Linksys Hookup Nightmare

I have purchase five Linksys products and with each product I have had
to call the non Americans in Bombay for help. Why? Because the software
is not user friendly.When launching into this wireless world nothing
goes according to plan...so what is needed is software and pictures and
voice that explain what the average consumer will understand and
encounter in this hookup nightmare.

My second complaint are the non Americans they have hired to trouble
shoot. First their accents are improving but still confusing. Also each
service representative has a different take and approach on solving the
same problems and lead you through a maze of windows and commands that
would baffle a computer literate 12 year old...let alone an old person
like myself who is struggling to learn computers in and out and has
sold computers and has been using them since 1988...so I really feel
sorry for the computer newbe who will be totally trashed and on his
phone for hours.

I have sought help from WIFI trouble shooters in many RV parks, the RV
park owners, strangers, and finally the Linksys Bombay scabs. No
salesperson in any big box store understoods how Linksys products work
nor can they intelligently offer advice on what product to purchase. So
much for Linksys sales training.. Never have I spoken with a person
from Linksys...an American Company? who I assume would hire Americans.
What really grinds me is that the money I have given to the company for
my product does not go to support American workers but Indians in
India. Linksys greed is unbounded.
But guess what... Linksys got me...I am still using their product and
swearing at it every day while I continue to repair the connections
every **bleep** morning...If there was a better game in town...I'd use
it...if I didn't have so much invested in their little nightmare
boxes...

So have others been there...done that? What would be a better game in
town?

Ralph Bowman

In article <1165000326.581899.18150@f1g2000cwa.googlegroups.c om>,
"ralphbowman" <rogueduo@hotmail.com> wrote:

> But guess what... Linksys got me...I am still using their product and
> swearing at it every day while I continue to repair the connections
> every **bleep** morning...If there was a better game in town...I'd use
> it...if I didn't have so much invested in their little nightmare
> boxes...
>
> So have others been there...done that?

No. What exactly needs repair every **bleep** morning?
--
W. Oates

ralphbowman wrote:
> I have purchase five Linksys products and with each product I have had
> to call the non Americans in Bombay for help. Why? Because the software
> is not user friendly.When launching into this wireless world nothing
> goes according to plan...so what is needed is software and pictures and
> voice that explain what the average consumer will understand and
> encounter in this hookup nightmare.

The fallacy of a lot of marketing today is that everything is simple.
You do have to have a general idea what you are doing. A $35 router
doesn't include (and it is unreasonable to expect) a networking course.


>
> My second complaint are the non Americans they have hired to trouble
> shoot. First their accents are improving but still confusing. Also each
> service representative has a different take and approach on solving the
> same problems and lead you through a maze of windows and commands that
> would baffle a computer literate 12 year old...let alone an old person
> like myself who is struggling to learn computers in and out and has
> sold computers and has been using them since 1988...so I really feel
> sorry for the computer newbe who will be totally trashed and on his
> phone for hours.
>

People seem to want cheap stuff. As soon as people refuse to shop at
places like Walmart things will change. If not plan for even less
knowledgeable support.

> I have sought help from WIFI trouble shooters in many RV parks, the RV
> park owners, strangers, and finally the Linksys Bombay scabs. No
> salesperson in any big box store understoods how Linksys products work
> nor can they intelligently offer advice on what product to purchase. So
> much for Linksys sales training.. Never have I spoken with a person
> from Linksys...an American Company? who I assume would hire Americans.
> What really grinds me is that the money I have given to the company for
> my product does not go to support American workers but Indians in
> India. Linksys greed is unbounded.
> But guess what... Linksys got me...I am still using their product and
> swearing at it every day while I continue to repair the connections
> every **bleep** morning...If there was a better game in town...I'd use
> it...if I didn't have so much invested in their little nightmare
> boxes...
>

Unfortunately big box sales training is training to *sell* stuff not to
understand how it works. Big box stores always claim that they are
*experts* but the reality is that they have an almost minimum wage staff
who gets just enough training to push stuff and pickup a couple bucks
commission by pushing the item of the day.

