Mmm . . . where I was going wrong was B/ having a friend that is a genius, but forgot he'd put in a vast password, and A/ (yes, this way round) not being able to remember things I'm told about hooking up routers. Everything works for a year or three, then needs a modicum of knowledge. A year seems like a week to me now, but not for things that are designed to be misremembered.
There is some logic in there somewhere.
