Your Smartphone vs. a 1985 Supercomputer: How a Cray-2 Loses to the Phone in Your Pocket

In 1985, the Cray-2 was the fastest computer on Earth — a liquid-cooled, room-sized beast that cost as much as a small hospital and hummed away at a blistering 1.9 GFLOPS. Fast forward to 2026, and the iPhone 16 Pro in your back pocket casually clears 2,000+ GFLOPS of FP32 compute. That's not a typo — your phone is roughly 1,000 times faster than what NASA and top research labs once fought over allocation time for. The Galaxy S25 Ultra pushes even further, hitting 2,500–3,500+ GFLOPS, making it up to 1,800 times faster than Seymour Cray's masterpiece. The supercomputer that once simulated nuclear tests and weather patterns for entire governments now loses a flat-out compute race to a device you use to scroll memes at breakfast.

Using Wireshark to Analyze PowerShell Test-Connection

If you’ve ever run PowerShell’s `Test-Connection` command and wondered what is actually happening on the network, Wireshark is the perfect tool to answer that question. Test-Connection looks simple from the command line, but does it generate ICMP echo requests, use TCP or UDP to figure out latency, packet timing, routing, and connectivity. In my video, I walk through the exact process of capturing this traffic with Wireshark and using a capture filter to isolate only the packets from the target device, making the analysis much easier to follow.

Why Layer 1 Troubleshooting Matters: Using a NetAlly LinkRunner to Catch Cabling and RJ45 Connector Issues Before They Cost You Hours

When a network problem shows up, it's tempting to jump straight to software configs, IP addressing, or switch settings. But skipping the physical layer is one of the most common — and costly — mistakes in network troubleshooting. Layer 1 is the foundation everything else rides on: if a cable is damaged, a connector is loose, or a termination is faulty, no amount of software-level troubleshooting will fix the real problem. Starting at Layer 1 means you're validating the actual physical path before assuming the issue lives somewhere more complex.

Why Every Tool Deserves a Test Drive

One of the most valuable habits a technician can develop is spending time with their tools before relying on them in the field. Too often, we unbox a new tester, glance at the quick-start guide, and assume we understand what the results mean. The reality is that every diagnostic tool has its own quirks, display conventions, and interpretation methods. Taking the time to connect a tester to known-good networks, cables, and devices creates a baseline of understanding that becomes invaluable when troubleshooting real problems later.

A perfect example came while experimenting with an older NetAlly LinkRunner G2. I connected the tester to a cable and switch port that I knew were working properly and expected to see a clean, uneventful result. the additional goal for me was to see how an older tool behaved with newer equipment. Instead, the cable screen displayed information that initially looked concerning, including indications that could easily be mistaken for faults by someone unfamiliar with the tool's reporting methods. Had this been encountered for the first time during a customer outage, it could have led to unnecessary troubleshooting, confusion, or even misdiagnosis.

Think You Know Tech? Take the Quiz and Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Have you ever shouted an answer at your computer screen and thought, “I should be getting paid for this!”? Well, now’s your chance. I’m hosting a fun tech quiz over at The Tech Firm Giveaway, and one lucky participant will walk away with a $50 Amazon gift card. That’s right — your random knowledge of gadgets, networking, computers, and tech trivia could actually buy you something useful… or at least something shiny. Oh yes, and the odd scavenger hunt.