Simple question, simple answer. The ISP will almost always blame everything except their end. This is because they have no idea what the problem really is, or know there is a problem and are waiting for someone to fix it. It almost seems like company policy to blame everyone else, even if it is obviously their problem. (Cox gives a discount for each day of use where a customer had to use Cox techs to fix a Cox problem.)
It is either a hardware (their hardware/cables/etc.!) or software (also at their end) problem. I've found that most of this type of problem are software related. Every time their software is down due to a crash, routine maintenance, updating, virus purging, etc. it will forget or scramble some customer IP addresses. After a bit, either the software will realize the problem and correct it or (more often!) the complaints will finally reach some tech who actually knows how to reenter the IP into the system. I've had Cox swear that there was a problem at my end during a tech line call and yet 15 minutes later I'd see the "Data" light flash a few times and "my equipment" (I could have sworn that the modem and lines to their office were theirs!) will suddenly start working like nothing was ever wrong. This is without me doing anything to my computers. I find it amazing that the tech will sometimes fix something while I have him (or her) on the telephone and make everything work while insisting that it is a problem in my equipment. I usually ask them what would cause all of my Macs (I have a bunch networked together to share the modem.) to have exactly the same problem at the same time and all start working properly again at the same time? I had one tell me one day that he had accessed my computer remotely using the software that Cox installed when I connected to their service and had fixed the problem in my computer for me. (Huh? Software? Installed in my Macs by a cable tech? NO WAY! They don't touch my equipment and Cox doesn't require any software install unless they are putting an ethernet card in a PC.) I've also never gotten an apology for the inconvenience from any tech. (That would admit a possible error at their end I guess.) David Allen -- PCI-PowerMacs is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- Sonnet & PowerLogix Upgrades - start at $169 | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> PCI-PowerMacs list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/pci-powermacs.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive:<http://www.mail-archive.com/pci-powermacs%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
