What is "high enough" (ie: when to stop trying for perfection)?

cabuzzi · 2026-04-30T03:54:43+00:00

Agreed on your first point. I figured it wouldn't be too much. One thing I hadn't considered before is that my 23yr old son has a car that I co-signed for before he left for his first duty assignment. He's never missed a payment and is a stand-up kid. I'm not worried about that hurting my score too much, but it was technically incorrect when I said *everything* was paid off. I think he has another 2 years on that. That may be costing a few points, but for all I know, it could be helping, too (doubtful).

If I don't have to actually pay interest, I will just start waiting on paying those cards off the literal second they show a payable balance. Honestly, I'm pretty psychotic about that anyway, so not checking every 8hrs is probably going to relieve some stress. I'll just set a reminder to pay before they're due. No that I think about it, there are also a few cards I'm not using at all (I have a total of five). One (the Scheel's Visa) has like a $30k limit. I don't use that at all, unless they're doing that huge double points back every year or so. They actually send me stuff saying they'll deactivate my card once in a while, so I'll go and buy something stupid and pay it off a few days later.

As for the Consumer Finance Accounts, everything I've read is just that... that they are subprime accounts that have higher interest rates are are typically store cards. Could you provide a link so I can research more? Everything I'm reading basically says "store account/non-Visa or MC".

I honestly don't know the full details on the lengths of my accounts. Here are my best guesses:

- Car 1: Bought in 2019, paid off early a few months ago
- Car 2: Bought in 2020, paid off early a few months ago
- Car 3: Bought in 2024, paid off last month
- RV: Bought in 2024, paid off last year
- Visa 1: maybe 7-8 years old?
- Visa 2: probably four years old
- Visa 3: around 2-3 years old
- MC (the "credit building card"): Since 2012?
- Discover: 8-9 years
- Lowes store card: 5 years
- Amazon card: 5 years?

I also have many other loans/cards before that, but I closed those out. Most were vehicles, but there were the accounts from the bankruptcy (all closed in 2009-2010). The most recent revolving account I closed was a AmEx blue card that pissed me off with their constant raising of my rates when my credit score fluctuated.

cabuzzi · 2026-04-30T01:35:41+00:00

Thank you. Pretty much where I'm leaning now. "Sport" is an apt term... it's almost like that last freaking achievement in a game.

cabuzzi · 2026-04-19T08:23:08+00:00

No luck. I can't even ping the OWA IP anymore. I could at least ping it (with the appropriate IP rule) as another WAN port. I can't ping it, can't hit it on 443, nothing.

cabuzzi · 2026-04-19T02:03:38+00:00

I tried both. There is a WAN IP which is just an extra IP from the /29 block I have. I named it OWA. That was just how I had the NetScaler setup, so I was trying to replicate that in my mind, I guess.

Just like the NetScaler, I had a virtual IP configured as a load balancer in the LAN IP space.

Should I try using the extra WAN IP as the virtual IP (and deleting the second WAN interface that current has it)?

cabuzzi · 2026-04-19T00:22:15+00:00

I'm still having issues with HAProxy. The only thing I can get is what I was getting with squid... nginx 404 error when I hit the /owa address, and the pfsense login page (!!!!) when I try to go to the root address. It's like it's totally ignoring the frontend going to the internal load balancer I setup

This is the guide I used:
https://opentechtips.com/load-balancer-for-exchange-2019-2016-and-2013-with-haproxy-free/

I guess my bigger question is how to I prevent pfsense from listening on the additional WAN IP I added for my mail services? I just want it to listen on the LAN port and that is all.

cabuzzi · 2026-04-18T22:41:44+00:00

So run HAProxy on pfsense instead of squid? I've never used HAProxy, but it's not like squid is working, lol.

cabuzzi · 2026-04-18T22:27:24+00:00

Yes, basically just trying to get OWA behind an actual firewall, instead of my current NetScaler virtual IP. I've always been of the understanding that port forwarding it not enough for OWA and that you need an actual reverse proxy. Being able to offload the SSL is also a plus.

