Kevin Standlee (kevin_standlee) wrote,
Kevin Standlee
kevin_standlee

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I Can Haz Home Network

Today's first task was to get the home network running with more than just the one PC plugged directly into the DSL modem. We have a nice Cisco router that we'd previously used with the DSL connection in Mehama, and I thought it would be easy to get it running so that we could have proper home networking.

But it wasn't. The only thing that seemed to work was having one machine plugged directly into the DSL modem. Every other possible combination failed to connect. Everything I'd ever done in the past failed. Finally, I gave in to Lisa's entreaties for me to call AT&T tech service. To my surprise, they not only didn't try to fob me off by saying, "You're connecting non-AT&T equipment to an AT&T box, so we can't help you," they were very helpful and we got the problem fixed right away. What had to be done was to tell the AT&T DSL modem to act as a bridge rather than having it log in directly, and then everything I have on the router to log in to our AT&T DSL account would work. And it did. Now we're fine — we have both our computers on the network now, and Lisa will eventually be able to run Cat 6 cable all around the house to wherever we want to have Ethernet outlets. For now, we have a temporary office set up in the living room.

After spending an hour or so resolving the network issues, we headed in to Reno for a grocery shopping expedition, although we first stopped at the Nugget for a lunch of shrimp pan roast. (I don't know if we'll ever get tired of pan roast, but we'll keep eating it until we do.) Then it was down to the Grocery Outlet that you could see from the skywalk between the Atlantis and the Convention Center during Renovation, and after a brief stop at the Atlantis to "tag in" on my club card there, we went up to Winco for a larger shopping trip. These trips were mostly for non-perishable goods as we start to stock the house, but also included some of the Dave's Killer Bread. (They do carry it at Winco, but unfortunately not the variety that Lisa likes the most. If I'd been thinking better, I would have asked at the Customer Service desk to see if they might be able to put in a request for it.)

Then it was out to Target, which is where the only Chase ATM in northern Nevada appears to be. Lisa's bank account is with Chase (ex-WaMu), and the only place she can get cash without a fee is at that ATM at the Target. And it's a withdrawal-only ATM to boot, so if we need to deposit a check to the account, it will have to be done by postal mail, I guess.

Mopping up the afternoon, we swung over to Summit Auto Parts' west coast regional distribution and retail center, where Lisa has purchased things before. Indeed, we've had to have parts overnighted to her from here on numerous occasions. Now we shouldn't have to pay for overnight shipping anymore: this place is open every day until 9 PM, which is good news.

Finally, we confirmed where the Grainger outlet was (it's down a side street near Summit). We're considering buying a good-quality hand truck from them; not the cheap pot-metal ones you can get at Lowe's, but more more like the excellent convertible ones LASFS has. In retrospect, we should have bought one a couple of months ago. It would have saved $50 in hand-truck rental fees from Budget, and would have done a better job, especially as we would have gotten one with a "box bar" for shifting boxes better than the furniture-moving hand trucks do.
Tags: fernley, lisa
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