{"id":2404,"date":"2018-08-23T02:55:34","date_gmt":"2018-08-23T02:55:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/?p=2404"},"modified":"2018-08-21T02:58:57","modified_gmt":"2018-08-21T02:58:57","slug":"from-the-archives-evolution-of-a-network-guy-part-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/from-the-archives-evolution-of-a-network-guy-part-4\/","title":{"rendered":"From the archives – Evolution of a network guy part 4"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"In 2006 I was hired on part-time for Purdue University. My days would consist of mornings on Campus at Purdue doing I.T. support for the Agronomy Department and afternoons, evenings, and weekends doing support and build-outs for NDWave.\u00a0 We were in the mode of dumping everything back into the company to get to a solid sustainable position.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t really want to go back to desktop support, but the benefits and part-time position helped to pay off bills we had accumulated with MTIN.\u00a0\u00a0 Purdue allowed me to meet Donnie Payne.\u00a0 Donnie is an infectious personality sort of person.\u00a0 Just being around him motivates you to do things.\u00a0 Purdue allowed me to work with Mac OSX Xserves, cutting-edge Linux servers, and special projects.\u00a0 One of the coolest projects I worked on included remote sensor trailers.\u00a0 We had servers, remote reboots, and had to deal with how to get connectivity out in BFE.\u00a0 Several sites had cellular or satellite uplinks. I was able to apply my ISP knowledge to this project.<\/p>\n

NDWave exposed us to lots of rockstars in the ISP industry.\u00a0 JohnnyO and his crew helping with removing feedhorns from a tower is something I will never forget. Sitting outside a hotel with him cooking dinner.\u00a0 Guys like Chuck Hogg, who helped the industry in several ways and is just a plain cool cat.\u00a0 The work alone has opened up friendships which were well worth any long days. Guys like Jay Panozzo, who are not directly connected with the WISP industry, but have their parts.\u00a0 Jay owns Midamerica Towers and is a Man among men.\u00a0 Jay sets the bar for the tower professional.<\/p>\n

I continued to dedicate time to Purdue and Ndwave until April 2008.\u00a0 One month before Omnicity took over management of the NDWave network I became a full time employee. Omnicity started out good, but quickly went downhill after a year for me.\u00a0 With all the lawsuits in place that is about all I will say about that.<\/p>\n

After being separated form Omnicity I continued to keep my head above water with steady consulting from companies I had helped over the past couple of years. Kenny Johnson at Mooreland ISP and Scott Reed at NewWays were two of my best customers. I truly understood what it was like to be the one the buck stops with.\u00a0 When you have a tower outage at 1AM. the customer does not care except they have no Internet.\u00a0 Early morning climbs to repair Aps in the dead of winter were not uncommon.\u00a0 That is part of what it takes.\u00a0 Being a former owner really helped me connect with what these guys are going through.<\/p>\n

Things were slow so I was able to re-group some.\u00a0 I did not mess with much technology except when I had to.\u00a0 I took a step back and concentrated on the activities I enjoyed.\u00a0 I stepped up collecting G.I. Joe figures visited more friends, and generally did non-tech related things.\u00a0 This in itself expanded those I call friends. \u00a0My mind and soul needed that healing.\u00a0 Then a funny thing happened.\u00a0 I started writing this blog, becoming active on mailing lists again, and generally became interested in the technology again.\u00a0 I started gaining more and more consulting clients and working with more and more networks.\u00a0 Ubiquiti was just starting to come on the scene, Mikrotik was a mature platform, and prices were starting to come down on gear.\u00a0 I remember sitting around 3 years ago thinking I needed to step up what I am doing.\u00a0 It took me up until then to realize I had enough experience and stuff running around in my head to be an expert. I have watched so-called experts screw up even the simplest things.<\/p>\n

In the past couple of years, things have really blossomed in the Industry and I have had the pleasure of being a part of some of it.\u00a0 When you look back on this there are certain key points where you take leaps and bounds.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Once I was able to step back and further enjoy things that next leap up was taken. This allowed me to open new pathways of thinking too.\u00a0 My confidence soared, my shyness subsided, and life got better.\u00a0 I attribute this to those who have influenced my life, and the experiences we have shared.<\/p>\n

