Back Online

Hooray!  The new modem is hooked up and we are back online and have phone service again.  The technician got here and took one look at how I had things hooked up and asked me “where is the incoming line?”  Which is what I was wondering.  There are two plugs coming in from the phone line that go into the modem, or are supposed to be.  But I showed they guy the installation instructions and it said to disconnect them.  I had everything plugged in the way the instructions said, and I was trying to convey that to the person in India last night, but I wasn’t getting my message across (which is why talking to technical support halfway across the globe sucks).

The technician simply plugged in the lines after lengthening the plugs a bit and then we just needed to wait for the setup process to complete.  I even showed him the instructions I had, and he said he had never actually looked at the instructions for any of the “self-install” setups, but the ones I had were definitely not correct.  I didn’t even need to call the 877 number that they had on the instructions to activate it

After about 15 minutes our service was restored.  The technician went out to check the lines once we were sure all the phones were working and I had internet service on all the computers.  When he got to the house he said he ran some test on our line before he came to the door and saw that our service had been interrupted about 5 times since midnight.  We had a similar problem a year and a half ago and it turned out some squirrels had chewed through some lines and that was the cause of the service lapses.  He said he was going to go run his tests, and we might lose our signal for a few minutes while he was testing things, but it wouldn’t take long. 

When all was said and done, he said that there were wet lines, or something like that, and that he would need to put in a request for line service.  They would be out in a day or two and take care of fixing the lines.  So for now, I think we have things running again.      

More Modem Issues

When I got home from work today, I thought I would give hooking up the new modem/router another shot.  I spent another half an hour unhooking things and hooking up the new modem.  I brought Kris downstairs with me to have her verify that I as following the instructions that were sent with the modem.  Once again, it didn’t work so I took to calling AT&T technical support, which I was trying not to do because I usually have a hard time either understanding them, or having them understand what I am saying.

I spent a good 20-30 minutes with them trying to explain what I had done and what kind of lights were lit up on the modem.  The guy I was talking to (somewhere in India I suppose) was giving me instructions and nothing was working, so after a good hour to hour and a half, He said he couldn’t do any more and was going to put in a service ticket for me, and that a service tech would be here Saturday between 12:00 and 4:00.  That is what I was really trying to do in the irst place, because I could have told the guy that following the instructions I was given wasn’t helping.  So check back tomorrow to see if we have phone and internet service.  

Phone Problems

Monday night when I got home from work I was told we were having a problem with the phone.  The caller ID displayed on the TV screen when a call is incoming, but the phone itself doesn't ring, and there is no notice of a missed call, or if the person calling left a message.  So I picked it up and there was a busy signal, nothing more.  I was on the phone Sunday night when it dropped on me.  I assumed it was the U-Verse signal that was interrupted, and I finished the call on my cell phone.  But I think that was the point where things stopped working.

So Tuesday morning, I called the technical support for U-Verse from work.  The customer service person wanted to troubleshoot things with me.  One problem though, I was at work.  She asked if there was anyone at home that she could talk to in order to troubleshoot it, so I gave her Kris's cell phone number.  The problem was that Kris was just getting ready to take Alison to school.  So they weren't able to diagnose the issue.  They called back once she was home from driving Ali and they ran some sort of diagnostic and determined it was a "modem problem".  The solution to the problem was to send us a new wireless router.  The good thing is that we still have TV and internet service, but we are without a phone.  I suppose it's fine since no one ever really calls anyway, and we have our cell phones.  But if you have tried to call in the last three days and didn't get an answer, now you know why.

Technical Support

My replacement DVR box showed up on Friday. I happened to take it out of the box and plugged it in right away. After it was all hooked up and not working, I looked at the packing slip... DO NOT install your new equipment prior to 8:00 on 9/6/11. OOPS! I tried calling AT & T to see if there was something they could do. I mean, what is the use of having the thing sit here for four days before I can use it? Well the tech support guy (Orlando) was nice enough, and he explained that there really wasn't anything he, or the technical support department could do, so I guess I just have to wait. Man, what a drag!

At least the old DVR is working for now and I can at least record a thing or two until the new box becomes operational.