My Internet H*ll

Sometimes I have to question my lack of planning and the pain it can cause me.

I got an ad from ATT on using their internet and Direct TV and after a bit of research I decided it was a good idea to switch - would save me about $60 per month.  I told them I wanted the ATT internet to start on August 1 and the Direct TV would be installed on August 2.  I told the cable company to cancel my services with them on August 3rd.

In the mean time, Apple rolled out their new operating system which I had been waiting for before ordering a new iMac so I ordered my new computer.

The computer came on Saturday morning.  I got it up and running with no trouble.

On Monday morning the cable company decided to turn off the internet - 2 days before they were supposed to.  Then I read the fine print that said ATT wouldn't be available until after 8 pm.  So we can live 10 hours without internet.  But then it did't work (and this was after I found out I had to go buy a special modem).  After more than an hour on the phone with a very nice lady at ATT, we decided my phone lines might need help since they haven't been used in 15+ years by anything other than birds.  But the phone line guy couldn't come until Wednesday.  Sigh.

On Tuesday the Direct TV guy was supposed to come between noon and 3.  At 3:30 they call to tell me he should be here by 4.  He was.  And he was still here when my parents came for spaghetti dinner.  I invited him to eat with us but I think he was embarrassed.  He did take a piece of chocolate cake home.

The phone guy shows up nice and early - he lives in the neighborhood.  He hooks up some wires outside and says I'm good to go but that technically he is supposed to charge me $130 because the wires were on the "home" side of the box.  But he didn't because it only took him about 5 minutes and he thinks that rule is stupid.  And he lives in the neighborhood.

I wish I could say that was the end of the story but while the internet was flowing through the wires, it didn't want to talk to my wireless router.  The one I spent $200 on this winter for improved signals that would go through our ancient floors and walls.  ATT said they didn't offer tech support on outside routers but I could pay $29 per month for unlimited service.  Considering I've never had a problem with a router before, I passed.  The odds of me needing $29 worth of advice every month was pretty slim.  Unless they could offer advice on raising almost 14 year old kids...then it might be worth it!  So I googled the problem and found a phone number for Cisco.  I talked to a guy named Mike.  I'm still noodling his accent....

Mike looks up the serial number on my Cisco Valet and tells me my warranty is expired because the unit is more than 12 months old.  WHAAAA????  I bought it in February at Staples - it was snowing.  I'm sure of it.  He decides to trust me.  He probably also realizes that it could have sat on the shelf at Staples for a few months.  Mike tortured me with plugging in, unplugging, reseting, and 25 other configurations before we finally hit on the problem.  The ATT modem and wireless modem were using the same "channel".  We changed one and I was FIXED!!!  I checked my new Mac.  I checked the Compaq laptop.  Equestrian Girl checked her laptop - all good.  Or almost.

Motocross Boy/Man brings his laptop down.  It's not good.  It can "see" the wireless signal but it can't connect.  I'm going to work on that one tomorrow.