(Part 2) Top products from r/techsupport

The technology behind battery backup systems is deceptively simple. It's a battery, that has a small charger/maintainer that keeps it charged when the wall power is there, and it's an inverter (like the ones you use in your car to run things that plug in the wall) when there's no wall power.
So yes, it will work, but the one you have selected is probably overkill, unless you've got the extra money to burn. Basically, you need to know two things. One is the wattage of the equipment you want to protect (You should own a Kill-a-watt, they're handy) and you need to know how long you want the device to operate.
From what I'm seeing, Dell put in a 350W power supply, so we'll use that as the base figure. (It doesn't actually use all that power all the time).
Now, with the Active PFC tech, it means that any power issues are automatically corrected by the power supply, which means you can probably use whatever type of power supply you like. Just get one that can support about 350W (or whatever you get measuring the usage of your computer and monitor), and then you just need to determine how long you want it to run. The higher the VA (Volt-Amp) or Watt rating, the longer it will power your equipment. You can get one that will run the machine for hours, or you can get a cheapie that will run it for like 5 minutes. Most have a companion software and USB cable that will allow the machine to shut itself down (or hibernate) when the battery in the UPS gets to a certain point.
Be aware that any battery backup, wether it is used or not, will lose capacity over time. Mission-critical systems should have batteries tested/replaced every year, I do workstations every 2-3.
You don't have to change the entire unit either. Usually there's an access panel where you can remove the sealed lead-acid battery inside, and you can take it to a store (I like Batteries Plus) and they'll sell you a fresh one.

FYI, I run a fairly similar system (Dell Precision T1500 (i7/LCD)) with a 500VA battery backup. It's load, when I'm just running desktop applications is ~130W, which equates to about 20 minutes of backup power on an 12V/8AH SLA Battery.

Looks like it's been a few weeks since this thread, but here's an update:

I hooked it up the way you suggested and it works great. The box they installed for the modem and all the wires is pretty small and there are only two outlets there so I took out the switch and just plugged four of the 6 ethernet cables directly into the router. Two of the rooms don't need internet at the current time anyway. Now my issue is that since the router is in the basement, the wifi isn't great on the main floor or even upstairs (which is two floors away). I bought one of those wifi range extenders that plug into the wall, and it works okay, but I'm thinking I might get better results by using a second router. I can get a second one that matches my first on Amazon for about $18 refurbished, which is about $10 less than I paid for that extender in the first place.

What's the difference between using a wireless access point and a second router? I know that the second router takes a bit of configuring, but it'd be worth it to also have a few extra wired ports there in the living room. That would be nice so that I can plug a gaming system or Roku box straight into it, and still have a lot of signal strength in the living room and upstairs.

Thanks for the help. I'm currently at home, but will try that when I get back to school. I found and installed LinSSID. Is there a certain number or range I should look for when I'm monitoring a network? My home network signal seems to be hovering around -10 to 10. I'll look for a manual for the program later to better understand the information.

Can you recommend a usb wireless adapter that would improve my computers ability to capture wifi signals? I have this one I tried at school: https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-N150-Wireless-Adapter-TL-WN725N/dp/B008IFXQFU

Unfortunately, it doesn't help my problem at all and I'm willing to spend more money on a better one to solve my problems. Would something like https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/penguin-wireless-n-usb-adapter-w-external-antenna-gnu-linux-tpe-n150usbl help me?

Great! Okay, so according to a quick Google search, you can run both the DVI and VGA ports concurrently.

You CAN go from DVI-D, which is what you have next to the VGA port, straight to HDMI, with a cable like this.

Now, the only thing to worry about is that DVI cannot carry audio, whereas HDMI can do both audio and video. There are some TVs out there with a PC input that allows you to have audio come over a separate cable (3.5mm stereo mini, optical, RCA, etc).

If your TV does not have that, you might be better off using your PC speakers, or looking at something like this. (I have never used that part and can't vouch for its efficacy, although Monoprice is perfectly fine as a parts seller) If you can just use your PC speakers (as it sounds like the displays won't be far apart), then that would certainly be the easiest solution.

You can go cheap on the opening tools without being penalized.
Laptops and the like aren't cars - they don't require tons of force but you DO need the right bits and/or shims to get them open without stripping heads or damaging plastics.
Something similar to this which has a bunch of bits, magnetized pickup, and "guitar" style plastic pry tools should do fine.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073ZWY386/ref=twister_B07FMWPBKN

A portable multimeter is always useful, I like the ones that fold in on themselves so you can throw them in a bag.
https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Multimeter-Ranging-Pocket-Tester/dp/B06Y4RZY45

Get some Cat5e clips, put them in a ziploc, and throw them in your bag along with a crimping tool, needle nose pliers, and wire stripper. You will be surprised how often you need to re-crimp a cable or make a new one on-site.
Note - if you don't know how to make a cable, definitely practice that first!

Get an ethernet/phone continuity tester. You don't need a Fluke CableIQ (they're nice though!) but a basic continuity tester will let you (laboriously) trace any ethernet jacks that need tracing. And you can test those cables you just made or just fixed.
I have one basically identical to this and I've used it for over 10 years now I think. Money well spent.
https://www.amazon.com/Tonor-RJ45-Network-Cable-Tester/dp/B00OUFX38W

As mentioned before, something to read a drive(s).
Any multi sd-card reader will do but instead of a dock you may want something like this since it is more portable. Yet another thing I've had for over 5 years and used countless times.
https://www.amazon.com/AGPtek-Drive-Adapter-Converter-External/dp/B00BIE996S

I can't find any docks with Dual Link, but with DP output you can use an active DP to DVI-DL adapter. As I said, they are quite expensive. I will give you a link to one that should work just so you can see what to look for. I have no idea if it's good and it's one of the more expensive ones. Link. They don't have to have a USB cable for additional power, but many do.

In the description look for "2560x1600 at 60Hz". Some will say "Will only work with computers able to output DVI signals at 340Hz". That's not a thing, it's just that if it was possible Single Link would work at Dual Link speeds. This makes their product technically not a scam. At the bottom of the reviews, click "See all xxx reviews". You will then get a search bar. Search for either the resolution you need or 144Hz as that's a bit more popular with DVI-DL. If it supports 144Hz it will support 2560x1600 and vice versa.

If you are uncertain feel free to post one you are considering. I can only tell you if it should work as these are very often fragile and break easily.

Okay so 150 feet isn't all that long for a able run. I have done many runs that are longer and have run faster speeds.

Did you run it parallel to ANY electrical cables? If so this is your problem.

When you say your not getting 25 MbPS what is the speed your getting? How did you determine that speed? Are you aware there is a difference between Megabits and Megabytes per second? (And huge difference) so your download speed on Chrome is not your Internet speed.

Since you have a cable ran and you are need good WiFi look into a Ubiquiti Wireless AP unit.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B015PR20GY/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500304812&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=ubiquiti+wireless+access+point&dpPl=1&dpID=31-u-5bgo0L&ref=plSrch

I install these at work in residential homes. They are amazing. I installed the Pro version in businesses normally. (As they have an extra port for add another POE devices.)

Feel free to ask any questions and good luck getting it solved.

Here's the options I'd suggest:

Replace airport with something like the TP-Link C7/C9.

• Depending on how far your backyard is from the router and things in between, may still have issues with WiFi
  
• Could always put the C7/C9 in a more central location in your house or closer to where you need good signal and just run a cable from your modem to the C7/C9.
  
• Easiest to configure, mostly plug-and-play with some config needed to setup password, SSID, IP scheme if you want to change it, etc.
  
