Is the Wi-Fi working?

That is (was?) the most frequently asked question (FAQ for short!) nowadays.

Everyone at home needs Wi-fi. Actually not everyone, but everything needs it, which is, more or less, the same thing. Because everyone is using everything.

The phones need it, the laptops need it, even the TV needs it. And so the users of the phones, the laptops and TV need it. At least that is what they think.

I am told that very soon the washing machine and microwave and the AC and perhaps the toaster will need it. And maybe the geyser and the coffee maker and the music system. What else?

I had a boss who told everyone that the fridge is very soon going to be connected to everything with Wi-Fi. He said we will very soon reach a point where the fridge will order the grocery on its own when it realises that the tomatoes that you need for your favourite pasta are running out. All you will have to do is to give the OTP for the payment and take it when the delivery happens.

I hoped at that time, after I, kind of, place the tomatoes near it, the device can look up the recipe on its own and cook it as well, and serve it. Honestly, in the heart of hearts, I hope his dream remains a dream. But my head tells me that it will become reality not too far into the future.

Not only at home but ‘is the Wi-Fi working?’ is the most frequently asked question (FAQ again for short!) even in the apartment group nowadays.

Every few hours, someone posts the question. Then someone else says it is, and a couple of others say it isn’t. The answers are separated by a few minutes always, so one can never be sure if it was working when the question was asked. For all you know, everyone might be right.

Then someone answers that it is working in A block, but then someone says it is not working in C block. Then someone posts a complaint that they have lodged with the service provider. Then there are a few rants on how the service provider is useless as the Wi-Fi is so unreliable.

I sometimes wonder that if there are so many messages (rants!) floating around, it does mean that even if the Wi-fi isn’t working, something is working for these messages to go through. But I don’t say anything lest I become the spoilsport. I don’t want me to come between people and their Wi-Fi.

‘Is the Wi-Fi working?’ is also the most frequently asked question (FAQ again for short!) in offices, when there were offices. of course, and in the offices that do exist even now. I used to go to one.

But they asked it very decently. But like today, no one had answers even then, and everyone just waited for someone to do something so that the network is back on, and we can get back to email.

After working in the tech industry for over twenty years, I have reached one firm conclusion.

Networks are a lot like printers. They work mostly when everyone else is using them, but when you want to use them, they don’t work – at least, at the first attempt. The same applies to even those overhead projectors that don’t work when your time to present slides comes up.

I have tried fixing all knobs to every port and pressed all keys on my keyboard in desperation for years, till the screen magically lights up so that everyone can get back to their work while I present.

I guess Wi-fi also follows the same routine or cycle. But because it is more important than any other technology in the past, ‘is the Wi-Fi working?’ will be the most asked FAQ of all time.

I don’t try to answer the FAQ when it is asked now. Nor do I try to fix the Wi-Fi anymore in a hurry.

While someone else is fixing it, I open MS Word and write something, like this article.

And then when I am ready to post it, I ask the question aloud – is the Wi-Fi working? When the answer is yes, I am good to post it so that it reaches you. After all, the Wi-Fi is working.

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