h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This will probably go down in history as the most boring journal in NaJoPoMo, so feel free to just ignore it.

My old laptop was on its last legs. The battery hadn't worked for ages - I could only work with it plugged in at the mains. The hard drive was full (only small anyway). I had recently managed to get the wireless network to work again, but it only picked up the signal right next to the router and I couldn't use it in another room. it was Linux, which wasn't really a problem. I couldn't connect to the printer or any other computers on the home network, although I could see my computer from them.

So I bought a new one recently. It all worked immediately and I was delighted. But I was downloading some files overnight the other day and the connection cut off. I haven't been able to go online with the wireless connection since. I re-set the laptop to factory settings - I had not saved any files on it and only downloaded Firefox and set a couple of bookmarks, so a fresh start was no great problem.

I checked the password several times - I can get a connection with my mobile phone using the same password, so that wasn't the cause of it. I can get online with a cable connection (no password required for that anyway). I found a menu where I could check the working of the wireless modem (or whatever it's called) and it said it was in perfect working order. But: It keeps telling me I can't make a wireless connection to the router. Next time I look I shall try re-booting the router. I keep forgetting to try that.

This is all very frustrating.

If I manage to get the wireless connection to work again, I would love to get it to connect up to the printer, too, and connect to my husband's computer, where I've got loads of files saved.

It's annoying to have spent a largish amount of money on something and not to be able to use it as you had hoped.

I can't offer much advice, really But I can offer some empathy, as my laptop's recently died. It was gravely ill, but the PC doctor has just pronounced it dead

I'm now on the lookout for one which might last a little longer than the 3-4 year lifespan of my last two laptops

The last one is still good if I don't ask too much of it, and I have had it three years, but it was used when I got it - so it has had a longer life span than that, at least.

It does seem that laptops, especially in constant use, tend to have a fairly short lifespan compared to pc's. I have 2 pc's, 1 is getting on for 17 yrs old, the one I'm currently using is over 12 yrs old. The laptop, which at the time bought, was top of the range etc, (not cheap either) is just over 3 years old and is frankly on its last legs. I think when it comes to replacing it I'll go for a netbook rather than a full blown laptop. Less to go wrong and handy as I get free wi-fi virtually anywhere with my broadband deal. I'll stick to desktop's for main use in future.

Definately re-boot router,also check you haven;t turned the wireless off on your laptop usually cntrl/F5

I love my netbook - but it depends what you want the thing for, I suppose.
Although last year I did write my NaNo novel on it, so using it for that kind of thing is no issue. Mind you, a lot of men I know have really big hands and can't get to grips with the titchy keyboard.

Ctrl-F5 seems to do what F5 does - refresh the page. Well, in the browser, at least. There is another combination with Fn-F5 (Fn is probably a German name for the Windows key - it's next to the one with the Windows logo.) - this does actually control the wireless network. But it's set to "on". So that's not it either.

I had that happen on my MacBook. It was frustrating when it didn't work. I did all those things- rebooting the router, checking the password, and the wireless worked on my phone too, just not on the laptop. The problem was finally fixed when I installed a new hard drive (the old one was full) and reinstalled the operating system.