ASUS Wireless Router RT-N56U

I got the router more than half an year ago, to replace my old D-Link DIR-655 which was really good router but had ridiculously weak signal (I had problems to connect my mobile devices in the other rooms. Later, I also found that the weak signal was the reason for my wireless printer to malfunction).
As usual, I am not going to write a complete review but only to add my personal opinion and experience that is not mentioned anywhere else on the net.

To begin with, the router is really good, fast and with plenty of features out of the box. I have to mention that the official web page was well behind the real specifications of the actual firmware at the time I bought it. I was very close to buy the better and more expensive router RT-N66U just because it said that it has VPN. For my surprise, when I upgraded the router to the latest firmware, right after I bought it, it had already VPN...

Just to mention my priority pros/cons features that are specific to this router (I assume that port-forwarding, virtual host, etc. as standard): Firmware version: 3.0.0.4.374_979 at the time of the review.

Pros:

• Fast dual-band 2.4GHz/5GHz wireless router
• Gigabit WAN/LAN
• Strong signal
• Support for 3G/4G modems (a bit limited but still quite functional)
• Multi-Function Twin USB 2.0 Port + samba share
• Advanced web interface
• telnet - this is really perfect!
• Traffic manager
• Network tools: ping, traceroute, nslookup, netstat, Wake On Lan
• System log

Home automation: second round

Some time ago I briefly mentioned here the main concepts behind the project. Nothing has changed dramatically, except that I realized that my SMSgate solution was outdated. The phone battery was seriously deteriorated and I also realized that it is not that easy to just replace the phone anymore.

Well, I had an old Android phone (HTC Wildfire) that was essentially lying unused for quite some time. There is not so much that one can do with this old phone... but it turned out it works just perfectly to send and receive SMS and much more.

If you are in the "business" of home automation and you have Android device, Tasker is a MUST HAVE! To send and receive SMS messages I use SMS Gateway (I could not find an easy way to send SMS from external device via Tasker).


Briefly: I have changed the original python code to send SMS via SMS Gateway via HTTP GET request from RPi and then I have slightly modified the example, so I can control stuff by SMS. It is very clean and simple solution.

Now, since I have web server on which I get the notifications from the SMS Gateway I can simply use the same code to handle events from Tasker! This is how I get notifications on call - piece of cake. I have added, at the end of the post, an example how to switch on/off device 2 via tdtool.

Renault Clio III: changing front light bulb

Alternative title: Removing Renault Clio III from the front light bulb

As I mentioned before this is worth writing about. Within a week period, the lights on both sides of my car needed to be replaced. I had no idea how to access them or what to expect once I remove the rubber cover. One can't see anything. The manual is useless and suggests:

"However, because parts need to be removed,
you are advised to have your bulbs replaced
by an approved dealer."

The best source of information I found was in this forum thread: Changing light bulb Clio III

Update: here I found instructions with pictures. Notice the slightly different bulb holder with clips.

Update 2015.12.02: Make sure to check Remy's neat trick in his post (+video) in the comments section below.

Some people suggest to remove the battery or the front mask of the car. I was on the road, so disassembling anything was not an option. I could not see anything and once my hand was in the engine area it just got worse. I remember, my brain stopped working overloaded by thoughts about design, designers and other messy stuff. I took pictures with my phone after removing the rubber cover to see what is going on THERE. Then, somehow I removed the electric connection and took a picture again. Here they are (I got more but they were not pointing at the relevant area...):

I need to just add that the original bulbs are OSRAM H7 - 12V - 55W - #64210 - UV Filter. According to the manual: "It is essential to use anti-U.V. 55W bulbs so as not to damage the plastic on the headlights."

Assuming that your hands are small enough to fit in the gaps, the easiest way to put the new bulb in place is by looking through the hole of the headlight (that was still almost blindly but honestly, this was the most I could see from what I was doing). Then again, blindly or not you ought to try to fit the electric connector. It took me about half an hour per bulb and both hands badly scratched... I think any further comments are redundant.

After the post became sort of popular (according to the site statistics), I thought that uploading a movie would be more useful, but after lifting the hood I had the same brain storm feelings, as before, and promised myself I'll do this next time... UPDATE: Failed.

Home automation: Raspberry Pi + Tellstick Duo ++

There are many sites that has this project in many flavors... I will just add mine.

