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[Amanda_George]

What is it about networking that you are truly passionate about?  What makes your eyes sparkle and you can talk passionately about?  Start off by writing a bullet-pointed list of what you are passionate about in networking then write a sentence passionately describing it and why you love it so much for each item in the list.  Now form those sentences into a paragraph and make it sound as exciting and passionate as you can. 

You can do this, Lost, you just need to find the motivation to get started on it... find something to encourage yourself and reward yourself each time you achieve each of the goals.  For me it's a bottle of J20 for every four chapters I write in a day during NaNo and for Steve it's a Turkish Delight twice a week if he cooks for us both for each of the seven days of the week (one on Friday and the other on the Sunday).  Find something for you... a mug of cafetierre coffee or bar of chocolate or a trip to the park or stick of fudge or whatever works for you for every section you complete.  Something small to encourage you and no cheating   

[lostmyway]

I actually finished that networking module in 2016.  At this stage, it support/helpdesk etc would be okay tbh.  Networking too, of course.

[Amanda_George]

I know pretty much nothing about computer support and helpdesks - Steve's my go-to for everything computery so I apologise in advance if these are stupid questions, but is it the sort of thing you can do online or over the phone or anything like that?  Do you have any local, maybe smaller ISPs or anything like that?  Would it be worth dropping them a quick email offering your services "either now (I can start tomorrow) or at any time you need me in future" kinda thing?  They might be looking for emergency helpdesk people when people don't turn up or phone in sick or whatever... not exactly what you are looking for but being available immediately would put you at the front of their mind and might get them thinking "might be good to employ them so that we can grow bigger" like with my childcare job - I was the only qualified member of staff so they could take more children and stay open longer and stuff like that... they didn't know they needed me until I dropped off my CV on the off-chance.

With networking, does it involve wires and stuff or is it all done behind the scenes now?  Do you have transport and are you willing to travel if it involves wires?

[lostmyway]

There are many businesses that use some kind of IT infrastructure.  I think you mean Ethernet cables, when you say wires... Cat 5e, Cat 6 etc.  Networking can involve a lot of different devices. Switches, routers, bridges, and the various devices that can connect to it e.g. laptops, desktops, tablets, smartphones, smart TV's, Card readers (chip and pin) and so on, printers.. and so on.

[Amanda_George]

Which one of those are you most passionate about?  Which one could you talk about for minutes without interruption?  You completely lost me with the Ethernet cables lol

[lostmyway]

The Ethernet cable is normally yellow and connects to the router and pc/laptop.

[Amanda_George]

We've got a wireless router upstairs and the only cables are a red one, a blue one and a grey one... if it was a wired router, would the lead attaching the router to the computer be the yellow one?  If so, how do you connect 2 or more computers to it please?

[lostmyway]

It can depend on the model sometimes, but normally there are more of them at the back (mine has 4).  If you have Wi-Fi available, you should be able to do it that way (probably easier tbh).   The cables can come in different colours, probably a cat 5e or similar... it should be fine.

[Amanda_George]

You've lost me already!     What on earth is cat 5e please??   

[lostmyway]

Quoted from Wikipedia

'Category 5 cable (Cat 5) is a twisted pair cable for computer networks. Since 2001, the variant commonly in use is the Category 5e specification (Cat 5e). The cable standard provides performance of up to 100 MHz and is suitable for most varieties of Ethernet over twisted pair up to 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet). Cat 5 is also used to carry other signals such as telephony and video.

This cable is commonly connected using punch-down blocks and modular connectors. Most Category 5 cables are unshielded, relying on the balanced line twisted pair design and differential signaling for noise rejection.'

[Amanda_George]

I'm even more confused now... what does Category 5 mean and actually do, in non technical language please?  Is it the sort of thing that  you do in an office over the phone or is it more of a practical things where you actually twist the wires together yourself?  How do you connect the twisted wires to the computer??

Sorry for being so dumb!  Bet you're regretting mentioning it now, right?   

[lostmyway]

CAT 5 is basically an Internet cable, or network cable. There are 3 types - straight through, crossover and roll-over.  The cable from your PC to router would probably be a straight through cable. The 3 types are wired in different ways.

[Pip]

I understand what lostmyway means  - I had one laptop that would be fine for awhile being wireless then I would need to have it wired but after we moved it went back to working fine as wireless.  Strange really.   

[Amanda_George]

CAT 5 is basically an Internet cable, or network cable. There are 3 types - straight through, crossover and roll-over.  The cable from your PC to router would probably be a straight through cable. The 3 types are wired in different ways.

You've completely lost me again lol

I understand what lostmyway means  - I had one laptop that would be fine for awhile being wireless then I would need to have it wired but after we moved it went back to working fine as wireless.  Strange really.   

When we moved into our likkle 'ouse it was a wired connection and now it's totally wireless.  Did you change ISPs when you moved house, Pip?  Our ISP keeps saying that it's because our router is old now, strange that we get our internet connection back without using a new router though, so that means that the problem is on their end, not ours, right??

[Pip]

We never got to the bottom of it but wasn't too much of an irritation.  All our tech - pcs, laptops, ipads, kindles and tablets - are wireless now which is much better.