Telecommunications failure, Backup failure, Online students...

[Lanny]

We came home yesterday and discovered that our phone line was dead. No phone. No ADSL. No TV.   After calling the phone company Support, who told us it would be 1 to 5 working days before they could come out (Thank God they came today and fixed a cable that had been cut     :hurray: ), we tried to get our Backup method working.  We had assumed the Backup method would work, but we had never tested it...     Do not assume... 

We spent a lot of time last night, trying to get one of the cell phones with Data working as a WiFi Hotspot.  I could see the WiFi Hotspot on my phone.  But, no Internet access.  We have switched, recently, to Virgin Mobile  PrePaid and their "Plans" are not obligatory and you can change. So, the last time I paid, I paid for less service.  We discovered this morning that if you renew every month, for the same amount, on the correct day, that everything is automatic. But, if you change the amount you pay, or don't pay on the exact day, you need to notify Virgin Mobile and let them know which plan you want...   I paid today and we will make a test of setting up a WiFi Hotspot and verify that there is Internet Access on the phone.   Also, when we were trying this last night, I noticed that the Encryption options available on the Windows 7 Professional laptop  DD uses for school, for WiFi, did not seem to include the same Encryption method of the phone's WiFi Hotspot.  If we can't get the phone and the laptop to play together, I think we can hook up her Display, wtih an HDMI cable, to the USB on the phone.     Bottom line is that if you have students who are taking "Online" Distance Learning Classes, they need a Backup method of getting on the Internet, so they can study.  

 

[freesia]

Yes, and we've needed back up computers many more times than once b/c of crashes and other weird connection issues. We've also had glitches during online tests and getting shut out half way through a class. The teachers have all been gracious.

 

My back ups are my friend's houses (and I have almost had to use them--electricity came on as I was calling), libraries and maybe Starbucks.

 

Technology allows so many opportunities--but can be so fragile!

[Arcadia]

Having so many free wifi hotspots here does help a lot. Libraries have loaner chromebooks and computer stations so wifi and equipment are taken care of in the event of power outage in our area during 10am to 9pm.

 

When libraries are closed, there are a few AT&T wifi hotspots that are open 24/7 and our laptops all hook up well with AT&T wifi. We use AT&T free wifi at McDonalds and Starbucks.

 

We did have encryption algorithm issues between our home router and windows 7. We had to use trial and error. It was the WEP/WPA/WPA2 settings.

[RootAnn]

I hope things work out soon, Lanny.

 

We had a computer failure & all sorts of trouble getting the other computer hooked up to the internet. It was our never-tested-backup and took longer than expected to get it set up properly since we had to update Windows & put all the security software on it & such. We used the library & friends for homework, but it was down to the wire to get her on our computer for the live class.

 

It is definitely something to keep in mind when you do online (home)work!

[Dmmetler]

We have gone to libraries, coffee shops, and even McDonalds to get work done, and DD once, in a hotel which had weak wifi, ended up doing an online webinar in the manager's office, which had a direct cable connection.

[Pippen]

We've had a couple of times when we were in a situation like that and our neighbors gave us their wi-fi password. It wasn't the fastest, but it sure was better than nothing for late night homework. 

[redsquirrel]

I have used my iphone as a personal hotspot to allow ds2 to take his WTMA online class. It worked a treat. If that doesn't work out I can just go to the public library or DH's university library. They are both very close by. I guess I could go to the coffee house down the street...that would be heaven, lol

[cjzimmer1]

I had to park DS at Panera's for several days in a row when ours went out.  Good thing he was old enough I could leave him there alone.  It would have been a nightmare if I had to sit there for an hour and a half with all the kids. I probably would have tried the library but our branch is really small and I didn't think they would appreciate his using the headset to communicate with the class there.

 

 We also used DH's phone as a hotspots so the kids could "attend" classes while we were on the road (which worked well until the laptop ran out of power and we had no way to recharge it).  My phone has no data so if DH is at work we are out of luck.

 

I would imagine it's a bit trickier for you to find free WiFi.

Edited April 6, 2016 by cjzimmer1

[Lanny]

Having so many free wifi hotspots here does help a lot. Libraries have loaner chromebooks and computer stations so wifi and equipment are taken care of in the event of power outage in our area during 10am to 9pm.

 

When libraries are closed, there are a few AT&T wifi hotspots that are open 24/7 and our laptops all hook up well with AT&T wifi. We use AT&T free wifi at McDonalds and Starbucks.

 

We did have encryption algorithm issues between our home router and windows 7. We had to use trial and error. It was the WEP/WPA/WPA2 settings.

 

Arcadia:  Have you set up a WiFi Hotspot with a phone and tried to connect to that, with a Windows 7 box?   That's what I believe is going to be a problem, if our ADSL goes down, like it did 2 days ago when the phone cable was cut, and we need to set up a WiFi Hotspot with an Android phone, using Data from the cell provider.   If you have done that, do you remember how you set up the WiFi Connection in the Windows 7 box?

