Random Wire Review issue 116

I’m working on an addendum to this TechNote that explains how to configure a Polycom VVX 401 SIP phone to connect to ASL3. That content is largely done but I’m sure I’ll be adding to it as time permits. (I want to move my Hamshack Hotline number from my Cisco SPA 525G phone to the new Polycom phone, but the HH help desk is offline until mid-January. In the meantime, I’ll continue working with the Polycom phone and my voip.ms phone lines.)

2.3 TechNotes published to date

• TechNote #1: Backing up a Debian node with rdiff-backup

• TechNote #2: Investigating Markdown systems

• TechNote #3: Configuring a SIP phone for AllStarLink 3

Several TechNotes are being prepared, including:

• Installing and configuring the UFW firewall for AllStarLink 3 on Debian 12

• Using rdiff-backup to restore configurations to a Debian node

• UsingTailscale for AllStarLink nodes

Please do let me know if you have topics you’d like to see covered in a TechNote!

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3. HOME NETWORK BROKE

TL;DR: My Power-over-Ethernet switch broke, causing downstream systems to go offline. The new switch has twice the number of ports. I relocated it a bit farther from the machines it serves so I had to also run new, longer cables when I put the new PoE switch in service.

3.1 Symptoms

My spouse and I spent a few days in SeaTac, Washington for a work-related meeting. When I got home, I noticed my laptop in the docking station was connected to my wifi network. It should have been connected by Ethernet cable. I puzzled over that for a moment and then forgot about it as I got caught up with a backlog of emails.

Then I cranked up the RDP client on my Windows machine to connect to my node 588412 running Debian 12…and that failed. I glanced over at the Beelink T5 micro PC that hosts node 588412 and it was on. I tried to ping it over the LAN but got no response.

The actual problem still hadn’t surfaced in my mind. I was thinking about the symptoms I was observing, not the cause.

3.2 Switch failure

And then I noticed that my SIP phone was dark. It is powered by a power-over-Ethernet (PoE) connection. I’d seen this before when my previous PoE switch failed. I ran the Advanced IP Scanner program on my Windows machine and found that every device powered by the PoE switch was offline.

Suddenly it became crystal clear: the switch had died…again. Once I realized the cause of the problems, the solution was clear: replace the switch.

I’ve seen this before when my first power-over-Ethernet (PoE) switch broke. I had purchased the failed PoE switch about two years ago in January 2023:

MokerLink 10 Port PoE Switch with 8 Port PoE+, 2 Gigabit Uplink, 96W 802.3af/at PoE 100Mbps, Fanless Plug & Play Ethernet Switch

It broke in September 2023 and I replaced it with the same model. Fast forward to December 2024 and the second unit has now failed.

Just in case I could see what happened to the failed PoE switch, I took the cover off. When I plugged it in, LEDs glowed. I checked the temperature of capacitors and resistors but all temperatures were within a 2°C range. I also measured voltage on the Ethernet port pins but found no current flowing. The switch has been plugged into an APC uninterruptible power supply and surge suppressor, so I doubt a surge killed it. I don’t use a power conditioner so I suppose an under-voltage condition could have done it in. The cause remains a mystery. I salvaged some of the small screws from the case and board, then discarded the device.

3.3 The new switch

Fortunately, I knew I was running out of PoE ports so I had already ordered and received a new switch:

YuLinca 16 Port PoE Switch with 2 Gigabit Uplink, 10/100Mbps PoE+ Ports, 100/1000Mbps Uplink, IEEE802.3af/at, Max 200W, VLAN & PoE Extend 250m, Metal RackMount Fanless Unmanaged Ethernet Switch

It took a few hours to swap the new switch in, run longer cables (because I put the switch in the corner, a little farther away from my machines), pull out the old cables and clean up the runs. It looks better now.

I relocated the switch to my corner pseudo-rack, placing it under my GL.iNet Flint 2 router. The dust on the router means the Flint 2 router has been rock solid for quite a while. (The Flint 2 was placed in service in October 2023.)

I powered up the new switch on December 22, 2024. I don’t have enough of a track record with this device to feel comfortable recommending it. We’ll see if it is still working in a year!

