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151 lines
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HTML
151 lines
10 KiB
HTML
<!DOCTYPE html>
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<html>
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<head>
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<title>CUCC Expedition Handbook: Expo computer</title>
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<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href=/css/main2.css />
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</head>
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<body>
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<h2 id="tophead">CUCC Expedition Handbook</h2>
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<h1>Expo computing setup</h1>
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<div align=center>
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<p>If the internet is not working, the <b>first thing to check</b> is that<br>the black WiFi antennae are
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still upright and have not been knocked sideways.
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</div>
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<br>
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<p>Since 2018 we now have proper internet access in the tatty hut so the set-up on expo is exactly the same
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as the rest of the year. A few <em>Expo laptops</em> are provided, but you should be
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able to use your own computer in exactly the same way (if you brought one) as you do at home.</p>
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<figure class="onright">
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<a href="/piclinks/typing.htm"><img src="/images/typing.jpg"></a>
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<br><figcaption>Tony Rooke at computer in 1991 - in the old potato hut</figcaption>
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</figure>
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<p>We have our own WiFi ("potatohut" and usual cavey:beery password) which is connected (deviously)
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to the Gasthof campsite WiFi. So please don't stream video or do a lot of operating system updates using it
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as the Gasthof is probably paying per GB to their supplier.
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<h3>Two WiFi systems</h3>
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<p>Our own Wifi only works very close to the tatty hut. If you are camped over the road near the Gasthof you
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will need to use the Gasthof WiFi 'staudnwirt'. This takes you to a login page on a web browser and it will
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log you out if you stop using it or whenever it thinks you have been on too long. Get instructions from the
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Gasthof campsite reception.
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<h3>Nerding</h3>
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<p>Expo now requires so much nerding that it is part of <a href="/years/2018/training-weekends.html#nerding">the pre-expo training</a>.
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<h3>Expo laptops</h3>
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<p>The primary <em>Expo laptop</em> in the tatty hut is a 2011 Dell Latitude E4200 laptop 'Crowley' (on loan from Philip
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Sargent) which is connected to the hut network by a cable. It
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also has an external numberpad available as a couple of vital keys are dead
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(e.g. down-arrow, del - it has a new keyboard in 2023 but the contacts on the ribbon cable need cleaning).
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<p>This <em>Expo laptop</em> Crowley runs Linux [Cinnamon/Debian] and is configured as both
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an <a href="surveylaptop.html"><em>Expo survey laptop</em></a> with Tunnel and Therion and as an
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<a href="#bulk"><em>Expo bulk update laptop</em></a>.
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<figure class="onright">
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<a href="/years/2018/training-weekends.html#nerding"><img width= 250 src="/years/2018/blogimages/emzyUBQm.jpg"></a>
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<br><figcaption>Training weekend laptop in 2018<br />this is much smarter then the expo laptops</figcaption></figure>
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<p>It is mostly used for:
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<ul>
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<li>Typing in survey data
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<li>Uploading scans of survey notes
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<li>Uploading photos
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</ul>
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which can actually be done using any internet browser or a phone.
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<p>Any laptop or phone can connect to the server via the "potatohut" WiFi and,
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with some configuration, can be set up to do all those things too. New expoers
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are advised to use an <em>Expo laptop</em> first to see how it all works.</p>
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<p>Crowley is usually positioned permanently on the unused stove and is connected by ethernet cable to the hut network. It is connected to an extra LCD screen and external full-size keyboard (where all the keys do work) and mouse. The bigger screen is so that you can see surveys more easily as the laptop itself is small.
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<P>Through the miracle of the distributed version control system, everyone can edit the
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data on multiple laptops at the same time and it should all get merged.</p>
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<p>At the end of expo we don't need to bring all the <em>Expo laptops</em> back back to the UK
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(though we will, as we will want to do operating system updates during the year) as all the caving data updates are continuously
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synchronised with the public server expo.survex.com during the expo.</p>
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<h4 id="bulk">Bulk updates</h4>
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<p>For experienced expo surveyers the <em>Expo laptops</em> are also set up as
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<a href="bulkupdatelaptop.html"><em>Expo bulk update laptops</em></a> with file-transfer and version control capability to the expo server. New expoers should use the web forms, which work from any browser on any laptop.
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<p>Once you are familiar with the <a href="upload-simple.html">uploading forms</a> and know how to use the system, you can
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configure your own laptop to do <a href="bulkupdatelaptop.html">bulk upload</a> of many files and
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manage the version control yourself, but
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initially it is easier to use the <em>Expo laptop</em> as the software is already set up (cryptographic key
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exchange etc. is pre-configured). </p>
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<div class="onright">
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<figure>
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<a href="../l/hut-cables.html"><img width=200 src="../i/acer-blue-aspire-one-netbook.jpg"></a>
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<br><figcaption>AA1 netbook<br /> sits high up out of reach<br />
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(ours is less shiny)</figcaption>
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</figure>
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</div>
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<h3>Printing and Scanning</h3>
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We have A4 printer and scanner attached via usb cables and a usb hub to the <em>Expo laptop</em>.
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In 2018 we also connected the printer to the Netgear router with an ethernet cable and this made things more reliable.
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Configuring the scanner to be used via WiFi is yet to be done, but the printer is "shared" by the
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<em>Expo laptop</em> and so can be used by any laptop. (The printer has WiFi itself and so should be useable
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directly but we haven't got this configured properly yet.) Use a usb stick to transfer files for printing
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if you can't get your own laptop or phone to work with the printer.
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<h3 id="network">The Expo Laptops: Crowley's Friends: Aziraphale, Pulsifer, Anathema and Barbie</h3>
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<p>The wired-in <i>expo laptop</i> is called "Crowley". Crowley was rather too ill to be useful during the 2022 expo (being left in the potato hut for 3 years was not a healthy experience) but is now feeling much better... apart from the WiFi which needs a software driver update, but as Crowley is connected to the ethernet cable this is not vital.
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<p>Both laptops have had RAM upgrades and solid-state disc upgrades over winter 2022/23. They each hold a local complete copy of <em>expofiles</em> and the <em>expoweb, loser, drawings and troggle</em> <a href="repos.html">repositories</a> but do not have the troggle software configured to run locally, though this could be enabled if necessary.
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<figure class="onright" >
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<a href='/handbook/computing/l/barbie2023.html'><img src='/handbook/computing/t/barbie2023.jpg' ></a>
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<br><figcaption>Barbie in the hut</figcaption>
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</figure>
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<p>In 2025 we also have "Pulsifer", "Anathema" and "Barbie" as additional expo laptops. These are is currently running Xubuntu/xfce (not Debian/Cinnamon like Crowley).
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<ul>
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<li>"Barbie" is a pink netbook dating from 2014 which was intended as a replacement to the blue Acer Aspire but which is currently a general use laptop. It is an "HP Stream 11 Notebook", has only 2GB of memory, a 2.16GHz Celeron N2840, 32GB eMMC "drive" and is consequently a bit slow - it is donated by Philip Sargent. We have a 12V power supply for this, and it is small and light, so could be relocated to StoneBridge topcamp if that seems to be useful.
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<li>"Anathema" has a recent solid-state disc and wifi; it has an ethernet socket and (unsually) a working battery of 2 hours, pretty good for a 2011 machine. This is part of the Waddington bequest to expo (actually Michael Waddington's old gaming alienware laptop). It weighs 2kg and we don't have a 12V power supply for it, so it will live at base camp. (It is an alienware M11x R2 with a wifi module that is incompatible with linux kernels after 5.15.)
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<li>"Pulsifer" is also running Xubuntu/xfce. It has a recent solid-state disc, wifi, ethernet socket and (unsually) a working battery of about 1 hour. It is configured to run troggle software locally (but not as user 'expo'). It is old and heavy but we do have a 12V supply for it. Installed in potato hut 16th July 2025.
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<li>In 2019 and 2023 we had "Aziraphale" . This failed to revive in 2025 and is pending repair in Cambridge. It has the identical[Cinnamon/Debian] configuration and survey software installed as Crowley. It is a big, heavy R61 14-inch Thinkpad on loan from Michael Sargent. (Note that Aziraphale's SD code slot doesn't work).
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</ul>
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<p>Pulsifer, Barbie and Anathema also have a complete troggle development invironment installed, but this is not available from the "expo" login.(And is very slow on Barbie as it is all running from the SD card.)
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<h4>Laptop batteries</h4>
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<p>Both Crowley and Aziraphale are old and have bad batteries. Crowley only runs 10-20 minutes on battery and Aziraphale only about half an hour or so. So both should be run permanently plugged in to mains power. Barbie's battery lasts a long time: several hours in use, but annoyingly it self-discharges if left unused.
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<figure class="onright" >
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<a href="../l/hut-cables.html"><img border=1 width=250 src="../t/hut-cables-small.jpg"></a>
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<br><figcaption>Hut Network<br />click to enlarge <br />and to read instructions</figcaption>
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</figure>
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<h3 id="network">Networking Hardware - wiring up</h3>
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<p>[in 2025 this is all different: this text needs to be updated.]
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<p>The networking hardware is three boxes: an Alfa high-gain antenna device, an Acer Aspire One netbook and a Netgear WRT4000 ethernet/wifi box. These keep us logged in to the Gasthof to provide WiFi in the hut.
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<p>As normal WiFi does not reach across the road to the Gasthof, we have
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a high-power dual antenna WiFi tiny black box (Alfa 036ACH) on a small shelf high above the sink/stove area and connected via a usb cable to the tiny dark-blue Acer netbook 'tclaspire3' which is connected by ethernet cable to the Netgear box. It is the Netgear box which provides the WiFi in the hut. </p>
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<p>Note that we have <a href="../l/hut-cables.html">4 different</a> power-supply bricks.
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<h3 id="network">Networking Software - configuration nerding</h3>
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<p>This is now described on <a href="netconfig.html">a separate page</a>.
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<hr />
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Go on to:
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<a href="../l/hut-cables.html">Hut cabling</a><br />
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Go on to:
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<a href="netconfig.html">Network configuration</a><br />
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Go back to:
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<a href="onlinesystems.html">Expo online systems</a><br />
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<hr /></body></body></html>
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