Two tech/internet questions

[Patchouli]

Hey techies.
I got a newer laptop a couple of months ago, an HP. It has a touchpad instead of a mouse. I don't mind that, but the cursor jumps to another area sometimes while I'm typing. I've been told that maybe the heel of my hand accidently touches the pad and that's why. I can't find any info on how to lock the cursor in place to where I want it to be, maybe that's not possible. I didn't mess around with the sensitivity, it is set at medium. Is my only option to get a wireless mouse?

Second question is about spectrum internet. For more than two weeks we've had a problem with it dropping constantly at various times during the day. It may stay connected for five minutes or less, and drop for very short periods of time and reconnect. Sometimes there is no problem for hours or a whole day. We are not the only ones with this problem, as I found on down detector. I don't have much other choice for internet providers; at least I haven't located any. Just out of reach. I've tried disconnecting at the modem and the other thing, waiting 3-15 minutes, but that doesn't really seem to matter. Anyone else having issues with spectrum or internet connections in general?

 

[Bacpacker]

Hey techies.
I got a newer laptop a couple of months ago, an HP. It has a touchpad instead of a mouse. I don't mind that, but the cursor jumps to another area sometimes while I'm typing. I've been told that maybe the heel of my hand accidently touches the pad and that's why. I can't find any info on how to lock the cursor in place to where I want it to be, maybe that's not possible. I didn't mess around with the sensitivity, it is set at medium. Is my only option to get a wireless mouse?

Second question is about spectrum internet. For more than two weeks we've had a problem with it dropping constantly at various times during the day. It may stay connected for five minutes or less, and drop for very short periods of time and reconnect. Sometimes there is no problem for hours or a whole day. We are not the only ones with this problem, as I found on down detector. I don't have much other choice for internet providers; at least I haven't located any. Just out of reach. I've tried disconnecting at the modem and the other thing, waiting 3-15 minutes, but that doesn't really seem to matter. Anyone else having issues with spectrum or internet connections in general?

No idea about the mouse/touchpad.
I use spectrum at home and for the most part don't really see any issues with it lately.

 

[Patchouli]

Thanks, @Bacpacker . Sometimes I think it is the wind, lol.
I forgot a friend's husband works for spectrum. I should ask them, but he works nights.
I think I'll see about getting a remote mousie.

 

[Bacpacker]

Thanks, @Bacpacker . Sometimes I think it is the wind, lol.
I forgot a friend's husband works for spectrum. I should ask them, but he works nights.
I think I'll see about getting a remote mousie.

I use a wireless mouse at work that I like very well. I hate wires

 

[backlash]

Go to start, settings, devices, touchpad and set the sensitivity to low.
See if that helps.
I use a Logitech trackball on everything I can.
My wife says it's because I'm to lazy to move my entire hand when I can just move my thumb a finger.

 

[dademoss]

touchpads take practice, I can use one under extreme duress, but a wireless mouse is much less stressful.

 

[Patchouli]

Go to start, settings, devices, touchpad and set the sensitivity to low.
See if that helps.
I use a Logitech trackball on everything I can.
My wife says it's because I'm to lazy to move my entire hand when I can just move my thumb a finger.

Thank you, I've set it to low, we'll see how it works out.
@dademoss if this doesn't work out with low sensitivity I will be using a mouse. Any particular mouse recommendations?

 

[dademoss]

Thank you, I've set it to low, we'll see how it works out.
@dademoss if this doesn't work out with low sensitivity I will be using a mouse. Any particular mouse recommendations?

Not really, the one I use on my ancient desktop is a HP wireless, it was around 13 bucks from Amazon

 

[Curmudgeon]

Is my only option to get a wireless mouse?

To be honest, you will probably like it better. I have had decent luck with the wireless mouse products from the big box store. Wireless is the way to go. I have a wireless mouse and keyboard, wires be gone! LOL

 

[TeeJ]

If memory serves right (and it's been a while since I've used an HP laptop so they may have changed it since then) but double-tapping the upper-left hand corner of the trackpad enables or disables it. So you can turn it off while typing, and back on if you need it. That being said, trackpads were definitely invented by satan to test our patience - you should be able to get a wired keyboard and mouse at the secondhand store for $5 or so. I knew a gentleman who taped a piece of cardboard over his so he could use the keyboard, and just used a mouse for moving the cursor

as far as the internet, there's some good general suggestions here: Spectrum Internet Keeps Dropping: How to Fix - Robot Powered Home

 

[Peanut]

Last month I had to use my laptop exclusively. I despise the touchpad.

With windows look under the control panel at pointer/mouse settings. You should be able to turn it off. I’m using linux, gave me the option to turn it off automatically when I attach a mouse.

I’ve used trackball mice since the early 90’s. In fact I just bought a new Kensington Expert trackball for my desktop. A little pricey at $90 but I’ll use nothing else if I have a choice.

If you get a mouse at least get one with a scroll wheel, must have with a laptop.

