Friday, February 19, 2016

Toothpicks

Plugging in... 

No, it's not a post about oral hygiene. But it is about using the wondrous little pick to provide a solution to what would have been an expensive fix.

A 3-year old HP Pavilion laptop developed an interesting problem about a year from purchase. The wired Ethernet port on the side of the laptop was loose. It would allow for the insertion of an Ethernet cable (we tried several different cables), but the weight of the cable just resting on the desk, caused it to regularly lose the internet connection. The light would go off so it was obvious the connection was out before the browser blurted out "no connection" on the screen. If one placed a "bridge" under it the cable near the insertion point, something like a half inch high tile, it would provide some stability. However, if anything moved either the tile, the cable or the laptop, the internet connection would go out... again.

Use wireless, you say? The router was in the basement of this home and the office on the 3rd floor. The HP's wireless component was not strong enough to pick up the signal (iPhones wouldn't pick up the signal either). And no, we didn't try a signal booster...

So, after much frustration from the owner, the Tutor had an idea, garnered from installing lock-sets for doors. The Tutor brought along a lowly wooden toothpick and pressed it into the Ethernet slot along with the Ethernet cable. Voila - a tight fit which didn't budge when jostled by anything.

ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, is it TIGHT, and is it turned on? 

Unplugged

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