[sf-lug] Trying to be secure but the ISP knock down my plans plus a couple of distros and a utility.

[Bobbie Sellers]

Hi all,

	After the last problem I had with a combined modem router the 
DSLExtreme ISP forced another one onto me.   I could not get out of the
replacement of my modem and router with an ATT Arris NVG589.
	I was informed that the install required my presence and it did.
But the time given was 9am -11am and the AT&T technician, an amiable 
enough fellow, showed up at 11 just after I had called DSLExtreme to 
find out how much longer I should stick around.  I had other things
to do than wait on this guy today but instead of leaving early and
taking care of business I was stuck until after 2 PM. I had to move
a ton of my stuff to get access to the telephone jack which the tech
declared was using the 1916 wiring which is funny since it was installed
during the last 40 years of my residence.   The new connection is 
dangling thru the space under a window with connectors hanging out
behind the device which was obviously designed to fit flush against
the wall but there is cement and a window sill where a nice place
would have a less solid wall.

	So with the new modem router is there anything I can do
to provide extra security?  Yes I looked at the manuals for this
model which I eventually will have to print out as the .pdfs will
not download.  They do not seem to allow the password to be
changed.

	I even managed to get the WiFi working here on my production
machine.  Bad news is that to get back to my wired connection I had
to shut down the Wireless in the BIOS/Firmware and reboot too many times.
            ==========================

	DSLExtreme besides forcing me to upgrade and lease a modem
has informed another member that she will no longer have service
shortly.  She lives in Brisbane and if anyone reading this note
is aware of ISP service in that area, let me know and I will be
sure she gets the information.

	           ==========================

	EasyOS 2.1 based on Puppy and Debian is a bit like Qubes but
different.  It is shipped compressed to <600 MB and expanded after
the checksum found a 1.3 GB image,  I used ddcopy (just PCLinux's
tool to write to USB Flash Drives) and then used the FD to boot
up the machine i keep for the meetings. As it booted up it expanded
its file system to the rest of the 8 GB FD.  When it booted up
the screen was definitely showing Puppy influence but it looks
a lot like a Qubes install.  It can be installed with a script
it supplies and it seems to have a wide range of tools but for
example no LibreOffice Writer but the LO Database is available/
You can set the password as you boot up the FD but you can
neglect that as well.  You can run from FD until you are
satisfied that you want to install. If you want a copy bring
your own digital media and I will copy it otherwise I will
bring two copies one on the Flash Drive and one on DVD .
If this sounds interesting then do some reading at: <https://easyos.org/>

            ==========================

	Black Arch Linux is out in two versions, one is a Net-Install
bigger than the EasyOS compressed file. and the other is <16 GB.
Well if you want the Net-Install let me know.  I am getting faster
downloads with the new wiring and equipment but not that much
faster that I want to download that big version.  If someone
wants the Net-Install on disk or must have that big version let
me know asap. The default login for all ISOs and OVA
is: root:blackarch  <https://blackarch.org/downloads.html>

            ==========================

	Super_Grub2_Disk_hybrid_2.04s1 is out!
	16 whole megabytes and it does the same
stuff as the previous versions using the same text
based interface.
	People will say "Why do I need this? Everything
is fine with my system?"  Well when the system is ok
and nothing has messed up Grub on your machine you
won't need it.  But time passes and things change and
if you do not have it at hand you will wish you had
gotten it earlier.  Aww you might not need it...

	Hope to see some friends on Sunday!

	Bobbie Sellers

-- 
bliss dash SF 4 ever at dslextreme dot com