Electronics NIGHTMARE!!!!

[Ranger Mom]

I bought a new printer/Digital Camera Combo today. The guy who sold it to me assured me that it had everything I would need in it. So when I got home, wrapped all the presents I bought, I was finally able to open it. I played with the camera first, taking pictures of anything and everything. I finally got ready to install the printer - NO USB CABLE. I shouldn't have taken his word for it, it said it wasn't included right there on the box. I couldn't wait until tomorrow to buy one, so I ran the 14 miles back to Best Buy and got me a cable. I got everything all ready to go and it suddenly dawned on me, my freakin CD drive isn't working (that was next on my list of things to buy). So....I went to the HP website to download the driver. I have now been downloading for 1 hr and 42 min.....as of right now I have 4 hrs and 4 min left. I HATE DIAL-UP...I HATE IT...I HATE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad:

<small>[ December 17, 2003, 09:19 PM: Message edited by: Ranger Mom ]</small>

[3afan2K3]

Man I'm sure glad I have my very fast cable internet :D

<small>[ December 17, 2003, 09:24 PM: Message edited by: 3afan2K3 ]</small>

[Ranger Mom]

3afan2K3:
I'm sure glad I have my fast cable internet :D :D Yea...yea...yea!!!!

(Only 3 hrs and 52 min to go!!!)

[jason]

3afan2K3:
Man I'm sure glad I have my very fast cable internet :D my dsl is faster

[3afan2K3]

jason:

3afan2K3:
Man I'm sure glad I have my very fast cable internet :D my dsl is fasterNo it's not

[Ranger Mom]

jason:

3afan2K3:
Man I'm sure glad I have my very fast cable internet :D my dsl is fasterWhy don't BOTH of yall just rub it in!! :p

(3 hrs 49 min and counting!)

[3afan2K3]

Ranger Mom you need to get T3 internet. It's the fastest there is

[kaorder1999]

Ranger Mom:

jason:

3afan2K3:
Man I'm sure glad I have my very fast cable internet :D my dsl is fasterWhy don't BOTH of yall just rub it in!! :p

(3 hrs 49 min and counting!)VERY FAST HERE.....

[Da Mules]

RangerMom, don't you just l-o-o-oove those all-knowing BestBuy salespeople!! Totally misinformed. I get better results from CompUSA (usually.) And probably the camera instructinos were in Japanese, or worse yet those Universal Sign Heiroglyphics :D
Have fun with your new camera

[Ranger Mom]

Ranger Mom you need to get T3 internet. It's the fastest there is I don't have a choice right now - it's not available where I live. I think I may be able to get something faster than what I have - I just don't want to spend $70 to $80 a month for it. I don't need it THAT bad!!

<small>[ December 17, 2003, 09:41 PM: Message edited by: Ranger Mom ]</small>

[jason]

3afan2K3:

jason:

3afan2K3:
Man I'm sure glad I have my very fast cable internet :D my dsl is fasterNo it's notyes it is....
and the T3 is the fastest available, mostly to businesses though, not too common in residential areas...

[jason]

Ranger Mom:

Ranger Mom you need to get T3 internet. It's the fastest there is I don't have a choice right now - it's not available where I live. I think I may be able to get something faster than what I have - I just don't want to spend $70 to $80 a month for it. I don't need it THAT bad!!you can get a good dsl (sprint) for about $30/month...just see if ur phone provider offers it and if so, then look for special promotions...

[kaorder1999]

jason:

Ranger Mom:

Ranger Mom you need to get T3 internet. It's the fastest there is I don't have a choice right now - it's not available where I live. I think I may be able to get something faster than what I have - I just don't want to spend $70 to $80 a month for it. I don't need it THAT bad!!you can get a good dsl (sprint) for about $30/month...just see if ur phone provider offers it and if so, then look for special promotions...1m paying 32.34 a month for mine and i got the 1 meg package....pretty fast. Also check your cable provider...

[PPHSfan]

I used to think my two-way satellite was the best, and it was, until it quit working. Man it takes a friggin act of congress to get a tech out to your house to fix hardware when it goes down. But it is blazing fast.

