May 15, 2015
Internet woes and just life
Since we have been home I have found my internet speed rather slow. I have cleaned off my desktop, emptied the trash and the cache. Still slow. Frustrating. Someone suggested that my new MacBook Air was so fast that it made this desktop seem slow. Well that is certainly not the case as I haven’t used the laptop. Other that testing it and being sure I knew how to use it, it has been put away. It’s purpose is for when we travel. Here at home and even on the Isla I will likely use the desktop and this computer has been slow.
So today when our internet Shaw bill arrived I gave them a call and asked if there was a higher speed we could upgrade to. There are in fact 3 higher speeds we can move up to but that wasn’t actually the problem. It stems from when we leave in the fall and I arrange to have our internet put on hold. That way we save $60.00 per month plus taxes. What I discovered today is that over the winter Shaw changed their internet program and what we had been on for close to $60.00/month was now a lower level of speed. Apparently when we were reconnected mid April the system automatically put us at the level that was closest to the price we had been paying which was the lower speed. Their prices had gone up. So now for $10.00 more per month ( $70.00 ) we get unlimited use at double the speed we have right now. It actually will be at a slightly higher speed than what we had before we left for Mexico. Yet there is another problem, it seems that the modem we have is old 😡 We’ve only had it two years but it won’t support the higher speed we require. The good news is that we won’t be charged for a new modem ( only because I suggested they should not charge us ) but we have to pick it up and switch it out on our own. That is fine but now we have to wait until Tuesday as this is a long weekend here in Canada. Poor Colin has been wondering why it has been taking so long to upload his photos to various clients. If I hadn’t called and asked we would still be suffering. I just don’t get why Shaw didn’t communicate these changes to us.
The past few days have been work and work and desk work. Colin has many jobs that need perfect blue sky and sunshine but we are stuck with a mix of sun and clouds. Tough to get all the jobs done. Many are full day shoots and they are starting to back up. Somehow though we still haven’t have time to plant our bedding plants 😕 Always manana he says.
The girls were sniffing something out on our walk this morning. We do some off leash parts as we walk depending on the area. Of course they are leashed when on the roads. Plus they do heed us when we call them albeit sometimes we have to ask a few times. They are stubborn German dogs after all.
Just for Chris, my new specs.
So many lovely public garden areas here in the park.
As well as some interesting private garden displays.
This is the official large enclosed off leash dog area. We have 3 dogs areas in the park and many walkways to explore. The girls however prefer the beach on the Isla, don’t we all.
Just as we are getting back onto the roadway we are waylaid. Turns out it is Hank, long time blog reader who has recently moved here.
This is the first time we have met face to face but we have emailed over the past few years. What a surprise 😛 Even here at Holiday Park I run into blog readers. Sorry about the bad photo Hank but I was shooting into a dark car interior. I’ll do better next time we meet.
Most dogs like to eat and our girls are no exception. Their stomachs know exactly when breakfast is served at 8:00AM. If we aren’t on time, we get yipped at. Same with dinner at 6:00PM. They come together where ever we are and let us know the time. About a year ago when we cut down their portions to keep them thinner, they retaliated by insisting on a midday snack. It used to be at 2PM but recently they have been trying to advance the time. We keep it as close to 1:30PM as we can. They really only get about 15 pieces of kibble but we have tricked them into thinking they are getting more.
We call the game peanut scramble. Each girl’s name is called and a piece of kibble is thrown a distance away for her to run and get her treat. Immediately after the first piece is tossed the other girl’s name is called and she runs to retrieve her snack.
They are getting a small extra bit of kibble but have to work for it. If we can’t do it outside we do it inside, even in the RV if it is raining. We all have a good time.
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I had a similar internet experience with my provider last spring. My internet became slower than slow. NO ONE from there company said anything until I called in a trouble call. Long story short, they were out of the DSL (me) business and they didn’t have an antenna near me to offer me their wireless service. Of course that did not stop them from raising my monthly bill for wireless service.
After it was confirmed they couldn’t do anything for me, due to my location the only other option I had was satellite internet service. After 11 months in all kinds of weather and different storms, I can say I have never been happier with my internet speed and service, after being on the internet since 1995.
Your dog food story sounds familiar. With the time change Sadie started finding me to let me know they wanted to eat earlier. If I am at the computer she will stand by my desk and give me “the stare” until I feed them. If it gets past 1:30, Heidi will start barking as a reminder they need to be fed.
As far as your “peanut game”, I doubt that would work at my house. When food is involved Sadie, the bloodhound, goes unconscious mode and would use her size and weight to get every piece of kibble and wouldn’t care who she ran over in the process….me included.
