Wi-Fi Terminologies & Important Notes

Wi-Fi 6e    * The 802.11ax Wi-Fi standard in 2021, but it is extended to the 6 GHz range for even more spectrum space. The 6 GHz expansion leads to even more stable connections and even less Wi-Fi interference.

802.11ax    * referred to as Wi-Fi 6 and the newest 2019 Wi-Fi standard.
   
OFDMA        * An updated version of OFDM. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access. Using multiple frequencies to carry data on multiple data streams to avoid inteference on a single stream.
Similar to CDMA (cellular division multiple access)

OFDM    * orthogonal frequency division multiplexing. It is a term used in legacy Wi-Fi networks preceding 802.11ac. Using multiple frequencies to carry data on multiple data streams to avoid inteference on a single stream.

BSS Color    * Basic Service Set color is a feature of Wi-Fi 6. It is used in SSIDs to solve high density. an AP + 1 user = a BSS. identifying each individual BSS, helps in re-using spatial streams within a channel.

TWT    * a feature of Wi-Fi 6, Target Wake Time is used to increase the efficiency of battery life in Wi-Fi 6 devices only. Wi-Fi 6 enabled devices, can sleep their Wi-Fi connection and resume as soon as data as transmitted, rather than always being on.

PHY     * predicitive physical data rate within 150m
    * data rates are measured by Megabytes per second or Mbps

dBm     * decibel milliwatts measures signal strength range
        -70 dBm (minus 70) is the minimum but poor signal
        -67 dBm is nearly double the data rate and is optimal (-3 difference is double)
        -30 dBm is at the maximum end and is usually only 5ft or less away from AP
 

Acceptable Signal Strengths

RSSI	Rating	Requirement for
-30 dBm	Amazing	Max achievable signal strength.         The client can only be a few feet from the AP to achieve this. Not typical or desirable in the real world.     N/A
-67 dBm	Very Good	Minimum signal strength for applications that require very reliable, timely delivery of data packets.    VoIP/VoWiFi, streaming video
-70 dBm	Okay	Minimum signal strength for reliable packet delivery.            Email, web
-80 dBm	Not Good	Minimum signal strength for basic connectivity.         Packet delivery may be unreliable.    N/A
-90 dBm	Unusable	Approaching or drowning in the noise floor.         Any functionality is highly unlikely.    N/A
(source =  http://www.metageek.com/training/resources/understanding-rssi.html )

MIMO    multiple-input and multiple-output. Similar to OFDM in concept. Specifically refers to a practical technique for sending and receiving more than one data signal simultaneously over the same radio channel by exploiting multipath propagation.

RSSI    * received signal strength indication
    * Cisco RSSI is usually measured from 1 to 100 and is similar to dBm
    * the higher the number, the more powerful the connection and signal

There is sometimes confusion with SNR vs RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) vs Signal Strength. Cisco RSSI is always measured in positive values ranging from 0 to 100 in order to simplify the relative measurement. The true value of RSSI is difficult to interpret as different manufacturer brands use different scales. Atheros uses a scale from 0 to 60. Cisco uses 0 to 100. Other manufacturers may use anything between 0 and 255.

RTLS    * Real-time locating system.
    * used to automatically identify and track the location of objects or people (RFIDs) in real time, usually within a building or other contained area.

RFID    * Radio-Frequency Identification.
    * a small device used in RTLS systems as tracked units. Also referred to as Smart Labels. Can be attached to inventory as tags. Can also be used as wrist-bands on individuals.

WIDS/WIPS    * Wireless Intrusion Detection Software, and Wireless Intrusion Prevention Software

802.11ac Backwards Compatibility:
The AC standard is backwards compatible with 802.11n. All connected clients do not revert downward to 802.11n and AC will support both clients simultaneously. This is a feature of the new Wi-Fi 80211ac 5 GHz band.

