My move to the retirement facility (If joining the thread late, at least skim the first few posts)

In My Humble Opinion
221

A very good idea. But if I may suggest another addition: some clothes of yours (something you don’t mind them messing up if it happens – bear in mind that some cats take the phrase “being pissed off” quite literally). Wear the clothes for a while, and don’t wash them before adding to the Cat Scent Pile.

Also they’ll eventually notice that other people, who don’t live in your apartment, sometimes come in through it.

So they will figure it out.

– petsmart, for reasons entirely unclear to me, keeps saying that I don’t have permission to access petsmart on this server. Maybe I’ll try later with the ipad, which has fewer protections running. (It’s not your link, I tried just going to Petsmart from a Google search on the name and got the same response.)

Agreeing that this is an excellent sign.

222

I’d be… very cautiously content with that speed GIVEN a low low cost of free, but not very happy about 47ish. It is probably enough for most non-intensive uses (big downloads, multiple persons using online resources, Hi-Def streaming). But I personally prefer around 100 Mbps or more.

This worries me TBH. I mean, I’m not saying you’ll be investigated if the room next door is downloading some form of porn so unspeakable that even the most hardened criminal blanches, but… I’d be uncomfortable at least.

When you say ‘nipple’ I’m going to presume the threaded protrusion that I associate with a normal coax output. If that is the only location in the room with such an access, and you wish to use it, you may need to run a long coax (no problem, but a cover or running it along the wall may be a good idea) to use it natively on your TV.

Back to the first part, if you keep your Gateway (if the price remains a non-issue and you get equivalent speeds at the new location) then yeah, you could use either. Wifi for non-secure, gateway for higher speed needs or more secure or discrete online options. And of course, the building wifi may work well as a backup if the gateway doesn’t come up after a reboot or network snafu. Similarly, you can use the gateway if congestion slows the Home wifi-speeds or they have an outage.

And yes, go NAP!

223

I had a baby gate that looked to be the same design. It was sort of a pain to install, but once installed, it was good. You have to turn the tension things to get just the right amount of pressure so the door swings easily. Contrary to what I expected, I never tripped or stubbed a toe on the bar that runs across the bottom.

It doesn’t really matter if everybody uses the same login to connect to the Wi-Fi. The important part is how it is configured in the backend. If done correctly, and it probably is, then devices on the Wi-Fi can’t see other devices on the Wi-Fi. So, for example, if you connect your printer to the Wi-Fi, other people can’t print to it. The downside is you won’t be able to print to it either.

All of your connections, be it here, your bank, YouTube, gmail, etc. are all encrypted now. Even if the network is configured poorly so other people can see your traffic, it is going to be encrypted anyway. As long as it works for your needs, I would not worry about using it.

Previously you had mentioned getting basic cable and cable internet. Those will come over the jack in the wall you mentioned. That will connect to a cable modem box, which will also provide your own personal wifi. There will be another connection to your TV.

If the price is low enough, then getting cable tv and internet is probably preferable to your T-mobile hot spot. The cable internet may be 2-8 times faster than the T-mobile thing, and cheaper if there is some kind discounted rate for tenants in the building.

In summary:

If the free Wi-Fi meets all of your needs, then it should be fine to use. (Problems may be if it can’t handle everybody using it to stream)

Investigate the prices and speeds of the tv/internet offered. Use them if the price is right.

As you’ve said, don’t cancel the T-Mobile until everything else is settled.

224

Thanks for your comments. I was wondering about stubbing my toe on the gate.

It’s included with my lease.

Right -o!

225

Before my last internet upgrade, I had 1.5. I was able to stream Netflix without any issues at that speed. You’ll be fine.
(I swear, it’s like the state of the internet before about 5 years ago has somehow been erased from almost everybody’s mind.)

226

Just curious-- were you on the same wifi (same login & password) with 80 other users?

227

I’m right next door in New Mexico, so I’m intimately familiar with goatheads! At the beginning of the pandemic, I hired an idle friend to clear the weeds out of our backyard, and about half the yard was full of them. She did a fantastic job, and I’ve kept up the weeding pretty well since then in addition to planting shrubs and bushes and encouraging the nicer native plants. We haven’t had any fresh goatheads for a year, but every now and then I’ll find one that looks fairly worn, and I’m still finding the odd plant out there. I’ve gotten to the point that I recognize them as soon as their secondary leaves sprout. I swear, by the time I’m dead, there will be none in my yard.

I’d hesitate a bit before getting a gate with a bar at the bottom, just because it’s a trip hazard. I’m a bit militant about those since my husband broke his hip (not from tripping, but we’re nervous about his other bones). It doesn’t get easier to keep your balance as you age, and the consequences of falling get a lot worse.

228

I’m going to politely disagree. 5 years ago, the default for streaming (especially over mobile) was 480p. Then 720, and now 1080, with plenty of people going full on 4k. 5 years ago, 1.5 would have been on the very low end of manageable (again, depending on the streaming platform and resolution).

