Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2011 October 22

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October 22

Identifying an unknown piece of hardware

Dear Wikipedians:

Does anyone know where I can find Windows (or Linux) driver for the piece of hardware (usb wlan controller) shown below?:

File:Ralink RT2500 chipset 802.11 54Mbps adapter.jpg

Thanks,

L33th4x0r (talk) 01:28, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

The way to identify it would be with its device ID, not a photograph. Plug it into your Linux box and run lsusb. If you're lucky you get the name of the product. If not, at least you get a hex code that is easier to look up than trying to match a generic-looking photograph. 67.162.90.113 (talk) 01:56, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

It says on it that it's a B-Link LWXX. I don't see LWXX on the B-Link site, but it looks a lot like this one [1], this one [2], this one [3] or perhaps this one [4] (finally, a different photo). Those are all in the LW02 range, and there's a slight difference (a U-shaped vent), so perhaps it isn't really any of those; at any rate, this drivers page [5] seems to cover them all, though for some reason I could only find that page by googling for BL-LW02 driver, not via any link on their site. (I also googled BLLWXX driver, but there weren't any results and Google just changed my search to "blow drier".) They have a main drivers page here [6], too, and the links on that page also all cover a range of models (not just the model in the text of the link), although they end in mysterious things like -A2 and -1R, so I'd ignore those and go with the generic-looking driver, personally.  Card Zero  (talk) 05:59, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

Thanks everyone for your help. I used lsusb and found that the mysterious device is nothing other than good ole' RALINK RT2500 chipset. Which my slackware linux x86_64 version 13.37 supports out of the box! As a result I am now able to get on to the Internet and do all the other cool stuff. L33th4x0r (talk) 20:44, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

As a token of appreciation, the three screenshots below show my slackware 13.37 box connecting to the internet through the mysterious hardware wireless lan USB device and the lynx text browser on my slackware 13.37 box displaying its default page and meta-information:

L33th4x0r (talk) 23:50, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

Resolved

Worldbuilding (political) software & method?

I want to know if there is any software that can modify the world map and change political borders of countries however I want and name them. It does not need to be a software but you can give me details about how to do this on photoshop, GoogleEarth, or GoogleMap. Please remember that I am working on a real world map and I am trying to change political borders. Any softwares or methods will be appreciated and please answer as soon as possible. Aquitania (talk) 02:28, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

I don't think you have adequately explained what you are trying to do. Changing the 'real world' cannot be done by software - or at least, not by software alone. Google maps reflect reality (or, they are intended to), and are hardly going to be open to editing by random persons. AndyTheGrump (talk) 02:42, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

It's not that mysterious. The OP wants to take a real map and move the borders of countries around, and change the labels. The only way I can explain how to do this in Photoshop, though, is "with effort". It would be much easier if the source map is in a vector format. Otherwise, erasing the borders and re-filling the colours of the new countries would be tedious. It would still be fairly easy if the original map is simple: if it has details such as transport routes, cities, rivers, mountains and so on, then those will interfere with attempts to cleanly erase the borders. Changing the colours might be best done using a layer set to "hue", or a brush also set to "hue", rather than by actually repainting or using the flood fill tool, which is likely to mess up existing edges and details. Having said that, it might be best to use Photoshop's vector tools (the pen tool, or whatever shape tools your version has) to draw completely new, easily adjusted, colour-filled and cleanly-bordered countries in a new layer over the top of the existing map. Come to think of it, it should be possible to get SVG maps from Wikipedia commons, by clicking on a map used in an article and following the links. For instance, to get the SVG file of this map of Hungary [7] within Europe, you have to click on "full resolution" at the bottom. (I don't know why it says "full resolution" rather than something more descriptive like "GET THE SVG FILE HERE".) These could then be edited in Inkscape, or a better program like Adobe Illustrator. Even better, here's the commons categories Blank SVG maps and SVG maps of the world.  Card Zero  (talk) 06:15, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

You should be able to use Google Earth. You can turn off the original boundarys and build your own using the drawing tools [8]. If you want to get more advanced, you can build your own KML file. 132.3.13.68 (talk) 07:26, 26 October 2011 (UTC)

e2fsck and alternate superblock

Hi, I have a linux system with a messed up filesystem. I have the drive in another computer, however, every time I try to run e2fsck on the first partition, it tells me that the superblock is bad. If I try to run it using an alternate super block; like e2fsck -b 8193 /dev/sda1, it tells me that there is an invalid argument and, then, repeats that the superblock is screwed up. If I run it on the second partition, it goes for a little bit through its first pass, then hangs the entire computer. I am not very experienced with Linux and was hoping for some advice on how to get this system up and running again. Thank you in advance for any help:-) 209.252.235.206 (talk) 11:29, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

