Computer problem

[Stan in Oly, WA]

From Thursday through Sunday night my computer ran like it had a terrible problem and I put some time and effort into trying to fix the problem. At the same time, my wife's new tablet, which runs from a Wi-Fi signal from the same Internet Service Provider (the execrable CenturyLink) began experiencing all kinds of problems. The coincidence made us suspect that the problem was external to our computers, but we missed our chance to test it when my wife's bad cold made us cancel on dinner with friends who have different Wi-Fi service.

This morning both the computer and the tablet ran perfectly well again, so it seems fairly certain that the problem was external. Is there a way we could have determined that the problem was not with our equipment without taking the tablet to a different Wi-Fi location? I don't know how to use the tablet, and my wife felt too lousy to go out and find somewhere to try it herself.

Stan

 

[johndeerefan]

It definitely sounds like it was the service line. Mine does that when there is a high traffic volume during peak times.

 

[mkirsch]

How does something run "like it had a terrible problem?"

I work in computers, and descriptions like that are not helpful.

What was it doing? Running slowly? Crunching away on the hard drive? Crashing?

But, if two computers were acting the same way, and it suddenly cleared up on both computers, odds are it was just the service.

There is no way to "prove" it. You can call and complain to the service provider, and they will just tell you that they saw no issues; everything is just fine and has been right along.

 

[wsmm]

If your talking about poor response time while using the Internet, try going to speedtest.net and running their test. It will show upload and download speeds. I would do it a couple of times when your response time is good and record it. Then when your running slow run the test and see what results you get. I currently have Verizon MiFi and especially during the spring, summer and fall months when the tourists come my service gets as bad or worse than dial up. If I could find a better service that was reasonably priced I would switch in a heart beat. I live in Mid-Michigna about 45 miles north of Saginaw near Omer.

 

[Stan in Oly, WA]

People on this site can provide an amazing amount of good information, but it's often a challenge to get an answer to the actual question you asked. Aside from misreading the question, people often answer the question they think you asked, or answer the question they wish you had asked because it's the one they know the answer to. Your own response supports this. You answered the question I asked (Is there a way to tell if the problem is external to the computer?), but not until after noting that I had failed to provide sufficiently technical information for you to be able to diagnose the problem---which in this case would have been superfluous.

I'm not sufficiently computer literate to be able to use the correct terminology easily, but if it was important to do so to get the right answers, I'd take the time to work it out before I posted here.

Thanks for your response. It was helpful.

Stan