Withdrawal symptoms because of Internet woes

Argh! I’ve been without my Internet connection for three days now and it’s driving me crazy. Life without the Internet sucks. You know my Blogivitis syndrome? It’s gone into overdrive because…

~ I can’t check my email for new spam / junk mail.

~ I can’t log into FaceBook to see who has poked me or added me as a friend or whether I need to make new moves in Scrabulous or challenge the next person to RPS.

~ I can’t log into Bloglines, my online RSS feedreader to see if there are updated posts that I can comment on.

~ I can’t check for new sponsored post opps. I think two opps that I reserved right before disaster struck have expired by now. Shoot!

~ I can’t check to see who has left a comment on my blogs.

~ Worst of all, I can’t update my blogs!

It feels strangely like there’s a whole world going on out there without me and man… I can’t stand it! I never knew that the Internet was so… addictive.

The whole saga started out on Saturday evening when we decided to update the security settings on our wireless modem / router. Up till then it had been unsecured and we were kind of worried that unscrupulous people might be leeching off it since it’s on nearly 24/7. Update went well until Sunday evening. For no reason at all, five different wireless devices simply couldn’t detect the router’s Internet connection – two laptops, one computer, one PDA and one mobile phone. The router seemed to be working fine – steady connection, no dreaded blinking lights, etc. We could see the router on the wireless networks available, and successfully connect to the router but not to the Internet connection. A hard reset of the router meant that now we could detect and connect to the router, but there was still no line! Placing calls to Screamyx’s technical assistance didn’t help either… they said that there was no problem with the account and with the line, so it must be the router problem. Cheh! Better yet, my laptop decided to go on the fritz at that very moment too by refusing to start up. It showed not the blue screen of death, but the very close to it black screen of MSDOS. Grrrrr….

I went around the Digital Mall looking at the prices of wireless modem cum routers on Monday and still didn’t know which model to get without consulting my IT guru, i.e. my Dad. So I just got a number of price quotes for him to see. Monday evening passed by without the Internet connection. By then, my Mum was heartily sick of me moaning that life is so empty and meaningless without the Internet that she was ready to pack me off to the nearest place with WiFi connectivity just so I can get my Internet fix. LOL! But I made do with a quickie check of my emails using the horribly slow dial-up.

Come Tuesday, I was champing at the bit and decided to go get a new wireless modem router if that would solve all my problems. So armed with my price lists and having a model or so in my mind, I went router shopping. Where I got sweet-talked by the salesman into buying a slightly more expensive model (Linksys) than the one I originally intended to buy (ProLink). Oh well, it did come with a 3 year warranty and his assurances that no one had yet returned any model for repairs, etc etc etc. Lugged home my new purchase, happily set it up and waited for restored connection, but….. pffffft! Still no connection! Grrrrrrrr…

Today, yet another call to Screamyx to lodge a report and I get put on hold for 20 minutes just so that they can open a report and tell me that, “It’ll take up to 2 working days for our technicians to get back to you. If you don’t hear from them after 2 working days, please call us again and quote your report number.” *bangs head on table*

Will someone please, please, please restore my life Internet connection to me?