  Buy a wireless access point and keep the airport for now.
  
  
• Try the access point where your airport is now and see if you get good signal in the backyard. If not, run a cable from the airport (or switch) to a more central location in your house, or closer to where you need good signal and setup the access point there.
  
• These are unbeatable wireless access points for the money.
  
• The AC lite will require some configuration.
  
  Replace the airport with something like an edge router X and also get the Ubiquiti AC Lite access point.
  
  
• Setup the edge router X where the airport is now and try the access point where the edge router is. If you don't get good enough signal where you need it, run a cable from the edge router to a more central location in your house or closer to where you need good signal and setup the AC lite there.
  
• Most configuration needed as both the edge router and AC lite require some configuration.

Definitely sounds like a power supply issue to me. I like to have a PSU tester on hand because in my experience, the PSU is the source of a lot of issues in systems, with the motherboard being the least common source of issues. Here's a cheap but effective PSU tester on Amazon that you can easily use to check the voltages of your PSU before you make any big purchases like buying new memory.

If all you're looking for is an internet connection but can't run a cable across the house a Powerline adapter works pretty well, as long as they're on the same circuit.

I have these: TP-Link AV200 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit, up to 200Mbps (TL-PA2010KIT) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUIY4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_WHrGzbAM87XEE

Alternatively, a cheap USB adapter would be nice, I have used this one before: Edimax EW-7811Un 150Mbps 11n Wi-Fi USB Adapter, Nano Size Lets You Plug it and Forget it, Ideal for Raspberry Pi / Pi2, Supports Windows, Mac OS, Linux (Black/Gold) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_OJrGzbXJTB3PB



Ps sorry about the links, I'm on mobile...

5ghz wifi base station and set it to bridge mode connect it to the uni wifi and then ethernet cable into your pc. basically it becomes the wifi card but will work a lot better.

2.4ghz has a longer range for transmission receiving as its a lower frequency. Could use a 2.4ghz bridge as well might be better but im sure with enough signal 5ghz should be fine.

USB network cards usually don't have a very good range as they are small, a wifi base station has nice big aerials.

​

https://www.amazon.com.au/TP-Link-TL-WN725N-Wireless-Network-Adapter/dp/B008IFXQFU/ref=asc_df_B008IFXQFU/?tag=googleshopdsk-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=341773398184&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=263816913391382260&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9069013&hvtargid=pla-309497953602&psc=1

​

​

vs's

​

https://www.netgear.com.au/home/products/networking/modem-routers/d1500.aspx

Okay thank you for the clarification. I found this on amazon which appears to have good reviews. It might be a decent option to pick up 2 as a low-budget way to get a start on boosting my network? Then I could see if it works better for what I need and if so, then I would be willing to maybe upgrade and get better AP's before I just dive right in and find myself in over my head.

If you're going to end up buying new hardware, I'd suggest going with Powerline ethernet, unless you really want to buy a new router/wireless bridge. It will be be less clutter, cheaper, and more reliable (than cheap wireless bridge alternatives).

Out of the box Wireless Bridge capable routers, you could get something like this TP-LINK.

I'd suggest any Asus router, and flash tomato on it. Something cheap like this N-12 would do. I like the asus routers because they are unbrickable; perfect for messing about with the firmware.

• When I test a ground pin against any other pin, all I get is either 0V or 5V...is this normal
  
  Likely no however the power supply isn't powered. still however an audible pop from a power supply often means blown fuse or blown capacitor.
  
  
• is there a better way to test the power supply?
  
  Buy an atx power supply tester from amazon or your local pc hardware provider. Another option is any pc repair shop worth their weight in salt should have an atx power supply tester. Take your power supply to one of your unable to locate your own atx power supply tester.
  
  The cost to buy your power supply tester is generally very inexpensive however.
  
  If you need a reliable replacment an evga G3 gold efficiency unit is among the best offerings currently available for power supplies having a seven year warranty and near perfect reviews from jonnyguru.
  
  The 650 watt evga G3 gold unit is $80 from amazon.

Since you already have a cable ran to your room for your PC, you just need to get a cheap gigabit switch and an access point. Connect the cable to the switch, then run a cable from the switch to your PC, and run another cable from the switch to a wireless access point in your room. Depending on your finances, the best AP for the money is this, but something like this would work fine as well. For a cheap switch, just get something like this, or netgear/d-link etc.

If the HD is in working order, I would recommend cloning the HD to the SSD, so that Windows, all programs, and all data will remain as-is. If you re-install the OS on the SSD, you will have to re-install all programs and then move the data.

To clone you need both drives attached to the same computer at the same time. Since you have an AIO, it most likely only has 1 drive bay (but you should open it up and check), meaning only 1 SATA drive can be attached at once. So we need a SATA to USB adapter of some sort. Like this cable:

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Adapter-Support-Inches-External/dp/B07Y25PRWG/

or this external enclosure:

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S

The cable being for temporary usage, while the enclosure could later be used to convert your HD to an external backup drive (if the HD is 2.5" form factor, it may be 3.5", specs aren't clear to me, all SATA SSDs are 2.5", laptop HDs are 2.5", desktop HDs are often 3.5", AIO could use either)

Put the SSD in the enclosure or attach it with the cable. Boot to cloning software of choice (Acronis, Macrium, Easeus, Clonezilla, etc).
Clone HD to SSD. Shutdown, replace HD with SSD. Reboot. Everything will be as it was, just faster to access on an SSD.

You can also accomplish this using disk images. But you would still need an external drive of some sort. Save the image of the HD onto the external drive. Make a boot disk/usb with whatever imaging software you use. Swap HD with SSD, boot to the imaging software, and restore the image to the SSD. Boot to SSD and done.

If your HD is 3.5", you are also going to need this:

https://www.amazon.com/ORICO-Adapter-Mounting-Bracket-Interface/dp/B01LZWX6PD

To adapt the 2.5" SSD to fit exactly into the 3.5" bay.

Hi, you wont be able to "clone" the old hard drive for the new computer. I'm not 100% sure of what stops it but my best guess is 1. the settings for other/new system are too different and 2. it's a licensing counter measure from Microsoft (assuming you are using windows).

The best thing to do, is get one of these
http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Adapter-Converter-Optical-External/dp/B002OV1VJW

Then connect the old drive to the adapter, then the adapter to the new computer, copy photos/music/etc

1. Components from the same batch are usually made at the same time and often fail around the same time
   
   
2. Yes, and Yes, so long as it is compatible with your PC (Clock speed, DIMM size etc.)
   
   
3. Yes, Just boot off of the Windows USB or DVD and reinstall, if you want to recover your files off your HDD you could use something like This.
   
   
4. End the processes? IDK why google chrome likes to run so many in the background, I think it is mostly google drive and such. Also helps with Chrome load times. I would poke around the chrome settings to see if there is an option to disable.
   _____
   Any more questions just let me know :)

The cable plugs into the motherboard in the white connector towards the left. Then the cable plugs into the hard drive, there's a latch on the top of the cable cable that should line up with the opening on the hard drive, plus it's keyed so you shouldn't have to many issues. The molex cable is sided as well, like a trapazoid so it will only fit in one way. For the power supply, you can use the old one to power just the hard drive but I thought you said the current power supply had a molex connector. If you still don't think you're able to do it right, you might be better off getting a IDE to USB adapter like this. I have one myself and it works well, I kept the box and it stays in a drawer when I'm not using it.

> Is there a way to force a connection to my router?

I'm not not sure what you mean here.

> Is it possible that I may be too far away (I'm one floor above the router) to have a stable connection?

Yes, different materials can severely reduce wireless signal strength.
If your area is really congested with other wireless access points, it can be a problem.
Since the router is below your feet, point the Asus PCE-N15's antenna towards the floor...maybe this will improve the signal.

Best option is using a wired connection. Running a long 100ft/150ft/200ft cat6 cable might be a bit of an eyesore for some people, but its the only thing that worked flawlessly.

You could also try a wireless range extender. Another option is to use Powerline Network Adapters, but the quality is dependent on how good your electrical wiring is. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUIY4

What was the model of your original usb dongle that died? Are you using Wireless-N (802.11n) or Wireless-AC (802.11ac)? Although, 802.11ac signal has better network throughput, it's signal range is the same distance as 802.11n.

Sounds like, in which case you totally lucked out man. Just plug your stuff into that and you're good to go.

If you want to also extend wireless you can buy an AP like this or one of a bajillion other models and plug it into the switch.

That should work perfectly fine for what you want.

Just remove the harddrive from your non-working laptop; connect the USB end to a working PC and the sata end to the hard drive you just removed and you should be able to access the hard drive as you would any other attached HDD/SSD.

You may have to take ownership of the folders (including other sub-folders as well, but that is also pretty straight forward. If you do run into that issue and need help, just ask.

Personally I use something like this as I am always having to access data for people whose computers have become damaged for whatever reason. It covers both 2.5" and 3.5" SATA and IDE. But if this is just a one-off data recovery mission, then the one you have linked to will do just fine.

I don’t know if that monitor supports hdmi 2.0 but if it doesn’t here’s an adapter from DisplayPort to dvi that will support 144hz

https://www.amazon.co.uk/DisplayPort-Dual-Active-Adapter-Converter/dp/B00A493CNY/ref=asc_df_B00A493CNY/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167151358503&hvpos=1o7&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11864583369199119158&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=2840&hvtargid=pla-314819641165&psc=1

EDIT: looks like the monitor supports 144hz over DisplayPort

EDIT2: read that you don’t have DisplayPort available on the monitor. The adapter should work, but is a little expensive

Oh yeah, batching works fine too, its just cost vs time equafion. I have few dupe needs, so I spent under $300 and I have 3 clones going from time to time myself. Have fun cloning☺

edit:
Here's what I use by the way;it's just fine for my needs
http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Expansion-Desktop-External-STBV5000100/dp/B00JT0EGPW

http://www.amazon.com/IO-Crest-eSATA-Components-SI-PEX40065/dp/B00AZ9T4F8

http://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Duplicator-Function-EC-HDD2/dp/B00IKC14OG

and lastly the ssd's external / internal

http://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-2-5-Inch-Shockproof-Enclosure-EC-UK3B/dp/B0126RO1YK

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-512GB-2-5-Inch-Internal-MZ-7KE512BW/dp/B00LF10KTO

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HJ99DI

Cheers.

Sorry I forgot to explain something, from what I know about using such devices. Even if you create a bridge between those 2 devices wirelessly, they may not be able to act as a Wi-Fi device as well, on cheaper routers they can act as a wireless bridge, but they cannot then be used to connect to Wi-Fi as well.

Also the reputation of Wi-Fi extenders is really bad. I would suggest getting something like a Ubiquiti AP AC lite, they have great range, plus you can have multiple Wi-Fi networks in one device! (Up to 4 separate networks AFAIK)

But make sure to shop around or talk to folks who have already have done what you need to get the most out.

Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:

Amazon Smile Link: http://smile.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WA801ND-Wireless-300Mbps-Repeater/dp/B004UBU8IE/ref=lp_1194486_1_24


|Country|Link|Charity Links|
|:-----------|:------------|:------------|
|USA|smile.amazon.com|EFF|
|UK|www.amazon.co.uk|Macmillan|
|Spain|www.amazon.es||
|France|www.amazon.fr||
|Germany|www.amazon.de||
|Canada|www.amazon.ca||
|India|www.amazon.in||




To help add charity links, please have a look at this thread.

This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting). The thread for feature requests can be found here.

>there's a cable in the wifi box thing in the wall

I don't know what this means. Does this mean there's an ethernet jack available to you to use? Is the wireless router physically in your apartment? Can you try plugging a PC into this router and see if the PC gets internet through the router?

Regardless there's a different way to get it working and that's by using a wireless bridge.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless-300Mbps-Repeater-TL-WA801ND/dp/B004UBU8IE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502852928&sr=8-1&keywords=tp+link+wireless+bridge

This will connect to the WiFi and rebroadcast it out across your apartment. So if it works well if your roommates room, then you'd just put the bridge in there and connect it to the WiFi and it would rebroadcast it out hopefully giving you a better signal assuming your roommates room is close to your room.

That interface is attached the hard drive but is removable.

There is an attachment on your 2.5 in hard drive which you can easily remove. If you dont want to remove the attachment to your hardrive you can use:


http://www.amazon.com/Western-Passport-Essential-WDCA042RNN-Connector/dp/B005K6G7BU

If you remove that attachment you can use:

http://www.amazon.com/USB-SATA-5-25-Cable-Adapter/dp/B000YJBL78

My first recommendation would be to if possible set up an Ethernet connection. That will most likely be your absolute best bet. However, if that is not possible at this time, getting a USB WiFi adapter (can be purchased locally at most tech stores or you can get something like this on Amazon, depending on your ISP's speeds) should serve you well for now.

You will need an adapter to get data off the old drive.

I have a few really good adapters that can all connect an IDE drive to USB, but I think for your needs you just need a basic kit like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-5-25-INCH-Converter-Activity-USB-DSC9/dp/B00DQJME7Y

This type of kit will have all the basic tools you will need.

I know you said you didn't want to spend money, but this is probably the only way to connect the drive to your computer.

Maybe call around or ask a friend if they already have the adapter.

Solutions I'd recommend.

• Connect the printer to A PC via USB and share it out via google cloud print. (free)
  
• Get a cheap range extender and connect the printer to it via the LAN port. https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wi-Fi-Range-Extender-TL-WA850RE/dp/B00E98O7GC
  
• Set up a mesh wifi network and connect it to one of the nodes via Ethernet. (This option is a bit more expensive but scales the best if you live in a house)

sounds like only one line has the filter on the port itself, so your best bet is too extend your wireless using this product, http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-Wi-Fi-Range-Extender-TL-WA850RE/dp/B00E98O7GC, but if you after a wired connection you could just run powerline, otherwise your other option is to replace the router with a better unit, i know thats not what you asked but hopefully i have given you a few options.

You will not need to buy another Windows license, as the one you have is tied to the BIOS of the laptop. But, it's a good idea to link it to a MS account just in case.

To clone the HDD to the SSD you can use Macrium Reflect which is free. It's a simple straight forward process. You will need a USB to SATA adapter, or an enclosure, to do this.

Cloning is fine and seems to be the route you want to take as you mention you do not want to re-install all your programs, settings, etc. The only drawback is it's not a fresh/clean install.

Buy this, I'm betting all your problems will be solved.


They are super easy to set up. Plug one end into router, then into the wall outlet (make sure not to plug it into a surge protector, it has to be directly into a wall power outlet)

Then get the other one, plug it into whatever you want to have internet. If you want more than one device in your room to have internet, buy this.

quick question would you say either of these are good choices to get? i mean do they have good specs at first glance?

http://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-SATA-Drive-Converter-USB-DSC5/dp/B000HJ99DI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449650088&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=sata+ide&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/SANOXY-A12940-Drive-Adapter-Converter/dp/B001OORMVQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449650647&sr=8-1&keywords=sata+ide&refinements=p_n_condition-type%3A6461716011

should i go for more expensive? will these break down in like 3 days cause of the cost?

If you're just looking for an adapter, yes they do exist. I use one for hard drives all the time but I don't see why it wouldn't work with an optical drive as well. If you'd like, I could test it out later tonight.

I use something like this, Sabrent USB 2.0 TO SATA/IDE 2.5/3.5/-INCH Hard Drive Converter With Power Supply & LED Activity Lights [4TB Support] (USB-DSC5) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HJ99DI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_j6MCybNDNXQQ4

I'm assuming you have two desktops here. You can connect your crashing HDD to your working desktop by opening it up and connecting it to an open SATA power port from your PSU and using a spare SATA data cable to connect it to the motherboard.

You can also use one of these to connect it to your working desktop by way of USB port to back up your data.

Then you can make boot media for Win 7 using a CD or a flash drive. Google "how to make win 7 boot media". Once you have it, put your SSD in the computer, boot and install from the media you made and transfer the data you backed up onto the SSD once it's done.

I can start explaining now what the issues might be and just blast your with 10 or more options you have now. Most easy is is to just get an wifi extender to boost your signal in your house. That way you don't need to fight around with usb dongels or wifi settings.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-Wi-Fi-Range-Extender-TL-WA850RE/dp/B00E98O7GC/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1466498859&sr=1-3&keywords=wifi+extender


But that's just a solution for your house.

From what I understand, you're getting WiFi from the AT&T store and want to boost that signal Into the rest of your home?

I don't know if that's legal or not but you get WiFi Extenders that plug into your wall and Can be configured on its webpage to connect to a certain WiFi network and Repeat it. Perhaps this or something similar could help

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wi-Fi-Range-Extender-TL-WA850RE/dp/B00E98O7GC

This is what I am looking at. One of the Q&A says that it creates another ssid, but can name it the same as the original router and my devices will pick the strongest signal. Does that sound accurate.

While I have not done something like this myself I would think simply buying a HDMI splitter like this to split the signal and an active HDMI to VGA adapter like this to connect it to the VGA monitor should work fine.

Does it look easy to open up? And do you have a screwdriver small enough to open it?

If you look up a YouTube video on replacing your brand/model's hard drive it should teach you.

Just unscrew lots of things, (discharge static electricity by touching part of the frame) unplug a few components, and pull the drive. Replug all the components, and close it up!

Really the only things that could go wrong are:

1. If you shock a sensitive piece
   
2. If you strip one of the plugs
   
3. If you let stuff fall into the laptop
   
   So follow the instructions, and make sure to touch the metal support structure often, and it will go fine.
   
   It's not like it will become less useful to you if you mess it up.
   
   If not having the hard drive in doesn't fix it, then you can buy an external hard drive enclosure example to recover your files and have a super big usb drive.

You're on the right track; what you're wanting is an extra wirelesss access point. (not a router)


If you've already worked out how you can safely run CAT6 from the router in the home back to the apartment, then all you need is an access point to provide wireless connectivity on the other end. At ~225ft, you should be fine with a single cable run. I'd recommend looking at a Ubiquiti UniFi AP, you can pick any that meets your needs. (Wireless N/AC, long range or not, etc)


UniFi UAP (wireless N)


UniFi UAP-LR (wireless N, long range)


UniFi UAP-AC-LITE (wireless AC)


The AC versions are rather new and should be closer to $100-110 MSRP. If you wanted to go that route, wait until there's stock at B&H Photo.

Are you using wifi to test the speed? If so, try connecting a computer with an ethernet cable (any type will do, if it was bought in the last 20 years). Make sure all other devices are off, or at least not using data. To test, use speedtest.net. It will automatically choose the best server and measure your speeds. If your speeds are still slow, it is your ISP's fault. Contact them and figure it out with them.

If your speeds are fine with ethernet, then it's a wifi issue. Your current router can handle 60 Mb of network traffic, just not through wifi. It could also be metal pipes in your walls creating a Faraday cage. In either case, you should buy a Ubiquiti access point. This is the cheapest option, this one is more powerful, and this is designed for use in large buildings or spaces. They are probably some of the best access points you can get but might take a little setup.

A solution would be something like this headset adapter here. You can find them online if a few different colors. Hope this helps! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071NDLCGC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gMQ3CbWX54TQ5

Ah that makes sense. If you really want to check your power draw you can use something like a Kill-A-Watt to measure in real time what your computer uses. You can average it out and get an accurate representation of how much power you are using per kilowatt hour. Multiply times the cost of your energy and you see exactly how much you pay for your power on your PC.

Pretty handy device

You don't really NEED any kind of transfer cable/device, you can just copy all of your data to a USB Flash/HDD, install Windows on the new SSD, then copy everything back (this will take more time though).

If you ARE going to get cable/device, purchase something like this, it will allow you to use your old HDD like a USB drive (or get a caddy and you can use your old HDD as a permanent USB HDD). If you've done this, you can use the Samsung Migrate software that comes on the CD to move your entire OS from your old HDD to your new SSD - it will take an hour or so, but it means you don't have to reinstall Windows.

If you ARE going to reinstall Windows, you can download your media now for Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10

Let me know if you have any issues with any of the above :)

https://www.amazon.com/DisplayPort-Dual-Active-Adapter-Converter/dp/B00A493CNY/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1539737968&sr=1-3&keywords=displayport+dvi+dual+link+active

One like that, being a powered active dual link converter will support 144Hz at 1080p.

Another option is to sell the monitor you have and get one with Displayport.

The ones connected with an ethernet cable are called access points. The fully wireless ones are generally called repeaters.

I've never had a wireless repeater work reliability for any length of time.

You are looking for something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00E98O7GC

Maybe someone else has good experience with one they can recommend.

Using something like this will be the best. It makes the HDD hot swappable and you don't have to deal with jumpers.

get one of these it's not a fancy enclosure or anything but it'll allow you to get the data off pretty much any drive in existence.

Oh i get it wow. Interesting situation. I would translate my petition on Google translate the print it out and give it with the psu.

Also there is a cheap psu tester. Maybe they have it.

HDE 20+4 Pin LCD Power Supply Tester for ATX, ITX, BTX, PCI-E, SATA, HDD

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005UZHB6G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_8Qz1CbSEJDJ20

Because the resolution is higher than 1920x1080 you will need the active DVI-D to displayport. However, it also needs to be dual link as well so you'll need something like this adapter. The 3007WFP doesn't have a scaler so it defaults to 1280x800.

DD-WRT is a way to link and extend your wifi network using your routers, if they are compatible. Some routers even have an option to act as an access point all on their own. If your routers are both compatible with DD-WRT, here is an article explaining how to do it.

On a related topic, I just purchased a couple of Range Extenders for $28/ea. for a client who has a large house. Simplistic to use, they work like a champ. Zero technical skill required.

Oh sweet, thank you very much!

Edit: Would this be a good one, being a one time use thing don't plan on wasting too much money. https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Converter-Activity-Support-USB-DSC5/dp/B000HJ99DI

You can buy an external wireless card. This is pretty common when your builtin wireless card stops functioning. If your current wireless card is the issue then a new one will resolve this issue. Here are some examples from amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1493679602&sr=8-4&keywords=usb+wireless

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-N150-Wireless-Adapter-TL-WN725N/dp/B008IFXQFU/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1493679602&sr=8-6&keywords=usb+wireless

An "HDMI Input to DVI Output Adapter Cable" like this one, right? Thanks!

