In the rapidly evolving world of technology, Language Model-based Learning (LLMs) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools have become effective partners for programmers of all skill levels. In the rapidly changing world of programming, These tools have completely transformed how code is written, optimized, and debugged. They build upon earlier innovations like IntelliSense. This article covers the possibilities of LLMs and AI tools like ChatGPT and Github Copilot. And also possibly their effects on coding, and the moral issues with automatic code generation.
Before the advent of AI-driven code writing tools, programmers relied on traditional Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) and code-completion features like Intellisense to aid them in the coding process. These tools significantly improved developers' productivity and code quality, laying the foundation for the advancements that AI would later bring.
However, these tools were limited by their ability to perform only static code analysis. Static code analysis involved scanning the codebase for potential issues, such as syntax errors, unused variables, or possible runtime errors, and providing suggestions for improvement.
While valuable, static analysis lacked the capacity to grasp the subtleties of natural language and complex programming scenarios, as it focused on rule-based patterns rather than understanding the context.
This brings us to the advent of modern AI progressing on the capabilities of previous generation tools.
Large Language Models (LLMs) process and comprehend human language using neural networks. They have mastered the ability to predict the likelihood of a word or series of words given the context after pre-training on massive datasets of text from the internet, books, journals, and code repositories. This enables them to provide replies that are appropriate for the context.
Some of the well known LLMs include the OpenAI GPT models used in applications like ChatGPT.
Other LLM based applications include Google Bard, Github Copilot, etc.
LLMs and AI tools actively enhance the efficiency and productivity of programmers by offering dynamic support throughout the coding process. Leveraging natural language understanding, these tools actively assist with various aspects of coding, making it more intuitive and seamless for developers.
They go beyond regular code completion. These tools actively offer comprehensive help in generating, changing, arranging, identifying errors, and predicting performance in code.
LLMs, unlike Intellisense, can comprehend natural language and generate code based on human-like prompts, pushing us to a new era of AI-driven code writing.
There are a currently lot of tools on the market for programmers to use to aid them in programming.
ChatGPT is a general purpose LLM that uses OpenAI's GPT model for advanced text generation based on simple human-like prompts.
The model can understand and generate human-like text based on the given context. It learns from a wide range of text sources like the internet, books, and articles, which helps it grasp language patterns and relationships.
However, it is very limited in its capabilities in things like code generation as it is much more general purpose.
GitHub Copilot is an AI-powered code completion tool developed by OpenAI and GitHub. It uses the GPT-3.5 language model to assist developers in writing code faster.
As programmers type, Copilot analyzes the context and suggests complete lines or blocks of code, speeding up the development process. The tool has trained on a vast dataset of code repositories, enabling it to offer accurate and relevant code suggestions in different programming languages.
DeepCode is an AI-powered tool designed to assist with coding, actively analyzing code repositories for potential improvements. It works by using machine learning to detect bugs, errors, and security vulnerabilities in code.
The tool's active learning capabilities continuously improve its accuracy by learning from the feedback and code reviews provided by users. DeepCode aims to make coding easier and more secure by leveraging the power of AI to identify and prevent potential issues in the codebase.
AI-generated code may not always be of good quality or dependable. The AI models learn from existing code, but they might still produce code with mistakes or inefficiencies. Depending solely on AI-generated code without checking it carefully could lead to problems in the software.
AI models lack real understanding and learning abilities. They generate code based on patterns they have seen, but they don't truly grasp the problems they are solving. This can make them less effective in handling new or complex coding challenges.
AI models learn from code created by various developers, which means the generated code could resemble existing proprietary code. This raises concerns about copying code and violating intellectual property rights, which can lead to ethical and legal issues.
Essentially, who actually wrote the code, the model or the developer ?
AI models might not be good at all programming languages or specialized tasks. Some languages or specific programming challenges might not have enough data for the AI to work well, resulting in less accurate or relevant code suggestions.
The same capabilities that make AI valuable for legitimate development also present risks in the wrong hands.
Unethical people can use AI-generated code to craft malware, launch cyberattacks, or bypass security measures. It might also be used to automate unethical practices, such as scraping content, spamming, or creating fake accounts. To address these concerns, responsible use, strong ethical guidelines, and security measures are essential.
