Listen to me!!! RAHHHH~ (longish)

[unholypet]

So, I am the one who hooked everything up on the four computers in the house. Have a router/modem combo with wireless capability, and did th setup for it by myself (with a little help from the manual).

I wanted to turn on the Wireless capability on the modem. Last year, I left it off since there was no need. Now, I have a Nintendo DS lol =p I just couldn't remember the modem's address (that you put into the browser bar). So I called tech support.

Waited...Waited...

Okay! There's me, and then Call Man1. CM1 took my info, verified my identity, asked what I needed.

Me: I just need the address to change settings in my router so I can turn on wireless internet, I can't remember the numbers! Heh..
CM1: So if I am hearing you correct you are having trouble using your wireless internet?
Me: No, I just want to turn it on.
CM1: Okay, it sounds like you are having communication troubles, please hold while I transfer you to Communications.
Me: But--

Music plays. Enter CallMan2, he verifies, blah...

Me: I just need to know what address to type into th browser bar to turn on my wireless internet.
CM2: You don't have wireless working?
Me: I originally had it disabled, I just want to turn it back on.
CM2: It sounds like you need Tech Support, I'll send you back over to them.
Me: Thanks.

Music plays. Enter Fizzy Call Person.
FCP: FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFanFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFmma FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF.
Me: ... o_0
FCP: FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF--
Me: ... -_-
FCP: FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF,etc.

So, hang up. Call back. I get Call Woman with odd accent. She verifies, I explain I just want to turn on my wireless internet.

CW: Okay, i am hearing that you are having trouble connecting to the wirless internet do you know for certain you have that capability ma'am because if you have a computer that needs to be connected through ethernet you are not ging to have internet with the wireless since it will need a cable do you understand?
Me: Ah, yes. I'm not trying to hook a computer up. I just want to know what my router adress is.
CW: Okay. okay. (I am put on mute)
Me: ....
CW: ....
Me: ...how rude.
CW: I am sorry?
Me: So... can you tell me the address to type in?
CW: Your computer cannot connect to the internet, etc etc etc etc.

She went on and on and on, I could not interrupt her with my own speech, she just wouldn't quit rambling the same sentence(s) over n over again.

So, I got a little agitated and hung up on her. Was I wording that wrong or something?

She calls back.

CW: I want to email you some useful tips about your internet and how to hndle it if I may do that I would like for you to have these tips so you can kep from calling us over these things (Umm... if I don't call, what will you do for work?) and I would love for you to have these in case your wireless internet ethernet router chicken soup broccolli casserole poor man's potato soup white beans and gravy on turkey platters for Thanksgiving.
Me:.... what?
CW: I want yout be able to handle your internet--
Me: Just no. Nuh uh. I hope your supervisor is listening. You are no help at all, and didn't listen to what I needed help about. You ignored my request andran off with a bunch of stuff I had no idea of the mening of. Don't call me back again, I'll figure it out myself.
CW: But ma'am if I--

So I hung up.

I looked it up on a techie forum. Fixed it myself. Traded my Pokemon, and am NEVER calling them back.

[Bright_Star]

IF you want something done right the first time then you may as well do it yourself.

[unholypet]

IF you want something done right the first time then you may as well do it yourself.

Hear, hear! Before that, I had no idea someone other than the manufacturer could have such an address! hehe

[HereWeGo]

I went through the same thing when I tried to get my ISP to give me some info to get my Dreamcast online. (This was way back in the day, obviously.) They kept insisting that I had to wait for the installation disc to come in the mail so I could install it on my computer. Followed by me explaining several times that I didn't own a computer and just needed the info to get my DC online. Rebutted with "You have to wait to install the disc on your PC..." again. Though that's more forgivable, considering that the concept of something other than a PC going online was still new back then.

I appreciate that some CS people are so inundated with stupidity daily that they might not listen to anyone anymore, but I do like to be given the benefit of a doubt. It's especially bad when trying to get allergen information out of a company (my husband is allergic to wheat) and they instead tell you how wonderfully healthy and all-natural their product is. Guess what, wheat is all natural. I'm trying to figure out whether eating the product is going to make him violently ill for the next 16 hours, not whether it's fashionable for a granola eating yuppie soccer mom, and I don't appreciate my inquiries being treated that way.

[Polenicus]

Having been in tech support, I know exactly where you came from.

I was a Tier 2 tech, which was where they put all the monkeys who had developed the capability to listen and comprehend language.