8193 is probably the wrong number. In the examples I have in front of me, the backup superblocks are at multiples of 32768. So try -b 32768, or maybe -b 8192 if it's a very small filesystem. As the man page says, you can also run mke2fs -n to find out where the backup superblocks would be placed in the default layout. 67.162.90.113 (talk) 21:22, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

I did use mke2fs -n, 8193 is right; it also agrees with the blocksize. 209.252.235.206 (talk) 09:47, 25 October 2011 (UTC)

Why can't Chatroulette blur out the naughty bits like many TV shows to?

You see on numerous TV shows, there's a blur or a pixelation over a face (if their identity should not be revealed), logos and tattoos (to avoid copyrighting/advertising issues if no permission is given) and of course, the naughty bits (in order to preserve more favorable ratings, and not lose their spot on a network.)

However, why can't the servers of Chatroulette recognize distinct shapes, and put up a censor cloud right on what it detects are private body parts?

What kinds of algorithms, programming and etc. would Chatroulette's servers need in order to make such blurs happen?

Thank you, --70.179.174.63 (talk) 11:39, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

Well it's a live chat website, not a prerecorded and edited TV show. Firstly, no software would be able to instantly recognize, from every angle, such shapes because they are simply not distinct enough. Secondly, the chat would be slowed down so much as to be useless, thirdly why would they even bother?--Shantavira|^{feed me} 12:23, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

The pixelation over the faces and body parts are put in place by human beings — editors. It isn't automatic. It would be hard to code something that reliably recognized various human naughty bits and could distinguish them from non-naughty bits.

A more implementable approach would be to have a "naughty bits" button that you'd hit whenever someone showed you their naughty bits. You could either then ban people who showed too many naughty bits to people who didn't want them, or put them in a "naughty bits" ghetto that only let them communicate with people who've said ahead of time that they're fine with that. That would require very minimal coding by comparison to the naughty bit image analysis that you're proposing. --Mr.98 (talk) 13:32, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

That's readily troll-able too, unfortunately. If the "naughty bits" button led to people being banned, trolls could easily press it for normal users, and quickly expel everyone from the network. If the NBB just deported users to the "adult" ghetto, the trolls could use it every time they saw a child, thus confining that child to the endless-pit-of-penises. In general, it's very easy to build an anarchy (usenet, chatroulette) or a tyranny (AOL, iOS) but very very difficult to build a system that balances utility, liberty, and responsibility (wikipedia). And the safe-harbour provisions of various jurisdictions' internet laws sometimes mean that if you police things badly you get the blame, but don't police things at all then you're okay. -- Finlay McWalterჷTalk 16:50, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

General image analysis and recognition is one of the great unsolved problems of computer vision. Even for still images, when people have tried to write "porn detectors" to filter web content, they've mostly failed. -- Finlay McWalterჷTalk 16:50, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

You're assuming of course chatroulette's creators and users would actually want such a feature. ¦ Reisio (talk) 11:46, 23 October 2011 (UTC)

Access to tumblr.com

For several days I haven't been able to access tumblr.com. I don't think it can be a firewall thing as it happens on two different computers and a phone, provided I'm connecting from the home wireless network. Can you help, please? AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 12:03, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

Sounds like a problem somewhere between the wireless router and your ISP. On the computer (assuming it's some version of Windows) type tracert tumblr.com into the command prompt, press enter and report back what it says. 82.43.90.142 (talk) 13:19, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

