CablesAndKits Blog

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Let’s spice up this midweek hump with a sizzle of flavor because it’s also National Taco Day! Whether you prefer a soft shell or a hard shell, today is the perfect day for a taco night! 🌮

In This Issue: Weekend Adventures & Achieving Goals 💪 | Cat6 Slim Ethernet Patch Cable | What is Third-Party Maintenance? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Weekend Adventures & Achieving Goals 💪

Good morning & Happy Wednesday!

I hope everyone has had a great week so far. I’ve been soaking up the beautiful weather we’ve been having. I think the official fall weather is almost here. It’s still a bit warm in the afternoons, but the mornings and evenings are so enjoyable to take a nice walk, enjoy dinner outside, and just soak up some fresh air.

This weekend was an eventful one for our family! My Mom, Dad, Aunt, and Uncle came up to our house to enjoy some time with us and to celebrate my Uncle’s birthday and it was such a great time. This time they brought their dogs with them, so we had a full house. Now that I think of it, we were actually out numbered by dogs! We’re quite the dog-loving family, so a full house of dogs is the “norm” for us.

For my Uncle’s birthday, we gave our hand at a golf simulator experience. It was similar to TopGolf, however, you hit a real golfball at a projector screen and you can play different courses and games on the screen. It was a great time! We also ended up at a local cidery where you were able to pet the cows they had on their farm. Quite the experience, to say the least.

It was a great weekend and I was so grateful that my family made the drive up to see us. It’s always a great time to spend time with them and even more special now that we’ve got our little guy to join us on all of our adventures. I have to say, he’s becoming a well-traveled guy!

Also, a small update for you all since I’ve been utilizing this as my accountability. I officially hit 26 books which was my goal for 2023! I’m still on a mission to keep reading and enjoying books for the rest of the year, but feel excited to share that. If you’ve read any good reads lately, please share!
Have a great rest of the week!

Ashley

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Our Cat6 Slim Ethernet Patch Cables are the perfect solution for high-density installations in data centers or any network setup where space is limited, without sacrificing the speed and durability that you are used to with regular-sized Cat 6 cabling. The Snagless boot enables the installer to quickly connect and disconnect the cable in even the tightest situations.

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Learning Center Article – What is Third-Party Maintenance?

When you have a lot of IT equipment, such as owning a data center or a large enterprise system, you need quality support to keep it running at its best.

For that support, you have a few options. You can rely on maintenance from the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). You can house your own support staff. Or, you can contract a third party to take care of it all for you.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• The Federal Emergency Management Agency is set to test the national public alert and warning system at 2:20 p.m. ET today. Nearly all smartphones connected to a cellular network will deliver a message, alongside an alert sound and vibration: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” TV and radio stations will also deliver the same message around the same time.
• Google will make it harder for spammers to land in your email inbox. Google will require emailers who send more than 5,000 messages per day to Gmail users to offer a one-click unsubscribe button in their messages.
• The Food and Drug Administration authorized Novavax’s updated Covid vaccine targeting the omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 for emergency use in people ages 12 and up.
• Meta is considering charging its European users to access ad-free versions of Instagram and Facebook. The proposal is Meta’s attempt to navigate strict privacy rules in the European Union, which will require Meta to get users’ consent in order to show them targeted ads.

Happy Tuesday & Happy National Techies Day! Today celebrates the brilliant minds behind the technology that makes our lives easier and more exciting. Whether you’re a tech guru or simply appreciate the wonders of innovation, may your day be filled with inspiration and breakthroughs. 💻

In This Issue: October Adventures | Meraki Access Point | What Is a VLAN? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – October Adventures

Good Morning & Happy Tuesday! It’s hard to believe we have already made it to October! This is always such a magical month as it seems like this is when Fall truly begins. The cool mornings are such a relief from the hot and muggy Summer weather, football is in full swing, and the rich and delicious Fall foods start getting made!

