Sorry, this is lengthy and really off topic, but I just wanted to pass along a very strange and weird experience I had recently that is mind-boggling, but maybe eye opening, to me. It has to do with today's technology, and what it is really doing to us. Are we in the mode of turning our livelihood over to the Machines??

The other day, I turned on my laptop, and discovered that I had no WiFi connection to the outside world via the net. After stomping up the stairs to the ATT Wifi unit, I found that it was indeed on and operating. I checked my Ipad and it was WiFi connected. I checked the wife's laptop and it had WiFi connection. Even the hardwired computer to the ATT unit had internet connection. Naturally, I figured that the problem had to be with my laptop. I checked the configuration on my laptop to see if it had somehow disconnected itself from my ATT Wifi unit. Scanning the list of available WiFi connections I was surprised and shocked to find that my ATT WiFi unit was nowhere on the list of potential connections. The neighborhood's WiFi units were all on the list, but mine was not !

Puzzling. So I decided to take my laptop to the office and see if it would work on the office WiFi. It worked. My laptop would connect to the office Wifi, but not my home WiFi, while other computers
could and were connected (Wifi) to the home unit. Very puzzling.

The next day, the situation was unchanged so I called my computer repairman. He was also puzzled (and probably wondering if I had gone off the rails...) and suggested that I uninstall the computer's network adapter and reinstall. That didn't work the first time nor the second time. Still puzzled.

Later that evening, my wife wanted to use the Roku streaming device on the tv - she exclaimed that we 'lost internet (Wifi) connection for the Roku'. Again I checked her laptop, my Ipad, and the hardwired computer - they all had connections. Grrrrrr . Not knowing what else to do, I decided to jerk out the powercord on the ATT WiFi unit and let it sit for a couple of minutes, and restart it.

Voila, Magic, the skies opened up, the Sun shone through, and I had internet connection to all units once again.

This situation defies my logic and I can only offer one illogical explanation. The ATT WiFi unit decided, on its own and for whatever reason, to lockout only my laptop and my Roku unit. I have no idea as to why it decided to pick on me and my stuff, I never did anything malicious to it. It just made up its "mind" that I was no longer "worthy" of being connected to the outside world.
( I am almost thinking, and shuddering, that these electronic devices are making decisions on their own ?? )

And the people already have Alexa and thermostats and light switches and refrigerators and security systems Wifi-ed. And they want self driving cars??? Good luck with that concept. Whenever that event happens I shall be long disconnected from the internet. Totally. My Gulch will not have any of these electronic contraptions. Feel free to call me on a tin can and string.