Okay, this is what it says:

tracert output

C:\>tracert tumblr.com Tracing route to tumblr.com [174.121.194.34] over a maximum of 30 hops: 1 2 ms 1 ms 1 ms 192.168.0.1 2 25 ms 28 ms 26 ms host-92-19-176-1.as13285.net [92.19.176.1] 3 27 ms 27 ms 26 ms host-92-31-247-83.as13285.net [92.31.247.83] 4 28 ms 28 ms 28 ms host-92-31-247-98.as13285.net [92.31.247.98] 5 29 ms 28 ms 27 ms xe-11-2-0-scr002.log.as13285.net [78.144.2.131] 6 31 ms 29 ms 29 ms Opal-ge-2.2.0.mpr1.lhr2.above.net [213.161.78.209] 7 105 ms 106 ms 126 ms so-0-1-0.mpr1.dca2.us.above.net [64.125.27.57] 8 104 ms 104 ms 112 ms xe-0-3-0.cr1.dca2.us.above.net [64.125.29.17] 9 134 ms 134 ms 138 ms xe-1-3-0.cr1.iah1.us.above.net [64.125.31.213] 10 135 ms 136 ms 134 ms xe-1-2-0.cr1.dfw2.us.above.net [64.125.26.129] 11 135 ms 168 ms 134 ms xe-0-1-0.er1.dfw2.us.above.net [64.125.27.74] 12 135 ms 135 ms 135 ms 64.125.199.94.t366.above.net [64.125.199.94] 13 135 ms 142 ms 136 ms te3-5.dsr02.dllstx3.networklayer.com [70.87.253.90] 14 * * * Request timed out. 15 135 ms 135 ms 135 ms te6-1.car12.dllstx6.networklayer.com [70.87.254.230] 16 135 ms 134 ms 134 ms 22.c2.79ae.static.theplanet.com [174.121.194.34] Trace complete.

AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 16:12, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

How do I change IPs under Cox Communications?

Disconnecting all cords from the modem & router for 8 hours used to work, so I would take them all out during school, and reconnect after coming back home. It doesn't seem to anymore.

I would guess that it's because the ipv4 pool is getting used up, that new IPs are hard to come by.

First, how do I convince Cox to get me an IPv6 address instead?

Second, what are some other ways (that are cost-free, of course) to get different IPs anyhow? (No, open proxies have undesirable side-effects.) How fast would the result(s) arrive?

Thanks, --70.179.174.63 (talk) 15:55, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

It will vary by company (and I don't remember from when I had Cox) but usually the IP address is leased to the MAC address of the customer's equipment. You may want to try unplugging the modem, changing the MAC address on your router, then plug the modem back in when that's done. Hopefully, it will assign a different IP to the new MAC. If they assign IPs out based on the Modems' MAC address (Or other account info that you can't change) this might not work.

Out of curiosity, (if you feel comfortable sharing, of course) why do you need different IP addresses? ^Avic_ennasis @ 16:50, 24 Tishrei 5772 / 16:50, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

If I find it harder to access various resources online, then an IP change is one of my "standard" procedures to take before gaining access again. --70.179.174.63 (talk) 11:00, 23 October 2011 (UTC)

Can't connect ipad to computer via wireless

I've been looking up websites telling me (supposedly) how to connect my ipad to my computer so I can surf the net using the laptop's internet connection. I got to the point of setting up a network, and having the ipad recognise it, but I can't get any further than that. Whenever I try to surf the net on the ipad, it just says it is not connected. It knows the wireless network is there, and it connects fine, but no luck on getting any websites up. I've adjusted the settings on the laptop's network configuration box from control panel, where it says to let others browse the net using the computer's internet connection, but it still doesn't do anything. What am I doing wrong? Thanks, It's been emotional (talk) 19:58, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

How are you setting IP addresses on the wireless interfaces on computer and iPad. Are you running a DHCP service on your computer? Or have you set manual IP addresses at each end. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 02:00, 23 October 2011 (UTC)

A pool of soda on the keyboard

A relative spilled a good bit of soda on the keyboard. There is no mechanical issue with pushing the keys but the G and H simply don't respond. The computer is issued from his work, and they will fix it for him. I told him the repair should run about US$70. But he is embarrassed. Is there some cure he can try that will not make things worse, like turning it upside down and spraying the affected keys with rubbing alcohol or WD40? μηδείς (talk) 20:54, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

This question comes up a few times a year here. If this is a detached keyboard for a desktop computer, a new keyboard will cost from a quarter to a half of that amount. Last time this was addressed at RD/C was possibly here in March. Comet Tuttle (talk) 21:25, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

