Financial Planning & Netgear Router

And you are saying, "Explain to me how those two things got included in the same subject?" Right. That's what I thought - this morning. After trying repeatedly to go online at my IRA company's website (unsuccessfully, I may add) on Sunday to sign up for a free financial planning consultation. I figured that one of the Microsoft Windows Updates had changed some settings in my browser and the company's website tech support could straighten things up in no time when they opened today.

I called at 8:01 AM this morning, right after they opened for business (after calling 15 minutes before they opened to be told their business hours). "Shannon" came on the line and asked me to delete the cookies and temporary internet files (to no avail), try Mozilla's browser (no improvement or access) and then excused herself to check with someone else. On her return she advised me that my firewall was causing the problem and I should turn it off. I confess that, although I remained polite, I was very frustrated and began spluttering about there had to be a way to access their website with a fire wall intact. She indicated that she would note in the call documentation that I was frustrated with the website (HUGE understatement) and said that was the only option. I indicated that there was another option: I could take the funds I had invested and transfer it to one of their competitors, whose website I can access easily to check my 401k that I have with my current employer.

It was time to depart to schedule our outdoor adventure for the day but on our return (after acquiring a pair of LL Bean dress chinos in my size at the outlet for $7.95 instead of the $48.95 + 5% sales tax it would cost at the retail store) I determined to give it another crack. This time, after trying the site with ZoneAlarm (our software firewall) turned off (again to no avail - see a pattern starting here, yet?) I contacted the INVESTMENT side of the business instead of the TECHNICAL side. The investment people, aware of my balance, set me up with a technical support individual.

"Tim" actually knew something and was willing to use his knowledge to troubleshoot my situation. After having me try various things (e.g. - trying to access the website through a special portal, resetting security and advanced options on the browser to "default", trying two different computers on the network, etc.) he determined that it really was my hardware firewall! He then had me download a small software program to "break up" the packets into smaller sizes so that my router could handle it and noted that if it was >2 years old, it likely needed to be updated: was there possibly a firmware update?

I knew that there had been one initially, but it took 3 tech support calls to get it working initially and THEN my son-in-law had to remote into my computer and change some settings before I could get it to work. So even though there was a firmware update at that time, I was not eager to mess with something that was "working".

He allowed that updating it might help - he couldn't guarantee it. But after changing the "MTU" to "1400" (only geeks understand what that is!) and restarting the computer(s) I was able to access the website!

I then took my digital internet access in my hands and went to Netgear's website to see about a firmware update. GREAT! There are 3 versions of the CPU all designated by the same model #! However, the serial # starting digit(s) distiguish them and I had the serial # written down previously: my CPU is the very oldest version #1. Off to check for updates to the firmware: there are 3! I eschewed versions 1.4 and 2.3 and downloaded version 2.4. I printed out that entire page with all the intstructions and faithfully hand wrote out all the setting in my current version before uploading the new firmware upgrade.

Then, the computer locked up! So I shut it down, restarted it, opened a browser and the configuration wizard opened up and the set up was flawless and smooth, taking only about 3 minutes or even less. I logged in and changed the password to make the firewall/router more secure. And it is working just fine! I have gone to my IRA website and completed the financial planning questionnaire and will have a financial plan to review sometime in the next couple months.

The lessons from all of this:
1. If at first you don't succeed, talk with someone else who understands the financial issues involved: the investment counselor I spoke with did not put me back to a cubicle dweller who does tech support by an algorithm! She connected me to a real pro who spoke with confidence and wheeled from trying one thing to the next with the confidence of a seasoned network engineer that I am sure he is.

2. A 3 - 4 year old VPN firewall/router is virtually obsolete without the firmware upgrades and is incapable of handling the more sophisticated security measures: my router wasn't capable of resolving the IP address for the new secure website: that range of IP addresses didn't exist and it wouldn't even try to resolve it.

3. Even firmware upgrades can, if one follows the directions faithfully when not completely wiped out with fatigue, go smoothly.