[Tfug] Slightly OT: Weird home networking issue

[Bexley Hall]

Hi Eric,

On 2/22/2013 5:20 PM, Eric Vorrie wrote:
> Of course I do but there's a point where you stop: "I guess you can
> rationalize that it's CenturyLink's dime so why bother?".  If I owned it,
> I'll tear that thing apart.  We know it's the router, get it replaced.

What does he do when it's *his* device and *his* money to get it
replaced?  E.g., if it is "simply" a matter of replacing a wall wart
or turning off the radio, "replacement" is no longer required.  So,
instead of "shell out $X for yet another (dubious) device" it can be
"live with certain limitations on existing device".

E.g., the Qwest modem I had exhibited problems with long file
transfers (e.g., > 4GB).  After *proving* to myself that this
was indeed the fact, I had two choices:  live with the limitation
or find some *other* modem --and hope for the best.  Calling Qwest
and requesting a replacement would have given me another of the
exact same modems with the exact same firmware bug!

Had I *not* identified the problem, I'd find myself having to explain
the symptoms to some non-technical support person and *hope* they
would be motivated to investigate the problem (yeah, sure!) -- even
if they never came up with a "fix".  Having done the homework
myself, I bypassed the hassle of dealing with their tech support
people, convincing them that the device was defective, cajoling a
replacement out of them, installing that... *then* discovering the
problem was still present!  ("Gee, am *I* doing something wrong?")

[Would the radio problem I observed have been in the same category?]

I went down that path with a high-quality HiFi VCR I purchased many
(manymany!) years ago.  I noticed the presence of a "visual artifact"
when I resumed a recording -- *at* the point where the first portion
ended and the second portion began.  I documented the problem and
sent the VCR in for warranty repair.  A month later, the repaired
unit was returned (i.e., I've spent time and money and had to live
without it for the time when it was in the shop).  The repaired
unit exhibited the same problem!

Dismayed, I described the problem, again.  And, included a sample
tape complete with notes as to where on the tape the artifact could
be seen, etc.  (used a virgin, high quality tape, high quality
video source, etc.)

I received a *replacement* unit (not a re-built but actually a brand
new unit).  And *it* had the exact same problem!

At that point, I realized there was something more to the issue than
either they or I were seeing.  And, eventually discovered it is a
characteristic of the technology.  I.e., I could have spent the rest
of my life requesting repairs and NEVER seen any improvement.  Even
though it was someone else's dime!

*UNDERSTANDING* that, I was able to come to grips with the limitation
and learn ways to minimize (though not eliminate) its appearance.