Sunday, May 28, 2006
Stupid User Errors - Turn On ALL The WiFi Equipment!
Posted by Ed Hansberry in "THOUGHT" @ 11:00 AM
I recently changed ISPs and was loathe to set up my WiFi network again. I was dreading going through the hassle of hard resetting my router, installing the generally lame cable modem software, spoofing the MAC address, trying to rid my PC of the infestation of the cable modem software, creating a new security key and then entering that key into my 8 devices on the network (K-Jam, SDA, 3 TiVos and 3 computers)
Imagine my surprise when I just plugged my router into the cable modem's ethernet port and poof! It just worked. I was getting frustrated though because the signal was weak and the internet connection kept dropping. I thought I was going to have to go the hard-reset route. I decided to turn off everything (modem, router and signal booster) when I realized that when I "turned off" the power strip, it was actually turning on. Huh? The cable guy set up the modem, so it was plugged into the wall. The router was, by chance, plugged into a "non-switched" socket on the power strip, so when it came on, I didn't really look at the power strip itself. Tthe signal booster, however, was in a normal socket, so for 3 days it had really been off. :i got it: The light on the signal booster is so small, dim and is just a bit off center from the hole even when it is on, you can't hardly tell, so I never really paid attention to it. So whatever signal I was getting was from the router that had no antenna since it was wired to the signal booster. It is a wonder it worked at all.
After I turned everything off for real, then turned it all on, it has been working just fine for the last 20 hrs or so. Truly a classic case of "ok, did you plug it in? Is the power light on?" :rotfl:
What embarrassing goofs have you committed when working with tech?
Imagine my surprise when I just plugged my router into the cable modem's ethernet port and poof! It just worked. I was getting frustrated though because the signal was weak and the internet connection kept dropping. I thought I was going to have to go the hard-reset route. I decided to turn off everything (modem, router and signal booster) when I realized that when I "turned off" the power strip, it was actually turning on. Huh? The cable guy set up the modem, so it was plugged into the wall. The router was, by chance, plugged into a "non-switched" socket on the power strip, so when it came on, I didn't really look at the power strip itself. Tthe signal booster, however, was in a normal socket, so for 3 days it had really been off. :i got it: The light on the signal booster is so small, dim and is just a bit off center from the hole even when it is on, you can't hardly tell, so I never really paid attention to it. So whatever signal I was getting was from the router that had no antenna since it was wired to the signal booster. It is a wonder it worked at all.
After I turned everything off for real, then turned it all on, it has been working just fine for the last 20 hrs or so. Truly a classic case of "ok, did you plug it in? Is the power light on?" :rotfl:
What embarrassing goofs have you committed when working with tech?
