[Tfug] Slightly OT: Weird home networking issue

[Eric Vorrie]

Look, we all know the Hadron Collider wasn't replaced but fixed by you
Bexley simply because you *understand* it.  For the rest of us, and
maybe for Chris, buying our own router would be the best choice.  Hope that
helps Chris.


On Friday, February 22, 2013, Bexley Hall wrote:

> 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.
>
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