 

[Patchouli]

Thank you, @Curmudgeon and @Peanut @TeeJ your advice is helpful. @TeeJ I've done the rebooting and disconnecting both and etc. etc. and it always works, but the problems come back. Last time I went through this I drove to the spectrum store and they gave me a different modem and router. That was okay for a couple of months, I guess before school let out. Probably is congestion on the highway, too many people using the 'nets. I don't have a choice in internets as far as I know. I have read the link you provided, funny how we think we shouldn't have to do anything extra, our link to the dis/information highway should just be there.

 

[TeeJ]

Thank you, @Curmudgeon and @Peanut @TeeJ your advice is helpful. @TeeJ I've done the rebooting and disconnecting both and etc. etc. and it always works, but the problems come back. Last time I went through this I drove to the spectrum store and they gave me a different modem and router. That was okay for a couple of months, I guess before school let out. Probably is congestion on the highway, too many people using the 'nets. I don't have a choice in internets as far as I know. I have read the link you provided, funny how we think we shouldn't have to do anything extra, our link to the dis/information highway should just be there.

@Patchouli - when you have limited options for internet it can be a pain. I've dealt with issues like this in the past by putting the router and modem on a lamp timer that shut them both off overnight, so it was freshly rebooted each morning for at least the start of the day with working internet. As a bonus, the wifi was off all night so the kids weren't up all night gaming, and we weren't being irritated with WIFI radiation all night while we slept

 

[Patchouli]

Yah, @TeeJ that sounds like a good option, saw that listed (rebooting once a day). Wifi radiation. Whatever happened to our glorious existence.

 

[Solar Geek]

So weird you bring up spectrum. My father-in-law and mother-in-law told me they’ve been having terrible problems in the last two weeks with spectrum dropping and then coming back on. Exactly how you described. They’re in their 80s so I thought they were just goofing around with the controller for the TV.

 

[Patchouli]

Honestly, @Solar Geek I think it is the service provider's issue. You can check down detector and nothing but complaints.

 

[Magus]

Hey techies.
I got a newer laptop a couple of months ago, an HP. It has a touchpad instead of a mouse. I don't mind that, but the cursor jumps to another area sometimes while I'm typing. I've been told that maybe the heel of my hand accidently touches the pad and that's why. I can't find any info on how to lock the cursor in place to where I want it to be, maybe that's not possible. I didn't mess around with the sensitivity, it is set at medium. Is my only option to get a wireless mouse?

Second question is about spectrum internet. For more than two weeks we've had a problem with it dropping constantly at various times during the day. It may stay connected for five minutes or less, and drop for very short periods of time and reconnect. Sometimes there is no problem for hours or a whole day. We are not the only ones with this problem, as I found on down detector. I don't have much other choice for internet providers; at least I haven't located any. Just out of reach. I've tried disconnecting at the modem and the other thing, waiting 3-15 minutes, but that doesn't really seem to matter. Anyone else having issues with spectrum or internet connections in general?

I use a regular hardwired in mouse on mine, its fine. the pads suck.

We have Spectrum here as well, my DL speed turns to crap right at 3:00 every day. they tell me its because of factories sending daily reports and all the kids getting online as soon as they get home.

 

[joel]

I use a wireless mouse with a laptop.
I gave my apple desk top away to my son.
The laptop stays home like a desk top, I use my cell away from home, only if I have too.

 

[Swing]

I always buy a cordless mouse and use it. Touch pads and I don't get along for serious interneting.

 

[Patchouli]

Spectrum sent me a message asking me to agree to an appointment at no charge to me after I sent them a review.

Turns out it's not Spectrum's fault at all.
I went outside already to check the cables and lines and it looked to me like previous cable lines had been CUT, but I saw no evidence of CHEWING, which is what the tech said was the deal. He thinks it was squirrels.
And another part was broken, a cap? I think a tree branch may have broken the cap. Anyway, service is back, full steam ahead.
Still haven't gotten a remote mouse.

 

[Magus]

I always buy a cordless mouse and use it. Touch pads and I don't get along for serious interneting.

I have a cordless, I hate it. I was raised with a trackman ball, I can't do crap with anything else!

 

[Neb]

I have a cordless, I hate it. I was raised with a trackman ball, I can't do crap with anything else!

I have used Kensington Expert track balls from when they looked like this

For almost 25 years until now. I have worn out 6 or more (I saved parts and can count).

Sea story time

The search radar we had was an ANSPS 58A radar. The operators console had a trackball that would control the location of a region of interest, like a like the location of a cursor.

5he trackball was larger and heavier giving it more mass. One could throw it at a target. Same with a trackball.

Ben

 

[viking]

I have a touch screen HP laptop, it's now sitting on top of the bench in the solar battery shed, I hated that dang thing, even the lightest leaning of the wrist on any part of the computer would send you to places you never wanted to go. On top of everything it got so I was really disliking Microsoft Windows, anyway we ended up getting a MacBook Pro, simple, intuitive and for the most part trouble free, it can do things I don't want it to do if I lean my wrist on the touch pad, I probably should look into a wireless mouse.

 

[TeeJ]

I just found another reason to hate trackpads - our church just got a new laptop for broadcasting worship services to shut-ins, etc. - and there is a sensor next to the trackpad that uses a magnet in the lid to detect the lid is closed and power down the laptop. I wear bracelets with magnets for my arthritis, and they kept shutting down the computer every time I went to adjust the sound volume or something. Stupid trackpads!