On the 2.4Ghz band the same is not true. It is opposite. For example ‘N’ standard down to ‘G’ or from ‘G’ standard down 802.11b standard, the lowest common denominator will revert the whole section of LAN subnetwork to the speed of the slowest client connected.

Bluetooth operates on the 2.4 Ghz frequency. Similar to 802.11g/n. Used in short range wireless electronic accessories.

Cellular mobile phones operate on the 800Mhz and 1900Mhz frequencies typically.

DECT (6.0)    * wireless phone standard designed to minimize interference with Wi-Fi
        * Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications
        * operates on 1920 MHz–1930 MHz, or 1.9 GHz
        * older generation cordless phones without DECT usually used 2.4 GHz which interferes with Wi-Fi.

Typical Wi-Fi Range    * 802.11b/g (2.4Ghz) WAPs and routers support a range of up to 150 feet (46 m) indoors and 300 feet (92 m) outdoors. (75 ft radius from center)
        * 802.11a (5.0Ghz) is approximately one-third or 50 feet propogation. (25 ft radius from center)

QAM    * Quadrature amplitude modulation
Quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) uses both the phase and amplitude of a radio frequency signal to represent data bits. WiFi 6 will support 1024-QAM and new modulation and coding schemes that define higher data rates.

 

Next-Gen Gaming Winter Update and Scalpers

I went against my own plans and bought some new next-generation hardware when I originally told myself I would wait. I just couldn't sit by watching scalpers create a volatile, overpriced market. These scumbag Scalpers are taking advantage of the masses of fellow consumers, and it motivated me to actively go and seek beating them and I was able to win two out of three times. Most of them are selling units at one-and a half times to two times the original cost. What bugs me most is that they bought them for profit and not for actual use. It reminded me of the whole 'toilet paper' crisis back in March and this type of behavior irritates me.

Over the last four weeks, I've stayed up ungodly hours to use precise timing, and precision purchasing to be able to buy both a new XBOX Series X, and a new Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics processor. Sadly, with all of my collective efforts, I could not secure a PlayStation 5. That is the one front that was too difficult to crack. The Scalpers, and their shady purchasing bots are running way too rampantly on the internet. There are cases in UK where a group of scalpers were able to adjust their Nike Shoe buying bots, and they redirected their bots to target PS5's instead. This shady Scalper group was able to buy up stock of more than 3500 individual units of PlayStation 5 for purposes of reselling at premium values. It would seem that the same thing is happening right now in Canada and the United States. No normal person can get one unless they planned ahead and pre-ordered a unit ahead of time. 

I still refuse to buy a PS5 from a scalper and will wait... albeit impatiently. I hate how they are winning against consumers who wanted to buy it as a Christmas gift for someone they love, and at a reasonable price during this Holiday Season. The original retail prices are already expensive but at least the retail prices are not exorbitant and inflated like how much Scalpers are charging. 

A few weeks back, while browsing Amazon.ca for PlayStation 5 units, I came across multiple listings for prices ranging as high as $ 1199.99 all the way up to $1799.99 Canadian. I went to every single post, and reported them to Amazon Services as having incorrect pricing. Since then, all of the overpriced listings have been removed. I highly doubt I was the only one that reported these, as it was visible to the entire world for at least two whole months.

If I could reach out to the thousands of people out there I would say this, "Please don't spend your hard earned money on PS5's from Scalpers. Every time one of us buys from a scalper, we just enable them to keep doing it. Wait patiently and in a few months we will all have one from a retailer at a fairer price".

Because of how the supply and demand system works, there will still likely be a shortage of Next Generation hardware until the second quarter of 2021. That would tentatively put stock levels mostly unavailable until about April. Perhaps there will be some luck and a few of us can score a PS5 unit for cheap, but for now the Scalpers have taken over and won. 

