OT: Working From Home Tools

[HuskyHawk]

I've been working from home since March 11th, and best guess is I'll be home through the summer and possibly through 2020. While my home office set up is ok, it's not ideal.

Any suggestions on sit-stand desk converters? I'll be buying this myself, so I'm trying to keep the cost down (or it may cut into my whiskey budget), so no to Varidesk. Need space for two monitors and a keyboard and mouse on the tray.

Other peripherals being used:

• Logitech c920. Has been superb as a webcam for zoom calls. Very sharp.
• Apple Airpods. Mixed bag. They don't seem to work as a headset in Zoom or Skype, so I need to dial in via phone or use them as headphones with the Logitech Cam handling microphone duty.
• Logitech K215 and M215. Mediocre wireless keyboard and mouse. May look to upgrade.
• Hyken mesh office chair from staples. It can't touch the Herman Miller I had at work, but it's pretty good.

 

[Vancat]

Varidesk is too freaking heavy, anyway. Weighs a ton.

 

[Lefty2one]

IKEA has a few budget adjustable/standing desks for around $250. Not sure how big they are though but should be able to support dual monitors.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I'm now deciding between something like a reasonably cheap one that sits on my desk, probably a Flexispot, and getting a Fully Jarvis Bamboo. I think the full desk would be more pleasant to use.

 

[8893]

Agreed, employees who claim to be working from home are tools.

Wait, what?

Nevermind.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Agreed, employees who claim to be working from home are tools.

Wait, what?

Nevermind.

We've got 90% of the workforce working from home and are doing just fine. Varies by industry and function of course.

 

[Kembacity]

My office recently announced that we'll be remote until at least Labor day, which was kind of a shock. I'm in a small city apartment, not a lot of space, but will try to get myself more of a permanent desk setup for the at home work. Wifi is an issue, the router is at one end of a long apartment and the only desk we have is at the opposite end where the wifi strength is weak. We have an 'extender' but the thing barely works. Checked the closets and bedroom walls this past weekend hoping there was an additional cable hookup but didn't find one.

 

[HuskyHawk]

My office recently announced that we'll be remote until at least Labor day, which was kind of a shock. I'm in a small city apartment, not a lot of space, but will try to get myself more of a permanent desk setup for the at home work. Wifi is an issue, the router is at one end of a long apartment and the only desk we have is at the opposite end where the wifi strength is weak. We have an 'extender' but the thing barely works. Checked the closets and bedroom walls this past weekend hoping there was an additional cable hookup but didn't find one.

You can go with a mesh system to solve wifi. @August_West is pretty good at those things. Others here as well.

Desks are clearly space dependent. Sit stand is worth the investment. So is a decent chair.

 

[Kembacity]

You can go with a mesh system to solve wifi. @August_West is pretty good at those things. Others here as well.

Desks are clearly space dependent. Sit stand is worth the investment. So is a decent chair.

Yeah anybody have experience with a small mesh system? My apartment is small, so I wouldn't want to drop the kind of money a 6BR mansion might need in a mesh system

 

[HuskyHawk]

Yeah anybody have experience with a small mesh system? My apartment is small, so I wouldn't want to drop the kind of money a 6BR mansion might need in a mesh system

Who provides your internet? I have Xfinity (Comcast) so just went with theirs. Plug and play. Aside from that, Google is well regarded, but there is some router set up as I understand.

 

[uconnfan68]

My office recently announced that we'll be remote until at least Labor day, which was kind of a shock. I'm in a small city apartment, not a lot of space, but will try to get myself more of a permanent desk setup for the at home work. Wifi is an issue, the router is at one end of a long apartment and the only desk we have is at the opposite end where the wifi strength is weak. We have an 'extender' but the thing barely works. Checked the closets and bedroom walls this past weekend hoping there was an additional cable hookup but didn't find one.

If it isn’t permanent, just run a cat5 ethernet cable. Depending on your router, you’ll have 100meg, 1gig, or 10gig (might need cat6 for that).

 

[fatlucy]

My office recently announced that we'll be remote until at least Labor day, which was kind of a shock. I'm in a small city apartment, not a lot of space, but will try to get myself more of a permanent desk setup for the at home work. Wifi is an issue, the router is at one end of a long apartment and the only desk we have is at the opposite end where the wifi strength is weak. We have an 'extender' but the thing barely works. Checked the closets and bedroom walls this past weekend hoping there was an additional cable hookup but didn't find one.

Move it

 

[ColchVEGAS]

Yeah anybody have experience with a small mesh system? My apartment is small, so I wouldn't want to drop the kind of money a 6BR mansion might need in a mesh system

I have the Ubiquiti AmpliFi router/mesh setup. Very dependable and the base setup will cover more than enough space that you are looking for. The speeds on it are pretty good so you should be able to keep it for a good amount of time. And it is scalable. You can always add mesh points down the road to cover more space.

I really wanted to spring for their UniFi setup but the wife did not want me cutting in to the ceiling. Plus it is definitely overkill for a home.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Yeah anybody have experience with a small mesh system? My apartment is small, so I wouldn't want to drop the kind of money a 6BR mansion might need in a mesh system

Netgear Orbi is solid. Router plus one satellite.

 

[chalk1]

For adjustable desks check website for Conset.us. Has options and you can apply an existing desk top to it if you desire. Also has complete unit options like corners and desk type units you displayed. I have found it the most favorably priced units on the market. If you see something you like PM me and I'll hook you up with the discounted price. I sell these commercially by the dozens.