Verizon Hotspot - TTL Setting

2020-10-15 New command to try

netsh int ipv4 set glob defaultcurhoplimit=65

netsh int ipv4 set glob defaultcurhoplimit=128

ping -4 localhost

I don't know how long it takes to register the usage but I used the hotspot 10 hours ago and this is the result now:

Next morning the data usage was registered . . . So it didn't work

I'm trying 64 to compensate for the hop from phone to pc

This does not work for me any more.

This seems too simple. 

Verizon checks / verifies a connected device's TTL setting to determine if a hotspot is being used.

Window's default TTL IS 120. Changing to 60 seems to work.

Also try VPN to see if makes a difference

netsh int ipv4 set glob defaultcurhoplimit=65

netsh int ipv6 set glob defaultcurhoplimit=65

(60 didn't work for me this time. Trying 65 because 64 is phone so 65-1=64.)

netsh int ipv4 set glob defaultcurhoplimit=120

open a command prompt as admin
paste the 65 string for Verizon Hotspot
Paste the 120 to restore default

Test the setting 

ping -4 localhost

Pendrive Icon

 Place a bitmap on the pendrive

Then create this

[autorun]

icon=picture.bmp

#save as autorun.inf

Ventoy Multiboot USB

VentoyPlugson (GUI for creating json file)

The directory needs to be this

The json file needs to be this

{
    "control": [
        { "VTOY_DEFAULT_MENU_MODE": "1" },
        { "VTOY_FILT_DOT_UNDERSCORE_FILE": "1" }
    ],
    
    "theme": {
        "file": "/ventoy/theme/unicorn/theme.txt",
        "gfxmode": "1920x1080"
    }
    } 

Change the "Robo" to match theme name (I have no clue what I meant by this)

You can get themes from this guy's link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6wfVdNkHU4

Change the "file": "/ventoy/theme/unicorn/theme.txt" string to the theme folder you desire. In this case it is "unicorn".

Then go to the /ventoy/theme/unicorn folder and replace the "background.jpg" with your image.

I know jpg or png work

The file size in MB is limited but don't know max. I had to use the "for internet" function in irfanview to get the size reduced properly, resulting in 1200x732 & 97.26s kb

I used the unicorn theme and replaced the "background.jpg" with this. How wonderful is that :)

Ventoy Persistence

create a persistence folder on the Ventoy disk

go here and get the .dat zip files

https://github.com/ventoy/backend/releases

unzip the .dat file that matches the release you want and place in persistence  folder

eg. persistence_xfs_4GB_MX-Persist

start the VentoyPlugson.exe in the Ventoy program. It is not on the Ventoy disk

add paths - enter the paths to the ISO file and the .dat file

**I got it to works with MX Linux. Most of the confusion was due to all the MX prompts to set up persistence. Seems to be prompts each time persistence is loaded. Irritating but it does work.

I did it again successfully. Answer the MX prompts with default "enter" and number 1 when necessary.

Virtualbox Has Been Nuked By Windows 10 V2004

 After updating to 2004 my Virtualbox can not create a VB. It errors out while trying to write the system.

2020-09-20 OK - I got VB working again - See Below

This could be good news in a way.

I have never wanted to take the time to try VMware Player. It works well and in some ways feels better than VB. I already have a love-hate relationship the the VM bar on the top.

Don't be intimidated by VMware . . .

- It may be easier to set up than VB in some ways

On some PCs when installing VB itself, it appears to be installing and then asks for reboot. Not sure what it has done but upon reboot and running installer again, the install will succeed.

After choosing "create new" this is the first screen . . .

Everything is intuitive - this screen might scare you but buck up . . .

The only thing different here is choosing NAT instead of Bridged

Installing VMware Tools is a session 

You may not need to bother with the installation VMware offers.

Just do this:

sudo apt-get install open-vm-tools open-vm-tools-desktop

Here is what worked for VB on one PC so far

Linux - My Favorite Today

2021-07-13

My first choice is

Manjaro (what is up with this not available stuff?)

You can get it here

https://manjaro.org/download/

MX or PopOS

. . . The more I use it the better I like all the easy tweaking options. 

MX default boots to init and most command line examples these days is systemd so that can be confusing for less frequent Linux users. MX can boot to systemd but I haven't done it. Not sure wat happens after using init for awhile and then booting to systemd.

Memory Usage is impressive

Mint

Bohdi (if you need small footprint)

I can see why MXLinux is popular

... no systemd so use service like this "sudo service smbd status"

FYI ssh needs to be installed like any Debian

This will also tell you if it is running 

ps aux | grep sshd

Here is a cheat cheat for reference

MX has firewall installed but not turned on. 

