INews Newsletter - May 30, 2001
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* * * I N e w s * * *
A publication of Internet Nebraska, composed and distributed by
* * * manager@inebraska.com * * *
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Volume 4, Number 4 May 30, 2001
Welcome to another issue of INews, Internet Nebraska's customer
newsletter. This monthly newsletter communicates service bulletins,
announcements and other useful information to our customers. Please let
us know what you think of it. Archives of INews are located at
http://www.inebraska.com/inews/
In this issue: Troubleshooting Tips for Cisco 675/678 Routers
Legislation to Ensure Internet Privacy
Online Gaming with the Xbox, Dreamcast, and Gamecube
Weather Forecast Sites on the Web
** Troubleshooting Tips for Cisco 675/678 Routers ***
The promotions for DSL continue, and more people are taking advantage of
the great offers. We thought it might be a good idea to go over some
helpful DSL troubleshooting tips. This information will help you better
understand what is happening with your DSL line. As always, we're ready to
answer any questions or concerns you have regarding your service. For
those of you using Qwest DSL, we'll be doing a story on the Intel Pro/DSL
3200 Modem in the next INews.
POWER CYCLING:
Power cycling (turning the power off and then back on) solves about 90% of
the connection problems we see for DSL, especially if the DSL connection
has worked in the past. So if your connection stops working, the first
thing to try is a power cycle, and you will likely save yourself a phone
call and some valuable time.
To power cycle your router properly, simply unplug the power (marked
"PWR") in the back of the Cisco 675/678 for at least one minute. Leaving
it unplugged for this amount of time allows for routers and other DSL
equipment to see that your line has dropped, and to reset themselves so
they'll be ready to re-make the connection when you turn the router back
on. You may wish to take this time to reboot your computer as well, just
in case the computer is causing the connection problem.
Plug the power back in, wait for 30 to 60 seconds as the router boots up,
then attempt to access the Internet as you would normally. If everything
works correctly, then you're ready to go. If not, further diagnosis and
troubleshooting will be necessary.
CISCO ROUTER 675/678 TROUBLESHOOTING:
Diagnosing the Cisco Router status LEDs (lights) can help you troubleshoot
the problem when you know how to read them. The following is a typical
labeling of the LEDs, their characteristics and function, and likely
problems/causes associated with each:
POWER: The power light is on steadily when connected to an AC power
source. If this light is off or not steady, then there is a problem with
the power. Check to make sure that all the power connections are tight
and correct. Make sure the outlet has power by plugging something else
(like a lamp) into it. If there is power and the power light is not on,
then there is most likely a problem with your router or its power supply.
ALARM: The alarm light indicates there is a hardware problem with the
router or connection. It is normal for the alarm light to be on for a few
seconds after power cycling while the router is performing diagnostic
testing.
WAN LNK: The WAN link light indicates the status of the ADSL
connection to Internet Nebraska and has three major states:
1. SOLID GREEN: The ideal state, indicating that the connection
is ready.
2. BLINKING GREEN: The router is attempting to establish a connection
or "train up".
There are different possible blinking patters, and these patterns are
different on the 675 and the 678. If your router continues to blink after
several minutes, verify that the phone cable is plugged in correctly, that
filters are correctly installed on other phones in the house, and that
there is no filter between the router and the phone jack. If these are
all correct, call the Internet Nebraska help desk for further assistance.
3. DARK (UNLIT): The router connection to Internet Nebraska and
Alltel DSLAM is down.
If the WAN link light is off, try power-cycling the router again. If it
remains dark, there is likely a problem with the router, and you should
contact the Internet Nebraska help desk for further assistance.
LAN LNK: The LAN link light indicates the status of your local area
network (LAN) or the connection from the router to your computer system
and possesses two major states:
1. SOLID GREEN: The router detects that the connection to the hub or
network card is powered up and ready.
2. DARK (UNLIT): The router detects that the connection between the
router and the computer system is down, probably due to
a hardware problem such as the network card, cable,
hub, or lack of power.
WAN ACT: The WAN activity light will blink whenever there is any data
passing between your router and Internet Nebraska.
LAN ACT: The LAN activity light will blink whenever there is any data
passing between your router and your computer's network.
CALLING THE INTERNET NEBRASKA HELP DESK:
If any problem persists, call the Internet Nebraska Help Desk at (402)
434-8680 from the Lincoln area, (402) 371-6897 from the Norfolk area, and
our toll-free number (888) 293-3426 from elsewhere. Please have ready
whatever information you can get, such as any error messages and the
status of the router lights, and be within arm's reach of both the
computer and the ADSL router when you call. This will help us to help
you.
*** Reminder from the Accounting Dept ***
Our accounting folks would like to remind you that our EFT promotion is
on-going. Sign up to pay via the EFT (direct checking withdrawal) program
and you could win a free month of service! Details about the program and
the form can be found at http://www.inebraska.com/eft.html , or feel free
to give our helpdesk a call. April's winner was Michelle S. of Lincoln,
and May's winner will be picked tomorrow, so get your EFT forms in today!
