Goof Department: Last week we wrote about the Linksys CIT200 wireless VoIP phone, and although we got it right in the introduction, we later wrote: “The CIT200 works only with Vonage.” The device, of course, works only with Skype. Thanks to reader Dave Greene for pointing out our mistake, and we agree with him – “interesting device, but I wish it worked with Vonage!”
In response to our question last week about how to purge the cache that Outlook uses to auto-complete names entered in message address fields, readers Road Larse, Brian Tinsley and Kevin Square all responded more or less at the same time with the scoop.
The answer is that the nickname cache, as it is called, can be found at (we wrapped the path over two lines for clarity):
C:Documents and Settings(user name)
Application DataMicrosoftOutlookOutlookNK2
Earlier versions of Outlook called this file Outlook.NICK, but stored it in the same location.
Turns out that Microsoft has a KnowledgeBase article on the nickname cache, which notes that, “If the nickname cache is corrupted, Outlook may not be able to identify recipients, may offer incorrect recipients when automatically completing the e-mail address or . . . ” – and this is the big one, folks – “. . . may send the message to the wrong person.” Sigh.
You can delete the current nickname file to start anew (Outlook will create a new nickname file on the next restart), or you can rename the file as a backup. This file is also worth backing up in case of drive corruption.
Another option is to edit the nickname file, but that isn’t something you can do casually and in fact, as far as we can determine, there is only one tool available and that works only with .NK2 files. The tool, from Dynamic Computing Solutions, is called Ingressor Desktop Edition.
Priced at the princely sum of $35, this tool allows you to search and edit name and or alias entries in .NK2 files, import entries from CSV and tab-delimited files, export to CSV or a local PST file, and print file contents. This could be useful in a support environment, but we suspect it has a more profound role in forensics.
On another track completely, longtime reader Greg Martin suggested that we check out LinksysInfo.org, which includes reviews, autopsies (they take the products apart so you can see what’s inside without voiding your own warranty), information on and downloads of the latest official firmware releases, and reviews and comparisons of third-party firmware.
These third-party firmware releases allow such goodies as adjustable power output, various QoS handling enhancements (such as optimizing for games), support for static DHCP assignment, reboot scheduler, and transmit and receive antenna selection.
LinksysInfo.org requires registration (free and very fast) and is an amazing resource. Highly recommended.
Finally, check out a posting in Gibbsblog. Following our mention last week of the open source PBX system called Asterisk, reader Dennis Hock dropped us a note outlining a fascinating use of the PBX system with old telephone equipment. Dennis is a member of Telephone Collectors International, a group of technically minded folk endeavoring to save our telecommunications history from vanishing into the mists of time.
What Dennis and his buddies are doing is building their own telephone network called CNET, using their various antique switches, linked together over VoIP using Asterisk servers. The technicalities are non-trivial, and you can follow the system’s development at www.ckts.info.
Switch your comments to gearhead@gibbs.com. And carpe Gibbsblog (www.networkworld.com/weblogs/gibbsblog).
