Author: Dexter
Ninite – update (almost) everything in one shot
Still sitting at your computer updating one application at a time, chained to your desk perpetually hitting the “next” button until the next prompt? Unchecking boxes so bloatware doesn’t sneak into your installations? Screw that – take control of your updates with ninite. Ninite installs multiple applications at once, with some very important caveats:
1. It is unattended
2. It does not install any additional bloatware
3. It does not require you to go to more than one website to accomplish either 1 or 2.
It’s simple: head to www.ninite.com and choose the apps you want, download the installer and save to desktop or run from browser. It walks you through what it’s doing with each installer and gives you the most up to date software for whatever you picked.
You can even save the file, and double-click it later on to update your software without having to pick them again. How easy is that?
As an IT guy, this helps tremendously; any tool I can use that can automate my day and gives me more time to do other stuff is great. Now I can get back to facebook creeping people.
-Dexter
Handy App of the day: Space Sniffer
If you’ve been working on Windows based computers or servers, or Windows File Servers, a time will come when you have to figure out how much space you’re using and what type of files are taking up space. I’ve used Tree Size Free, WinDirSTAT and Filemenu Tools many times in the past but always found that they take too much time, need to be installed or don’t have proper visualizations.
SpaceSniffer seems to be the near perfect solution: it’s free, runs portable (no installer necessary), has great visualizations and is FAST.
Compared to Filemenu tools or WinDirSTAT, Spacesniffer also does it’s calculations in real time; deletion of a file updates the entire diagram. There’s also the ability to ‘Zoom’ into a directory or choose a network location.
Simply awesome freeware.
-Dexter
How to: turn a DLink DNS-323 into a Rsync backup location
*Updated Jan 21, 2021*
After purchasing a Synology DS-413J to replace my DNS-323 device, I wanted to repurpose the old NAS into a backup server. In my mind, I pictured using a Richcopy or Robocopy scheduled task from a Windows machine to talk to the 2 devices. As it turns out, both the NAS’s can speak the same language (linux) and there’s a handy little tool that takes a couple steps to do, but is well worth the effort if you want re-purpose a DNS-323.
DNS-323 instructions: You need Funplug!
1. Funplug instructions have been around for a while, NAS-TWEAKS has an excellent blog style article you can follow. Here’s the cole’s notes version:
-After reformatting your DNS-323 device, download the fun_plug file and fun_plug.tgz and place them on the ‘volume_1’ share of your DNS-323.
reboot the DNS-323 connect via telnet to port 23 (no password required at this point)-install the extra packages onto your DNS-323 (particularly, RSYNC) which is included:
rsync -av inreto.de::dns323/fun-plug/0.5/packages .
funpkg -i *.tgz
pwconv
passwd
login
store-passwd.sh
cd/mnt/HD_a2/ffp/start
sh sshd.sh start
chmod a+x sshd.sh
Issue this command so you’re not just stuck with the busybox-only prompt:
usermod -s /ffp/bin/sh root
Change the default directory in ssh to something more familiar:
usermod -d /mnt/HD_a2/ root
That’s the most condensed version of Funplug I can give you guys, there’s lots of more minute details, but for now that will do to get what’s necessary: RSYNC and SSH services on the DNS-323.
2. Configuration of RSYNC requires some small knowledge of text editor vim or ‘vi’ as the busy box package has. First, SSH in with the root account, and create a new file named rsyncd.conf in the /mnt/HD_a2/ffp/etc directory:
login as: root
root@DNS323's password:
root@DNS323:/mnt/HD_a2# cd/ffp/start
root@DNS323:/mnt/HD_a2/ffp/start# sh rsyncd.sh status
rsync not running
root@DNS323:/mnt/HD_a2/ffp/start# cd ..
root@DNS323:/mnt/HD_a2/ffp# cd etc
root@DNS323:/mnt/HD_a2/ffp/etc# vi rsyncd.conf
The contents of rsyncd.conf should look like the below:
# /ffp/etc/rsyncd.conf configuration file
max connections = 2
secrets file = /ffp/etc/rsyncd.secret
use chroot = false
read only = no
list = false
strict modes = false
hosts deny = *
timeout = 600
dont compress = *.gz *.tgz *.zip *.z *.rpm *.deb *.iso *.bz2 *.tbz
*.mkv *.avi *.mpg *.jpg *.rar
pid file = /var/run/rsyncd.pid
[File Backups]
hosts allow = 192.168.0.1/24 #your local network IP range
read only = false
gid = backup
uid = backup
auth users = backup_user
path = /mnt/HD_a2/Backup_directory #Path of Backup on DNS unit
I’ve highlighted the lines you’ll need to change:
hosts allow
= This is the IP Address range of your local network, the above example is for a standard Class C network, make the appropriate changes to yours. The /24 denotes the type of subnet mask you’re using. /24 pertains to a standard 255.255.255.0, this typically will fit your home network. Otherwise, here’s a cheat sheet on subnets.
auth users
= This user has to be created through the DNS-323 web server. You can stick with the standard ‘Admin’ account if you want, but for security purposes it’s a good idea to have a separate one for backup jobs.
path
= is the path on your DNS-323 of where you’re going to backup your data.