AmazonBasics HL-007347 HDMI Input to DVI Output Adapter Cable - 6 Feet: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014I8UQJY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_p7t3BbV808KFH

Update: Hold on, shouldn't the HDMI be output and DVI be input? Would a bi-directional one make more sense? https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-CL3-Rated-Bi-Directional-HDMI/dp/B00K7HECTQ

i saw those but i wasn't sure if they worked :S

would this one work too i don't need sound on that monitor

thank you so much for the help

A good Powerline adapter is only about $30. You can get one here.

I use one and I can promise you that it's worth it.

What piece of hardware are you using that is WiFi capable? I doubt the motherboard has WiFi built into it. Once you find out what you are using for WiFi hardware, just google the model number and download the driver specific to your operating system your using. Or use the disc that came with the hardware.
If you dont have any WiFi capable hardware, you can purchase a cheap USB dongle to help get you by http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WN725N-Wireless-Adapter-Miniature/dp/B008IFXQFU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414948421&sr=8-1&keywords=wireless+usb

I have this one ( https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Converter-Activity-Support-USB-DSC5/dp/B000HJ99DI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1479680284&sr=8-2&keywords=sabrent+ec-ahdd ) and it works well enough. It's only $13 at the moment. You'll obviously need something to put the files on but it essentially turns your drive into a USB stick. Though the pictures don't show, it does come with a power supply and a few other adapters. Feel free to browse the QA on it.

Oh you mean something like this? I already have one, didn't think about that. Wouldn't it affect connection quality though?

Seems like it would affect ping(?)

if you haven't already and you are pretty desperate, i would try purchasing a wifi repeater, that may do the trick, heres a great one.

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WA850RE-Universal-One-button-Indicator/dp/B00E98O7GC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408334371&sr=8-1&keywords=wireless+internet+repeater

Using W10 media creation tool, you should in theory have all the updates (or at least all the ones that matter). I would uninstall the netgear/TP Link drivers, go into device manager and disable/uninstall the wna3100 and WN823N. Might as well run a system file check to repair any missing system or registry files during the upgrade then reboot computer and install the drivers again.


And if all else fails, Powerline Adapter + Ethernet USB adapter is a good solution as well, since you don't want to deal with long cables

Sounds like your HDD most likely converted to a Raw formatting during the win 10 upgrades. I've experienced some of my offices PC HDD getting corrupted or converting to Raw due to the Win 10 Upgrade.

I can't say for sure if this is the case with the laptop but seems like it. If this is the case, you will need a data recovery software that can recover data. If the HDD is in Raw Format, you will need to find a recovery software that can recover from Raw HDD.

In order to check to see if the HDD is in Raw format or not, you will need a USB to SATA (or whatever type of HDD the laptop uses) adapter or similar device. Example: USB TO SATA Adapter .

You will need administrator to the following:

Once the laptop HDD is connected to another PC via Adapter/Docking Station Or I guess you can also use the Portal HDD with Windows Live to check:

1. Go to "Disk Management"
   
   
2. You will see a window pop-up and in the bottom, "Disk 0", "Disk 1", "Disk 2" etc etc depending on how many HDD's are hooked up to the PC.
   
   
3. Look for the laptop HDD, Either the Disk with No Blue bar to show that it is being used will be the laptop HDD or you can check by looking at the HDD total space to figure out which is the laptop Disk.
   
   If you see a Disk that says "Offline" underneath the Disk Label, right click the "Disk **" and then click on "Online". If you get lucky, this may fix the issue. If not, proceed with the following below.
   
   
4. Once you find the laptop HDD, right-click where it says "Disk **" and then click on "Properties"
   
   
5. A small window will pop-up
   
   
6. Click on the "Volumes tab"
   
   
7. For "Partition Style" check to see if it says MBR, GPT, or Raw.
   
   If it says Raw, it sucks and you will need to find a recovery software that works on RAW HDD's. If it says MBR or GPT, not sure, may need to do more research in that case.

I'm looking to buy this:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DQJME7Y/?tag=hotoge-20
http://www.howtogeek.com/182452/how-to-get-data-off-an-old-hard-drive-without-putting-it-in-a-pc/

I'm pretty sure that should do the trick, right?

use the HDMI out from your PC, Switch and PS4 and run into an HDMI switch:

​

https://www.amazon.com/GANA-Intelligent-Switcher-Splitter-Supports/dp/B0739GSKV2/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=hdmi+switch&qid=1555316855&s=electronics&sr=1-4

​

Connect HDMI out from above to HDMI IN on audio extractor: https://www.amazon.com/ViewHD-Extractor-Optical-Toslink-Converter/dp/B00KBHX072?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_1

​

use this cable to convert your HDMI video coming out of the audio extractor to DVI and run to your LCD : https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Input-Output-Adapter-Cable/dp/B014I8UQJY/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=hdmi+to+dvi&qid=1555316493&s=gateway&sr=8-3

​

Run RCA audio cables out of the audio extractor (above) and connect to your RCA AUDIO INPUTS on your LCD - you don't need 5.1 or surround sound for onboard stereo speakers analog L/R is fine.

​

Hope this helps.

I recommend grabbing one of these: https://www.amazon.com/HDE-Power-Supply-Tester-PCI/dp/B005UZHB6G/ for $15. I understand you may not want to buy anything extra, but I figure that a $15 tester is better than potentially frying a new GPU.

You probably need a splitter, example splitter on amazon

Microphones that work with smartphones have four connections on the plug. The microphone signal is on the extra ring.

Microphones that work with most PC's have three connections on the plug with the microphone signal on the tip. (Headsets that are combined headphones and microphones need to have separate headphone and microphone plugs to work with most PC's.)

Some PC's made in the last few years support microphones and headsets with plugs with four connections, most PC's don't.

This gets asked so often that perhaps it is time for someone to write an article for the knowledgebase, ideally with pictures.

These headphone / mic combinations use a 4 pole jack as opposed to the classical 3 pole audio jack.
I don't know what kind of input you are using but chances are high it is a 3 pole jack.
You could use sth like [this] (https://www.amazon.com/Maeline-Female-Plated-Headphone-Splitter/dp/B00PYZ2BT4/ref=sr_1_4?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1511010801&sr=1-4&keywords=y+splitter) and plug it in your headphone/mic in jack

Agree with this. Plus if you have it hooked up to another computer it will be much easier to recover data as you can just copy it to the computer you are using.

It is a big waste of time to try to repair the computer in question just so you can recover data. The link sglville provided would work but I would go with something more like this https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-USB-DSC9-SATA-Drive-Converter/dp/B00DQJME7Y/ as it's USB 3.0.

It says 200mbps that isn't bad? So I just plug one in by my modem and another one by my laptop? Nice!

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Adapter-Starter-TL-PA2010KIT/dp/B00AWRUIY4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1498370732&sr=8-3&keywords=powerline%2BEthernet%2Badapter&th=1

The jacks probably don't support using both. It has to be designed a certain way to support line in and line out through the same port. I believe many motherboards don't support that, so you could get a cheap splitter like this.

