ronin technologist

Create a Fake (NULL) Printer in Windows

1. Click on the Start menu.
2. Click on “Printers and Faxes”.
3. The “Printers and Faxes” Control Panel applet window will open.
4. Under the File menu select Add Printer.
5. The “Welcome to the Add Printer Wizard” window will open.
6. Click the Next button to continue.
7. The “Local or Network Printer” window will open.
8. Within the “Local or Network Printer” window do the following:
9. Select “Local printer attached to this computer”.
10. Uncheck “Automatically detect and install my Plug and Play printer”.
11. Click Next; the “Select a Printer Port” dialog box will open.
12. Within the “Select a Printer Port” dialog box do the following:
13. Select “Create a new port:”
14. For the “Type of port:” select “Local Port” from the drop down menu.
15. Click Next; the “Port Name” dialog box will open.
16. Within the “Port Name” dialog box do the following:
17. Enter NUL: (with the colon).
18. Click OK; the “Install Printer Software” window will open.
19. Within the “Install Printer Software” window do the following:
20. Select a Manufacturer. For example, “HP”.
21. Select a Printer. For example, “HP LaserJet 5”.
22. Click Next; the “Name Your Printer” window will open.
23. Within the “Name Your Printer” window do the following:
24. Assign a name to the printer. For example, “devnull”.
25. Leave the default setting as Yes to make this the new default printer.
26. Click Next; the “Printer Sharing” window will open.
27. Within the “Printer Sharing” window do the following:
28. Select “Do not share this printer”.
29. Click Next; the “Print Test Page” window will open.
30. Within the “Print Test Page” window do the following:
31. Select No to decline printing a test page.
32. Click Next; the “Completing the Add Printer Wizard” window will open.
33. Within the “Completing the Add Printer Wizard” window do the following:
34. Review the printer settings for correctness; click Back to correct any errors.
35. Once the printer settings are correct click Finish to exit the wizard.
36. Please wait while Windows installs the drivers for this new printer.
37. The new printer, named “devnull” in our example, will appear as the new default printer in the “Printers and Faxes” Control Panel applet window.
38. Observe when print jobs are sent to this printer its icon will immediately appear then disappear in the notification area (a.k.a., “system tray” — lower right corner where the time is displayed).

Change iPhone 4 Cellular Reception Indicator from Bars to Actual Number

The iPhone 4 default cellular reception indicator is a series of zero to five bars. Generally, the more bars you have the better. However, if you’d like a more precise display of your cellular signal strength, the bars can be converted to an actual number. 

The numerical indicator is represented as a negative number in dBm units. The larger the number (e.g., -74) the better your signal strength. Conversely, the smaller the number (e.g., -100) the poorer your signal strength. The useful range is somewhere between -60 dBm and -105 dBm.

Please note: The following has been tested only on an AT&T-based iPhone 4 running iOS 5.1.1.

How to change cellular reception indicator from bars to actual number

1. Launch the Phone application.
2. Select the Keypad option to show the Phone keypad.
3. Enter the following code verbatim on the keypad: *3001#12345#*.
4. Press Call.
5. The Field Test app will appear.
6. In the Field Test app, tap the top left corner of the screen to switch the reception indicator from bars to a number.
7. Once a number is displayed instead of bars hold the Sleep/Wake button until the iPhone displays the red slide to power off screen.
8. Do not power off the iPhone.
9. Hold down the Home button until the Power Off screen disappears.
10. Verify a number has replaced bars in the reception indicator area.
11. To switch back back to bars repeat steps 1 to 5 and then press the Home button.

AT&T iPhone 4 Phone App Keypad Codes

The iPhone 4 Phone app provides a quick way of reporting specific portions of your smartphone’s system and voice/data plan information. This is a welcome alternative to digging through several menu layers to retrieve them. For comparison purposes the menu path (“Built-in AT&T iPhone 4 iOS Method”) has been provided where applicable.

Please note:

• Most of these codes require pressing Call before the requested information will appear.
• If an error is displayed, ignore it by pressing Dismiss. Use the Built-in AT&T iPhone 4 iOS Method instead.
• These codes are not unique to an AT&T-based iPhone 4.
• These codes have only been tested on an AT&T-based iPhone 4 running iOS 5.1.1.

• Built-in AT&T iPhone 4 iOS Method: Settings > Phone > AT&T Services > Check Bill Balance
• Alternative: myAT&T app > Home > Bill & Pay

DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE:  411

• Built-in AT&T iPhone 4 iOS Method: Settings > Phone > AT&T Services > Directory Assistance

DISPLAY IMEI:  *#06#

• Built-in AT&T iPhone 4 iOS Method: Settings > General > About > IMEI
• Note: No need to press Call after entering this code. Press Dismiss to exit viewing your iPhone’s IMEI number.

FIELD TEST:  *3001#12345#*

• Note: Detailed technical cellular information.

INTERROGATE CALL BARRING SETTING:  *#33#

INTERROGATE CALL FORWARDING NUMBER WHEN UNANSWERED:  *#61#

INTERROGATE CALL FORWARDING NUMBER WHEN UNREACHABLE:  *#62#

INTERROGATE CALL FORWARDING NUMBER WHEN BUSY:  *#67#

INTERROGATE CALL FORWARDING SETTINGS:  *#21#

INTERROGATE CALL WAITING SETTINGS:  *#43#

PAY MY BILL:  *PAY (*729)

• Built-in AT&T iPhone 4 iOS Method: Settings > Phone > AT&T Services > Pay My Bill

VIEW MY DATA AND MSG:  *DATA# (*3282#)

• Built-in AT&T iPhone 4 iOS Method: Settings > Phone > AT&T Services > View My Data and Msg

VERIFY HANDSET UPGRADE ELIGIBILITY:  *NEW# (*639#)

• Built-in AT&T iPhone 4 iOS Method: Settings > Phone > AT&T Services > AT&T MyAccount > http://www.att.com

VIEW MY MINUTES:  *MIN# (*646#)

• Built-in AT&T iPhone 4 iOS Method: Settings > Phone > AT&T Services > View My Minutes
• Alternative: myAT&T app method: Home > Usage > Select Wireless # to Check > Individual

VOICE CONNECT:  *08

• Built-in AT&T iPhone 4 iOS Method: Settings > Phone > AT&T Services > Voice Connect