If you want someone who totally understands a product there are places
that have that. But they won't be big box stores.

> So have others been there...done that? What would be a better game in
> town?
>
> Ralph Bowman
>

ralphbowman wrote:
> I have purchase five Linksys products and with each product I have had
> to call the non Americans in Bombay for help. Why? Because the software
> is not user friendly.When launching into this wireless world nothing
> goes according to plan...so what is needed is software and pictures and
> voice that explain what the average consumer will understand and
> encounter in this hookup nightmare.
>
> My second complaint are the non Americans they have hired to trouble
> shoot. First their accents are improving but still confusing. Also each
> service representative has a different take and approach on solving the
> same problems and lead you through a maze of windows and commands that
> would baffle a computer literate 12 year old...let alone an old person
> like myself who is struggling to learn computers in and out and has
> sold computers and has been using them since 1988...so I really feel
> sorry for the computer newbe who will be totally trashed and on his
> phone for hours.
>
> I have sought help from WIFI trouble shooters in many RV parks, the RV
> park owners, strangers, and finally the Linksys Bombay scabs. No
> salesperson in any big box store understoods how Linksys products work
> nor can they intelligently offer advice on what product to purchase. So
> much for Linksys sales training.. Never have I spoken with a person
> from Linksys...an American Company? who I assume would hire Americans.
> What really grinds me is that the money I have given to the company for
> my product does not go to support American workers but Indians in
> India. Linksys greed is unbounded.
> But guess what... Linksys got me...I am still using their product and
> swearing at it every day while I continue to repair the connections
> every **bleep** morning...If there was a better game in town...I'd use
> it...if I didn't have so much invested in their little nightmare
> boxes...
>
> So have others been there...done that? What would be a better game in
> town?
>
> Ralph Bowman
>
Hmmm,
Sounds like a TROLL!
Of if you can't hack it yourself, yough luck.
That's how it goes these days. Be your own boss!

ralphbowman wrote:
> I have purchase five Linksys products and with each product I have had
> to call the non Americans in Bombay for help. Why? Because the software
> is not user friendly.When launching into this wireless world nothing
> goes according to plan...so what is needed is software and pictures and
> voice that explain what the average consumer will understand and
> encounter in this hookup nightmare.
>
> My second complaint are the non Americans they have hired to trouble
> shoot. First their accents are improving but still confusing. Also each
> service representative has a different take and approach on solving the
> same problems and lead you through a maze of windows and commands that
> would baffle a computer literate 12 year old...let alone an old person
> like myself who is struggling to learn computers in and out and has
> sold computers and has been using them since 1988...so I really feel
> sorry for the computer newbe who will be totally trashed and on his
> phone for hours.
>
> I have sought help from WIFI trouble shooters in many RV parks, the RV
> park owners, strangers, and finally the Linksys Bombay scabs. No
> salesperson in any big box store understoods how Linksys products work
> nor can they intelligently offer advice on what product to purchase. So
> much for Linksys sales training.. Never have I spoken with a person
> from Linksys...an American Company? who I assume would hire Americans.
> What really grinds me is that the money I have given to the company for
> my product does not go to support American workers but Indians in
> India. Linksys greed is unbounded.
> But guess what... Linksys got me...I am still using their product and
> swearing at it every day while I continue to repair the connections
> every **bleep** morning...If there was a better game in town...I'd use
> it...if I didn't have so much invested in their little nightmare
> boxes...
>
> So have others been there...done that? What would be a better game in
> town?
>
> Ralph Bowman
>
Hi,
Trolling? These days it's all upto you.
If you can't hack, tough luck!

Tony Hwang wrote:
> ralphbowman wrote:
>> I have purchase five Linksys products and with each product I have had
>> to call the non Americans in Bombay for help. Why? Because the software
>> is not user friendly.

My mom is 86 years old, she had no problem setting up her Linksys WRT54G.
She understood the menu system and knew what the embedded help was for.
Ergo...seek out a high schooll kid to help you out.

May people do not have daily problem with their Linksys products. If
they do, its related to a single unit, not several products.
Ergo...its got to be at your end.