Brief summary: Tellstick Duo is connected to Rasberry Pi (running Raspbian).  I have SE K700i GSM phone connected to RPi as well. The main features are:

• control several radio controlled switches (Anslut)
• monitor temperature and humidity from my wireless weather station
• monitor for "door open event" (NEXA LMST-606)
• monitor for commands send by SMS (gammu) Update: replaced by Android SMS Gateway. Read more...
• report on selected events by sending SMS to predefined phone number (gammu)
• simple web interface to control some of the features (apache + php)
• events are logged locally in to a file and to a remote server (own twitter like)

To install telldus-core follow this guide. One can compile the GUI for RPi or use it on another computer to set the codes. I wanted to be able to repeat the original codes from the remote controls. Advanced users can use code from the examples to "learn" the codes.

Essentially, I am running a monitoring program written in python (took one of the provided examples and changed it severely). It catches signals from the remote controls and could trigger an action. In other words, I can use the remote controls to send signals to RPi. The same program monitors the GSM. It could trigger an action upon CALL or SMS. The signal from the door is logged by default but could also send an SMS - poor man's home security alarm.

I particularly like the CALL feature since you do not need to answer the call, so no cost attached. The downside is that there is only one action hooked to this event. SMS is easier but will cost you (or not - depends on the plan you have). When SMS is received from another phone (not mine) the SMS is logged and forwarded to my phone.

Rikomagic MK802 IIIS Bluetooth - just couple of tips

Just few words about what we are talking about. Without any concrete specifications, this is essentially the core of a decent tablet that was stripped from its most expensive parts - screen, battery, power supply. The price is reasonable and can easily make your dumb TV smarter than most smart TVs around. Together with Logitech K400r keyboard makes it just perfect.

How long does it take to warm an engine up?

From time to time in some car or other forums, pops up a question of this sort...

How long does it take to warm an engine up?

Most of the answers are reasonable but lack any concrete data. Here I provide, as reference, some data for Renault Clio III 1.2 TCe 100.

At the time of the experiment, the car was less than an year old, at about 10 000 km, with all original parts. The numbers were collected from the OBD-II port via ELM327 Bluetooth type adapter and Torque Pro (OBD 2 & Car) for Android.

• ambient temperature about 0 °C
• air humidity almost 100%
• city terrain (50 km/h speed limit) with no congestion, (just one slow guy in front of me for a while), 
• AC on. 

For better understanding, some relevant parameters were also monitored i.e. engine RPM, speed and turbo boost.

In summary:
It took about 13 minutes and 8 km to fully warm the engine coolant without rushing. The engine is small and probably one can see that the temperature increase is smaller while the engine is idling (on the graph - shortly after the 2 km mark). The thermostat opens at 89 °C first, then drops to 79 °C and converges with attenuating oscillations between 80 and 84 °C

Renault Clio III 1.2 TCE100 SportTourer - first impressions

... after one year of driving ...


Impressions from the offer and the official car dealer:
Probably it is something common but some detail of the specifications of the car were, in my view, implied... like seat belts. Well, the description did not mention seat belts but had specified thing like: electric heated back window, fog lamps (front and back), mirror in the passenger side sun visor (one can get on the drivers side as well), headlight (seriously).
Then in an upgrade package: color-matched door mirrors (shell I read that the basic package gets color mismatched mirrors or...), colour-matched side moldings...

Well, these are only small things but I was a bit confused what happens to things I assume implied and was not mentioned - spare tire, light in the glove box, jack...

Valeo Silencio X.TRM Flat wiper blades- switch from right to left driver side vehicle

... or how to save few bucks on buying flat wiper blades for your car in Sweden...

Well, that was quite a surprise. I used to buy a pair of windshield wipers that cost 80 SEK for my old car (Volvo 460) and now all of a sudden I needed to pay at least 450 SEK for unknown brand or 650 SEK for BOSH that fits my new car (Renault, Clio III)... This was not something I was prepared for...

So, I spent quite some time to find a good alternative to buy something decent that still will not ruin my budget ... so... I found something that I should swallow somehow, since it was the cheapest reasonable blades I could possibly find to buy - Valeo Silencio X.TRM Flat from Wiper Blades Ltd (WB) for 320 SEK including international delivery. So far so good!

Teklas Silgec S00925 - my experience

Well this is the only label that identifies the wipers that came originally with the car - Renault Clio III. Google search points to "Teklas Kauçuk Silgeç" - a company that actually produces windshield wipers, so I will assume that this is really the brand Renault have chosen for their Clio III.