Yeah baby!! After a month and a half since I disconnected Comcast cable Internet service at the townhouse, I finally have my own broadband again! Yesterday my Qwest DSL router came via UPS. Now Comcast worked pretty well, but I must say that the DSL is even faster. It was not difficult to set up, but Qwest, like most Internet providers, assume you either use Microsoft Windows or Macintosh OSX. They provide a CD that runs on one of those systems to set up the modem. I generally detest setup CDs, as they mess with your computers settings. I don't want any of their "features", either software or web, so I would rather just set up and go. But given that they provided no instructions for configuring the service manually, I borrowed the lovely spouse's laptop that has Windows XP on it to run the setup routine.
A few minutes later, we are back online! The router I ordered from them includes an integrated WiFi 802.11 b/g access point makes it very convenient to set up a home network. It comes preconfigured for WEP encryption, but it was a snap to reconfigure with WPA, so I did that and we were off to the races. I also set the power from 4 all the way up to 10, so I should get good coverage. Right now, on this Linux laptop, I am getting a 93% signal, and I am downstairs and the router is across the house and upstairs.
I originally plugged the router in to a phone port in the living room, but it apparently isn't live, so I moved it to the kitchen for setup. Unfortunately, I noticed that the wires all over the counter would not make the LS happy, so I moved it upstairs to the other phone port...the one in our bedroom. Well, come bedtime, she notices the flashing LEDs were too bright for her to sleep, so I told her to stick it under the bed for now. So that is where it is at the moment. I may have to find a better solution, but for now, it works.
I had Qwest DSL where I lived 3 years ago, and it was fairly solid service. I am hoping I get an equally stable DSL here. So far, so good.
I, like many others, am shocked and saddened today upon learning of the sudden death of NBC Washington Bureau Chief and host of Meet The Press, Tim Russert. There's a lot being said about Tim, and I did not know him other than his television persona, yet I found him to be one of the most likeable, yet insightful observers of the political scene. He appeared to thrive on politics, and even in the midst of pressing a politician for an honest answer, he never got antagonistic or disagreeable. Tim Russert, Sunday mornings will not be the same without you. The MTP institution will continue, no doubt. But the Russert era is sadly over.