Retail online websites need to implement a form of 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) in order to stop these auto-buying AI bots from ruining everyone else's experience. One good example of 2FA would be introducing a Captcha form somewhere during the sequence of an online transaction. Captcha images usually rely on human user input to select either an image sequence, or selecting a word from analogue cursive writing style that is not using a regular text font. This helps deter AI bots and can significantly reduce the amount of non-human buyers.

Next-Gen Hardware and New Game Hype Sucks Balls

As an experienced gamer for more than 36 years (I am 40), I now know exactly how hype works and I am reluctant towards it. Trends show, that companies often trickle just enough units to make some money but not enough to fill the demand. This helps to boost the demand so that they can make more. It is a bit of a form of trickery and that's just how the system works.
However, I really don't mind waiting ten months or even longer from the original product launch date to ensure that I'm getting the best deal possible.

Getting anything new on launch day is more just for idiotic bragging rights that than anything else. The people buying them, are usually the ones who have a need to brag, or have deep wallets, or are YouTubers who want more views, or are Benchmarkers who want attention, but none of them are real hardcore gamers. They aren't going to use the products full-time for their intended use, and that is non-stop awesome gaming. They will be too busy showing off that they got it first so they can get more hits on their channel/website.
They are techies, they are geeks, they are entertaining, but they are not true gamers.

Let's take new PC graphics hardware for example. The new GeForce RTX 3080 and 3090 are beyond reach for most people. Right now, early buyers, including retailers are scalping. That is buying as many units as they can and reselling it for way more than it's worth so they can make a profit.
I am patiently waiting for the RTX 3070 and am making sure that the prices are inline with what the manufacturer suggests before buying one. I won't fall for the bullsh!t prices we're currently seeing for RTX 3080 and 3090 units selling for one-and half to two times their worth. F*ck that!

And now for the two new next generation consoles PS5 and Xbox Series X. These units are also getting pre-orders left and right and there is no way to fill the demand. Even if you manage to get a pre-order for a brand new PS5 or Xbox Series X, in about eighteen to twenty-four months from launch, trend shows there will be a hardware revision refresh. For the PS5, expect there to be a PS5 Slim or PS5 Pro. For the Xbox expect there to be a redesign that will also slim down or trim the console size.
Personally, I'm waiting for the all black PS5 Digital Edition. I really don't care for the 4K bluray. I don't want to buy disc games at all anymore, and I don't want to have to resell them later on Craigslist or to EB Games when I'm done with them. I especially don't care for unethical stores like EB Games or GameStop who buy our used games, and then resell them for higher price to make a profit. I'm pretty sure their business is dying and predict that they will be gone by the turn of the decade if not sooner.

As for actual games, often launch days are very rocky. If it is an online, persistent type of game, expect crashes and server error messages to last the first week at least. In the first few months, also expect buggy performance and glitches that QA was not able to catch during the final phases of release. Games often take substantial time, to get patched and remove undesirable elements from gameplay. Game companies know this, and the best companies, constantly patch their games according to data and feedback from actual players.
That is why I sometimes wait an entire year or more so that I can experience a game to it's full potential rather than playing an overpopulated, or slow, or buggy mess. More than often, some new games will get sad low scoring reviews in their very first month of premiering, only to be absolutely awesome a year later, but then nobody cares about it, because they only read, or saw, or heard about the initial bad review and think the game still stinks even though it really doesn't. Horrendous!

This is just my opinion. Everyone has one and you don't have to take my word for it. I always tell people not to believe what they hear, and make their own judgement. The same goes for my own opinion. You don't need to believe everything I write or say, but do make sure to form your own opinion based on your experience first before weighing in on what someone else says about a subject.

Protect Your Online Identity and Crush Ads for 2020

With COVID-19 running rampant throughout the world, millions or even billions of people are using the internet more than ever before.

There are several steps to ensure that your online activity is safe. There are a number of things that you'll need to change to ensure online safety to the highest degree. Some steps are easier than others and some will take huge amounts of discipline and will power to be able to accomplish.