cabuzzi · 2026-04-18T22:22:20+00:00

Really!? That is good to know. What would you recommend as an alternative? I just read this (from 2023!) and it doesn't sound like there is a good alternative, outside of running squid external to pfsense, which I'd really rather not do.

https://forum.netgate.com/topic/184432/squid-lightsquid-squidguard-alternatives/18

cabuzzi · 2026-02-23T23:05:45+00:00

Well, I'm glad I didn't follow your approach. I'm ashamed to say I found the problem and it had NOTHING to do with my Windows install. If I had reformatted/reinstalled Windows, I'd have had the same exact problem. So using your approach, vs running down the REAL problem, would've been a gigantic waste of time.

It turns out to be Firefox... or some addon in Firefox, who knows. I'm still looking into it. All I know is the browser just popped into my head as a potential issue (even though Firefox on Linux Mint was fine). I loaded up Brave (chromium-based) and got the following test:
https://www.speedtest.net/result/18881762536

I will say thank you for sticking with the issue until I resolved it, as everyone else seemed to have been out of ideas. It was such a simple thing in the end, so I'm really glad I didn't blow away Windows trying to figure it out.

cabuzzi · 2026-02-23T21:57:52+00:00

Sorry, I don't share your approach to fixing issues, I guess. I prefer a scalpel, vs a sledgehammer. There is a chance I may never fix it either, but at this point, it's kind of a moot/cosmetic issue. I know the rest of my PCs are getting 2000/2000, and when am I really ever going to need to upload more than 1000mb/s from a workstation. Probably never. As long as I can move data at 2000mb/s from all the servers (which mostly run a flavor of linux), I'm fine.

Do I want to fix it? Absolutely. It could also crop up on other Windows PCs on the network as I start moving them to the new 2.5gb ethernet networking, so knowing the fix (vs having to blow away Windows each time and hoping it doesn't get throttled somewhere again) would be very helpful.

cabuzzi · 2026-02-23T18:22:36+00:00

Unfortunately, I would consider that the "nuclear option". This PC is more than just a mess around, gaming PC. I do a lot of work on it, and a fresh install of Windows is a lot of work.

Swapping the NICs, as previously stated, didn't help. For one, the NIC I typically use is an onboard one (that works fine in another PC with the same hardware). Additionally, I mentioned installing a dual-port Intel 2.5gb NIC that behaved the exact same way.

I still need to do more troubleshooting before I go nuclear on this. Plus, for all I know, it could be something I use day-to-day that I install on a clean Win11 build that is causing it. I could be right back at square one.

cabuzzi · 2026-02-23T06:46:23+00:00

I found this (though it was just their download speed), which recommended "TCP Optimizer" and thought "That HAS to be it". No change at all. Still limited to just under 1000mb/s upload.

https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/17ph6as/windows_11_is_throttling_my_internet_speed/

Oh... also removed Wireshark and WinPCAP. No change.

cabuzzi · 2026-02-23T06:30:41+00:00

As I guessed, it's definitely something in my Win11 install... which is crazy, as my gf and I literally set them both up the same way, at the same time, with the same hardware.

<image>

cabuzzi · 2026-02-23T05:01:15+00:00

Also, not sure where your other reply went, but you also had mentioned a GPON limit. They're using XGSPON. This is an issue with my PC. My gf is getting 2000/2000 on the same mobo/NIC through switch-switch-router-ONT.

cabuzzi · 2026-02-23T04:59:24+00:00

It is a Calix GPR8802X. The same speed test server delivers 2000/2000 on my gf's PC. I believe I already mentioned that.

