I picked this hotel specifically because it has high-speed Internet access in every room. That and it wasn't packed with a convention full of Amway Shriner Addicts.
Through the door, magnetic key in mouth, arms full with bags, paper, and pulling another bag, I launch into the room — quickly scanning for Kato, or a would be mugger, assassin, or lost bell hop.
Light check. Bed check. TV check. Window check. Phone check. Internet check.
No internet.
Nadda, nothing. Flat tire.
Frantic, I scanned the note card given to me by the front desk with instructions on connecting. Nothing out of the norm and not that I need it, I'm using a Powerbook after all.
Knowing the chance of anyone at the front desk knowing what a DHCP server was, I dialed a toll free number labeled tech support found on the note-card.
Mentally I traced the call being placed, running through wire and switch, ending in a bottom-floor office, located at the end of a narrow hall with it's only light twitching. A white phone stained by years of plumbing grease and soap flakes comes to life with an awkward series of ring-rings, the line light working just about as good as the hall light.
I expected to hear a recorded voice tell me that I should have called back during normal business hours, but to please leave a message for prompt service on the next business day.
Instead a human answered the phone. Alone with the television turned on but with the sound turned down, I blurted into the phone.
"Hi, I'm Greg, long time user, first time caller."
What seems to be the problem he wanted to know. I started with a history of everything I tried, making sure to leave no detail behind so I wouldn't sound like the idiot in room 309 who was trying to get his new Gateway laptop online so he can make a nightly sales report and exchange pointless joke email with a growing list of annoyed coworkers, friends, and family.
I could hear the tech typing and mummer the words as he read them off the screen.
"Have you tried... "
"Yeah, did that a long time ago."
"Ok" (click, click, mummer, mummer) "Go into this tab and tell me what..."
"Did that too."
At this point that I'm about to hang up knowing this guy obviously doesn't know a thing except what some knowledge base is telling him to do.
I don't understand why they don't publish these things and just give them to the user? I can read just as good (if not better) than the guy on the other end of this phone conversation.
On a commercial airline I am provided complete, easy-to-use directions on how to survive a crash on land or at sea, so why can't these guys just throw a few cave drawings on paper and leave them next to the Gideon Bible?
Bored with the situation I ask where he works, half expecting to hear Oklahoma. I hadn't heard that name in a while so the odds where pretty good.
"I'm in Vancouver."
From that point the discussion changed. We exchanged Vancouver stories and tried a few more potential fixes. Still nothing.
A job ticket is created and I am assured the morning crew will look into the problem. And I can sleep soundly, knowing the problem is in the capable hands of Vancouver. Vancouver will fix it, they will make it better. And if by chance they don't at least I can call my new friends toll-free.
Now I just need to figure out why the hotel has placed a gold sticker on the toilet paper. Not sure if that's part of the mini bar or not.
Join the fray by reading through and commenting at the end.
What?! Internet in your hotel room! You're not supposed to use that! It's a marketing ploy to make it look like business related tasks can be done in the room, but the real kicker is it doesn't work, so you tell the boss, "I couldn't log into the server and do any work". The real bummer is when the internet works and the hot tub is broken.
Find a room in which the connection works, then run a long, taut string from that room to your PowerBook. The thicker, the better. You know the drill. You got your merit badge in string telephony.
Try running through the halls naked while screaming at the top of your lungs. They may not know you need Internet in your room, but by golly they'll pay you attention.
Well, if you had a Windows machine, the first thing they would have asked you before not solving your problem is "Did you re-boot?"
But you have a Mac, and got to skip directly to not having your problem solved. Lucky you.
Are you sure it was an ID-10-T error? ;-)
I live in Vancouver.
I love Vancouver.
Some people have therapy, I have Vancouver.
But, if a youthful, male tech support person told me on the phone that he was in Vancouver. I would tell him to take the burning joint away from his mouth, place back in the ashtray and get me someone in Kuala Lumpur, please.
ummmm -- I have to ask the obvious question. If you can't connect to the internet how did you post this entry :)
Jayme, LOL!
I feel Greg's faith in Vancouver is sorely misplaced. What he really needs is Jason, an 11-year-old who live on my block. That kid is amazing.
Shale, I was able to catch some WiFi time at Starbucks.
We Want You! wardriver
Well, Vancouver sounds like a pretty colorful place from where I'm sitting.
I was at this inn that had no internet connection but allowed you to "dial-up your own" ISP. After hours of being passed around among AOL phone personnel, I got a guy with obvious Indian accent telling me how good AOL is, especially if I forgo the 45 day freebie and sign up NOW. I'm pretty sure AOL is not yet in India, so he was probably putting me on. But, I'm a very patient person so I waded thru his accent and got to try the freebie. I got in, and for 45 days I got free internet. But dial up is a real pain.
i never get internet access in hotel rooms. hm.