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"Conflicts with Windows XP wireless software"
Pros
Easy to load and set up
Cons
IE keeps losing internet connection
Summary
This wireless device is fine when it is working properly, but it has the aggravating habit of disconnecting from Internet Explorer. It took us four calls to the NetGear help line (including a $35 charge for a post-warrantee call) to get it corrected (assuming their "final" fix is robust and ... Read full review
This wireless device is fine when it is working properly, but it has the aggravating habit of disconnecting from Internet Explorer. It took us four calls to the NetGear help line (including a $35 charge for a post-warrantee call) to get it corrected (assuming their "final" fix is robust and stable... I'm keeping my fingers crossed).
Problems arose when IE couldn't find a signal. I would go through the network connection steps, and sometimes I could get it to reconnect (this would happen almost randomly -- there was no telling what the "magic button" was to get a successful reconnection). Basically, all the people on the NetGear helpline did (in their often impenetrable Indian accents) was step me through the router configuration process, or the wireless connection process. IE would stay connected for a while, then mysteriously unconnect itself, and we were back to square one.
One day after the warrantee ended, NetGear refused to give me any more free help, even though I was calling them on a recurrent problem ("Your previous case number was closed, sir"), so I coughed up $35 for additional "help". And again it was worthless; connectivity lasted about 2 hours.
We called them back to express our heartfelt opinions on their product and the competence of their help staff, and we finally got through to a "senior" analyst. He stated that there is a conflict between the NetGear's wireless software and Windows XP's wireless software. In effect, Windows senses that someone else's wireless software is running on the machine, and responds by disconnecting IE from the signal. So even if your wireless device is set up correctly, IE stays connected to the signal only for however long it takes Windows XP to decide to disconnect it.
What is infuriating about this is that the "junior" help staff are totally oblivious to this software conflict, which renders them pretty well useless in resolving this issue. This product has been around a couple years, yet NetGear (a) hasn't put in a fix for the software conflict, and (b) hasn't made its help staff fully aware of the work-around. In my mind, that makes NetGear incompetent on two levels.
If there are any NetGear monkeys reading this, you are free to contact me at verbalswill63@yahoo.com.
