Internet Malfunction

I tried to get online yesterday and was denied access to my online account. It started to connect then to authenticate then an error box pops up stating that access has been denied. Oh, this is great. I have homework to do for both online classes and needed to type on my blog. I have seen this error before when I hadn’t paid my bill and my service was suspended. So, we get other things accomplished around the house and head to town. I have other things to get down while I am out so I decide to pay my bill while I am at it. Now the bill is paid, I have my diet coke and my Government book open so now I can begin my homework. Connect, Authenticating, Access denied. Well crap, so now I call tech support. I will not say any names but the first man I spoke with, I will call him C, was not very bright in my opinion. He had my shut off my internet card and computer then restart. When this did not work, he kept repeating phrases such as “Well, I am not sure”. “It should have worked”, “Um, I am not sure what to do”. I sat there patiently trying to wait for him to say something intelligent such as “Let me get a supervisor or someone who might have a clue with what’s going on” however the call gets disconnected. So, I call back and speak with M. He actually has me run through a couple of programs and has me reinstall the card. Still no luck though, I am unable to find a certain number he needs so he says I need a new card and better luck next time. My husband decided he was going to play around with the card and see if he could find this number and low and behold he finds the missing number! So this initiates my third call to tech support. This time I get G, he is pretty good too. We go through some similar steps that I have been through before but also some new. After 30 minutes it is decided that it is my computer and not the internet. This is something he cannot fix so the call is disconnected. I am pretty frustrated at this point because I have spent 90 minutes trying to fix something that is still not fixed. So my husband is still messing around with the card and he tells me that maybe I should call Compaq next as that is who the computer was made by. So, I sit down, pull up my computers information and dial the phone. I go through several prompts and wait on hold for about 10 minutes before I look up at my husband. He has a sheepish look on his face and says, “honey, you can hang up the phone now.” So I hang up the phone and ask him why. He shows me the broken internet card.” I guess I got a little rough with it” he says. I laugh at this point, it’s almost a hysterical laugh in which you almost start crying. We finally find a missing number that we haven’t had for months and I think I am starting to make process then the real problem hits. No internet card. So now my online work will be done at my in-laws until my new card arrives. On the bright side my bill is ahead as it wasn’t behind to begin with and my kids get to spend some quality time with their grandparents.