Category Archives: network problem

NO Internet Access – Leisure World, MD – 20906 – Silver Spring

Posted on May 7, 2011 | Leave a comment

Sometimes NO INTERNET ACCESS is not a virus, not a hardware, problem, or a software problem.  Sometimes the Internet Service Provider, is simply not providing the signal.  And sometimes that is because the service is not turned on.

I try to look to the simplest, and most obvious solutions first.  So when your DSL light kept flashing …

  • turned off router/modem … waited … turned on … waited for boot process to complete
  • still the DSL light was flashing
  • try again
  • still the DSL light was flashing

In each case there was not even any evidence of it “training”.  So what to do?  Call Verizon.  Bernard K, I am not sure where there was a misunderstanding between you and Verizon, but I am glad we resolved it.  Sorry that you have to wait until next Tuesday to get your DSL back on, but at least in our discussion with Verizon we were able to lower your rates.

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Computer Help – Montgomery Village, MD – 20877

Posted on May 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

C.M. of Montgomery Village, sorry that Verizon changed their smtp mail server port without letting you know.   Probably they ran on ports 25, and 587 in parallel for a long time, and it was just last week that they decided to cut off 25.

Back when they made port 587 available they probably sent you an e-mail telling you to make the change.  That probably went unnoticed, and time went by.  Finally last week, the mail admins cut off 25, and you could no longer send email.

Anyhow, a simple fix, you should be all set.

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Secure Wireless Network – Bethesda, MD – 20816

Posted on May 4, 2011 | Leave a comment

This was the first time I was asked to secure a customer’s wireless network because the neighbors were complaining!

PB’s network was open to the world, and as she had only one computer, and it was reasonably secured using Norton Endpoint Protection, she was not too concerned.

Of course it is still important to secure your wireless … but she, reagardless, it was not on her radar … UNTIL

Her next door neighbor has two children, who were spending too much time on the internet. So the neighbor was trying to limit her own kids time online. They made the proper adjustments to their own router, to limit internet access … but right next door PB’s wireless was wide open.

So the kids just connected to that, and they had unfettered internet.

No longer! PB’s is secure to WPA2, with a hard to guess key.

Sorry kids, you are going to have to go back to doing your homework, and reading books :).

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Urbana Frederick MD Wireless Router Setup

Posted on April 19, 2011 | Leave a comment

M.B. of Urbana, sorry the housing market had such an effect on your furniture store.

But, I am glad I was able to help you with your wireless network problems in your townhome in Urbana.  I am still surprised that Wireless does not work better in your home, then it does.  Most wireless routers easily provide coverage to whole townhomes, it was surprising that the Linksys you had purchased at Best Buy started to fail so quickly.  Glad I was able to help replace it with something better.  I really like the Hawking Tech products, sometimes there are problems with early firmware levels, but after upgrading to the current firmware, usually they do treat.

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Ask Bob a Question

Posted on June 29, 2010 | 4 comments

Do you have a technical question.  Click on “Leave a Comment” below to post it here, I will try to check for and answer questions at least once a day.

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Posted in Computer Repair, computer virus, network problem, XBOX

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Computer Network Problem Gaithesburg ( Kentlands ) 20878

Posted on April 8, 2008 | 5 comments

THERE IS NO WARRANTY IMPLIED IN ANY WAY FOR ANY OF THE INFORMATION FOUND IN THIS BLOG. I HOPE YOU FIND THIS BLOG HELPFUL, BUT USE THE INFORMATION HERE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Mike J, of Kentlands, thanks for allowing us to help you out.

Mike thought he had a long list of complicated problems. He suggested that perhaps we should just pick up his computer. We really prefer to at least take a quick look at the computer in place. Many problems these days are specific to the computing envronment.

Fernando was in, and out in an hour. It ends out that Mike has an incorrect Proxy setting, and that was keeping him from connecting to the internet properly.

On XP you can change the proxy settings by going

Start Menu -> Control Panel -> Internet Options -> Connection Tab -> LAN Settings button

Then you should see the proxy settings on the lower half of the window.

In Mike’s case these settings were incorrect, fixing them allowed him to get back on the internet.

Thanks for stopping by.

