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Over the winter my battle continued. Peter Bach at
Digital Docs emailed me on Dec. 21:
"Your vendor wants you to send the whole package
back to them so that they can evaluate and troubleshoot. They said
there may be something wrong with the unit. The ticket number is
231689."
Peter had for all intent washed his
hands of my 5MileWifi problem; advised that the problem was in the wifi
system equipment. After three $90 shots with him over the years, I had
reached the end of my rope (and check-book) with Digital Docs as well.
In February I called 5MileWifi, made arrangements to
send the system back for evaluation and repair. On Mar. 1, Yossman
Infante, Sales Support Engineer, wrote:
"We received your 5mileWiFi Marine Surfer kit for
RMA repair service. We notice the antenna cable jacket is broken
right at the edge of the antenna base, but unfortunately once the
base is sealed for outdoor proof it can be repaired. Since your kit
was purchase back 2009 the antenna warranty as well as the 5mileWiFi
upgraded unit. We can repair the 5mileWiFi at no cost but we can[not]
replace the antenna without cost. Nevertheless, we can offer you a
new antenna as replacement a discounted price of $59.99 + shipping
cost. [Total: $69.99]
"Please let us now if you would like us to proceed to fix the unit
5mileWiFi unit and replace the antenna providing us with the payment
information. Feel free to call us at your early convenience."
I authorized repair and replacement. Yossman loved my
bracket system, but suggested that I secure the coax cable to it to
relieve any stress to the cable. When I got the system back, I added a
couple of cotter rings to the halyard brackets then directed and
threaded the coax cable through them (photo top-right).
When I hooked the system up to the laptop
— nothing had changed. The laptop was still
picking up a powerful signal, but still would not connect to the
Internet!
After three strikes, as far as I was concerned Digital
Docs had struck out, so I found another local computer repair
business — "Geeks
In Minutes" in Salem.
It took them less than a day to find the problem
(which Tim, Chris and I suspected was with the laptop, not the 5MileWifi
system). I picked it up today ($150) working perfectly
— there and back at home too.
The problem was in the wireless connections settings;
all that needed to be done was insure that "Obtain an IP address
automatically" was checked in the "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" tab if
the wireless connection — and if not,
simple click on the check box! (See screen shots left and right.)
Chris Jodrey told me to feel free to call if I'm
aboard and it craps out again — a big
advantage over Digital Doc's policy of "Can't do anything until you
bring it in"!
NOTE: 5MileWifi has changed its name to
Shireen Inc., at the
same address in Rockville, MD. The
new adapter that was sent is labeled Shireen. They also returned my
old adapter, which seems to work perfectly, is now available as a
backup. [Adapter
Specs] Shireen Inc., aka 5MileWifi, now calls its product the
"2.4GHz
Marine Surfer Kit".
The final test will come after Chip Ahoy is launched
and I can test the system aboard. The best thing coming from this ordeal
is that I now have someone I can work with, and unlike Digital
Docs and 5MileWife/Shireen, will work with me if and when I need
immediate assistance from some destination port! (Apr. 10, 2013)
More undoubtedly to follow . . . |