I have a lot to look forward to this month as my family does an annual vacation to Hilton Head during the month of October. It’s such a great time of year to be there since the crowds are light and the weather is normally fantastic! I’ve been in a busy and stressful season of life lately so the chance to get away and hopefully recharge the batteries a little bit sounds amazing!

Towards the end of October, I’ll be heading out on a camping trip that will take us up to North Georgia for one night and then to Bryson City, NC for two nights. It should be peak leaf week so really hoping to get in some fun hikes and see some stunning views of the Great Smoky Mountains!

Excited for the month ahead!

Rebecca

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The Meraki MR33 is an entry-level, quad-radio, cloud-managed, 2×2:2, 802.11ac Wave 2 access point with MU-MIMO support. It provides a maximum 1.3 Gbps aggregate frame rate with concurrent 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios. It also features a dedicated third radio that provides real-time WIDS/WIPS with automated RF optimization. In addition, an integrated Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) radio delivers beacon and scanning capabilities.

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Learning Center Article – What Is a VLAN?

As you get deeper into networking, you’ll learn about additional tools and techniques that grant you more freedom and flexibility. As networks grow in capacity and complexity, freedom and flexibility become invaluable.

On that journey, one of your most valuable tools is the VLAN. It’s a way to group devices in a network pretty much however you want, giving you more control over the flow of information across your whole network.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Chipotle Mexican Grill is testing a robot made with Hyphen technology that can assemble burrito bowls and salads.
• Macy’s will open up to 30 more stores in strip centers, as it thinks outside of the shopping mall. The stores are roughly one-fifth the size of its traditional stores.
• The average total time spent in a drive-thru lane shrank 29 seconds this year. Wait times to order were 25 seconds shorter, as the average number of cars in line to place their order fell from 2.76 to 1.27.
• Apple said that it will issue a software update that would address customer complaints about the latest iPhone 15 models, released just over a week ago, running hot. Apple said that the new iPhones were running hot because of a combination of bugs in iOS 17, bugs in apps, and a temporary set-up period that requires extra processing.

Happy Monday & Happy October! Time is flying by. The end of the year is just around the corner. What are you hoping to accomplish before we welcome 2024?!

In This Issue: Fall Weather & Camping Trips | Cisco 16Port Asynchronous High-Speed WAN Interface Card | FAQ: What is an Auto-sensing Ethernet Port | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Fall Weather & Camping Trips

Happy Monday!

It’s finally October and we’re finally out of the blazing southern heat here in Georgia. This is one of my favorite times of year, because there’s usually not a lot of rain and it never gets hotter than 80 degrees in my area. This weekend we spent a lot of time outdoors at playgrounds and parks, visiting friends and family. We also got some stuff ready for a camping trip we have planned in a couple of weeks. This will be the first time we have camped as a family in the Fall, so that will certainly be an adventure.

My main concern is the cold, but we have prepared with cold weather sleeping bags and portable heaters. Keeping my young kids comfortable is a must during these trips. I want them to enjoy the camping trips and so far they’ve loved going camping. I’m going to try to capitalize on this time together, because I know the day will come (hopefully not too soon), when they don’t want to do it anymore. But, who knows, maybe I’ll spark a lifelong love for the outdoors and camping, at least that’s the hope. Speaking of camping, any Fall camping tips you’d like to share?

I hope you have a great day and a great first week of October!

Cris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

This HWIC-16A provides flexible connections for Cisco-integrated routers. It enables customers to enable applications such as WAN aggregation, legacy protocol transport, console server, and dial access server. This asynchronous high-speed WAN interface card allows for mixing and matching the HWIC to tailor cost-effective solutions such as remote network management, external dial modem access, low-density WAN aggregation, legacy protocol transport, and high port density support.

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Learning Center Article – FAQ: What is an Auto-sensing Ethernet Port

When you’re browsing features and specifications for your networking equipment, you might come across something known as autosensing.

What is it, and why does it matter?