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4. TRYING A DIFFERENT MICRO PLATFORM

TL;DR: This is a long article. I’m leaning toward Dell Optiplex 7050 micro computers for some of my radio projects because of processing power, a USB-C port, HDMI and Display Port video ports, system expandability, and small form factor. These platforms can be had for a reasonable price with some careful eBay shopping. I bought one!

The Dell Wyse and Dell Optiplex systems have been reliable computing platforms for me, so when I wanted to pick up a system for testing Wubuntu Linux, I looked to those computers first. (Why Wubuntu? Because my work world depends on Windows but many computers in my work community are getting long in the tooth.)

The first decision to make was: which platform should I use to test Wubuntu?

4.1 Comparing the 3040, 3050, and 7050 platforms

I’ve written many times about the Dell Wyse 3040 thin client, a sturdy and reliable little box. Lately, I’ve been working with Dell Optiplex 3050 and 7050 units. I lean toward the 7050 platform for several reasons:

• The 7050 has a USB-C port (front panel); the 3040 and 3050 platforms do not have a USB-C port.

• The 7050 has five USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports (four on the rear panel and one on the front panel). In contrast, the 3050 has four USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports (two front, two rear), plus two USB 2.0 ports on the rear panel.

• The 7050 and the 3050 each have one Display Port port and one HDMI port. The 3040 platform only offers two Display Port ports.

• The 7050 and the 3050 can be had equipped with an Intel i7-7700T CPU. This is a four-core, eight-thread processor. The 3040 is built around the Intel Cherry Trail x5-Z8350 processor, a four-core CPU at a much slower clock speed.

• On the 3040, system memory is capped at 2 Gb and this DDR3 memory running at 1600 MHz is soldered to the motherboard. The 3050 and 7050 are capped at 32 Gb RAM in two DDR4 SODIMM slots, and memory runs at either 2133 MHz or 2400 MHz.

• On the 3040, system storage is capped at 16 Gb eMMC. The 3050 and 7050 provide two storage options: one 2.5-inch SATA and/or one M.2 PCIe SSD. (I really like the option to add speedy M.2 storage to the 3050/7050.)

4.1.1 ChatGPT-generated comparison

At this point in my writing, I recognized that a table might show this kind of information better. Rather than build my own from scratch, I wondered if ChatGPT might able to do it for me. I asked ChatGPT this question:

Compare and contrast the features and specifications of the Dell Wyse 3040 thin client computer, the Dell Optiplex 3050 Micro PC, and the Dell Optiplex 7050 Micro PC, and show the results in table format.

Here’s what ChatGPT had to say:

» BEGIN QUOTE FROM CHATGPT «

Here is a detailed comparison of the Dell Wyse 3040 Thin Client, the Dell Optiplex 3050 Micro PC, and the Dell Optiplex 7050 Micro PC based on their features and specifications:

Key differences

1. Processor:

   • The Wyse 3040 uses an ARM-based processor, ideal for thin client tasks with low power consumption.

   • The Optiplex 3050 uses an Intel Celeron processor, suitable for entry-level tasks.

   • The Optiplex 7050 has a more powerful Intel Core i5 processor, suitable for heavier workloads.

2. RAM & Storage:

   • The Wyse 3040 offers limited RAM and storage, intended for thin client functionality, ideal for cloud-based applications.

   • The Optiplex 3050 has upgradable RAM and storage, making it more flexible for general use.

   • The Optiplex 7050 has more powerful specifications with upgradable memory and larger storage options, suitable for demanding applications.

3. Graphics:

   • The Wyse 3040 has basic ARM graphics, suitable for simple visual tasks.

   • The Optiplex 3050 has Intel HD 610 integrated graphics, which are a bit more capable for casual multimedia tasks.

   • The Optiplex 7050 includes Intel HD 530, providing better support for professional applications and light gaming.

4. Networking:

   • All models offer Gigabit Ethernet, with optional Wi-Fi on the 3050 and 7050 for flexibility in connectivity.

5. Use Case:

   • The Wyse 3040 is ideal for virtualized environments and basic cloud applications.

   • The Optiplex 3050 is a general-purpose micro PC for light desktop work.

   • The Optiplex 7050 is a high-performance machine for heavier tasks and business environments requiring more processing power.

Each of these devices serves different user needs, with the Wyse 3040 focused on thin client computing, while the Optiplex 3050 and 7050 are more suited for general desktop and performance-demanding tasks, respectively.

