Computer Help Please?

There are two ways to look at the OS evolution from XP to Windows 7 to Windows 8. If you're doing your own thing on your own computer and don't need access to the broad markets of opportunity that Windows 8 might bring, then unless new OS's offer new features that make what you're doing faster or easier or both, then changes represent a diminishment in ease of use and/or speed.For code development I have everything I need on Windows 7. Upgrading to Windows 8 would at best only let me do what I'm already doing, and then there are the compatibility concerns. Would all the 3rd party software I use run on Windows 8? When I upgraded to Windows 7 from XP a few years ago, it took approximately a week to properly reinstall and reconfigure all the 3rd party software I used that worked, and to find alternatives to those that didn't. And there's one little app I really like called Handy Thing where half its functions work on Windows 7 and half don't (turns out it works fine on Windows 7 Home Edition - I have the professional edition - why that makes a difference they have no idea).Also, don't tell Microsoft, but I'm retired now, so I'm no longer entitled to the Microsoft Office suite that employment at my former company qualified me for. Moving the license to a new install would be detected. Next time I upgrade the OS or purchase a new computer I'll have to pay for a Microsoft Office license.--Percy

Your computer is messing with you. They'll do that. --Percy

Faith - where is the other end of the phone line that runs into the back of your DSL modem?I agree with what somewhat else said about the technician being responsible for making your phone work again. If you can get him or someone from the same company to come back and fix it, that would probably be the best approach.--Percy

They should have a "Contact Us" link on their webpage. Click on that and it should list several different ways of contacting them. One of them will be a phone number, but there will likely also be an email address, and another might be an online form, and another might be a "Chat Now" link.--Percy

Could you describe how many wires come out of what you're calling your "modem" and where they go?--Percy

Taking a shot here and making a guess that Faith's new DSL modem has an internal DSL splitter for her phone, like this diagram I found: Faith, is there a place on the back of your modem to plug in a phone cord?If yes, do you have a spare phone cord?If yes, unplug the current phone cord from your phone and just drop it behind your bookcase where you'll never have to touch it again. Now, using the spare phone cord, plug one end into the back of the modem, and plug the other end into your phone.If no, have your brother bring over a spare phone cord, then carry out the previous step.--Percy

That Page Does Not Exist! Error 404 | Comedy Central US--PercyEdited by Percy, : Change subtitle.

Yay!I'm interested in understanding the connections, so this is what I think I've seen mentioned so far:

• A power cord goes from the wall to the modem.
• A phone cord goes from the modem to the phone.
• An Ethernet cable goes from the modem to the computer.

If this is correct then what's missing is a connection from the modem back to Ma Bell.I don't know what made me call AT&T "Ma Bell," but thinking of that old name, here's a bit of trivia that many probably remember. AT&T used to be the only phone company in America, but it was broken up into regional companies in the 1980's, with AT&T running the long distance operations that connected them. One of the Baby Bells was Southwestern Bell. It grew, prospered, and eventually acquired its former parent AT&T, renaming itself AT&T in the process.Our home phone is actually an AT&T brand. We wanted an extension in each room, and AT&T was only one selling a cordless phone that could handle more than 10 extensions.--Percy

Responding to your last two messages: I did catch that from Faith's earlier message, but I didn't understand it then either. I didn't know which jack she was referring to. I thought the one behind the bookcase was inaccessible. Is there another jack somewhere?But I thought we knew for sure now that it was AT&T U-Verse. If so, then isn't AT&T U-Verse optical? And wouldn't that obsolete Faith's old phone jack behind the bookcase? And obviate the need for any filters?Faith, could you just describe the wires that come out of your modem and where they go? If you can't trace them all the way to their origin just tell us generally where they go, like "behind the bookcase where the phone jack is" or "underneath the table where the computer is" and so forth.The information I was able to find on the Internet about the devices comprising a U-Verse installation and their interconnections was maddeningly vague and unspecific.--Percy

I must have missed a zig or a zag somewhere. Faith said it was AT&T U-Verse:

quote:

---

"It's something called U Verse that AT&T does."
...
"But it might be interesting to find out what I get TV wise through this U Verse deal."
...
"I do not like this U Verse thingy at all..."

---

If Faith really doesn't have U-Verse, what do you think the technician did? Do you think maybe her neighborhood was finally fully switched over to U-Verse, but they gave her equipment that lets her keep DSL wiring in the house? So they gave her a box that takes U-Verse in from the street and sends a DSL wire into the house, then gave her a new DSL modem? And then they told her she had U-Verse anyway? Sounds strange.Also, I'm not so sure Faith is using a filter. In Message 138 the described what she called a "gizmo" that had one wire in and two wires out. Could be a filter. I received the impression that it's no longer connected because she said her friend removed a wire from that gizmo, and that "I have the gizmo as a trophy."Faith, could you just describe the wires that come out of your modem and where they go? If you can't trace them all the way to their origin just tell us generally where they go, like "behind the bookcase where the phone jack is" or "underneath the table where the computer is" and so forth.Also, could you also describe any labeling on the outside of the modem? And the model number on the back? Is one of these the beast: --PercyEdited by Percy, : Typo.

I feel more like I have missing information than confusion. I'm trying to figure out what exactly happened.Faith said, "The internet guy hooked something up outside." What did he do?We were told the new modem wasn't connected to the phone jack behind the bookcase. Where is it connected?And other questions. If you've got this all figured out, please explain. I've invested all this time in trying to understand this and help, and now I feel like I don't know what Faith had before the change, or what she has now, or what was done.--Percy

Faith, I already asked this a couple times above, but in case you missed it and when you get a chance, could you describe the wires that come out of your modem and where they go? If you can't trace them all the way back to their origin could you just describe generally where they go, like "behind the bookcase where the phone jack is" or "underneath the table where the computer is" and so forth?Also, could you also describe any labeling on the outside of the modem? And the model number on the back?--Percy

Hi Faith,Didn't see this message when I posted my last message. Yes, I'm still interested in knowing what your current connections are. In particular, does a phone wire from your new modem still go the the phone jack behind the bookcase?You said there are four wires coming out of the modem, so I'm going to guess:

• Power cord
• Phone cord going to a jack in the wall somewhere
• Phone cord going to the phone
• Ethernet cable to the computer (just the fact that it's an Ethernet cable is enough, since then it's obvious where it must go)

--Percy

A "phone cord" and a "DSL cord" are the same thing, though you probably want a good quality phone cord if you're using it for DSL. Phone cords vary a great deal in cord quality and thickness, and in the quality of the connectors on the end, and they can be different colors (though usually grey, tan or white), so you might think you had two or three different kinds of cord connecting to your "gizmo," but they were all phone cords. It's a phone cord going from the wall jack behind your bookcase into your modem.Poking around a bit, I think the back of your 5031nv looks pretty much like this: Do I have that right? If so, then this is pretty much what I thought from way back in my Message 115: --Percy

Seeing the label on the back of Faith's modem that says "Phone Lines 1 & 2" reminds me of an oft-forgotten fact: a regular phone cord can carry two phone lines. The cheapest phone cords have only two wires for one phone line, but a quality phone cord will have four wires for two phone lines. Call them Line 1 and Line 2.If you plug your phone into a phone jack that has two lines, the phone will always be connected to Line 1. In order to connect your phone to Line 2 you'll need a specific type of splitter, one that looks like this: Unfortunately, this splitter doesn't really do any splitting. It's just an adapter that sends both Line 1 and Line 2 to both output ports. It doesn't matter which port you plug your phone into, you'll always get Line 1. You'll instead need a splitter that looks like this: There are, of course, many variations around this theme.--Percy