Besides being awesome in general, my AT&T wireless card has become incredibly helpful this evening/morning.

Around midnight CST, I was remoting into work to do some server maintenance. Suddenly the screen locked up and my music stream stopped. The little globe icon disappeared from the network icon. I may not be some crazy IT guy, but I had a gut feeling that my internet went down.

I checked my laptop. Same results. I logged into the router. That worked. Saw that my router was failing PPPoE authentication (over and over again). Rebooted the modem. Rebooted the router. Still nothing.

I physically checked the modem. Ah ha! The Internet (“tubes”) light is das blinken! The activity light was off. Normally the Internet light is solid, and activity blinks. Bingo.

I jump on my laptop and get connected to my wireless card. Looks like that works, so we don’t need to reset the Internet by communicating with it musically. I hit up AT&T’s site and found it surprisingly easy to get to their support site. I tried some of the provided phone numbers, but all of them said no one was in the office (the hours also didn’t match the website, but both of them still said the offices were closed when I called. I could hope for something though, right?).

I searched further. AT&T had a service outage site, but said nothing was out in Wisconsin. The AT&T Yahoo! didn’t have a outage site at all, so I finally resorted to the “Chat with us” option (which was, fortunately still open). The chat session started, and I was 18 people in queue. From that I could tell there was probably something up, since it was 1 in the morning at this point.

I finally was connected after 20 minutes of waiting. That’s when they broke the news:

Jean Spencer: What city and state are you in right now?
Jacob Thornberry: Menomonee Falls, WI
Jean Spencer: Are you near Waukesha, WI?
Jacob Thornberry: yes
Jacob Thornberry: it’s about 20ish miles away
Jean Spencer: There is an ongoing outage in that area.
Jacob Thornberry: hmm.. that would explain it then
Jacob Thornberry: the modem seems to connect, but the pppoe fails (internet light keeps blinking)
Jacob Thornberry: do they have an eta on when it’ll be back up?
Jean Spencer: The Estimated Time of Restoral is 3:00AM CT.
Jacob Thornberry: cool
Jacob Thornberry: thanks for the information!
Jean Spencer: You’re welcome.
Jean Spencer: Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.
Jacob Thornberry: that’s not a problem. i’m just glad it’s not a problem on my end
Jean Spencer: Thank you for understanding.
Jean Spencer: Is there anything else that I can help you with today?
Jacob Thornberry: nope, that’s all i needed

Ah, troubleshooting skills fail me not once again!

Jacob Thornberry: thanks again for the information, and hopefully you’re not getting pounded with people asking about this
Jean Spencer: Actually, we are.

Looks like my modem gets to rest for a bit.

So, from this experience, I have learned the following:

1. If you have a cell phone with a data plan, use that as a modem and hit up the chat link. It works quite well.

2. If you aren’t blessed with such, DSL subscribers automagically get access to AT&T’s Dialup. Your ultra-cool Dialup will come in handy when your internet goes out, there’s an atomic bomb blast in your vicinity, or if you’re some sick freak who has a fetish with slow internet speeds.

If you’re in Wisconsin, I have a nice list of AT&T’s DUN servers. I’m surprised to see one in Allenton. If you’re not in Wisconsin, stop being so lazy and get your own damn list!

