1. Download the updated firmware file from Cisco/LinkSys (5.1.6 is latest as of today) from here: DOWNLOAD

2. Place the .bin file that is in the .zip file you downloaded into a public Dropbox folder.

3. Go to the Dropbox web interface, find the file select it, and click More Actions –> Copy the public link

4. Open a new browser tab or window and enter the following upgrade URL:

“http://[enter PAP2T-IP here]/admin/upgrade?[enter your Dropbox public link for the .bin file here]”

5. Do not power off the phone adapter. The status light will flash while the firmware is being updated. When the light stops flashing the update is complete.

• See this Lifehacker article on the program.
• How to change your nameservers once you determine the fastest ones.

Get Firefox – The following are the essential addons I use with Firefox for a clean, safer viewing of the Internet:

Firefox Addons:

• Adblock Plus – Annoyed by adverts? Troubled by tracking? Bothered by banners? Install Adblock Plus now to regain control of the internet and change the way that you view the web.
• DownThemAll! – The first and only download manager/accelerator built inside Firefox!
• Easy DragToGo – Allows you to open links in new tabs, serach texts, save images and do more with drag and drop gestures easier.
• Element Hiding Helper for Adblock Plus – Fight the text ads! Element Hiding Helper is a companion extension for Adblock Plus meant to make creating element hiding rules easier.
• FEBE – FEBE (Firefox Environment Backup Extension) allows you to quickly and easily backup your Firefox extensions. In fact, it goes beyond just backing up — It will actually rebuild your extensions individually into installable .xpi files. Now you can easily synchronize your office and home browsers.
• Google Redesigned – A complete redesign of popular Google services, Google Redesigned loads and manages several CSS stylesheets that change the appearance of popular tools.
• KeeFox – KeeFox adds free, secure and easy to use password management features to Firefox which save you time and keep your private data more secure. Think of KeeFox as a bridge or connection between Firefox and KeePass Password Safe, the most popular open source (and free) password manager.
• Read It Later – Save pages to read later with just one click. When you have time, access your reading list from any computer or phone, even without an internet connection!
• Stylish – Restyle the web with Stylish, a user styles manager. Stylish lets you easily install themes and skins for Google, Facebook, YouTube, Orkut, and many, many other sites. You can even customize Firefox and other programs themselves.
• Tab Mix Plus – Tab Mix Plus enhances Firefox’s tab browsing capabilities. It includes such features as duplicating tabs, controlling tab focus, tab clicking options, undo closed tabs and windows, plus much more. It also includes a full-featured session manager.
• Xmarks Sync – Xmarks is the #1 bookmarking add-on. Keep your bookmarks, passwords and open tabs backed up and synchronized across computers and browsers.
• Greasemonkey – Allows you to customize the way a webpage displays using small bits of JavaScript.

Greasemonkey Scripts:

• Drudge Style – Updates the lack of style on the Drudge Report (DrudgeReport.com) so it looks cleaner.
• FFixer – Enhancements for Facebook: bigger profile pictures and photos, easier viewing of albums, links to download videos, showing people’s age and sign, google calendar integration, keyboard shortcuts & more. Compatible with new Facebook and fully customizable!
• Profanity Filter – Filters Out Swear Words As You Browse the Internet,
• Yousable TubeFix – Removes ads and unwanted sections (configurable), allows downloading and resizing videos, changes the default video quality, expands the description and the video size, can prevent autoplay and autobuffering, etc.

Glasnost tests enable you to check whether traffic from your applications is being rate-limited (i.e., throttled) or blocked. There are several tests listed: Glasnost: Test if your ISP is shaping your traffic

Here is a recent creation I made using this tool. This is from my trip to Peru:

Click on the image for a larger view.

It is simple to delete an entry from the autocomplete dropdown.  Type into any form field until the dropdown box appears.  Next use the cursor keys to move to the entry to be deleted and press ‘SHIFT’ plus ‘DELETE’ and the entry is gone. (For those using IE just hit the  ‘DELETE’ key)

Simple tip, but if you are like me you like having a clean system, free of errors {grin}.

Doing some research my understanding is that this drive was formatted in a Mac or 64bit system. Thus the GPT Protective Partition. I did find a solution and I share it here:

How to change a GPT Protective Partition to one usable in Windows XP:

We will be using Windows XP diskpart tool to clean this drive which will remove all data and partition structures from the disk. Then XP’s Administrative Tools to initialize and format this GPT disk to a XP usable MBR disk.

1. Go to XP’s Command line (click on “Start Menu,” then “Run,” type in “cmd” in textbox, and hit “OK”)

Type in “diskpart” in command line.
Type in “list disk” in command line to show all disks in this machine.
Use “select” to set the focus to the specified partition, for example “select disk 7″ (as mine was listed).
Use “clean” command to remove GPT disk from the current in-focus disk by zeroing the sectors of the drive.

2. Go to “Disk Management” in “Administrative Tools.”  You will see the disk is “unallocated” now. Right click on disk info, choose “Initialize Disk.”

