The Digital Surgery

Big Boy · Legend Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 3630 Location: UK

My laptop has had to go away under warranty for repair (screen is knackered). This now leaves me with my fixed PC for about a week. I'm having trouble sending e-mails (receiving is fine) ie:

1. Will only let me send as Plain or Rich Text.

2. Will not let me send any file greater than about 50 Kb (sometimes much less).

When it fails, I get the following error message:

buksida · Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 8:56 pm Post subject:

90% of email sending problems if you are using a client (outlook/tbird) are ISP related (the other ten are server related). Even though you can read websites and think your connection is functioning it may not be for email, you need SMTP port 25 free, also try checking/unchecking some of the security boxes for your email account setup. If this fails ask Virgin what their SMTP settings are.
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Big Boy · Legend Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 3630 Location: UK

Thank you, will keep persisting Cheers

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Nereus · Guru Joined: 02 Jan 2007 Posts: 568 Location: Hua Hin

buksida · Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:30 am Post subject:

I haven't done so yet and each computer configuration is different so we won't know how it goes until you give it a try. There were initial problems with some machines constantly rebooting after SP3 installations but MS has fixed this with subsequent patches.

Do you have a genuine version of Windows? Not sure how a pirate copy will handle it - you may get the dreaded WGA warnings!

Make sure your data is backed up and go ahead, let us know how it goes.
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Luctor et Emergo

Guess · Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:56 am Post subject:

My experience has shown that SP3 is as reliable as SP2 now. In fact it is more reliable than Vista SP1.

Windows genuine advantage (WGA) is a pain but nothing visible changed with SP3. I paid for XP and I am f***ed if I am going to pay again just because Microsoft think the whole world consists of North America and Europe.

To get around the problem:

Set Windows to update parameter "download updates but let me choose when and what to install".

When a download has completed select "view available". If you see one that says "Windows Genuine Advantage", do not download it. You can also select not to download patches for Mongolian (outskirts of Europe) language, gardening tips and any other completely useless bollocks that is on offer.

What is left may well help make the system more secure. It certainly takes up more disk space which makes, Compaq/HP, Dell, Toshiba, Seagate, IBM and many others happy. If you degrag your disk it shouldn't hurt to have bits that are not used. If you suffer from insomnia then print off the technical explanations from the Microsoft site.

So for me, SP3 is OK. The best performance I have had since my personal Commodore Vic 20.
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Nereus · Guru Joined: 02 Jan 2007 Posts: 568 Location: Hua Hin

Thanks very much for those comments.

Yes, it is a genuine copy of XP Pro, I had it loaded in Oz as the copy that had been loaded here, after some virus problems, was fake. I have auto updates switched on to notify me, but not download. However, I have read somwhere that WGA is downloading some updates without user approval. Have to try and find just what it was that I read. Cheers

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Super Joe · Ace Joined: 22 Sep 2006 Posts: 1650

Can you get 'boosters' for home wireless routers ?
I'm on a TOT broadband package with a SMC router, signal strength displays as 'excellent' within 10-15ft of router but further away says 'very low' and slow as anything.

Cheers,
SJ

buksida · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:39 pm Post subject:

You can but I've never used one so wouldn't be able to advise on setup for it.

Wifi works best in open spaces so if its trying to go through walls you'll lose signal strength.
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chelsea · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:13 pm Post subject:

SJ, can you physically unscrew the aerial from your Router, if so I may have an answer for you.
Cheers

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Super Joe · Ace Joined: 22 Sep 2006 Posts: 1650

That'd be about right Buksi, the strong signal is through only 1 wall, the weak places 2 or 3 walls.

Yes, just looked Chels and it unscrews. Where shall I stick it? Shocked

SJ

chelsea · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 4:39 pm Post subject:

SJ please do not tempt fate by asking.
I had the same problem in my house. Had an overseas student staying with me and when he bought a new laptop had the same problem as you. His old one picked up the signal Ok and had no problems, but his new one would hardly pick up the signal.

Had a look at all the beklin products that were available, but were not what I was prepared to spend just so he could get an internet signal.

I did some searching on the net and found people advising to use a booster aerial on to the back of the router. Not all routers have detachable antenna's so that was my reason for asking that question.

I purchased at a cost of under $5.00(AUD) and it fixed the problem.
Here is a link I found on Ebay with an item showing all the details and all the specs.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/2-4GHz-10-dBi-Wireless-WIFI-Booster-Antenna-WLAN-RP-SMA_W0QQitemZ160273651259QQihZ006QQcategoryZ61816QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
From what I can make out the larger the dBi size the more distance it will cover.
If you look at the specs of your original router that will tell you what the dBi of your original antenna is and so all you do is to buy a larger dBi Antenna that you have originally (larger the better)

The one in the link is a 10dBi and is compliant with IEEE 802.11b and 802.11g wireless LANs and has 2.4 GHz wireless coverage range of 980 -1148 ft (300 - 500 M)

Incidentally between my office and the front of the house there are 3 walls and 3 closed doors, so the new one that I got manage to make it workable.

So hopefully that small piece of information will fix your problem as it did mine.
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Guess · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 5:20 pm Post subject:

Guess · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 6:58 pm Post subject:

Internet NIC problems.

This one is giving me a headache.

I have a PCI SMC1255TX-1 card in my PC. When I load Vista it determines the card OK and everything runs. It seems to pick up a working driver which I then upgraded to the latest for Vista. Still OK.

With XP SP3 it loads a diver for a SMC1255TX-PF. The web server is slow and torrent downloads don't work at all. Some direct web downloads work but others fail.

I have tried deleting the driver and uninstalling the device and starting again. It insists on installing the PF driver and referring to the controller as being device number 2.

I have tried downloading the manual but that fails.

Any clues anybody.

PS. According to SMC's marketing blurb this is the world's number one best selling Ethernet Card.
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Remember. A turkey is for life not just for Christmas