I was recently reminded of just how dependent we’ve become on the Internet when friend called me in a panic, asking if I could help her configure her new cable modem and wireless network.
Apparently her old wireless router decided to end itself and died. She ended up deciding to both update her Internet service speed and replace her now defunct wireless network. Herein lies the problem.
Her ‘tech’ guy couldn’t seem to get the new setup up and running before the weekend.
I headed over there last night and attempted to get her network up and running.
I failed.
It wasn’t until my second trip there today I was able to figure out that her new cable modem was the problem. After being activated by the cable company I found out that even though it would be recognized by the cable system and link in, there wasn’t any Internet access. It was necessary to perform the necessary rituals to gain access to the Internet. But the modem would lose connection to the Internet when the power was cycled, a necessary step in setting up the wireless router. That necessitated performing the rituals...again.
In the end I could not get her network up and running which upset my friend to no end. Without access to the Internet there were many things she was going to be unable to do, and the inability to do those things had her upset.
It showed me just how dependent she was on the ‘Net, how much she could no longer do without it. How much so many of us could no longer do without it.
I know I would have to change how I pay most of my bills as with only a couple of exceptions I pay all my bills online. A couple require me to pay either with cash or check since the establishments in question do not have online payment capabilities. I also do quite a bit of shopping online as do most of us.
In my friend’s case, most of her TV viewing is via streaming on the ‘Net, so she’s also been TV-less for some time, too. That’s the case with a lot of us as well.
At least my friend did manage to get a new cable modem and it appears to be working. That means I’ll be back over to her home tomorrow to set up her wireless network.