3. After saving rsyncd.conf, you’ll have to create a new file, rsyncd.secret:
root@DNS323:/mnt/HD_a2/ffp/etc# vi rsyncd.secret
Contents of rsyncd.secrets is very short as it contains the username and password of your backup user authenticated from rsynd.conf:
#One line per user; a User ID:(colon)then password
backup_user:password
The command is just one line, username:password. This is where you fill in the username and password created in the web interfaced of your DNS-323, and specified rsyncd.conf.
root@DNS323:/mnt/HD_a2/ffp/etc# sh /mnt/HD_a2/ffp/start/
rsyncd.sh status
rsync not running
root@DNS323:/mnt/HD_a2/ffp/etc# sh /mnt/HD_a2/ffp/start/
rsyncd.sh start
Starting /ffp/bin/rsync --daemon --config=/ffp/etc/
rsyncd.conf
you can also run
sh rsyncd.sh status
To see if the Rsync service has been started properly. I would also recommend making sure that Rsync starts up with the DNS323 on each reboot or power off
root@DNS323:/mnt/HD_a2/ffp/start# chmod a+x rsyncd.sh
Now we configure the Synology to backup to RSYNC services on the DNS323
*New Screenshots compatible with DSM 6.2.3 added Jan 21, 2021*
4. After logging into DSM, goto Hyperbackup, open the backup wizard to open a new job. Choose ‘Data backup task’
For the Backup Destination type, choose RSYNC
For the backup settings, configure the Server type as ‘rsync-compatible server’, enter in the pertinent details of your DNS323. It should look similar to the screenshot below. For port, just keep the default 873. The Backup module, make sure to use the exact same “Path” from the rsyncd.conf file.
ie. path = /mnt/HD_a2/Backup_directory
Backup module = /mnt/HD_a2
Directory = Backup_directory
After you hit, next DSM will test the connection for you. As long as you’ve configured the RSYNC on the DNS-323 and started the service, DSM should pick it up. After you choose your backup selections, make a schedule; set it and forget it.
Items to keep in mind
*Rsync is not hailed for speed!. On average RSYNC only travels at around 1.5-4MBps.
*Synology Hyperbackup cannot run simultaneous jobs. This means if you’re backing up a lot of data, it will take a while! Plan Accordingly, take offline backups to USB, whatever your use case scenario might be.
-Dexter
Synology DS413J review
All the reviews put the Synology Disk Station Manager (DSM) as the multi-faceted powerhouse to which all other NAS devices should follow, and it’s easy to see why. You can drive the unit entirely from a browser any where, has plentiful plugins and offers usability for beginner to expert levels.
Windows 7 Wireless and Wired connections priority
I always thought that Windows 7 would automatically switch to the next fastest connection. I’d been trying to figure out why it seems to stick with a wireless connection even after connecting a network connection. Turns out, Windows 7 eschews speed for reliability.
I especially found this annoying when, after booting and automatically being connected to the wireless I plugged into CAT5 and tried transferring a file from my NAS only to see my wireless connection hitting the ceiling at 3.5MBps second. Luckily, I’ve found a solution that’s been covered in other places, but I like to put my own spin on things:
1. Goto Control Panel -> Network and Sharing Center, click on Change adapter settings
Exchange 2010 SP2 Automapping issue
There’s a slight bug with the Exchange 2010 server, in that it automatically remaps any shared mailboxes you’ve used when the client is either Outlook 2007 or 2010.
If you’re mapped a mailbox in the past, an automapping feature kicks in and puts the mailbox back on your profile, even if you’re starting out with a brand new profile. To disable this, you have to log into your exchange server and issue some commands from the Exchange Powershell:
Add-MailboxPermission "domain\user" -User "domain\user2" -AccessRights FullAccess -AutoMapping:$false
domain\user
= user mailbox you no longer want to view
domain\user2
= the primary user, usually the one you’re setting up
This has been tested on Exchange 2010 SP2 and SP1 successfully
Exchange 2010 – get list of disconnected mailboxes immediately
Once a mailbox is disabled from the Exchange 2010 console, it shows up in the disconnected mailboxes after the nightly maintenance. Sometimes however, a company can change it’s mind at the last minute and decide to either hire someone back and that’s when the IT admin has to bring that disconnected mailbox back within the hour.
How to: get multiple Remote Desktop Connections
When you have to remote desktop to a Windows based server or computer, your default option is RDC protocol. This is a useful utility if you’re connecting to one computer at a time. So what if you need to connect to ten or more? Do keep in mind, not all those computers have the same credentials, and saving all those .RDP files to your desktop will get very cumbersome.