Rant Against NetGear

[mikep56]

Hi All,

I hope you are all ready for a vent post!

I bought a wireless router (Linksys WRT54GS) and 3 NutGear WG111 wireless adapters from Radio Shack to create my home wireless network. At the time I didn't notice that 2 of the WG111s were v3 and 1 was v2. I installed the linksys and 1 WG111 without any problems. Had internet connectivity and full speed of 54 Mbps. I went to add a second PC to the network using the next adapter, which turned out to be the v2. This adapter would not see the router, or obviously, the internet. I re-installed the software many times to no avail. I figured that I had a defective adapter, and tried the third one. It installed and ran without any problems. So I put the defective adapter aside, figuring that I would troubleshoot it later.

Eventually I got around to calling NetGear tech support. What a disaster!! My PCs all run with XP Pro SP3. The tech asked me to uninstall the packaged software and install software from their website. When that didn't work, they wanted me to reinstall Windows XP with SP2 only. After several more phone calls I finally got an RMA number to send the defective adapter back.

The adapter came back about 2 weeks later. Now it will occasionally see the router and connect to the internet, but within about 10-15 minutes, it will drop the connection, and won't get it back, even after a hard reboot. More phone calls, more lack of customer support!! In one day I called three separate times, and after speaking to an "excellent customer service" representative, was put on hold, after which the call was dropped.

I really dislike this company, and I would not recommend their crap to anyone. As an aside, when I posted this on the NetGear forum, the moderators initially pulled it, saying that they didn't see any point to it. Yeah, they don't see any point in letting the user community know about crappy hardware and crappy service.

SCREW NetGear!

Sorry for the long rant, and thanks for listening!

Mike

[CoffeeFiend]

At the time I didn't notice that 2 of the WG111s were v3 and 1 was v2.

Linksys and others do just the same. And it's not just when it comes to networking. Hardware versions/revisions is something pretty much any company that makes hardware does.

This adapter would not see the router, or obviously, the internet.

Could be DOA or anything. Hard to really blame the manufacturer so far. It happens.

Eventually I got around to calling NetGear tech support. What a disaster!!

Much like calling tech support... pretty much anywhere these days.

they wanted me to reinstall Windows XP with SP2 only

Which reminds me a lot of the DLink one I was trying the other day which also wouldn't work with SP3 (missing entry points in some DLLs and what not), and wasn't fixed months later on DLink's website. Or he various Linksys cards without any 64 bit or Vista drivers. I could go on about this for a long time. Most cards from every manufacturer suck, and their drivers are only worse. Often, problems with many adapters are "fixed" by using generic drivers (like RALink's).

Now it will occasionally see the router and connect to the internet, but within about 10-15 minutes, it will drop the connection, and won't get it back, even after a hard reboot.

Which could be caused by pretty much anything. Low signal and interference (especially with a USB key thing like this!), software, etc.

The card itself could suck though. Haven't used this particular model, so no idea. Then again, every company has some nice and some not-so-great stuff every once in a while (especially these days where a LOT of stuff is sub-contracted & manufactured in many different places when not simply rebranded). I've had a lot of NetGear network equipment over the years. Tons of NICs, a couple hubs, a couple routers (some were rebranded Zyxels which could be reflashed with Zyxel firmware -- they were great units), a few switches (some of which were very well built, all metal). As a matter of fact, I just bought another Netgear switch 2 weeks ago, and it's absolutely great! Gigabit with jumbo frames. No complaints whatsoever. Far better than a LOT of other networking stuff I've had my hands onto before. It'll take FAR more than one guy having problems with a couple cheapo USB sticks for me to stop buying stuff from a company. If everyone would stop buying something after one guy who had a bad experience, we'd have nothing left to buy anymore.

BTW, I've seen several dead WRT54GS units, most often from the CPU overheating (cheaply built stuff these days -- too cheap to put a HSF on the chip nor a fan on the enclosure)... Nevermind all the cutting on the RAM & flash on these units, when they don't even make the antennas non-removable to save another half penny. The WRT54GL is the better unit (can run 3rd party firmware that's a LOT better too), but even those die.

[bonestonne]

well, when in doubt with hardware, if it doesn't work after the first or second troubleshooting idea, forget contacting the company, i just return the product, it's not worth the hassle, and i'd rather pay a restocking fee than shipping to/from the company for their POS product.

not mentioning i only use wireless networking for mobile devices, laptops, phones...never a tower (only exception is when i'm not at my house and it's the only way to connect).

although i will say, i do have a WG111 USB wireless adapter, and it's never given me trouble, however i only go wireless on linux (it's been a long time since i bothered running windows wirelessly). no drivers are needed, it's just plug and play, x86 and x64.

i'd suggest a PCI based solution next time.

[mikep56]

Hi CoffeeFiend,

One thing that I forgot to mention, when I spoke to tech support after receiving the adapter back, was the fact that they knew about incompatibilities of the WG111v2 and Windows XP Pro SP3. They fixed the adapter so it would see the router, but knew about the compatibility problem because in my problem report I said that I was using SP3. So they sent the adapter back to me knowing that it would not work. I said to them, "why send me back something that you know will not work? Keep it and send me a credit or send me a refurb v3 that has no issues with SP3". Utter silence from the other side of the phone.

They should just fix the problem.

That's what really sent me on this rant.

Regards,

Mike

[Doggie]

Well if it was a known issue and sent you the same thing knowing it wouldn't work, get your money back and simply find one that is compatible. As for the tech support, you will rarely find a networking brand that doesn't have terrible support. My belkin that I have redirected me to a Toll Free for my region number support. I rang and was redirected to New Delhi so unless New Delhi is apart of Australia? Its just one of the biggest problems of these networking brands, poor support. They couldn't tell me why the router wasn't working even with explaining my step by step on how I was using it and could only keep offering me a new router(there wasnt anything wrong with it, it was just the software they supplied). So I know your pains.

[mikep56]

@Bonestonne,

Yeah, I bought it at Radio Shack and didn't have the packaging or the receipt anymore. It seems to be only the WG111v2 that has the problems. I have 3 WG111v3s and never had a problem with any of them.

@Doggie,

You know I have no problems talking to anyone about tech issues, but when someone is reading from a book, their brain goes right into the crapper. It would be nice to talk to someone who really knows tech. I remember the old days when you called a customer support number, you spoke to someone at the company, not someone who is outsourced and has no clue.

Regards to both of you, and thanks for listening to my rant!

Mike