routers - ports and messed up puters

[Joey.E.CockersMommy]

OMG I am having major puter problems and software problems

First of all I use a headset for work thats connected to my interenet - so the other day it stopped working and the mute button was stuck on it.

Then it so happens that none of my USB ports work - mouse - printer - camera - everything.

So I get a temporary USB card - my phone seems to work for a bit - then stops working again.

Then we get our mother board replaced - everything works including the phone and mute light on my phone is now working. But I can't hear anyone on my phone - they can hear me but I cant hear them.

So I try my headset on someone elses computer and the light is broken on that computer too - but seems to working on mine now. (even though I cant hear anybody)

Then - the tech at work - says because I have a router I need to open some ports - so I go to www.portforward.com to try and open these ports - and end up totally screwing up the computer - cant get interenet or nothing

- I fixed the interenet problem by putting my IP address back but still dont have email - ARRRGHHHH

[raingirl]

OK. If I were on the phone for tech support for you, first of all I would ask, do you have a virus scanner?? Have you run a full scan. Sounds like a virus to me, or a spyware hijack. Also sounds like someone hacked into your computer and disabled your hardware.

First, run your anti-virus. Then run the free scan at http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

That should get rid 90 to 95% of any bad stuff.

Always do this when you have ANY computer problems.

DId you install anything new in the last few days? Do you have automatic updates for Windows installed? I know a couple of the ones that Windows released in the last few days screwed up some computers. If you installed any of these, uninstall them.

Why did you get a new motherboard?? Did you just transfer all your software over to the new harddrive or keep the same harddrive?

[Joey.E.CockersMommy]

thanks raingirl I am doing the scan right now - I am getting a new headset today - so we are going to try it out.

We had to get a new mother board because none of the USB ports were working - the tech actually came to our house and tested all the ports with some device that checks the power and nothing - thats why we thought the headsets light was staying on because there wasnt enough power to turn it off. We just got the mother board replaced under warrantee yesterday.

I didnt install anything in the past few days - except I tried to open some ports to allow the sound to come in - which didnt work -and I ended up changing Ip address - subnet mask and some other things. The website said dont worry if it doesnt work just change it back. Fine so I change it back the net is working but the emails not. pop error host cannot can be found

I believe we stopped the windows updates because it caused our computer teo crash - we now have a router - and I think its AVG virus scan that scans our computer every few minutes - actually its annoying. I am going to be talking to the tech from work hopefully today when I get my replacement headset - hes the one that told me to open the ports - but its obviousley over my head because now I have messed my my computer and its still not working.

[raingirl]

Ok...

Hmm..Who set up the router? Do you have your ISP info handy? What kind of ISP do you have? Is it a kind where it's always connected, or do you have to enter a username/password?

You can access the internet, but not email. What kind of email program do you use?

AVG is probably the best scanner out there right now, so don't mess with that. And if you got your motherboard replaced (I assume your computer is very new), did you have to reinstall everything or did they just transfer over your old hard drive to the new motherboard (i.e., was everything erased, or was all your stuff still on the computer?)

[Joey.E.CockersMommy]

ah ah see its getting more complicated -

Hmm..Who set up the router? Do you have your ISP info handy? What kind of ISP do you have? Is it a kind where it's always connected, or do you have to enter a username/password?

Hubby set up the router as far as I know. ISP you mean internet service provider its our local cable company -
it is always connected we dont enter a user name or password.

ou can access the internet, but not email. What kind of email program do you use?

the email program I have is outlook express - its set up through my interenet provider shaw cable.

AVG is probably the best scanner out there right now, so don't mess with that. And if you got your motherboard replaced (I assume your computer is very new), did you have to reinstall everything or did they just transfer over your old hard drive to the new motherboard (i.e., was everything erased, or was all your stuff still on the computer?)

everything was still on the computer exactly the way it was before - the only difference is I couldnt hear anything incoming onto my headset - I could hear if I say listened to a song downloaded onto my computer - but I cant hear voices - they can hear me but I cant hear them - I know the phone is able to dial out because I called my cell phone and my work no. showed up on it.

I did just figure out how to add ports to my firewall - but I cant test them until my new headset gets here to try and see if I can hear on it.

[raingirl]

Did you get your email working?

Your ISP should have given you documentation with all your username/password/smtp/pop3 account info. In outlook, go into the account settings and make sure they match. THat's the only way to fix the email.

[Joey.E.CockersMommy]

I did get the email working I had to resort to calling my cable company - also got the ports opened that I needed - that I had to call the tech at work to do.