bmt

[quote user="ErnieY"]Come on BMT, an hugely over dramatic scenario wouldn't you say ?[/quote] Not hugely, perhaps a bit. [;-)]  Some licence taken for illustrative purpose, granted.  There are plenty of reasons for having more than one Ethernet port on a single machine and troubleshooting a lack of network connection can easily go beyond which port to connect to and I really don't like the idea of relying on Windows to keep track of anything. [;-)] I stick with the view that it's the difference between doing an adequate job and a properly engineered job.

[quote user="Martinwatkins"]... it was sufficient to disable the old blown one in Windows and - famous last words - it's all up and running again.[/quote] *Sigh* And I thought you wanted to do it properly, Grasshopper! Your way will work, as you have demonstrated empirically.  (I love that euphemism!) However, the 'system' now thinks that there are two Ethernet ports.  Windows does, too, but you've told Windows to ignore one of them. So, fast forward to the time when all else has failed and you either have to reinstall Windows, say, or use a Linux recovery cd because Windows has self-destructed and hidden all your precious data from the last five years.  You have just added an hour of grief, trying to work out which of those two Ethernet ports (remember, Windows is no longer keeping track of the one you want to sideline) is faulty.  More so if you can't get an Internet connection on either of them. Alternatively, if you disable the on-board Ethernet port in the BIOS, it won't be presented to the rest of the system at all.  Thus, the only Ethernet port that your rescue cd is offering is the working one ...

Glad to see that you're well on your way! You should disable the (onboard?) Ethernet port in the computer BIOS when you install the new controller card. I have found surge protection to be absolutely essential here (Deux Sèvres).  Even though the power and telephone cables are underground (so less susceptible to airborne interference), a recent storm destroyed the telephone line protection in my UPS.  Insofar as the modem survived, the protection did its job.  For a replacement, I installed a separate protective device.  I have dealt with several modems and PCs in the last few years that have been either rendered unserviceable-repairable or beyond repair and they all cost more to put right than a surge-protector would have. I have also seen USB ports destroyed, probably by a printer connected between the mains and the computer, though the printer survived.  Every path needs to be protected!

That'll be the new Energy Saving mode ... [;-)]

[Dup. post removed.]

[quote user="f1steveuk"]Even though the various scrutineering stickers were applied, after the paint job? [/quote] Stickers as well as painted?  Tsk, tsk! Race scrutineering is not a substitute for homologation, for road use.  The whole point of having recognised standards and marking is to provide go/no-go testing, both for the consumer and the law keeper.  I agree that your ex-race helmet is at least sufficient for road use.  An after-market exhaust can may not be noisy, but if it doesn't carry an e-mark, it can fail an MoT (UK, of course). This is all bit of devil's advocacy on my part here, I agree, but you (me, one) could just as easily come across a jobsworth who happens to know the letter of the law and wants to apply it.  Personally, I prefer to be as watertight as practicable.

That's the one.  There's an Ethernet cable in the box.  The UK Netgear site has all the info you'll need -- follow the 'SUPPORT/DRIVERS' link (there's a copy in the box, too). I find i-Comparateur a handy resource for this sort of thing.  In this case, I'd avoid the suspiciously cheap offerings.

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]The latest versions numbered R22-04 and R22-05 feature the reflective strips and these are the only helmets currently permitted for sale in France.[/quote] AFAIAA, R22.04 and R22.05 are references to the ECE Regulation number and do not specify reflective patches.  These patches are specific to France (bless 'em) and are in addition to any Euro-compliance condition. Is there such a thing as national derogation for ECE Regs?

[quote user="f1steveuk"]I use my racing helmet, if it's good enough for 290mph at Indy, it's good enough for 65 on the road.[/quote] Maybe not.  Was it painted after it left the factory?  ('Dream Machine' is a bit of a giveaway.) That's the end of its homologation for road use, then.  The requirements for road use in France are that the helmet is "homologué et équipé d’autocollants rétrovisibilité".  Furthermore, "Il ne doit pas subir de modifications (peinture par exemple ou accessoires supplémentaires non homologués)." I cannot claim a legally authoritative source, but it's from a CERTU publication,  "FICHE n°15 - La réglementation concernant les caractéristiques techniques des deux-roues motorisés et des quads, leurs équipements et leurs conditions de conduite - janvier2008".  This is a distillation of then-current law in accessible brochure format.  My copy was distributed by the FFMC earlier this year, but it may be on the CERTU website (I had a quick look, but couldn't easily find it). Aside: SD -- It's the one I sent you at the time. Whilst I think there is very little risk of being stopped for not having reflective stickers, it could well be added to the list following some other transgression.  I have no idea what the tarif would be.