A first step in the right direction would be to address the challenges of bias in AI models and how it might affect the code generated. Exploring strategies and best practices to mitigate bias and ensure fair and inclusive code suggestions.
Creating domain-specific AI models for code writing in specialized areas and fine-tuning them on the much more specific data sets will have much more knowledge in terminologies and coding patterns, leading to more accurate and contextually relevant code suggestions.
To ensure responsible AI usage, we must establish strict ethical guidelines and governance.
The AI community, security experts, and policymakers can collaborate to develop advanced security measures that prevent AI-generated code from being used for unethical activities.
To resolve legal issues caused by AI-generated code, we must define rights and responsibilities for developers and AI model creators. Adding watermarks or identifiers to AI-generated code can attribute ownership and prevent plagiarism. Regular audits and assessments of AI tools ensure legal compliance and prevent unintended legal problems.
AI-driven code writing is not just transforming the way professional programmers work. It also holds significant advantages for common people with an interest in programming. By making coding more accessible and inclusive, AI tools are simplifying the world of software development.
AI-powered code writing tools act as mentors for individuals new to coding or casual programmers. These tools are trained on vast amounts of prior knowledge, and they provide real-time suggestions and generate functional code based on natural language prompts, thus reducing the learning curve
Combining the creativity and expertise of human developers with the assistance of AI-driven tools can unlock the full potential of code generation, resulting in more efficient and reliable software solutions.
WordPress has become one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) in the world, with over 40% of websites being built on it. While there are numerous website builders available, including Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, and Joomla, WordPress stands out for several reasons. In this article, we will examine why WordPress is better than other website builders and why you should consider using it for your next project.
WordPress is a free, open-source platform that can be downloaded and installed on your own server. This means that you don't have to pay any fees to use it, and you have complete control over your website. Other website builders, such as Wix and Squarespace, require you to pay a monthly or yearly subscription fee to use their platform. This can add up quickly, especially if you have multiple websites or need advanced features.
In addition, because WordPress is open source, it has a vast community of developers who contribute to its code and plugins. This means that there are thousands of free and paid plugins available to add functionality to your website, such as contact forms, SEO optimization, and social media integration.
One of the biggest advantages of WordPress is its flexibility and customization options. With WordPress, you can create any type of website, from a simple blog to a complex e-commerce store. WordPress offers thousands of themes and templates to choose from, as well as the ability to create your own custom theme or modify an existing one.
In addition, WordPress allows you to easily add and manage content, such as blog posts, pages, and images. The WordPress editor is easy to use and offers a variety of formatting options, such as headings, lists, and images.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is critical for any website to rank well in search engine results pages (SERPs). WordPress is designed with SEO in mind and offers several features to help optimize your website. For example, WordPress allows you to easily add meta descriptions, titles, and keywords to your pages and posts. It also offers plugins such as Yoast SEO and All in One SEO Pack that provide advanced SEO features, such as XML sitemaps, canonical URLs, and social media integration.
In addition, WordPress offers clean and optimized code that is easy for search engines to crawl and index. This can help improve your website's loading speed, which is also a factor in SEO rankings.
Security is a major concern for any website owner. WordPress takes security seriously and offers several features to help protect your website. For example, WordPress regularly releases updates to address security vulnerabilities and bug fixes. It also offers plugins such as Wordfence and iThemes Security that provide advanced security features, such as two-factor authentication, malware scanning, and firewall protection.
In addition, because WordPress is open source, it has a large community of developers who contribute to its security. This means that any security vulnerabilities are quickly identified and addressed.
Whether you're building a simple blog or a complex e-commerce store, WordPress is scalable and can grow with your business. WordPress offers a variety of plugins and themes that can add functionality and features to your website as your business grows.
In addition, WordPress can handle high levels of traffic and is designed to be scalable. This means that your website can handle an increasing number of visitors without experiencing downtime or performance issues.
Finally, WordPress offers excellent support for its users. Because WordPress is so popular, there is a vast community of developers and users who provide support through forums, blogs, and social media. In addition, WordPress offers documentation, tutorials, and support forums to help users troubleshoot any issues they may encounter.
Overall, WordPress stands out from other website builders for its flexibility, customization options, SEO-friendliness, security, scalability, and excellent support. While there are other website builders available, none offer the same level of control, customization, and functionality as WordPress.
