(Here's how they work...)
Updated 6/1/02
(Here's how they work...)
The Willowhill Computers:
The Newest Computer:
I built the newest computer in 2000. Except for the monitor and video card, it was all new. An AMD Athlon processor running at 900 MHz resides on an ASUS K7V motherboard with 384 MB of PC 133 ram. (I plan to do more with graphics and music, so added 256 MB in 2001 to the 128 MB I started out with.) The case is a mid tower case with a 300 watt power supply, four 5 1/4" bays (all exposed) and four 3 1/2" drive bays, (one exposed, three hidden). It also has two fans in front, one in the side blowing across the front drive bays and an extra fan in the rear in addition to the power supply fan.
Storage is handled by an IBM 30.7 GB hard drive, model DTLA-307030. Removable media drives include the usual 3 1/2" floppy drive as well as both a Creative Labs 12X DVD drive (which comes with the Dxr3 decoder card and PC-DVD Encore Software) and an HP CD-Writer Plus 9310i drive (10X write, 4X re-write, 32X read). The sound system includes a Creative Labs Live Drive and Altec Lansing surround sound speakers. Input is handled by a Logitech Internet Keyboard Model Y-SE8, a Logitech Trackman Marble Wheel, and a Kraft Joystick held over from previous systems.
Power to the computer is supplied through an APC 500 VA UPS. Having the UPS has come in handy with several power failures we've had here. I do occasionally get a replace battery signal, but shutting down the UPS and turning it back on have silenced that signal so far. Eventually the batteries will have to be replaced, but It didn't seem to me that a battery should be bad after only a few month's use.
The Samsung SyncMaster 900SL monitor and Diamond Viper V-770 Ultra AGP video card came from the previous system and provide the excellent display. The V-770 gets to run at 4X on this AGP bus (The Tyan motherboard only has 2X AGP available.) The system is rounded out by the HP DeskJet 890C which has been serving us well for a few years, as well as a new HP ScanJet 5370C scanner. This computer runs both Windows 98 Second Edition and Linux (though I have not done a lot with Linux yet.)
The construction was done at home, with a trip to the local computer club's (P. C. Community) "Hardware" special interest group (or SIG) to install Windows 98, Linux and various drivers. (This SIG has been very helpful with assistance and troubleshooting for many years.)
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The Second Computer:
I built this system during the last part of 1998 The case is a smaller mid-tower with swing-out sides and two fans. It has bays for three 5 1/4" drives and four 3 1/2" drives (two internal). A 350 Mhz AMD-K6-2 resides on a Tyan S1590S-100 Trinity motherboard. Storage is handled by a Maxtor 8.4 GB hard drive. Memory is 128MB PC-100. Keyboard is a Logitech Internet Keyboard Model Y-SB3.
In general, this system will now be used by my wife for email, internet access, etc. Since the 19" Samsung SyncMaster 900SL monitor and Diamond Viper V-770 Ultra AGP video card went to the newer system, this one is back to the old 13" NEC 3D and the Diamond Stealth Video 64 PCI video board (with 2MB VRAM). Two components remain from my original 386: the NEC 3D monitor and the old 5 1/4" floppy drive. Even though the 5 1/4" floppy gets little use, I figured "Why throw it away?"
The 3 1/2" and 5 1/4" floppy drives, Conner tape backup drive, Logitech Trackman Marble, HP DeskJet 890C color inkjet and Panasonic KX-P1124 24-pin dot matrix printers and Kraft game card carried over from the previous system. The Soundblaster AWE32 sound card and Yamaha YST-M10 and YST-MSW10 speakers provide excellent sound. Like the other system, power is supplied through an APC 500 VA UPS.
I upgraded the operating system to Windows 98 Second edition. These upgrades were mostly done at home, but the system made several trips to the P. C. Community "Hardware" SIG to take care of details. (Without this support to fall back on, I would have been hesitant to do the upgrades on my own.)
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Internet Access:
Previous to 2001, my access was by dialup. Both systems are equipped with USR 56K modems (neither is a WinModem). The new system has the PCI controller based faxmodem, model 3CP5610A. The older system has an ISA slot faxmodem. Connection speed from both modems was constant at 45,333.
Late in 2000, I decided to go to DSL with Pacific Bell. I was promised a turn-on date of December 29, 2000. I actually first got sync on January 12, 2001. Once on, I found the speed to be around 22X faster than the 56K modems were.
Equipment provided by Pacific Bell included a WireSpeed modem, six telephone filters, necessary cables and software. Since this was a self install, I took care of installing the filters and extending the main phone line into the computer room.
I have had some cryptic letters from SBC services, which keep saying that the appointment for my DSL service has been delayed until (etc). Since my DSL was already operating, I was a little confused. The last person I talked to at SBC did some checking and said that they showed that there was a bridge tap on my line and I should not be getting DSL. He also said there was more work to be done on my line. He thought it would be done near the end of February. (See below.)
One item worth notice is that Pacific Bell bought an easment in our front yard for a new box. Finally, last fall, they poured a huge concrete pad and placed a big green metal box in the middle, with a smaller power and meter box behind it. When I noticed some men working there in early February, 2001, I asked one what the box actually was.
I was told that it was a direct fiber optic link to the phone office and would supply DSL to this neighbohood. I thought I was sitting right on top of the future source of my DSL. However, this box turned out to be for the use of patrons further away from the main office. I am still getting my DSL through copper wires to the office downtown. (It was a nice dream while it lasted.)
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Our Home Network:
Since there are now two computers operating here, I decided to network them. To allow for future expansion, I bought the Linksys "Switched 10/100 Network in a Box" (Model FESWSK5, version 2) which includes two network interface cards, two cables and a four port 10/100 switcher. The computers are in different rooms, but back to back against the same wall. I drilled through the wall and placed a short piece of conduit in the hole, and ran the category 5 cables through that.
By itself, the network worked pretty well . When DSL came along, I realized that I could have bought a combination router/switch, but since I already had the switcher, I instead bought a LinkSys single port router model BEFSR11. It turned out that this was a bad decision. I had lots of troubles with accessing DSL with my network, and finally (after it was out of warranty) decided that the router was causing the problems.
Replacing the former separate router and 4 port switch with a Linksys combination unit (BEFSR41) with router and 4 port switch in one box was the solution. It worked perfectly when I turned it on, and stays on for long periods of time with no problem.
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mailto: jvan2636@pacbell.net
Copyright ©1996 and 2002by Jim R. Van Scyoc
