Month: May 2006

I went to setup my Linksys NR041 router with dynamic DNS through DynDNS, which is a free service. But on the options page of the router there was only the option to use TZO, which is ridiculous because it is a subscription service for a market where there is a free alternative.

So I contact Linksys tech support for a firmware update. To their credit, I got someone on the line right away. But it seems like your only alternative is to junk the router that doesn’t support DynDNS.

Rachel (18676): Hi, my name is Rachel (18676). How may I help you?
Rachel (18676): Hello.
Kevin: hi, I have a linksys nr041 and want to use dynamic dns with a provider other than TZO
Kevin: In particular, I want to use dyndns.org
Rachel (18676): Is this working before?
Kevin: what do you mean?
Rachel (18676): Is this the first time you will use the dyndns?
Kevin: um well yeah with this router but I don’t see the relevance. On the configuration page the only option is to use TZO, which is a pay service. I should have the option of choosing the service to use, should I not? So my question is really how to I select an option other than TZO?
Rachel (18676): May I put you on hold for 5 minutes, so that I can verify this concern?

Kevin: ok
Rachel (18676): Thanks.
Kevin: DDNS (Dynamic DNS) allows assigning a domain name to a dynamic WAN IP address, making it easier to host Web, FTP, or other servers.
The Dynamic DNS service is powered by TZO.com.
Rachel (18676): Okay.
Rachel (18676): On which tab on the setup page are you seeing the TZO option?
Kevin: Under advanced options, DDNS
Rachel (18676): Okay.
Rachel (18676): One moment please.
Rachel (18676): Under the DDNS tab what are the options that you can see there?
Kevin: DDNS Service:
Enable Disable
To use the Dynamic DNS Services, please sign up for a free 30 day trial
To order the TZO service, click here
To manage your domain name and related services: Controlpanel.tzo.com
Kevin: The rest are the login / pass for TZO.com. Except that I want to use a dynamic dns provider other than TZO.com
Kevin: Other routers let you choose what provider you want to use
Rachel (18676): So, you want to use dyndns.org instead of TZO?
Kevin: yup
Rachel (18676): I see.
Rachel (18676): I believe you can choose “Dynamic DNS Services” to use dyndns.org.
Kevin: where is that/
Kevin: Are you referring to the line of text:
Kevin: To use the Dynamic DNS Services, please sign up for a free 30 day trial
Kevin: please sign up is hyperlinked
Rachel (18676): Yes.
Rachel (18676): If you click that what happened?
Kevin: Goes here:
Kevin: https://www.tzo.com/cgi-bin/Portal.cgi?PortalID=Linksys&/
Kevin: obviously I’m not going to be able to use dyndns from tzo.com 🙁
Rachel (18676): So, it is still TZO.com?
Kevin: yeah
Rachel (18676): Okay.
Rachel (18676): One moment please.
Rachel (18676): Kevin, I have verified this one already if the only option on the router for Dynamic DNS is TZO only, that is the only thing that you cannot use. The NR041 has no option to use dyndns.org.
Kevin: Hmm…. what should I buy then? Do all Linksys routers only support TZO.com for Dynamic DNS?
Rachel (18676): You can use a BEFSR41 v4.
Rachel (18676): It has an option for dyndns.org and TZO.com.
Kevin: hmm ok do you have the webpage for that?
Rachel (18676): Do you mean the setup page of the BEFSR41?
Kevin: nevermind I found it
Rachel (18676): Okay.
Kevin: No I just wanted to look at the webpage for it. By v4 you mean version 4 right? That is what they are selling in stores right now?
Rachel (18676): Yes, V4.
Kevin: ok thanks I’ll have to buy that I guess
Kevin: Thanks for the prompt support

I can’t create an online account at Wells Fargo. So I call their online tech support. After a brief discussion, our conversation proceeds as follows:

Online Tech Support: You can create an account online
Me: [Thinking maybe there is a special URL I didn’t already try] OK what’s the URL?
Online Tech Support: …
Me: …
Online Tech Support: URL?
Me: Yes.
Online Tech Support: You mean like web address?
Me: [sighs] Yes…
Online Tech Support: wellsfargo.com
Me: Um, thanks.

I signed up with Wells Fargo for a business account for RakNet. At first everything looked good – I got a bunch of free checks, the service was nice, and they told me there were no monthly fees. But it seems like their business model is based on tricking people with upfront benefits and then sticking it to them later.

Almost every month for the 6 free months I had to call to cancel charges. I got charged $3 for a ‘returned check fee’ where they send checks I wrote back to me – although I never wrote checks. I got charged for it again even though I called the month before to cancel it. Then again. Then at 6 months I get charged $13 (if I remember right) just to have the account, although I was previously told there were no monthly fees. I contact the business banker and get this waived for 12 months, which is great except I was told up-front there were no monthly fees to begin with.

So I sign up for Authorize.net and they charge me $150 for the priveledge of taking my money off each transaction, and a $30 monthly fee. I thought they were going to send me a bill but they direct debited my account. So now my Wells Fargo Overdraft kicks in and they bill my credit card instead. Although it costs them nothing to do so, the $100 charge turns out to be $120 because of 3 different extra fees that occured due to the overdraft.

I go to the website to sign up for bill pay so I can pay the credit card fee. It says it’s free, except in small print it says it’s actually not free – after 2 months they charge you $10 a month (if I remember right). OK but there’s a waiver to avoid that fee – all I need to do is keep $25,000 in my account. Thanks…

So let me see if I get this right: I give them my money, they get interest on my money, I get no interest on that money, and with all the monthly fees I’m paying $30-$40 so they can make money on my money. What am I getting here exactly? I’d be better off just keeping the money under my pillow.

A friend told me NetBank is good. I’ll probably switch to them.