In conclusion, if you're looking to build a highly customizable website, SEO-friendly, and secure, then WordPress is the way to go. With its vast community of developers and users, there is always someone available to help you troubleshoot any issues you may encounter. Whether you're building a simple blog or a complex e-commerce store, WordPress is the CMS of choice for millions of businesses worldwide.
I have been getting questions about it, so I thought a good demonstration would be to simply ask it to write an article. I asked "write me an SEO optimized article including pictures on the topic "how AI will change web design/ development"
It is a pretty good article, I don't know what it was doing with the picture links all at the bottom, but I just copied exactly what it had output. It is overall not the best SEO optimized, but definitely passable.
So, here it is:
Title: How AI Will Change Web Design/Development: The Future of Smart Websites
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize web design and development, making it easier and more efficient to create attractive and functional websites. As AI technology advances, it is becoming increasingly integrated into the web development process, providing developers with new tools and techniques to improve the user experience and create smart websites that adapt to the needs and preferences of users. In this article, we will explore how AI will change web design and development, and what it means for the future of smart websites.
AI can be used to analyze large amounts of data about user behavior and preferences, which can be used to inform web design decisions. For example, AI can analyze the user's interactions with a website, including clicks, scrolls, and time spent on the site, to identify areas of the website that may be causing confusion or frustration. This information can then be used to improve the website's layout, content, and navigation, making it more user-friendly and engaging.
AI can also be used to generate content for websites, including text, images, and video. For example, AI-powered content generators can analyze the user's browsing history and preferences to create personalized content that is tailored to their interests. AI can also be used to automatically optimize website content for search engines, making it easier for users to find and improving the website's search engine ranking.
AI can be used to automatically optimize website performance, including page load times, image optimization, and caching. AI-powered tools can analyze the website's code and structure to identify areas of improvement, such as reducing file sizes, compressing images, and improving server response times. This can result in faster, more responsive websites that provide a better user experience.
AI-powered chatbots can provide a personalized and interactive experience for website users. Chatbots can use natural language processing and machine learning algorithms to understand and respond to user inquiries, providing quick and accurate answers to common questions. Chatbots can also be used to provide personalized recommendations and guidance, helping users navigate the website and find what they are looking for.
AI can also be used to enhance website security by detecting and preventing cyber threats. AI-powered security tools can analyze website traffic and user behavior to identify potential threats, such as suspicious login attempts or malicious activity. AI can also be used to automatically update website security protocols and patches, keeping the website secure and protecting user data.
In conclusion, AI is already changing the way websites are designed and developed, and it will continue to have a significant impact on the industry in the years to come. By leveraging the power of AI, web developers can create smarter, more efficient websites that provide a better user experience and stay ahead of the competition. As AI technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative uses for AI in web design and development.
Image sources:
Modern technology has bought us a variety of storage technologies. Evolving from magnetic media to super-fast solid-state drives with no moving parts.
Flash media has become the staple for storage options everywhere from mobile phones, to portable computers, to enterprise servers.
But not all flash storage is the same, let's see the difference:
Flash storage works on the principle of holding data with transistors, and keeps the data on the transistor in a non-volatile manner by holding the charge floating.
Electricity flows from the source to the drain. When data to be written, current is also applied at the control gate. This causes the electrons to get trapped in the floating gate.
For erasing, the control gate potential is reversed.
These transistors are used in combination to store larger amounts of more useful data.
The common technologies used are nand flash, which uses a combination of transistors that form a nand gate and store data on it.
Typically, 1 bit of data is present in a single data cell, this is termed SLC, or Single Layer Cell. but many more bits can be there in a single cell as well, such as MLC or Multi-Layer Cell (2 bits per cell).
TLC which is Triple Layer Cell (3 bits per cell), and QLC which is Quad Layer Cell (4 bits per cell).
Each one of these has a cost, as well as speed and durability factors.
From SLC to QLC the cost reduces, but so does the write speed and the durability.
Flash storage being solid state technology, has no moving parts and has none of the issues associated with things such as mechanical failure.
Flash storage comes in a variety:
SD or Secure Digital is a proprietary technology that utilizes Flash memory in a compact standard package that communicates to the host via SDIO (Secure Digital Input Output).
