I can vouch for that. I finally trashed my wireless Netgear setup in favor of a new Netgear router and I just ran CAT 5 cable to all my computers.

I was about to rip my hair out trying to get that stupid wireless thing working. I worked for years then just started skipping out.

Problem solved.

This looks handy.
Computer Repair Utility Kit in a Thumb Drive

I think I could do irreparable harm with that sucker.:D

Update:

I couldn't get online since Saturday morning. My computer said the wireless connection was excellent...all other stuff checked out as far as I knew, but it wouldn't pull up any web pages.

I was finally in the right mood to call tech support. They were friendly and helpful, and in the end decided to send a tech. I agreed to "between 3:30 and 6:00" since I could be home from mom and dad's by then. Dude showed up like 3:35, replaced the router (said the other one was pretty old, this one has a separate modem and the router box is much smaller) and the converter (said the one plugged directly into the back sucked and gave me one on a wire that I can hang somewhere) and it is now running GREAT. No additional cost to me. He wouldn't even let me tip him though I said he deserved something for coming out on a Sunday.

I should have done this a long time ago, but like I said, I didn't want to call when I was in a pissy mood, and it HAD been working off and on and...I'm a procrastinator. :)

So you're not in a pissy mood when it's Mother's Day and a Full Moon? :haha:

Yeah, I know, now you are again.

There's a full moon? :worried:

:bolt:

Look out front on the lawn. We know where you live.

Just let the pizza guy through, please.

Oh, I see you! *waves*

So we really don't need facial recognition?

It's not like there are 1500 guys with tinfoil hats standing around out there: you don't exactly "blend."

That pointy thing is not tin foil.

BTW, hopefully the tech showed you how to display the status page on that new router. Knowing how to display it, knowing what to look for, or even putting the hyperlink for that router status page in Favorites (or Bookmark) would go a long way to averting any future problems. Which gives you more time to watch your lawn or rescue the pizza guy.

He didn't but I'll look into it. Thanks! Now get off my lawn! Actually, having it called a lawn is hilarious...you can cross it in a few steps. :)

It needs a little fertilizer. Done.

tw, I found the netgear smart wizard wireless assistant...he had a shortcut on the desktop. Was this what you meant? It has everything, I think. He did tell me about the network name and the key, which are there also.

Steve's Guide to Computer Branding-Speak

• If it's labeled "smart" . . . it's stupid, at best. (At worst it's stupid and harmful.)
• If it's called an "assistant," it will never do anything to assist you.

That would be one page from the router for both wireless and for wired LAN (local area network). (Record that password if required for access.)

One side of those boxes is your LAN (wireless and ethernet / CAT5 cables). Other side is the outside world - the WAN.

For example, network name and encryption code is for wireless operation. Best recorded just in case something happens. Maybe front panel lights report computers hardwired. Record those lights to know what a good connection looks like. Status page IP address (such as 192.168.1.1) also recorded for future convenience.

Another status page may have other information such as numbers for the WAN (wide area network). Don't remember. Is your WAN was cable, DSL, or FIOS (the ISP)? Each would have some numbers that define upload and download data rates, signal to noise ratios, error numbers, or something equivalent. You currently have a good system. So record (or print) those numbers just to know what a good system looks like.

Hopefully, those status pages report what is between your computer and that router/modem. Another status page reports what is between that router/modem and your ISP. If any problems, well, which page shows bad numbers? The bad page tells you which direction to go for help. No more 'try this and try that' speculation.

Old router was Netgear. Recording these new model numbers (when convenient) means, if problems occur, you don't have to fight through dust balls to read those numbers later.

Put all in an envelope under the router.

I usually write the router wireless name and security (WEP) code one a sticky label. Mount that sticky label near the router. Then a new wireless computer can connect by simply reading that number from a convenient location. Some ideas to avert future confusion.

@ sleeve: I don't think it's a wizard as you normally see, it's more of a console that has all the information and troubleshooting stuff in one place.

@ tw: I will do all that tonight. I can tell the original equip (and perhaps associated software?) was outdated; this new interface is so much easier. Thanks for your help. Now get off my lawn.

My internet is running faster too, with none of the apprehension when Toontown freezes up and I wonder if I'm getting booted. :)

Has anyone hear heard of "Personal Antivirus"? Apparently, it's a program that attaches to a computer and tries to get you, the consumer, to purchase their product. It's constantly "popping up" saying your computer is infected with miscellaneous viruses, etc.

We have Norton/Symantec - I ran that program and it didn't detect anything - maybe that's not good, cause it didn't say anything about this Personal Antivirus.

If anyone here does know anything about it - how can I get rid of it? I found instructions online from bleepingcomputer.com, but I don't know if that is "reputable" and don't want tol make it worse.

Try spyware Doctor - I had a similar issue/program/virus/whatever... It got rid of it for me. But I would wait till one of the more knowledgeable dwellars gives you some advice.

I cleaned that piece of crap off of somebody's computer just last week.

bleepingcomputer.com usually has pretty good advice. They have some FAQs on common spyware issues, "help my computer's running too slow" etc.

They gave detailed instructions on "how to". I have to download a Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Download Link. I just wasn't sure about that.

Also, when I was at that site - bleepingcomputer - it would almost instantly come up a "black type" screen with some type of message saying this site is blocked, so I don't even know if I will be able to download that link.

A few summers ago, I monitored the internet for all incoming packets. Repeatedly found packets that say something like "Your computer has been found infected. Download this antivirus software..." These packets would arrive about every 40 minutes with a reply address that was traced to Northeast China.

Amazing how many times this spam routinely arrived to so many computers. Of course, even the Windows 98 machine ignored it because no 'Window' was waiting for a message addressing that port. IOW you may not know how many internet packets with such popups and other malware are routinely rejected by your machine even without Anti-virus protection.

Jester,

You really want to go to www.malwarebytes.org and get yourself a copy of their anti-malware software. It is that good!

You also should visit www.ubcd4win.com and make one of those CDs, as they are at version 3.50. It works really well.

Mitch

Malwarebytes took a couple hours to do a complete scan and found a couple things hiding in restore. I guess AVG couldn't find them, although it does a complete scan (about 3.5 hrs) daily.

I've been trying to fix this, but it's not working very well for me. The computer that's messed up won't even let me download the software. Everytime I go to the website and "click" on the link, my internet closes. While I can go back to that website the same thing happens. I went to another computer to download the file onto a disc, but once downloaded onto said computer it doesn't do anything.

Concerning the other website, ubcd4win. Not sure if I understood it enough, but it was talking about "rebooting", will that delete everything on the computer and then I will have to reload?

Jester,

Find another PC to download the items onto and transfer them onto a USB stick to install on the affected PC.

If you use ubcd4win, it doesn't delete everything. It just lets you reboot the PC into a different version of Windows that you can use to clean out malware and viruses. It works really well, actually.