After walking away from my desk to do something else (as I contemplated what to do with all this electronic equipment) something happened.
When I came back to my desk everything all of a sudden worked. Go figure!
Until next time...when my frustration possibly comes back...
Joseph
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Frustration...
Dish Network can't get a line of site at our home. We have too many trees in the wrong location. Actually, our neighbor has too many trees.
Clearwire doesn't work too well with Microsoft Internet Explorer 7. Switched to Firefox. I want to get rid of Clearwire but can't without paying a lot of money. (If I can't get things working I may pay the money just to get rid of the frustration!)
Vonage doesn't want to work with Clearwire.
I'm about ready to toss all this equipment out into the yard.
I don't have hours upon hours to work with this stuff!
Signed,
Frustrated Computer/Technology User
Clearwire doesn't work too well with Microsoft Internet Explorer 7. Switched to Firefox. I want to get rid of Clearwire but can't without paying a lot of money. (If I can't get things working I may pay the money just to get rid of the frustration!)
Vonage doesn't want to work with Clearwire.
I'm about ready to toss all this equipment out into the yard.
I don't have hours upon hours to work with this stuff!
Signed,
Frustrated Computer/Technology User
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Sky Angel Satellite TV
We have had Sky Angel satellite tv for over two years. We have enjoyed it! (Especially the Hallmark channels and HGTV!) We wanted to add the service to the tv in the kid's playroom. Stephenie's grandmother had Sky Angel but she is now living in a nursing home. We were able to get her satellite equipment so that we could add Sky Angel to a second TV.
Last night, I spent several hours running a cable from outside, under the house, and up into the wall in the playroom. Once I got it all hooked up, I wasn't getting a signal. Since it was late, I had to wait till today to call tech support for Sky Angel to make sure I didn't need to activate anything in order to use that second receiver.
When I called tech support, I was informed that Sky Angel was going to be discontinuing their satellite service as of March 31, 2008. Their satellite is nearing the end of its usable life and they do not have plans to replace it. They are moving their service to an internet based delivery system. In other word you will only be able to get Sky Angel's service over the internet. Well, in order to do that, you will need to get a new receiver. (Cost for current subscribes is just $15 for shipping.) You will also need a fast enough broadband internet connection. To recieve Sky Angel's content for one tv you will need at least a 1.5 mpbs (download). Double that (3.0 mpbs) for two tv's and so on. WOW! Although Sky Angel had been promoting this new service I had not read anywhere that they were discontinuing their satellite service. This was definetely news to me!
After my talk with tech support, I did a little more research and found out that Cleawire's internet service is not compatible with Sky Angel's new IP service and, since I'm locked into a 2 year contract with Clearwire, there goes Sky Angel. We'll miss it!
(Note: I have called Clearwire, explained the situation, and have asked for a waiver to be released from my contract. I'll find out in 3-5 business days. If they let me out of my contract, I'll have a few more options.)
I have now investigated signing up for Dish satellite service. Since I already have the equipment (Sky Angel subscribers used Dish Network's equipment.) it would only be a matter of re-positioning our dish in the backyard.) Their most basic package is comparable in content and cost to Sky Angels' new service. I've got some praying and thinking to do about this decision. I've also looked into regular cable.
Last night, I spent several hours running a cable from outside, under the house, and up into the wall in the playroom. Once I got it all hooked up, I wasn't getting a signal. Since it was late, I had to wait till today to call tech support for Sky Angel to make sure I didn't need to activate anything in order to use that second receiver.
When I called tech support, I was informed that Sky Angel was going to be discontinuing their satellite service as of March 31, 2008. Their satellite is nearing the end of its usable life and they do not have plans to replace it. They are moving their service to an internet based delivery system. In other word you will only be able to get Sky Angel's service over the internet. Well, in order to do that, you will need to get a new receiver. (Cost for current subscribes is just $15 for shipping.) You will also need a fast enough broadband internet connection. To recieve Sky Angel's content for one tv you will need at least a 1.5 mpbs (download). Double that (3.0 mpbs) for two tv's and so on. WOW! Although Sky Angel had been promoting this new service I had not read anywhere that they were discontinuing their satellite service. This was definetely news to me!