Gimp On 4K Screen

 I have a 4k Dell XPS 13 and Gimp has been miserable to use. 

All the controls have been so small as to make clicking on them almost impossible. 

I've tried different themes within Gimp and adjusting setting. Nothing helped much.

Then I adjusted the Dell resolution to 1920x1080 and Gimp looked normal.

... I adjusted Dell back to recommended 4k

...... Closed Gimp

......... Opened Gimp again

............ And got this

Looks normal to me. Hope is sticks

***Caution - I am positive I tried this before with no positive result but wouldn't swear to it. So give it a few tries.

 

New Blogger Interface

 I Pretty Much Hate It

And what's up with the default Paragraph mode. Who thought that up?

Ok, I'm getting used to it but still want to change the default Paragraph mode.

Samba Trying To Find The Perfect Simple Setup (It Works)

When logging on from Windows to Linux 

Try this . . . If Windows rejects credentials

Use your Microsoft email address

User:MicrosoftAccount\me@email.com

Example: you are Bob and your Microsoft email is BobBarker@live.com and your local PC password is 1234

Enter Bob/BobBarker@live.com - 1234

It works even if you are running Windows with local account.

I know - It's crazy

Permissions to do anything is another subject but at lease you can see stuff.

Let's be honest . . . If you are setting up Samba like this you only want to share a file or two. 

... A better option might be NitroShare but . . . it can be a challenge to install on some distros and it is out of development.

...... Why not use ssh . . . with Putty and WinSCP (both available with Symenu)

But if you just want this dang thing to work . . . Try this:

*Hint for editing smb.conf

... Nano works fine but running Thunar as root (sudo thunar) works better.

Mint installs a Samba folder containing smb.conf but Samba is not installed out of the box.

This differs with the distributions. Manjaro has Samba installed but no smb.conf. MX has Samba installed and a GUI setup.

Install Samba (sudo apt-get install samba)

Existing smb.conf  [global] settings may need no alterations unless you have long netbios name. 

(Some day I want to figure out what are bare bones essentials in [global] )

Maybe this:

[global]

server string = My Server

workgroup = WORKGROUP

security = user

map to guest = Bad User

name resolve order = bcast host

Just add this to bottom of smb.conf

[share]

path = /home/share

#case sensitive, choose any directory

hosts allow = 192.168.1.0/24

hosts deny = 0.0.0.0/0

browseable = yes 

guest ok = yes 

guest only = yes

read only = no

#the following is not necessary. Permissions on the folder overrides the following anyway.

force user = nobody

force create mode = 0777

force directory mode = 0777

(fyi - I think "guest ok = yes" and "chmod -R 0777" the share folder is the key)

sudo systemctl restart smbd

sudo systemctl restart nmbd

sudo service smbd restart

sudo service nmbd restart

(nmbd will broadcast to the Windows network)

testparm to check for errors

sudo mkdir -p /home/share   (matches choice above)

sudo chmod -R 0777 /home/share

sudo chown -R yourname /home/share

Check Shares    sudo smbstatus --shares

Running smb allows access to share by ip address

Running nmb allows netbios to find and show share in Windows file manager

Starting smb and nmb will not make smb/nmb available on reboot

... Use also "sudo systemctl enable smb" - likewise nmb

...

For Manjaro I copied the Mint smb.conf used above and did the same steps.

I think the Mint smb.conf is the default smb.conf file for Samba in most distributions.

In Manjaro Samba is already installed but not the smb.conf so create one.

You can get the Manjaro smb.conf here if needed but it is not the standard one.

Everything worked. 

Drop Dead Simple

Remember Debian & Arch have different syntax - Deb = systemctl start smbd vx Arch = smb

Remember to sudo systemctl enable smb

...

For PopOS nothing has worked yet. I still always get this . . .

- And yes, this is why I hate Samba

Ok - I got it. I had added a  ;comment in a command line but it didn't show a problem in testparm. You can add a ;comment but on its own line.

I am leaving this link for info but found better way
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q0mnAT1MRg&t=126s

Caveat = Changes keep happening in Operating Systems. What works today may work tomorrow.

Caveat #2 = Windows 10 likes to add this connection to your "Quick Access" file. If your windows folders don't refresh properly just delete 

%AppData%\Microsoft\windows\recent\automaticdestinations

or try doing standard clear . . .

Additional thoughts -

Permissions and Ownership are critical so chown and chmod familiarity is essential and easy after a few rounds and battles.