Spotify Flatpak – Manjaro

April 2024 Update – Revision:

This how-to guide of mine is probably out of date. I continue and prefer the Spotify flatpak edition for my installs. If interested you can visit flatpak.org and consider the instructions provided for your specific Linux distro. Then decide whether or not to use their Spotify package.

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Original Post:

Spotify is a music streaming service. Providing users with free/paid music, podcasts, etc. Spotify has been available for some time now. You have likely heard of it. There are apps available for most of the major platforms. Windows, Apple, Android, Linux etc.

This article will cover how I install Spotify on Linux. Specifically the Manjaro Linux distribution. And why I prefer to get Spotify from Flathub, as a Flatpak.

Linux Flatpak apps are “Sandboxed” meaning they are somewhat isolated from your operating system. Spotify is proprietary software that serves ads while you listen. So I prefer to protect my system from the Unknown, and go Flatpak.

In order to install the Spotify Flatpak on Manjaro Linux. First you must enable Flatpak support in Pamac, the package manager. Afterwards will be able to search for and select Spotify using the package manager.

1. Open the Manjaro package manager, and select Preferences. Note: Manjaro may prompt for your password.

2. You can navigate to the Flatpak tab and enable support. Check for updates option should also be selected. If you want future updates.

3. When your done, search for the desired software package to install it.

If you have any questions, or an issue. Visit the Manjaro Linux Forum, join if you want. The Spotify Community are also available for your assistance.

Disable Guest Login – Ubuntu-MATE 15.10

2019 Update! – I am not using Ubuntu-MATE at this time. The guide below may no longer work with current versions of the OS. I don’t know for certain so use with caution.

In this how-to guide, I will explain how I disabled, and removed the guest session from my login screen. I did not need or want the guest login, because this was my personal computer.

This guide should only work on your Ubuntu-MATE install. In my case, I was using version 15.10 of the Ubuntu-MATE Linux operating system.

To begin, first type Alt+F2. Then run the following command: gksu pluma /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf

After entering your password, you will be able to edit your lightdm.conf file with Pluma. Which is the default text editor in Ubuntu Mate 15.10

Add the following lines to the file:

[SeatDefaults]
greeter-session=lightdm-gtk-greeter
allow-guest=false

Save the file, then restart your computer. The changes should be applied.

If you have any questions or issues, check with the Ubuntu-MATE community. The UbuntuForums are another good site to visit.

Advanced Tomato on an Asus RT-N66U Wireless Router

April 2024 – Edit: The Tomato project has been progressing over at freshtomato.org for some time now. So check out the new links below. I haven’t used my RT-N66U or Tomato in a long while, am currently on ISP provided hardware. But please do checkout the FreshTomato Wiki for some wonderful documentation !

FreshTomato.org

TomatoFTW

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Perhaps some of you have heard of Tomato Firmware. Tomato is a third-party developed replacement firmware for various Wi-Fi routers. In this article, we will learn how to install AdvancedTomato on an Asus RT-N66U router. AdvancedTomato is a fork of Tomato that provides an updated Web GUI and many new features over the original Tomato. You can flash it on some of the more recent router models.

You should be able to flash your RT-N66U by using it’s built in CFE upgrade web page. Even would be able to get back to stock the same way.

To flash the firmware from the CFE upgrade page:

Prepare your PC
1. Set your computer to a static IP address in the 192.168.1.x range (except .1, of course)
2. Set the net mask to 255.255.255.0
3. Set the gateway to 192.168.1.1 (optional)

Erase the NVRAM
1. Power off the router
2. Press and hold down the WPS button
3. Keep holding the WPS button and turn on the router
4. Keep holding the WPS button for 30 seconds
5. Wait for the router to reboot

Put the router in restore mode
1. Power off the router
2. Press and hold the Reset button
3. Keep holding down the reset button and turn on the router
4. Keep holding the reset button until the power led starts to flash (on and off)
5. When power LED starts flashing, release the reset button and proceed

Flash the firmware
1. Open a Web browser on your PC and go to http://192.168.1.1. The “mini web” server from the router’s CFE should appear
2. Choose the option to upload firmware, choose the file and upload it
3. Once the upload is done (~ 1 min.) click “Continue”
4. Wait 20-25 min. for the router to flash (I’m starting a ping to 192.168.1.1 and I’m waiting at least 5 min. after the router starts responding)
5. Erase NVRAM as described above.

Reboot at least once.

Note: Tomato’s default user name and password are root/admin

For more info visit advancedtomato.com also checkout the linksysinfo.org Tomato forum