SD cards are cheap and reliable for long term storage. their speed of communication is dependent on the specific communication revision they are based on.
In increasing order of speed there is SD-HC, SD-XC, SD-UC, and the fastest SD cards can almost reach 1 GB/s.
A lot of the speed and various parameters depend on the spec of the SD card's protocol, you can find more info about the parameters here.
SD card's best applications include photography storage, some Industrial applications which use them as ROM storage.
SD cards have relatively average durability for a flash storage medium, usually using TLC flash which can be the reason for their overall lower write speeds. Best used for long period storage which doesn't involve writing to it often.
Multi-Media Card is a technology that is widely used for media storage. As of today, the most common form factor of MMC is eMMC or embedded MMC.
eMMC is a standard maintained by the JEDEC association
It's more durable than SD, and is much faster in comparison.
However, since it is soldered to the motherboard of the device, eMMC cannot be replaced by end users.
It's used in a number of places such as smartphones, tablets, portable computers etc., Mostly applications range from portable device storage as it has better read and write endurance.
There have been many improvements and successors when it comes to a compact flash storage module, one of which is UFS (Universal Flash Storage) which comes with greater improvements too such as faster read and write speeds.
eMMC has the advantage of having an integrated controller that can do things such as wear leveling, to make sure that memory corruption doesn't become prevalent with constant writing.
This does make them more durable than SD cards, but they are still not as durable over the long run.
Solid state drives are the flash memory-based counterpart of spinning hard drives (or) HDDs, they are very power efficient, have very high storage density.
There are many types of SSDs, mostly differentiated by their protocol of communication,
The main protocols include:
SATA SSDs use the older protocol that hard disks used for communicating with the CPU.
Modern SSDs are fast enough to saturate the bandwidth offered by that protocol.
These SSDs have all the features offered by flash storage technology, like longer endurance and high storage density, and are slightly more expensive typical hard disks.
These primarily target replacing hard disk drives.
PCIe SSDs are part of the NVMe standard or (Non-Volatile Memory express), which uses high bandwidth PCIe lanes on your computer and is the fastest storage option when it comes to SSDs.
Modern PCIe SSDs use around 2x PCIe Lanes, but their speed can vary depending on the flash used and the controller bottlenecks.
Some PCIe SSDs use some extra DDR memory for caching, (the same kind your PC has) to offer a boost to speeds.
Another speed deciding factor can be the variant of PCIe generation. PCIe Gen 4 is the current fastest generation that is widely prevalent. However, the cost of the technology has it yet to be accessible to everyone.
As of now PCIe gen 3 SSDs are the sweet spot as of now when it comes to fast SSDs and reasonable cost.
SSDs overall have the best endurance when it comes to any type of storage medium, and are the fastest when it comes to reading and writing.
There are a lot of storage devices that use flash technology, for example USB flash drives.
These are the most popular portable version of flash media, Used for mass exchange of offline data.
These come with the same kind of flash technology as SSDs but in a small form factor, and communicate in a different way.
Similar to an SSD, these flash drives operate based on what version of USB they use such as a slower USB 2.0 flash drives vs a much faster USB 3.0 flash drive (which can almost be as fast as a SATA SSD).
Another common thing to note about both SSDs and USB flash drives since they use similar technology, is that the durability is proportional to their storage size, so a 16 GB flash drive has 2x the Durability compared to an 8 GB flash drive.
Different flash media have their applications in various places, from handheld electronics to powerful data centers and home computers.
eMMC and UFS power mobile smartphones, and small laptops. SSDs power most laptops these days. They also have started to become more popular in the datacenter space for high storage density, and Low power consumption.
For the daily user, you will most likely look into having SSDs for large local storage. If you need a large amount of storage prioritizing over speed, you might want to look into purchasing SATA based SSDs.
If you need a fast disk for your personal computer or desktop, an NVMe PCIe gen 3 SSDs should be suitable and provide the speed needed.
In total, flash media is a technology that has had a warm welcome and has changed computer technology for the better.
making computers faster, more power efficient, and has more improvements for years to come.
It's the 21st Century, almost every office or enterprise is equipped with a desktop computer for managing their tasks and business, everywhere from small businesses to multi-billion conglomerates.
