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February 24, 2007
Keeping the simple things simple
I pride myself on being a little tech whiz when it comes to gear & systems. So when my new broadband and VOIP phone system at home went down yesterday I moved into problem-solving mode. I started troubleshooting the IP address of my wireless card. No luck. In fact, my laptop froze and I had to reboot to bring it out of trying to release/renew the IP settings. I checked my firewall settings. No difference. After spending about half an hour checking my settings to see why things were not working I decided to call my wireless provider to have someone come out to look at it. Before doing that, I decided to check the cable modem box. I noticed a tiny little button on the back of the device called "Reset." So I grabbed the ubiquitous tech tool the push pin, reset the button, and as if by magic the cable modem and VOIP are back online and working perfectly.
This is one of those funny examples to me of making something more complicated than it needs to be. It's a good reminder for me to keep the simple things simple. Those of you who are in GTD Connect might have heard a similar story in the recent interview David did with General Fullhart about training Air Force pilots. He tells the story of teaching pilots to check the obvious stuff first, like 'Is the lightbulb on the dashboard burned out?' before taking the plane down. The solution may be easier than you think.
Posted by Kelly at February 24, 2007 08:37 AM
Comments
I prefer to use a paperclip that has been straightened for two reasons. First, I don't damage the soft plastic (or rubber) of the button itself, and second, I don't run the risk of poking the electronics inside the box if I happen to be poking around in a dark environment.
Posted by: CynicalGeek at February 27, 2007 11:16 AM
Also, remember that the little reset operation restores things to their "factory presets." That's not ALWAYS a good thing. . . don't ask how I know:-/
Posted by: susie at March 3, 2007 09:18 PM
