My Notebook Won’t Connect to My New N750 Linksys Router or When You’re Not Holding All The Aces Your Holding The Bag

Holding All the Aces
My ever faithful US Robotics Router has been acting very intermittent lately, so it was time to replace it. After all, the servers that sit behind it run this site and some others and we can’t have those down. So, with a little research I ended up with a Linksys N750 (EA3500) router. Configuring the basic router functions went pretty easily, it did take a while to find where to input the virtual settings so the servers would get pass thru on the correct ports. But, all in all it went pretty well and those functions wouldn’t be used by a typical household.

UNTIL…. I went to configure my notebook to connect to the wireless part of the router.

Holding the Bag
After using the settings that came with the router for wireless access, my notebook asked for the pass code (as normal), I supplied it, but, unfortunately it wouldn’t connect. I thought it must be in that new fangled WPA2/WPA Mixed setting. After all it’s too simple to just supply the wireless password and everything would work right? right! After all the usual computer consulting trouble shooting, I changed the settings to the old standard WEP, still no dice. Linksys support website said to attempt the connection put in the password and you’ll connect, then asked “Was this information helpful?”.  But what if that doesn’t work? What now?

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This is where we have to think small, and start methodically. Here’s what to do:

  1. Unplug the Linksys Router, wait about 20 seconds and plug it back in. Wait for it to boot up completely.
  2. Restart the device (in my case my notebook) and attempt the connection.
  3. It Worked.

Amazing how much, just resetting clears the confusion in a device sometimes. So, next time before you make the call, check the connections, power down the devices and try one last time. BTW, there is an order to starting network devices and each one should be completely up before you move on to the next one, and they are: Modem, Router, Switch, Computer.

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Pictionary from Cat poop or do I have to trademark everything I say

Alright, this burns my butt!! Those of you who know me, know that I can come up with some pretty unique words. Ah-blah, Ah-blah, en-raw (short for turkey sandwich, open face with mashed potatoes and gravy), or “Goon-a-raunchy” (short for a knucklehead). At another time in the right place I could have been; Dr. Seuss. The cause, probably putting my finger in light socket at age 3.

 Ode to “Cat Girl” the backstory…
Years ago I had a Burmese cat, and she was as much of a companion as a dog, waited for me to get home, and we would play and just an all-a-round great pet. I don’t want to go overboard as an overzealous pet owner, but, yeah, she was cool. Anyway, about 10 years ago we were playing and I came with the saying “For cats, by Cats”. Another idiotic, but, rather funny thing, I thought pretty creative after it came out of my mouth.

 Fast forward to yesterday
So I am watching TV yesterday, and here comes a new cat food commercial, and at the very end they say “For Cats, By Cats”. I couldn’t believe it. The cause of my bane. I watched the same channel till I saw the commercial again just to make sure. I’m not going to quit coming up with sayings for things, but, wow.

It’s true, there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9)
The great and wise Solomon strikes again

McDonald’s is your kinda place or get the Stradivarius I’m about to whine

The other day I stopped by McDonald’s late at night, this is probably the first time this has happened to me in the million and millions of burgers I have been served there. So here it goes…

I walk in and there are only three people working, I can see one girl behind the grill just standing and another girl running to the back, then back to the front, there was another customer ahead of me and another customer waiting for food off to my right. The third employee was feverishly re-supplying the ketchup and napkins. The girl came up to the counter where the guy in front of me was and just stood there not saying anything, she then ran back again to the back. I wasn’t sure what was really going on. When she came back up this time she had the order for the guy off to my right, then disappeared somewhere in the back. After a few moments here she comes again and gives the guy in front of me his food. I step up, but, before she takes my order she runs over to the fryer and presses a few buttons. This whole time I can see the other girl at the grill just standing there and now the third employee is beginning to sweep the floor.

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I order a sandwich, the girl runs to the back again and a few minutes comes back to tell me the price, I hand her my check card, and she says “Cash only”, I’m like “What, cash only??” She says “Yeah, the computers are down”.  (I’m thinking this might have been something you should have started with) anyway, I reach in and give her cash and she goes to the back and after about 5 minutes brings me change. Now, she tells the other girl behind the grill the order and she goes to the back again and brings out a broom and begins sweeping behind the counter, then after about 5 more minutes go by and the girl behind the grill asks the girl, “What was that order?” She drops the broom on the floor and tells her, then she goes to the fryer and is working with the potatoes, when the food is up she grabs the food (while kicking the broom laying on the floor) and hands it to me.

Needless to say this was the first time in 35+ years I’ve been to McDonalds, that the crew was so discombobulated, and out of the three of them I think the guy cleaning the floors should get a big-time promotion and the two other girls should get a big pink slip!