getting quality support from linksys.

[blakerwry]

Hey, my friend bought a Linksys 8 port hub from ebay about a year ago and it stopped working for him recently.

He tried contacting Linksys tech support and they went through the standard motions and determined that it had failed and needed to be replaced. (Hub turns on and resets, but only port that gets link is port 2)

The hub is now in my posession and I opened it up to see if anything was wrong.. with a general conductivity test over every cap, resistor, etc on the PCB it looks like things are fine, so I assume it's a dead IC.


The hub was supposed to come with a 5 year warranty and is probably not even two years old. Unfortunately Linksys wont allow an RMA because he doesn't have a proof of purchase.

How can I get linksys to honor their waranty?


Hub details:
Name: EtherFast 10/100 8-Port Workgroup Hub
Model #: EFAH08W Version 2.0
Serial #: 210003530 ADD8 AB

 

[Fushigi]

I've followed a 'logic chain' with other vendors:

1. When was the product was introduced to the market?
2. Is (today's date) - (that date) < warranty duration?
3. If Yes, then the item must still be until warranty.

This has worked with IBM and others.

Also check the product for a date of manufacture to prove it was made within the worst-case warranty period.

- Fushigi

 

[blakerwry]

I've followed a 'logic chain' with other vendors:

1. When was the product was introduced to the market?
2. Is (today's date) - (that date) < warranty duration?
3. If Yes, then the item must still be until warranty.

This has worked with IBM and others.

Also check the product for a date of manufacture to prove it was made within the worst-case warranty period.

- Fushigi

I already did that... like I said, I don't think it's more than two years old. and I am almost positive that linksys didn't even produce this model 5 years ago, so it MUST be under warranty.

On the PCB there is a place for "Start" as well as the lot number and a few other details.
The lot number is 220050 and the Start is 2001/8/14 Both of these would give Linksys the requisite info they would need to determine the date of manufacture.


I figured Merc might have some insights as he seems to use Linksys gear alot. Maybe I'll call linksys and see if I can't do a little more haggling than my friend did.

 

[Mercutio]

Unfortunately, I think the only Linksys thing I've ever had fail - other than my AP with a bad (?) antenna, which went back to the store - is a single PCI NIC. Not worth the trouble to send in.
I've never dealt with Linksys for RMA.

I'd suggest the "ignorant consumer" approach. "There's this box with blinky lights, except some of them don't blink any more, and it says "Linksys" on it, and I don't have internet access..."

Perhaps if you make yourself annoying in that direction, it'll just be easier to give you an RMA.

 

[blakerwry]

Unfortunately, I think the only Linksys thing I've ever had fail - other than my AP with a bad (?) antenna, which went back to the store - is a single PCI NIC. Not worth the trouble to send in.
I've never dealt with Linksys for RMA.

I'd suggest the "ignorant consumer" approach. "There's this box with blinky lights, except some of them don't blink any more, and it says "Linksys" on it, and I don't have internet access..."

Perhaps if you make yourself annoying in that direction, it'll just be easier to give you an RMA.

That sounds terrible... but I think my friend already played that hand and ran into the do you still have your reciept crap so he had to fold his cards.


I should call them tonight or tomorrow... depending on their hours.

 

[blakerwry]

well, I ran the online RMA... when I had my friend send me the hub, I made out an invoice... the invoice met Linksys's requirement for proof of purchase.

so, tada! Linksys would happily replace my hub with a new 8 port one.

One thing that I was happy with was that the new hub came with everything the retail one would... instruction manual, AC->DC converter, and other documents. I was expecting a plain hub in a brown box.