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Michael
Site Admin
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 4969
Location: Cary, IL
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 Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:35 pm Post subject: Linksys WRT54G3G Issues And Comments |
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Hello,
We recently added the following to our EVDOinfo Blog:
http://evdoinfo.blogspot.com/2008/04/linksys-wrt54g3g-mobile-routers.html
Interested to hear comments from others.
| Quote: | A Post from the Tech Department @ 3Gstore.com
I am sure many of you have used a Linksys product at some point in your life. Linksys has become a household name for people looking to share an internet connection across a network of computers. It is for this reason that many customers initially want to try the Linksys WRT54G3G-ST or WRT54G3G-AT. It's easy to think, "Linksys makes it, they are a great
company with a known name and a good reputation, heck, it's even backed by Cisco for goodness sake! Why would I have any problems with a product from a reputable company like that?"
We here at 3Gstore have several reasons of why you may want to reconsider before making that leap of faith with your next Linksys purchase, especially if considering any of their mobile routers.
- The firmware revisions have been few and far between (releases happening only once or twice a year). On top of that, they have been far from good. Each update has been worse than it's predecessor.
- With many firmware revisions, data cards, when inserted into the PCMCIA Card Slot, lock up the Administrator configuration pages/GUI once power is applied to the router.
- The last firmware released added support for the Sierra 597 ExpressCard, BUT it would only work with cards with older firmware, newer 597 ExpressCards would NOT work.
- There has been only one version of firmware released that has proven to be somewhat stable. As a result, if your data card is not supported on that particular firmware, you will likely have little success in using this router.
- It seems that when the power light is blinking rapidly, there is no alternative procedure used to get the router working again according to the highest levels of support at Linksys Support Center. If there is no alternative to the blinking power light, and the router will not respond, what other options do you have other than calling Linksys and asking for a warranty replacement? After all, you just purchased this product, and there has to be a manufacturer's warranty, correct?
- Once on the line with support at Linksys, just how many times do they plan on passing you around like a cigarette? And with each person you speak with (last count 4) comes the opportunity to explain the situation over again. Just how much time do you have to waste here to speak with someone who can resolve the issue?
- An interesting lapse in common sense - A Verizon PC5750 works in the Sprint version of the WRT54G3G-ST BUT does NOT work in the Verizon version of the WRT54G3G-VZ. Guess how many customers will turn bitter at Verizon and LinkSys when they waste hours of phone calls and replaced routers.
- These routers sometimes fail to power up. When calling into Linksys support, they spend time assessing how the router was plugged in, as if there were multiple ways to plug an AC adapter into the wall. Or they ask what card is being used in the router, but if the router does not power up, the card being used with it is irrelevant.
It seems perhaps that the Linksys support center representatives know of better way of powering up a router. Please do share with us, Linksys. We would love to hear how there is another way to plug the router into an electric outlet. Don't hold back! Divulge your secrets!
- A statement was made by Linksys to one of our customers claiming that 3GStore is being investigated for using the 2.00.9 firmware and supposedly hacking it to work with a Verizon PC5750 EVDO card. An investigation? For informing the public that a card that wasn't listed as supported actually does work? Seems unlikely that an investigation of that sort would get very far. 3GStore has done nothing except insert an available Verizon EVDO card into a Linksys router and inform our customers that the combination works (see above, how the Sprint Linksys works with the Verizon PC5750 and the Verizon LinkSys doesn't).
It is for these reasons we felt that this post was in order. Be sure to do your homework, and decide to work with experts (that's us!) from the very beginning. While the Linksys name is well-known and reputable in the networking arena, in the world of 3G routers, the EVDO experts at 3GStore.com will be up to date on the latest innovations and releases from all available manufacturers. |
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daverup
EVDO User
Joined: 07 Dec 2007
Posts: 28
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:48 am Post subject: |
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I agree with everything you have said about Linksys and this router.
However, I bought it because I was convinced that it would be a much more usable router with a version of openwrt installed.
The work done by evdowizard and rangerw on the openwrt white russian with webif has been a big step forward. Now, with a little command line tinkering, the WRT54G3G-ST router is reliable. This really isn't "end user" ready, but isn't out of reach for anyone willing to read through the thread and follow instructions carefully. |
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Michael
Site Admin
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 4969
Location: Cary, IL
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fordrhs41
EVDO User
Joined: 29 Jan 2007
Posts: 77
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 7:07 am Post subject: Re: Linksys WRT54G3G Issues And Comments |
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[quote="Michael"]Hello,
We recently added the following to our EVDOinfo Blog:
http://evdoinfo.blogspot.com/2008/04/linksys-wrt54g3g-mobile-routers.html
Interested to hear comments from others.
Not disagreeing with any of the facts you posted, we should be told of your experiences but the sarcasm did not add anything !!
If it is working, I don't fix it so have not been plagued with the problems with the WRT54G3G-ST I bought from you almost a year and a half ago and it has been running 24/7 since, using an S720 Merlin card and have not needed support from either you or Sprint
My download is 1200-1300 kbps |
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Michael
Site Admin
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 4969
Location: Cary, IL
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 7:19 am Post subject: |
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I agree that the post from our tech department had some sarcasm in it.
However, if you are getting returns from customers who called Linksys and on the phone they told our customer that the only way the Verizon PC5750 worked with the Sprint Linksys router is due to the fact that we hacked the firmware (they probably thought we were using the openwrt firmware) and that we are being "investigated", it kind of rubbed us the wrong way.
Here is the pathetic thing, the customer who questioned our expertise is returning the router for a refund and they have purchased the WRT54G3G-VZ (not from us or our recommendation) router to use with her Verizon PC5750. Guess what, that combo doesn't work. There are threads elsewhere of people not getting that combo to work and others keep getting router or card replacements and wasting lots of time. The only way to get the Verizon PC5750 working with a WRT54G3G is to use the Sprint version with the 2.00.9 firmware (which is what our customer had in the first place).
Keep in mind that with certain card combinations and firmware versions that the Linksys WRT54G3G is pretty solid.
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sahallie
EVDO Fledgling
Joined: 02 Sep 2007
Posts: 11
Location: Sandy, OR
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:07 am Post subject: |
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I totally agree with everything Michael wrote. During a recent call to Linksys tech support, the rep had me "reboot" the router. This involved pushing the reset button with and without AC power, numerous times. It was a joke. It reminded me of the children’s song "the Hokey Pokey". The router was obviously dead.
I have blown through 6 or 7 of these stupid routers since September and currently have 2 of them that are working. I find that having a spare keeps me connected during the week it takes to RMA the broken one. I also have a vast assortment of firmware for the unit. Seems like you never know which version is going to work (or not work).
I personally enjoyed the sarcasm. Regarding this particular piece of crap product from Linksys, it is not only welcome, but highly deserved. Got to keep a sense of humor.
I am waiting for “trade in” days at the 3G store. Oh yeah, I can see it now… trade in your WRT543G-ST and get a $5.00 of coupon for a MBR1000. I would be all over a deal like that.
However, that said, my worst day using EVDO still far exceeds my best day using WildBlue satellite. Gosh I hated WildBlue! |
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