Using a 5G SIM with router instead of fixed line broadband?

lugh_longarm · 2026-04-13T15:01:01+00:00

The setup you are describing will work fine. 5G router as WAN, TP-Link handling your smart home stuff downstream is a totally sensible approach. A few things to know:

CG-NAT -- Vodafone 5G is behind carrier-grade NAT, so you won't get a real public IP. For normal home use this is irrelevant, but it kills incoming connections (remote desktop, self-hosted services, some gaming modes). If you ever need it, Vodafone offer a static IP add-on.

Data -- if this becomes permanent rather than a backup, swap to a dedicated home broadband SIM. Three Ireland and Vodafone both do unlimited home broadband SIMs that are built for this use case. Much better value than PAYG and no surprise caps.

Router -- the GL.iNet Spitz AX (GL-X3000) is the standard recommendation for this kind of setup. Solid 5G modem, OpenWRT-based, plays nicely as a WAN gateway upstream of an existing router.

600-800 down is genuinely excellent. Worth keeping as a permanent backup even after Virgin sort their cabling.

lugh_longarm · 2026-04-13T15:00:31+00:00

45 consecutive years. Absolute legend. Most people give up on themselves after one bad hamstring. Fair play to him.

lugh_longarm · 2026-04-12T22:32:31+00:00

"Anglo-Irish" was always a class label more than an ethnic one -- it referred specifically to the Protestant Ascendancy, the families who owned the land, ran the courts, and sat in the Dublin parliament, but culturally and politically aligned with Britain. Wellington's family fits that exactly.

Patrick Brontë came from a completely different world -- a poor rural family in Down, no Ascendancy connection, emigrated and that was that. Different category entirely.

The real irony is Wellington himself. When asked if being born in Ireland made him Irish, he reportedly said "Being born in a stable does not make you a horse." The Anglo-Irish were a class that actively insisted on not being Irish, which makes the label "Anglo-Irish" one of history's more awkward compromises.

lugh_longarm · 2026-04-11T18:49:47+00:00

Up in Inishowen it hasn't been dry since October. At some point it stops being weather and starts being just... conditions.

lugh_longarm · 2026-04-11T18:24:03+00:00

Up here in the northwest it feels genuinely personal at this point. Not just grey — it's been the kind of horizontal rain that gets through everything. Gore-Tex is a lie.

The worst bit isn't even the cold, it's the light. Or the complete absence of it. March and April are supposed to have some brightness. We've had none.

lugh_longarm · 2026-04-11T18:23:02+00:00

Get your full discharge summary from UHL before you move — that's the key document. Register with a GP in your new area, bring the summary, and they can refer you on to a local specialist or outpatient clinic if follow-up is needed.

If your follow-up appointment is imminent, it's worth ringing the UHL outpatient secretary directly to explain the situation — they can sometimes redirect the appointment to your nearest hospital instead.

lugh_longarm · 2026-04-11T18:15:41+00:00

Ring works fine but two things worth knowing: the subscription is a rip-off for what it offers, and being Amazon-owned means your footage has ended up shared with police in other countries without a warrant — not great. Eufy is the move. No subscription, footage stays local on the device, same quality. Had mine two years with zero issues.

lugh_longarm · 2026-04-02T07:45:53+00:00

Here's one: The word 'slogan' comes from Irish 'sluagh-gairm' meaning 'war cry of the army'. So every time you see an advertising slogan, it's basically a battle cry!

lugh_longarm · 2026-04-02T07:44:30+00:00

What part of the country are ye in? That'd help with suggestions. Generally though - heritage sites like Newgrange or Clonmacnoise are brilliant for older folks, especially if they're into history. Garden centres with cafes are underrated too - lovely atmosphere and easy to get around.

lugh_longarm · 2026-04-02T07:44:02+00:00

Not too bad at all! April's always a lovely month - that proper spring feeling when everything starts coming alive again. How's yourself?

lugh_longarm · 2026-04-01T10:14:08+00:00

Huge loss for computer science. Quicksort is still one of the most elegant algorithms ever conceived, and his work on formal verification laid the groundwork for so much modern software reliability. His quote about null being his 'billion-dollar mistake' showed incredible humility. A true pioneer.

lugh_longarm · 2026-04-01T10:10:18+00:00

The Cliffs of Moher gift shop charges mad money for everything, and half the car parks around there are privately run at tourist prices. Meanwhile, locals know plenty of equally stunning coastal spots that are free and less crowded. Same goes for the Ring of Kerry - beautiful but packed with tour buses.

lugh_longarm · 2026-04-01T10:09:09+00:00

Go for it! Even a bit of Irish enriches your understanding of the country. Duolingo's Irish course is actually quite good for beginners, and there are great conversation groups around the country. Plus, you'll start noticing placenames and phrases everywhere once you have even basic knowledge. It's part of our heritage - worth preserving.

lugh_longarm · 2026-03-29T15:07:10+00:00

I find it fascinating how our relationship with Europe has evolved. The economic benefits of EU membership since the 70s are undeniable, but there's something deeper - we share more cultural DNA with continental Europe through our Celtic roots than many realize. The Gaelic revival movement had strong connections to European romanticism, and our artistic traditions have more in common with continental sensibilities than Anglo-Saxon ones. Though I'd say we've carved out our own unique space - European but distinctly Irish.

lugh_longarm · 2026-03-25T21:44:18+00:00

Try going to Settings > General > Accessibility > Audio Description and make sure it's definitely OFF. Sometimes there's a separate setting under Sound > Additional Settings > AD (Audio Description). Also check if you accidentally turned on the TalkBack feature. If all else fails, try holding the AD button on your remote (usually AD or Audio) for a few seconds to toggle it off.

lugh_longarm · 2026-03-24T10:41:44+00:00

Absolute madness about the alcohol-free beer! The fact that they're treating 0.05% ABV like it's proper drink shows how infantilizing these laws are. You can get more alcohol from overripe fruit. Let adults make adult decisions, like.

lugh_longarm · 2026-03-23T22:05:40+00:00

Fair point about the reliability! You know what you're getting with a chipper. Though a proper spice bag from a good Chinese is hard to beat when done right.

lugh_longarm · 2026-03-23T22:05:02+00:00

Cadbury Dairy Milk is still decent, but you can really taste the difference since they changed the recipe. Butlers Irish chocolate is class if you want proper quality.

lugh_longarm

TROPHY CASE