[Lanny]

DD has a Backup Laptop and both of her laptops are (hopefully) up to date, with regard to Windows Updates and Anti Virus programs.  Our problem is that we live in a huge rural subdivision and there are not a lot of houses here, so the cost of installing the infrastructure here, for another Broadband provider (TelMex, etc.) is very high and there are other areas where there is high density housing that are much more profitable for them to invest their money in.  I understand the economics, from the side of a potential Broadband provider which would also provide Cable TV and phone service. So, that's why using an Android phone as a WiFi hotspot, using Data, seems to be our best backup plan, for Internet access, if we can get that configured properly.  

[G5052]

I teach online, so I hear you. I have an extra laptop, headset, and webcam always available. And more than once, I've zipped off to Starbucks, which is thankfully 5 minutes away.

 

We're having some electrical work done on the house, and I'm wondering if I'll have to relocate at some point for that too.

Edited April 6, 2016 by G5052

[ashfern]

My husband had to do that (he works remotely). I think he ended up at McDonald's because the library had weird hours. Although I have seen people sitting outside the library when it's closed so they could use the connection.

[Pam in CT]

My husband had to do that (he works remotely). I think he ended up at McDonald's because the library had weird hours. Although I have seen people sitting outside the library when it's closed so they could use the connection.

 

 

:laugh: Our library has a large covered overhang with cafe tables and chairs, originally meant for moms and kids to eat their snacks (no food in most areas of the library), to the side of the main entrance.  It's become a favored teen hangout in warm evenings, after the library is closed, for just this reason.  I smile every time I pass.  Unintended benefits accrued from universal design...

[goldberry]

I do payroll for a company via remote connection.  I also have to file sales and payroll tax reports for them online.  

 

Yes, I have done the "racing to the library or Starbucks" run more than once....

[Ravin]

Our backup when DD was online schooled was to tote her laptop to the library.

[Arcadia]

Arcadia: Have you set up a WiFi Hotspot with a phone and tried to connect to that, with a Windows 7 box?

Not for an android phone though. We have iphone, windows lumia and fire phone.

 

My windows 7 laptop had to take the lowest encrytion choice before it can work with any wifi hotspot. However I have already upgraded all my win 7 laptops.

 

Do you have something like Verizon Jetpack over where you are?

http://www.verizonwireless.com/internet-devices/

 

Or AT&T

https://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/hotspots.html

 

These are popular with people who travel and don't want to use hotel wifi.

 

ETA:

If you need wifi urgently, I would drive to a local hotel which has a business center and pay for wifi use. It is costly but a last resort for sending emails out to let the teachers know your wifi is out.

Edited April 7, 2016 by Arcadia

[Audrey]

Hmm... you know, technical stuff just craps out on you sometimes.  As a last resort, could you find a public library and send a FAX to the school to let them know about your inability to access it for those few days?  I'm sure they'd understand or be willing to allow make-up time for missed assignments as long as you can notify them of the situation. 

[mamakelly]

DS's back up has been Starbucks, lol.

[Lanny]

Not for an android phone though. We have iphone, windows lumia and fire phone.

 

My windows 7 laptop had to take the lowest encrytion choice before it can work with any wifi hotspot. However I have already upgraded all my win 7 laptops.

 

Do you have something like Verizon Jetpack over where you are?

http://www.verizonwireless.com/internet-devices/

 

Or AT&T

https://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/hotspots.html

 

These are popular with people who travel and don't want to use hotel wifi.

 

ETA:

If you need wifi urgently, I would drive to a local hotel which has a business center and pay for wifi use. It is costly but a last resort for sending emails out to let the teachers know your wifi is out.

 

Arcadia: Thank you.  That you got a Windows 7 box to connect to your iPhone and other phones is encouraging.  I hope I can get the right combination of Protocol and Encryption, on the Windows 7 laptops and our Androids..   Actually, DD's less powerful laptop is a Windows 8.1 box.  I hadn't thought that there might be a difference in the Protocols and Encryption available, in the 2 different versions of Windows, but that is obviously something I need to investigate.      We don't have Verizon or AT&T here.   

 

Thankfully, the phone company repair people arrived at our house less than 24 hours after we reported that our phone line was dead. The problem was that the phone cable which runs from "the office" at the back of the house, where I am, runs underground, to the other side of the street. When the gardeners were mowing the Grass on Monday, on the other side of the street, when we were gone, they cut the cable, where it comes out of the ground... Easy to fix! 