Smaller business owners need to manage their expenses more diligently, and when expanding one of the major expenses is in the need to set up computers for their employees to work, for various things such as typing up documents, calculating business finances, communicating via email, video conferences, etc.
A lot of money may have to be spent when having to set up such computers, with appropriate infrastructure, desktops, accessories, etc.
But as of today, a lot more affordable, efficient and cheaper computing options have entered the market. Such as single board computers (SBCs), which serve the same purpose as a large tower PC, but have all the necessary components on a single board, making it compact and cost-efficient.
But what difference does it make between buying a larger desktop and smaller single board computer?
Typical Desktop PCs are large, bulky, and consume a lot of power (usually 200-300w typical).
Single board Computers (SBCs) are tiny, often the size of your palm or credit card!
Lightweight, and extremely power efficient and can run on off a simple phone charger (10-15w).
They don't need a lot of dedicated space and can be stashed behind the desk monitor if needed, reducing the bulk present in a office cubicle or desk
They have similar ports to desktop PCs such as standard USBs, Ethernet for network, HDMI for displays etc.
Furthermore, they don't require any assembly and can work out of the box, with important components such as the RAM, CPU, GPU etc. are all in a single chip called a "SoC" or System on a chip, similar to ones you would have in your phone or tablet.
Most SBCs come with a small amount of storage onboard for running the operating system, but more storage can be added easily without much hassle and can even be done by end users.
Compare this to a typical Desktop PC which requires a lot more maintenance and IT support when it comes to using it for a long time. SBCs are much simpler, making them much more reliable and issues can be solved with the extensive documentation and FAQ available online.
There are many types of SBCs, x86 based ones running Intel or AMD processors which are quite similar to desktop PCs, can run windows, and almost have the same experience as desktop PCs but are much cheaper and efficient.
There are also ARM powered SBCs, which are much cheaper than x86, extremely efficient (these are the same ones that run in your phone), fast and snappy, but have a slightly different desktop experience, usually running Linux. Which is an operating system providing a very lightweight experience.
In a wrap, single board Computers are a great alternative for simple desktop PCs for doing the same thing, but it all boils down to what kind of software you will be running in your establishments.
Windows is the most popular operating system in the world, and so using an x86 based single board Computer will make no difference at all, as such it will be just like using a typical desktop PC.
But ARM SBCs are a bit different in the sense they run some versions of the Linux Operating system. ARM architecture is only becoming popular on the desktop front very recently (As seen with Apple's new M1 and M2 ARM-based Processors)
Not all software has been ported to work with these devices, but most everyday software does work, and there are free versions of more popular software available.
Word processors such as Libreoffice (A Free and Open version of something like Microsoft Word), Email Clients like Thunderbird (just like outlook), Browsers like Firefox and Chrome work, etc.
There is even Visual Studio Code for those who are involved in writing programs and need an IDE for programming (This makes it possible for SBCs to be a work computer for IT individuals too)
It's possible to check if the software you need is available or not by checking if the company making the programs available has a copy of the software made specifically for "ARM Linux"
Most open-source applications have some version made in ARM for them, most proprietary applications might not have versions made for ARM Linux.
So definitely, ARM based SBCs have their way with being able to serve almost everyone's preferences, costing only a fraction of large Desktops, and being multitudes more efficient!
A typical desktop PC will cost upwards of 400-500$ without any accessories and other peripherals like a monitor, keyboard, mouse etc.
x86 based SBCs are around 250-400$ in price, add to that the much lower power consumption compared to desktops, you could save up to 80% of the power consumed by a traditional desktop PC which will rack up savings over time.
ARM based SBCs take a step further, costing anywhere from 50-250$ in price, and being even more efficient, you could save as much as 90% of the power consumed from a traditional desktop PC.
Undoubtedly, going for SBCs as replacement desktop alternative can have large savings that save much more money over time.