Allenton             WI        (262)299-4010    56K V90    
Appleton             WI        (920)830-8365    56K V90    
Athens               WI        (715)257-4023    56K V90    
Beaverdam            WI        (920)885-8475    56K V90    
Belgium              WI        (262)476-4028    56K V90    
Beloit               WI        (608)466-4774    56K V90    
Berlin               WI        (920)354-6023    56K V90    
Big Bend             WI        (262)910-4035    56K V90    
Birnamwood           WI        (715)449-4023    56K V90    
Brandon              WI        (920)332-4001    56K V90    
Brillion             WI        (920)524-4028    56K V90    
Bristol              WI        (262)891-4000    56K V90    
Burlington           WI        (262)806-4002    56K V90    
Burnett              WI        (920)543-4001    56K V90    
Cascade              WI        (920)523-4028    56K V90    
Cedarburg            WI        (262)421-4035    56K V90    
Chilton              WI        (920)522-4028    56K V90    
Chippewa Falls       WI        (715)861-4012    56K V90    
Clyman               WI        (920)341-4023    56K V90    
Colby                WI        (715)316-4012    56K V90    
Columbus             WI        (920)626-4001    56K V90    
Darien               WI        (262)726-4027    56K V90    
De Pere              WI        (920)351-4001    56K V90    
Delavan              WI        (262)725-4002    56K V90    
E. Troy              WI        (262)684-4001    56K V90    
Eagle                WI        (262)592-4001    56K V90    
Eau Claire           WI        (715)858-7044    56K V90    
Edgar                WI        (715)352-4023    56K V90    
Elkhart Lake         WI        (920)876-6023    56K V90    
Fond Du Lac          WI        (920)933-4774    56K V90    
Fort Atkinson        WI        (920)542-4027    56K V90    
Genoa City           WI        (262)295-0032    56K V90    
Green Bay            WI        (920)448-6985    56K V90    
Greenbush            WI        (920)526-4018    56K V90    
Hartford             WI        (262)709-0102    56K V90    
Hatley               WI        (715)446-4021    56K V90    
Hilbert              WI        (920)853-4018    56K V90    
Horicon              WI        (920)643-4001    56K V90    
Hortonville          WI        (920)779-1032    56K V90    
Houlton              WI        (715)954-4774    56K V90    
Hubertus             WI        (262)229-4011    56K V90    
Hudson               WI        (715)220-4012    56K V90    
Hustisford           WI        (920)349-5018    56K V90    
Jackson              WI        (262)423-4020    56K V90    
Janesville           WI        (608)554-4022    56K V90    
Jefferson            WI        (920)541-4001    56K V90    
Johnsburg            WI        (920)799-4028    56K V90    
Kenosha              WI        (262)671-4774    56K V90    
Kenosha              WI        (262)612-0102    56K V90    
Kenosha              WI        (262)656-6680    56K V90    
Kewaskum             WI        (262)477-4010    56K V90    
Kiel                 WI        (920)797-4028    56K V90    
La Crosse            WI        (608)498-4000    56K V90    
La Crosse            WI        (608)498-4001    56K V90    
Lake Geneva          WI        (262)581-4018    56K V90    
Lebanon              WI        (920)798-4010    56K V90    
Loyal                WI        (715)503-4012    56K V90    
Madison              WI        (608)354-0102    56K V90    
Madison              WI        (608)467-4774    56K V90    
Manitowoc            WI        (920)482-4190    56K V90    
Manitowoc            WI        (920)482-4029    56K V90    
Mapleton             WI        (920)653-4010    56K V90    
Marathon             WI        (715)443-4021    56K V90    
Marinette            WI        (715)330-4021    56K V90    
Marshfield           WI        (715)502-4012    56K V90    
Mayville             WI        (920)644-4001    56K V90    
Melrose              WI        (608)396-6672    56K V90    
Menomonee Falls      WI        (262)293-4006    56K V90    
Menomonie            WI        (715)233-5305    56K V90    
Merrill              WI        (715)804-4774    56K V90    
Merton               WI        (262)533-4021    56K V90    
Milwaukee            WI        (414)375-4059    56K V90    
Milwaukee            WI        (414)326-4774    56K V90    
Milwaukee            WI        (262)649-4077    56K V90    
Milwaukee            WI        (414)615-0062    56K V90    
Milwaukee            WI        (414)376-4059    56K V90    
Milwaukee            WI        (414)377-4059    56K V90    
Mishicot             WI        (920)654-4028    56K V90    
Mount Calvary        WI        (920)753-8018    56K V90    
Neenah               WI        (920)486-4012    56K V90    
Neosho               WI        (920)656-4010    56K V90    
New Holstein         WI        (920)827-4018    56K V90    
New London           WI        (920)472-4774    56K V90    
Newburg              WI        (262)355-4020    56K V90    
North Antioch        WI        (262)435-4774    56K V90    
Oconomowoc           WI        (262)804-0102    56K V90    
Oostburg             WI        (920)587-4009    56K V90    
Oshkosh              WI        (920)232-6195    56K V90    
Owen                 WI        (715)408-4012    56K V90    
Palmyra              WI        (262)485-1002    56K V90    
Plymouth             WI        (920)449-4028    56K V90    
Port Washington      WI        (262)261-0102    56K V90    
Racine               WI        (262)672-4774    56K V90    
Racine               WI        (262)504-0022    56K V90    
Random Lake          WI        (920)447-4028    56K V90    
Reedsville           WI        (920)443-4028    56K V90    
Salem                WI        (262)586-4016    56K V90    
Sheboygan            WI        (920)547-4774    56K V90    
Silver Lake          WI        (262)885-4016    56K V90    
Slinger              WI        (262)297-4010    56K V90    
Spencer              WI        (715)406-4012    56K V90    
St. Cloud            WI        (920)624-4010    56K V90    
Stevens Point        WI        (715)342-2831    56K V90    
Stoughton            WI        (608)205-4024    56K V90    
Stratford            WI        (715)407-4012    56K V90    
Sturgeon Bay         WI        (920)473-4774    56K V90    
Sullivan             WI        (262)582-1302    56K V90    
Thiensville          WI        (262)292-4006    56K V90    
Trevor               WI        (262)298-4010    56K V90    
Twin Lakes           WI        (262)448-4028    56K V90    
Two Rivers           WI        (920)657-4028    56K V90    
Walworth             WI        (262)394-2001    56K V90    
Watertown            WI        (920)245-0002    56K V90    
Watertown            WI        (920)545-4011    56K V90    
Waubeka              WI        (262)447-4028    56K V90    
Waukesha             WI        (262)506-1902    56K V90    
Waukesha             WI        (262)565-6066    56K V90    
Waupaca              WI        (715)256-4605    56K V90    
Waupun               WI        (920)239-4001    56K V90    
Wausau               WI        (715)803-4774    56K V90    
West Bend            WI        (262)384-4774    56K V90    
West Bend            WI        (262)808-0102    56K V90    
White Water          WI        (262)458-1202    56K V90    
Whitelaw             WI        (920)796-4028    56K V90    
Williams Bay         WI        (262)607-8001    56K V90    

