= CRAPJUST SAY NO! TO D-LINK!
= CRAPI've been in computer/technical support for many, many years and am an expert in consumer computer products. I was an early adopter of technologies such as DSL and Wireless, and enjoy using my wireless network at home for many applications. On 12/6/05, I decided to purchase a new gaming adapter to use with my XBox and so I picked up a D-Link 2.4 GHz 108Mbps Gaming Adapter, model number DWL-G820. I brought it home and immediately went to the website to download new firmware (http://support.dlink.com/products/view.asp?productid=DWL%2DG820) as I do for all my products (it's a known fact that most products ship with outdated drivers). I was quite surprised to see that the shipping firmware, v1.0, was still the only version available with a 7/30/04 date, well over a year old. That's extremely uncommon, especially for wireless products.
I must state here that this is the first time I've ever purchased a D-Link product. I don't know much about them, but assumed that at this late stage in the game, the product would work and be of good quality. I've worked mostly with Linksys wireless products, but have had experience with a few others as well.
So, I pull the device out of the box and go through the quick setup which states that if I have a D-Link router (I do not) set to D-Link defaults, the new item will just work out of the box. Otherwise, it states that I must plug in my device directly to a computer, set the computer to a static IP of 168.192.0.51 and then connect to the gaming adapter by opening its web config at 168.192.0.35. I attempt to do this. I cannot connect to the device. I go through all the standard troubleshooting - I check the cables, try new cables, ensure that jacks are plugging in properly, etc. and try again - no go. I then try a different computer. Same result. I go through FAQs - nothing else exists about this issue.
OK, fine, as a last resort - time to contact support. 30 minutes of my own work (and I know what I'm doing!) produced nothing, so let's call the guys that should know. I call 1-877-453-5465 and after a few minutes of voice prompts and hold, Mark comes on the line and introduces himself, then asks for my phone number. I'm immediately suspicious of this rep because he has a caustic accusatory tone from the beginning, but I've worked help desk jobs in the 90's and know that burnout is easy, so I give him the benefit of the doubt. I give him my telephone number, and then he asks me for the product model number I'm calling about. I tell him it's the DWL-G820 and then he asks me what type of product it is - is it an access point, or a card, or what? A few seconds of stunned silence go by and then I ask "Don't you know what your product is?" and he replies that he does not. He then goes on to say that he's just asking me a simple question and just answer him. I reply back that I'd like to speak to a customer support rep that knows the products so I can get assistance and he exclaims that I can just call back and he slams down the phone.
Wow. I'm shocked. But, I call back. Second person? He doesn't listen to my problem. As soon as we get through the personal information and I explain the issue, he asks me questions that I've already given answers to in my original statement. It's quickly obvious that he has no clue and that he's reading from a script, plus he puts me on hold several times to go "check something". I can no longer tolerate this inexperience and inability and ask for a senior level support person. He asks "Why" and I simply state that I'd like to talk to a senior support person. He hangs up on me.
Wow. Sorry support! I call back and ask to speak to a supervisor and after convincing the rep to transfer me, I get Raul. I explain the whole situation and ask that something be done about the service and he tells me that he can't do anything and that I should call customer service. He then says that he can transfer me back to a rep to get support. I ask him, "Is that all? That's all that you're going to do in the face of this horrible customer service and at the risk of losing a customer?". He replies that that is all. I explain that I will write a letter detailing this experience and post it then return the product, and he says that's fine, go ahead. So, here we are.
Do not buy D-Link. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. I will stick with Linksys. Yes, the gaming adapter from them cost me $30 more, but I would've gladly paid that in the first place to avoid the non-working product and absolutely horrid, 1 out of 10 score, rude-fest that semi-passes as their customer service/technical support department.