I turned on my computer this morning and had no internet connection but my modem box looked fine. I tried the troubleshooter and it said I had no valid IP Address or something like that and some stuff about my adapter (which I've long thought was a problem when I was having those BSOD's). Anyway, I plugged my ethernet cable into a different slot on the modem box and I'm okay - for the time being at least. Any thoughts on this issue?

I do have one crazy thought of my own. I ticked the AT&T Chat line off a few weeks ago. I tried to use it again yesterday and they apparently disconnected from me. Then this. I think AT&T hates me!

Heck, I KNOW AT&T hates me! They have the worst customer service ever.

Anyway, you did exactly the right thing. You have an ethernet "controller" on your motherboard. That is the port that you connect your ethernet cable to. To see if there are any issues with the ethernet on your computer, you can check the Device Manager by right clicking on the white Windows icon.

It looks fine in Device Manager but maybe because it is working now. I tried to find it before (when I had no connection) and couldn't remember where to look. I'm just wondering if I'll have a connection tomorrow or if shutting down my computer is going to do something.

What is their Chat line anyway? Is it a somebody or just AI or what? I still have no phone because I don't want to call. I thought I might be able to get help from the chat line but...

From my experience, you start out with AI which sorts out what you need. At that point, you are referred to a human customer service rep.

This is so frustrating. When I tried to get help on the chat line for my phone which hasn't worked for a month, I ended up losing my IP address as stated above. So today I called and they just try to direct you to the on-line support. I managed to get them to say they were connecting me to a representative but apparently they disconnected me instead. I had an open (silent) line with them for about 12 minutes and then the call ended itself. Had to call back and finally it is fixed after about another 20 minutes on the phone. I could just barely understand the person I spoke with and couldn't get his name but he was at least helpful and friendly. I sure hope this is not an ongoing issue.

I'd have lost it long before you did! Kudos to you on your relative patience! That's my issue with me trying to understand someone with a heavy accent... I'm fine if it's in person because I can lip read. But over a phone? Forget it. To be honest, once I had the most lovely helpful person from the deep South and I couldn't understand her either!

Did they tell you what was wrong?

No. I just assume the phone has to be handled separately if the fiber goes out???

And, I do have trouble understanding speech sometimes, not just people with accents. My ears just don't get some things, even face to face.

Yup... same here. It's why I finally got hearing aids. What makes it bad is I only have hearing in one ear. Measles when I was little caused auditory nerve damage. This was way before the measles vaccine.

I can hear okay unless you're talking in a different direction than where I am. I just can't always comprehend what I'm hearing. Certain words especially if I'm not familiar with them (like some names), or maybe a word that sounds like another word and I'm not sure which word you said which might have me asking you to spell it for me.

That a classic definition of hearing loss!

Well, this has been an issue all my life as far as I can remember but I did great with those hearing tests they used to give in school, so I don't believe it has to do with hearing loss.