bookmark_borderFTP Access to the MikroTik RouterBOARD 1100 AHx2

The MikroTik RouterBOARD 1100 AHx2 (RB1100AHx2) is 1U rackmount gigabit ethernet router with a dual core CPU. It can reach up to a million packets per second and supports hardware encryption. This post describes how to access the MikroTik 1100 AHx2 using FTP (File Transfer Protocol). FTP access is desirable in order to update the RouterOS software or perform other activities. The FTP client FileZilla will be used to describe the steps necessary, but you can use any FTP client.

The versions of software discussed in this post are as follows:

  • Windows 10 Pro
  • RouterOS 6.42.10 (long-term)
  • Filezilla client 3.39

Lets get started…

Start by downloading and installing the FileZilla client. Once installed open the Filezilla client and navigate to File -> Site Manager, select “New Site” and create a name for the entry (e.g., “MikroTik”). Set the Protocol to “SFTP – SSH File Transfer Protocol” and the Logon Type to “Normal”. Enter the user name and password. If you have not changed these on the MikroTik 1100 AHx2 then the user name will be admin and the password field should be left blank (See Figure 1).

Screenshot showing the FileZilla client configuration for FTP access to the MikroTik router

Figure 1

Select “Connect” and you should be connected.

That’s it. A couple of minutes with the venerable FileZilla FTP client and you have FTP access to the MikroTik 1100 AHx2.

bookmark_borderHow I Organize Application Shortcuts in the Windows 10 Start Menu

Here’s a quick post on how I organize shortcuts to my applications in the Windows 10 Start menu.

To start, I uninstall any default Microsoft default applications (e.g., Internet Explorer), as well as any applications that the vendor (e.g., Dell, Lenovo, etc.) has installed that I’m not likely to use. Then I unpin any application tiles that may exist in the Start menu, and reduce the menu window by grabbing the right edge and sliding it left (See Figure 1).

Screenshot showing size of Windows 10 Start menu being adjusted

Figure 1

Next, I navigate to Settings -> Personalization -> Start and shut off several Start menu options (See Figure 2).

Screenshot showing Windows 10 Start menu settings

Figure 2

While in this menu I select “Choose which folders appear on Start” and shut off several more options (See Figure 3).

Screenshot showing settings for which folders appear in the Windows 10 Start menu

Figure 3

When applications are installed under Windows 10 their Start menu shortcuts are contained in one or both of the following locations: %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs and C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs. I move everything contained in the former into the latter, and do some clean up (i.e., remove extraneous folders, links to web sites, etc.).

I move all Windows 10 system applications (e.g., Narrator, Paint) to the “Windows System” folder; and all shortcuts to Windows 10 administrative applications (e.g., “Component Services”, “Computer Management”) to the folder “Windows Administrative Tools”. Both folders will appear under Start menu, where the applications contained within can be accessed.

For portable applications that are standalone binary executable files (e.g., PuTTY) I place all of those into a folder under C:\, create shortcuts to those files, and then move those shortcuts to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs, where they will appear in the Start menu.

Much as been written about the Windows 10 Start menu and its departure from Windows 7. And while I’ll probably never really warm to it at least I can keep my application shortcuts a little more organized.

Have I forgotten anything? Probably. But you get the idea.

bookmark_borderStop Windows 10 From Showing Other Windows You Can Snap To

When using the keyboard shortcut Win + arrow key to position an active window to various positions on the screen (e.g, top left, right side, full screen, etc.), Windows 10 will display other active windows next to it. To stop this behavior, navigate to Settings -> System -> Multitasking and turn off “When I snap a window, show what I can snap next to it”. Next time you use this keyboard shortcut to position an active window it will immediately go where you want without showing any other active windows.

bookmark_borderMake TortoiseSVN Always Prompt for Username and Password

When you perform a commit in TortoiseSVN an authentication box pops up prompting you for a Username and Password. The “Save authentication” option is enabled by default (See Figure 1). When this option is disabled, TortoiseSVN will not save your credentials and you’ll be prompted again for your credentials next time you perform a commit. Once again though, the Save authentication option will be enabled automatically.

Screenshot showing TortoiseSVN authentication pop up box

Figure 1

If you don’t want TortoiseSVN to retain your credentials, and you don’t want to have to remember to disable the save authentication option every commit, navigate to TortoiseSVN -> Settings -> Advanced and change the value of AllowAuthSave to “false” (See Figure 2). The save authentication option will then be permanently disabled.

Screenshot showing the TortoiseSVN advanced settings menu

Figure 2

If you forgot to disable the save authentication option when you made a commit, you can clear the locally cached Username and Password by navigating to TortoiseSVN -> Settings -> Authentication data. If you want to clear authentication data for one particular server only, select “Clear…”, else select “Clear all” (See Figure 3). TortoiseSVN stores the credentials in Subversion’s default directory %APPDATA%\Subversion\auth

Screenshot showing the TortoiseSVN saved data settings menu

Figure 3

References

https://tortoisesvn.net/docs/release/TortoiseSVN_en/index.html

bookmark_borderHow to Turn Off Firewall Notifications in Windows 10

When running Windows 10-based machines within my home network I typically ensure that the network interface profile is set to “Private” because those machines reside behind a dedicated firewall I operate on a network I trust. In this case I don’t need the firewall built into Windows 10 so I disable it. Unfortunately when this occurs Windows 10 repeatedly notifies me that its firewall is off.

Here’s a brief post on how to change the network profile, turn off the Windows 10 firewall associated with the private network profile, and suppress the firewall messages that occur after the Windows 10 firewall is disabled.

To change the network interface profile to Private, open the Start menu and select the Settings shortcut, on the left (it looks like a cogwheel). From there select Network & Internet, then Status from among the menu choices on the left. Now select “Change connection properties” and then select “Private”. Pro tip: an even quicker way to get to this setting is to left-click the network icon in the system tray at the bottom-right, near the clock, then click on “Properties”.

Okay, to turn off firewall associated with the private networks, again from the Settings menu, select Update & Security, then Windows Security from among the menu choices on the left. Now select “Firewall & network protection” and then select “Private network”. Move the slider under “Windows Defender Firewall” from On to Off.

Finally, to suppress those firewall messages, open the Start menu and search for and select Control Panel. Once there select Security and Maintenance, then Change Security and Maintenance settings from among the menu choices on the left. Under the “Security messages” category uncheck “Network firewall”.

That’s it. Your network connection continues to be secure behind your firwall without the repeated notifications concerning the Windows 10 firewall.

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