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Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30

1 recommendation

Doctor Olds to JerryC23

Premium Member

to JerryC23

Re: Earthlink is outsourcing the last of it's US techs

said by JerryC23:

Sure - I'll pay the $3.95 per month to suffer thru any help that I need on their Web Mail Site, etc.

Actually - Thanks - I CAN do that until I get the word out at my leazure
That includes standard POP3 access also if you dislike Web Mail Interfaces as much as I do.

I'd rather keep my own email on my PC using a standard POP3 client (Eudora, Outlook, Thunderbird, Netscape Communicator, SeaMonkey Communicator, etc.) versus dealing with a remote server that could not be there when I need it. Did I mention I loathe Web Mail Interfaces?

You can also get to keep 8 email addresses by choosing the EarthLink Experience which comes with 10 hours of dial-up access per month for use if you also have to travel regularly.

Then there is the free EarthLink MailBox with ScamBlocker that works with any email account that uses POP3.

Good luck to you.

Regards,

Doctor Olds

skj
Welcome to the far side of reality
Mod
join:2002-04-04
Gone South

1 recommendation

skj to JerryC23

Mod

to JerryC23
said by JerryC23:

Sure - I'll pay the $3.95 per month to suffer thru any help that I need on their Web Mail Site, etc.

Actually - Thanks - I CAN do that until I get the word out at my leazure
If you pay for a year you can keep the email addresses for $19.92. That's only $1.66 per month.
Windsun
join:2006-09-04
Phoenix, AZ

1 recommendation

Windsun

Member

I have had EL since 2000. But they have gone downhill so much in the past year that I am now looking for alternatives. They were great up until a couple years ago, but then they started outsourcing support, and then about a year ago we started having problems with our connection dropping (and still do - trouble ticket #40 or so open with them now).

I am kind of stuck, because the cable in this area is just as bad or worse. Verizon is supposed to get FIOS here next year, but I might be stuck until then.

CS is getting so bad that when I called yesterday about dropping connection, the guy told me to delete my cookies...

Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30

Doctor Olds

Premium Member

said by Windsun:

about a year ago we started having problems with our connection dropping (and still do - trouble ticket #40 or so open with them now).
[snip]
CS is getting so bad that when I called yesterday about dropping connection, the guy told me to delete my cookies...
Start a new topic and post the Brand/Model of your DSL Modem and the DSL Stats if you know how to get them. We may be able to help.

Regards,

Doctor Olds

TheHelpful1
Premium Member
join:2002-01-11
Upper Marlboro, MD

TheHelpful1 to Windsun

Premium Member

to Windsun
said by Windsun:

I am kind of stuck, because the cable in this area is just as bad or worse. Verizon is supposed to get FIOS here next year, but I might be stuck until then.

CS is getting so bad that when I called yesterday about dropping connection, the guy told me to delete my cookies...
Delete the cookie, I admit I laughed out loud on that one. As far as cable vs fios, I *think* cable is in my area and I'm positive FIOS is (for those who remember my other post). Since I just finished laying cat5e wiring to all the rooms in my house in prep for a 24port switch and with all the rumblings and ups and down at earthlink, the darkside (VZ Fios) is calling - somebody talk me out of it.

With my penchant for having things go bad in the worse possible way in regards to internet connection, an outsourced tech a world away is not all that comforting when the proverbial stink hits the fan.
Windsun
join:2006-09-04
Phoenix, AZ

Windsun

Member

EL has really been falling apart here lately it seems. They have a bunch of DSL FAQ's etc posted on the EL support pages, but many are out of date, and there is nothing about Winddows Vista, and some of the downloads they recommend won't work.

But to be honest, some other corps are not much better - Verizon's "check availability" pages don't work, AT&T's site has tons of broken links.

I am starting to think that things are going out of control.

