The On/Off Modem Button

Wednesday, 25 April 2007

Here I go again! Lift ignorance and now computer operations ignorance!

Exclamation mark on the computers icon said "local network - unlimited or no connectivity". I tried in a different room, it is still the same. All the wiring connections were checked. I heeded the computer prompting to "repair" but it couldn't repair and next prompted me to contact network provider. I called the network provider. A recorded message said there was service interruption in another state. I wondered whether that has affected the network connection in this area. A female staff, answering my call to the technical services, said it does, without asking me any questions.

Services was not "restored" in the afternoon so I gave up using the internet for the day.

This morning, I checked all my wiring connections - electrical, telephone again. I pull them out and insert them again! I phoned the network provider again. No recorded message of service interruption anywhere. This time, a male technician answered my call. He asked a few questions and guided me as to what to type on the computer so as to find out what exactly was wrong. He told me that the modem is not working. I agreed with him. There was not a single light on the modem. He said I could buy a new one at any computer shop.

Few minutes later, I remembered what I was told before and done before, probably a month or so ago. A network technician had told me about a button on the modem and had ask me to reset. It has worked before, with my own personal modem. But with this modem, I could see a 'reset' hole but there was nothing to reset.

There is a button on the side of this modem. What do I see? The push button was out. And of course there is no connection! I pushed in the button. The PWR, DSL and the LAN lights came on. Stupid me. There was nothing wrong with the network, nothing wrong with the system, nothing wrong with the wiring. It is stupid me again - didn't use my head again!

I phoned the network technician and we had a good laugh. He also learnt a lesson from there - to ask the customer to check all her connections and switches.