Stripping wireless gear off a 120 foot tower in Chicago with Mike Hammett is one of my fondest memories.\u00a0 The work was hard and long, but having the comrade in arms with you to do it make up for it.\u00a0\u00a0 There is a bond that is formed which last a lifetime.\u00a0 Mike is one of those guys you want to see succeed.\u00a0 I am fortunate to have been in a position on a couple of occasions to help him when it would have been a paid for him to hire it out.<\/p>\n

This brings us to present day\u2026<\/p>\n

Continued in part 5 (the conclusion I promise)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In 2006 I was hired on part-time for Purdue University. My days would consist of mornings on Campus at Purdue doing I.T. support for the Agronomy Department and afternoons, evenings, and weekends doing support and build-outs for NDWave.\u00a0 We were in the mode of dumping everything back into the company to get to a solid […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[1],"tags":[425,471,88,5],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6VLMf-CM","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3135,"url":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/iot-test-install\/","url_meta":{"origin":2404,"position":0},"title":"iOT test install","author":"j2sw","date":"April 2, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"We recently did a job for a grad student at Purdue University.\u00a0 His project involves using iOT sensors to collect data from things such as soil, air, and other sources.\u00a0 This helps with farming. #routingrf #routinglight","rel":"","context":"In \"farming\"","block_context":{"text":"farming","link":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/tag\/farming\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_2f30.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_2f30.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_2f30.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2395,"url":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/from-the-archives-evolution-of-a-network-guy-part-1\/","url_meta":{"origin":2404,"position":1},"title":"From the Archives – Evolution of a network guy Part 1","author":"j2sw","date":"August 21, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I published this several years ago, and was lost on a previous blog.\u00a0 I found it while archiving things tonight and figured it was time to re-post and update in the end. My buddy Greg Sowell recently wrote an article on his Blog about the \u201cevolution of an I.T. guy.\u00a0\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"it\"","block_context":{"text":"it","link":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/tag\/it\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/7fff4d9415226c578cb913a48da49e54-e1534819621101.jpg?fit=618%2C792&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2801,"url":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/upcoming-changes-at-mtin\/","url_meta":{"origin":2404,"position":2},"title":"Upcoming changes at MTIN","author":"j2sw","date":"February 3, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Welcome to the second month of 2019. I have some exciting changes coming which will make this a more exciting year. These changes will affect how MTIN does business. As many of you have noticed I am doing more Youtube and similar projects.\u00a0 \u00a0These will be increasing. Look for more\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/category\/news-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3383,"url":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/3383-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":2404,"position":3},"title":"New Things….","author":"j2sw","date":"April 16, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I am excited to announce some new things I have been working on.\u00a0 Over the past several months I have been starting several new projects. As a result, I have been needing to separate some things between the commercial side and my own interests so we things can grow and\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1656,"url":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/mtin-is-growing-again\/","url_meta":{"origin":2404,"position":4},"title":"MTIN is growing again","author":"j2sw","date":"August 1, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Over the years MTIN has gone from being a computer repair shop to a dial-up ISP, to a Wireless ISP, and many things in-between. \u00a0Each time technology and market conditions change we adapt to change with it. \u00a0Our next metamorphosis is needed so we can grow into more aspects of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"MTIN\"","block_context":{"text":"MTIN","link":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/tag\/mtin\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1826,"url":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/premium-content\/","url_meta":{"origin":2404,"position":5},"title":"Premium Content?","author":"j2sw","date":"September 29, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Folks, I have been going over the idea of premium content within my blogs. I find myself wanting to write more and more, and writing would help one of my other projects I have going.\u00a0 However, I don't make any direct money from the blog. In an effort to provide\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Site News"","block_context":{"text":"Site News","link":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/category\/site-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2404"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2404"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2404\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2406,"href":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2404\/revisions\/2406"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.mtin.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}