[therealbulldogs]

I'm on dial-up right now and I hate it!!!!

[SintonFan]

Ranger Mom:
suddenly dawned on me, my freakin CD drive isn't working (that was next on my list of things to buy). So....I went to the HP website to download the driver. I have now been downloading for 1 hr and 42 min.....as of right now I have 4 hrs and 4 min left. I HATE DIAL-UP...I HATE IT...I HATE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad: .
Ranger Mom, are you still there? I should be able to help you... :)
I'm one of those techie dudes who won't tell you wrong. :cool:

[SintonFan]

OK.
First off, if the file is over 4Meg any dial-up connection will take time but no more than 2 hours for a good 8 meg file on a dial-up download(anything slower than that means you live way out of town or have a dirty line).
Always hang up your connection(if less than 36 Kbps) and redial until you get a better speed or the fastest you can get.(To keep that speed: check to make sure Windows or AOL won't screw you with a drop[you do have Windows XP?]...
Do this in order: 1st go to Start, then "connect to", then "show all connections", then 'right click' on your internet connection[the one you use to get online] and left click "properties", from there select "options" among the choices along the tab at top, then go to where it says: Idle time before hanging up: and select "never" from the drop down menu) (This was first to help you to get better connection and then from getting disconnected.)
Hehe, some internet services won't let you stay idle so you have to check one more place(or you can still be disconnected).
Follow these directions in order if you have Internet Explorer: 1st click on "tools" at the top, then select "Internet Options", next select the "connections" tab at top, then select "settings"(not LAN settings!) from the buttons because your default connection should already be set, then select "advanced" from those buttons, this will bring new choices, select "Disconnect if idle for ___ minutes" and then select "never" for the '___ minutes' in the drop down menu, then push OK for each menu until you get back to the Explorer page.
Ranger Mom, your problem is tough, but I would need to PM you with more detailed info.
Good luck... :)

[Ranger Mom]

First of all - I am still running Windows 98.

I got up this morning to check it - my AOL had timed out, so NOTHING downloaded.

Is it possible to take the CD and put it on my computer at work and send it through e-mail to myself here at home?

I may just have to break down and go ahead and install a new CD drive!

[spiveyrat]

Rangermom, I doubt that would be any better. Your computer still would have to download all that data through your modem.

<small>[ December 18, 2003, 06:29 AM: Message edited by: spiveyrat ]</small>

[Ranger Mom]

I have NEVER got on any faster that 28. I do live out of town. As far as I know the only one's out here who can get high speed are the people who live in the houses directly behind the school. I live about 3 miles from the school, and don't think it is available here.

SintonFan....what do I do now?

[poncho]

I have high speed wireless internet, maybe they offer that service in your area. :cool: :D

[poncho]

SintonFan:
OK.
First off, if the file is over 4Meg any dial-up connection will take time but no more than 2 hours for a good 8 meg file on a dial-up download(anything slower than that means you live way out of town or have a dirty line).
Always hang up your connection(if less than 36 Kbps) and redial until you get a better speed or the fastest you can get.(To keep that speed: check to make sure Windows or AOL won't screw you with a drop[you do have Windows XP?]...
Do this in order: 1st go to Start, then "connect to", then "show all connections", then 'right click' on your internet connection[the one you use to get online] and left click "properties", from there select "options" among the choices along the tab at top, then go to where it says: Idle time before hanging up: and select "never" from the drop down menu) (This was first to help you to get better connection and then from getting disconnected.)
Hehe, some internet services won't let you stay idle so you have to check one more place(or you can still be disconnected).
Follow these directions in order if you have Internet Explorer: 1st click on "tools" at the top, then select "Internet Options", next select the "connections" tab at top, then select "settings"(not LAN settings!) from the buttons because your default connection should already be set, then select "advanced" from those buttons, this will bring new choices, select "Disconnect if idle for ___ minutes" and then select "never" for the '___ minutes' in the drop down menu, then push OK for each menu until you get back to the Explorer page.
Ranger Mom, your problem is tough, but I would need to PM you with more detailed info.
Good luck... :) SintonFan is correct. When I had a dial up service I complained to the phone company and they cleared up the noise on my line. They did this on a line that wasn't a dedicated line. My speed went from 24k to 48k. It wont hurt to try!! :cool: :D

[Ranger Mom]

Okay..that brings up another question then. I have had 3 different phone services in the past 4 years. My connection has ALWAYS been the exact same speed with all 3 companies.

