FIXED: Firefox + YouTube = No Sound

The flashplugin for Firefox on my Ubuntu box was broken for some time and I never bothered fixing it, until I decided to sell my Windows machine.

Yesterday, I upgraded my Ubuntu OS to 8.04, and reinstalled the latest flash player from Adobe. Flash started working and I could see the YouTube videos, but there was no sound!

Actually, the sound does work if I connect speakers to the sound card. But I prefer to use the USB headphones, so that it doesn't bother others around me. And the USB works with most applications I use except for Firefox flash plugin which is used to play YouTube videos.

So, I spent few hours on Google and found a solution -

1. Set the default sound device to "USB Audio" in System -> Preferences -> Sound
   
2. Open Terminal and type - "asoundconf list" to see the sound devices. Hit [Enter] You should see a device named "default". This is the USB audio device because that's what you set the default to in the previous step.
   
3. Then type - "asoundconf set-default-card default". Hit [Enter]

After this, I can hear sound from YouTube movies through the USB headphones.

Post a comment, if this blog helped you.

Installing IIS7 + PHP5 .2.5 on Windows Vista

I spent several nights on google trying to make this combo work. Now, that it's working I am sharing the steps I took with all of you who are still struggling -

1. Start with a fresh IIS installation with both ISAPI filters and extensions enabled.
2. Under the main settings [at the very top of your IIS Manager's hierarchy view, above Application Pools], add the following in this order:
   2.1. an ISAPI Filter for php5isapi.dll
   2.2. an ISAPI and CGI Restriction entry for php5isapi.dll
   2.3. a Handler Mapping for php5isapi.dll
3. Go to the application Pools section.
4. Right-click on Default Application Pool and select Advanced Settings.
5. Set the second option [Enable 32-Bit...] to True.

From what I saw in various posts, doing this much worked for most. I had to do a couple of more things -

1. Copy php.ini-dist to c:\windows\
2. Under Default Web Site [sub-heading under Web Sites], add the following -
   2.1. ISAPI and ISAPI Filter modules
   2.2. an ISAPI Filter for php5isapi.dll
   2.3. a Handler Mapping for php5isapi.dll

That's it! You should be able to run the .php files now.

Rogers WAP and MMS Settings

Today, I was browsing through Rogers' Samsung SGH-T609 phone. I found different settings than I posted before. Here they are -

Profile name: GoRogers

Home URL: http://to5vdb.int.gprs.rogers.com:8582/start.wml

Proxy: SELECTED
IP address: 172.25.0.107
Port: 80

DNS: NOT SELECTED
DNS1: 0.0.0.0
DNS2: 0.0.0.0
Bearer: GPRS

Advanced settings:
APN: goam.com
Login ID: wapuser1
Password: wap

Profile name: Rogers MMS

Home URL: http://mms.gprs.rogers.com

Proxy: SELECTED
IP address: 172.25.0.107
Port: 80

DNS: NOT SELECTED
DNS1: 0.0.0.0
DNS2: 0.0.0.0
Bearer: GPRS

Advanced settings:
APN: media.com
Login ID: media
Password: media

Data Settings For Latest Nokia Phones (6270, 6680, N-Series, etc.)

Have you just bought the latest Nokia GSM phone from a source other than your service provider? Chances are, it is not configured to use any data features. Most unlocked phones are like that. Here, I will give step-by-step instructions to configure your phone with Cingular settings. You can follow the same procedure for others like - T-Mobile, Rogers, Fido, etc. The items in italics are the service provider specific settings that you need to get from your service provider.

Here is the complete setup -

Step 1

1. Go to “Menu –> Settings –> Configuration –> Peronal config. Settings”
2. Choose “Options”
3. Choose “Add New”
4. Choose “Access Point”
5. For “Account Name”, use whatever you would like to call this Access Point, I used Cingular access point”. Accept the name
6. Choose “Access point settings”
7. For “Data Bearer”, choose “Packet Data”
8. Choose “Bearer settings”
9. For “Packet data access point” type “wap.cingular”
10. For “Authentication type” choose “Secure”
11. For “User name” use “WAP@CINGULARGPRS.COM” (in all caps)
12. For “Password” use “CINGULAR1″ (in all caps)
13. Choose “Back”
14. Choose “Back”
15. Choose “Back”
16. Choose “Back”
17. At the “Configuration settings” screen, choose “Preferred access point”
18. Select the access point you just created
19. Choose “Peronal config. settings”
20. Choose “Options”
21. Choose “Add New”
22. Choose “Web”
23. For “Account Name”, name it anything you want, I used “My web”
24. For “Homepage” use whatever page you want, I use “www.wallyx.com/m”
25. For “User name” use “WAP@CINGULARGPRS.COM” (in all caps)
26. For “Password” use “CINGULAR1″ (in all caps)
27. For “Use preferred acces pt.” choose “Yes”
28. Choose “Back”
29. Choose “Options”
30. Choose “Add New”
31. Choose “Streaming”
32. For “Account name” use whatever you want, I used “My streaming”
33. For “UDP port range, I use “6970-7170″
34. For “Use preferred acces pt.” choose “Yes”
35. Choose “Back”
36. Choose “Back”
37. Choose “Activ. Default in all apps.” And click “Yes”
38. For “Default config. settings” choose “Personal configuration” and accept it