> Hmmm,
> Sounds like a TROLL!
> Of if you can't hack it yourself, yough luck.
> That's how it goes these days. Be your own boss!

Ya think???

>
> So have others been there...done that? What would be a better game in
> town?
>
> Ralph Bowman
>
>
>
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> avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2006 ALWIL Software.
> http://www.avast.com
>
>
>

Exactly what type of problems are you having with the router?

Cheers!

ISPgeek

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ralphbowman wrote:
> I have purchase five Linksys products and with each product I have had
> to call the non Americans in Bombay for help. Why? Because the software
> is not user friendly..
>
I clipped the part about overseas support, because it doesn't contribute
to solving the problem, and I don't find it different from the majority
of companies doing business today, with big customer support needs.

> I am still using their product and
> swearing at it every day while I continue to repair the connections
> every **bleep** morning...If there was a better game in town...I'd use
> it...if I didn't have so much invested in their little nightmare
> boxes...
>
> So have others been there...done that?
I have purchased one Linksys router, and it is working fine since I
upgraded the firmware to the latest available. The Linksys web site has
diagrams and all kinds of info which I found very useful. Have you
tried using their online "chat" support service?

Here's the link, if you want to try your luck on online:

http://linksys.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/...ve_request.php


Or you could identify what you have [i.e. Linksys WRT54G version 6, or
WHATEVER]... and what you are not able to do, and possibly someone here
can help you.
bj

"decaturtxcowboy" <nope_none_@nowayspam.com> wrote in message
news:yQ0ch.14112$wP1.12620@newssvr14.news.prodigy. net...
| Tony Hwang wrote:
| > ralphbowman wrote:
| >> I have purchase five Linksys products and with each product I have had
| >> to call the non Americans in Bombay for help. Why? Because the software
| >> is not user friendly.
|
| My mom is 86 years old, she had no problem setting up her Linksys WRT54G.
| She understood the menu system and knew what the embedded help was for.
| Ergo...seek out a high schooll kid to help you out.
|
| May people do not have daily problem with their Linksys products. If
| they do, its related to a single unit, not several products.
| Ergo...its got to be at your end.
|
| > Hmmm,
| > Sounds like a TROLL!
| > Of if you can't hack it yourself, yough luck.
| > That's how it goes these days. Be your own boss!
|
| Ya think???

I'm wondering the OP must be ate up with the Dumb A** buys the first does
not get support or satisfaction them buys 4 more?

Were I come from one does not pay people to make life hard

"ralphbowman" <rogueduo@hotmail.com> hath wroth:

Cool. Flame bait. I'll bite...

>..so what is needed is software and pictures and
>voice that explain what the average consumer will understand and
>encounter in this hookup nightmare.

Pictures? I thought we dumped hieroglyphics in favor of ASCII text
about 2000 years ago. Just how basic do you need the instructions?

Linksys EasyLink Advisor. Walks you through setup and install:
<http://linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Content_C1&childpagename=US%2FLayout &cid=1155929453836&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVis itorWrapper>

Linksys Network Basics:
<http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Content_C1&childpagename=US%2FLayout &cid=1114037291160&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVis itorWrapper>

Linksys Network Security:
<http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Content_C1&childpagename=US%2FLayout &cid=1114037291212&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVis itorWrapper>

Glossary and buzzwords:
<http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Content_C1&childpagename=US%2FLayout &cid=1114037291108&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVis itorWrapper>

Read, learn, try, and understand.

>My second complaint are the non Americans they have hired to trouble
>shoot.

No problem. If you expect hand-holding level support from a $50
product, just wait until you see the price with domestic support.
Support is outsourced not because companies are greedy, but because
consumers are unwilling to pay for quality support. You get what you
pay for.

That also applies to customer (like me) that don't require personal
support. I do not like to pay for *YOUR* support problems. If you
have a problem, you can pay for it, not me. Linksys does not offer
direct support, but I'm sure you won't have any problems finding
dealers and consultants that will happily support your Linksys
products, for a price.

