Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Just one more thing to fix...


Racoons gone... Check.
Car running... Check.
Internet connecting... Aww Crap!

Things had been looking up. After a month of repairs to both my house and car, I was sure I was in the clear. Then I tried to get on-line.

Dial up Error: Sorry no dial tone is detected.

Bull crap. The phone lines are fine. I run diagnostics, check all my connections. Nothing. Finally I call the internet company's helpline. She has me do it all again. Nothing.

"I'm sorry ma'am. It looks as if your modem is fried. You'll have to replace it."

Crap. More money.

So, I went and bought a $20 modem on Saturday and spent 2 hours Sunday installing it. Actually, I spent an hour and a half getting the dumb cover off my computer. It's not like any other computer I've had that has a one piece case that unscrews and lifts off. Oh no. This one slides apart like a Chinese puzzle box in at least four different pieces. The instructions that came with my new modem said to consult my computer manual for cover removal instructions. I checked... no directions. It was by sheer determination and dumb luck that I got the cover off.

Anyway, I get the modem switched out, install the software, check to make sure the computer is reading the right device and everything looks good to go. I click my internet button...

Dial up Error: Sorry no dial tone is detected.

Double Darn! (To quote a fellow writer.)

To make a long story short, (Okay, I know, too late.) I finally discovered that the phone line in my office was messed up. I took apart the phone jack and found two wires had come loose. I reconnected them and low and behold my internet worked. YA-HOO!!! ( no pun intended.)

So now I'm back on line and (at the moment) free of any break-downs, crashes, crises and calamities. Maybe it'll stay that way for a while.

Here's hoping,
A.

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