new modem, but at least one last frustration

I got a call from the field tech this morning. I confirmed that I was not at home. He asked if he was installing the new wifi modem-router. I told him no. I would do it. I asked him to just drop it off at the house. He said he would.

Guess what? He did. The correct address actually was applied. I open up the box. Wow! How very modern. I do not like the aesthetics of this new unit. Plus, it is massive. Should it not be smaller than a twenty year old modem? Anyway. I follow the instructions. Both hardwired computers are connected. Woo-hoo!

I login to the modem. At least I think I do. I can see basic information, but when I click to do anything, it asks for the administrative password. I use the one that the tech yesterday told me to use; no-go. I use the password for the preconfigured wifi; no-go.

I then run through a series of passwords that at one time or another have been involved with Bell Sympatico. None of them work. I try "admin", with and without caps, no-go. I try leaving it blank, no-go.

I call Bell Sympatico. They tell me I am not even connected to the interweb. Well, I am pretty sure I am as I can actually surf. I explain that I actually want to log in to the modem, in order to change the wifi information. Well, a bunch of blah, blah, blah. I am pissed off at this point too and let them know, in no uncertain terms. My call is escalated. I curse. I am hopping mad.

A bunch of apologies and being put on hold. The "escalation tech" is trying to figure out why I am not online. I tell him I am, as I can see the WWW. Anyway, while he is trying to solve a problem I do not have, I explain what I really want fixed. I tell him what I have tried, as per another tech. I also explain that i have tried a bunch of other passwords. He says to try "admin". I tell him I already did (more than once), but I will try it again. Lo and behold! It works!!

Okay, something fishy is going on, but I do not care. I can log in to the modem and change stuff. I change the wifi SSID and password. I change the administrative password to log in to the modem in the first place. I am happy enough with this huge wifi modem-router. However, I can tell you that this saga is probably not over from some of the messages I received while setting the unit up in the first place. But that is a story for another time. I am all tuckered out from all this run-around and horse crap. blbbl