September 2020 - main

Local IP addresses in external DNS
by Mark Rogers 03 Oct '20

03 Oct '20

I have the following configuration: - External hosted DNS for *.example.com - Some hosts point to "local" IP addresses, eg test.example.com => 192.168.0.100 If I use dig or nslookup on my laptop, test.example.com resolves correctly to 192.168.0.100. But if I put that into my web browser I cannot access the site (to be clear here: 192.168.0.100 is on my local network and I can access it using its IP.) Chrome reports a DNS lookup error. My home network uses OpenWRT (on a Pi4) and if I use the network diagnostics on that to lookup test.example,com it fails. (It works for hosts configured with routable addresses, but not for any on my local network.) OpenWRT uses dnsmasq. Any suggestions how I can get this to work? Or even just why it doesn't? (Yes I know it's an odd configuration! But I am not aware of a reason why it shouldn't work and I've never had a problem with it before.) -- Mark Rogers // More Solutions Ltd (Peterborough Office) // 0844 251 1450 Registered in England (0456 0902) 21 Drakes Mews, Milton Keynes, MK8 0ER

4 22

weird website
by Phil Thane 28 Sep '20

28 Sep '20

Here's an odd one, probably not a Linux issue but I am using Mint + Firefox and I guess the site is on LAMP so it's Linux-ish... I'm trying to buy some hardware from https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk <https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk> There was >£50 of bits in the basket and I went to Checkout. The site asked me to log in or register, so I registered. Firefox gave me a random secure password to use and saved it for me. So far, so normal. Now I'm back at the home page with the total still showing in my basket. But the 'My Basket' button doesn't work. Neither does Contact or 'Hi Phil' (My Account on sensible sites!) I'm sure you all now that on FF hovering over a link shows the real destination. Hovering over these buttons shows the link is to the current page. I can use the main menu to choose other pages in the catalogue but those three buttons always link to the current page. So all they do is refresh the page. This means not only can I not return to the checkout, I can't even logout via 'Hi Phil' I've tried closing all the pages then starting again, but FF helpfully remembers the password and logs me in again, with the same issue. I even deleted the saved login from FF, but I still get logged in automatically. Is there some magic way to log out of a disfunctional site? -- Phil Thane www.pthane.co.uk Tweet @pthane 01767 449759 07582 750607

4 3

NHS Covid app
by Phil Thane 28 Sep '20

28 Sep '20

You may not: ...use the NHS App Native Version on any device or operating system that has been modified outside the mobile device or operating system vendor supported or warranted configurations. This includes devices that have been "jail-broken" or "rooted". That's me an my LineageOS phone out then. -- Phil Thane www.pthane.co.uk Tweet @pthane 01767 449759 07582 750607

3 3

Covid 19 app?
by Phil Thane 27 Sep '20

27 Sep '20

Hello, I've gone to some effort to install LineageOS on my phone and remove all Google accounts. The UK Covid 19 app is unlikely I would think to ever be OSS and available on Fdroid (obvs it should, other countries have make OSS apps). So would anyone with a conventional Android phone who intends to install the app be prepared to make an APK file for me to sideload? -- Phil Thane www.pthane.co.uk Tweet @pthane 01767 449759 07582 750607

6 5

Printer sharing gone wrong(2)
by Phil Thane 19 Sep '20

19 Sep '20

Cancel previous, it works. First on PC connected to printer go to KDE printer settings and enable sharing in menu, not on tick box which is greyed out. Second on client PC (also KDE) ignore 'discovered printer' and go through set up new printer. Which it discovers all over again, but works. Weird! -- Phil Thane www.pthane.co.uk Tweet @pthane 01767 449759 07582 750607

1 0

Printer
by Phil Thane 19 Sep '20

19 Sep '20

Cancel previous, it works. First on PC connected to printer go to KDE printer settings and enable sharing in menu, not on tick box which is greyed out. Second on client PC (also KDE) ignore 'discovered printer' and go through set up new printer. Which it discovers all over again, but works. Weird! -- Phil Thane www.pthane.co.uk Tweet @pthane 01767 449759 07582 750607

1 0

Printer sharing gone wrong
by Phil Thane 19 Sep '20

19 Sep '20

Hello, Can anyone advise on CUPS? Wife and I have two PCs in the study, both Linux. For years we have had the printer plugged into hers via USB and Shared via CUPS setup so I can use it occasionally. It has worked like that through several changes of disro on both machines and one house move. But now it doesn't. It still prints OK from her machine but mine can't 'see' it at all. On CUPS (web interface) on Linda's machine if I go to Administration > Modify Printer there is a checkbox to 'Share this Printer' It's checked (ie blue). If I go to Printers on the menu bar and click the link to the printer in question (we've only got one) the status line says 'Not Shared'. Which probably explains why I can't print. Any suggestions? (KDE printer set up doesn't help either). -- Phil Thane www.pthane.co.uk Tweet @pthane 01767 449759 07582 750607

1 0

Printing speeds, Linux vs Windows
by Mark Rogers 04 Sep '20

04 Sep '20

If I have a large file to print, on Linux it can takes ages spooling - hours even - where on Windows it can be printing in seconds. I've noticed this many times over the years, on all types of printer I've had use of. (Large typically means graphical, eg I tried printing a 2 page A3 PDF as my Windows PC was offline, and I managed to rebuild my Windows PC, transfer the file and be ready to print before I hear a peep from the printer, and on cancelling the Linux print, Windows had the printer clunking away a few seconds later.) Is there a good reason for this? Is it just me? -- Mark Rogers // More Solutions Ltd (Peterborough Office) // 0844 251 1450 Registered in England (0456 0902) 21 Drakes Mews, Milton Keynes, MK8 0ER

5 10