Lou Quillio

Windows 7 stopped receiving updates in 2020, so you're on your own with that. As for Win 10, Microsoft's in-built malware service is enough. Aftermarket software solutions play on folks' apprehensions and ignorance, and are generally unneeded. They exist to make you feel better because you paid something. Beyond that, don't do stupid stuff. No browser toolbars, for example. Remember, the answer is always No, until you affirmatively determine that it's Yes. If some reasonably well-regarded software asks to install something extra, that's a No, for example. Folks recall with horror the bad old days, when Microsoft wanted to be everybody's portal to the web, but provided no responsible protections. Those days are over. Just don't do stupid stuff. Or use Linux, like me. 😉 LQ

Thanks. That's what I reckoned. A pair of ordinary cordless Panasonics was cheap enough, so we'll start there. I have business-class Ubiquiti network gear now, so when I later experiment with wifi-only voice, I might try their solution first. (This new Unifi gear is worlds better than the consumer stuff, especially with dual WAN. Never going back.) LQ

This is correct. To many people, "land line" refers to POTS -- plain old telephone service -- delivered over copper wires. Most of us grew up with this. Works when the power's out because the copper carries enough power to ring the phone. POTS service still exists in Mexico, but no longer does in the U.S. A clearer term in this case would be "house phone." We're thinking we may buy a house phone, something we never expected to have again, just because Mexican society often still connects a phone number with a place, an address, and not a person who may not be home, like a cell phone. We'd only use it for delivery people, etc. And our TotalPlay Internet comes with a VoIP number and service, we just don't have anything connected to the RJ-11 jack on TotalPlay's base station. I assume that any house phone I plug into it will come to life with no further steps. Probably get a cordless phone, probably with a second handset for downstairs. What I'm less clear on are so-called "WiFi phones" meant for use as a home phone. Do they often have an RJ-11 jack as well, or are they a different, wifi-only animal? Anyone been down that road? LQ

They'll string the fiber optic cable overhead, not underground. I think gated communities often won't allow that. If you live in a normal neighborhood there will be plenty of fibra optica overhead already, and nobody should care about or notice another house drop. LQ

But you will need a forma aduana. Customs declaration. This one should be current: https://siat.sat.gob.mx/app/declaracion/faces/pages/plantilla/declaracionAduana.jsf It's sometimes not clear which inmigración line to get into. You want the one not for Mexican passport holders. LQ

Thanks, but I wasn't really asking anything, except for the post to be fleshed out. From the initial info given, a passer-by wouldn't know the topic was a USD $1,000 capital improvement. Off topic: As for Joan and I, after two years renting, our California house is sold, we're mostly retired, and we're finally house hunting in earnest. We're looking for centro, fully walkable, a pool or space for one, minimum three bedrooms, in San Antonio, Chapala, or even Ajijic -- though we don't covet Ajijic, nor want to pay the Ajijic premium. They're not making more of these, so we have to wait. They do appear, just not so often. After we own, we'll see what heating and AC needs we have (and PV solar, and home battery, and commercial-grade networking). Joan likes a little AC, I like a little heat in winter. But everything depends on the house we find. Since this will be our last house and we're 60-ish, it has to suit our needs for twenty or so years, and we're unwilling to settle for something we don't love. LQ

Obviously. Some people even size their compressor for future capacity. Just seemed to me like a casual, undetailed post for a non-trivial investment. Didn't even mention the cost.

Such systems are uncomplicated and I understand how they work. What wasn't clear was whether the poster was adding to an existing system or installing from scratch. Affects how much of an investment we're making. Sometimes further clarification isn't for me, rather it's to make a thread more useful to others -- sometimes those arriving at this page later via a Google search. It's a habit from having built and managed many discussion boards. LQ

Assume I Google everything, since I'm a Google engineer. I've read that. Still not perfectly clear.

I'm guessing an "electric wood stove" is an electric heater that looks like a wood stove, correct? Wrt the Mirage, does the A/C functionality rely on already having a compressor, or is it contained within the minisplit stand-alone style? LQ

Generally correct. For example, my MXN $12,000 rent payment would cost USD $703.99 to send with Xe and USD $708.01 with Xoom -- considering exchange rate + fee, if done at this moment. Xoom would arrive in one or two business days; Xe quotes three business days. Maybe one of these days I'll switch, and save the four bucks. LQ

For paying individuals (and sometimes stores, if the amount isn't huge), look at Xoom, now a PayPal service. If you can configure the source in PayPal, you can use it with Xoom. I use it to pay our rent (still looking for a house to buy) in San Antonio and also for a sofa sleeper from the Ibarra brothers. Fees are reasonable; exchange rate could be better -- but the net on transactions of reasonable size won't kill you. LQ

Correction: I think I wanted ten keys done, so $40 vs. $30 each.

And shady. I went there once. A fresh-faced kid was doing the work, and quoted me $300/key. This bothered the slovenly dude sitting in a folding chair nearby, who corrected that the price was $400. When I picked up the keys later, I asked the price again. This time the fat guy was ready. "$400." "Ese es el precio regular o el precio gringo?" "$400," scowling. I paid, left, and haven't been back. LQ

I like the one (Cárdenas) next to Mariscos Irma, on Revolución in Ajijic, here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/uR2952pTfRDUiEj76 Can't speak for the locksmithing, just the key cutting. LQ