[quote user="Jackie"]Far be it from me to suggest that all this is all a ploy by printer manufacturers to sell you new printers or carry out not needed expensive servicing or to sell you expensive ink![/quote] Well, only partly.  It's true that the printer measures the amount of ink expressed from the cartridges and that some of that ink goes into a waste container, but there is a valid argument for apparently wasteful errors in calculating the ink volumes. First, Epson inkjet printers are notable in that the print head, with its microscopically fine jets, is not end-user replaceable and is designed to last the life of the printer.  Second, most Epson inks for home/small-business duty are pigment based, rather than dye, so the colour is actually produced by solid particles rather than just colouring the ink with dye. Both of these factors contribute to improved print quality, but leave the printer vulnerable to premature failure due to blocked jets.  Blocked jets rarely trouble a printer in frequent use, but can be particularly troublesome in machines that sit for weeks or months between print jobs.  Although steps are taken to cover the jets when the print head is parked, residual ink at the surface can dry out and cause blockages.  Additionally, the ink in the reservoir gradually loses moisture and the ink thickens, making it less willing to be pumped freely through the cartridge and out of the jets when required as well as being less able to keep the jets clean. Running a cartridge dry introduces air into the internal passages and means that the tiny piezo-effect pumps at the nozzles are running without ink, so they overheat and dry up the residual ink around themselves, leaving solids behind.  When a new cartridge is subsequently installed, the priming routine draws new ink through the print head by vacuum pump, also drawing the solids into the nozzles and often blocking them, usually terminally. So, erring on the safe side certainly gives Epson an advantage, in terms of ink sales, but also improves overall reliability of the printer by taking into account at least some of the more extreme use cases.  The SSC utility only exists for Epson printers and there is nothing similar for other brands, afaik.

[quote user="ErnieY"]...the WiFi 'pairing' procedure with the Livebox. OK it's for security but no other manufacturer that I've come across uses such an obstructive, and it seems unreliable, method.[/quote] This is an Alice box, not Orange's Livebox, so pairing isn't the issue. Alice just requires the WEP key from the serial number label in the client machine, but hangs on DHCP negotiation (my analysis). The Livebox pairing thing is even more rudimentary, using MAC address as a security feature -- completely useless other than guarding against accidental connection to the wrong network.  The destination MAC address is contained in every wireless data packet, unencrypted, and its discovery is trivial. Alice's use of the WEP key is only marginally better as a security feature -- discoverable in less than a minute using common wireless tools -- but is probably retained for compatibility with some games consoles, unable to use more robust security technology (WPA/WPA2 is, in practical terms, uncrackable).

[quote user="Martinwatkins"]Have I understood the idea correctly and is it feasible?[/quote] Yes and yes. You need a wireless router rather than a wireless modem router -- the Alice box will be doing the modem bit and there's only room for one modem on the system. Netgear WGR614 would do the job, at somewhere below 40 € (mail order, delivered).  You'll also get four Ethernet ports.  Cisco (née Linksys) would be a reasonable alternative, WRT150 or 160, for example, but that's a bit more costly at around 70 € (for no additional benefit, imo). I have never had success with an Alice box that refuses to connect wirelessly: I know of users who have switched provider because the process became too painful.  To be fair, I also know users for whom wireless connection has worked first time.  All Alice boxes are not equal, that's for sure.  The one without the external wifi antenna (Sagem?) seems to be less robust than others.

[quote user="crazyfrog"] I'm, supposed to be an IT professional as well! [/quote] Me too, that's why I never do USB modems.  Get a proper router and be done with it.  Netgear are bundling DG834G and WG111 USB WiFi at the moment (DGB111G), for a very good price.  One of the larger grande surface will have them on the shelf I expect, otherwise have a look at www.i-comparateur.com for mail-order options. 25 € is plenty for a power supply -- it won't be any worse quality than OEM.  Provided the original wasn't pushed by another problem and didn't cause any consequential damage, the replacement will outlast the rest.  Certainly outlast the modem. [;-)]

Sorry, I didn't mean to rub salt in the wound! USB modem and Vista -- each formidable individuals, never mind together. Bonne courage.

Apparently, only the Sagem F@st 800 needs a specific number: any other modem can use, for example, 123456.  Username and password for the account, not forgetting that it's the connection password (fti/...) required here, not the mailbox password. See <www.orange.fr>, click on 'assistance' (top right), then use the search box 'rechercher dans l'assistance internet'.  Just enter '815' in there and the first result is 'Connexion impossible : erreur 815 (Windows Vista)' -- so you may not be the first to encounter this. [;-)]

You need a new computer guy! [;-)] There is a new version of each of the ZoneAlarm products available on their website, that play nicely with the Windows update.

A bit late to the party again ... At least one of the Betamax VoIP providers offers free SMS at any given time, but which one needs to be checked regularly. This comparison site may be useful. At the moment, free SMS is available from <www.smslisto.com> on a one-off basis.  They were free (to the UK and many other European and N. American numbers) to subscribers until recently, so I'll be changing provider when my credit balance has gone.

[quote user="Anton Redman"]What do you users think of Open Office ? [/quote] How glowing to you want it? [;-)] It's very good, extremely stable and can be used just as most people use MS Office, but by using it 'properly', it works even better (imo).  There's no need to wait until you no longer have MS Office, of course -- OOo is available for free, so there's no reason why you couldn't install it now and try it out.  There's a wealth of information, help and support -- start at www.openoffice.org Incidentally, all of the questions posed in this thread could have been answered by consulting the very useful built-in help.

