best cheap/free scores 1.1

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

It uses regular 7.2AH 12v batteries, they don't cost much.
And they are consumables anyway.

I see.

Also, apparently the SUA750, while not a current model, can still be purchased as a new unit. And an $600+ one at that . Maybe my wife made a better score than I gave her credit for. Doh!

[Uranium-235]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Discovered a very annoying quirk with it... the stupid audio keeps cutting out every 10-60 seconds. Bumping the volume (in windows) restores it. From what I read it's a common fault with these although the only explanation provided is "faulty main board, use external speakers" which I call BS on. Maybe an issue with crappy connexant audio chips?

Otherwise, no issues.

You could always get an LP sound card. Or take a regular sound card and take the bracket off, or a dremil to the plate.

[Curious.George]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Wifey almost made a cheap score: NOS APC Smart UPS 750 for "less than $5". Great, except the batteries are beyond dead 17 years young! I was honestly looking more for a rackmount one anyway...

Depending on how fussy you are about your choice of battery vendors, you can pick up a set for about $50. By contrast, anything (of similar capacity) rack-mountable will be at least twice that.

That series is a pretty reliable workhorse (I have several of the 1500VA units in service, here). Though I've been trying to move to newer units with "displays" (instead of idiot lights) as I can get more information at a glance (without having to fire up a web browser).

The 750VA newer version would be the SMT750:
https://www.schneider-electric.com/e...750va-lcd-120v
I have one sitting on my SB2000 (gets the UPS up off the floor to a more accessible height) to power the switch in my office.

You'll probably want to grab an NMC for it as the PowerChute (personal) software doesn't offer much in terms of functionality (or, run some FOSS to access that functionality).

[The downside of tethering the UPS to *a* machine is that the UPS can't talk to anything other than that PC -- which may be powered down when it wants/needs to talk! The NMC lets you broadcast to other devices that might also be powered from that UPS (but can't talk to it directly owing to the single interface supported)]

[[Note there are two different generations of NMC's -- the SUA750 uses the "older one".]]

[Dan81]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Scored these free stuff from a friend:

Maxtor 6L200M0 - won't spin up, heads are fine and platters okay. (tested with a 6Y080P0 PCB just out of curiosity)
WD 64AA 6.4GB - has 2000 Pro install on it, but can't access as Paragon Adaptive Restore won't work on it for some reason (maybe it doesn't like small drives? Gotta test with a Maxtor 3.2GB)
4x 8MB SIMM 72pin
Intel Pentium i166 (interesting - classic Pentium without MMX, but in the same package as MMX chips)
CAT5e ethernet cable
15w soldering iron with a quite crappy tip

[Heihachi_73]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Yesterday I picked up a Wii console at Savers for $15. It came with 2 remotes (including nunchuks/straps/rubber sleeves and sensor bar), AV/power cables and Wii Sports 8-in-1 pack in a carry bag (with racquet, golf club etc.)

[pfrcom]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Reticent to show this, given its cosmetic condition and my OCD

Nevertheless, Dell Latitude E4310 for $au30 (~$us21)

Bought without SSD & charger, blue screen at Windows startup with multiple SSDs

Was a sales rep's machine apparently, three of its four corners damaged

Had a nasty feeling first time I fitted an SSD, after which it refused to power on

Although had been successfully running inbuilt Dell diagnostics prior to that

Some lateral thinking, now no DVD drive, SSD in caddy using optical bay, fresh Win7pro install activated by barely readable licence sticker, goes like sh*t off a shovel

And does have some battery life

Duct tape my handiwork - better than snagging broken corners

[Topcat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Picked up another cheap BP6 on ebay....didn't need another one, but it was cheap....

[momaka]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

No cheap/free scores for me lately, as I haven't been buying any electronics.
... unless we count food items . On that front, I was at my grandmother's countryside house and went for a walk along the river. Picked up a big grocery bag full of Stinging Nettle. It made a great tasting soup (similar to spinach... and yes, you can eat Nettle, even though in its raw form it will burn and blister your skin ). Just need to eat more fiber-rich foods alongside it too, as it contains way too much iron and tends to constipate.

Also picked few pounds / Kgs worth of apples from the apple tree in the same house. Not sure what kind they are, but they are delicious. No one's been tending to the trees either, so the apples are 100% pesticide-free. Normally, that means you'd always find a worm inside. But this year, it was very rainy there in the spring, so that probably prevented all of the moths and butterflies from infesting the blooms with worms. So most of the apples were worm-free.

Oh, and hazel nuts - my grandmother has a tree in the yard too. Picked up about 2 lbs / 1 Kg worth of good fresh hazel nuts. Mmmm...

All of this for free, because no one picks up these things anymore. Gotta love the countryside life every once in a while.