Can you do well with less than 100? Sure, I even specified that at 47 Mbps I’d be -content- even if not entirely happy, but especially at the “free” or “included” price point.

229

OK, so the thing to decode is does cable tv and internet included mean the public wifi, or your own dedicated internet connection (which comes over the cable line).

Next time you are over there, go to the wifi settings on your device, and if you see lots of networks then everybody has their own cable modem and access point. If you just see the one that you joined, and maybe a few other random ones, then everybody is using the building wifi.

Obviously the right thing to do is find the correct staff member to tell you all of this, if such a person even exists.

I’m so glad I’ll be nearby to help my dad get this kind of stuff sorted.

I just realized what will be the biggest adjustment for my dad moving from his house in Texas to a senior place here in Colorado. No HEB.

230

Ah…now I remember our earlier conversation about your dad. :bulb:

You are so right about HEB. Fortunately, at my new place I’ll still be able to go to MY HEB, because I’m basically in the same neighborhood. Whew! There’s only so much upheaval that an old person can endure. Changing HEBs (or losing it completely :scream: ) is a bridge too far.

Seriously, tell your dad that this Texan soul sister sends warm internet hugs and my very best wishes for happiness in his new digs.

231

I came over to the apt this morning and the sulphur smell from the hot water is gone-- YAY!

On the less than happy side, my Fitbit tells me I got 3 hrs & 36 mins of sleep last night, crappy sleep at that. Oh well.

I’ve gotta say, my new living room is absolutely beautiful in the morning.

Later…

232

Fixed already – even over the weekend! An extremely good sign.

233

A-men!

234

If it turns out that the cats aren’t adjusting well to the indoors-only life, there is always the possibility of leash-training them. It is not a quick process, and they are going to be quite dramatic about the harness when you first put it on. But once they get the idea that the harness means outside time, they are generally quite good about getting into it of they want to go out.

There are also cat-carrier backpacks and strollers which allow for some fresh air without the danger.

235

I took pictures yesterday.

This is found in the wall of the living room:

This is in the wall of the bedroom:

I plugged in my new AT&T Trimline phone and got a dial tone. :astonished: Then you dial “9” to make an outside call-- when is the last time you dialed 9 to get an outside line? :thinking: (Who was President? George Bush The Elder?) I called my cell phone and it worked!

(I plan to use the land line to call my adopted mother Mary Lou-- the one who lost her eyesight last year-- in the nursing home. When we try to have a phone conversation with both of us on cell phones and both of us using Bluetooth hearing aids, it’s impossible to hear clearly.)

There are two connections in the den. This one:

And this one on the other side of the room:

I plugged the phone into the second one but did not get a dial tone. I guess only one land line is active. No prob.

I’m going to deal with setting up Spectrum cable down the road a bit. The person in the office said most people just go to the Spectrum store and pick up the boxes. I haven’t had cable in forever. Had DirecTV when I moved to this house, but soon gave it up and have just used my Roku, and now two Roku TVs.

I will need long coax cables. Will Spectrum likely just give me these?

236

Maybe, but I suspect they’re more inclined to sell them to you.

237

I’m not a customer from the outside world. The Home is paying for my cable. If an installer came to the apartment, s/he’d just use whatever cable was needed to put the TV where I want it, right?

238

I guess they’d charge the paying customer (the home). I hope. But you want to be sure that the contract with the home doesn’t put installation costs on you. They could do that.

239

The administrative person at The Home gave me the Spectrum number to call, but she said most people get tired of waiting for Spectrum to show up, so they just go to the store and pick up the cable box(es). I think I’ll do that and rely on installation instructions from My Doper Team (you know who you are… :wink:).

I am running out of steam… got 6 1/2 hours of sleep last night so there’s that. Of course, I went to bed at 8:30. Don’t worry, I’m not going to reveal my bowel habits. I do have my limits. Good thing I’m waaay ahead of the power curve. The packers won’t even have to go into the garage-- all of that will be disposed of. Considering I’ll be totally moved in to the new place by Sept 8, I’ll have the whole rest of Sept to take care of clearing out. I’m winding up leaving more stuff for my landlord than I originally intended to, but I’d rather see him (or his wife) get the use of the appliances than just have them hauled off to Goodwill.

I’m still marveling at the idea that at lunchtime, there will be food for me in the dining room and I won’t have to think about grocery shopping or eating out. I like to cook, but I won’t have to cook. Since the Bomb got dropped on me, I haven’t eaten at home once-- not even toast and coffee. I haven’t sat in the back yard or walked in the neighborhood. I’m getting a divorce, too, from the house. :cry:

240

Maybe the other one is a DSL connection for a modem?

Mine looks just like a phone connection.

Maybe you should, one time, as a deliberate conscious goodbye and thanks.