I was at a customer troubleshooting their network when I noticed one of their powerline adapters had no lights showing. After a brief diagnosis, I confirmed it was a dead parrot. I can order some, says I. Can’t wait says customer. Ok, I’ll nip round to the local electrical shop, and off I went. Well, we have got some but they’re on the works van, I was told by the owner of the shop, but they’re not a pair. Are they both the same make? Yes but they’re not a pair. These will only send, you need ones to receive and I ain’t got none in stock.?????? Ooooooohhhhhhhhh kaaaaaaaay, says I, I’ll wait for white van man to turn up and have a looksee.
5 mins later van the man turns up. I inspect goods, that’ll do nicely, says I. Oh no says van man, you need a pair. But there are 2 in the box, looks like a pair to me. Ah well, he says , wait for it…….your gonna love this…..these will only send, you need ones that receive for it to work. After I stifled the laughter building up inside of me I tried to explain to him that they wern’t walkie talkies and they will work fine. Gimme! Yerrrrrrr he says, I’ve set up at least 4 sets of these an I tell ee, they won’t werk unless eee got a pair, see? At which point I gave up trying to explain as I knew this electrician van driver and his boss had absolutely no clue whatsoever, grabbed the goods and scarpered back to the customer. Plugged them in and all was ticketyboo once again in the world of networking.
The point I was trying to get over is that Powerline adapters DON’T send and DON’T receive a signal, they are merely a connector, a bridge if you will, to join a router broadband connection to another part of your house utilising your electrical circuit.
Conclusion:
Electricians don’t know Jack about computers or their accessories and peripherals. If you want your PC fixed, call a geek.
Footnote:
This also can be said of PC World, Currys et al.
Still laughing.