*** Schaefer's TV & Appliance Center - Advertisement ***
Schaefer's is an independently owned and
operated television, appliance, and home
theater retailer in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Born out of a small corner drugstore four
decades ago, Schaefer's TV & Appliance is a
22,000 square-foot "superstore" today,
specializing in commercial/professional-grade
appliances, whole house sound systems, home
theater and central vacuum systems. The
success of Schaefer's is key to repeat
business. If a customer happens to have a
problem with a product, Schaefer's will bend
over backwards to get it solved. Our service
center is the largest in the city, and has been
voted Lincoln's #1 servicer for 10 years in a
row! A knowledgeable sales staff, express
delivery, easy financing, and our customer
service representatives are just a few of the
ways in which we at Schaefer's distinguish
ourselves from the rest. Stop by our showroom
at 48th and R in Lincoln, or call us at and see
for yourself.
-- http://www.schaeferstv.com/index2.htm
*** Legislation to Ensure Internet Privacy ***
The Internet is a vast network of connected computers that millions of
people use for business, school, and entertainment everyday. When all we
did on the Web was browse for fun or do a little research, this
expansiveness afforded us a sense of privacy -- sometimes justified,
sometimes not. However, as we've come to use the Net in ways that involve
our giving out highly sensitive, private information for things like loan
applications, tax filings, and health matters, we have created in
"cyberspace" an ever-growing pool of information about ourselves. Many
companies and government agencies assure us that their servers are secure
and that they would never disclose any information we submit to them.
The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act ( http://www.sia.com/gramm_leach_bliley ) went
into effect November of 2000. This piece of legislation allows banks,
brokerage houses, and insurance companies under the same roof to share
customer information. This act also allows companies to share this same
information with third parties, provided that the company notifies its
customers how the confidential information will be used, and allows them
to opt-out. Companies have been granted an extension until July, 2001, to
be in compliance with the new rules. Privacy advocates argue that the act
has several loopholes and does very little in the way of protecting online
transfer of information. The Privacy Foundation
( http://www.privacyfoundation.org ) further states that these loopholes
will create an increase in complaints from customers regarding the misuse
of personal information by financial institutions.
As concerns mount from consumer groups, and as privacy advocates and other
organizations call for action regarding the protection of confidential
information, the U.S. Senate introduced the Privacy Commission Bill. The
bill, introduced on May 9, 2001, by Sen. Governmental Affairs Committee
Chairman Fred Thompson, (R-TN) and Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI) will establish a
privacy commission to study ways that the federal, state and local
governments collect and use personal information. Bill S. 851 is named
the Citizens' Privacy Commission Act, and has been co-sponsored by several
senators.
This legislation would allow the 11-member commission to investigate many
different privacy issues, including FBI e-mail interception, data security
at the IRS, agency Web-site privacy, and other laws concerning government
privacy practices. Sen. Thompson issued a statement saying, "As we
consider federal privacy guidelines for the private sector, the government
should follow the highest privacy standards and demonstrate not only that
they are preferable, but that they work." Kohl said, "This legislation
would create a commission to examine how the various levels of government
collect, use and share information about citizens." Kohl continued by
stating Congress should pass "reasonable and thoughtful privacy
legislation, and this bill is a sensible first step in that process."
A House bill is also coming through the subcommittee process that would
establish a commission to study whether any kind of congressional action
on privacy is needed at all. This bill sponsored by Reps. Asa Hutchinson
(R-AK) and James Moran (D-VA) has been criticized by some consumer privacy
advocates as a pro-business bill that would stall the adoption of good
consumer privacy laws.
"The loss of privacy is the No. 1 fear of Americans," IRS deputy privacy
advocate Charlene Thomas stated to a summit for government workers. "It
outranks nuclear holocaust in surveys." As amazing as this may seem, a
recently released survey by Pew Internet & American Life Project
( http://www.pewinternet.org ) shows a growing distrust for the new
electronic world of quick-merging databases, electronic surveillance and
rapid fire financial transactions moving across an inherently insecure
network.
What does all this mean to the average person logging on to the Internet?
As databases grow and the information age continues to mature, new steps
will need taken to secure privacy by companies and individuals. Some
forecast Orwellian societies where every piece of e-mail and every
conversation is recorded and processed. Others say as we grow into this
new era of easily accessible data, people will be better served by such
marvelous information availability. If you feel strongly either way,
contact your local, state and federal representatives and let them know
it.
*** The Capital Soccer Association - Advertisement ***
Capital Soccer Association specializes in
teaching soccer. However we recognize that
soccer, or any other youth sport is merely
one tool in the development of a young
child. Teamwork and sportsmanship through
knowledge and proficiency of the game are
our main goals.
-- http://www.capitalsoccer.com/
*** Online Gaming with the Xbox, Dreamcast, and Gamecube ***
Have you been wanting to do some online gaming with a PC that doesn't meet
the high system requirements of today's games? If you have a PC that is
more than two years old, it's likely that you will run into some problems.
So, what are some alternatives to spending $2000 dollars on a new,
top-of-the-line PC for your online gaming fix? New gaming consoles are
coming with the ability to play games online, providing multi-player
action that was previously available only in games for the PC.
One of the first online-capable systems available was the Sega Dreamcast.