1. Use a computer, not a mobile device. 

    Besides emails, all internet activity should be limited to full computers. The biggest reason is that with computers like PC, Mac, or Linux etc, are more fully capable of blocking AI (Artificial Intelligence), Ads, and identity tracking types of software with Adblocking plugins, VPN software, overlay blockers and other tools. Another reason is that pretty much all mobile apps are designed to track your usage, and are submitted to software that uses AI to determine what you might like or might do next. Want to see what I'm talking about? On any Android mobile device, go to the Google Play Store and pretty much every single app that exists will usually state that it contains ads. Even when it doesn't say "contains ads" that app will probably force you to pay for the App and spend money. The same could be said for the Apps in the Apple AppStore.

Just a couple of quick examples would be common apps like Facebook, or YouTube. The mobile versions of these apps were designed to try to subject you to advertisements based on your tracked internet activity. They do not prevent blocking of ads and purposely don't have mobile tools to block them. For years I've tried. The blocking tools are just not as available or not available at all on mobile platforms. So if you are using any kind of internet activity on a smartphone, tablet, or mobile device, the chances are very high that you will get bombarded with ads on pretty much every app that exists on those platforms.

However, browsing the full-site versions of Youtube, and Facebook on a full computer grants the ability to install security features on the internet browser. Only on a full computer can you block advertisements via Adblocking plugins, VPN software, overlay blockers and other tools.


2. Use Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome as your main internet browser on the computer.

    There are several other comparable browsers but these are the two options that will allow you the security you need to block ads and tracking.


3. The list of plugins or extensions that you will need are as follows:
    A.) Adblock - Firefox version. Adblock - Chrome version.

    B.) Adblock Plus - Firefox version. Adblock Plus - Chrome version.

    C.) Adblocker for YouTube - Firefox version. Adblocker for YouTube- Chrome version.

    D.) Poper Blocker - Firefox version. Poper Blocker - Chrome version.

    E.) Adblocker for Facebook - Firefox version. 

    F.) FB Purity (Adblocker for Facebook) - Chrome version.

    Each of these plugins requires a tiny bit of configuring, but they are pretty straight forward as soon as you click and install them.

The biggest challenge here is switching all internet activity over to a computer and not using our super convenient handheld devices. This is just one way to help minimize our online presence and keep our information safe.

Every time you sign up for a mobile app with your email and username, you are potentially setting yourself up for getting more ads and are sharing your personal information to each app and the AI that is behind them.


4. Use a VPN. 

    A Virtual Private Network is a service that hides your original IP address, and geo-location. There's a tonne out there that usually cost a monthly or annual subscription. Just search the internet for "personal use VPN". Some people will work for companies that can share their corporate VPN to remote workers so that when they use internet, the internet traffic gets funneled back to the company network, which is usually backed by several more layers of security.


5. Use Qwant instead of Google.

    Qwant (https://www.qwant.com) is an internet search engine that does not track usage. It will not keep a history of your user account, it will not keep your history of searches, it will not track you. It will not leave any digital footprints that make it easier for AI to access your personal usage statistics or information.

    - Qwant - Firefox extension. Qwant - Chrome extension.


6. Use NewPipe instead of YouTube on Android mobile devices.

    If you absolutely must access YouTube content on an Android mobile device then NewPipe is the best ad-free alternative. It uses the YouTube API, which essentially means that it is actually YouTube, but without commercial interference. NewPipe also has some awesome features like 'Background Play" which allows you to listen to just the audio of the video, while the screen on your device is locked and blacked out. It is absolutely amazing for music playlists from YouTube. Unfortunately Apple iPad and iPhone users are out of luck here. For older legacy Android devices, an alternate build is also available here (NewPipe).