3. Right click on disk info again and choose “Format Disk.” You can assign any unused drive letter during this step. The disk will proceed to format, depending on the disk size this will take some time. Do not turn off your computer till this step is completed.

4. When finished the drive will now be list in “My Computer” and be usable on your XP sysytem.

Warning: This procedure erase all data on the selected disk!

How to add a new E-mail Account in Outlook 2007

First Open Outlook 2007

Next, follow the rest of the instructions (click on continue):

(Note: click on any image below to view a larger version)

1. First, we need to access the E-mail Account Settings dialog. Select “File,” then “Data File Management.” Choose the “E-mail” tab. Select “New,” then “Next.”

2. Select “Microsoft Exchange, POP3, IMAP, or HTML,” then “Next.”

3.  Do not use Outlook 2007′s configure email settings automatically, instead check “Manually configure server settings or additional server types.” Click “Next.”

4. Keep the default “Internet Email” selected and then click “Next.”

5. Next you need to enter our E-mail information. Type the name that you want to show up in a recipient’s email client in the field “Your Name.” Enter the email address provided into the field “E-mail Address.” Retain the default setting of “POP3″ in the “Account Type” dropdown list, and then type the incoming and outgoing server information provided to you into the appropriate fields. Enter your login information in “User Name” and “Password” fields, and make sure “Remember Password” is checked to avoid the need to enter the password each time you send and receive email. Next select the Select “More Settings” button.

6. In the next few steps you will configure some server settings.  On the “General” tab make any desired changes. I use my E-mail address in the Mail Account type. You can enter an Organization name if you desire, leave the Reply E-mail box empty.

7. Select the “Outgoing Server” tab. Check the “My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication box.” Select “Use same settings as my incoming mail server.”

7.  Last step, select the “Advanced” tab, and change the “Outgoing server (SMTP):” port number to 26 (Verizon and other ISP’s are blocking port 25 now. I have my server set up to listen to port 26).

When finished, click “OK. Then “Next” and “Finished.”

8. Send and E-mail to yourself and then click the “Send/Receive” button to see if you get it. All should be well!

Windows/Mac/Linux: The oft-delayed but much improved 3.6 version of Firefox has landed, offering up faster performance, one-click themes, safer add-ons and plug-ins, better font handling, and a lot more. Grab it now.

We’ve been downloading and trying out Firefox 3.6 from the first alpha, and from what we’ve seen, 3.6 is a bigger update than the minor decimal point iteration would indicate. It ranked second only to the cutting-edge Chrome builds in our speed and performance tests, which meant there was real improvement in startup time and page rendering.

What’s new? :

• Instant themes: Point 3.6 at the Personas gallery, and you can hover over a theme to see how it would look in your browser. Click to apply it, and it’s your browser skin. You can then manage your Personas from the Add-Ons menu.
• Out-of-date plugins notifier: Start your browser up with an outdated, and potentially virus-friendly, Adobe Flash or other plugin, and Firefox will tell you and provide an update link.
• Full-screen ‘open’ video: If you’re looking at a video streaming in Ogg or another free format, Firefox can play it full screen.
• WOFF support: More intriguing for developers than users, but, still, Firefox now accepts and downloads smaller-sized Web Open Font Format fonts, allowing sites to more quickly show you their text the way they intended.
• Faster, faster, faster: Mozilla promises better JavaScript, startup time, and rendering speeds.

You can read up more on what’s new in the 3.6 release notes, but you’re probably going to want to discover its features for yourself.

Firefox 3.6 is a free download for Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.

Get Firefox web browser at [Mozilla]

I keep more than passwords stored in the program. I store software keys & license information. Plus private information like my credit card info – for easy access with online purchasing. If it is a number or information I may need someday (or may not need even  ) I store it away in the software. Other private info like life, car, and home insurance policies are safely stored. The software file stored on your computer is encrypted with strong 256 bit encryption that has never been broken. Your information is safe as long as you use a good strong master password.

One Master Password is all that is needed to access all your passwords and private information.

Two common errors people make are using the same password for all their internet needs and they never change it. Using a password storage program allows you to use many different “strong” passwords and change them often.

I use Access Manager 2 by Citi-Soft:

Access Manager is FREE for personal, non-commercial use.  Here are some key features:

• Store and manage an unlimited number of passwords
• Automatically generate strong passwords
• Drag and Drop passwords to Internet Explorer and other software
• Copy usernames and passwords to the Windows Clipboard
• Keep unlimited notes with each password
• Notes can include clickable links to web sites and email
• Find a password by entering any part of its title/description
• Easy to use, modeled on the Microsoft Outlook®style
• Preview and print the full details of any password
• Preview and print a summarized password list for storage in a safe or bank vault

Access Manager has made my life much easier as far as keeping all my private information in one location for easy access.

Another excellent freeware program I recommend is KeePass Password Safe:

KeePass has tons of features and is actively developed by its author.

Pick your application TODAY and start building your informational database. Make your internet usage safer and your life more organized.