Subj : Re: Learned something new
To   : August Abolins
From : Ky Moffet
Date : Wed Jul 24 2024 00:50:00

AUGUST ABOLINS wrote:
>   @SUBJECT:Re: Learned something new to                                N
> Hello Ed.Vance!

I can't find Ed's message on the topic, but anyway. Pretend you're Ed. 
I'm talkin' to Ed. :)

>> The early searches for Bluetooth devices came up with a image
>> of a BT device that had a jack for a CAT-5 plug.
> 
> Surely.. that would be easily found, it it existed. Maybe you
> misremember what the device was for.

There's no such thing. You're probably remembering a USB-to-Ethernet 
adapter. GatorCable sells a good one for very few bucks (I have four of 
'em) that includes an unpowered USB hub (suitable for a mouse or 
keyboard or a flash drive, not for an external HD). You can get them in 
the standard larger USB plug, or in newfangled USB-C. I use them with my 
netbooks that don't have an ethernet port.

There are dongles that do both wifi and bluetooth, but wifi-only cost 
1/4 as much.

Bluetooth is much less secure and a lot more likely to randomly fail to 
connect. Especially does not work well with XP. I have a BT adapter on 
my XP64 box for no good reason, because it won't connect with any modern 
devices, and only sees about half of them. Its only virtue is it's old 
enough that the driver is for XP.

> 
>> My (BIG) idea is to use the WAN port of the Linksys BEFSX41
>> Router to that device.

That's an old router (only does 10/100, gigabit has been standard a long 
time) but should be decent enough.

https://downloads.linksys.com/downloads/userguide/1224638533883/BEFSX41_V21_UG_B-WEB.pdf

Hmm. I have one of those here somewhere. Perfectly good router, except 
it's too slow for everyday use on my network.

I don't have much hooked to my router, but I have three TP-Link 8-port 
switches daisy-chained and most of the ports are full. :)  Nice switch 
because you can hook things up any which way with any cable you have, 
and it autosenses and everything works, and unlike most, the unit 
doesn't get hot. Plug 'em in and they Just Work.

> 
> So.. your idea is to feed BT from your phone, to the Router,
> and then feed eth to your laptop?
> 
> I think there have already been other (better/simpler)
> solutions mentioned here.
> 
> Just link your XP pc with wifi.  Give a try!  A few minutes of
> testing isn't going to be the major security concern that you
> imagine.

Wired ethernet is more reliable and WAAAAY faster (20x to 200x depending 
on your port capacity). But wifi does work reliably with XP.

Wifi will never be as secure as wired, because it's broadcast to the 
world, and you need to make sure security is set (if not on by default). 
But so long as all the security is enabled and you have a router less 
than 20 years old, it should be sufficient.

One of my small entertainments is watching wifi-enabled cars go by on 
the highway. It's about 200 feet away but they still show up on any 
device that's looking for wifi. Some are secure, but many are not.

> 
>> I only want to buy a device that meets MY specifications.
>> Every search for the device at store websites have failed to
>> come up with what I am looking for.
> 
> .because probably such a device for your specs/idea doesn't
> really exist?

It doesn't exist. And if it did, it wouldn't work with XP, and it 
wouldn't be particularly secure either.
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