So have you ever had it happen that you had to call up technical support?
Yes, well… I’ve been on the other end of that line and that’s one reason why I’m very considerate when I have to call.
So tonight I’ve been struggling with my cable company (hopefully for the last time) and my DSL provider and the manufacturer of my Wireless Router.
Here in Stars Hollow the BIG game was the one between the Pats and the Chargers and right after kickoff the cable went out. Then it was on again. Then it went out. Then it was on again, but the picture was fuzzy, but when I unplugged my VCR and DVD it was less fuzzy but the cable modem still didn’t work.
Did I mention the BIG game?
So calling the cable company was of course useless because the lines were jammed, but the wrinkle is that I have a wireless sharing arrangement with my neighbors (who pay me off in blueberry muffins) and some of them called MY technical support hotline wondering what was up.
“Look at the Patriots!” I said and when they replied it was snowing in Foxboro I said- “There you go!”
I do have DSL also so I popped that right in the loop, but got the same result I always have before, which is that while it would plug right into any particular computer it would just not talk to my Wireless Router at all. So I was fine but everyone else suffered and while that may seem a metaphor for our age to some I was unsatisfied with the result.
I had other boats that needed floating and the rising tide was not doing it.
You see it all has to do with your DHCP setting and I have pages of variations that don’t work and was reduced to the last refuge of the desperate.
Of course I experienced the same frustrations that everyone always does, the endless voice mail “Press 3 if you having problems with this menu” and the inevitable “We’re sorry but all our technicians are busy at this time. The estimated hold time is… Please leave your name and number and we will call you back.” I’ve never actually had that work.
The DSL people were hopeless. “You have WHAT kind of Router? Never heard of it.” Trendnet BTW, sold in CompUSAs across the country by the gagillion (I’ll miss CompUSA, the Manchester one is within driving distance and now I’ll have to order early and wait overnight).
So I took a nap and at 3 am I got right through to the Trendnet dude and 6 settings and reboots later here I am, just as obnoxious as ever.