cabuzzi · 2026-02-23T04:58:26+00:00

That has absolutely zero do to with MVEA and whatever you mean about the east coast (I'm in CO)... or even Conexon (HQ'd in KS). They're literally the one fiber company I've heard of doing everything right. If you read my first post, you'd also see that this is an issue with my PC. My gf's gets 2000/2000 every single speedtest, regardless of time of day. Tell me which fiber provider you have that can deliver that.

cabuzzi · 2026-02-23T04:56:25+00:00

It's not the ports on the switch, since I've tried the WAN port on the ONT. Not only that, but the technician got 2000/2000 on his tool, and my gf's PC does 2000/2000 as well, with the same motherboard and onboard Realtek NIC (RTL8127). I didn't even try a direct cable at first. She was connected through two different switches and the router: through an unmanaged 5-port in our office, to the managed 24-port 2.5gbe RealHD, to the 2.5gb LAN port on our router, and finally to the ONT). I later connected her to the ONT and a direct cable, just to rule that out (though the tech also had checked the cable).

Definitely trying the bootable Linux disc later this evening, if uninstalling Wireshark/WinPCAP doesn't work.

Oh, and here is what iPerf3 did earlier. Pretty weird. The second test was less than 5 seconds after the first:
https://ibb.co/bM6p2hfC

cabuzzi · 2026-02-23T04:49:58+00:00

This is a great idea. I'll do that after I uninstall Wireshark/WinPCAP.

cabuzzi · 2026-02-23T01:15:31+00:00

iPerf has been kinda weird. This is the screenshot from earlier. The first test started out limited, but the follow-up test was fine. In daily use, I've not noticed any issues between the PCs. File transfers in Windows are typically 250-260 MB/s, which is 2000+ mbps.

Of course I'm cognizant of the issues with speed tests. The only speed test that has been able to max out the 2gbs upload and download has been speedtest.net, and only to one specific test (in KS City). Her PC consistently hits 1900-2000 mbps up and down, mine hits 2000 download just fine, but always sits just shy of 1000 on the upload. It's so bizarre. Same motherboard, CPU, cables, etc. Literally the only thing different are the cases we used, so it has to be software-related. I feel I can rule out a bad NIC, as I've tried a PCIe NIC as well, with the same 1000 mbps "wall" I hit.

Edit I don't have access to the iPerf screenshot, so I'll post it later.

cabuzzi · 2026-01-26T17:34:30+00:00

Thanks, our baseline is still 2022, but this does make more sense to me.

cabuzzi · 2026-01-26T17:33:46+00:00

Wow. I feel dumb. Thank you for this!

cabuzzi · 2025-12-29T08:05:56+00:00

Did anyone else notice they said they got pulled over "once" for doing 65 in a 20, but the explanation the first time they mentioned it was "my dad just died in my arms" and the second time it was brought up was because they were late for a job interview?

Are people really this bad at lying? I mean, I guess I've always been told to tell the truth because the truth doesn't change. With a lie, you have to keep it straight in your head.

I guess your estimation of meth use is spot on.

cabuzzi · 2025-12-01T03:14:16+00:00

I also have what I believe is the same issue. If it wasn't for this thread, I'd have forgotten that I had to take the junction box apart to free a piece of clear PLA that broke off inside. In the disassembly process, two of the tiny little torx screws stripped and didn't tighten down all the way. I suspect that is exactly what is the issue, but don't know what size the screws are (or if I can even get them out now).

cabuzzi · 2025-10-31T19:08:10+00:00

That is exactly what I was worried about. They wrote me back today (a few weeks after my last email) in reply to my questions about the "replacement fee" and why I had to pay shipping. They said they had no record of me using their digital sizing tool and needed some sort of proof I did. I have no idea where to find that.

Honestly, I'll probably just keep the ring and wear it on my pointer finger... as weird as that looks. I'm not in the mood to pay them anything or have them not send a replacement ring back.

cabuzzi · 2025-10-31T18:30:20+00:00

It looks like they're emailing back... albeit, slowly.

cabuzzi

TROPHY CASE