>...lead you through a maze of windows and commands that
>would baffle a computer literate 12 year old.

The neighbors 12 year old knows more about hacking games than I'll
ever pretend to know. His 15 or 16 year old brother has successfully
hacked my wireless network and is building and repairing PC's on the
side for his friends. At this time, he knows more about high end game
hardware than me, and I do it as part of the business.

>..let alone an old person
>like myself who is struggling to learn computers in and out and has
>sold computers and has been using them since 1988.

I'm 58. I've been using computahs of various sorts since the IBM
1620. I have no problems with them. If you're really been selling
and using them for the last 18 years, you apparently have a learning
impediment. The things one learns quickly in computers is RTFM, how
to follow instructions, and how to get help when things go awry. If
you spent 18 years avoiding these basics, I would consider you a lost
cause and unworthy of operating complex machinery. I suggest you hire
a 12 year old, and pay them to setup your Linksys products. I'm sure
they could handle it.

>..so I really feel
>sorry for the computer newbe who will be totally trashed and on his
>phone for hours.

I have some experience with phone support. With a few notable
exceptions, I believe the current quality of outsourced support to be
considerably better for beginning users and common problems than was
ever the case with in house domestic support. All the outsourced
support is designed to accommodate beginners and deal with
installation and setup problems. They fail miserably with complex
problems and sophisticated users, but for permanent beginners, such as
yourself, they are perfect. Having had to deal with such permanent
beginners, I'm not surprised that support would appear rather
frustrated with your apparent lack of learning ability and unrealistic
expectations.

>I have sought help from WIFI trouble shooters in many RV parks, the RV
>park owners, strangers, and finally the Linksys Bombay scabs.

To the best of my limited experience, qualified technicians and
wireless experts are not found in RV parks.

>No
>salesperson in any big box store understoods how Linksys products work
>nor can they intelligently offer advice on what product to purchase.

Correct. If they did understand how wireless worked, they would not
be working for minimum wage and minimum commission at a big box store.

>What really grinds me is that the money I have given to the company for
>my product does not go to support American workers but Indians in
>India. Linksys greed is unbounded.

It really grinds me to see someone expect me to pay for their support
experience and then demand that it only be domestic. If you want
quality support, be prepared to pay for it.

Incidentally, every buy a new car? Did you call the manufacturer to
complain about something or ask them for driving instructions?
Probably not. You went to a dealer, driving instructor, or mechanic.
Linksys is not in business to supply you with an education along with
their products. They do it anyway because customer demand "support".
If that fails, as it apparently has in your case, I suggest you seek
qualified dealers, instructors, and technicians.

>But guess what... Linksys got me...I am still using their product and
>swearing at it every day while I continue to repair the connections
>every **bleep** morning.

Wanna be a bit more specific? Or is it more important to complain
about Linksys than to fix your problem.

>..If there was a better game in town...I'd use
>it...if I didn't have so much invested in their little nightmare
>boxes...

At the low end of the product scale (Dlink, Linksys, and Netgear), the
manufacturers are roughly equal on their support services. If you
want better products and support, try Cisco, 3com, or Sonicwall.
However, don't expect the support to be free, or the products to be
cheap.

>So have others been there...done that? What would be a better game in
>town?

Yes. When I don't understand something, I read about it. When I'm
stuck, I ask someone that knows (usually not found in an RV park).
When I need help, I have a long list of friends and accomplices that
can help. When I can't do it myself or am in a rush, I pay real
dollars to those that do it for me. If you haven't figured that out
in 18 years of computer experience, then something is seriously wrong
with your approach to problem solving.