Unless this is a treasured IBM bucking spring keyboard, the keyboard is surely worth much less than $70, and it'd be simpler to get a new one. In a fairly modern keyboard the keys all push down onto bumps on a single rubber membrane (that single membrane makes modern keyboards fairly soda-resistant). The undersurface of each bump has a conductive elastomeric block (a little black rubber thing) and pushing the key pushes this elastomer down onto a conductive pattern on a circuit board (two little zigzag thingies) which completes the circuit and registers a key. It sounds like either liquid is stuck in there, or has carried some condensed syrup and general keyboard cruft in there. Anyone with a modicum of savvy can open the (disconnected, obviously) keyboard and clean under the membrane with alcohol. Care is needed to reassemble the whole thing, but it's not hard. If it's a bucking spring keyboard (which means it sounds and feels like an old IBM Selectric typewriter) then zapping it with some air duster might help (heck, that might help the other kind too), but if that doesn't work it would need someone with a bit more mechanical skill (and given that these are rare, and new ones are expensive, it might actually be worth paying someone). -- Finlay McWalterჷTalk 21:28, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

Minor correction, that's buckling spring (not bucking). -- Finlay McWalterჷTalk 21:29, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

Depends on the keyboard perhaps, but I've found just two washes (full immersion) with warm distilled water has cures those I've come across (usually coffee with milk). Distilled water leaves no deposits. Both rubbing alcohol and WD40 do leave deposits. Put in airing cupboard afterwords for 24 hour to ensure it is toughly dry! Let us know how you get on. --Aspro (talk) 21:42, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

Well, its a Hewlett Packard "Entertainment" laptop PC. I should have specified laptop--otherwise I would not even have asked. (I figured this is a common question, but how to search for it?) In any case, I do have a friend who does PC repair, and he is the one who had quoted me $20 for the new keyboard and then labor on top. The point here is not really the cost to my relative, but his desire to fix the problem without having to take it back to the company that has hired him as a consultant and provided the PC laptop ant no charge. (He has already pestered the PC guy half to death and figuires he owes him at least a few meals or bottles of wine in recompense.) The bottom issue here is really, what cure can my relative attempt on his own that will neither make the issue worse nor leave its own trail for the employer to ask him, why did you, say, boil it overnight, rather than let our expert do a standard fix?

I assume an attched laptop board is a little more complicated that a detachable board for a tower. Should he just turn it in, or is there a cure he can try for the unresponsive keys that won't make matters worse?

Yes, it's often a lot more complicated. Laptop keyboards are harder to disassemble, rather more delicate, and often much more expensive to replace than a desktop machine's external keyboard. I'd give it a shot with gas duster, but if that doesn't fix it then it should be attended to by someone who knows what they're doing. Or your relative could buy a cheap portable USB keyboard and forget the problem ever existed. -- Finlay McWalterჷTalk 22:53, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

Should have thought of the canned air. That implies there may still be some liquid in place? Thanks. μηδείς (talk) 10:36, 23 October 2011 (UTC)

If it was liquid still present would it not the screen be going gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg ? [OK, that's a gross over simplification but you get my point , the OS wouldn't run properly due to a bonkers keyboard ]. I would say that deposits are preventing electrical contact. If soda can get in - so can distilled water. Wash the sugar deposits off.--Aspro (talk) 21:40, 23 October 2011 (UTC)

It sounds to me like you have sticky soda causing some keys to stick. Luckily, most laptop keyboards can be removed for cleaning and/or replacement. So that you remove the keyboard correctly, you can download the service manual for the specific model of laptop from the manufacturer's website. When opening up your laptop, remove the easily removable parts first: battery, hard drive, DVD drive, and taking special note of where things are connected and what holes screws came out of (keep notes ... they sometimes vary in length and putting a too long screw into the wrong hole can be disastrous). Laptop manufacturers love very thin ribbon cables and tiny plastic tabs so don't force anything to move. The insides of laptops are very fragile and one small mistake can leave you with a very expensive repair. If something won't move, then leave it. Once you have the keyboard off, you can then try washing the keyboard very carefully with distilled water and letting it dry thoroughly, using canned air to be sure you have all the water out; dry for at least a whole day somewhere warm. While waiting, check out the rest of the laptop case and try to carefully clean off any other sticky soda. Putting it back together is usually the reverse of the disassembly. If it still doesn't work, you'll have to consider getting a new keyboard, using an external keyboard, or facing the music and talking to the company's IT guys (which is where being very, very careful attempting your own repair will pay off). Astronaut (talk) 13:54, 24 October 2011 (UTC)

Well, no, it was not me, and the keys were not at all sticky. They simply didn't respond. I told my friend he could try distilled water and canned air as advised above. He decided it was simply safer to see the computer guy at the company which had given him the laptop to do work for them as a consultant. The computer guy advised him a replacement laptop keyboard would run $34 for parts, so my friend is paying that as docked pay and they are doing the labor. Thanks for the answers. 21:01, 24 October 2011 (UTC)

What's the cheapest/lowest spec Mac I can buy which will run Creative Suite 5.5?