[Lanny]

After reading that Arcadia was able to get 1 or more Windows 7 laptops connected to a WiFi Hotspot set up on an iPhone and other phones, I'm encouraged.  We have zero problems connecting to the WiFi from our ADSL Modem, but it may have older Protocol and Encryption methods available, that the Windows 7 boxes can connect to, easily.  After the phone company was here Tuesday afternoon, to fix the cut in the cable for our landline phone/ADSL/TV,   I paid Virgin Mobile for 2.5 GB of Data for the Android phone ny wife uses.  We didn't know on Monday that after we pay, if we are changing the "Plan", or do not pay on the exact day, we need to notify them.  My wife notified them this morning that we want the 2.5 GB of Data.  Now, I have lots of data available for testing. :hurray:  Later today, or tomorrow, I am going to see if I can get my older Windows 7 laptop (the one we will take to Orlando) connected to the Android phone, which is Android 5.1.x        I may boot from a "Live DVD" for a Linux Distribution, before I try this with Windows 7, because that will have the latest Protocols and Encryption and should prove to me that the Hardware can connect.    My Stepson was here Monday night and he got his laptop, which has been upgraded to Windows 10, to connect to his Sony Xperia (?) Android phone without problems.  I  do not want to upgrade to Windows 10,  because the manufacturer (Dell) has not tested these Enterprise laptops for Windows 10 and I am not sure that my critical Windows Applications will run properly, if at all, under Windows 10.  Probably they will work properly and that's something to look into, if I cannot get this to work on Windows 7 boxes.  .

[Arcadia]

We upgraded to win 8.1 because win 7 is EOL and we worry about security patches. Every time we have an OS upgrade on phones or firmware upgrade on router, we had to trial and error again for WiFi to be smooth. The latest apple OS update for example cause wifi instability.

 

With router we could buy one with backward compatibility. Phones are harder because less settings to tweak but usually are backward compatible.

[wapiti]

A few years ago, I connected a Windows 7 laptop to an android phone for internet - not a wifi hotspot, but laptop connected to phone via USB.  I can't remember what the app was called, something with initials that included a P or a T (sorry, I can't recall!).  It worked fine and was quite easy to set up.

 

(By the way, thank you for your help - I did successfully reinstall windows 7 on my old dells finally and even installed the SSD in the i5 laptop, which involved taking the entire thing apart as the hard drive was on the back of the motherboard.  Just a few glitches LOL, like a piece that fell off, but I figured it out and it works now.  Just one screw and a few tiny bits of broken plastic leftover.  All I need to do now is Windows Update though I'm kind of afraid.  New computer arrives today - I sprung for build quality this time as I had concerns about the new Dells but didn't want to go all the way up to the apple price - I went halfway up.  The one I ordered is from Samsung, just came out this month, 15" screen, i7, 256 gb SSD, 2.8 lbs - here's hoping it lasts 5 or more years)

[Lanny]

We upgraded to win 8.1 because win 7 is EOL and we worry about security patches. Every time we have an OS upgrade on phones or firmware upgrade on router, we had to trial and error again for WiFi to be smooth. The latest apple OS update for example cause wifi instability.

 

With router we could buy one with backward compatibility. Phones are harder because less settings to tweak but usually are backward compatible.

 

 

Arcadia:   WINDOWS  7 IS NOT EOL.  Microsoft will continue to provide to provide Security and Stability updates for approximately 3 more years.  I forget the cutoff date.

 

 I may begin working on this later today or tomorrow.  My wife's Motorola  Android  phone now has 2.5 GB of Data available, so I can "play" with this until I (hopefully!) get it to work properly.  Communications and "Hand Shaking" between the boxes and the Android phone.   I am extremely encouraged, because of your experience with at least one Windows 7 box connecting to your iPhone and other phones.  I also have to consider that we have 3 different Dell Latitude E6400 laptops and each of them may have a different WiFi card, which may complicate things somewhat, and 2 of those are Windows 7 and 1 is Windows 8.1, which from your earlier post, I now suspect will have later Protocols and Encryption available. And, we have 2 of the Dell Latitude E6410 laptops and they may have different WiFi cards.  I can't remember which WiFi cards any of them have. And, we have a Dell Inspiron 660s (micro tower) that has a WiFi card  and that's a Windows 7 box. Each of those boxes may be a little different  with regard to Configuration Settings for the WiFi Hotspot on the Android phone.  OT: I do remember that when we got the E6410 laptops, when I did the Clean install of Windows 7 Professional on them, it did not have the Driver for the Ethernet card, so I downloaded that from Dell, on another box, and then installed it on the laptops to get them onto our LAN.   So, yes, Windows 7 is old, but it is not EOL.   My DD has not had any negative issues with Windows 8.1 and possibly that is because of the way I set it up, when I did the "OOBE" (Out of Box Experience or first run of the OS).  -

[Lanny]

A few years ago, I connected a Windows 7 laptop to an android phone for internet - not a wifi hotspot, but laptop connected to phone via USB.  I can't remember what the app was called, something with initials that included a P or a T (sorry, I can't recall!).  It worked fine and was quite easy to set up.

