VMware, Wireless Network Adapter and Bridging

If you're using VMware Server on Windows Vista with a Wireless network adapter, you might have problems using native VMware bridged networking. NAT networking works ok to give your guest OS internet access but isn't so good if your guest is a server.

A good alternative is to create a windows MAC bridge between the VMware "virtual" network adapter and your wireless adapter.

And here's how I did it:

1. Using the VMware Network manager to create a new network adapter. Rather than using the existing number 1 and number 8 adapters (used for host only and NAT only respectively), I created a new virtual network card on the VMnet7 slot.
2. By default, VMware virtual NIC won't allow to take part in a windows MAC bridge unless you modify windows registry as described here.
3. Do the Net card bridge: On the "Control Panel\Network Connections" screen, hold CTRL key, and select the VMnet7 card and your wireless net card, and right-click to "Create the bridge.
   

The Impact
After the steps, my guest OS (CentOS5) is able to appeal in my physical network just like a real machine. However the configuration eats up so much resource that my Vista is pretty much un-useable on my almost top-of-line brand new laptop (Acer 4920, TM7500, 2GB RAM) and VMware Server 1.04.

As result, my conclusion is that I rather use NAT mode in the VM in the mid-time until a pure VMware solution comes out.

References

• Karl Foley's VMware post
  
• Abstract path:VMWare, Wireless Network Adapter and Bridging
  
• VMware KB about Window Network bridge
  

基隆全家福芝麻湯圓

就在基隆廟口附近的這家頗有名氣的老店曾被許多電視節目採訪過，只單賣芝麻一種口味，而內餡最大的特色為「含豬油」，因此特別香。

一盒三百元，分為上下 2 層，一層是 20 個，還可以買桂花糖蜜增添風味，一包桂花糖蜜是三十元。上下兩層共四十粒。買回來記得要冷凍。

地址是：基隆市愛四路52號。

跟一般煮湯圓一樣，在鍋裡用清水煮到浮起後就好了。在碗裡後加上一點桂花蜜，這樣就很甜了，不必再加糖。

包裝盒上有註明「含豬油」，所以並不是素食，也因為含了豬油，所以這湯圓的皮並不會很韌，甚至入口即化！裡面的芝麻餡料也不會太甜，不知不覺中吃下五、六個，要不是糯米的東西一次不要吃多，一鍋全部嗑完應該也沒問題吧～～

台灣3.5G 方案比較，As of 12/2007

Which is the best offer for 3.5G connectivity in Taiwan? here's the situation as of Q4 2007:

Considerations:

• CHT current and will have the best coverage
  
• If you don't have a 3.5G phone, you will need to buy a 3.5G network card, which cost about $5G

Research:

Google search

My personal conclusion:
CHT $850 should be the best for people who need to "papago", and can't live without connectivity.

Selections:

Carrier	Deal name	Basic Price ($NT)	Max	Description	Catch
CHT	3G 400上網型	$400	$1100	內含30萬封包 (K) 之資料傳輸量),超過30萬封包部份，每一封包以0.0006元計收
CHT	3G無限上網型	$850	$850	無限瀏覽
TWN	catch 3G 399型	$399	$1100	內含40MB 資料傳輸量),超過部份，每K以0.0048元計
TWN	catch 3G 699型	$699	$900	無限瀏覽
FET	遠傳大寬頻	$695	$695	無限瀏覽	綁約2年
TWN	catch 3G99型	$99	by usage	Usage 內含3.6MB 資料傳輸量),超過部份，每K以0.025元計 Need to subscribe TWN number