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Meal kit business Blue Apron announced it has agreed to sell itself to food and restaurant company Wonder Group.
• United Airlines pilots approved a contract with raises that could top 40% over four years. American Airlines and Delta pilots also approved new labor deals this year with big pay increases.
• Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman, who identified a chemical tweak to messenger RNA for vaccines against COVID-19, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
• After a two-year absence, Biles made history at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastic Championships, becoming the first woman to land the Yurchenko double pike vault, now named the Biles II, internationally.

Happy Friday! The weekend is here. Do you have any plans? We hope it’s a great one!

In This Issue: A Stay at the Swamp | Rack Screws | Is Third-Party Maintenance Right for Me? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – A Stay at the Swamp

Happy Friday, folks! Fall break is coming up for our kids in a few weeks, and we’re all ready for a short break! We’re leaving town for a few days while they’re off. Over the last couple of years, we’ve been exploring more unique places to stay on Airbnb. We’re currently on a tiny home kick and have plans to stay in our second tiny home soon. My kids think that tiny homes are incredible places to stay!

So I saw this new article on Airbnb today that you can now stay in Shrek’s swamp. 😲 Would you stay here?

What are some of the most exciting or interesting places you’ve stayed? We’re looking to explore some new places, so I’d love to hear about your experiences.

Have a great weekend!

Chris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Used to mount network and telecom equipment into standard equipment racks. There are two main types of screws. 10-32 or 12-24. The 12-24 screws account for most applications in the field today. These particular screws have an E-Z start shank. This type of shank is void of threads for the first few “rounds” at the bottom. This allows easy insertion of the screw without having to get it “started” first.

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Learning Center Article – What Is BIMMF?

Every business has tech hardware that they depend on for daily operations. That could be something as simple as a printer or something as complicated as a dedicated cellular network that spans a 15-mile service area.

Since you rely on this hardware, you need the means to take care of it when things go wrong. You can do some of that with in-house IT, but sometimes, you need outside help. When that time comes, you can consider third party maintenance.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Epic Games announced plans to eliminate 16% of its workforce, sell Bandcamp and spin off most of its SuperAwesome services.
• Congress has little time left to avoid a shutdown, and it still doesn’t have a plan. The Senate has been working in a bipartisan manner and has a bill to fund the government through Nov. 17, which should pass in the coming days, though perhaps not before the weekend deadline.
• The popular delivery apps Uber, DoorDash and GrubHub on Thursday lost their bid to block New York City’s minimum wage mandate for app-based delivery workers.
• Costco is selling 1 ounce gold PAMP Suisse Lady Fortuna Veriscan bars. Costco Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti said the bars are in hot demand and don’t last long when in stock.

Happy Thursday & Happy Good Neighbor Day! When you get home today, head on over to your neighbor’s house to let them know how much you appreciate them!

In This Issue: Football, Barbecue, and Nuggets of Wisdom | HPE Aruba 2530 Series Switch | What Is BIMMF? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Football, Barbecue, and Nuggets of Wisdom

Happy Thursday!

Last weekend, my extended family gathered to watch football, savor delicious barbecue, and celebrate the birthday of my soon-to-be father-in-law. It was an unforgettable day, filled with fun trash talk about the games, laughter, and moments that will be cherished for years to come.

What makes these gatherings so special to me is the opportunity they provide for us to reconnect. Life can be so hectic, with each of us caught up in our daily routines and responsibilities. But when we come together like this, we get a chance to catch up, share stories, and simply enjoy each other’s company.

One of the highlights for me is engaging in deep conversations about life. There’s something soothing about exchanging thoughts and ideas with people who have a wealth of knowledge and life experience to share. These discussions seem to always open up new perspectives that I may not have considered before. I walk away from these interactions with what I like to call “nuggets” of wisdom—small but valuable pieces of insight and understanding that I didn’t even realize I needed.

I hope you’re also finding time to nurture your own connections and collect your own “nuggets” of wisdom along the way. Please share your own stories and experiences with me when you can. I always look forward to our conversations.
Wishing you a wonderful rest of your week.

