Alien thing
What am I?
Update: Check out my blog post on macro photography for more info on how I shot this and the recent macro shots.
Wireless connectivity with WPA2
Earlier this week we checked out the Cisco “Now” Van. The Cisco Network on Wheels (NOW) is a 25-foot mobile showcase equipped with the latest Cisco networking technologies designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The showcase provides hands-on demonstrations of proven integrated networking solutions, which are customizable to your business size and needs. I tried to find some info on Cisco’s site about the Network on Wheels, but couldn’t easily find any. I really like Cisco products, but their website leaves alot to be desired. Do a search on Google and you’ll find lots of info on the seminars.
My first thought was that it was going to be another come check out our stuff and we’ll pressure you to buy it. While there was some sales pitches going on for some of Cisco’s products, it was very informative and usefull. The guy who did the talking was very knowledgeable and we talked extensively about wireless communications and such. Of course he pushed the reasons why Cisco’s wireless access points were so much better than everyone else’s.
One of the topics we touched on was WPA2 and how you should be using it for wireless security. I hadn’t messed with it much, so when I got back to the office I decided to turn it on in a Linksys WRT54GC access point we had. Then I used a Sony Vaio with a built in Intel 2200gb wireless adapter and Windows XP Pro with SP2. Using the Windows Wireless configuration tool I couldn’t get it to connect to the access point. If I changed the security to WPA it would connect just fine, but not with WPA2. So I went and found the latest drivers on Intel’s site. Still didn’t work. Then for some reason I decided to use the Intel Wireless utility and found I was able to connect. Hmmm… If I switched back to the Windows configuration utility, still no connection. I generally turn off any extra utilties and such that I don’t need so I don’t normally use the Intel utility to configure the wireless.
So, I went and did Windows updates and got everything there was and tried the WPA2 connection again, still not working.
Out comes trusty Google and did a search for WPA2 and Windows and found this link to Microsoft’s site. Why this isn’t included in normal Windows updates I’m not sure. It’s dated April of 05 so it’s not brand new. After installing this update the Windows Wireless config utility connects and recognizes the WPA2 protected access point just fine.
I found the following very informative article that talks about WPA2 and the differences between it and WPA.
Non edible Brownie
I thought this camera looked cool, I found it in a flea market. Film is not my thing, I have a 35mm Pentax point and shoot that my parents gave me several years ago, so apart from that I’d be lost on anything but digital. This Brownie Twin 20 has two view finders, neither of which are though the lens. I’m not sure if it works or not either. Of course I’m not sure where I’d get the film for it or what type of film it takes for that matter. Do you see me in the shot?
Burning out
It’s too cold outside, so I’ve been playing around inside with macro stuff and such. I’ve seen others do these types of shots with light bulbs so I thought I’d give it a try. It’s trickier than it might seem to be. Getting the glass off the bulb took some work to do it without breaking the filament inside. Then when you get one setup you only have a couple of seconds, or less on some bulbs, to get the shot before they burn out. So, 6 light bulbs later I got this and a couple of other shots that I liked. A bit of cold winter inside sort of fun.
Metal
Check out my blog post on macro photography for more info on how I shot this and the recent macro shots.
Eating utensil
Check out my blog post on macro photography for more info on how I shot this and the recent macro shots.
White Rose
This one turned out interesting because I didn’t really do much at all to it in photoshop. It had one duplicate layer set to overlay and one gradient map layer set to 40% opacity. The softness and the dark background were as it was shot and as I had pictured it in my head when I shot it, which is rare. Usually I have to work at it a bit to get the shot were it actually is in my head as I see it.
Hairy leaf
Never really thought leaves had hair, but this one does! It doesn’t look like it but this leaf is really small, not quite 1/2 an inch (1.2cm) It almost looks like some sort of cactus at this scale.
Your fortune
I was amazed at the information that came from my fortune cookie!
150 Watts
I’m just amazed that something so simple can produce light and alot of it.
Shot taken with all three Kenko extensions stacked and 50mm Nikon f/1.8.