Moving presents some unexpected challenges, especially for mentally challenged dinosaurs like me.
I am the IT and Audio/Visual department here at Casa Entrekin. Moving into new digs and having to hook all that stuff back up has not been a smooth sail. Nope. First of all we own electronica in the video world spanning 15 years, all the way from HDMI backwards through component through S-video and so on back to the standard yellow video red and black audio hookup. Take four tele’s and all the ensuing satellite receivers, DVD players, remote controls, digital vs analog, and just for fun mix and match the technologies. What that produces is one perplexed and frustrated technician. That stuff doesn’t play well together. I’m ready to go back to three local stations and getting out of the chair to change the channel. Is all this compatibility driving anyone else nuts?
Oh, but oh, that was just a warmup for computer wars, or more specifically internet connectivity wars. It starts with it taking over a week for the phone wizards to hook up the land/DSL line. Oops, it seems we are on a party line with another house. Huh, yeh two lines having sex somewhere in a dark wiring closet. Took another week more or less to fix that. So now, finally, internet is restored. Kind of.
The two computers are not in the same area, not even close. So the wireless connection, on Band G if you’re a technoweinie, is sketchy. Low signal, SLOOOOOOOOOOOOW. And since the frau’s computer is the SLOOOOOOOOOOW one, are you familiar with the “if momma ain’t happy” rule of task prioritization? Anyway, off to the BuyMore to snag the latest super duper, transmit wireless to Mars technology. The kid at the store swears it is better than pockets on pants. It takes ALLLLLLLLLLLL day last Sunday to get it up and going, including an hour long session with Netgear wireless support.
The result. One really SLOOOOOOOOOOOOW connection. During the week I play around and see that the new and improved high dollar N Band transmitter receiver combo I have installed is actually weaker than the old system I had. One of those things that make you go Hmmmmmmp! I pour another 8 hours during the week nights playing with locations, re installs, and antennae to only produce an underwhelming result.
Yellow fever (pissed off) sets in, and in a pique I take receipt, routers, computer cards, and what not back to BuyMore. I didn’t really expect them to give me any thing but the satisfaction of letting them know it was a POS that they recommended. To my surprise, they gave me a full refund. Another Hmmmmmmmp!
So I have 8 hours of initial labor, 8 hours of tweaking, two trips to BuyMore invested and still no internet for the frau. With refund in hand, I ignore advice of same helpful kid, and decide to try one of these devices that transmits the Ethernet through the home power lines. The kid is pretty sure it won’t work.
Five minutes to unpack the box, five minutes to plug them in, two minutes to plug Ethernet cables in. Voila. Instant internet. No muss, no fuss. Something to make you go Hmmmmmmp!
All Ways on the Edge
I totally get that…….that’s why I really hate to upgrade software, or technology, because very little seems to be really “plug and play”. There is always something unique about my setup that requires 8-10 hours time investment. My Droid phone recently told me there was an update available that would “speed” up my phone…….I thought it was pretty fast already, so who doesn’t want more speed, huh? Well, now it takes up to 10 minutes for the phone to “boot” up before I can use it….it used to take a minute, or two. Now I am faced with having to reformat the phone, which means I have to back everything up that is not automatically restored. “They” say it will take just a few minutes, BUT I know it will take most of next week to get back to where I am now, AND it won’t be any faster….