Video Games in 2020 - My Two Cents

I am a 40-year old dad and I have been playing video games pretty much my entire life. I can recall my earliest video gaming memory as far as being only about 3-years old, waiting for a flight with my mom at Narita National Airport, Japan. We were on our way home to Canada, after visiting family in the Philippines. Japan was a short layover and connecting flight. I was playing with a small red and gold Nintendo handheld system similar to the Game & Watch handhelds. The game itself was very basic, was just one color, black on a grey background, and involved controlling a circus elephant left or right, in order to balance a ball on its trunk

Video games are a huge part of my life and I'm sure it is at least a small portion of everyone else's. There's exciting new developments in the gaming world for 2020, and I have a few short opinions.


Playstation vs. Xbox:

- PS5 will have much better data streaming than Xbox and PC due to it's custom SSD architecture. What that means for me is shorter load times, and less pop-ins for graphical assets. I'm sure there are more technical explanations but that's really unnecessary for me.

- Xbox Series X has higher specifications on paper than PS5, but that doesn't account for much. The previous model XBox One X was also more powerful than the PS4 Pro and it did not outsell the PS4 Pro. However, games will look great on both. Healthy competition between the two consoles drives the quality higher and higher.

- XBOX has an impressive marketing department, but they try to mess with consumers by confusing them with their weird naming schemes. Because the Xbox started one generation behind Playstation they did not want to appear as they were behind even though their hardware was superior. Playstation 2 was already out when the first Xbox was released. When PS3 came out, Xbox didn't want to change their comparative console to be named Xbox 2, but rather named it the Xbox 360 just so that it had a bigger, longer number than PS3. When PS4 released, Microsoft didn't want to call it Xbox 3, rather they called it Xbox One. Now with the Playstation 5 on the horizon, the next Xbox will not be Xbox 4, but rather Xbox Series X. At least Sony is keeping it straight forward with the linear naming and you know exactly what generation of hardware you are getting.

- In the end I will get both. I do prefer PS5 because of it's game lineup and exclusives and so I will be buying that console first. Xbox Series X will be great but it won't have any exclusive titles like Halo Infinite or Forza Horizon 5 until at least year 2022, and the majority of it's games will be available on other platforms anyways. The XSX purchase will come later.


Downloadable Content:

- Downloadable content can be categorised as Expansion DLC or Microtransaction DLC. Sometimes both are combined.

- DLC should never be pay to win. Game companies should not sell powerful items to players for real money. It should be earned in-game. If players can buy better items that make their avatar more powerful, it enables an unfair advantage over players that do not buy said DLC. That's just unethical and bad practice. What if one player legitimately spent hundreds of hours of gameplay to get a powerful item, but then at the same time, a different player who played for just minutes, went and bought it outright with real money. That is just a ridiculous situation.

- DLC should not be used to sell random loot boxes. Much like slot machines, it is a form of gambling, and this type of scum baggery should not be allowed in video games. It gives false hope to players that they will win something big, but in fact are just draining and wasting their money away.

- Some smart game developers have actively heard the community outcries and have turned some DLC into cosmetic items, which make the player's avatar look cool and stylish, but does not give them an unfair advantage over other players. That's a good thing. More games need to do this. Path Of Exile and Fortnite are good examples where the entire game is actually free but the money made from the game is done through cosmetic DLC Microtransaction sales. Sure, it looks good when you buy a fancy cosmetic, but does it give you more game to play? Nope.

- Expansion DLC should include a moderate amount of extended gameplay content so that players can explore new areas or try new items. It needs to be priced accordingly as well. Some DLC is overpriced for what you get as a player in return.


Remasters and Remakes:

- I am a big fan of these. It helps me to revisit old games with improved graphics and fidelity, and makes them more enjoyable.

- I am not a fan of re-buying a game I've already played and previously owned. There should be some kind of licensing that allows players of the original game to have the newly remastered game for free or at least an option to buy it at a heavily discounted price point.

- Xbox Series X is making some progress by introducing their new Xbox Smart Delivery, which will automatically give you the best version of the game that you own.


Crossplay and Cross-save:

- Similar to the Remaster problem, I don't want to buy a game that I already own, every time that I switch to a different platform or a newer generation console.