>Ralph Bowman
--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:12:06 -0800, ralphbowman wrote:

> I have purchase five Linksys products and with each product I have had
> to call the non Americans in Bombay for help. Why? Because the software
> is not user friendly.When launching into this wireless world nothing
> goes according to plan...so what is needed is software and pictures and
> voice that explain what the average consumer will understand and
> encounter in this hookup nightmare.
>
> My second complaint are the non Americans they have hired to trouble
> shoot. First their accents are improving but still confusing. Also each
> service representative has a different take and approach on solving the
> same problems and lead you through a maze of windows and commands that
> would baffle a computer literate 12 year old...let alone an old person
> like myself who is struggling to learn computers in and out and has
> sold computers and has been using them since 1988...so I really feel
> sorry for the computer newbe who will be totally trashed and on his
> phone for hours.
>
> I have sought help from WIFI trouble shooters in many RV parks, the RV
> park owners, strangers, and finally the Linksys Bombay scabs. No
> salesperson in any big box store understoods how Linksys products work
> nor can they intelligently offer advice on what product to purchase. So
> much for Linksys sales training.. Never have I spoken with a person
> from Linksys...an American Company? who I assume would hire Americans.
> What really grinds me is that the money I have given to the company for
> my product does not go to support American workers but Indians in
> India. Linksys greed is unbounded.
> But guess what... Linksys got me...I am still using their product and
> swearing at it every day while I continue to repair the connections
> every **bleep** morning...If there was a better game in town...I'd use
> it...if I didn't have so much invested in their little nightmare
> boxes...
>
> So have others been there...done that? What would be a better game in
> town?
>
> Ralph Bowman

For the most part my Linksys network has been stable. The only recent
issue I've had is with the wireless print server which required that I
shut down my firewall in order to use the web based utility. The other
issue I have with the print server is that it doesn't do WPA1, only the
newer WPA2. This has caused me to upgrade one of my wireless devices since
there's no firmware upgrade for it so that it will run WPA2. As for the
outsourcing/offshoring issue, unfortuneatly it's a fact of life that
probably won't go away.

Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us> hath wroth:

>"ralphbowman" <rogueduo@hotmail.com> hath wroth:
>
>Cool. Flame bait. I'll bite...
>
>>..so what is needed is software and pictures and
>>voice that explain what the average consumer will understand and
>>encounter in this hookup nightmare.

Bingo. Found some pictures and voices.

Wireless setup and interface walk through video:
<http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/11/wii-setup-and-interface-walkthrough-video/>

There's also 350 WiFi related video clips on Google Videos:
<http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=wifi>

Installing a PCI WiFi card (3min):
<http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3832791580024683655>

How AirSnare works (6min):
<http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4860032730952612804>

Mobile Wi-Fi (3min):
<http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2763382274286295188>

etc...

Sorry, no hieroglyphics.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

ralphbowman wrote:
> I have purchase five Linksys products and with each product I have had
> to call the non Americans in Bombay for help. Why? Because the software
> is not user friendly.When launching into this wireless world nothing
> goes according to plan...so what is needed is software and pictures and
> voice that explain what the average consumer will understand and
> encounter in this hookup nightmare.

We are an authorized Linksys reseller. We will be happy to assist you
over the phone. $80 per hour, one hour minimum.

ralphbowman wrote:
> let alone an old person
> like myself who is struggling to learn computers in and out

> and has sold computers and has been using them since 1988

Before you judge outsourcing as inadequate...consider that
you have been selling and using computers for 18 years and
are still struggling to learn them, much less able to install
a Linksys device.

Without further information of exactly what Linksys product you
are having difficulty with, can we assume its a Walmart purchased
Linksys WRT54G wireless router.

BTW, our local Walmart sells "Wireless for Dummies" about eight
feet up the isle of their Linksys products.

decaturtxcowboy wrote:
> ralphbowman wrote:
>> let alone an old person
>> like myself who is struggling to learn computers in and out
>> and has sold computers and has been using them since 1988
>
> Before you judge outsourcing as inadequate...consider that
> you have been selling and using computers for 18 years and
> are still struggling to learn them, much less able to install
> a Linksys device.
>
> Without further information of exactly what Linksys product you
> are having difficulty with, can we assume its a Walmart purchased
> Linksys WRT54G wireless router.
Hey! Don't go knocking my router! I bought it at Office Depot... but
it works fine for $49! :)

> BTW, our local Walmart sells "Wireless for Dummies" about eight
> feet up the isle of their Linksys products.
ooo... cutting! Can't understand why he hasn't come back after all
these messages. ;)
bj