Modem Toasted

I was off-line for several days, because the modem toasted
itself. 
I didn't do it, honest!  It had been acting up for a couple of
weeks, causing random "web site not found" errors.  If it happened
very much, I'd reboot the thing and it would be better for a while.



Finally, it failed.  The green power light turned to red.  It
would not restart.  Unplugging it, waiting the necessary 20
seconds or so, and plugging it back in did not help.  Until the
third time, when not even the red light would go on.  It was dead.



Called the ISP, who had sold us the thing about a year ago.  They
sent a new one, gratis.  Plugged it in.  Nothing
happened. 
Tried another outlet, etc.  Nothing happened.  Read the
(RTFM) manual, even, with it still plugged in.  Nothing.



Called ISP.  They agreed to send another.  Hung up the phone,
turned
around...the modem lights were on.  It works.  No
problems.  Except I have no faith that the "new" one (actually it
is refurbished) will last for very long. 

They told me I had to ship the old dead modem back.  Which got me
to
thinking: