How to Find Your Synology NAS IP Address

howchoo   (467)

August 9, 2023

4 minutes

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technology • 20 guides

Synology is one of the most popular creators of Network Attached Storage devices on the market today, and for great reason — they’re really good at what they do. They consistently make devices that stand the test of time and feature top-notch software that makes the process of running a home server as easy as eating a slice of pie.

Still, if this is your first time setting up a Synology NAS, you probably have a few questions, and the most pressing is probably “How do I log into the darned thing?”

Luckily, Synology has made it really easy to log in securely. You can either set up Synology QuickConnect, the absolute best method for securely signing in to your NAS dashboard, connect using the Synology Desktop App, or follow this guide to connect via the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your NAS.

1 – Navigate to find.synology.com

Just type find.synology.com into your address bar or click here. The web page will automatically search your network and try to find your Synology NAS.

2 – Your Synology NAS landing page has it all!

From this page you can view all the basic information about your Synology NAS model, including its IP address.

3 – Connect to go straight to your Synology NAS dashboard

You can connect to your NASH dashboard from here, making it easy to control your NAS from a web browser.

How to Set Up Quick Connect on a Synology NAS

howchoo   (467)

November 24, 2023

How to Show All Layers of a Docker Image

howchoo   (467)

August 9, 2023

5 minutes

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docker • 4 guides

Docker images are made up of layers, and many times you’ll want to see details on each layer of an image. This guide will show you how to show all layers of a Docker image.

1 – Use the docker history command

As an example, we’ll check out the layers of the python:3.6 image. So first run:

docker pull python:3.6

And use docker history to show the layers.

docker history python:3.6

2 – Analyze the output

The output of this command will show you details about how each layer was created and the size:

IMAGE               CREATED             CREATED BY                                      SIZE                COMMENT
a5b7afcfdcc8        2 months ago        /bin/sh -c #(nop)  CMD ["python3"]              0B
           2 months ago        /bin/sh -c set -ex;   wget -O get-pip.py 'ht…   6MB
           2 months ago        /bin/sh -c #(nop)  ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION=10…   0B
           2 months ago        /bin/sh -c cd /usr/local/bin  && ln -s idle3…   32B
           2 months ago        /bin/sh -c set -ex  && buildDeps='   dpkg-de…   67.3MB
           2 months ago        /bin/sh -c #(nop)  ENV PYTHON_VERSION=3.6.5     0B
           2 months ago        /bin/sh -c #(nop)  ENV GPG_KEY=0D96DF4D4110E…   0B
           2 months ago        /bin/sh -c apt-get update && apt-get install…   8.73MB
           2 months ago        /bin/sh -c #(nop)  ENV LANG=C.UTF-8             0B
           2 months ago        /bin/sh -c #(nop)  ENV PATH=/usr/local/bin:/…   0B
           2 months ago        /bin/sh -c set -ex;  apt-get update;  apt-ge…   556MB
           2 months ago        /bin/sh -c apt-get update && apt-get install…   142MB
           2 months ago        /bin/sh -c set -ex;  if ! command -v gpg > /…   7.8MB
           2 months ago        /bin/sh -c apt-get update && apt-get install…   23.2MB
           3 months ago        /bin/sh -c #(nop)  CMD ["bash"]                 0B
           3 months ago        /bin/sh -c #(nop) ADD file:9572fdb59dfbb9b03…   101MB

How to Run a Raspberry Pi Cluster with Docker Swarm

howchoo   (467)

September 20, 2023

How To Add and Remove Contacts From Your Child’s Messenger Kids Account

howchoo   (467)

August 9, 2023

4 minutes

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kids • 3 guides

Facebook’s Messenger Kids is a free app that allows children to make video calls and send messages on smartphones and tablets, but with more control than just giving your child access to a phone. With Messenger Kids, parents can control their child’s online experience through a variety of functions that allow them to have a safe and secure online experience.

This guide will show you how to add and remove contacts in Messenger Kids.

1 – How to add a contact on iPhone or Android

1. Open the Facebook App
2. Tap the three stacked horizontal lines
3. Scroll down and select Messenger Kids (you might need to select ‘See More’ to get to it).
4. Select your child’s account
5. Select ‘Contacts‘
6. Select ‘Choose People‘
7. Select ‘Add‘

2 – How to Remove a contact in Messenger Kids

1. Open the Facebook App
2. Tap the three stacked horizontal lines
3. Scroll down and select Messenger Kids (you might need to select ‘See More’ to get to it).
4. Select your child’s account
5. Select ‘Contacts‘
6. Select the three vertical dots next to the name of the person you want to remove.
7. Select ‘Remove‘ as a contact.

3 – How to add a contact from your desktop

1. Open Facebook and go to the ‘Explore‘ section on the left.
2. Select ‘Messenger Kids‘
3. Select your child’s account
4. Select ‘Choose Contacts.’ You can search for specific people to add, or select a category (i.e. Your Friends, Family Members).
5. Select ‘Add‘

4 – How to remove a contact from your desktop

1. Open Facebook and go to the ‘Explore‘ section on the left.
2. Select ‘Messenger Kids‘
3. Select your child’s account
4. Select the gear next to the name of the person you want to remove.
5. Select ‘Remove‘ as a contact

Slow Media Modern Waldorf & Montessori Kids Can Watch!

howchoo   (467)

September 27, 2023

How to Access a Website Running on Localhost from a Mobile Phone

howchoo   (467)

August 9, 2023

4 minutes

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webdev • 10 guides

If you have a website running on your computer that you typically access by visiting http://localhost, you can also access this site from your mobile phone as long as both computers are connected to the same network.

1 – Connect both devices to the same network

You’ll need to connect both devices to the same network. So make sure your mobile phone is connected to the same Wi-Fi network that your computer is using.

2 – Find the IP address of your computer

For Windows, you can find the IP address by visiting Control Panel. In the search box, search for “adapter”. Click on View Network Connections. Select the active network connection and click View status of this connection. Click Details and the IP address should be found next to IPv4 Address.

For Mac, open the Network Utility. You can find this quickly with Spotlight by typing cmd + space and then start typing “Network”. With Network Utility open, your IP address can be found next to the label IP Address.

3 – Find the host name of your computer

If you prefer, instead of using the IP address, you can use the hostname. This might be preferable so you don’t have to keep looking up the IP address every time you change networks.

On Windows, click Start. Then right-click on Computer and select Properties. Then click the Computer Name tab.

On Mac, open System Preferences and click Sharing. Look for the text that reads: Computers on your local network can access your computer at: computer-name.local.

4 – Open your mobile browser and visit the IP address or host name

Using your mobile browser, simply type the IP address or host name into the URL bar. Make sure to include any necessary ports or paths required to view your website.

Xfinity: How to Change Your WiFi Network Name

howchoo   (467)

September 29, 2023

Xfinity Router Login: How to Log in to a Comcast Xfinity Router

howchoo   (467)

August 9, 2023

6 minutes

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Comcast router x 1

Howchoo is reader-supported. As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a small affiliate commission at no cost to you when you buy through our links.

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comcast • 7 guides

Internet

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Router

router • 32 guides

• 
  Reset Xfinity Router
• 
  Xfinity Router Login
• 
  Change Xfinity WiFi Password
• 
  Change Xfinity WiFi Network Name
• 
  Comcast Business Router Login

There are many reasons you might want to access your Comcast Xfinity router. For instance, you may want to change your wireless password or set up port forwarding for a project you are working on.

In any case, if you’re looking to log in to the Xfinity Wireless Gateway, then you’ll need the Comcast Xfinity router IP address in [the second step] to log into your router. If you have an Xfinity modem/router combo, this is also known as your modem login. If you’re using a business router, the process can be a little different. Check out this guide for steps on how to log into a Comcast business router.

If you need to login to your Comcast account, visit this guide.

1 – Make sure you are connected to your Xfinity network

This can be a wired or WiFi connection.

2 – Open a browser and go to 10.0.0.1

This is the router’s gateway. It will automatically bring up a log in screen.