Tier 1 is awful. The BEST of the techs will listen for keywords they can use in their knowledge article search database, plug that in, and then mindlessly grind out the steps in the article, refusing to listen to the customer aside from 'That solved my problem' or 'That didn't solve my problem'. The worst of them will fail even that, put the customer on hold endlessly and demand help from the supervisors and/or Tier 2/Floor Leads without having actually gotten enough information to know the customer's NAME much less their problem.

[Fire_on_High]

Sounds lovely. In the future make a bookmark to the modem/router's configuration page in your browser and keep the IP you need in at least 2 places, one of which is physical. It'll save you a ton of grief if you ever have to format unexpectedly or something randomly goes south.

DS story of my own. Since third party hacks have become common for a lot of XP software, I went ahead and bought a Nintendo branded access point for my DS. I'm on a wired network by choice, so I figured this would be the cheapest and easiest way to get my DS online as well as have a backup for the Wii if they ever bork the firmware again and lock out my wired adapter.

I get it home and first off, try installing the official package. 2k Pro isn't THAT different than XP and I figure there's a good chance this will work in spite of what it's made for. No go, but I'm not worried yet. I try a few packages supposedly altered to work on 2k Pro, which apparently consists of merely removing the version checks. The driver installs flawlessly with one of them, but not the configuration utility that you have to click to lock in your DS to that access point. Well, crud.

Yank those drivers out and try a few more packages, realizing this could be a little harder to go third party than my iPod was. Still nada.

In the end, instead of a nice, neat, limited access point that only works with one DS that I specifically authorize, I've got a fully enabled standard access point using a Buffalo driver and an Asus config utility that could let the Wii or even a normal computer on with minimal fuss. Fun stuff, eh?

(And yes, it's secured. I'm paranoid as heck)

[Red Briggs]

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGLE

Well, the thing is the internet is a fantastic resource. In nearly every instance of any tech problem I have ever encountered, google has eventually solved the issue. Sound advice. I called the manufacturer about the first router I ever owned. Never again. It was way too much of a hassle.

In my job I have to call alot of vendors direct to straighten out issues of various natures. I always thank the retail gods when I get one who speaks fluent english. Phoning manufacturers hotlines are sometimes more frustrating than even the most annoying SC. There are some days I would rather be on the floor dealing with assholes than in my office dealing with assholes who speak another language.

[Pezzle]

If you have a computer running windoze, run CMD and type "ipconfig". It should tell you your default gateway and IP address. You could use the IP of that gateway to access your modem/router/combination thereof.

Behold, the call could have been over!

-eats tech support-

[friendofjimmyk]

CW: I want to email you some useful tips about your internet and how to hndle it if I may do that I would like for you to have these tips so you can kep from calling us over these things (Umm... if I don't call, what will you do for work?) and I would love for you to have these in case your wireless internet ethernet router chicken soup broccolli casserole poor man's potato soup white beans and gravy on turkey platters for Thanksgiving.
Me:.... what?
.

SNORT!!!

[Slytovhand]

Hey Unholy..

I find with telemarketing calls, and other stuff like this when someone isn't listening (and esp if they are paid to) is:...

Them: and so you need to...blah blah blah
Me: STOP! Right now. You need to listen to what I am telling you, because what you are saying to me does not help even remotely. (or, if it's telemarketing, "I'm not interested, and there's no point continuing").

Most are at the very least so shocked to get that response that they automatically just stop what they're saying, and then have to listen (and then have to admit to themselves that they've just stuffed up).

And the other line straight after that, and what would have been best on your 2nd call or transfer is: I want to speak to your supervisor.. right now!

No crap, no (real) rudeness - but certainly assertive enough that it gets the sort of response that I'm after (presuming, of course, that the supervisor is any good). Only time it wasn't, I just asked for the ombudsman's office number and rang them. Had it sorted within the week


Slyt

[phoenix_rising]

I'm lucky, because everytime I call tech support (at 12 I did most of the computer work for our house), I get help. Okay, so it's been 2 times. Once when I hooked it up for internet. And the other when... I hooked it up for internet. With modem.
I got a French woman who was very helpful. I think she was Tier 2. Must have been, because I gave her the problem and she got it right the first time.

[Lingering Grin]

If you have a computer running windoze, run CMD and type "ipconfig". It should tell you your default gateway and IP address. You could use the IP of that gateway to access your modem/router/combination thereof.

Behold, the call could have been over!

-eats tech support-

yup. and more than like it's probably:

192.168.X.1 (with X most likely being either 1 or 2, though I have seen 201 once )