Step 2.: You might need to do the following:

1. From the main menu, go to “Web”
2. Choose “Settings”
3. Choose “Configuration settings”
4. Choose “Configuration”
5. Choose “Personal configuration”
6. For Account, use the web you created in the previous steps, I am using “My web”

Now try to connect to the web and run internet applications, GOOD LUCK!

How to change Voice mailbox number in nokia phones

To access your voicemail from nokia phone, you press and hold "1" key, or press "1" key and press send. For the first time, it will ask you for the Voice mailbox number and save it for subsequent uses.

Recently, I switched the cell phone service provider. The problem was that now if I use the voicemail shortcut, it still calls the voice mailbox of the old provider. Some new phones can update this automatically, but unfortunately the model I had (Nokia 6610i) did not.

I had hard time figuring it out. The setting is under Menu -> Messages -> Voice Messages -> Voice mailbox number.

Fixing a Water Damaged Phone.

Stop. Don't just throw away that "dead" phone that you dropped in water. You can make it live again! In most of these cases, the damage is just temporary. Here is what you need to do. Find the right screwdriver. If you don't find it, you can buy the cell phone opening kit at Home Depot for $12. Then, get a hair dryer. Now, open the phone and blow some hot air. If it's just water, it will evaporate and give your phone it's life back. If you see any green stuff, which is the "rust" equivalent that happens to copper in the phone circuits, then drying alone won't help. You need a bottle of Isopropyl Alcohol in this case. Take a cotton bud or thin brush, dip it in the alcohol and clean the places where you see the green stuff. Then let it dry. Now, your phone should come back to life.

80 to 90% of water damages phones come back to life doing this. In some cases the circuit gets short and cannot be repaired this way. In those cases you need to replace the damaged part.

Hope this helps.

Hajuria

WAP Settings For GSM Phones

In most cases your phone comes with all the necessary settings to access the internet. That's when you buy the phone from your carrier. But, if you have bought the phone overseas or locally from another carrier and got it unlocked, you have to set your phone up manually to be able to access the internet. Most people don't care about this because they use their phone only as a phone, they don' t use it to browse the internet. There are two reasons - cost is use high and ease of use is low. But as the technology is evolving, this will change. For those, who can't wait for this evolution to happen, for people like me, here are the settings for major Canadian GSM service providers -

Rogers Wireless:

Primary IP: 208.200.067.150
Primary Port: 9203
Secondary IP: 208.200.067.151
Secondary Port: 9201
APN: goam.com
Username: wapuser1
Password: wap
HomePage: http://mymobilehomepage.rogers.com/

FIDO:

Primary IP: 205.151.011.011
Primary Port: 9201
APN: wap.fido.ca
Username: fido
Password: fido
HomePage: http://wap.fido.ca

Some phones have their WAP settings "locked". That means, you cannot re-program it to use it on your choice of carrier. Even though your phone is "unlocked". In most cases when you get a phone unlocked, it's only the "phone" part that is unlocked. The WAP portion sometimes stays locked. Either the person who unlocked the phone didn't bother to unlock the WAP or he didn't know how to do it. If you have such a phone don't worry, there are places that can do it. One of them is E Wireless (http://www.e-wireless.ca/). They are located in Brampton.

Hajuria

Unlocking FAQ

What does unlocking mean?

When you buy a phone, your service provider gives you many discounts on the price of the phone. They don't want you to switch service to some other company after buying the phone. They lose money this way. So, they lock the phone, so that it cannot be used with any other provider.

Why should you unlock?

The reasons can be any one (or more) of -

• You are moving to another city/province/country where your current provider cannot provide service.
• You are selling your phone and the interested buyer is hooked up with a different provider.
• You are traveling abroad and don't want to pay high roaming fees to your home service provider. With unlocked phone you can use the local service provider of the country you are visiting.

What is IMEI number?

IMEI is short for International Mobile Equipment Identity, a unique number given to every single mobile phone, typically found behind the battery. (source Webopedia)

Another way of finding the IMEI is by pressing *#06# on your keypad.

Is unlocking safe?

Yes and No. It is safe it you do it right. If not, you can kill your phone. If you have such a phone, don't worry, it can live again. There are some places like E Wireless (www.e-wireless.ca) that can help.