Denial of Service

^{Verizon's Novatel MiFi 2200 mobile hotspot}

We've been having problems with our ISP keeping us connected to Qwest (red light on the modem), so today I signed up for Verizon's 5-user home hotspot. A bit dicey to set up on Linux — you need a Mac to install software which will "authenticate" the device.

It turns out our ISP (ABC Solutions in Amana, IA) was blind-sided by a third party who seems to have cut them loose, essentially killing their business and chopping off our internet access without so much as warning or a by your leave. The flood of complaints clogged up our former ISP's voice mail machine, so not only did we have no network, we had no phone to contact them with.

That was the situation until this afternoon, when I got our Verizon MiFi connections up and running. However, the only box in this house that can run Verizon Access Manager is our Apple Macbook; and, of course, that's the only way to check on our gigabytes of usage that we get billed on monthly. Also, the MiFi card has a minimal set of user controls and an even more minimal user's guide, along with a three-volume novel's worth of unanswered questions. Go figure.

We'll have to change our email addresses before the end of February. If you're on my friends list, you'll be getting a change of address notice from me. Meanwhile, ABC Solutions was kind enough to keep our email onboard and limping along for the next month.

It's like seeing your doctor or teacher get run over by a truck. Very unpleasant, since the company closest to hand is the victim one is inclined to blame.