 

(By the way, thank you for your help - I did successfully reinstall windows 7 on my old dells finally and even installed the SSD in the i5 laptop, which involved taking the entire thing apart as the hard drive was on the back of the motherboard.  Just a few glitches LOL, like a piece that fell off, but I figured it out and it works now.  Just one screw and a few tiny bits of broken plastic leftover.  All I need to do now is Windows Update though I'm kind of afraid.  New computer arrives today - I sprung for build quality this time as I had concerns about the new Dells but didn't want to go all the way up to the apple price - I went halfway up.  The one I ordered is from Samsung, just came out this month, 15" screen, i7, 256 gb SSD, 2.8 lbs - here's hoping it lasts 5 or more years)

 

 

wapti    The method you used to connect your Windows 7 Laptop to an Android phone, with a USB Cable, is called "Tethering".  That is a method we will try, if I cannot get an Android phone to work as a "WiFi" Hot Spot.  But, that only gets one  box online.  My wife and DD, last November, and the friend that was with them set up a WiFi Hot Spot on her Huawei (spelling) Android phone and there were multiple users connected to the Hot Spot.

 

Congrats on the Clean install of Windows 7 and the SSD drive and you are very welcome!  DO NOT BE AFRAID TO DO THE WINDOWS UPDATES FOR SECURITY AND STABILITY!   YOU MUST DO THEM!  The first time, there will probably be about 1 GB of stuff, and you will need to Restart Windows multiple times.  Keep checking, until there are no more updates available.  Then, if you have an External Hard Drive for Backup, make a "System Image" of the entire Hard Disk Drive, with "Clonezilla Live" (free) or some other program.     

 

GL with your new Samsung box!  No experience with Samsung computers here, but all of the TV sets in the house are Samsung and my wife bought a Samsung Washing Machine last November.  

 

BTW laptops use the tiniest screws I've ever seen and they are very soft and flimsy.  This laptop (purchased used) came with 4 GB of RAM and I bought 8 GB to replace that.  These Dell Latitude laptops are designed for "Enterprise" (corporate) customers and they are very easy to service. The idea is you loosen one screw on the bottom access panel and should be able to replace the RAM in 2 minutes.  Well, possibly it was done at the factory, or possibly I did it, but the screw is stuck.  I cannot get the Access Cover off.  When we are in Orlando I will try to find a Screw Destroyer (there is a name for them, but I cannot remember it as I write this) to destroy that tiny screw..  If I can do that, I can Upgrade the RAM and then I can buy another Access Panel, Used, on eBay for 5 or 10 dollars.  

[Arcadia]

Lanny,

 

Try using the screws for eye glasses/spectacles with the screw driver that comes with it. They are usually sold as spectacles repair kit.

 

For the Dell latitude and Dell CP old models that my ex-company used, we ply broken screws out with those thin nose plier.

[Lanny]

Lanny,

 

Try using the screws for eye glasses/spectacles with the screw driver that comes with it. They are usually sold as spectacles repair kit.

 

For the Dell latitude and Dell CP old models that my ex-company used, we ply broken screws out with those thin nose plier.

 

 

Arcadia:  The screw head is now completely destroyed.  I put a piece of masking tape on it and tried to get it to turn, but no joy.  I am not sure if when the laptop was assembled, they did that with unusual and unwanted force, or, if I did that.  I truly doubt the Access Panel was ever removed from the bottom of this laptop.  Is is called a "Captive Screw".   You do not remove the Captive Screw to remove the Access Panel, the idea is that you loosen the Captive Screw and then can remove the Access Panel.  I wish...

 

I need a way to destroy that Captive Screw, so I can remove the Access Panel from this laptop. Who would have thought?

 

I don't think I can get a Needle Nose Plier to grab onto what's left of the screw head, but I will look for things in the Hardware Dept. of Wal Mart or wherever we are in Orlando.  And, for something to destroy that screw. There is a word for those things, but I can't think of it. You drill into the screw and/or destroy the screw with that thing in an electric drill.  

[Lanny]

When my wife bought her new Motorola Android phone, at the end of January, in the superstore, it was "unlocked" (the majority of the phones they sell are "unlocked").    I told her this morning, that her next choice, to switch to Virgin Mobile was outstanding.   We are on "Prepaid" and can change our "Plan" whenever we want, as I did this week, when I paid for 2.5 GB of Data.  Her phone has Dual SIMS, so the other line is for Voice and SMS Messages, with her old phone number, using another carrier.  I bought a Motorola Android (much less expensive than hers) the following week and also went with Virgin Mobile and then we switched DD to Virgin Mobile.  They use the network of the 2nd largest (or largest now?) carrier in Colombia and there is a tower 1 or 2 blocks from our house.  If Virgin Mobile in other countries works the same way, I give it a thumbs up and a recommendation.