- There needs to be some kind of licensing system, where we buy one version of the game, but can use it on any platform whether it be PC, Xbox, Nintendo, or Playstation systems. There is likely a very long wait for a fix to this glaring problem as all game companies are out to get our money by any means necessary. They are forcing us to double-dip, triple-dip, quadruple-dip or even more so that we keep having to buy the same game over and over, but on different platforms and systems.

- crossplay and cross-save games should be standardized and required for modern games. Being able to play any game with friends and family across multiple platforms would be the ultimate achievement.

- crossplay is pretty difficult to achieve since there are separations in the different types of gaming networks. A standardized central network must be built, per game to make this even work correctly. Fortnite is one instance where they are trying to make it work across all platforms.

- Destiny 2 is also making some progress with this by making their game cross-save across all available platforms. Although you can't play with friends or family at the same time across platforms, you can at least switch to the matching platform and continuing playing with the same universal saved progress.

My handle and ID is usually Phresh Ninja on all platforms with some variance. Catch some of my archived gameplay on Twitch or YouTube.

https://www.twitch.tv/phresh_ninja

https://www.youtube.com/user/phreshninja

Ultimate PC Configuration - Q2 2020

Here's an expert enthusiast hardware configuration for an Extreme Performance Gaming PC with some of the most current and stylish hardware components. Keep in mind that this kind of build is not for the budget conscious or faint-hearted. It is a straight forward wallet-crushing fantasy build meant to show off some of the newest PC components. Prices are listed in Canadian funds (CAD) :

Computer case:

Lian Li O11D Dynamic XL, Brushed Metal, Tempered Glass, E-ATX

=   $ 270.00 (CAD)

Motherboard (MOBO):

Gigabyte Aorus Master TRX40, E-ATX w/ DDR4-4400

=  $ 710.00 (CAD)

Power supply (PSU):

Thermaltake Toughpower 850 Watt, iRGB PLUS Platinum TT Premium Edition Power Supply

=   $ 260.00 (CAD)

Processor (CPU):

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X Processor, 2.9GHz, 64 Cores,128 Threads

=    $ 5,400.00 (CAD)

CPU Cooler:

Cooler Master Wraith Ripper Ryzen ThreadRipper CPU Cooler w/ 120mm Fan, RGB LEDs
=  $ 200.00

Memory (RAM):

G.Skill Trident Z 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4 4266MHz PC4-34100

=    $ 460.00

Video card (GPU):

Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2080Ti Extreme 11GB DDR6, Overclocked 1770 MHz

=   $ 1,830.00

Storage 1 (SSD for Windows OS):

Samsung 2TB 970 EVO Plus NVMe SSD M.2 PCI-E x, 3.5GB/second transfer speed

=   $ 725.00

Storage 2 (HDD for non OS files):

Seagate 16TB Exos X16 Enterprise, SATA III w/ 256MB Cache

= $750.00

APPROXIMATE GRAND TOTAL = $ 10,605.00

How To Enable Dark Mode On Google Chrome For Computers

First of all, some might ask, what is Dark Mode and why is it useful? Dark mode is where a web browser changes the default page background from white to a dark grey or shade of black. The purpose of this is to conserve battery life of all mobile devices such as Smart Phones, Tablets, and Laptop computers while browsing the web. The extra energy needed to emit white light, is no longer needed and extends the time you can use your mobile device.

Here's how to enable it in Google Chrome on a computer.
1.) Open your Google Chrome browser.
2.) copy and paste this text into the URL bar and press enter: chrome://flags/#enable-force-dark
3.) It will open a settings page with a warning. You only need to change the very first option.
     - under "Force Dark Mode for Web Content" click on the drop-down menu to the right, and choose "Enabled".
4.) Leave all other settings untouched.
5.) To undo Dark Mode, just return to that page by using Step 2, and choose "Disabled" the next time.