The working from home thread: tips and advice

Yeah, I needed to play with v4l2-ctl (Linux command line util) to change the Zoom settings for my Logitech C920 before I was happy with it.

we have swapped broadband provider from EE to Vodafone as they were shafting us on price. The voda router is great and even has an app for settings etc. Works flawlessly upstairs where it lives (we are in a lower ground maisonette). I have always relied on a cheap tp-link wireless extender (plugged in downstairs) to get better signal in my office room downstairs...... for some unknown reason this extender has become significantly unstable since swapping routers - internet connection dropping on 1 channel vs the other etc. it is really odd as it was bulletproof before so looking to try another one..... any recommendations?

TL:DR cheap tp-link wifi extender isn't playing ball as well with our new vodafone router - any recommendations?

Turn off the router WiFi. Buy a mesh WiFi thing (TP-Link Deco are popular round here but I haven't used them myself) and plug the first into your router with an Ethernet cable.

Ikea have a thing. https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/eilif-screen-freestanding-grey-white-s69387462/

thanks - will that cover the whole place then? its only a 2 bed...

every room also has these phone line outlets too. wonder if i should try plugging another router in downstairs/if that would work....? annoyingly i think we binned the EE router last week so no cheap way of seeing if it would actually work

TP-Link Deco

this does look very promising

will that cover the whole place then? its only a 2 bed...

Probably. Maybe. Depends. Thick walls, long floor plans or loads of foil backed materials can be a hinderance. You can commission a survey or just buy an extra mesh node.

every room also has these phone line outlets too. wonder if i should try plugging another router in downstairs/if that would work....?

Phone wires are usually not enough pairs for gig and wired in parallel rather than a star. They are typically lower quality too, eg Cat3. I have run 100baseT over phone wiring and it worked well but requires a bit more effort.

thanks - really appreciate the advice :-)

just want to say thanks again. i ordered a refurbed set of 3x M5s off ebay for £117 yesterday afternoon (the smaller units and ability to wall mount was important for me). bizarrely they arrived at 7:30am this morning. took me <15mins to plug them in and set them up :--) been using all day and "office" computer which relied on the wifi extender hits 60mbps down vs 5-10mbps normally..... should have upgraded sooner!

now just to re-enter wifi passwords on every device :--)

My one of these isn't being recognised by Windows 11. Can't work out why yet.

Thick velvet curtain.

Filth.

Mine is definitely not 100% convincing—works in docking station but not with Apple USB A↔C dongle. Try a dongle or a hub?

I've tried direct to the USB-A port on the laptop and various docks/dongles without luck. Just tried the USB-A to C thing that came with my mobile phone and that seems to work. Which is blooming odd but if it works I'm happy. More testing on Monday, work laptop can go off for now.
Thanks!

It appears to be something about the not exactly to spec plug of the ATtiny85. Using a USB-A extension cable makes it work in ports it doesn't otherwise. Maybe upsetting the extra USB-3 pins in some way?

Need a new chair. Looking for recommendations above IKEA but below Herman Millar.

Need a new office/house. Looking for cash donations.

OF link?

I think I'd pay not to receive the link

Many people will probably shout at me for suggesting this but i am very happy with my Eames copy - 3yrs in and it is comfy despite a lot of covid WFH

I'm about to order some of these for my home office..

https://www.huntsoffice.co.uk/office-furniture/nomique-remi-mesh-back-office-chair

We have a furniture supplier we deal with in work and she said that this is her go to chair.. she doesn't even try and sell anything above this as they are no better.

Ah, bribery and grifting. Perfect.

I have a refurbed (all but as new) humanscale world, which didn't break the bank at ~£150; has been very comfortable, from https://studiomodern.co.uk/product/humanscale-graphite-diffrient-world-chair-2/

Yeah, 2ndhnd or wantdontwant for refurbs.

maybe not 2ndhnd just went to their website and it's gone. turns out so are they...

https://www.insider.co.uk/news/office-furniture-supplier-goes-administration-28277131

I had a new one of those from the Back2 shop with a mesh base, great chair and was comfy when i tried it in the showroom but my ass is so skinny that my sit bones were pushing the mesh down in 2 spots and touching the bar below as i sit far back and upright, a pie eater with padding would be fine as their weight would be distributed across a greater area of the mesh.
Ended up with an Orangebox DO which is good VFM and lots of adjustment.