» END QUOTE FROM CHATGPT «

The information returned doesn’t quite match what I have been finding. For example, the USB-C port on the 7050 was missed. The processors shown appear to be the defaults for the 3050 and 7050 platforms, with higher-tier processors not identified. Nevertheless, it was much faster and easier to ask ChatGPT for some help. I’m guessing that the responses will only get better as artificial intelligence systems improve.

4.1.2 Prices

I’m finding some 7050 systems equipped with 16 Gb RAM and a 256 Gb-or-more SSD in good condition in the $100-$140 range. I just made an offer for a Dell OptiPlex 7050 Micro Intel I7-7700T@ 2.90GHz 16GB RAM 512GB WINDOWS 11 PRO for $120. Prices on eBay are significantly less than what you’ll find on Amazon for a renewed 7050 platform with similar specs.

Dell OptiPlex 3050 platforms are less expensive, and even though the Dell Wyse 3040 thin client machines have been going up in price, they remain the budget choice in this group.

Granted, this technology is older than the shiny and tiny new Beelink T5 micro PC that runs AllStarLink node 588412 on my desk, but the 7050 platform offers capacity unavailable on the T5. Don’t get me wrong — I like the T5! However, it doesn’t have the proven reliability of the Dell Wyse and Dell OptiPlex systems. This time around, I’m looking for a reliable, swift platform that will allow me to expand memory and storage.

4.2 7050 micro purchased on eBay

I did end up buying the Dell OptiPlex 7050 Micro PC from the eBay seller. I ordered two 16GB RAM modules to take the system from 16 gigabytes to 32 gigs. (The memory I bought is: 16GB DDR4 PC4-19200 2400MHz SODIMM NON-ECC Unbuffered 260pin 1.2V CL19 Dual Rank.) I also ordered a desk stand so I can slot this PC vertically into a corner where my desk sits against the room wall.

Although the PC came with Windows 11 Pro installed, it does not meet the minimum processor requirements for Windows 11. I discovered this when I ran Windows Update and KB5031358 would not get past 68% completion during updating. According to Google Search, this is a common issue. I decided to create a Recovery Drive on a USB stick. If I don’t like Wubuntu, I can go back to Windows. (Note: it took a good long while — about an hour — to burn the recovery drive!)

The other thing I discovered was the advertised drive capacity of 512 Gb was only showing up in Windows Explorer as 111 Gb. It turns out that there are other partitions on the drive that Windows does not see.

Finally, I also swapped out the old ram with the new 32 Gb of RAM that arrived just a few days ago.

I think the i7-7700T processor (4 cores, 8 threads) with 32 gigs of RAM will make this a capable system for experimenting with Linux. I also like that the 512GB SSD will give me plenty of storage. My fallback if this doesn’t work out like I expect? I’ll install Wubuntu in a virtual machine on my homelab server, the Lenovo ThinkStation P510.

4.3 Installed Wubuntu

The instructions on how to install Wubuntu are remarkably sparse, at least on the wubuntu.org site. However, I’ve been through this before with Ubuntu and Debian distributions, so I just did what I’ve done before: I downloaded the ISO file from https://wubuntu.org/download/ and then used balenaEtcher to burn the ISO image to a USB thumb drive.

Once the Windows recovery drive was created, I booted from the Wubuntu USB stick in. (For the Dell OptiPlex 7050 Micro, you press F12 during boot to select something other than the default boot device. It may be different on your computer. I find it works best to just repeatedly press F12 during boot because I never really know how fast the boot process is going to take, and sometimes the option just flies right by!)

My first impression was: oh wow, Wubuntu looks very much like Windows! It doesn’t respond the same way, and software updates clearly echo the Ubuntu/Debian linux world, but it seems to work well. Once I had the system installed and booted, I checked for updates and found 96 waiting for me. They did not take long to install.

4.3.1 Installed additional packages

As with my Debian systems, I installed xrdp and Tailscale (instructions for ) immediately. To see a desktop when remoting to the machine, you have to install a desktop environment. I followed the instructions published by Digital Ocean, selecting xfce4 as the remote desktop environment.