Well, that ends my sleuthing. In the 7 months I’ve had residential DSL service with AT&T, 3 hours of downtime (at least, downtime I’ve noticed) isn’t bad (99.9995% uptime). I’m sure this number is exaggerated, but if the Internet goes down and nobody notices…

~Jaker

Edit: Found this posting on DSL Reports.

Recently nVidia announced that there was a heat issue with their G84 and G86 model graphics cards (8 series video cards on laptops). Initially we were told that it was an “HP only” problem, but now Dell is releasing BIOS updates to several laptops with that card, saying that the BIOS update “updates nVidia BIOS.”

Basically the update changes the fan state so the GPU fan runs earlier (in some cases, all the time). This is supposed to “help regulate the GPU temperature.”

So far Dell has only released the update for the following laptops:

(See http://direct2dell.com/one2one/archive/2008/07/25/nvidia-gpu-update-for-dell-laptop-owners.aspx)

There are plenty of other laptops that have the G84/G86 chip, yet they are not in this list. Take the Inspiron 1520 for example. Not only is it the laptop I have, it also comes with an 8600M GT and is not in the list. BIOS Rev. A07, though, includes an “enhancement for thermal control.” This could possibly be part of the whole GPU fix, seeing that the timestamp seems to be in the range of these other updates.

Either way, if you have a laptop that is in that list, you should probably update thy BIOS. Since several people are reporting that their GPU fan runs almost all the time now, you may see a decrease in battery life. I’d also recommend keeping tabs on that fan, as I’m not sure what the MTBF for a laptop fan is..

(I have the latest BIOS on my laptop and the fan seems to not act unusual. It’ll run when playing games, but otherwise it’s not too bad).

Further Reading…

~Jaker

More Futurama?!

If you haven’t picked up on it by now, I’m a pretty big Futurama fan (of the “post-OTA” generation). Yes, I’ve seen all the shows, and I’ve seen the two movies so far.

Fortunately there’s word out that the third (of the 4 rumored movies) installment of the straight-to-DVD Futurama’s has been announced. “Futurama: Bender’s Game” appears to be a fantasy-oriented movie, emulating the likes of Dungeons and Dragons (note: this isn’t the first time these two have converged).

There’s a pretty non-descript trailor that I apparently missed on the last DVD.

The catch: we won’t see this appear until November 4. Ah well. I’ll just *rolls dice* patiently wait.

~Jaker

..love each other very much…

Daddy should be aware of KB946676. Otherwise everyone will laugh at him because his data is lost!

~Jaker