After my talk with tech support, I did a little more research and found out that Cleawire's internet service is not compatible with Sky Angel's new IP service and, since I'm locked into a 2 year contract with Clearwire, there goes Sky Angel. We'll miss it!
(Note: I have called Clearwire, explained the situation, and have asked for a waiver to be released from my contract. I'll find out in 3-5 business days. If they let me out of my contract, I'll have a few more options.)
I have now investigated signing up for Dish satellite service. Since I already have the equipment (Sky Angel subscribers used Dish Network's equipment.) it would only be a matter of re-positioning our dish in the backyard.) Their most basic package is comparable in content and cost to Sky Angels' new service. I've got some praying and thinking to do about this decision. I've also looked into regular cable.
Clearwire, continued...again
Just wanted to update everyone on Clearwire. Whether I just wasn't listening or they "failed" to tell me, their $15 a month for IP phone service was only for 3 months. Then the price went up to $35. That, to me, is not a great deal! When I figured that out, I called Clearwire and cancelled the phone service. I've kept the internet service. It seems to be working well. We had a brief service outage but I'm not sure if that was a Clearwire problem or if it was caused by my wireless router which very infrequently can be tempermental. If it ends up being my router, I will simply need to replace it as I use my laptop at home almost more than our desktop at home.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Clearwire...continued
Someone, other than my family and close friends, read my latest blog that I posted on Clearwire. They posted a comment asking for more information on my experience with Clearwire.
Well, we're only into day 2 of our Clearwire service although today was an excellent test of the service. It rained in the Charlotte area all day and it did not affect our Clearwire service at all. I was very pleased by that.
I want to tell you a little more about our setup. I have the Clearwire modem/receiver located right next to an upstairs window. This is almost an ideal location. There are 5 indicator lights on top of the modem. The more lights that are burning, the better the signal is. All 5 of the indicator lights are burning although the 5th one does goes out occassionally.
I also have the modem hooked into a Belkin wireless router. I did not have to reconfigure my router at all. I just plugged it in and it was ready to go.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I also signed up their VOIP service. I had to purchase their Linksys phone adapter for $15. The only difficulty I had was trying to activate the adapter on Clearwire's website. For whatever reason I kept receiving an error message when I typed in the adapters activation code. I finally called Clearwire's tech who indicated that my adapter was activated. I plugged my phone into it (a cheap 900 MHZ cordless GE), waited until I got a solid green light, picked up the handset and immediately got a dial tone.
( I now must deactivate my Bellsouth account and move my number over to Clearwire. I'll do that in a couple of days just to make sure that I am pleased with Clearwire's service. There is a 7 day cancellation window.)
I was asked about speed & online gaming. Sorry to say that I do not use the internet for online gaming so I can't comment on Clearwire from that perspective. I can say that that it is much faster than my Bellsouth DSL Lite that we have had for a couple of years now. I signed up for Clearwire's Premium Service (1.5 mbps/256 kbps). This was the package that Clearwire said I needed in order to have their VOIP service. I just ran a speed test (www.speedtest.net) and I recorded a 2.0 mbps/209 kbps speed.
Any other questions? I'm not the smartest one out there but I'll do my best!
Well, we're only into day 2 of our Clearwire service although today was an excellent test of the service. It rained in the Charlotte area all day and it did not affect our Clearwire service at all. I was very pleased by that.
I want to tell you a little more about our setup. I have the Clearwire modem/receiver located right next to an upstairs window. This is almost an ideal location. There are 5 indicator lights on top of the modem. The more lights that are burning, the better the signal is. All 5 of the indicator lights are burning although the 5th one does goes out occassionally.
I also have the modem hooked into a Belkin wireless router. I did not have to reconfigure my router at all. I just plugged it in and it was ready to go.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I also signed up their VOIP service. I had to purchase their Linksys phone adapter for $15. The only difficulty I had was trying to activate the adapter on Clearwire's website. For whatever reason I kept receiving an error message when I typed in the adapters activation code. I finally called Clearwire's tech who indicated that my adapter was activated. I plugged my phone into it (a cheap 900 MHZ cordless GE), waited until I got a solid green light, picked up the handset and immediately got a dial tone.