Not the biggest and the baddest, but I always have one or two of these on hand.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-wireless-network-Adapter-SoftAP/dp/B008IFXQFU/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2LZSS68P0B5JA&keywords=usb+wireless+adapter&qid=1565881705&s=gateway&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&sprefix=usb+wireless+%2Caps%2C211&sr=8-3

You have two options, neither is cheap:

A) Buy this Dual Link, Powered, DVI/Display Port Adapter: https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-DisplayPort-DVI-Adapter-1920x1200/dp/B00A493CNY?th=1

B) Buy a new monitor. I'd suggest something with Free Sync as this works with nVidia and AMD. https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16824025942?Item=N82E16824025942

What models are the current ones you're using?
The UniFi range is nice and can do seamless transitions between different APs so long as you have a computer running their control software, but are kinda expensive https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1524752349&sr=8-8&keywords=802.11+ac+access+point

There's a huge range of access points/routers available.

You'll need an active adapter like this

Oh, right okay, that's a little different then.

I don't think this is possible without a wire, you'd have to most likely settle for a strong WiFi router, or Ethernet over power. (Costs money.)

Yes you can. You can use something like this to make it external.

Buy this splitter. I bought it and it's done exactly what you need.

Kinda sucks having to spend more money after your build is all said and done, but luckily it's only a few bucks.

Edit: I found this one which seems to be the same thing but a few dollars cheaper. I don't own this one so I can't vouch for it's reliability. The decision is yours.

Something like this.

Note: that is only an example, ensure you match your own drive's specifications when buying an enclosure

Wifi Repeater is an option. I use this one to bridge the gaps in my house. Just position it halfway between your router and your first floor router. Works very well for standard browsing. However, it is not suitable for gaming or other low-ping activities.

For gaming I use, ethernet over powerlines as Fightinglight says. This one works very well as it has a 4-port switch at the end which allows me to plug in two computers and a printer in my office.

A SATA to USB adapter/dock

here is a quick search for one.
http://www.amazon.com/NEON-All--Docking-Station-reader/dp/B0047P77HI/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1421263059&sr=8-16&keywords=sata+dock

---

or you can go a bit cheaper - but I've not had as much luck with these.

http://www.amazon.com/USB-SATA-5-25-Cable-Adapter/dp/B000YJBL78

Look at the connector on your Headset.
Does it have 4 rings or only 3? Example


If it has 1 connector, with 4 rings, then this is meant for a cell phone type connector. Most PCs still have separate connectors for Headphones and Microphone.

If your laptop only has 1 connector, or simply supports all 4 rings, then thats why it works there.

You would need an adapter like this to make it work on a standard PC with 2 jacks:
https://smile.amazon.com/Maeline-Female-Plated-Headphone-Splitter/dp/B00PYZ2BT4

Computers have headphone jacks and microphone jacks.

Phones/tablets/etc tend to have headphone/microphone combo jacks.

You need a splitter like this one to turn your single plug into two plugs. Anything like it will work.

The splitter will turn your 3-conductor 3.5 into two 2 conductor 3.5 plugs.

If you don't find a converter, you can find an adapter to USB where you can copy the files you need off of it and copy them back onto the new drive you bought to put in the laptop.

Here's an example of a pretty cheap generic one off Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Generic-SATA-5-25-Cable-Adapter/dp/B000YJBL78

Just search "IDE to USB" or vice versa.

It will mount the drive as a drive letter in "Computer" (if you're using Windows) and you can browse through the files.

Okay so since the signal will stay digital this cable should do the trick for ya because you will not need the signal to be converted to analog, I use the same type of cable to hook my PS4 up to a computer monitor that I use in my bedroom. All you have to do is plug the HDMI into the slot on the GPU and the dvi to the monitor and windows should figure the rest out when it detects the display.

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Input-Output-Adapter-Cable/dp/B014I8UQJY

Hope this helps ya out!

You can buy an access point which will allow you to produce the same signal and give you better coverage. Depending on what you have you can buy this or a cheaper one not from Netgear.

Are you using a HDMI to VGA adapter like this?

Cable Matters Active HDMI To VGA Adapter with Micro-USB Power In Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00879DM56/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_TAUAybK8JM24T

You will probably need one like that that has a USB cable to provide additional power for conversion. There probably isn't enough power on the HDMI port by itself. Or your adapter or HDMI port is defective. Verify by connecting it directly to an HDMI TV.

The HDMI port should work even in the BIOS, as long as nothing is connected to the DVI port.

if headset and mic are both routed to 1 plug that has 3 rings on it then you would need an aux in port on the PC that accepts those 3 in 1 plugs. usually those are only found on laptops. you will need to get something like this to split them into speaker/mic outputs

We've got a smart UPS 3000 that powers our network/voip switches and a couple of servers. The utilization on it is very low (according to the status lights on the front), and we've had occasion to drain the batteries when the power went out.

With a single server (no monitor), 20-30 PoE phones, and a cable modem we got about an hour and a half of runtime. You could realistically stretch that to 2-3 hours if you cut out the phones, and possibly more if the server is asleep. 12 hours is a LONG time though.

Maybe you could get something like this and try some experiments.

I have worked with a REALLY big UPS at my previous job - it was about the size of a home refrigerator and it was EXPENSIVE. As I recall it was 15-20 grand and took about 5 guys to move it. So they're out there, they just aint cheap.

> my headset only has one jack and a USB lighting up the headset I think, since the jack works without power. https://imgur.com/a/bKOVgjx

aaah ok got it.

the thing is. this jack combines audio left and right (LR) and microphone in one jack (3 black rings). Your PC does not have such an combijack port. You will need to get an splitter like this: https://www.amazon.com/MillSO-3-5mm-Jack-Adapter-CTIA/dp/B071NDLCGC

That is the Phase LED lights.

The number of lighted LEDs indicates the CPU loading. The higher the CPU loading, the more the number of lighted LEDs. To enable the Phase LED display function, please first enable Dynamic Energy Saver™ 2. Refer to Chapter 4, "Dynamic Energy Saver™ 2," for more details.

Per the manual you need a speaker connector to hear the BIOS POST codes. So you need to get a motherboard speaker connector

https://www.amazon.com/Corporate-Computer-Motherboard-Internal-Speaker/dp/B01527H4W2/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=motherboard+speaker+4+pin&qid=1564728106&s=gateway&sr=8-3

http://download.gigabyte.eu/FileList/Manual/mb_manual_ga-p55m-ud2_e.pdf Page 26

I doubt your PSU has died but who knows, get a PSU tester to verify.

https://www.amazon.com/HDE-Power-Supply-Tester-PCI/dp/B005UZHB6G/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=PSU+tester&qid=1564728267&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1 around $ 20 dollars.

That's indeed an IDE port and Molex-powered device. Sometimes PC repair shops will have an adapter like this. StarTech makes cheap adapters, but I have one and it works in a pinch. I wouldn't recommend using it for a long time, though. I'm willing to bet the disk and its data aren't worth it, but it's up to you :)

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless-300Mbps-Repeater-TL-WA801ND/dp/B004UBU8IE/ref=sxin_2_ac_d_rm?ac_md=0-0-YWNjZXNzIHBvaW50-ac_d_rm&keywords=access+point&pd_rd_i=B004UBU8IE&pd_rd_r=ae7c02e3-41e9-4e7e-b99b-c4ec8c6cdd15&pd_rd_w=BCna8&pd_rd_wg=dXsQ9&pf_rd_p=39892eb5-25ed-41d8-aff1-b659c9b73760&pf_rd_r=T93CTYQV41K8ZGA4Z9RQ&psc=1&qid=1573487575 something like this would work fine and is inexpensive.

Did a bit of research, found this.

