I has high-speed Internetz.

I can has wireless connexion?

Well, the saga is almost over (I hope). The short version of the story was that the cable modem that was installed Saturday was a "used" modem, and whoever used it before it got to my house damaged it so much as to make it worthless. (I couldn't connect to the Internet not because the LAN port on my computer was broken, but because the LAN port on the cable modem was irreparably damaged.)

Of course, I did not check that, assuming in my innocent, "people are good and responsible" attitude, that the cable company would never send out a modem without testing or at least inspecting it first.

Well, live and learn. Except I'm $85 poorer (diagnostics on computer to ensure LAN port and the various cards were working, plus a scan and clean) thanks to the blaseness of my cable company as regards making sure their equipment's working before they send it out.

When I finally noticed the damaged port (after some prompting from the ONLY helpful person I've dealt with through my cable company - and this is after dealing with about 6 people either in person or on the phone), I took it in. They apologized, and exchanged it for a NEW (and by new I mean NEW, I'm the first one to use it) cable modem - and they gave me a better quality one than the original one I had. (well, better quality even had the original one been working).

I set it up and got it working on the first try. I've set up the router but I'm a little gunshy about making a wireless connection. Supposedly it's easy, but also the first modem I got supposedly worked.

I may try tomorrow. I don't know. Or I may hire a tech (more money, sigh) to do it for me. (No. I don't know anyone among my friends with the knowledge and the willingness to do it for free.)

But, you know, I'm still really ticked at the cable company - I'm not a computer tech but the second I saw the pins in the LAN connection, I knew it was broken - they were all bent and overlapping each other. It was almost as if the last user of the modem deliberately screwed up the pins, just to be mean to the next poor sap who got it.

(And still: I think the cable company should bother to test stuff like that.)

But, whatever. Right now I'm sitting in my hall with the laptop on, well, my lap. The tangle of cords won't quite stretch into my guest room (which is why I need to make a wireless connection eventually).

What an amazingly exhausting and pointless exercise. I guess I'll keep in mind that any "loaner" or "rental" equipment I ever get from anywhere ever again, I'll check it before it's set up.