To install Tailscale, I had to determine the version of Ubuntu that Wubuntu is based on. It turns out it is built on Ubuntu 24.04 “Noble Numbat” released in April 2024. Knowing this, I was able to select the correct procedure from the list of options at https://tailscale.com/kb/1031/install-linux.

4.3.2 Configured software and settings

I forgot to tell the machine not to go to sleep, creating a hiccup when I tried to remote into the machine 30 minutes later. It had gone to sleep and would not wake up with the request to remotely connect. Rather than reconnect the monitor, keyboard, and mouse, I did a hard reboot, remoted in, and changed the power management settings. That didn’t quite solve the problem. Instead of trying to figure this out, I installed Caffeine and activated it. Caffeine keeps the display from locking.

Then I configured the Uncomplicated Firewall (ufw), following the helpful instructions provided by Digital Ocean. (UFW comes with Wubuntu so I didn’t have to install it.) I opened ports for SSH, RDP, HTTP, and HTTPS connections.

I also like a good command-line search tool. On Debian, I install mlocate. However, that package is not available on this version of Ubuntu/Wubuntu…but plocate was already installed, so I ran “sudo updatedb” to refresh the database.

4.3.3 Wubuntu machine kept crashing

Unfortunately, my machine kept crashing. For me, a fundamental requirement for a computing platform is the operating system must be stable. I really wanted to give Wubuntu a long test but it rarely stayed “up” for more than an hour. I reinstalled Wubuntu three times and it acted the same each time. (And later, I found a ZDNet article that spoke against Wubuntu for different reasons.)

So I returned to my tried-and-true distribution, installing Debian 12 Linux with the KDE Plasma desktop environment on the 7050. That will keep me busy for a while. A good qualitative test of performance is to watch a move on a streaming service. It’s pretty bumpy on the 7050 running Debian 12. This is probably due to the slower processor (2.9 GHz), limited cores, and onboard graphics not designed for high-quality video processing.

4.4 Conclusions

The Dell OptiPlex 7050 micro platform is not suitable for gaming or watching videos. The onboard graphics processing just don’t have the horsepower to handle video. You’ll see some jerkiness when dragging windows on the desktop, too.

The 7050 offers more than enough power to run AllStarLink 3 on Debian 12 Linux.

If you want to do word processing or other basic business/office tasks, the 7050 can handle it but it is limited by the processor. There aren’t enough cores, threads, or processing speed to make this a pleasurable experience.

While the Dell Wyse 3040 thin client runs off a low-amperage wall wart, the Dell OptiPlex 7050 requires a power brick-style adapter. Compared to the 3040, the 7050 consumes about three times more juice.

However, like other Dell Wyse and Dell OptiPlex platforms, the 7050 has a history of being a reliable little box. If you have an application that doesn’t require a lot of throughput speed and reliability is a concern, consider the Dell OptiPlex 7050 platform.

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5. CATCH-ALL TOPICS

In no particular order…

5.1 Installed Docker on server

First, what is Docker? Check out Docker for Beginners at https://docker-curriculum.com/ which opens with:

Docker is a tool that allows developers, sys-admins etc. to easily deploy their applications in a sandbox (called containers) to run on the host operating system i.e. Linux. The key benefit of Docker is that it allows users to package an application with all of its dependencies into a standardized unit for software development. Unlike virtual machines, containers do not have high overhead and hence enable more efficient usage of the underlying system and resources.

I installed it on my big ThinkStation P510 homelab server so I can start working with containers. I also run VirtualBox to support virtual machines. I think the decision point on which to choose — containers or VMs — is about hardware support. If you need to interact with hardware (think USB ports), a VM is probably a better choice. If you are running apps or services, containers use less system resources.

5.2 Substack vs. Medium

I’ve been thinking about Medium as a platform and wondered how Medium and Substack differ. Amy Colleen writes about this on Medium: Medium vs. Substack: Why You Should Do Both

(If you’re not thinking about publishing your own material, you can probably skip item 5.2!)

Medium offers an experience to readers akin to reading an online magazine, with many authors offering a wide variety of content. Substack is more focused on helping authors develop a list of subscribers.

Medium charges a flat fee for access to content. Substack content may be free (like the Random Wire) or individual authors may put content behind a paywall.

I think Medium works better for long-form content, as in: thousands of words on a focused topic or theme. Substack seems to work better as a newsletter with somewhat shorter content.