[Arcadia]

If you can't wait, superglue a small thin rod to that spoilt screw using fast acting super glue and unscrew that spoilt screw. A solvent would dissolve the super glue after.

 

You can find the drill bit for destroying screws at Home Depot or Lowes. If you are using an electric drill, try to get the hard disk out first if you can because the vibration is strong.

[Lanny]

If you can't wait, superglue a small thin rod to that spoilt screw using fast acting super glue and unscrew that spoilt screw. A solvent would dissolve the super glue after.

 

You can find the drill bit for destroying screws at Home Depot or Lowes. If you are using an electric drill, try to get the hard disk out first if you can because the vibration is strong.

 

 

arcadia:   Thanks for that additional tip!     I can remove the hard disk drive from one of these laptops in about 30 seconds or less. I just need to remember to do that.  I am going to buy one of those drill bits for destroying screws (I need to destroy an extremely tiny screw) when we are in Orlando.  Fortunately, this used laptop I bought on eBay in December works perfectly, but it is a little frustrating that I can't install the 8 GB of RAM I bought for it, because I can't get the Access Panel off.  :-)  If there were some other problem, then I would be more frustrated...  :-)

 

 I did turn on the WiFi Hotspot in my wife's Android phone and I booted my older laptop from a Linux Mint Live DVD and got connected, but DD was having problems with Internet Access (possibly a coincidence, possibly because of the extra WiFI connection in the room) so I didn't check to see if I could surf the web.  She is finishing a course now and had to submit something, so that was the priority.  The next time, I will take the cell phone into another room and resume testing with the Linux Mint Live DVD.  If that works OK then I will proceed to Windows 7. We use the Free OpenDNS.com  DNS service and I may need to change the  standard configuration for the connection to use that, in case the DNS of our ISP (the phone company) isn't working.  We switched, years ago, to OpenDNS, because one day the DNS of our ISP wasn't working and we couldn't surf the web.  As long as our ISP has connectivity to Miami, where the nearest OpenDNS servers are located, we are good to go and our ISP has a direct (cable) connection from Cali to Miami. 

[FaithManor]

Good advice, Lanny! Our back up plan is that mother in law has a different internet provider than we do and is only 6 minutes away so we can take the kids there, and then plan C if necessary is the McDonalds with free WIFi 9 miles away because they are on a completely different network and a different electrical transformer so if we lose electricity it is pretty rare that they do and vice versa. Hopefully, this will hold true next winter when ds is taking an astronomy class online.

[BrookValley.]

Lanny, my Dell E6400 preferred to tether, but didn't have too much trouble using my iPhone hotspot. My new E5550 connects wirelessly with no issues. Both are Windows 7.

 

The E6400 was persnickety depending on what I did on the phone.

[TheReader]

We are all too familiar with the issues you faced, Lanny, as you likely remember us discussing :) 

 

Tonight I had a new issue, or an almost issue....my oldest is taking college classes (dual credit, he is a high school senior) and one is an on-line course. A lot less forgiving than the on-line high school courses he took, where we could have probably explained an internet issue (especially given our then-location). Well, today as he was writing an English assignment (his single on-line college course), our internet dropped. He finished writing, but wasn't able to submit. No internet. 

 

Fortunately for him, he was working ahead rather than leave it to the due date, which is not for a few more days. BUT, it brought up the thought: what if it had been the due date??? Ten o'clock at night, it's unlikely we'd get an internet service call, if they couldn't get it going again. My phone doesn't have hot-spot capability. And.....he doesn't work on a laptop, but a desktop, so no way to just run the laptop over to some other location with free WiFi and submit. 

 

Lesson learned -- definitely try not to put things off to the last minute; last week he was doing just that, on a major project. I shudder to think how his prof would have replied to "but my internet crashed...."  And, all the more reason to invest in a laptop, so when home internet is down, at least his work is portable.

 

Just thought I'd throw that out there....enjoy your trip to Orlando! 

[Lanny]

Lanny, my Dell E6400 preferred to tether, but didn't have too much trouble using my iPhone hotspot. My new E5550 connects wirelessly with no issues. Both are Windows 7.

 

The E6400 was persnickety depending on what I did on the phone.

 

BrookValley:  Thank you!  Now I am more optimistic about getting this to work with Windows 7 boxes. :-) You've done it on 2 different Windows 7 boxes, an E6400 and an E6550.  :-)    I am going to work on this later today, with this E6400 and my wife's Android phone that now has 2.5 GB of Data available. My goal now is to know how to do this, if we have a total failure, as we did 4 days ago. That's very unusual, but occasionally, things go totally awry.  Tethering is the less attractive method, because only one box can tether to a cell phone, but it is good to have an alternate method.

[Lanny]

@ TheReader   I'm glad he was not up against a hard deadline and is OK.   :hurray:  And you are correct, if it was an Online Course,with hard deadlines, the Instructor probably would not have been in a position to be understanding and forgiving.