Amazing how our hounds control us. It is just so wrong how these companies keep taking out money and decreasing their service. I wonder how many folks out there don’t make the trouble call and just keep paying.
You said your *computer* was slow, not your internet. Two different things with different troubleshooting steps! 🙂
I like the specs. They show off your eyes.
Glad you like my new glasses. I will still wear the other two pairs from time to time as my prescription did not change.
I had no reason to suspect the internet as the culprit at first as I was supposed to be functioning as normal for the past few years. When I overload my computer it slows down as well so that is where I started.
Nice that you managed to get a higher speed of internet and that the problem wasn’t your computer. As for the modem, you can’t get it swapped out at no charge if you don’t ask. It never hurts to ask, all they can do is say no!
Ruth
I think they were going to charge me until I said ” I’m sure you won’t be charging me as I was never notified of the changes “. He put me on hold for less than a minute and told me there would be no charge. It never hurts to ask. My father always asked for a seniors discount wherever he shopped and he often did get 10% off.
Nice to get your internet issues resolved, can be frustrating.
I just hate have to be slowed down. Glad I finally got the idea to call them.
There is a website called testmy.net that the satellite internet folks use to check upload and download speeds, they say it’s more accurate than the other test sites. it’s also usable to test any internet connection. Using it can determine whether the problem is with your provider or your equipment.
We use satellite internet on the road and a DSL connection through a small internet provider when at home. I’ve been happy with both. At home I get unlimited internet and I just checked and I got 5 meg download speed, for $34.95/month. I also had the provider install what they call a “dry loop” to replace my standard Bell phone line, and dumped Bell for a VOIP phone through Vonage, it saved me some $$, it started paying back after 7 months and I got away from that “ma Bell” attitude!
If you are close enough to the local phone connection to allow DSL it may be the way to go.
I vaguely recall hearing about a website like that. You always have great ideas Al. That is a great price for your unlimited home internet. We had DSL with Telus but at a much higher cost and always had issues. Other than this slip re speed we are enjoying Shaw.
I’m surprised you still are using your internet satellite dish. Good for you. It was such a big set up for us but it did get us internet way down in Acapulco. We sold it about 3 years ago for less than $50.00. No one was interested.
I just checked my download speed 7.1 mbps and the upload was 518 kbps. Will try it again next week once we set u the new modem.
I get a little crusty when it comes to having to deal with our ISP. They not only do they provide our internet, but our phone and TV as well.
Works well MOST of the time, but if there’s an interruption, I’m on the phone within fairly short order for a reduction for that month’s costs.
We’ve been tempted to jump ship (it’s Cogeco) from time to time, but the service is normally quite good.
Hope it works out for you.
Thanks Bob. We could also use Shaw for TV and phone here but we use their satellite dish for when we travel. We have kept with Telus for telephone because we have had the same business phone number for over 30 years and when we moved to Kelowna from Vancouver we paid for years to have the number forwarded to this number. Eventually we got all of our clients retrained.
I’m glad you resolved your Internet issues. Thanks for sharing lots of lovely photos – you’re looking wonderful in your new glasses! 🙂
Thanks Cheryl. Love my new frames, Colin not so much. He doesn’t like the dark look but I’m the one who had to wear them.
At least when dogs have a set feeding schedule you can plan your life around the breaks that come afterward, lol. My puppy is the same way. Shaw is terrible. I am at least happy Telus is here in BC to be some competition although for us we cannot use their services. Instead, every 6 months I call shaw and tell them I want whatever deal they are offering to new subscribers. If they decline, I say I will go to Telus and then just come back in a year to get the deal, so they might as well just offer me it now and I will stay with them. It works everytime 🙂
How funny. What a great idea playing Shaw against itself 🙂 I’ll have to try that sometime.
The girls are looking great…..a bit slimmer which is far better for the dachsies and their backs. Great game to give them exercise.
It is a constant challenge as you know to keep them slim. We of course are quite concerned especially after they each had a back issue last winter.
Amazing how expensive internet is in the U.S. and Canada. Here in Mexico the national phone company charges 389 pesos ($26) for land line, 100 minutes of national long distance and high speed internet (wifi). You think it would be the other way around. Must be the doings of Carlos Slim.
The park looks nice. Good memories.
Good price for you living in Mexico but we pay 400 pesos for just 3GB of internet. If I were a resident I would get 5 GB. In order to get a land line and those prices you mention we have to pay monthly 🙁