Category: Internet Stuff

Internet updates, reviews and technology

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Using htaccess to stop Bad Bots from stealing bandwidth and crashing your server

Few days ago my site was hit by a bunch of really bad bots which crawl my site continuously until it overloads my web server. Now I’m publishing a way to block these so-called bad robots from ruining your website by their crazy crawling method.

Assuming you are using Apache Http server, create .httaccess file and append this line to the newly created file.
Continue reading “Using htaccess to stop Bad Bots from stealing bandwidth and crashing your server”

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HP Officejet 5680 – How to Send Fax from Ubuntu Linux Computer

This serves as a continuity from my previous post, I got myself a new and flexible Printer – HP Officejet 5680 All in One.

HP Officejet All-in-One Under Ubuntu
Its all seems rather easy at the way I left off, the printer is fully functioning by just plugging it to my Ubuntu pc, the scanner works well without I having to do anything special, the phone is fully functioning (yeah it is included with the printer) and I am able to send and receive fax without a hitch, something that I cant do without installing 350MB of companion application (half of it was crapware) under WIndows Vista.

Everything worked, what left to do?
What left to do is figuring out how can I send fax directly from Ubuntu (or other Linux base operating system) using only digital files (*.txt, *.pdf, *.ps, *.jpeg), so I don’t have to print those files and fax them one by one anymore.

HP Linux Imaging and Printing project
Through googling, I found that Hewlett Packard (HP) has published open source software tool to deal with their printers. Free and Open Source drivers and printer-specific application directly from manufacturer, which is very cool!

Fortunately Ubuntu already installed HPLIP tools by default with CUPS in my machine. The next step that I should take is to run ‘hp-setup’ as root to configure my printer port and run the ‘hp-sendfax’ application to send the faxes.

Both of these tool requires python-qt3 package which is available from Ubuntu software repository.

Now I can fax my pdf documents directly without having to print them first, a huge saving over ink and paper cost.

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Conclusion
If you are planning to get a new printer, then I would suggest you get a HP printer. Not only because HP printers are reliable, but they also comes with Free and Open Source drivers and applications for the Linux based operating system. Well that’s a good reason to get HP printers.

Please visit HPLIP project website for more information about HP printers support under Linux based operating system.

[tags]hp,hewlett packard,printer,linux,opensource,ubuntu,foss,drivers,hardware,scanner,officejet[/tags]

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How to connect to Streamyx with DLink 2640-T wireless router

I found in my website log, apparently somebody trying to find out how to connect to Streamyx broadband using the latest DLink 2640T. Since I own one, I decided to share my settings to enable you to connect to Streamyx.

  1. First point your favorite browser to http://192.168.1.1/, enter your username and password (default: admin | admin)
  2. Web configuration user interface will be displayed, click WAN
  3. Change the VPI value from ‘8’ to ‘0’
  4. Enter your Streamyx username and password below
  5. Finally go to Tools->System. Click “Save and Reboot” there to save your changes.

Screenshot
Dlink 2640-T Streamyx

Your Dlink wireless router should be able to connect to Streamyx broadband services now.

[tags]streamyx,dlink,broadband,linux[/tags]

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How to install Skype on Ubuntu

Skype is perhaps the most popular client to make calls from your computer to any phone lines in the world. With SkypeIn subscription, you can even get an international phone number for everybody to call you, a completely neat way for your friend in overseas to call you with cheap rates. Although Skype is a proprietary software which uses a non-open protocol, some people would find it useful as it enables them to make international call with cheaper rate via SkypeOut.

Installing Skype on Ubuntu (or Debian)
This how to will show you how to install a Skype client in Ubuntu & Debian base operating system.

  1. First of all you need to start up Synaptic Package manager. Go to System->Synaptic Administration->Synaptic Package Manager,
  2. From Synaptic, go to Settings->Repositories. Click on Third Party Software Tab. Click Add, and put on this line : 
    deb http://download.skype.com/linux/repos/debian/ stable non-free

    Click Add Sources.

  3. Click Close, and Click ‘Reload’ at the top of Synaptic. Now you can search for Skype, and install it from Synaptic.

skype3tn.png

skype1tn.png
skype2tn.png

Hope that will help you to install Skype on your Linux operating system. Alternatively, If you’re a fan of open source software and open standards, then you might want to look into Ekiga (formerly GnomeMeeting), cheerio!

[tags]skype,voip,ubuntu,feisty fawn,linux,messenger[/tags]

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Pidgin 2.0.0 (formerly gaim) Instant Messenger finally released

After a long wait — Pidgin 2.0.0 (formerly Gaim) was finally released on May 4, 2007. The latest (and the first) release of Pidgin spotted an all new purplish artwork which is radically different from Gaim default look.

The Pidgin project website also receive a similar face lift, which feature the new Finch mascot-logo. This mark the departure from its previous image which has to be rebranded due to legal issues surrounding the Gaim name.

pidgin_logo.gif

For the uninitiated, Pidgin is a multi-platform instant messenger client (mostly popular in Ubuntu distro as the default IM application) which supports a number of IM protocol including yahoo, msn, aim, jabber, google talk, iChat and IRC.

The multi-protocol Pidgin 2.0.0 IM can be downloaded from it’s official website

Update : Ubuntu (Feisty Fawn) Pidgin binary package is now available on GetDeb

[tags]pidgin,im,gaim,instant messenger,ym,yahoo messenger,msn messenger,open source[/tags]