My understanding is that I can keep the router in the garage, set this up as an access point connected to one of the pre-wired locations in the house, use the same channel, ssid, and password, disable DHCP server on the AP, and it will all seamlessly connect as a single wifi network and I am then free to move about the house and the AP will work simultaneously with the router.

Is this correct?

no passive adapter will work for what you want. Passive meaning it only makes it so that one connection type fits one end, and another type on the other end.

You'd need an active adapter, and it would be very expensive. And even the best ones will have some signal degradation.

I'm sorry man.


edit: here's one


edit2: here's the same one but cheaper

I have never seen an actual HDMI -> DVI (DL) converter. I don't think they exist. You would have to do some kind of crazy multiple converter setup.

So you could do this:

Convert HDMI to DP (make sure it supports 4k30, not just 1080p60 like most of them, otherwise you will have the same issue, but for different reasons.) The one below will do 4k30

$50 - http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-HDMI2DP-DisplayPort-Active-Converter/dp/B004I6IYSM

Then you convert DP -> DVI (DL) as those do exist, but not cheap:

$110 - http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-DisplayPort-Active-Adapter-Converter/dp/B00A493CNY

That might work. I say might because while they list up to higher resolutions than 1440p, there could be issues using them together. Then again at $160 you are probably better off going with a new monitor.

Are all of those Cat5 cables fully wired and terminated for Ethernet connections?

If so, are you able to simply connect Wifi access points to each of the Ethernet cables in your home to provide a full wifi connection throughout? Or at least plug in an AP to the switch so you have both Ethernet connectivity and wifi?

I wouldn't recommend running a long chain of wifi signal boosters connected to one switch, and connected to another from there; if you can avoid it.

If you can have a router in your central networking closet, which has multiple Ethernet cables going through the walls into different rooms, you can plug Wireless Access Points on the other ends of those Cat5 cables, making a Star topology network rather than a Line or Tree network.

Each access point would then have equal speed to the main switch / router and provide a more stable connection.

As for a decent WAP, I believe these ones are nice: https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY/ref=zg_bs_1194486_5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=7A2T4AH4W82EFXPBPJKG

This one is less bulky and works with newer and older drives. I take this one with me whenever I get the inevitable calls from family at 3:00 AM :)

And this one is meant as a docking station. I have one of these at my office for convenience.

I haven't had any problems with either of them.

I was referring to WiFi channels - but that might not help if your router is a problem or you are not getting enough bars.

If you don't mind spending few bucks - I recommend buying a Powerline Adapter like this one .

Basically you get a pair of adapters with Ethernet port each. You plug one adapter in wall power plug near the router and attach a Ethernet cable between it and the router. The second adapter does the same but in the room where your PC is - it basically transmits upto 200Mbps over your power lines. It is hassle free if your house isn't too old.

What was done to the computer such that it's not functioning? It kind of sounds like it could be revived, if nothing was done to damage the hardware.

Of course there is a way to get at the data. There's a wide of way of adapters/enclosures for hard drives that can plug into a computer with USB or other means.

Assuming the drive is in good enough shape, anything along this line should work fine, once you get the drive out of the computer (which is relatively easy on that model.)

http://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=lp_160354011_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1453398653&sr=1-5

Okay, you have a few options here. The simplest would be a wireless repeater- something similar to this- placed mid-way between your rooms and refreshing the signal to provide strong wi-fi to your room. However, going through two layers of wireless will impact speed. There's a better way.

A quick note- do not just connect another router to the cable running to your roommate's router. This will usually work, but without special configuration, it will put you in a state called "double NAT", which is a headache. Especially if you game.

In your place, I would buy a separate switch and Access Point.

• The long cable from your roomate plugs into the switch.
  
• You will need a short cable to go from the switch to your PC.
  
• A second short cable is needed to connect the AP to the switch.
  
• Both the switch and AP need to be plugged in to power.
  
  Now, your PC's access is going:
  PC->Switch->Roommate
  and your phone is going:
  Phone->AP->Switch->Roommate.
  
  You can configure a network name, password, etc for your Access Point, entirely separate from whatever wifi your roommate has.
  
  You can likely find a single product that can do both of these functions (a correctly reconfigured router can do the job), meaning fewer devices/wires and probably less cost. But if I had to buy a setup that I knew would work with a minimum of fuss and configuration, those are what I would buy.

Is it a desktop? You'll probably need a wireless adapter of some kind, this is probably the easiest way to get wireless.

For audio download [this driver](http://www.realtek.com/downloads/downloadsCheck.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=24&PFid=24&Level=4&Conn=3&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false#High Definition Audio Codecs) and see if it works.

two options - open up the laptop & make sure the wires for the antenna havent become loose/disconnected, and if so, reconnect them. if that doesnt resolve, then get something like https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-TL-WN725N-wireless-network-Adapter/dp/B008IFXQFU

Assuming the HDD/SSD is fine (it should be), you'll simply need to buy a USB 3.0 External Drive Enclosure like this, take out your HDD/SSD and connect it to another computer to recover your files.

HDMI contains no analog signal so it is not possible for any combination of passive adapters and/or cables to convert it to VGA.

Active adapters work because they use DSPs and DACs to convert from one standard to the other, but of course they are more expensive than passive cables.

So do you know what kind of adapter you got?

Right one
https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Active-Adapter-Micro-USB/dp/B00879DM56

You have a couple of options: Internal wireless card, or USB wireless card.

there's tons of different brands and price-points, but they essentially do the same thing. If you want to find more, on Amazon or ebay or whatever search "PCI Wireless card' for the internal, and "USB Wireless card" for the USB one.

This one should be good?
https://www.amazon.com/DisplayPort-Dual-Active-Adapter-Converter/dp/B00A493CNY/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=HDMI%2Binto%2BDVI%2BDual%2BLink%2Bactive%2Badapter&qid=1558397670&s=gateway&sr=8-3&th=1

Thanks for the reply.
Do you think this one work?

See if you can bend it back into position, but if you can't, look into getting an ethernet to USB adapter like this one

I would probably end up getting something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Syba-SD-CM-UAUD-Adapter-C-Media-Chipset/dp/B001MSS6CS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425332070&sr=8-1&keywords=sound+card+usb

Not much to do as far as troubleshooting sound is concerned.

Try this, TP-LINK N300 Wi-Fi Range Extender (TL-WA850RE). It has a Ethernet outlet on the bottom, so plug in, attach cable and pretty much done. Cheap too, $20
http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-Wi-Fi-Range-Extender-TL-WA850RE/dp/B00E98O7GC/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1449966596&sr=1-3&keywords=wifi+extender

Something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Speaker-Headset-Switching-Manhattan-172851/dp/B000K8PH8C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1398567006&sr=8-2&keywords=audio+switcher

Also saw this:

http://www.amazon.com/Syba-SD-CM-UAUD-Adapter-C-Media-Chipset/dp/B001MSS6CS/ref=sr_1_65?ie=UTF8&qid=1398566730&sr=8-65&keywords=headphone+switch

Or this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Plantronics-Audio-PC-Headset-Speaker-Switch-with-flippable-switch-New-In-Box-/271263727873?pt=US_Computer_Headsets&hash=item3f28940101

yes this is what you want

Thanks for the response.

I have a PSU tester on the way and should be able to test that soon. I've never used a PSU tester so not quite sure how I will be able to know if the PSU is bad, but hopefully it will have some instructions for that.

The tester I got is this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005UZHB6G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Not necessarily my desktop at home consumes ~180watts idle and upto 500watts under seen load.

This is measured through my UPS which gives me the current draw of the connected systems.

And my home machine is much more powerful than yours. So I doubt that it would use that much.

