid level in […]

How to Make Your Septic Alarm Smarter

This entry was posted in DIY Home Theater & Automation Technology and tagged alarm monitoring DSC email relay septic alarm septic alarm monitoring septic buzzer septic pump septic system septic tank smart septic alarm smart things text wireless sensor Z-Wave on July 25, 2015 by Steve Jenkins (updated 3406 days ago)

I’m not as hard-core as the “preppers” who are ready to lock themselves in a basement for 2 years while nuclear winter rages overhead, but I was a Boy Scout, and so the motto “Be Prepared” was imprinted on me from a young age. I like the comfort that comes […]

Review: Eton Blackout Buddy Emergency LED Flashlight / Nightlight

This entry was posted in Product Reviews and tagged American Red Cross backup light blackout buddy emergency flashlight emergency LED light eton LED night light rechargable on July 21, 2015 by Steve Jenkins

Paul glues new dust covers on the repaired speakers. — Not long ago, we started to notice a distorted “buzzing” sound from our left and right front speakers in our family room, particularly when the TV was playing something with a lot of bass (like explosions, engine noise, or gunfire). I love our family room speakers. They’re made by an English […]

Rave: The LoudSpeaker Store (Kent, WA)

This entry was posted in DIY Home Theater & Automation Rants and Raves and tagged Castle fix Kent loudspeakers rave Renton Repair Seattle Severn speakers on July 17, 2015 by Steve Jenkins

Becker Micarta Knife Scales — I love my KA-BAR / Becker knives. They look good, they feel good, but most importantly they work good (OK, I know it’s technically “work well,” but that would have thrown off the pattern). But if I have any complaint at all about these excellent knives, it’s the black plastic […]

Review: KA-BAR Becker Micarta Scales / Handles for BK Series ...

This entry was posted in Knives Product Reviews and tagged Becker Becker Necker BK10 BK2 BK3 BK4 BK5 BK7 BK9 G10 handles KA-BAR kabar Micarta product review review scales Upgrade on July 17, 2015 by Steve Jenkins (updated 3414 days ago)