If you are interested in replacing your office desktops with a more compact and efficient SBC, here are a couple of options to look at:
1 .Raspberry Pi 4b: very popular ARM single board computer
short specs:
BCM2711 Quad core processor, up to 8GB ram, 90$ MSRP
https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-4-model-b/
2. Firefly ROC-PC: current flagship ARM single board computer
short specs:
RK3588 Octa core processor, up to 8GB ram, 299$ MSRP
https://en.t-firefly.com/product/industry/rocrk3588spc
3. Khadas VIM4: ultra compact, fast single board computer
short specs:
A311D2 Octa core processor, up to 8GB ram, 240$ MSRP
4. SeeedStudio Re_Computer: Affordable x86 SBC
short specs:
Intel Celeron J4105, up to 8GB ram, 128GB SSD, 270$ MSRP
https://www.seeedstudio.com/Odyssey-Blue-J4105-128GB-p-4668.html
So, the monolithic black device they sent looks pretty slick. It is a lot like the new Verizon and Comcast Wi-Fi 6 all-in-one's
It is a trendy modern mysterious black box that is here to solve all your internet needs.
On paper it is rock solid. (Well, their paper, it is a like in-house design so I cannot find actual specs like wattage, antenna gain, power consumption, etc.)
It has Wi-Fi 6, along with normal 2.4GHz and 5GHz transceivers. It also behaves like most recent APs; you do not need to pick what radio you connect to. It just presents 1 SSID and then, once connected, it will move you around the frequency spectrum depending on the client capabilities and signal strength.
In case you do not know, 2.4GHz is slower than 5GHz but 5GHz is not as good at distance or around/ through obstacles. Wi-Fi 6 is a little foreign to me. Right now, it is very expensive. It is also in its infancy, there are not a lot of rugged systems that use it. (Kind of like 5G) It will be here in a few years, just not as of today.
Ok this is what I was afraid of.
I live in the woods, only 4 miles from the small town of Plumsted PA. I have horrible cell service, like 3 bars on a perfect day standing on the roof of my house.
I was kind of shocked when T-Mobile said my address was eligible for this device. I assumed (like Elon's Starlink) I was too far out for this cutting-edge tech.
So, to be fair, I went into this thinking it was not going to be good. I am still shocked at how bad it really was. Now keep in mind, I am a certified HAM radio technician. I know a thing or two about radios and wave propagation. So please do not say this was user error. All tests were done next to a window, top floor, device with line of sight to the closest tower that is 5 miles away.
Horrible, unusable for anything but sending a few emails and watching video at 720p. 20 down is not that bad, but the 3-5 up is just unacceptable. Totally rules out the possibility of multiple users being able to do anything.
Now we are getting somewhere. That is enough to do some HD streaming or a family of 4 use social media with only a little resolution reduction and buffering. However, still only speeds that would be good if this was 2005.
So, this is another unacceptable thing about T-Mobile "home internet" regardless of the speeds you get. Actually, it is nice that the speeds are unusable, otherwise the lack of software features would be really just annoying.
So, the device is just a hotspot. All it does is DHCP all the connected clients and NAT them to the internet. That is, it, you cannot control the address range, DNS servers, anything at all.
You can disable auto band negotiation. That is legit, the only setting you can touch. You cannot even totally disable Wi-Fi to use this device as a pure Ethernet device. 0/10 for that one.
So, for router features: it is a router, that is it, the most basic router you will ever see. Honestly, I think rooted android hotspots provide far more configurability.
As of now. You get unlimited data. That is nice, but at these speeds you could saturate it 24/7 and pull like 100GB a month so it is not much to T-Mobile
Now the big rule that really killed me. You are not allowed to move the unit from your address! Now that makes sense, but it also does not. Like I get it, I am being billed for service that includes internet at my address. But on the other hand, this device lends itself well to, for example, taking to the cabin for the weekend, or a friend's house that has horrible internet. Or even in the car when you want to set up base camp for a while. Or a client's site, when you need to kill the internet but still need connectivity for downloads and documentation.
I wanted to test the device from right underneath the tower, to see what its full potential is. However, I do not want to risk some hideous bill or a ban from T-Mobile. So, I do not have those numbers. They claim under perfect conditions you can get symmetrical gigabit. I do not doubt that, it has Wi-Fi 6 and 5G, on paper you could get 1Gbps.
But I just do not know, and am not allowed to test. I would ask if I was keeping the unit but due to its horrible speeds at my home, where it would be used the most, I am just going to send it back. It does not work for me.
There is a TON of use cases for this device. That is why I jumped on getting it. It could be a very low-cost internet service for someone who does not use that much bandwidth.
