DWL-AP900+ as a wireless client

D-Link TechSupport - FAQ: "AP Client or Wireless Client mode allows the DWL-900AP+ to become a wireless client to another AP or wireless router. Wireless adapters (clients) will not communicate with access points in AP Client or Wireless Client mode."

FortiOS 4.0

Finally a new main version of FortiOS has arrived.

Microsoft NAP and multiple domains

Do you a RADIUS server that can authenticate to several Microsoft domains or other RADIUS servers?

RADIUS Proxy: "Network Policy Server (NPS) can be used as a RADIUS proxy to provide the routing of RADIUS messages between RADIUS clients (access servers) and RADIUS servers that perform user authentication, authorization, and accounting for the connection attempt. When used as a RADIUS proxy, NPS is a central switching or routing point through which RADIUS access and accounting messages flow. NPS records information in an accounting log about the messages that are forwarded."

Network Access Protection that comes with Windows 2008 can do just what you want. Read more here

CoveritLive

COVERITLIVE.COM - Why CoveritLive?: "When you use CoveritLive’s software your commentary is streaming live onto your web pages or blog, so your readers hear from you immediately after that election result comes in, or that terrible play gets called or the next time an actor gets bleeped at the Oscars. Because they can instantly get their questions to you as well as participate in polling questions you create, there is a reason for them to stay online for a long time...not just check back in once in a while. Once you add in some pictures and videos all in real time, you’ve created an event worth watching."

MSVPN and FTP

Today I came across a wierd problem with a client connected to a Microsoft VPN server not connecting to third party FTP server.

The environment is a Windows 2003 server with the latest service packs applied.

It turns out that for all traffic floating from the client except for the FTP traffic originates with the client IP. All FTP traffic originates with the VPN Server IP address. As a result you will have to adjust your firewall accordingly.

Software deployment tools

In an enterprise there are many ways to deploy new software. With Windows 2000 server and client Microsoft made a new standard with the Windows Installer and Group Policy. Windows Installer (aka. Microsoft Installer) is a defined way to install applications on a computer and the group policy can be used to distribute applications to several computers at the same time.

Windows Installer

With Windows Installer you get files with several extensions. The most important extensions are;

Extension	Use
.msi	This is an application ready for installation on a target computer.
.mst	This is a transform file. A transform basically allows you to change the behavior of an MSI file without actually changing the MSI file.
.msp	Patch file - in case of big installations you can distribute patches instead of new installations.
.msm	Merge module. A vendor can distribute common components in a merge module so other vendors can distribute the common component as part of their own installation - and still maintain integrity for the common component. Examples are the Visual Basic runtime.

Windows Installer came with Windows 2000 and was ported back to Windows NT 4.0, Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows ME.

There are many tools to create MSI files. Read more here.

Deployment tools

I do not intend to talk much about the different tools here. Just list them up.

Tool	Comment
Specops Deploy	Group policy distribution on steroids. A simple tool and extends your group policy deployment with reporting and control. Not to expensive from what I can see.
Novell ZENworks	We "grown up" people remember Novell as the creators of Netware - for its time the best network operating system. They also created some other good software, like ZENWorks that was the best deployment tool that existed for Netware environments. Now that Netware is dead they have removed all dependencies to Netware and now can run within a Windows only environment. Can create proprietary distributions or distribute/create MSI files.
System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)	Microsoft also have a tool for software deployment. This tool is loaded with features, not cheap and hard to deploy. But it will work for you when you have it up and running.
Group Policy

MSI packaging software

Do you want to create MSI files for Windows Installer?

Here is a list of several tools to actually create MSI files. Please note that it is not easy to create good MSI packages.

Product	Comment
AdvancedInstaller	Advanced Installer is the tool of my preference. It is cheap (compared to the options), often updated with new features and easy to use.
InstallShield	InstallShield is the name you probably have seen the most (except from Nullsoft Installer) when you install applications. InstallShield started out long before MSI came around with their own installation software. They adapted to MSI and now can create native MSI installations.
Wise Installation Express	For a long time ago Wise was a company of their own. Then they got eaten by Altiris before ending up as a Symantec product. A good editor. My favorite before I found AdvancedInstaller.

AM7 custom SMS gateway

RSA Authentication Manager 7 can send on-demand token codes to you cell phone, or what ever medium you choose to send to.

But you will have to write some Java code to do so. They have published a document where they describe how to write a plug-in to send SMS to your cell phone.

Read more here(PDF).

Selfsat H10D mounting experience

A while ago I bought myself a satellite dish from Selfsat. I finally had the time to mount it on my wall.

My conclusion is that this dish is easy to mount on the wall and fairly easy to adjust properly. It took me about 3 hours to mount and adjust it.

The signal quality is good, I can receive all my HD channels without any problems.