3 – Enter a username and password

Username: admin
Password: password

Now you’re logged in.

4 – Change your password

You can change your password by click “Change Password” at the top right of the admin panel.

5 – Can’t remember your username or password?

Username

Here’s the Xfinity page to help you find your username.

Password

Here’s the Xfinity page to help you reset your password.

6 – Other options

While the above steps are the easiest way to directly log in to your Comcast Xfinity router, here are some other options that may suit your needs, as well.

Xfinity xFi

If you’re using an xFi gateway, then you can access xFi from your account pages in both the mobile Xfinity app and on the Xfinity website.

Then you’ll simply:
1. Log in to your Comcast Xfinity account.
2. Select your network name from the top of the page.
3. From here you can view your password and make changes to your WiFi.

7 – Next up: Speed up your wifi connection

We’ve written a few practical tips to show you how to speed up your wifi connection.

Make Wi-Fi Faster: How to Speed Up Your Wi-Fi Connection
Speed up your Internet connection in just a few minutes.

Looking to upgrade your Comcast router or modem? Get a faster connection and remove equipment rental fees from your bill by finding the best Comcast compatible routers.

Best Comcast Xfinity-Compatible Routers and Modems
To Xfinity and beyond?

How to Change Your Frontier WiFi Password

howchoo   (467)

November 25, 2023

How To Find and View a Minecraft World Seed Map

howchoo   (467)

August 9, 2023

4 minutes

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As much of an explorer I am, there’s only so far I’m willing to blindly travel for resources. That’s where having the world’s seed comes in handy! Minecraft’s seeds are values made up of characters and are the basis for generating every Minecraft world.

Minecraft uses an algorithm called Perlin noise to generate each new world. Perlin noise outputs a pseudo-random value that is used to determine the characteristics and features of that world. It’s a constant point or seed, meaning the same seed will generate the same terrain each time it’s used.

Below is a step-by-step guide to finding your world seed and viewing an interactive seed map!

Note: You must have permission on a multiplayer server in order to get the seed number.

1 – Get Your World Seed Number

Minecraft already comes with a simple command to finding out your world’s seed. Simply open the chat and type /seed. Upon hitting Enter, your world seed will appear in the chat.

2 – Copy Seed Number

Hover the mouse over the seed number in the chat and left click to copy the seed.

3 – Go to the Chunk Base Website

Chunk Base is a website that provides a collection of apps to help Minecraft players find features or points of interest in their world.

Most importantly for this guide, Chunk Base has a free and interactive seed map application. Click this link to travel to the page, then paste your seed code into the box shown above!

4 – Filter and View Seed Map

The map will automatically update to your world. You can toggle what features you want to see and even filter specific biomes! Plus, if you want to save the map for later use, you can download a PNG file.

Top 10 Enchantments in Minecraft

howchoo   (467)

March 25, 2024

How to Enable SSH on Raspberry Pi OS Without a Screen

howchoo   (467)

August 9, 2023

4 minutes

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If you’re like me, you don’t always have a spare keyboard/monitor available to set up your Raspberry Pi. I rely heavily on SSH to set up my Pi, but in late 2016 Raspbian images started shipping with SSH disabled for security reasons. Fortunately, you can still enable SSH without a screen using the latest operating system, Raspberry Pi OS.

1 – Put the micro SD card into your computer

This guide assumes that you’ve already installed Raspberry Pi OS on your Pi. If not, go ahead and install it. Then put the SD card into your computer.

How to Install Raspberry Pi OS on Your Raspberry Pi
Get the new official Raspberry Pi OS on your Pi.

2 – Navigate to the boot directory

You’ll have to locate the boot directory, on my Mac it’s in /Volumes/boot.

If you’re on a Mac, open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal) and type:

cd /Volumes/boot

On Windows, you’ll need to use Command Prompt instead.

3 – Create an empty file called ssh

All you have to do is create an empty file called ssh.

touch ssh

If this file exists, ssh will be enabled when the pi is booted.

