Getting a catalogue of own library in Google Play Books

This function is not currently available, nor is it easy to sort.

So the only alternative I could find was to scroll to the bottom of the library. Then select all on the page and copy into a text document.

This text document can then be pasted into a spreadsheet, blank rows removed, and re-sorted as necessary:

• Add column to left with numbers ascending
• Sort by column B ascending + column A ascending - this will group together all blank rows
• Delete blank rows, then sort again by column A
• Delete contents of column A, then put in formula in cell A1 of "=B2" (no quote marks)
• Copy this down
• Authors are now in column A, titles in column B

As authors are in <firstname, lastname> order, it's not as easy to go through them. This formula in the next column pulls out the surname:

=TRIM( RIGHT( SUBSTITUTE( A1 ; " " ; REPT( " " ; 100 ) ) ; 100 ) )

Switching internet access from HomeHub 5 to HomeHub 4 .... and back again

The existing HomeHub 5 stopped working, and although a replacement was on order from BT, it would not arrive immediately.

As we still had the old HomeHub 4 (which was being used as a wireless extender), the idea was to re-use that.

The big difference between HH4 and HH5 is that the latter has an integrated modem. So it's necessary to reconnect that for access to the outside world to be possible.

The existing DSL cable from the master socket, rather than going directly into the HomeHub, goes via the modem like so:

And then there is a separate ethernet cable (with the red plug) that goes from the modem into the HH4 like so:

As the HH4 had been used as an extender, it had been give a new IP address. This needed to be changed. For this, an ethernet cable needs to be connected from a laptop to the HH4 directly, going into settings. The HH4 original settings were:

These are simply changed to replace the IP address with the default gateway (which is 192.168.1.254) and *most importantly* turn ON the DHCP server (this is turned off when the HH4 is acting as an extender to avoid conflicts where two HomeHubs are attempting to issue addresses).

This results in:

Once the new HH5 is in place, the modem can be removed, the DSL cable directed straight to the HH5 and the HH4 put back in its place, back to its original settings (with DHCP disabled).

Network set up

To try and get a decent signal throughout the house, this is the set up:

This is the rear of the HomeHub 5, where connection to outside world comes in.

Sonos Bridge is self explanatory. TP-Link is a very long Ethernet cable connecting to TP-Link WA 901 extender in kitchen. On Hub is not currently in use.

The link to Billion Router goes here:

The HomePlug cable goes off to this socket:

And then connects downstairs to a re-commissioned HomeHub 4:

Making RJ45 cables

Excellent guide here  - http://www.groundcontrol.com/galileo/ch5-ethernet.htm

Worst part is getting the cables in the right order!

Stealth mode for the OS X firewall

In the firewall advanced preferences, you can enable the feature called "Enable Stealth Mode". This will ensure that traffic that you didn't allow won't receive a response, not even an acknowledgment.

Having to deal with corrupted Time Machine backups

A consequence of the regular, and as yet unexplained, power cuts we get is that the separate Western Digital 2TB hard disk drive that I have set up for Time Machine backups ultimately gets hacked off and refuses to start again.

Trying to verify and then repair disk doesn't work. So all that can be done is to reformat the disk, and start TM backups again.

Fortunately I have other backup destinations, so this is not as awful as it may sound

BT Home Hub5 - you win

Following previous post, I found to my amazement that a network outage (not even a power cut) was sufficient to knock my HH5 back to its reset gateway IP address.

Oh joy.

I decided this time to try and cut my losses, and move to that IP range. Which is sort of a reverse to previously.

First, I had to reset the static IP address on my Ubuntu router. Fortunately this was relatively simple and needed only a change in network settings. Then a check I could mount the network drives on Mac - all good.

Once this was done (and checked on Ubuntu that I could see webpages fine), I went into Mac's Network Preferences and changed settings to 192.168.1.x range. Then, with a spare ethernet cable, I went to the Billion router, the HH4 that I use as network extender, and my TP Link, and changed all these to 192.168.1.x range as well.

My HH5 was insistent that my password was incorrect and kept locking me out. So it now has a different default network name and wifi password. Meaning that for the first time, all connectivity is via the other routers rather than the HH5.

I'll change its SSID and wifi password tomorrow.

At least if this happens again (and it now seems inevitable it will), then the only place I will need to update will be those two items (and reinstall access control).