[Rabbit'93]

jason:

3afan2K3:
Man I'm sure glad I have my very fast cable internet :D my dsl is fasterTake it from an expert cable modem is faster than DSL.

[sinton66]

RangerMom, didn't you get software with the new printer/camera combination? Just buying the cable wouldn't make you have to download a driver. I'm thinking you should have gotten the proper driver on a cd or disc that came with the equipment. The manufacturer should have provided drivers for systems at least as old as Windows 98.

[Rabbit'93]

Ranger Mom:
Okay..that brings up another question then. I have had 3 different phone services in the past 4 years. My connection has ALWAYS been the exact same speed with all 3 companies.How old is your computer? Your modem might be some of the problem. They have v.92 56K modems now and I usually get anywhere from 30kbps to 50kbps.

[JasperDog94]

I would love to have DSL or cable, but when my dial-up only costs me 6.95 per month, I can't really justify the increase. At least I have a T1 line at work. :D

[Ranger Mom]

sinton66:
RangerMom, didn't you get software with the new printer/camera combination? Just buying the cable wouldn't make you have to download a driver. I'm thinking you should have gotten the proper driver on a cd or disc that came with the equipment. The manufacturer should have provided drivers for systems at least as old as Windows 98.That's my whole problem - I have 2 CD drives and neither one is working, so.....I can't load the CD that is came with in there. I think I have just about decided to go by myself a new CDROM for christmas!! The last one I bought was a CD burner and my son installed it for me, he won't be here so I will have to do it myself. Shouldn't I just be able to unplug one and plug the new one in right where the old one was. Will the computer recognize the new hardware - I guess a CDdrive would HAVE to be installed without using a C.D.!!

This whole situation has given me a HUGE crick in my neck. I am stressing WAY to much about it!!

<small>[ December 18, 2003, 12:08 PM: Message edited by: Ranger Mom ]</small>

[Ranger Mom]

I have had 3 hours to think since my last post on this thread - I have just about talked myself into buying a new computer! I don't want to spend lots and lots of money on it.

Any suggestions??

What specs should I look for?

[sinton66]

Talk with Dell. They've got some great deals on desktops right now. Dell also has probably the best service after the sale on the market right now. That's what I would recommend based on my computer pro son's statements.

[SintonFan]

Ranger Mom:
I have NEVER got on any faster that 28. I do live out of town. As far as I know the only one's out here who can get high speed are the people who live in the houses directly behind the school. I live about 3 miles from the school, and don't think it is available here.

SintonFan....what do I do now?.
Ranger Mom sorry I just got on tonight, I had to work late.
If you never have connected faster than 28 then you have one of two problems. First you have a dirty phone line. You will not hear it when you are talking but your computer can. You can see if this is the problem if you have two phone lines. Just switch phone connections. Take the phone line you normally use to talk on and connect it to the back of your computer where your modem is. If there is an improvement then the dedicated computer phone line is bad, plain and simple. Have the phone company do a noise check at your box. Always use a phone cord 12' or shorter from the wall, too. 6' is best but not imperative.
Also double check to make sure the phone number your dialing into isn't a 33.6 number. Their are still lots of 33.6 dial-up number used by almost all internet providers. Do a search for all local available numbers and try them all. You never know...
.
.
Be careful with new computers. For some reason WinXP isn't always the friendliest operating system for dial-up. When you bring your computer home, the first thing you need to do is run Windows update and download ALL critical updates and service packs. It will save you alot of trouble. wink

[Greenwood Teach]

The phone lines at Greenwood are especially bad, too. My husband is the network administrator for a local oil company and I hear about all the lines all over the Midland area.