My apartment is basically where tech equipment goes to die. I’m on computer #3 since starting college. I’ve also had 3 iPods (miraculously, one was a replacement courtesy of Apple), and my current one keeps freezing whenever I plug it into my computer. They say that some people are just not good with technology, and unfortunately I am one of those people.
My most recent tech disaster? Loosing wifi just two weeks before I move into a new apartment. Technically I can pick up other wireless signals so I know that my wireless card is working. But since I’m paying for a secure network, I prefer to use that rather than stealing some spotty unreliable signal from down the street.
I called RCN tech support and they instructed me to do all of the things that one normally does when they loose wireless (restart router, restart computer, refresh network list, rinse and repeat until you want to just throw computer out the window instead ). Part of my job is IT project management (ha!), so I felt like “yes, of course I restarted my computer, no, I don’t need to do it again!” Eventually the support person got sick of me and told me to call Linksys.
Spent an hour on hold with Linksys, got disconnected, called back and went through the same song and dance with their tech support people. After two long, frustrating hours, they concluded that I need to call RCN and get a new router. That same day I got a bill from RCN saying they had raised my monthly bill to $100 for wireless that I can’t even access! AND when I move out in two weeks, I have two days to schlep out to the ‘burbs and return my useless router before they bill my credit card. You know what? I’ve waited on hold into the wee hours of the morning, and I’ve had enough. I’m stealing whatever spotty unreliable signal I can get from down the street! Hence, my posts may be a little spotty and unreliable over the next few weeks.