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Option-Click AirPort Menu for Network Details

If you hold down the Option key while clicking the AirPort menu in Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, you'll see not just the names of nearby Wi-Fi networks, but additional details about the selected network. Details include the MAC address of the network, the channel used by the base station, the signal strength (a negative number; the closer to zero it is, the stronger the signal), and the transmit rate in megabits per second showing actual network throughput. If you hover the cursor over the name of a network to which you're not connected, a little yellow pop-up shows the signal strength and type of encryption.

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Published in TidBITS 859.
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11 Dec 2006 | Print Printer-Friendly Version of This Article

Take Control News/11-Dec-06

by Adam C. Engst Send Email to Author

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Register and Manage Your Domain Name with Expert Help -- Custom domain names are fun for individuals and essential for organizations, but registering and managing your own domain name remains a topic that can perplex even long-time computer users. Never fear, though, because we've just published "Take Control of Your Domain Names," a 103-page ebook from networking expert Glenn Fleishman. Glenn draws upon 12 years of experience with domain names gathered while running numerous Internet sites, including one of the first Web-hosting companies, to explain just what you need to know, whether or not you already have your own domain name.

For those new to domain names, Glenn starts by discussing how domain names work behind the scenes and the best ways to decide upon and find an available domain name. He then walks readers through the necessary steps to register a domain name, configure it with a DNS host, and connect it with a Web site and email presence.

The ebook also provides essential information for people who already have their own domain names, covering how to change registrars, DNS hosts, Web hosts, and email providers; how to use dynamic DNS to run a Web server from a dynamic IP-enabled broadband connection; and troubleshooting tips for common DNS-related problems.

Additional sections include advice for buying and selling domain names, instructions for using DNS lookup tools, and a glossary that demystifies jargon. The ebook includes a $10-off coupon for registering or transferring a domain to easyDNS, the registrar and DNS-hosting company that we use and recommend.


Take Control Authors Featured on MacVoices Podcast -- The MacVoices podcast has featured several Take Control authors recently, so be sure to tune in! You can go under the hood of the domain name system with Glenn Fleishman in MacVoices #691, see the world through the eyes of professional photographer Larry Chen in MacVoices #690, and find out what Arnie Keller thinks about Dreamweaver's place in the Web-weaving world in MacVoices #693. (Scroll to the bottom of the pages if you don't see the Play links.)

 

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