Last night I decided to finally set up my wireless connection. I had failed about 2 months ago when I bought my routeur and tried for the first time, and I decided to give it one more shot...this time, a real one, where I'd try everything. I spent 2 hours last night messing with the IP addresses, DNS servers, subnet masks and so on rather than enjoying a beer with my friends. After 2 hours of failed attempts, I gave up and decided to go back to my good ol' wire. I went to bed with a feeling of failure and being worthless. But it all changed today afternoon, when I received a phone call from my russian coworker who helped me with setting my internet account 6 months ago. She asked me if I did anything last night with my internet connection. Ashamed, but honest, I confessed I tried to set up the wireless connection with no success...she answered: "Well, your service provider is looking for you because last night, you broke the internet connection for your whole district and they want to charge you for the damage you created. There are still apartments without internet connection because of you...there is someone wanting to meet you at your place in 30 minutes."
I went back to my place. The cable guy was there and came in my place to set up my internet connection, and charged me 600 roubles before going fixing the internet connection at each of my neighbors, to whom I would like to apologize in this blog which I now write wirelessly.
Sorry neighbors. Thanks for the good story though. Now, if anybody can tell me how messing with my own IP address can cause failure of internet at the district's level, I am curious to hear the explanation. I am not satisfied this time with the traditional "because it's Russia".
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12 comments:
That's rather impressive. I'm not entirely sure how you could have done that, perhaps something to do with the subnet mask, or maybe in changing your IP address you managed to change it to addresses already in use by other people. Strange.
Does it sound any better when I say "Потому что это будет Россией." I didn't think so. T&A - your fellow confused but amused ex-pats
Is it because you are Belgian?
Usually, you see that kind of stuff done in movies by a cool, handsome, genius but broke hacker who wants to steal millions of dollars in the highest security facility nearby. Under other circumstances, you could have been a hero!
Are you suggesting Bruno is not cool, handsome or a genius?
Well, in the most recent movie I remember, the guy almost triggered a nuclear war inadvertently between Russia and U.S while playing a silly computer game from his room. He looked quite nerdy, but if I remember well, he gets a girlfriend in the movie while saving the world. So... what do I get from saving a block from internet blackout? (wait... I did the blackout...OK, nevermind... no girl for me I guess).
Russian cinemas are showing War Games? Fantastic. You're going to love next year, when 3 unemployed professors set up a ghost removal service.
Yes, War Games, this is it! I really loved it, particularly the extended director's version that I never saw before coming here. We see how Matthew Broderick actually fails to break the code and triggers a nuclear war that wipes the U.S off the map. Chilling...
Well, I guess it comes down to which type of hacker you are. I'll let you answer:
cool hacker
or
Nerd hacker
Bruno, hope you are doing well in Russia. Sounds like you are having lots of fun. Your blogs makes me laugh. Thanks for keeping it updated to let us know how you are doing. Also, Abbie misses you! :o) Let us know when you are in Houston. We would love to see you so as our little one year old, Alexandre!
Michelle, Etienne, Alex, Abbie
Michelle,
Good to hear from you! Tell Abbie that she has to learn to handle this long distance relationship...I have the feeling she took our little week end together much more seriously than I ever did. i kind of felt that already when she could not stand me closing the door of my bathroom and was crying on the other side. Makes me wonder if I'll ever dog sit again.
Tell Alexandre that Russia rocks and he should plan to come for a visit as soon as he can walk (can he?)
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