Medium is passive, i.e., a reader has to find your content to read it. Substack pushes content to the reader’s email inbox.

Here are a couple of other resources that explain some differences:

• https://nickwolny.com/substack-vs-medium

• https://memberful.com/blog/substack-vs-medium/

Bottom line for me is that Substack seems a bit better for niche content, and that seems to apply to my writing about amateur radio and technology.

5.3 Mestastic node battery finally arrived

The new Heltec T114 v2 device came without a battery, and the battery I purchased from Amazon proved to be too large for the case. I found a smaller battery on Amazon and ordered it, but it was delayed a couple of times. It finally arrived and I was able to fit it cleanly into the small case.

But…it won’t charge. I’ve concluded the polarity of the JST 1.25mm plug is wrong.

5.4 New headphones for music and movies

I have quite a few Bluetooth headphones and earbuds but I’ve been wanting a good pair of wired cans for listening to my digital albums and secondarily, for watching movies. A few days before Christmas, I dropped by my local Guitar Center to check out their headphones. I was leaning toward some comfortable Sennheiser headphones but the lower-end models lacked bass and the higher-end models had too much bass.

Then I found a pair of Yamaha HPH-MT5W headphones that felt almost as comfortable as the Sennheisers, on sale for $74.99 (the Amazon price is the same right now). The sound is neither too bright nor too weak. While they aren’t quite as comfortable as the Sennheisers, I think the earcups will soften a bit with time.

When I run the audio through my cheap headphone amplifier (Douk Audio U3 Headphone Amps, Mini Hi-Fi Amplifier for Home Desktop PC 6.35mm / 3.5mm Headsets, Class A, RCA Input, DC 5V) to the Yamaha phones, the bass and clarity are even better. (I feed the amp through an adapter that splits the stereo channels from a 3.5mm stereo extension to the mini-RCA plugs the headphone amp needs.)

By the way, I prefer a different headphone amp. The Douk seems to warm the sound a bit but also adds a slight hint of fur that is detectable in the quietest passages. The Neoteck amp seems to process audio without warming it and I don’t hear any fur or fuzz in the output. While I don’t like having the input and output on the front of the device right beside the on/off/volume rotary switch, I can live with this. For $29, it’s a decent, pocket-sized, rechargeable device.

Neoteck Portable 3.5mm Headphone Amplifier Two-Stage Gain Switch, 16-150 Ohm, Aluminum Matte Surface

I’ve been listening to several musical genres at somewhat boosted volume to break in the Yamaha headphones. They sound pretty good to me, but I admit I’m no audiophile and my ears aren’t as good as they used to be. I’m guessing the sound will smooth out a little bit in a week or two.

5.5 AI podcast experiment

If you missed the Random Wire Reflections podcast for issue 115, I recommend listening to it for at least a few minutes. The podcast was generated entirely by the Google NotebookLM AI system, based on the published issue 115 text. The style is rather entertaining. It did not get everything exactly right, but it came close.

I will continue exploring AI, albeit not on the cutting edge. This technology presents exciting possibilities that are perhaps also a bit frightening. Knowing what is real and what is artificially created is getting blurrier by the day.

5.6 Domain registrars

Many years ago, I stepped away from GoDaddy as a domain registrar because their advertising presented women in awkward, demeaning ways. At that time, I moved my domains to Name.com. Later, I diversified by also using Namecheap.com. I’ve hosted WordPress sites at GoDaddy, Name, and Namecheap. In fact, I’ve used numerous domain registrars but those three are the ones I’ve used the most.

GoDaddy presents a fairly complicated system to the customer, at least in my experience. Name.com offerings and configuration screens are well presented and thus seem simpler; support has been good. Namecheap is a bit less easy than Name.com but overall, it is on par with Name.com.

While I save a few dollars at Namecheap compared to Name, I have one gripe: every time I purchase a domain at Namecheap, I get flooded with spam emails and calls. This happens even when I have their “domain privacy protection ON.” It doesn’t happen when I register a domain at Name.com, making the response to a new registration at Namecheap so noticeable. I can live with this but it is irritating.

This topic arises because I just renewed a few domains and once again, the “interesting” spam and calls began arriving. Irritating.

My personal recommendation: register with Name.com. If you have domain registrar recommendations or experiences, please share them in the comments!

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