Although the Dreamcast didn't catch on as well as Sega had hoped and is
no longer in production, they're still on the shelves and selling for under
$100. For that price, the Dreamcast comes with a 56K modem and one
controller, but no games. Dreamcast games cost anywhere between $10 and $50,
and many are designed to work online, where many other Dreamcast players
are indeed playing. The Dreamcast works great with an Internet Nebraska
dial-up connection, but isn't usable with DSL.
On November 8 of this year, Microsoft will launch their much anticipated
X-Box gaming console. It is priced at $299 and comes Broadband ready, so
you can hook it up to your existing Internet Nebraska DSL connection.
Right now, it looks like the X-Box will have even more online games
available than the Dreamcast, most of which are popular PC games, making
the X-Box a great alternative to dropping a couple grand on a new PC.
The X-Box will have several online games available at its launch, such as
Unreal Tournament.
Nintendo's GameCube system will be released on November 5th, three days
before X-Box, for $199. It will not ship with any sort of online
capability, but Conexant is working on a 56K modem/broadband adapter
package for the GameCube that can be purchased separately. At present,
the only online title that has been announced for GameCube is Phantasy
Star Online, ver 2, which will also be available for the Dreamcast.
If you already have a Playstation 2, there will soon be a 56K modem and
broadband adapter released for the system, and you'll be able to get
online through your dial-up or DSL connection. There are some big online
games in the works for the Playstation 2, and these will be released after
the Internet access hardware is available. Sony estimates that there will
be a total of 280 games available for their Playstation 2 system by the
end of the year.
*** Weather Forecast Sites on the Web ***
With summer approaching quickly, many of us will be planning some sort of
summer vacation, a holiday trip, or even a weekend getaway. There's
nothing worse than setting out on the trip or getting to your destination,
only to find that the weather has other plans for you.
The idea of finding local weather forecasts when you want them, any hour of
the day would have seemed far-fetched just a few years ago. Instead, you
waited for your local television or radio station to do their
hourly updates or daily weather report, or you read a summary in the
newspaper. Finding the weather forecast for another part of the country
was a real chore, sometimes not even possible without calling someone in
that area.
The Internet has changed all that.
There are many great Internet sites you can visit to find this
information. Some are simple and quick, showing you just the information
you need to know about the weather, while others are more in-depth,
providing enough information to satisfy even the most knowledgeable weather
expert.
Here are just a few of those sites you can find online:
Intellicast
http://www.intellicast.com -- Lots of stuff here, including maps with
current weather and radar imaging.
National Weather Service
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/wxdata/radar.html -- Point and click on the
area you'd like to view and this page takes you to the current radar!
Unisys Weather
http://weather.unisys.com -- More weather information than most of us even
want to know!
Storm Prediction Center
http://www.spc.noaa.gov -- Shows areas that are more likely to have severe
weather soon.
The Weather Channel
http://www.weather.com -- Online version of the popular TV weather network.
The Weather Underground
http://www.wunderground.com -- One of the first weather information services
on the Internet, still one of the best.
Many of these sites simply require your zip code or the city you live in to
give you everything you need. Others even allow you to simply click on
their map to view local weather conditions and information.
One site of additional interest is Weather Bug at http://www.weatherbug.com
The weatherbug software puts a little icon on your Windows taskbar that
always shows you the current temperature and weather, with detailed weather
and forecasts just a click away. Neat!
*** Mr. Internet ***
Q: I used to like Infoseek because after I conducted an initial search I
could search within that search to further narrow it down. Are there any
other search engines that provide this feature?
A: Yes, there are many. Google.com allows you to search within search
results. To do this, just log on to google.com and do a search. At the
bottom of the results page, there will be a text-entry field to search
again, and the "Google Search" button. Next to that button, there is a
link that says "Search within results". When you click there, it will
bring up another page for you to enter a keyword to search for within the
initial results.
Another search engine that allows you to do this is Altavista.com, and it
is pretty much the same as Google's. When you do the initial search, you
will find a text-entry field at the bottom to search again. Underneath
that field, there is a check box that says "Search within these results".
If you check that box, then put something into that text-entry field, and
hit search, it will look for that keyword within the initial results.
Mr. Internet is a regular feature of the INews, and he welcomes questions
of any kind. Just mail them to mrinternet@inebraska.com, and he'll answer
one or two each issue. Those he doesn't use will not necessarily be
answered, and you should still use 'manager' and 'accounts' for regular
business.
*** Advertise on Our Home Pages ***
What better way to advertise your business than on a Web page that is seen
tens of thousands of time every month? None, if you're paying as little
as we charge for it!
We are now offering banner advertising that rotates on all our pages
which is priced based on the number of impressions (viewings) per month.
Your banner can reach thousands of Nebraska residents, and this is a
unique way to advertise your Nebraska business to residents in the area.
Prices for banner advertisement can be found at:
http://www.inebraska.com/ad.html
We will also be selling links from our main page. Please contact
manager@inebraska.com, or give us a give us a call at our office,
402-434-8680, and ask how you can reserve banner spots on some of the
hottest URL's in the state. The advertisers in this issue did, and we
recommend them highly.