4 – Insert the SD card into the Pi and power on

Connect the Pi to a power source to power it on. As long as the Pi is connected via an Ethernet cable (or wifi), you should now be able to ssh in to the Pi.

How to Connect to a Raspberry Pi Remotely via SSH
The preferred (and most common) method of connecting to your Pi to run commands.

If you don’t have easy access to an ethernet connection, you can configure a WiFi connection similar to how we enabled SSH.

How to Set up WiFi on Your Raspberry Pi Without a Monitor (Headless)
No monitor, keyboard, or mouse? No problem.

How to Run a Minecraft Server on the Raspberry Pi

howchoo   (467)

December 7, 2023

How to Log in to a Charter Spectrum Router

howchoo   (467)

August 9, 2023

4 minutes

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Charter router x 1

Howchoo is reader-supported. As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a small affiliate commission at no cost to you when you buy through our links.

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Internet

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Router

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• 
  Reset Charter Spectrum Router
• 
  Charter Spectrum Router Login
• 
  Change Charter Spectrum WiFi Password

There are many reasons you might need to log into your Charter Spectrum router; for example, you may need to perform initial setup or secure your wireless network.

Whatever the reason, this guide will show you the Charter Spectrum router login process, including your router’s login IP address, the default router username and password, and more.

Let’s get started!

1 – Make sure you are connected to your network

Use your phone, tablet, or computer to connect to your network. You can connect to your wireless network using WiFi or your wired network using an Ethernet cable.

2 – Open a browser and go to http://192.168.0.1

The Spectrum router IP address is: http://192.168.0.1

Type or paste that URL into your web browser’s address bar and press ENTER.

If that IP doesn’t work, try: http://192.168.1.1 instead.

3 – Enter the default login info

On the login page, use the default Spectrum router password and username below to log into your router:

Username: admin
Password: password

If those credentials don’t work, try:

Username: user
Password: user

If you still can’t log in, it’s possible that someone changed the default username or password. In this case, you simply need to reset your Spectrum router to factory defaults.

How to Change or Reset Your Router Username and Password
There’s got to be some way in!

4 – Need help?

If you’re having trouble accessing your Spectrum router, Post below and I’ll do my best to help you out!

Average response time: Less than 1 day.

How to Change Your Frontier WiFi Password

howchoo   (467)

November 25, 2023

How to Read Kubernetes Secrets

howchoo   (467)

August 9, 2023

6 minutes

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Kubernetes

kubernetes • 6 guides

So you’ve started using Kubernetes secrets. At some point, you’ll probably want to see the secret in plain text, either to validate it or use it in another context. In this guide, I’ll show you how to read Kubernetes secrets from the command line using kubectl.

Secure Your Sensitive Data with Kubernetes Secrets
Learn how to create and use Kubernetes secrets

tl;dr

$ kubectl get secret  -o jsonpath="{.data.}" | base64 --decode

Replace  and .

1 – Authenticate with your Kubernetes cluster

If you’re running multiple kubernetes clusters or haven’t authenticated yet, you’ll need to do so first. There are a handful of authentication strategies so I will not cover them each in this guide.

I run my clusters on GKE, so there’s a handy gcloud command to get the configuration for a particular cluster and handle authentication.

Once you’ve authenticated you can confirm your current context with:

kubectl config current-context

2 – List, read, and decode secret data

Now let’s assume we want to read from a secret called mysecret. The terminology might be a little bit tricky, so I’ll try to explain. In Kubernetes, “secret” refers to the Secret object, and Secret objects can be composed of multiple pieces of sensitive information. In this demo, mysecret includes both a username and password.

So first we’ll locate our secret:

$ kubectl get secrets
NAME                            TYPE                                  DATA      AGE
mysecret                        Opaque                                2         2d

And there’s our secret. We can also confirm it has two pieces of data (presumably username and password).

Now let’s describe the secret:

$ kubectl describe secret mysecret
Name:         mysecret
Namespace:    default
Labels:       
Annotations:  
Type:         Opaque

Data
====
username: 20 bytes
password: 20 bytes

Ok. So we’ve got our secret with the username and password data.