If you need help with your PC, Mac, Blackberry, Palm, Router, DSL, or Cable modem. Please try to contact us at WatzaNetwork?

We provide at your site services in Montgomery, and Frederick counties MD, including

Gaithersburg, The Kentlands, Lakelands, Montgomery Village, Germantown, King Farm, Rockville, Potomac, Darnestown, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring (including Liesure World), Takoma Park, Clarksburg, Urbana, Ijamsville, and Frederick, MD.

Or see our computer products store. We sell PCs ( XP and Vista ), Macs, Routers, etc.

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HP Notebook – Bluetooth Mouse Help – Rockville MD ( King Farm )

Posted on March 31, 2008 | 3 comments

THERE IS NO WARRANTY IMPLIED IN ANY WAY FOR ANY OF THE INFORMATION FOUND IN THIS BLOG. I HOPE YOU FIND THIS BLOG HELPFUL, BUT USE THE INFORMATION HERE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Hello K.S. of King Farm.

I received your e-mail regarding your Bluetooth mouse, and network connections.

You Said:

I have encountered several problems:

  1. Although my mouse appears to be alive and well, the computer is not recognizing it.
  2. The indicators for the wireless network and one local area network are indicating that the connections are not working.

—————————-

Lets start first with your #2 – It is a little unclear to me what you mean by “indicating that the connections are not working”. If you mean that it is saying that “a network cable is unplugged, and that there is a little red x on the icons in the system tray, then that may not be a problem. Your notebook has both a wired, and wireless connection, and when it is plugged into the docking station, it has yet another wired connection. So, if what you are seeing little icons in your system try (lower right hand corner of the screen) that show that “a network cable is unplugged”, then it should not be a concern. Also there is a BIOS setting that tells the computer not to use the wireless when a wired connection is present. So, even if you see little network connection icons in the system tray (lower right hand corner of the screen) which have little red x’s on them indicating a lack of connection, it may just be telling you that 1) one of your two wired connections is not connected ( which is fine ) , and that your wireless is not connected — which is also fine if you are connected via your OTHER wired.

But regarding your network connection — the proof is in the pudding ( putting ? ). Are you able to get online? If you are offline — then there is a problem. If you are getting online, then I think that you may just be seeing the computer giving you a status.

If you are getting online, then you should also try disconnecting from the docking station to see what your notebook does. In a perfect world, the wireless would come to live and connect. In a slightly less perfect world, you may have to right click on the wireless icon in the system tray, and choose “Repair”. If that does not work then right click and choose “Display wireless networks”, pick yours, and then click connect, and see if it connects.

Regarding #1 the bluetooth mouse.

  1. Shut down the computer. while it is off turn the mouse off then on (little switch on the bottom of the mouse). Then turn the computer back on. Let if boot up, and see if it discovers it on it’s own. Note, you may have to click on the left mouse button to help it realize it is supposed to be awake (not just move the mouse around).
  2. If not then try clicking on the “Bluetooth” icon in the system tray, and try to follow the prompts to get the notebook to reconnect to the mouse.

Let me know if it works, OR if you need more help.

Thanks!

If you need help with your PC, Mac, Blackberry, Palm, Router, DSL, or Cable modem. Please try to contact us at WatzaNetwork?

We provide at your site services in Montgomery, and Frederick counties MD, including

Gaithersburg, Montgomery Village, Germantown, Rockville, Potomac, Darnestown, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring (including Liesure World), Takoma Park, Clarksburg, Urbana, Ijamsville, and Frederick, MD.

Or see our computer products store. We sell PCs ( XP and Vista ), Macs, Routers, etc.

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Villages of Urbana – set up his Lynksys router

Posted on March 29, 2008 | Leave a comment

THERE IS NO WARRANTY IMPLIED IN ANY WAY FOR ANY OF THE INFORMATION FOUND IN THIS BLOG. I HOPE YOU FIND THIS BLOG HELPFUL, BUT USE THE INFORMATION HERE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Hello

Jon K, of the Village of Urbana, in Frederick county MD.  Thanks for calling on us to help you get your wireless network set up.

