Work from home tech thread
Mar 11, 2020 | 2:52 pm
#16
Join Date: Mar 2007
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As for video conferencing software... More likely than not your employer has standardized on one or a few of these tools, and you should use those. If you've got room to pick and aren't sure which to choose, consider my experiences:
- Zoom: Best overall. Professional quality, scalable, reliable, and feature-rich.
- GoToMeeting: Runner-up. Professional, scalable, reliable, and feature-rich. Some of my colleagues ding it for having a "confusing" UI. I think their mistake is trying to use the web UI instead of downloading the desktop client or app.
- Webex: the UI is primitive and lacks sharing features present in many other tools.
- Skype: Second-class features, performance, and reliability.
- Google Hangouts: Limited feature set but very easy to use, especially if you're on GSuite. Great for small groups, scales poorly beyond that.
- Slack: an excellent chat tool with terrible video conferencing. Slow performance, frequent drops, hangs the app. Stick to typing for now!
Mar 11, 2020 | 3:58 pm
#17
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I agree 100 percent that it isn't rocket science. My concern is that it isn't universal either. An explosion of home workers will greatly expand the number of people who don't have security factored into their connections. We don't have to solve the problem here, but FTers should make sure that their own work connections are secure - and, ideally, that their organizations make sure their coworkers' are as well.
Mar 11, 2020 | 4:35 pm
#18
Join Date: Aug 2006
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A Cisco Meraki VPN device broadcasts my firm's wireless network and provides a VPN tunnel back. I need to grab my extra monitors from the office and set myself up for a few weeks of working from home.
We utilize Zoom and Skype. I love Skype's simplicity, especially for adding in a mobile caller to a meeting in progress. (Who knows, maybe Zoom has that and we have it turned off.)
We utilize Zoom and Skype. I love Skype's simplicity, especially for adding in a mobile caller to a meeting in progress. (Who knows, maybe Zoom has that and we have it turned off.)
Mar 11, 2020 | 6:54 pm
#20
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: MEL KUL
Posts: 161
My tools for working from home
- a good wifi connection, I personally use Ubiquiti Unifi APs which has made wifi coverage throughout the home a non-issue
- a good chair! Can't afford the Aeron they used at the office but the cheaper alternatives isn't bad
- I'll second the recommendations for a comfortable headset, I still fall back to my trusty Bose QC20 which works reasonably well
The company I'm working with is based in Hong Kong and had to deal with thousands of employees working from home since February and during a few weeks in 2019, I'm happy that the VPN infrastructure survived...
- a good wifi connection, I personally use Ubiquiti Unifi APs which has made wifi coverage throughout the home a non-issue
- a good chair! Can't afford the Aeron they used at the office but the cheaper alternatives isn't bad
- I'll second the recommendations for a comfortable headset, I still fall back to my trusty Bose QC20 which works reasonably well
The company I'm working with is based in Hong Kong and had to deal with thousands of employees working from home since February and during a few weeks in 2019, I'm happy that the VPN infrastructure survived...
Mar 11, 2020 | 11:13 pm
#22
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If your company makes you work from home for a period of time because of coronavirus, then take them home and bring them back when you return to the office.
Last edited by javabytes; Mar 11, 2020 at 11:19 pm
Mar 12, 2020 | 2:25 am
#23
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Mar 12, 2020 | 4:57 am
#24
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Location: Manchester, UK
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Regarding headsets... when at home I don't need to use one. As long as the computer has a good microphone and speakers, there's no real need for a headset.
One thing I've noticed is that my iMac and Macbooks are fantastic in this regard - perfect sound and reception. I had the misfortune of using an HP Windows 10 laptop for a while for a client, and the microphone was dreadful - unless my mouth was within about 10 inches, nobody could hear me. It was the same with colleagues who also used the same type of laptop.
One thing I've noticed is that my iMac and Macbooks are fantastic in this regard - perfect sound and reception. I had the misfortune of using an HP Windows 10 laptop for a while for a client, and the microphone was dreadful - unless my mouth was within about 10 inches, nobody could hear me. It was the same with colleagues who also used the same type of laptop.
Mar 12, 2020 | 7:07 am
#25
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Mar 12, 2020 | 7:17 am
#26
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Location: ORD
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As for video conferencing software... More likely than not your employer has standardized on one or a few of these tools, and you should use those. If you've got room to pick and aren't sure which to choose, consider my experiences:
- Zoom: Best overall. Professional quality, scalable, reliable, and feature-rich.
- GoToMeeting: Runner-up. Professional, scalable, reliable, and feature-rich. Some of my colleagues ding it for having a "confusing" UI. I think their mistake is trying to use the web UI instead of downloading the desktop client or app.
- Webex: the UI is primitive and lacks sharing features present in many other tools.
- Skype: Second-class features, performance, and reliability.
- Google Hangouts: Limited feature set but very easy to use, especially if you're on GSuite. Great for small groups, scales poorly beyond that.
- Slack: an excellent chat tool with terrible video conferencing. Slow performance, frequent drops, hangs the app. Stick to typing for now!
Mar 12, 2020 | 7:34 am
#27
Join Date: Sep 2010
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Mar 12, 2020 | 8:10 am
#28
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Companies that let employees work from home without confirming the security of their home networks are opening up huge security holes. It's only a matter of time - and probably not much time - before the bad guys start jumping through these holes and making off with the corporate crown jewels. The collective database exposure of all these home workers can dwarf exploits like the data thefts from Equifax, Target, and all the others you've probably heard of.
Mar 12, 2020 | 8:52 am
#29
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I use a chroma-green screen and depending on the meeting type I use a different background.
There is no simple/low-cost DIY green screen solution. I have a zoom room with a pleasant decorated background and a roll down professional green screen. There is also proper lighting for you and the green screen or background. If you don't do a proper setup it looks more amateurish than just your ordinary home office as background.
Mar 12, 2020 | 11:53 am
#30
Join Date: May 2003
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When I'm not traveling, I work from home. At home, I use Zoom for teleconferencing as well as MS Teams (if I have to).
I have my MacBook Pro 15 inch plugged into a USB hub which connects it do dual monitors and via ethernet to Gigabit ethernet (well 1gig down 50mb up) from spectrum. As a backup, my Pixel 4XL can provide my Google FI tethering (T-Mobile,Sprint, US Cellular) and I have T-mobile hotspot I can use.
Home network is Ubiquiti with an Access point in each room as well as ethernet switches where hardwire connections are called for.
Pretty used to and already set up for working from home.
I have my MacBook Pro 15 inch plugged into a USB hub which connects it do dual monitors and via ethernet to Gigabit ethernet (well 1gig down 50mb up) from spectrum. As a backup, my Pixel 4XL can provide my Google FI tethering (T-Mobile,Sprint, US Cellular) and I have T-mobile hotspot I can use.
Home network is Ubiquiti with an Access point in each room as well as ethernet switches where hardwire connections are called for.
Pretty used to and already set up for working from home.