Eg: My machine at home is: mid-high end gpu (gtx770), 32gb ram, intel c7 4770k-oc'd using 1.3-1.4volts,2x24" lcd, 1x40" tv, etc.

The only thing that could make a difference by a couple of % points is having an 80% gold/plat psu. But you are only talking 1-3% change on average.

If you really want to see your power draw on it, get Kill-A-Watt Meter that will tell you in real time what your energy usage is.

You can pick up a slave kit at Best Buy or Amazon (Christ, that sounds bad) for about 10 bucks

We use ones similar to this at work

It's a little cumbersome but gets the job done

Plug it into your desktop and see if you can get to your files. You can also scan it or try to repair it

Get that connector should work, but I'd recomend this connector instead because it comes with a power adapter. For you particular problem, you won't need the power cable, but it is a great tool to have later. This should work with a Mac, it will appear just like a thumb drive.

A quick warning: plug in the old hard drive before plugging in the USB to the computer. If you plug in the USB and then the hard drive, the disk will spin up before you have the chance to set it down; moving an old hard drive at full speed my break it.

Yup. If you need more coverage, add another access point, or old router configured as an access point, and then set them all to the same SSID and password. Your devices should roam to whichever provides the better service.

hey, thanks for the reply. I got this. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071NDLCGC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

again it works on my phone with I plug in one at a time.

I'd like to see a picture of the rear of the TV. The VGA will get up to 1080p. As for a converter:

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Active-Adapter-Micro-USB/dp/B00879DM56/ref=pd_sim_147_7?ie=UTF8&dpID=41Nnkp%2Bu4OL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0XAG6S66RQ9CS6PXVGEZ

Maybe this?

Something like this is sort of the swiss army knives to read any type drive. Don't have this product, just showing you what you are looking for.

https://www.amazon.com/AGPtek-Drive-Adapter-Converter-External/dp/B00BIE996S/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1550609721&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=ide+to+usb3+with+power&psc=1

​

like this?

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Ethernet-Adapter-Supporting/dp/B00ET4KHJ2

i get my internet wired via my cable company, will that be compatible with my cable modem?

I'm not educated on jumpers, would that affect the ability of an adapter to read it if I just remove it entirely? And I only need an adapter to get the data off of it because this is from an old defunct computer.

Edit:
http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Adapter-Converter-Optical-External/dp/B002OV1VJW/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1459122712&sr=1-1&keywords=3.5+pata+to+usb

Would this be sufficient?

So, you'd run a wire from your main router/gateway/modem/whatever to an access point somewhere else.

The Ubiquiti AP AC-Lite is a popular model.

Thank you! I was thinking either that one or this one. HDE 20+4 Pin LCD Power Supply Tester for ATX, ITX, BTX, PCI-E, SATA, HDD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005UZHB6G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_QkGLBbBHYYW8N. Would you suggest testing the psu before I put in the new card? Or since it will be under warranty go ahead and try it.

Yes.

https://www.amazon.com/AGPtek-Drive-Adapter-Converter-External/dp/B00BIE996S

Yes, I used to use one of these to output from PS3 (HDMI) to computer monitor (DVI).

Hmmm... I'm not quite sure what could be the problem then. Have you updated any drivers recently? Also, try running a Linux live USB and see if you notice any audio problems while using it. It's all I can think of at the moment to check if it is just a software problem.

A potential workaround would be getting a USB device like this: https://www.amazon.com/external-Adapter-Windows-Microphone-SD-CM-UAUD/dp/B001MSS6CS or a dedicated sound card. I'm not 100% sure how the USB device works, but I don't think it uses the motherboard's audio and is rather its own audio device. You may find a USB device that's better than the one I linked, I just did a quick Google search for one since I knew these sorts of devices existed.

You can use something like this if you have a desktop that uses a separate mic and speaker input. If you have a laptop chances are just plugging it in would be fine.

As others have said, It's IDE and something like THIS is what you need.

Something like a SATA to USB cable.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000YJBL78

They do, you could try something like this: http://www.amazon.com/external-Adapter-Windows-Microphone-SD-CM-UAUD/dp/B001MSS6CS

If you can't find any USB speakers that fit your needs you could always use an adapter.
http://www.amazon.com/Syba-SD-CM-UAUD-Adapter-C-Media-Chipset/dp/B001MSS6CS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425746341&sr=8-1&keywords=3.5mm+to+usb

Somthing like this should help then, I used one for my PS3 back in the day with my turtle beaches.

http://www.amazon.com/Syba-SD-CM-UAUD-Adapter-C-Media-Chipset/dp/B001MSS6CS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425432048&sr=8-1&keywords=3.5mm+to+usb

My store sells something like this for that very purpose.

Your cheapest option would probably be something like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MSS6CS/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Something like this is what you need.

Like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Adapter-Converter-Optical-External/dp/B002OV1VJW

Looks like that drive is full size, not laptop size. If that is the case the usb adaptor can’t supply the 12 volt power the drive needs to run.
You may need one of these instead https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002OV1VJW

you can try pulling it out and using something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Drive-Adapter-Converter-Optical-External/dp/B002OV1VJW to plug it into a different computer.

Sounds toast though

Have you checked the warranty?

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/For-DELL-Inspiron-3647-motherboard-DIH81R-H81-CN-02YRK5-2YRK5-100-tested/32495456807.html

You could test the power supply with a tool like this.

https://amzn.com/B005UZHB6G

I believe without looking at the schematics for that board, its very likely to be the south bridge that burned in your picture.

They make HDMI to VGA adapters, like this ONE

You need this or something like it http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00879DM56/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1372370396&sr=8-4&pi=SL75

You can remove the old IDE drive and connect to another computer with a USB adapter, like this:

https://www.amazon.com/AGPtek-Drive-Adapter-Converter-External/dp/B00BIE996S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1543411607&sr=8-3&keywords=ide+to+sata+usb

You can try an adapter like this: https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Ethernet-Adapter-Supporting/dp/B00ET4KHJ2

I have never tried one so i cant really suggest a specific one.\


if your laptop has a 3.0 usb: https://www.amazon.com/Rankie-Network-Adapter-Gigabit-Black/dp/B010SEARPU/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_147_tr_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=93T0NDXTD78ZJRYRA0AJ

Like this? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Rxg4DbWJBSA56

Buy something like this. The instructions will show you how to put the HDD in the caddy so that you then have a usb3 external HDD.

You'll only see a separate device if you're using a USB or Bluetooth headset. If you're not using a USB/BT headset, do you have a single plug or two plugs on your headset? Headsets that use a single plug have a a TRRS plug, while PCs usually only have TRS ports. If you have a TRRS plug, you'll need an adapter like this. You might have to try a couple different adapters to find one that works, because there are a couple different ways TRRS plugs can be wired.

@OP You are looking for something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PYZ2BT4/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_jEoSyb58CJD90

This will split the mic and speaker signals.

you can get an dvi to hdmi cable like this: DVI output to an HDMI input

https://www.amazon.com/MillSO-3-5mm-Jack-Adapter-CTIA/dp/B071NDLCGC/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=Headphones+mic+splitter&qid=1568299342&s=gateway&sr=8-4

Like this one

Maybe you need something like this

https://www.amazon.com/MillSO-3-5mm-Jack-Adapter-CTIA/dp/B071NDLCGC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1541440306&sr=8-2&keywords=headset+adapter+cable

You need something like this

https://www.amazon.com/MillSO-3-5mm-Jack-Adapter-CTIA/dp/B071NDLCGC