It could be a failover for the hard-wired ISP link
It could be portable internet for your cabin or secondary residence because you do not want to pay for 2 separate ISP links.
It could be portable internet for a full team at a site where the internet is down. It deploys in less than 5 minutes.
It really could be an amazing tool for the IT guy and normal internet user alike.
"It could be" that sums up the service and device. It really has great potential. Unfortunately, it just fails to be useful.
It's total lack of router configurability, even just being able to change the internal address range. No static mappings, no custom DNS servers. Forget port forwarding. T-Mobile uses a proprietary transition layer for their 100% IPv6 network, this means even if there was port forwarding on the device it would not work with IPv4 addresses. You could hack something together but that is another story.
The speeds are just too low to be of any use. This is not "home internet" It is cell phone internet that most people will find easy to saturate just using normal applications. Desktop applications are designed to have stronger connections then cell phone applications.
Dawn your tinfoil hats people, this thing is cooking out every extremely short wavelength waves you can think of. 5G, Wi-Fi 6, etc. They are using very powerful radios. Because this is a hard-wired device there are no power restrictions. Again, I cannot find official specs but I would bet it is right on the limit of the maximum allowed power by the FCC.
5G transceivers are still very expensive. The cheapest ones I can find are $500 USD. That is just for the transceiver, forget the modem and router. So, I am assuming if you were to buy this unit it would be well over $1000 USD.
That means it likely has all the high-power radios you can have, because why not, if the customer is leasing it, they might as well have the full power.
It is a great idea at a great price ($50 a month, no contract, no equipment fee). Unfortunately, it does not replace home internet, because of speeds and features.
If you are one person, in an urban location, then it might be perfect. However, if you are a power-user whatsoever then it is going to annoy you and make you feel like it is meant for people who do not know what an IP address even is.
I will give it a fair shake in this review. As I did in testing. I would have never expected this from Cisco.
So the full list can be found here. So to sum it up, you get 890Mbps throughput with firewall enabled. However we are already finding inconsistency's here. In some lists it says 650, some say as low as 350
So make of that what you will, for my requirements I only needed 200 so was not too concerned.
Hardware: you have 8x 1Gbps ethernet ports. 1 rj-45 console port, 1 ethernet mgmt port. one USB type A and one mini USB. One 4 pin power in. 1 reset button
All pretty standard Cisco IO
Firewall features: (with advanced license, with the license that comes with it, you get nothing, like really the thing is just a low end router without the advanced license)
Sounds solid right? Yeah I thought so. Backed by Talos, I'm in. Remember that to get any of the above you need an additional license that costs around $500 (the L-FPR1010T-TMC-1Y license)
You need an additional license to use the L2TP VPN. That will run you another $100
L3 routing and switching on all 8 ports. Very nice all in one device (on paper.) Failover supported (with proper licensing.) Both types of console port, RJ-45 and mini USB.
Fan-less, just be sure to give it some space overhead to let the hot air rise out.
External power brick, some like it, others do not. It is a chunky thing as this dose support (on paper) 30W PoE+ on 2 ports.
Dedicated mgmt interface for use with FTD system.
So it comes with the base license that basically just lets you turn on the device. Seriously, this is not a firewall without the advanced license.
Now lets talk about "contracts" see on top of licenses, cisco requires that you have service contracts for the various components of software. What that means for you: without the advanced license, you do not get to even download firmware updates
Serriously,
This device is a paperweight without the advanced license. It is a router without basic features.
To use the RA VPN you need a separate license.
So lets do the math $500 device, plus $500 license, plus $100 VPN license = $1100 + the renewal fees so an additional $600 a year.
That would be fine if the device actually worked.
After more hours then I care to admit, I came to the same conclusion that many others have. The FirePower 1010 is not ready for production use. On top of being way overpriced compared to competitors. It lacks basic features, is very buggy, support is non existent. Just look else where.
We have all had this experience; you get a new technology, you are trying to make it work and every turn is a dead end, another bug you think, oh it will get fixed in an update lets just move on. Oh it dose not have that basic feature? Well we can work with that. Oh it just dose not work as described? Well now this is getting silly.
Cisco, I really tried everything. This device is a disaster and needs an overhaul.
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