 

It is not uncommon for us to type a long response to something, in an online form, such as here on WTM, and then something happens, here or elsewhere, and we lose everything.  If I think I am going to write something long, I try to think ahead and do it in Notepad or WordPad or LibreOffice and then copy and paste into the web form.  We have wanted a 2nd Internet connection in the house, in case our ADSL goes down, for several years, but the cost, for another provider to install the infrastructure in our huge rural subdivision would not be cost effective for them at this time.  TelMex people have walked every street here, on at least one occasion, to get the costs on that and to see how many houses are here. I think about 1000 houses?    The Android phones with Data available from a cell provider seem to be the least expensive and the easiest to work with, to provide a backup method of Internet connectivity for DD.  About him using a Desktop.  If there is an empty slot for Expansion, you can install a WiFi card in his Desktop.  The Dell Inspiron 660s Micro Tower we ordered  for DD in October 2012 has a WiFi card. But, again, that implies that in the event of a loss of Connectivity, that one has another method (Cell Phone Hot Spot, etc.) available. My plan is, once I know how to Configure the boxes to connect to the Cell Phone WiFi Hotspot is that if and when we have a total failure, as we did the other day, we will pay VirginMobile for a bunch of Data and DD can continue studying.  When our ADSL is OK, we will pay Virgin Mobile less, each month.  We can change our "Plan" with Virgin Mobile, whenever we want.   Thank you for your good wishes for our trip to Orlando!  Coming up later this month.   :hurray:

Edited April 8, 2016 by Lanny

[Mom22ns]

We've had a couple of times when we were in a situation like that and our neighbors gave us their wi-fi password. It wasn't the fastest, but it sure was better than nothing for late night homework. 

 

It's been years ago, but both our next door neighbor's wifi and our wifi were open networks (we live in the country, no one else is close enough to get on without being parked on our private gravel road). Anyway, they were our backup and we were theirs. We were both ok with that and had different internet providers (neither cable or dsl was available here then). 

 

We hotspot our phones all the time. Long drives = cell phone hotspot so kids can use laptops instead of just playing on their phones. That is our current internet backup, but it isn't fast enough for dh, who works at home. Any significant outage requires a trip to the library or other public wifi access point to work.

 

Panera anyone?

[KungFuPanda]

When DH started working from home a year ago, one of the first things he did was buy one of those hotspot boxes. Our Internet hasn't crashed, but the backup is very comforting and we've used it while traveling or if he decides to occasionally work from a park or something.

[Jan in SC]

We are all too familiar with the issues you faced, Lanny, as you likely remember us discussing :)

 

Tonight I had a new issue, or an almost issue....my oldest is taking college classes (dual credit, he is a high school senior) and one is an on-line course. A lot less forgiving than the on-line high school courses he took, where we could have probably explained an internet issue (especially given our then-location). Well, today as he was writing an English assignment (his single on-line college course), our internet dropped. He finished writing, but wasn't able to submit. No internet.

 

Fortunately for him, he was working ahead rather than leave it to the due date, which is not for a few more days. BUT, it brought up the thought: what if it had been the due date??? Ten o'clock at night, it's unlikely we'd get an internet service call, if they couldn't get it going again. My phone doesn't have hot-spot capability. And.....he doesn't work on a laptop, but a desktop, so no way to just run the laptop over to some other location with free WiFi and submit.

 

Lesson learned -- definitely try not to put things off to the last minute; last week he was doing just that, on a major project. I shudder to think how his prof would have replied to "but my internet crashed...." And, all the more reason to invest in a laptop, so when home internet is down, at least his work is portable.

 

Just thought I'd throw that out there....enjoy your trip to Orlando!

Couldn't he just put the paper on a thumb drive and go send it from a hotel or copy shop, or the college? I don't know where you live, so that might not work.

[TheReader]

Couldn't he just put the paper on a thumb drive and go send it from a hotel or copy shop, or the college? I don't know where you live, so that might not work.

 

During the daytime, yes; this happened at 10 p.m., so I was specifically thinking of that scenario, where the places that would have wifi, and be open at that time of night, wouldn't also have computers (and there's no way to transfer a document over to the ipad, that I know of, other than email, which of course was down). Thus....laptop.  He's getting one for graduation (already purchased), but I'd been reconsidering as he's planning to live at home and commute -- I was wondering if he still needs it. This convinced me yes, he does. 

 

In a true school 'emergency' we could have figured *something* out, of course, but it dawned on me that a laptop would be hugely beneficial in this sort of situation. Especially as with these online courses, the deadline is usually midnight, and it's not been uncommon for him to be working at 11:30 to get it finished and submitted.....although the hotel idea is a good one; I hadn't thought of that. 