But overall it is getting pretty frustrating trying to find any IT company that does NOT outsource.
vinnie97
Premium Member
join:2003-12-05
US

vinnie97 to TheHelpful1

Premium Member

to TheHelpful1
said by TheHelpful1:

the darkside (VZ Fios) is calling - somebody talk me out of it.
*beckons you on to join the darkside* *watches from below with his lowly but solid cable modem*
mdreher4
Premium Member
join:2005-01-04
Saint Paul, MN

mdreher4 to Jim Bob Jr

Premium Member

to Jim Bob Jr
When I click on the Earthlink Experience link, it shows $9.95/month?

sashwa
Mod
join:2001-01-29
Alcatraz
446.4 4.0

sashwa

Mod

The Earthlink Experience is $9.95 and is different than the $3.95 service. Doc posted that link further up in the thread:

»EarthLink DSL FAQ »Can I keep my email address after I drop Earthlink?

TheHelpful1
Premium Member
join:2002-01-11
Upper Marlboro, MD

TheHelpful1 to vinnie97

Premium Member

to vinnie97
said by vinnie97:
said by TheHelpful1:

the darkside (VZ Fios) is calling - somebody talk me out of it.
*beckons you on to join the darkside* *watches from below with his lowly but solid cable modem*
Not to go off topic, but if you are on a cable modem, how are you beckoning (calling) me to the darkside? Shouldn't you be "pushing" me to the darkside since FIOS doesnt = cable or did i miss something?
RogerADSL
join:2004-12-10
Lawrenceville, GA

RogerADSL to Jim Bob Jr

Member

to Jim Bob Jr
I found out today the Knowledge base team is gone too! That was a heck of a department back in the day. I guess you'll have to guess what to do about an issue for any new departments, or the marketing team will cobble together an FAQ! hehe Remember the 13 Deadly sin (or how to be like everyone else)? They pulled that off their internal site 2 years ago, I suppose so they could violate all of them!

Catman51
join:2005-07-17
Los Angeles, CA

Catman51 to Jim Bob Jr

Member

to Jim Bob Jr
I switched. Left Elink on for a month, contacted everyone, then dropped them.
After all the lousy support, I did not want to pay them another penny for more of a bad experience.
Windsun
join:2006-09-04
Phoenix, AZ

Windsun to RogerADSL

Member

to RogerADSL
That is probably why none of their FAQ's have ever been updated for Vista.

Unfortunately we won't have FIOS here for about 16 months, so I may have to live with it for now (Cox cable here is rated one of the worst.. my only alternative in this area).

Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30

Doctor Olds

Premium Member

said by Windsun:

That is probably why none of their FAQ's have ever been updated for Vista.
You sure?



Windsun
join:2006-09-04
Phoenix, AZ

Windsun

Member

quote:
.. Are you using the new Microsoft Vista operating system? Click here for help setting up your EarthLink service....
OK, as of this week there is. I lied, so shoot me!

However, I would point out that there they are well hidden, and not in the same section as 95/ME/XP/Mac

I blame the tourists.
RogerADSL
join:2004-12-10
Lawrenceville, GA

RogerADSL to Doctor Olds

Member

to Doctor Olds
I still have a few friends over there..the ones that haven't left yet. The training group is 3 people now. The KB group was as large as 18 at one point. But they are all gone.

Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30

Doctor Olds to Windsun

Premium Member

to Windsun
said by Windsun:

However, I would point out that there they are well hidden, and not in the same section as 95/ME/XP/Mac
I don't know how any of it could be well hidden unless you are looking at the wrong place/wrong page. First of all, we have been talking about the KB (Knowledge Base) and that starting page is located at this address »kb.earthlink.net You will notice that only one (1) Operating System is shown at the KB main page and that is seen in my image capture below.




Regards,

Doctor Olds
Windsun
join:2006-09-04
Phoenix, AZ

Windsun

Member

Ok, find a link for this problem:

Many of the EL instructions start with this:
quote:
In the Address or URL field of your browser, type »172.16.0.254/setup and press the Enter key on your keyboard.
That does not work in my Vista/IE7. I have to use FireFox.

It used to come up, but a while back I called EL support and they walked me through a bunch of changes. However, you stated in another thread that it was setup wrong. Now I am trying to fix it.

In searching the KB, I come up with a link »kb.earthlink.net/case.as ··· cle=3645 to fix it. None of those KB articles address Vista/IE7 that I can find.

Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30

Doctor Olds

Premium Member

said by Windsun:

In searching the KB, I come up with a link »kb.earthlink.net/case.as ··· cle=3645 to fix it.
Does not apply to you as you are getting an IP from the Modem. You are then getting a 400 Browser error.