Joi

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The Aruba 2530 Series of switches was designed to offer cost-effective, reliable, and secure access layer connectivity for a wide range of uses from enterprise, to branch offices and small to mid-sized businesses. These easy-to-deploy switches feature an energy-efficient design which lowers power consumption for greater energy savings.

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Learning Center Article – What Is BIMMF?

Designing and deploying fiber optic networks is always a challenge. No matter the plan, you will need unique design elements and customized solutions for some of your problems.

Interestingly enough, one of the most common issues with fiber optics is figuring out how to get the cables to run the path that you want and still perform well. Fiber optic lines are notoriously bad at handling bends and corners.

How do you account for that? One of your best options is to invest in BIMMF cables.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• The Pentagon has awarded Elon Musk’s SpaceX its first confirmed contract for the Starshield network it’s developing.
• The Federal Aviation Administration closed its investigation into last year’s failed flight of a cargo mission by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. Blue Origin will not be clear to launch New Shepard until after Blue Origin implements “all corrective actions that impact public safety” and receives an updated launch license, the FAA noted.
• AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb and Boehringer Ingelheim reported that they have agreed to participate in the first round of Medicare drug price negotiations.
• Meta announced Quest 3, a sequel to the bestselling VR headset of all time, starting at $499. The defining feature of the Quest 3 headset is the ability to quickly see the world outside the headset, which will make the device less isolating and thus more comfortable to use for long periods.

Happy Wednesday! We’re halfway through the week and we hope your to-do list is getting shorter and shorter. If we can be praying for you this week, please let us know!

In This Issue: Going with the Flow | Cisco Compatible Console Cable | How Temperature Affects Ethernet | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Going with the Flow

Good Morning & Happy Wednesday!

What a weekend and what a week so far this week. This weekend, we had some plans to go to Ikea and visit a few other areas in Charlotte but none of that happened. Before I had a baby, I probably would have ended up having a not-so-great weekend with the plans changing but nowadays – I’m learning how to go with the flow.

Instead of running around Ikea, we enjoyed a chill weekend at home and it ended up being exactly what we needed. We were able to give our house a good clean and even deep clean our garage, and our garage needed it!

As a fellow Swiftie, I can’t fail to mention all the rage that was happening on Sunday night when Taylor Swift made a grand, highly anticipated appearance at the Chiefs vs. Bears game. While I was watching the Panthers game with my husband, several of my friends, colleagues and I were messaging back and forth in disbelief. What a night!

This week has been quite the week so far and we’re only halfway through! Cheers to a great rest of the week for all.

Ashley

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Upgrade your network with our 10-foot, Cisco-compatible Light Blue USB A to RJ45 Rollover Console Cable. These cables will console your IT network by helping you communicate and configure a networking device. The console cable utilizes USB 2.0 to facilitate the console function. This newer type of console cable is compatible with most Cisco equipment. And as always, this particular cable comes new in original packaging. Mac and Linux users please contact us for support.

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Learning Center Article – How Temperature Affects Ethernet

No one ever said that networking is easy. There’s a lot to learn and consider in order to make a great and robust network.

A lot of times, people stick with Ethernet because it is powerful, simple, and very cost-effective. If you’re using Ethernet, there’s a lot to gain, but there are still some issues you need to know about, and one of them is temperatures.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances increased last week to 7.41%, from 7.31%. Applications for a mortgage to purchase a home fell 2% for the week and were 27% lower than the same week one year ago.
• Target reported that they will close nine stores across the country after struggling with crime and safety threats at those locations.
• Amazon is facing its first set of antitrust charges from the U.S. federal government after the Federal Trade Commission filed its long-anticipated lawsuit against the e-commerce and cloud giant. The complaint accuses Amazon of wielding its “monopoly power” to artificially raise prices, degrade quality for shoppers, and stifle competition.
• Rite Aid, the third-largest U.S. drugstore chain, is reportedly preparing to seek bankruptcy protection and is planning to close 400 to 500 stores.