Just had to post : proud father

My wife gave birth to our second child yesterday, Benjamin Solomon Ramowski.

All doing fine.

Proud father.

Darren.

Google maps conflict with CSS - max-width

Recently I’ve noticed that my golf maps built with google maps within Firefox have been rendering just a grey background but have been fine in IE, if that’s possible

After a bit of debugging and rebuilding my google maps code I realised that it was being caused by a CSS style issue. Immediately this pointed me to a fix I have in place for resolving large images that are posted with my forums or blogs on my golf site.

To resolve issues with large images within my DIV layout design I have implemented the following code which basically sets the images maximum size to 100% of the container DIV within FF or if IE and greater than 400 to a maximum width of 600.

img {
max-width: 100%;
width: expression(this.width > 400 ? 600: true);
}

This all worked great for fixing layout issues, although I had noticed a few images weren’t rendered if they were within a container with no specified width. This was a minor bug on my to do list

This post talks about similar issues with google maps and wordpress templates but the resolution was to remove or change the code. Obviously if I remove the max-width or set to none then the maps work but large images knock out my blog or forums.

Thankfully there is a solution I’ve now included a CSS update that sets the img style specific to my DIV container for maps based on the ID.

#map img {
max-width: none;
}

My DIV container is based on the standard google examples and the ID is always just map :

< div id= " map " style="width: 465px; height: 245px " >< / div>

Home office network - Part 2 (cabling 2nd phase/connection)

When I first moved into my house I had my cable internet connection installed in the back bedroom, recently I paid £25 to have this moved into a front bedroom which I was using as a temporary office. The cable company never bothered to remove the old cable so I was able remove this from the back and side of the house and reattach around the front of the house, through the garage, down the electrical trunking to the point where I plan to house the data cabinet. Thankfully the cable was long enough and it was very easy to reconnect a COAX Ftype connector and thankfully the other end was already connected at the junction box but this would just have been a case of unscrewing the existing cable and reconnecting the new cable. All in all a very good job saving me £25.

This meant I’ve been able to reconnect my cable internet connection, router and a small NAS device. I’ve done this very makeshift until my new data cabinet arrives and patch panel.

And I made my first mistake ! I’ve cabled up the access points in the office using 568a method and the other end using 568b, all still works but using a cable tester the light sync is all out. Anyone interested in how to patch up CAT6 check out this great tutorial.

So now I’ve have the first part of my home office working, connected PC, VOIP phone and a small network device. I’ve still some decorating to do and waiting for skirtingboards to be fitted and a floor to be laid but atleast I now have a working space.

And for any techies my comms area is now starting to get some lights

Home office network - Part 1 (cabling 1st phase)

Following on from this recent article, here is the first installment of my home office network setup.

The following information will serve to be a step by step review of my home office network installation and configuration, focusing on network cable installation, infrastructure, network architecture, PC and server configuration and anything else related.

My office is connected to the side of the house and has been built at the back of the garage, with the short term plan to partition off part of the garage into a utility/store room where I will also house the core network equipment and internet connection. The following image is not exact measurements but a rough guide on the layout and my planned set-up.

I’ve decided to use CAT6 cabling basically for performance over CAT5/5e, this was ran around the walls and connected flush to the walls using standard backplates which will then be cabled up to standard CAT6 outlets which are available from most tech shops.

Unfortunately I didn’t think to take any photos from the outset but I was lucky enough to be having a purpose built conservatory which meant I was able to run the network cables alongside the electrician cables to ensure a nice neat look once the walls had been plastered.

I’ve patched up two access points on the right side which will be where my desk will be for my PC connection and VOIIP phone. 2 further points, on the left frame, will be used for spares and laptop connectivty. The cables have been connected through the wall and into the garage where they run along trunking to a location for my data cabinet.

I plan to also connect through my NTL broadband connection to be located central where I will house the main network data cabinet and network kit, which will initially comprise of the patch panel, switch, router, broadband connection, NAS and possible print server. Hopefully I should be able to use the same trunking as used for the electrical cable and reuse an old cable connection which I’ll move from the back of the house, round the front, through the garage and finish in the utlity/store room, which should save me the £25 charge for a new access point !

More to follow once I actually start connecting things and get to the good part :)

My home office

Well after 4 months I’m almost in my new purpose built office, having spent the last 2 months surrounded by a cot, baby toys, rocking chairs for our pending new arrival which is due any time soon. After initially setting the spare room up as an office, 2 months ago it was turned into a nursery with me occupying a small corner whilst the new office was built.

Hopefully this weekend the remaining building work and electrics should be finished and I should hopefully be able to decorate it and move in next week.

I’ll post some pictures shortly and more information on the home network office set-up. From the outset I decided to cable up with CAT5 network cable, firstly so I don’t need to run WIFI all the time and secondly so that the bulky cable messy equipment can be housed out of the room in the next door utility/store room.

It’s all very exciting and tomorrow I should be taking delivery of a new data cabinet complete with rack mountable patch panel, power and shelving units. Which I will then be able to cable up and house my internet connection, router, 16 port switch, NAS (network storage), printer & MFD via a printer server, development server and WIFI switch, which will be turned on when required. I embrace the technology age but feel in 30 years time both mobile phone and WIFI may have hidden dangers unearthed so use at a minimum, althought that said the signals are always all around us.

Hopefully all will go to plan and then I should be able to look at patching up other parts of the house and installing a Media LAN storage device near the TV for instant access to my digital media collection.

I’ll post some updates very soon including pictures and the installation.