Fixing My Father-in-Law's Computer... Or Not
Today at 11AM, my wife arranged for my father in law to call with an Outlook Express problem. So Phil sat down in a local coffee shop with a wireless network and gave me a call. I was all set on my end, with my computer set up as much like has as I could make it and the Windows XP Remote Assistance ready to go. Unfortunately, his computer wouldn't even connect to the wireless network in the coffee shop. It should have -- it could see the network, it could attempt to get an IP address from the DHCP server, but it would just time out. I went through every setting on the box I could think of on the phone -- several of them twice. We had the coffee shop owner reboot the wireless hub/router. But it just wouldn't work. Forty-five minutes later, I had to admit defeat and give Phil the number for Microsoft support along with a special Quick Assistance number so he would get the support call for free.
I haven't been that frustrated since I tried to fix my wife's computer that wouldn't recognize that there was a hard drive installed and I spent 30 minutes trying to fix that.
I'm hoping he calls back and tells me what the heck was wrong.
Comments
- Anonymous
November 28, 2004
I have a lot of these problems with Windows XP not getting an IP address over a wireless network. The only 'fix' I can suggest is to give the client computer a fixed IP address. If you find out why XP has trouble with getting dynamic IP addresses over a wireless network I would be interested in a post to your blog as to what needs to be tweaked to make it work. - Anonymous
November 28, 2004
My experience is that Remote Assistance doesn't work behind NAT. - Anonymous
November 28, 2004
I haven't had that problem. - Anonymous
November 28, 2004
I can beat you all. I have trouble with Windows XP SP2 getting a DHCP address on a wireless network even though it's configured to use a static address. It just doesn't care and tries to get a DHCP address anyway. It normally doesn't happen at startup but after standby, hibernate or trying to reconnect to the network after the connection is lost. - Anonymous
November 28, 2004
Perhaps your subconscience was preventing you from successfully fixing it, knowing that if you did, you could expect plenty more calls from your father-in-law in regards to SMTP settings, firewall issues, etc.. I think you are more clever than you realize ;) - Anonymous
November 28, 2004
Nice psychological insight, Matt, but no go. After 12 years the Son-In-Law Technical Support Center is well established. - Anonymous
November 29, 2004
We haven't heard back from him. Oh, and my wife's computer went kablooey as well -- seems to be something with either the motherboard or BIOS.