( I now must deactivate my Bellsouth account and move my number over to Clearwire. I'll do that in a couple of days just to make sure that I am pleased with Clearwire's service. There is a 7 day cancellation window.)
I was asked about speed & online gaming. Sorry to say that I do not use the internet for online gaming so I can't comment on Clearwire from that perspective. I can say that that it is much faster than my Bellsouth DSL Lite that we have had for a couple of years now. I signed up for Clearwire's Premium Service (1.5 mbps/256 kbps). This was the package that Clearwire said I needed in order to have their VOIP service. I just ran a speed test (www.speedtest.net) and I recorded a 2.0 mbps/209 kbps speed.
Any other questions? I'm not the smartest one out there but I'll do my best!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Clearwire.com
I made the plunge today...
I have been doing some "research" into getting rid of our regular, old-fashioned, land line phone in favor of a VOIP company. In order to get rid of our land line (Bellsouth/AT&T), I would have to find a new high speed internet service. One of the companies that I have been looking at was Clearwire.com. They provide wireless internet. (I won't take the time to explain. You'll have to check it out for yourself - www.Clearwire.com.) One thing that I had not been as pleased with was the VOIP companies. Clearwire offers VOIP in some of its market but not Charlotte (or at least I thought and had been told.)
I went into Best Buy today and Clearwire had a little kiosk set up. I was pleased to find out that they did offer VOIP in Charlotte. It didn't take me long to decide to sign up. After all is said and done, my internet and phone service will only cost me $55 instead of the $85 that it now costs me with Bellsouth.
The great thing about Clearwire was the set up. It took me about 10 minutes to get everything set up. (I remember that, when I signed up for Bellsouth DSL, that it took me all night to get it running.)
So far so good. The good part, at least in Stephenie's eyes, is that we will be able to keep our current phone number.
I have been doing some "research" into getting rid of our regular, old-fashioned, land line phone in favor of a VOIP company. In order to get rid of our land line (Bellsouth/AT&T), I would have to find a new high speed internet service. One of the companies that I have been looking at was Clearwire.com. They provide wireless internet. (I won't take the time to explain. You'll have to check it out for yourself - www.Clearwire.com.) One thing that I had not been as pleased with was the VOIP companies. Clearwire offers VOIP in some of its market but not Charlotte (or at least I thought and had been told.)
I went into Best Buy today and Clearwire had a little kiosk set up. I was pleased to find out that they did offer VOIP in Charlotte. It didn't take me long to decide to sign up. After all is said and done, my internet and phone service will only cost me $55 instead of the $85 that it now costs me with Bellsouth.
The great thing about Clearwire was the set up. It took me about 10 minutes to get everything set up. (I remember that, when I signed up for Bellsouth DSL, that it took me all night to get it running.)
So far so good. The good part, at least in Stephenie's eyes, is that we will be able to keep our current phone number.
Friday, December 28, 2007
May I Direct Your Attention To...
...Where's George! I came across this website some time ago but was once again reminded of it while in Virginia this past week. Where's George.com is a website where you can register (free of charge) and then enter the serial numbers from $1 bills in order to track them and see where they've been. While shopping this past week at Peeble's Department Store in Virginia, I received a $1 bill as change. The bill was stamped with, "See Where I've Been. Track Where I Go Next. www.wheresgeorge.com." Apparently that particular bill began it's travels in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
It's pretty interesting. So...before you spend those bills in your wallet, check to see if they've been "marked." If they haven't been marked, before you spend them, sign up at Where's George, enter the bill's serial numbers, mark them yourself (with http://www.wheresgeorge.com/), and then spend them. You will receive an email alert when someone finds your bill and enters it themselves so that you can see where it's gotten to.
Happy New Year!
P.S. - Check out our photo album link.
It's pretty interesting. So...before you spend those bills in your wallet, check to see if they've been "marked." If they haven't been marked, before you spend them, sign up at Where's George, enter the bill's serial numbers, mark them yourself (with http://www.wheresgeorge.com/), and then spend them. You will receive an email alert when someone finds your bill and enters it themselves so that you can see where it's gotten to.
Happy New Year!
P.S. - Check out our photo album link.
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