Jon has an old Linksys WRT54G router,   Fernando went out to his place and set up his router.  As usual he updated the firmware, to help ensure that the router would perform optimally, and also helped Jon out by helping him remove some unnecessary items from the Startup — to help speed up the laptop.  Fernando also cleaned up the laptop a bit, removed temp files, etc.  It was a quick appointment, I am glad Fernando was able to help Jon get going on the right foot.

Thanks for stopping by my BLOG.

At WatzaNetwork? we offer you help with your PC, Mac, Blackberry, Palm, Router, DSL, or Cable modem.

We provide at your site services in Montgomery, and Frederick counties MD, including

Gaithersburg, Montgomery Village, Germantown, Rockville, Potomac, Darnestown, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring (including Liesure World), Takoma Park, Clarksburg, Urbana, Ijamsville, and Frederick, MD.

Or see our computer products store. We sell PCs ( XP and Vista ), Macs, Routers, etc.

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Airport Extreme USB printing Problem Olney MD

Posted on March 29, 2008 | Leave a comment

THERE IS NO WARRANTY IMPLIED IN ANY WAY FOR ANY OF THE INFORMATION FOUND IN THIS BLOG. I HOPE YOU FIND THIS BLOG HELPFUL, BUT USE THE INFORMATION HERE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Hello Audrey P, or Olney,

Thanks for allowing Fernando, and myself to stop by to  help you with your printer problem.

Let me say I have a STRONG opinion on this problem.  Network printers ( with built in wired Ethernet )  are quite inexpensive.  I hate routers that have built in print servers.  Yes, like most things it “should” work, but … The makes of your Canon printer did not design, or test the connection connected to an Airport Extreme base station.  The folks at Canon tested your printer with it attached directly to both Apple Macs, and Windows PC’s.  So …. taking a USB printer, and connecting it directly to a router via the USB although supported by the router, and marketed to Apple, Linksys, SMC, TrendNet, Netgear, etc, is not such a good idea.

Don’t get me wrong I LOVE network printing.  In the office we have a workhorse LaserJet 4000n, and a Color LaserJet 4600n.  But if you want to do network printing, get a printer that was built for network printing.  A great replacement for your Canon printer would be the HP Deskjet 6940 Printe.  This printer has an ethernet port on the back, and could connect directly to your Airport Extreme router.

Thanks for stopping by.

At WatzaNetwork? we offer you help with your PC, Mac, Blackberry, Palm, Router, DSL, or Cable modem.

We provide at your site services in Montgomery, and Frederick counties MD, including

Gaithersburg, Montgomery Village, Germantown, Rockville, Potomac, Darnestown, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring (including Liesure World), Takoma Park, Clarksburg, Urbana, Ijamsville, and Frederick, MD.

Or see our computer products store. We sell PCs ( XP and Vista ), Macs, Routers, etc.

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Wireless Setup Gaithersburg, MD ( Kentlands )

Posted on March 29, 2008 | Leave a comment

THERE IS NO WARRANTY IMPLIED IN ANY WAY FOR ANY OF THE INFORMATION FOUND IN THIS BLOG. I HOPE YOU FIND THIS BLOG HELPFUL, BUT USE THE INFORMATION HERE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Thanks H.M. of Gaithersburg ( in the Kentlands community )  for letting Fernando help you set up your wireless network.

H.M. had never had a wireless network in his home before.  He supplied a Netgear WRG614 router himself, and his laptop already had an internal wireless card.  We prefer the n-draft technology, but are happy to work with whatever equipment the customer has on hand.   Fernando updated the router firmware to allow it to run optimally.

Also Fernando found that you had an expired copy of Norton, but you had already a copy of TrendMicro PcCillin which he tried to install for you.  Ah, but you did nto have the license key available for that.  Once you put your hands on the license key, Fernando will be happy to come back to set it up for you.

Thanks for stopping by.

At WatzaNetwork? we offer you help with your PC, Mac, Blackberry, Palm, Router, DSL, or Cable modem.

We provide at your site services in Montgomery, and Frederick counties MD, including

Gaithersburg, Montgomery Village, Germantown, Rockville, Potomac, Darnestown, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring (including Liesure World), Takoma Park, Clarksburg, Urbana, Ijamsville, and Frederick, MD.

Or see our computer products store. We sell PCs ( XP and Vista ), Macs, Routers, etc.

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