Hi, I'm doing some research on behalf of my niece. She (a student) will be buying Creative Suite 5.5 - the latest, and only available, version and is looking for a Mac to run it on. (Please - no Mac/PC nonsense, she wants a Mac so let's stick with that for now). The easiest option is to buy the newest and most expensive model and fill it with Ram but she's on a budget so we can't do that. I know we can look at 2nd hand and refurbished as well as new. Further to this is that she'd like a laptop.

According to Adobe, the main minimum specs for CS5.5 are: (and I've removed the more obvious ones, like 'dvd' drive)

1. :Multicore Intel processor
2. :Mac OS X v10.5.8 or v10.6
3. :1GB of RAM or more recommended
4. :1280x800 display with qualified hardware-accelerated OpenGL graphics card, 16-bit color, and 256MB of VRAM

A multi-core intel would be either the core duo or the core 2 duo, is that right? But I've been told that a core duo does not have the 256mb of VRAM. I don't think I'd recommend a mac mini - the cost of monitor, keyboard etc would be prohibitive. I like the look of the iMac but the all the different combinations of macbook this or macbook pro the other are making my head hurt.

Would I be right in thinking that more RAM is better? Can you put more Ram into a Mac laptop? Oh, so many questions.

All help - in words of one syllable or fewer - gratefully received. Thanks. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.24.184.40 (talk) 23:00, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

Core 2 Duo is more future proof — it's 64 bit, which is necessary for OS X Lion, and the way things are going. You can add more RAM to Mac laptops very easily, though there are max limits depending on the model (some go as high as 8GB, others less). But physically adding it is very easy and requires no major disassembly. Note that if she is a student, she ought to check whether there are any educational discounts through her university or school (many universities have programs with Apple that give significant discounts). --Mr.98 (talk) 23:11, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

The cheapest MacBook Pro (2.3GHz / 4GB RAM / $1200) will more than suffice. The Air with the same RAM & price will also do (and even the cheaper $1000 Air), but that's quite a speed hit for the sake of weight/looks. And I'm sorry but "she wants a Mac…she's on a budget" is nonsense (as is frankly going with Photoshop at all unless she's going into digital media). A non-Apple equivalent laptop will cost THREE TIMES less. I understand people can get attached to certain OSes and hardware, but you should keep this in mind even so. :p ¦ Reisio (talk) 11:55, 23 October 2011 (UTC)

Do you have an example for your bold claim? And how much deeper than "same CPU and memory" does your definition of equivalent go? I spec'ed different notebooks when I got my very first Mac in 2001, and to my surprise could not find any of the claimed price differential. --Stephan Schulz (talk) 17:10, 25 October 2011 (UTC)

Did a brief check with Dell versus Apple and remember I live in netherlands, so prices will vary with other people. Inspiron 14z costs 599 euro's vs Macbook pro 1,149 euro's (specs: both have same cpu, same ram, Dell has bigger HD with same RPM and both have same onboard graphics). I do think Apple is more expensive in the Netherlands as they don't account for a lower US dollar (basically 1 euro=1dollar seems to be their transfer rate) and as a student there is the possibility of a discount on an Apple.94.208.67.65 (talk) 21:02, 25 October 2011 (UTC)

If she does decide to go for a Mac she should certainly investigate the student discounts which may be available to her (assuming she is a university rather than a high school student), as these can be quite significant. They may be even better if she can justify it for study purposes and get her department to purchase it on her behalf, as I seem to remember that university departments get the best discounts of all. Equisetum (talk|contributions) 21:41, 23 October 2011 (UTC)

And if they purchase it on her behalf, do give me their number so I can tell them how much cash they're wasting. ¦ Reisio (talk) 15:20, 24 October 2011 (UTC)

By "on her behalf" I didn't mean they would pay for it - only that the purchase would go through their institutional account (i.e. she pays the department, the department pays Apple). Equisetum (talk|contributions) 09:08, 25 October 2011 (UTC)

Bear in mind, stability of Apple is better, Windows monoculture through the internet is dangerous, u have virus, malware and other headaches ... --Chris.urs-o (talk) 15:41, 25 October 2011 (UTC)