Website for Computer Q&As

[Sharilyn]

Re: Website for Computer Q&As

Sorry, I sense you must be curious about my problem. We bought a HP desktop from Costco about a week ago. We have DSL/Hawn Tel direct connect (not wireless), and are having problems getting internet access. This is my post on a pc support forum.

http://forums.about.com/n/pfx/forum....pport&tid=8052

Last night, we couldn't get access for about two hours. This morning, we had no problem at all.

My husband called Hawn Tel last night, and they said it sounds like a hardware or software problem, and it if happens again, we should return the pc. He will be calling HP tonight (again).

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Website for Computer Q&As

Well, heck, if you'd asked for a computer forum I wouldn't have sent you to Kim Komando, I'd have sent you to Ryan Ozawa. I suspect that you and Sharilyn are at different ends of the computer-user bell curve, but we all have to start somewhere.

Kim hasn't changed her schtick in decades, but perhaps your level of knowledge & years of experience gives you more awareness of the complexity of issues that she attempts to reduce to 2-3 easy choices.

I don't know how your vast computer wisdom/experience is viewed in your household, but in mine it's regarded as having relevance somewhere between the dawn of time and the age of the dinosaurs. Nobody gives a rat's ass how it works, they just want it to work. Sending my spouse/spawn to consult a neutral outside authority like Komando.com allows them to sort out their options and get their gear working without having to gain any deep or nuanced appreciation of the technology or the infrastructure.

And best of all, when they use Komando.com then I don't have to be a 24/7 pro bono sysadmin for yet another piece of gear that I don't use.

Komando has changed her "Schtick" since she started and I've been a devoted listener since day one (even get her newsletters). Her responses at times leave the listener with more questions with no follow up. Some of her answers don't even address the question period! That's why I question whether she is actually responding to listeners in her newsletters or if someone else is doing the answering. I know she's good, but quite frankly her responses in the last six years have not been quite the results she had given back when she started in the 80's.

This is why I don't recommend her because her answers don't fully address the problem presented and the listener is left hanging after attempting her solutions. She picks and chooses the questions that are relevant to the masses that listen to her, thus the problems are easy ones that can be addressed within a two or three minute audio capsule and no more.

If someone were to ask me, "Craig my computer's sound disappeared, what do I do?" There are a multitude of reasons why it disappeared, however to that person only one is the real problem. Kim Kommando can't address the multitude of possibilities for this problem. Forums can and that's why I suggest the use of those computer forums that offer this two way communication.

Plus if you posed a question Kim's website, chances are she'll never respond and if she does it will be weeks or months, what do you do in the meantime? Computer forums will respond within hours if not immediately.

In our daily use of computers, we can't afford to wait for a possible response. We need it right now.

Don't get me wrong, I think Kim Kommando provides an excellent resource for computers, but for Q & A (as this thread is all about), she can't deliver in a timely manner if not at all.

As for me yes I do know a bit more than the typical computer user, but in using Kim's resources when I was learning, I never found her advice complete and had to find other sources to answer perplexing computer questions.

[helen]

Re: Website for Computer Q&As

I don't have any Windows 7 experience to help you out here. But the suggestion about getting a new network cable make sense. Or if you can try using the network cable that you are using for your old PC to see if that works.

Another thing to try is looking at your DSL router. There should be status lights for each port on your router and it should be on when your computers are connected.

Look at these status light whenever your new computer is able to access the Internet and when it's not.

If the status lights goes on and off then it means you are dealing with some physical cause like the cable is sort of bad or the actual interface on the computer is not working right.

On the other hand if the status light remains on then it's some sort of network setting issue.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Website for Computer Q&As

Sorry, I sense you must be curious about my problem. We bought a HP desktop from Costco about a week ago. We have DSL/Hawn Tel direct connect (not wireless), and are having problems getting internet access. This is my post on a pc support forum.

http://forums.about.com/n/pfx/forum....pport&tid=8052

Last night, we couldn't get access for about two hours. This morning, we had no problem at all.

My husband called Hawn Tel last night, and they said it sounds like a hardware or software problem, and it if happens again, we should return the pc. He will be calling HP tonight (again).

Try switching ports on the router where the computer that drops off is connected to. For example if the ethernet cable is on port 1 and you're dropping your internet signal, try using port 2, 3, or 4. You could have a defective port. I've seen that before and have had to tape off that port so it wasn't used later on.

If that's not the issue, it may be a defective cable as Helen suggested.

Or it could be a bad NIC driver on your computer. In that case the driver would need to be reinstalled. If the driver is working it could be a bad NIC (Network Interface Card) where the cable plugs in at the computer side.

you see there could be a multitude of possibilities but only one actual issue. Try these solutions in these steps outlined and get back with us.

[Sharilyn]

Re: Website for Computer Q&As

Thank you, Craig and Helen. One of the first things my husband did was to switch cables and try different ports, but the problem persisted. He said he thinks it has to do with network settings and that the pc is not recognizing our IP.

Last night, when we could not get access, he reset the IP and did something Hawn Tel told him to do to get connection (sorry, I don't know what that is). Later, I think he called HP, but I'm not sure because I went to bed early.

He's been working on this morning and night, doing research and troubleshooting different things. He has a binder of indexed notes (gobbledy gook to me). We shouldn't have to spend so much time and frustration on a new pc, but at least we are learning something in the process. That's what I always tell myself at work, when I have a difficult challenge. Thanks again!