[Lanny]

Success!    :hurray:    I am very happy to report that I am online, using my Dell Latitude E6400 laptop, and am connected to the Internet via the WiFi Hotspot on my wife's Motorola cell phone.  There were *NO* issues.  If and when we lose ADSL in the future, we now have an alternate way for DD to keep on studying. :-)  What we did not know, Monday night, was that when we change "Plans" with Virgin Mobile, we need to let them know which "Plan" we want.  My wife did that by calling their Customer Service number and pressing a few numbers as prompted by their computer.  Easy.   This laptop is running Windows 7 Professional (SP2) which is full updated.  Zero problems with Encryption Protocols, DNS addresses, etc. Very easy.  :-)

[Arcadia]

(and there's no way to transfer a document over to the ipad, that I know of, other than email, which of course was down). Thus....laptop.

If you have an external hard disk attached to your home wifi router, you could still transfer files from desktop to ipad. You just use your wifi router as an internal LAN (Local Area Network).

[Lanny]

 After the gardeners for the Homeowners Association cut the cable for our phone line, where it comes out of the ground, on the other side of the street, last Monday, when we were gone, the phone company came out the next day and they restored our phone service.   Yesterday, we were having a lot of intermittent issues, with Internet and TV service, in the late afternoon.  I called Tech Support of the ISP the first time and the woman said she saw things in our ADSL Modem that were not normal.  She made some changes and it was better for awhile and then it happened again.  I called them again. When the man looked at our ADSL Modem (remotely) he said it had automatically rebooted, 30 times...   I was going to take the ADSL Modem to their nearest office this morning, hoping they have a new one there, so we can exchange it, but DD needs to take a Final Exam  (and it's raining...)   I told my wife, if things go awry with our ADSL, while DD needs to take the Final Exam,  she can activate the WiFi Hotspot on her Android phone and DD can take the Final Exam, without any issues.   :hurray:

Edited April 9, 2016 by Lanny

[Lanny]

Follow on with information of possible interest to Windows 7 users connecting to WiFi....  We continued to have problems, after the cut in the cable for the phone company one week ago today.   I called the phone company Friday afternoon and 2 guys who were not as helpful as we would like came out Saturday morning.. One came into our "home office" with a new ADSL Modem/Router, but I couldn't get them to install it.  This morning, I went to the local office of the phone company and I got another ADSL Modem/Router.  After I installed that, I called the phone company to get them to Configure it for us, for the WiFi and TV service.  Worked for awhile but we still had massive problems.  The problem was the underground cable, which goes from "the office", which is at the back of the house, approximately 60 meters, to the other side of the street.  Here's the part that may be of interest, to Windows 7 users.  When I came into this room and turned on this laptop (my E6400) I  could not connect to the WiFi. There was a Security issue.   It was the Security issue I was afraid I would run into last week, trying to connect to the WiFi Hotspot on my wife's Motorola Android phone.  I could not get around that Security issue.  I ended up nuking that WiFi connection. Then, I set up a New Wifi Connection for that.   Automatically,  Windows 7 was able to overcome the Security options that are available to someone configuring manually.    :hurray:    The new connection ends with "2" (without the quote marks) but that's fine and I am connected. 

Edited April 12, 2016 by Lanny

[Wabi Sabi]

Ds takes one online class now and will take several next year, but he only has a desktop computer. This is all the more reason why we need to upgrade him to a laptop!

[Crimson Wife]

We don't have great cell reception at our house so yesterday when the power went off, I had to schlepp over to the library branch that is open on Monday evenings to take a quiz due. If it had been too late to do that, I would've been stuck renting a terminal at the local FedEx Kinko's.

[wendy not in HI]

I read this post when it came up but it didn't have anything to do with me... until now!  We are in the process of buying a house way outside of a very small town - far far away from where we live now.  We will be moving this summer!  The house has a few acres and is in a beautiful place.  We know some of the neighbors to the new house and they had mentioned that our new house has great internet, unlike them, as they are only able to use satellite internet - ie expensive and very limited. (I'm not sure why the internet was mentioned in early conversations about the house, but we talked about it a couple of times.  It must be a big frustration.)  Apparently the internet is a newfangled thing and not available to all of rural America! Also cell coverage is not good out there. We looked through the house's discloser info and noticed that cable internet was listed as an available utility...

 

Yesterday, our friend who lives near the house we are buying told us that the homeowners have decided to sell their internet cable to a different neighbor.  I guess there is very limited cable internet out that road, and it is impossible to buy the internet access.  If you don't have it, there really is not much chance of ever getting it. Promised upgrades have not happened over the last few year. Our friends are upset as they would have liked to have taken the internet themselves, and we are upset because we assumed the house came with the cable internet access, as it was listed as available - if we had realized this was an issue, we would have written it into the contract. This is a big stress!  We may actually have to drop the house over this.  It sounds crazy to lose the perfect house over something so small, but I use the internet for work, we have kids in high school, I am planning to take some online classes, etc....  

