Internet connection goes >poof!<

[rbowser-]

One and all - Tonight disaster struck. I'm writing from a friend's computer to let you know I have no idea when I'll be up and running again on the internet.

Tonight, I tried to set up a connection between two computers here at my home, and I must have pushed a wrong button - instantly my wireless connection Disconnected, and now 6 hours later of almost non-stop trying to rectify the situation, nothing is fixing the crash. I've lost all internet connection.

SO - everything I have going, personal email chats, threads I'm keeping track of here, the Challenge post I need to get up, communications with Russia, communications with EVeryone is on hold until further notice.

It's been the most frustrating and actually kind of scary time I've gone through in a long time.

I can't keep coming over here to write messages---I'll just be back onilne when I'm able.

Tech help hasn't helped--surprise surprise--I've tried every remedy I can think of over and over. I can only hope something new occurs to me tomorrow, before I have to shell out money for a home visit tech fix.

Can't stand it. See you all next when I'm able!

Randy B.

[klassical]

Sorry if this is obvious, but did you try a System Restore on the 2 machines?
Set them back to before you pushed the 'button'.

- k

[rbowser-]

Thanks, Klassical - For unknown reasons, system restore didn't do the trick. It's still a mystery how in the heck I scrambled things up - but it was a nightmarish night of trying and trying- 6 hours of struggle. When I finally crashed last night, things still weren't working.

This morning, after another couple hours of trying and trying - I got things back to normal. Very odd how a network setting on a menu deep in the control panel somehow got changed to an incorrect setting. As soon as I discovered that and changed the setting, BLINK!---internet connection was re-established here on my laptop.

SO, all is well again. What a relief!

Randy B.

[rwayland]

Thanks, Klassical - For unknown reasons, system restore didn't do the trick. It's still a mystery how in the heck I scrambled things up - but it was a nightmarish night of trying and trying- 6 hours of struggle. When I finally crashed last night, things still weren't working.

This morning, after another couple hours of trying and trying - I got things back to normal. Very odd how a network setting on a menu deep in the control panel somehow got changed to an incorrect setting. As soon as I discovered that and changed the setting, BLINK!---internet connection was re-established here on my laptop.

SO, all is well again. What a relief!

Randy B.

Computers have a nasty habit taking instructions not given. Every now and then, I find a problem caused by a configuration setting change that I did not make.

My current problem is with Sonar. I get a message that Sonar has encountered and error and must close. So I allow the sending of the message to Microsoft, and then, the computer, without my assistance, reboots, sometimes followed by the message that the system has recovered from a serious error. This is not every time I use Sonar. Just now and then, and I suspect related to my attempts to use Music Recognition Software.

Richard

[AlanPerkins]

Hi Richard,

It sounds like your problem may be an out of date driver. You can try updating the drivers for your various hardware devices and it might add stability.

But I wouldn't bother if it is a minor issue and/or you are not sure what this means - it will end up being more frustrating than it is worth.

It could just be a bug or incompatibility in the recognition software too.

Glad Randy you are back in business.

[sanyarem]

If this were to happen again...


I've been majoring in computer science for nearly 2 years now. Among the classes I've been taking is System and Network Administration. So, you can trust me when I say that a good, swift kick to your modem and router typically solved the problem. If that's not the case, you should give them another kick, then follow up with a sturdy punch to the tower.

-Good luck!

[NeoDavinci]

You probably aren't checking here for help, but here are a couple thoughts:
1) You might have actually set up a wireless connection between the two machines. They may even be capable of passing information back and forth, but if you've done that, you've done so in place of your usual wireless connection (you can only connect to one wireless network at a time) and therefore have no Internet—just a connection between the two machines. Select the name of your old network (assuming you haven't deleted it) from your wireless adapter/card and you should be back in business.
2) Just to be sure you don't have more significant problems, plug one of your machines straight into the wall/router instead of trying to connect wirelessly.

P.S. Didn't see you'd fixed it. Ignore all that. :)

[wrayer]

Ah, Computers are like Women - You can't live with them and you can't live without them...~|

Glad you are up and running again - Just remember the golden rule of computers:


BACK-UP

Best wishes,
Bill

[rbowser-]

Thank you All for your tips and sympathy. It made for a rotten way to spend Saturday night, but I got everything working again Sunday morning.

This from NeoDavinci describes what happened - "...They may even be capable of passing information back and forth, but if you've done that, you've done so in place of your usual wireless connection (you can only connect to one wireless network at a time) and therefore have no Internet—just a connection between the two machines. Select the name of your old network (assuming you haven't deleted it) from your wireless adapter/card and you should be back in business..."

I've been using a LinkSys to tap into the internet on my laptop, freeing up the home computer for my lady Kate's use. It's been going fine, but Somehow settings got mysteriously changed so that it indeed become a closed network just between the two machines, with no internet connection on the laptop.

The only part that was different from the quote above is that the name of the correct connection was the one I kept choosing, but its parameters had somehow changed. That part is still mysterious, but finally I noticed the menu that had the laptop set up to just share instead of connect.

And Bill, YEs indeed Back-Up! It's almost insane how backed up my data is. On two external hard drives, And on hard copy DVDs - I'm so paranoid of losing any projects.

I'm back in business--thank you all again!

Randy B.