The 400 error is from your Browser.

»www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc ··· c10.html
quote:
10.4.1 400 Bad Request

The request could not be understood by the server due to malformed syntax. The client SHOULD NOT repeat the request without modifications.
You are unrealistically expecting EL to have a fix for a Vista issue that MS has not even released a fix for yet. Blame MS, not EL.

Regards,

Doctor Olds
Windsun
join:2006-09-04
Phoenix, AZ

Windsun

Member

Then why did it work before I made the changes I was told to make by EL Support?

Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30

Doctor Olds

Premium Member

said by Windsun:

Then why did it work before I made the changes I was told to make by EL Support?
If "it was working" why were you calling EL and making changes to a "working" system?
Windsun
join:2006-09-04
Phoenix, AZ

1 edit

Windsun

Member

Sigh...

I have been calling EL for MONTHS now on the line dropping problem.

2-3 months ago when I called *they told me* to make those changes.

Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30

Doctor Olds

Premium Member

said by Windsun:

Sigh...

I have been calling EL for MONTHS now on the line dropping problem.

2-3 months ago when I called *they told me* to make those changes.
Vista configuration changes have nothing to do with DSL dropping sync which happens even when no PCs are connected. It sounds like you were guessing at the problem instead of diagnosing the problem. Plus it is your PC, and that includes the responsibility to make/take notes so that any changes can be undone if the results are not beneficial or do not perform as expected.
Windsun
join:2006-09-04
Phoenix, AZ

1 edit

Windsun

Member

No, *I* was not guessing at the problem, EL was.

I called them. They instructed me to make those changes.

It sounds to me like you are telling me that I should not have done what EL support told me do to.

I guess my biggest mistake was thinking that EL support knew what they were doing.

Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30

Doctor Olds

Premium Member

said by Windsun:

No, *I* was not guessing at the problem, EL was.

I called them. They instructed me to make those changes.
Based on what you were telling them. Did you ever state that the DSL sync signal was dropping out?
Windsun
join:2006-09-04
Phoenix, AZ

Windsun

Member

Yes I did, numerous times. In exactly those and similar words, something like "my dsl connection keeps dropping and I am getting sync errors"

Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30

Doctor Olds

Premium Member

That is good, but it doesn't remove the fact of it being your responsibility to make/take notes so that any/all Windows Vista system changes can be undone if the results are not beneficial or do not perform as expected.
Windsun
join:2006-09-04
Phoenix, AZ

Windsun

Member

The Computer > Vista > DSL is working. Vista is apparently smart enough to figure it out.

The problem is that none of the setup or tests that are supposed to use the "http://172.16.0.254/***" diagnostics work in IE7. They mostly work in FireFox, except it shows PPOE as failing.
quote:
Test your connection to EarthLink

Test PPPoE server connection : FAIL FIX
Test PPPoE server session : N/A INFO
Test authentication with EarthLink : N/A INFO
Test the assigned IP address : N/A INFO
vinnie97
Premium Member
join:2003-12-05
US

1 recommendation

vinnie97 to TheHelpful1

Premium Member

to TheHelpful1
said by TheHelpful1:

said by vinnie97:
said by TheHelpful1:

the darkside (VZ Fios) is calling - somebody talk me out of it.
*beckons you on to join the darkside* *watches from below with his lowly but solid cable modem*
Not to go off topic, but if you are on a cable modem, how are you beckoning (calling) me to the darkside? Shouldn't you be "pushing" me to the darkside since FIOS doesnt = cable or did i miss something?
Ah, incorrect term usage on my part..."pushing" would be appropriate, just less grandiose-sounding.
dbldbl
join:2006-01-23
Palm Springs, CA

1 edit

dbldbl to Jim Bob Jr

Member

to Jim Bob Jr
I just had a pleasant exchange with the live chat option, regarding billing. Of course, it was the witching hour before we reverted back to standard time (1am-ish).

Back on topic, with the reduction of US based techs, does that mean less to none official EL reps on these boards? That's going to be a strong point for me to consider continuing with EL or jump ship to another.

edited: I think I answered my question by looking around... the last tech hasn't been on here since Aug 07. 3 Cheers for Doc Olds for helping on his own time... am going to start the migration this month.