[dmill89]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

A Citizen PN60 "Pocket Printer" for $1. These use thermal ribbons (like a label printer, so no ink cartridges to worry about drying out) but print on regular paper and are extremely portable, albeit very slow (1-2 PPM):

[Dan81]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Another load of free stuff:

ASUS P5LD2 SE w/ 512MB RAM, Pentium E2160 and Leadtek PX8400GS 1GB (sadly without the VGA breakout cable)

Seagate ST3850A 850MB - amazing that it still works. Has 98SE with a bunch of Windows and DOS FTP stuff.

Fujitsu MPA3062AT - sadly not spinning up at all

[ChaosLegionnaire]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

All of this for free, because no one picks up these things anymore. Gotta love the countryside life every once in a while.

haha lucky u. over here in singapore, the laws here dont allow u to remove wildlife (this includes wild vegetation and fruits) from its natural habitat and u are not allowed to feed the wildlife. so no going forest/jungle diving for wild berries and fruits.

maybe singapore could use a dose of nightlock berries from the hunger games... *mumbles something about a police state taking their laws and shoving it* lol! oops... okay this is not the vip room. i'll take my mouth and shove it now...

A Citizen PN60 "Pocket Printer"

rofl @ "black citizen" written on the printer ribbon. im sure someone in the african-american community would love to own such a printer!

[stj]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

well their should also be a "colored citizen" with it,
so yes, totally racist - no white citizen included!!
must be sponsored by Soro's

[TechGeek]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Got a Fisher RS-2010 stereo receiver on Saturday. Works fine, except for the center of channel and signal strength meters are seized, and all but 4 or 5 bulbs are burned out (19 total). Made the 1st week of February 1980, and it was sitting in a cabin since 1995.

[dmill89]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

well their should also be a "colored citizen" with it,
so yes, totally racist - no white citizen included!!
must be sponsored by Soro's

, the color ribbons actually say "Full Color Citizen":

[brethin]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

well their should also be a "colored citizen" with it,
so yes, totally racist - no white citizen included!!
must be sponsored by Soro's

bitter much?

[Topcat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Was also given 2x Cisco Aironet 1200 PoE access points.

I finally got around to working with these. Configuring them as a normal stand-alone WPA2 access point is easier said than done.....and cisco's documentation is absolutely worthless for configuring in either the CLI (console port) or the web-based GUI....they really were intended to be used in conjunction with a radius server (either with other Cisco hardware or a windows radius server). I did actually get that to work...though it was tricky, it was very cool how it worked, but a gross overkill configuration for what I needed....especially when considering all the additional hardware & software dependencies it created....but I knew there had to be a way to run them using WPA2.... I finally had to consult the interwebs and some british bloke on youtube walked through the process and the obscure setting that was missed everywhere else. Now they work like champs! The reason I wanted these working is the PoE function....I can mount them up in the attic of my house and shop and not have to run power up there.

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

The reason I wanted these working is the PoE function....I can mount them up in the attic of my house and shop and not have to run power up there.

Why not Ceiling mount them? Less heat stress, better wireless reception, and easier diagnostics if you do such...

[Curious.George]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I finally got around to working with these. Configuring them as a normal stand-alone WPA2 access point is easier said than done.....and cisco's documentation is absolutely worthless for configuring in either the CLI (console port) or the web-based GUI....they really were intended to be used in conjunction with a radius server (either with other Cisco hardware or a windows radius server). I did actually get that to work...though it was tricky, it was very cool how it worked, but a gross overkill configuration for what I needed....especially when considering all the additional hardware & software dependencies it created....but I knew there had to be a way to run them using WPA2.... I finally had to consult the interwebs and some british bloke on youtube walked through the process and the obscure setting that was missed everywhere else. Now they work like champs! The reason I wanted these working is the PoE function....I can mount them up in the attic of my house and shop and not have to run power up there.

Cisco makes different firmware for their APs -- you can install a version to work with a WLC or as a standalone access point. I've reflashed all of mine (I have a box full of them) as standalone APs as I don't want to have to run Cisco's WLC software (in a VM).

[Cisco locks up their firmware downloads -- support contract -- but its relatively easy to find what you want/need. Hardest part is getting the correct "file name"]

I replaced my 1200's (a/b/g?) with 1142's (a/g/n) as they are a bit sexier to look at (no external antenna like the 1200s). Plus the 'n' support (I think you can buy a separate radio for the 1200's to get that capability but it adds two more antenna and starts to become too techy looking).

I have a couple mounted on the ceilings of closets in the house. This makes them accessible yet not eyesores. And, it's easy to examine the indicator LEDs to verify their functionality. I installed another in the garage and one more out in the back yard. Each has a separate drop from the switch so I need only use the one(s) that best service a particular "client area". And, of course, I can dial-down the signal level so I'm not talking to the whole neighborhood!

