Whats's up with that?

No I'm not singling along one of ZZ Top's songs but rather questioning what on earth is going on these days with companies pushing out products that simply don't work!

Recently I was offered a free speed upgrade from my broadband provider... great! The e-mail said: To get 2Meg speed (from 1Meg), all I have to do is to unplug my modem router and plug it back in and it will automatically be upgraded to 2Meg. Ignoring my general scepticism, I stupidly obliged and I soon realised I have lost my internet connection (and because this was a one way upgrade, I can't go back either). For the next 2 hours I trawled the internet on my phone to look for answers and later I managed to change some settings on my modem and got some connectivity back, at 1Meg and with some dropping of connection. I can put up with that for now.

The next day I spoke to the broadband provider and they tell me they have had some issues with some modems and I need to call the manufacturer to see if I can have a "firmware update". I said to the guy that it should be him talking to manufacturers not me to be honest! Anyway, knowing that was it pointless talking to him, I rang the manufacturer and they told me I need a new modem router because technology's moved on and there are no more updates for my "upgradeable" modem! ... so I last night I went out and bought a new modem while still feeling that I have been robbed.

Got home, connected it up and all my PC and laptop worked... Yeeessss! I thought but then I realised my sister's Mac and my Morpheus won't connect. I know how this game works now.... I probably needed another "firmware" update! So I Googled it and I found out that there is an update for people with Mac problems but the solution came from the modem maker cos they've screwed up... hidden somewhere in their website there is an "un-certified" version that seems to solve the problem. I tried it and suddenly the Mac worked, and so did my Morpheus.

So, had I not had a Mac here I would still be online searching for an answer for my new modem! What's up with that?

p.s. If you got a Belkin modem and are having WiFi connection problems with your Mac or WiFi radio, ping me an e-mail, I can probably save you some pain.