 

Since hearing about this, I have read a few articles about frustration with rural internet providers and homeowners being promised internet that doesn't actually exist.  We tried contacting the internet provider to ask them to keep the line at the address in our name - they said they can't make that promise.  We asked our Realtor to reach out to the homeowners, but they haven't responded.  It is possible they have already sold the internet cable to the neighbor.  Waaaaa!

 

Starbucks is too far to go for wifi.  What would you do?

[Arcadia]

If it had been too late to do that, I would've been stuck renting a terminal at the local FedEx Kinko's.

My local McDonalds and Burger King close late, usually at or after midnight.

 

It you are on cable internet, you could probably login to hotspots everywhere. I am on Comcast and I can login to both Cablewifi and Xfinitywifi hotspots where taking a 6 mile stroll at no extra cost.

 

"Bright House Networks, Cox Communications, Optimum, Time Warner Cable and XFINITY allow each other's high-speed Internet customers to access more than 400,000 WiFi hotspots. "

http://www.cablewifi.com/mobile/

 

For a test and if you cannot find a hotspot or internet cafe open, you might want to ask how much your nearby hotels business center charge for internet access. Usually it is pay AT&T direct when you click on internet access at the hotel lobby.

[Crimson Wife]

It you are on cable internet, you could probably login to hotspots everywhere. I am on Comcast and I can login to both Cablewifi and Xfinitywifi hotspots where taking a 6 mile stroll at no extra cost.

 

Don't get me started on Comcast and the issues we've had trying to log on to the Xfinitywifi hotspots when we're out and about. Sometimes they work great and other times we either can't connect or get kicked off in the middle of our session :cursing:  

 

I need something super-reliable and compared to the amount of tuition I'm paying for my 2nd bachelor's, the access charge at FedEx Kinko's for a couple hours is peanuts.

[mumto2]

I read this post when it came up but it didn't have anything to do with me... until now! We are in the process of buying a house way outside of a very small town - far far away from where we live now. We will be moving this summer! The house has a few acres and is in a beautiful place. We know some of the neighbors to the new house and they had mentioned that our new house has great internet, unlike them, as they are only able to use satellite internet - ie expensive and very limited. (I'm not sure why the internet was mentioned in early conversations about the house, but we talked about it a couple of times. It must be a big frustration.) Apparently the internet is a newfangled thing and not available to all of rural America! Also cell coverage is not good out there. We looked through the house's discloser info and noticed that cable internet was listed as an available utility...

 

Yesterday, our friend who lives near the house we are buying told us that the homeowners have decided to sell their internet cable to a different neighbor. I guess there is very limited cable internet out that road, and it is impossible to buy the internet access. If you don't have it, there really is not much chance of ever getting it. Promised upgrades have not happened over the last few year. Our friends are upset as they would have liked to have taken the internet themselves, and we are upset because we assumed the house came with the cable internet access, as it was listed as available - if we had realized this was an issue, we would have written it into the contract. This is a big stress! We may actually have to drop the house over this. It sounds crazy to lose the perfect house over something so small, but I use the internet for work, we have kids in high school, I am planning to take some online classes, etc....

 

Since hearing about this, I have read a few articles about frustration with rural internet providers and homeowners being promised internet that doesn't actually exist. We tried contacting the internet provider to ask them to keep the line at the address in our name - they said they can't make that promise. We asked our Realtor to reach out to the homeowners, but they haven't responded. It is possible they have already sold the internet cable to the neighbor. Waaaaa!

 

Starbucks is too far to go for wifi. What would you do?

:grouphug: I wouldn't buy and expect to be refunded any money. Seriously if internet was listed as available.

 

You might be able to get internet via you phone line. You could also experiment with hotspot devices and see if any work at the new house. Ours will not work at my mother's house at all. Very disappointed teens. ;(

[Lanny]

Ds takes one online class now and will take several next year, but he only has a desktop computer. This is all the more reason why we need to upgrade him to a laptop!

 

If his Desktop has an empty expansion slot, you can (hopefully) buy a WiFi card for it. We have one Desktop and it has WiFi.     However, I believe the idea of a Laptop is good.  We bought a Laptop for DD on eBay, unexpectedly, one Saturday in May 2015,  when her Desktop was having horrible issues. I'm not sure what caused that issue and it is working OK now.    Now, each of us has a Backup computer.  

[Lanny]

Wendy not in HI

 

That is sad.  If the Seller included the Internet Connection in the information, and they've sold that out from under you, that would seem to give you grounds to cancel your Offer for the house.  There are big issues getting Internet to Rural areas, especially with ADSL. The distance is critical, with ADSL.  The man who replaced the underground cable for us, 2 days ago, told us there is much better ADSL service on the other end of our huge rural subdivision, because Fiber Optic cable is available there.  On our side, no Fiber Optic...   Installing the Infrastructure is very expensive and in rural areas, the ROI for the provider isn't there.