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When MSN started their DSL service they handed out the MSN 1000 modem. Turns out, it’s an SMC Barricade and DSL modem.

A friend of Brian’s gave him a MSN 1000 DSL modem and router. Brian gave it to me. Its default state was pathetic. MSN configured web GUI. Nothing could be changed. All the web interface did was report the current USB, DSL, and Ethernet status.
After some research, I discovered you could configure it with UPnP. Screw that. Not when I can just re-flash the EEPROM with the SMC Barricade firmware!

After a few weeks of finding a suitable PC to perform the DOS based USB flash update process; I finally had a working MSN 1000 chassis / SMC Barricade DSL modem and router.

Today, I finally hooked it up to see if it could replace the Lousy Actiontec DSL router and wireless accesspoint. Yes and No. It could work as a modem but I cannot get more than 650Kbps through it. At least the Lousy Actiontec DSL router and wireless accesspoint can get greater than 1500Kbps throughput.

Anyone want an MSN 1000 chassis DSL modem with the SMC Barricade 7401BRA firmware?

I got my Nokia 6230b back today from the wonderful people at iUnlock. I must say, they provide an awesome service and I highly recommend them to anybody with a GSM phone.

I purchased the nokia 6230b firmware upgrade to version 5.50 (my phone ran Cingular’s 4.43) with decustomization. On Monday, October 24th, I shipped it out via UPS 2-day AM service. On Wednesday, I received an e-mail from iUnlock stating my phone was received, upgraded, tested, and shipped back via 2-day air with a tracking number. On Friday at Noon, I received my phone back. How easy was that. You can’t even get service like that from Cingular (who’s stores are only for retail sales — they have never been able to repair a phone on-site for me, as Verizon has done for me in the past with my old Nokia 3589i).

Anyway, I stuck my SIM card and the 2GB MMC-Plus card I just purchased in to the phone and powered it on. Everything worked like a champ! Best of all: That stuipd bouncing Cingular guy no longer clutters up my menu! Not only that, but *all* the features of the phone, that cingular had removed, are now available (such as Presence, IM, more call forwarding features, etc etc) — although I doubt Cingular’s network supports most of them.

Additional observations:

* The bluetooth voice dialing bug is supposed to be fixed (I’ll test that when I get home) Update: This is fixed! Bluetooth works like a charm now!
* The mp3 player now reads all subdirectories on the MMC card to add music its playlist
* The Caller ID is supposed to show in a window on a white-background Update: It puts a semi-transparent white background on the caller id! Way cool!
* The battery status is supposed to be more linear (I’ll test this as the battery dies) Update: This doesn’t seem to be the case… although I have been using my phone significantly more for J2ME Google Maps, IM & Presence, and mp3 playing requiring me to recharge the battery every night
* The backlights fade out now when the phone is powered off.
* The backlights turn on for about 2 seconds when the keypad is locked so you can read a message on the screen without unlocking the keypad. Update: it only does this when I press “Unlock”, “Send”, “End”, or “Power”.
* I can see the *exact* time of the phone (to the second) in the Time and Date menus now
* The mailbox icon doesn’t show up when changing the volume level anymore: Update: this still occurs — the bug is not fixed!
* I can finally add the Music Player to the GoTo shortcut menu
* I can set an animated GIF file as an animated wallpaper
* Dozens of other little things

Once I’m activated on T-Mobile and sign up for unlimited GPRS, I’ll be able to stream videos (think: home security), check/send e-mail, auto-sync calendar and organizer settings to my PC in real-time. I love the Nokia 6230. I only wish Nokia had more US service centers so firmware upgrades would be free for me.

I went to the misnamed “SuperMall” in Auburn, WA last night with my girlfriend to buy a gift for her friend and some supplies for us.

Of course, the night before, my girlfriend and I were looking at T-Mobile’s plans and the Nokia 6101 online. She needed a flip phone (as much as I personally hate their form factor) because she is somewhat hard on them and needed to better protect the keypad.

So as we’re walking by a store, one of the sales reps at a T-Mobile kiosk asks us “What service provider are you with?”. Taken in by my hatred towards Cingular, I tell him, “I’m with Cingular, I hate them, and if you’ll pay me to break my contract, I’ll switch”.

Well, obviously he didn’t pay to break my contract. But I wanted to buy my girlfriend the Nokia 6101 for her birthday anyway, but the retail price was about $150-$200 online. We looked up her account and since she was elegible for a phone upgrade, I paid for the phone upgrade (about $60 plus a $35 rebate) and signed myself up for T-Mobile on a “Family Plan”.

T-Mobile is awesome. I told them my Cingular contract expires in January, but I didn’t need/want a new phone. The guy said he can’t activate new service without a new phone, so I ended up getting a POS Samsung SGH-C225 and a T-Mobile SIM Card for free. He also set it up for a “Delayed Activation” until January 17th, 2006. So, my girlfriend gets a cheap phone upgrade, and we don’t switch to the Family Plan until January! Sweet!

Now, to unlock the phones …

The Nokia 6101 I unlocked on the 2nd try (Phew!). I had to use the following settings Read the rest of this entry »

While we’re ranting about sucky things on this blog, such as movies, cheap parts, wireless routers, and inconsiderate neighbors, I’m going to rant on how much Cingular sucks!

The only reason I broke my contract with Verizon Wireless was because I had my eye on the Nokia 6230, which is only offered in the US by Cingular. I was also dissatisfied with Verizon due to their lack of good, non-crippled phones.

Read the rest of this entry »

While I was on vacation I kept panicking, thinking that something or someone would cause harm to my home. I’ve got a server that is capable of sending text messages (SMS) to my mobile phone using my providers web interface…

So…

Why couldn’t I set up a security system using a few 1-wire sensors installed in a PIR “security� motion sensor light? The logic to run the PIR sensor is TTL… When motion is detected it causes a data line to go high. Couldn’t a 1-wire device read that high input as an alarm?

Here are some thoughts…
ACE hardware ACE hardware Par Lamp Motion Sensor; chosen becayse it is the cheapest PIR sensor I could find.

DS2720 using the Power-Switch Sense input; chosen because it was the cheapest “sensor.�
Set the 1-wire controller or TINI to poll the DS2720 at a set interval to check to see if there is motion.