[My switch effectively provides a firewall-per-port so I can keep unwanted traffic off the fabric before it gets a foothold "inside"]

I'm gutting the rest of them and repurposing the cases for BT APs

Keep in mind that you may need to physically access them (console port) at a later time.

Also, Cisco makes a variety of different mounting brackets. I opted to mount my APs to metal Jboxes and so chose the bracket that accommodates that. Also chose to install the dorky little padlocks (which all have the same nominal keying) so the AP can't casually be removed -- to prevent casual damage to the network cable that can't be removed until the AP is separated from the bracket.

[The brackets for each AP series are slightly different. E.g., IIRC, the 1200s have THREE little "nubs" that slide into keyhole slots in the bracket. The 1142's have 4 -- so, the brackets are incompatible. Additionally, the "standard" 1142 bracket is intended for wall mounting so there is not much space for the cable to exit under the bracket -- as would be necessary if Jbox mounting. Hence the need for the "other" bracket style. IIRC, the 1200s have a bracket that sets the AP off the mounting surface so you can snake the cables under the AP.]

You can power them directly via Cisco's 48V wall wart -- if you don't have PoE capability. And, Cisco makes/sells a midspan injector ("Type B" approximator) for folks who don't have PoE switches to exploit the network wiring as a power delivery method. (not "true" PoE but Cisco's approximation thereof).

https://www.amazon.com/Cisco-Aironet.../dp/B00015FLMQ

It's little more than a big piece of plastic and a few wires connecting the 48VDC power inlet to the RJ45 downstream outlet

[brethin]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Why not Ceiling mount them? Less heat stress, better wireless reception, and easier diagnostics if you do such...

And nasty hanging crap from the ceiling.

[Topcat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Cisco makes different firmware for their APs -- you can install a version to work with a WLC or as a standalone access point. I've reflashed all of mine (I have a box full of them) as standalone APs as I don't want to have to run Cisco's WLC software (in a VM).

[Cisco locks up their firmware downloads -- support contract -- but its relatively easy to find what you want/need. Hardest part is getting the correct "file name"]

I replaced my 1200's (a/b/g?) with 1142's (a/g/n) as they are a bit sexier to look at (no external antenna like the 1200s). Plus the 'n' support (I think you can buy a separate radio for the 1200's to get that capability but it adds two more antenna and starts to become too techy looking).

I have a couple mounted on the ceilings of closets in the house. This makes them accessible yet not eyesores. And, it's easy to examine the indicator LEDs to verify their functionality. I installed another in the garage and one more out in the back yard. Each has a separate drop from the switch so I need only use the one(s) that best service a particular "client area". And, of course, I can dial-down the signal level so I'm not talking to the whole neighborhood!

[My switch effectively provides a firewall-per-port so I can keep unwanted traffic off the fabric before it gets a foothold "inside"]

I'm gutting the rest of them and repurposing the cases for BT APs

Keep in mind that you may need to physically access them (console port) at a later time.

Also, Cisco makes a variety of different mounting brackets. I opted to mount my APs to metal Jboxes and so chose the bracket that accommodates that. Also chose to install the dorky little padlocks (which all have the same nominal keying) so the AP can't casually be removed -- to prevent casual damage to the network cable that can't be removed until the AP is separated from the bracket.

[The brackets for each AP series are slightly different. E.g., IIRC, the 1200s have THREE little "nubs" that slide into keyhole slots in the bracket. The 1142's have 4 -- so, the brackets are incompatible. Additionally, the "standard" 1142 bracket is intended for wall mounting so there is not much space for the cable to exit under the bracket -- as would be necessary if Jbox mounting. Hence the need for the "other" bracket style. IIRC, the 1200s have a bracket that sets the AP off the mounting surface so you can snake the cables under the AP.]

You can power them directly via Cisco's 48V wall wart -- if you don't have PoE capability. And, Cisco makes/sells a midspan injector ("Type B" approximator) for folks who don't have PoE switches to exploit the network wiring as a power delivery method. (not "true" PoE but Cisco's approximation thereof).

https://www.amazon.com/Cisco-Aironet.../dp/B00015FLMQ

It's little more than a big piece of plastic and a few wires connecting the 48VDC power inlet to the RJ45 downstream outlet

Feel free to post these firmwares....I'd like to tinker with them. These came with their wall wart, PoE injector, and bracket. It also has the upgrade radio with extra antennas (4x per unit), so they are a little unsightly....closet or attic they go...

I have an old Linksys in the shop attic now....been up there since 2010....and in the summer heat, its gotta be 150* up there....how it still works is beyond me, but it's never missed a beat!!