Now, if we use kubectl get and set the output to yaml, we’ll see the base64 encoded secret data.

$ k get secret mysecret -o yaml
apiVersion: v1
data:
  username: YWJjZGVmZ2hpamtsbW5vcHFyc3QK
  password: MTIzNDU2Nzg5MDEyMzQ1Njc4OTAK
...

Now to see the output in plain text you can simply copy the base64 encoded string, and decode it:

$ echo "YWJjZGVmZ2hpamtsbW5vcHFyc3QK" | base64 --decode
abcdefghijklmnopqrst

3 – A shortcut to decoding secret data

The previous step is useful for understanding how this breaks down, but here’s a much easier way to read a secret:

$ kubectl get secret mysecret -o jsonpath="{.data.username}" | base64 --decode
abcdefghijklmnopqrst

Do you need to visualize data from multiple sources? Visit our guide for steps on how to install Apache Superset on a GKE Kubernetes Cluster.

Secure Your Sensitive Data with Kubernetes Secrets

howchoo   (467)

November 26, 2023

How to Visit Minecraft’s Uncensored Library

howchoo   (467)

August 9, 2023

8 minutes

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In what is easily one of my favorite Minecraft creations Reporters Without Borders contracted with a cool design company called BlockWorks to build a massive 12.5 million block library that houses the articles of silenced and murdered journalists from five of the world’s most restrictive and regressive governments. In the fight for democracy, these were some of the brightest lights and loudest voices, and, through the Uncensored Library, their work lives on.

An Uncensored Library Created in Minecraft Defies Authoritarianism
Censored articles from around the world find refuge in this massive Minecraft map

The best part about this project is that it’s interactive. You can visit this library, read the articles that posed such a great threat to their authoritarian governments, and get a visceral sense of the difficulties faced by people in these countries (and others just as restrictive) to locating information that their repressive leaders don’t want them to have.

1 – Accessing the Uncensored Library via the Minecraft server

If you’re playing Minecraft on PC, in the launcher you can make sure you are running Minecraft version 1.14.4. You can change your Minecraft version using this guide!

• Once you’ve changed to the correct Minecraft version, open Minecraft and click on “Multiplayer”. Near the bottom of the screen, there will be a button that reads, “Add Server”.
• Now, copy the IP for The Uncensored Library visit.uncensoredlibrary.com and click the “Add” button.
• Finally, just double-click the server in the list.

2 – Downloading the Uncensored Library Minecraft map for PC

The Uncensored Library is available for free to players of Minecraft on PC or Mac. The map can be downloaded on their website uncensoredlibrary.com under the section ‘downloads‘.

Once you have downloaded The Uncensored Library zip file (containing an individual map), to play, follow these instructions:

• Download a map file on the uncensoredlibrary.com.
• Extract the map files with a ZIP extractor. ZIP files can usually be opened by your operating system without any problems. Click the ‘Extract’ button, and you will be asked for a location to extract to.
• Extract the folder to your desktop or Documents folder so that you can easily find it
• Click the Start menu and select ‘Run’. Type %appdata% and press Enter. Open folder named ‘.minecraft’ and then ‘saves’

3 – Downloading the Uncensored Library Minecraft map for Mac

The Uncensored Library is available for free to players of Minecraft on PC or Mac. The map can be downloaded on their website uncensoredlibrary.com under the section ‘downloads‘.

Once you have downloaded The Uncensored Library zip file (containing an individual map), to play, follow these instructions:

• Download a map file on the uncensoredlibrary.com. – Extract the map files with a ZIP extractor. ZIP files can usually be opened by your operating system without any problems. Click the ‘Extract’ button and you will be asked for a location to extract to.
• Extract the folder to your desktop or Documents folder so that you can easily find it
• Click the Go menu in Finder and select ‘Go to Folder’. Type ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/saves and press Return Copy the extracted map folder into the ‘saves’ folder that opens Start the game. Your newly downloaded map will be available in your ‘Worlds’ list in Minecraft. Select it to begin playing and exploring your new map.

Top 10 Enchantments in Minecraft

howchoo   (467)

March 25, 2024