# Your tips, white hacks (of your own stuff) and other tricks



## Satcomer (Sep 28, 2013)

After reading the article Woz recalls his hacking pranks and online shenanigans I started think what was some tricks, prans and other things i have doe since the start of the internet.

I discovered a while back that most unsecured printers on unsecured networks provided some white hacks to inform, scare some people. I download the vast deposits  of basic printer drives from Gutenprint for Mac OS X (no longer updated) and printed text instructions on how to close their wireless network and inform them that (if their printer had an IP address) by just putting in that printer's IP address I could get into any IP printer's wiki configuration page that they needed to secure that too (that trick still works-putting in a printer's IP address (in a browser) any printer has a wiki configuration page, still).

So what white hacks have you done in your life to your Mac or anything else. Some cool tips might help some people getting around in their Mac?


----------



## Satcomer (Oct 3, 2013)

No one else is into modifying your Mac or your Network?


----------



## Satcomer (Oct 5, 2013)

Ok another hint, hack of YOUR Mac.  Did you know that if you are using the 2.4 frequency for 5 GHz  you are not getting true 5 GHz according to the blog post What is the Difference Between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wireless LAN in Industrial Applications?. 

If you have a Dual band wireless router move the 5 GHz section into the higher channels (usually in Hundred ranges) and you will now get true 5 GHz speeds.


----------



## DeltaMac (Oct 5, 2013)

The broadcast channel used, is determined by the router, not the computer.
So, this is a hint for the router, not your Mac.

I also wonder how you found your information from that blog that you posted. No mention of your theory about "true 5 GHz only on higher channels" in that article. You must have found that info (which, btw, I don't think is correct) somewhere else.

And, keep in mind that 2.4 GHz is sometimes preferable to 5 GHz, because of the limited range for the 5GHz signal - sometimes half of 2.4 GHz range from the same router.


----------



## Satcomer (Oct 6, 2013)

DeltaMac said:


> The broadcast channel used, is determined by the router, not the computer.
> So, this is a hint for the router, not your Mac.



I wasn't taking about the Mac. If you read from the beginning I speaking about wireless routers.



> I also wonder how you found your information from that blog that you posted. No mention of your theory about "true 5 GHz only on higher channels" in that article. You must have found that info (which, btw, I don't think is correct) somewhere else.



As a Network Engineer I have come across a lot of knowledge of the 2.4 Frequency that is interfered with home microwaves, near by radar as well as a great many metal objects. Plus get any wireless scanning software and see all the other wireless routers around you broadcasting on the same frequency that create crosstalk. Most home users are not even aware of that fact alone.




> And, keep in mind that 2.4 GHz is sometimes preferable to 5 GHz, because of the limited range for the 5GHz signal - sometimes half of 2.4 GHz range from the same router.



This range is not affect in the typical home unless one wants wireless signal all the way down the street.  I also urge all user to get a Dual Band wireless router and for the 5 GHz portion use the 100's channel range so that there is no danger of "crosstalk" for other routers around a person's abode.

Plus if you read's last post (on page 2) jprupa's  last post in the thread Maybe you guys can solve this wifi question? he didn't get fast wireless until he went with "true" 5 GHz. This should be antidotal evidence  that using the 5 GHz ranges (in the 100's range) he was able to get great 5 GHz speeds.


----------



## DeltaMac (Oct 6, 2013)

Satcomer said:


> ...
> This range is not affect in the typical home unless one wants wireless signal all the way down the street.  I also urge all user to get a Dual Band wireless router and for the 5 GHz portion use the 100's channel range so that there is no danger of "crosstalk" for other routers around a person's abode.
> 
> Plus if you read's last post (on page 2) jprupa's  last post in the thread Maybe you guys can solve this wifi question? he didn't get fast wireless until he went with "true" 5 GHz. This should be antidotal evidence  that using the 5 GHz ranges (in the 100's range) he was able to get great 5 GHz speeds.



Satcomer - Reading is important, so if YOU will re-read the thread that you posted, you will find that you reached an inaccurate conclusion.
The poster reached good speeds when he finally replaced their router with one that fully supported N-features, along with 5 GHz. 
jprupas never mentioned moving to higher radio channels.
If you are using channel 136 with 5GHz, and someone else in the next apartment is also using channel 136 with 5GHz, then you might STILL experience some interference. 5MHz certainly doesn't eliminate that possibility - though it's much less likely, and you would be unlikely to experience interference from other types of devices, too.

(as for distance - My wireless in my house drops from N speeds to G speeds when I move my laptop from the router room/office to a corner bedroom (about 40 feet). Don't talk to me about trying "all the way down the street" without adding APs.

I appreciated your creative use of the word "antidotal" -  
Changing the wifi channel can aid in counteracting the "poison" of interference, eh?


----------



## Satcomer (Oct 6, 2013)

DeltaMac said:


> I appreciated your creative use of the word "antidotal" -
> Changing the wifi channel can aid in counteracting the "poison" of interference, eh?



Yes! Delta you could download the free beta software iStumbler Beta  and see if your network isn't on the same channel as others that you can see.


----------



## Giaguara (Oct 17, 2013)

I wouldn't admit of ever having done anything bad with computers... O
Other than maybe having occasional fun with ssh (searching for files, launching apps etc), changing passwords etc.
I guess my tip would be to keep ssh (and other services you don't use) off, and if or when your relationship ends or is in crisis, change your password yourself.


----------



## Satcomer (Dec 19, 2013)

DeltaMac said:


> (as for distance - My wireless in my house drops from N speeds to G speeds when I move my laptop from the router room/office to a corner bedroom (about 40 feet). Don't talk to me about trying "all the way down the street" without adding APs



Yes that will happen. What did was use some Aluminum Foil and some cardboard from a shipment box and bent it into a parabolic shape and the glued it into the cardboard and place it behind the Time Capsule (or any router). The it just pointed the shape toward the part of the house that loosing signal and it greatly helped in distance.  So if you are feeling a little DIY this can help.


----------



## Giaguara (Jan 11, 2015)

Hm... some new ideas for evil pranks here:
Change the system font to Braille 
Find a way to force Closed Captioning be on always, and then set up VoiceOver to read the closed captioning text, or have CC show in braille.


----------