I agree absolutely with your assessment.  Made worse by Viessmann's closed proprietary system, too -- vendor lock-in by another name.  If my registration was already in place, I would indeed be in a position to offer help, subject to the OP's location.  Mea culpa. Only slightly off the original topic and largely rhetorical, but introduced in this thread and the one reference above, has anyone asked Viessmann's technical support why the off-site control isn't available in the UK, when it is widely referenced on their UK website?  Or is it just a convenient parking place for English language doumentation (unlikely -- the docs are all tagged 'GB')?

[quote user="Gluestick"][X10] won't work between the UK and France. Such applications tend to work best when they are local and thus on the same phase and side of the step-down tranformer: tried them; often they won't work across a road![/quote] I'm not sure if you're being deliberately obtuse, tangentially humorous or just patronising. Of course they won't work across the road -- for the reasons given in the same sentence and that the decay rate is high.  Overall, a good thing, unless you want your neighbour to be able to control your equipment directly.  There are, however, several interfaces to X10, via telephone or Internet, to allow global remote control. [quote user="Gluestick"]And what practical suggestions do you have for integration at the boiler end? Bearing in mind Viesmann boilers use a dedicated and fully integrated system controller?[/quote] Fair comment, but I'd be surprised if the Trimatik unit, being of an earlier control series, isn't hackable (for want of a better word).  At some point, a pair of contacts will close to Call For Heat. Incidentally, for current Viessmann units, research in the Viessmann documentation produced this: [quote]All Vitotec heating systems are suitable for integration in communication systems. ... Vitocom 100 is designed for attractively priced remote monitoring of detached or semi-detached homes, as well as buildings which are not permanently occupied. With the new commissioning module, Vitocom 100 can also be configured directly by PC via the internet without registering via Vitodata.[/quote] Which seems pretty comprehensive.  There are other remote (off-site) control options, too.  I doubt that Viessmann's definition of 'reasonably priced' coincides with mine, but there you are.

[quote user="Gluestick"]You would have to overcome two separate problems: first, the integration to your existing boiler control circuit. To achieve this, realistically, you would need the fullest details of both the circuits and the necessary logic; e.g. TTL Interface. Second, you would need a core IP (Internet Protocol) interface between your UK PC: these are becoming more common as increasing systems (such as remote CCTV via IP) are rolled out.[/quote] Telemetric control of the room thermostat circuit would be trivial for the boiler interface. X10 and its successors already have the communication capabilities for almost any local or remote automation, with manual intervention available -- no need to re-invent the wheel. The only overhead is an always available telephone connection.  Internet (i.e., broadband) and a PC or similar at the boiler location would be ideal for greatest flexibility, but not essential.  A dial-in interface is available for X10.

[quote user="Nick Price"]... if it is possible to control (off/on/temp/water etc) this system remotely via the Internet?[/quote] In principle, it should be possible to integrate a home automation solution to give you control of the heating (and most other electric appliances) as you want. Have a Google for "x10 home automation" to get you started. ;-)

[quote user="Carolski"]Oh just meant to add , not all of us can afford to forward buy![/quote] Buying forward doesn't involve any early parting with money, but rather the money broker agrees to an exchange rate ahead of the actual transaction.  This agreed rate, valid for a specific duration and with a limit on the funds to be transferred at that rate, will not be affected by any changes in the commercial exchange rate.  It's a contract, of course, so the transaction cannot be cancelled without penalty. It does mean that you don't benefit from any improvement in the exchange rate, but you do know exactly what the result of the transaction will be.  Because the money brokers gamble on what the exchange rate will do over the next days/weeks/months, they are buying and selling large amounts of many currencies and so they can often give a better bottom line than a High Street (sic) bank.  (The banks do the same thing, but don't subsidise the on-the-day rate with the profits they make.)

We are post-E106 CMU-B subscribers, resident in France for three years. We received the letter from CPAM in Niort (79) advising that we would be excluded after 31 March 2008 and subsequently a letter from URSSAF advising that our account with them had been closed.  I queried this with URSSAF, who replied that their action was taken on information from CPAM. We have had no further communication concerning CMU cover from any official source and the last payment was made in September 2007, for 3ème trimestre.  (Aside: Are these paid in arrears or in advance?  Either way, we now owe them money ...)  Prescription charges (ALD 100%) are still being covered by CPAM and I have received the normal statements of account. I know of others who have been to visit the CPAM office several times, but are no further forward with their return to CMU cover.  Personally, I think there is little point in aggravating the CPAM staff at this stage as they appear to be awaiting their authority to act, but I do get a little edgy with all this brinkmanship.  Meanwhile, my Carte vitale continues to work normally.

[quote user="Albert the InfoGipsy"]I don't know if the problem lies with protection on the TV content, rather than radio, or if changing browser may help.[/quote] Radio content is available anywhere in the world, but television content is only available (nominally) to UK internet users. All you ever wanted to know is at http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/help/