[Sharilyn]

Re: Website for Computer Q&As

He just told me that all we have to do is open the Network and Sharing Center, disable and enable the connection in Local Area Network and we're ok.... I mean, no resetting the IP or restarting, etc. These were Hawn Tel instructions, who also said that if we have to continue to do this to get connection, we should return the pc. He is going to work on it some more, and see.

[helen]

Re: Website for Computer Q&As

But did someone look at the DSL router to see the status lights on its ports? Where they always on when the computer(s) where on?

One more thing. When you are using the new computer, what is happening to the old computer. Is it on or is it off?

[Sharilyn]

Re: Website for Computer Q&As

But did someone look at the DSL router to see the status lights on its ports? Where they always on when the computer(s) where on?

Yes, the status lights are on when we're on the web. I forgot to check them when we didn't have access, tho. So many things to do.

One more thing. When you are using the new computer, what is happening to the old computer. Is it on or is it off?

Sometimes they're both on at the same time, but usually not.

When we first got the new pc, we unhooked and boxed the old one. We only set it up again when we started having problems with the new pc. They are now side by side, both plugged into the router. We rarely turn on the old pc, but sometimes we have them both on at the same time, both of us surfing the web.

Once we get the new pc on the web, it stays on and zips along really fast... no drops and no problems with watching videos (like the old pc).

[helen]

Re: Website for Computer Q&As

Quick question. From your post on About.com you mentioned you have a HP Pavilion p6267c as the new computer. By any chance do you know the make and model number of your DSL router?

Also it might help if you can add the make and model number of the old PC.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Website for Computer Q&As

What Hawaiian Tel is telling you to do with your network configuration is to allow your computer to reestablish it's IP address so the router can "see" it. I'm not too familiar with Windows 7 but there are two ways to establish an IP connection to the gateway (Hawaiian Tel). One is the more common way that requires exactly what Hawaiian Tel is asking you to do and that is a Static IP address where the TCP/IP Protocal on your computer automatically assigns an IP address. The other way is a Dynamic IP address where you input your own IP address for higher security purposes (network administrators typically will use this method to prevent unwarranted entry into their network).

When my wife had Hawaiian Tel install DSL at her workplace they set it up with a Dynamic IP address and each computer had to be configured using that IP address with a unique extension at the end of that IP address string.

She called Hawaiian Tel to change it to Static (which they did) and it made it easier for her office to set up and establish a networking system.

If you can get to your network connections (what your husband disabled and reenabled) and select "Properties", go to TCP/IP and select it's properties. From there you can tell if you're in a Static or Dynamic IP mode. If Dynamic, change it to Static (remember to write down all IP addresses from the Dynamic mode configuration just in case you have to reinstall them). Reboot all computers and the router and see if your computer will be recognized on the network.

[lurkah]

Re: Website for Computer Q&As

One is the more common way that requires exactly what Hawaiian Tel is asking you to do and that is a Static IP address where the TCP/IP Protocal on your computer automatically assigns an IP address. The other way is a Dynamic IP address where you input your own IP address...

Brah, FWIW you have those definitions reversed. Dynamic is automatic IP address assignment that can change over time while Static IP address assignment requires you to manually enter a permanent IP address. click

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Website for Computer Q&As

Brah, FWIW you have those definitions reversed. Dynamic is automatic IP address assignment that can change over time while Static IP address assignment requires you to manually enter a permanent IP address. click

That's right sorry static is when you specifically choose it. Dynamic is automatically set. Thanks for pointing that out!

[Sharilyn]

Re: Website for Computer Q&As

Quick question. From your post on About.com you mentioned you have a HP Pavilion p6267c as the new computer. By any chance do you know the make and model number of your DSL router?

Also it might help if you can add the make and model number of the old PC.

Router: Westell A90-75C02-07
Old PC: HP Pavilion a375c

...From there you can tell if you're in a Static or Dynamic IP mode. If Dynamic, change it to Static (remember to write down all IP addresses from the Dynamic mode configuration just in case you have to reinstall them). Reboot all computers and the router and see if your computer will be recognized on the network.

We did this last week (changed to static), when we first called Hawn Tel.

Last night and today, we are accessing the web with no problems. Hope this keeps up.

Thank you, Helen and Craig, for your help.

[helen]

Re: Website for Computer Q&As

Router: Westell A90-75C02-07
Old PC: HP Pavilion a375c

Thanks for the information here. I looked up the specs for the two HP computers (URLs are at the bottom of this post for reference) and found that the Ethernet connector on your old computer can either do 10 or 100 Mbps (Mega bits per second). While the new computer's Ethernet connector can do either 10, 100 or 1000 Mbps.

I couldn't find any reference to the A90-75C02-07 on the Westell web site. The question that lingers in mind is that the Westell unit can either handle 10 or 100 Mbps, but what happens to the Westell unit if it detects signals in the 1000 Mbps range?

Last night and today, we are accessing the web with no problems. Hope this keeps up.

Another quick question by any chance did your new computer come with a network cable? If so did it say if the cable is a CAT-5 or a CAT-6 cable? And the cable that you are using now on the new computer that is working, is it the cable that the old computer used to use?

One hint tho. If you do go out and a buy a new cable for the new computer buy only CAT-5 cable. It is rated for 10/100 Mbps speeds only, while the CAT-6 cable is rated for 10/100/1000 Mbps speeds.


HP Pavilion p6267c:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport...reg_R1002_USEN

HP Pavilion a375c:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport...reg_R1002_USEN

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Website for Computer Q&As

Cat-6 is backwards compatible so there shouldn't be any issues there.