From Deep Thought

Customer Disservice has become a standard of business these days. More proof from our friends at Belkin.

Tell Us About Your Firmware

It all starts out just fine, got reasonable answers to the questions... then the high-school dropouts that got rejected for the bagger job at Walmart got involved.

You can follow along here, but the thread software on their site is crap and mixes the order of the responses: http://www.belkin.com/contact/milan/history.aspx?id=585B58090B56585C575F5A565B0E585C305F5A

Customer Call Details Apr 24 2008 20:57
"DNS is broken on your router."

DNS services do not work properly when DNS is set to use the router as the default.
Incorrect information is constantly returned. If we bypass the Belkin Router DNS on 
the local subnet the DNS lookups work fine. We also have problems connecting to a 
client via Cisco VPN when using this router. If we use the D-Link router the VPN 
connection works without any problems.

Belkin Response Apr 25 2008 08:49
"What version are you using?"

Hello Lance ,

Thank you for contacting Belkin Technical Support.

We understand that you have some issue with the router.

To resolve this issue we suggest you to get back to us with the version number of 
the router which starts with ver..

Lance , if you need further assistance please feel free to write back to us and we
 will be happy to assist you.

If you have any other questions or problems you may also call us toll free at 
800-223-5546 (Extn. 2263). Alternatively, call us on 310 898 1100 Ext. 2263

Regards,

Lynda Horjesi
Belkin Technical Support

Customer Call Details Apr 25 2008 14:55
"V3"

Router is a V3.

Unless we remove the Belkin DHCP assigned DNS (192.168.2.1) from our nameserver 
lists we cannot connect to dozens of sites on the Internet. As soon as we configure 
the desktop systems to bypass the Belkin DNS server it works perfectly fine (we use 
the ISP 69.1.30.26 and 27 nameservers).

The sad part is the OS/X Leapord running on two systems always takes the DHCP 
assigned nameservers so we can`t manaully remove the 192.168.2.1 from the list. 
These poor souls are stuck using an old crappy D-Link instead, which we`d really 
like to unplug and donate to the local Goodwill.

Belkin Response Apr 26 2008 01:31
"Update to the BETA firmware."

Hello Lance,

Thank you for contacting Belkin Technical Support.

We understand that you have an issue with Belkin router.

To resolve this issue we suggest you to update the firmware for this Belkin router. 
To do so please follow the steps given below.

We recommend that you update the firmware on the router from a computer that is 
hardwired to it.

Please download the latest firmware version Beta_3.10.15 for the router from the 
link given below:

https://www.belkin.com/support/article/?lid=en&pid=F5D8231-4&aid=5927&scid=0

and save it to the computer.

-To update the firmware, log on to the router web interface at http://192.168.2.1
Note: If you have changed your Router’s IP address, use that IP address.
-By default, the password is blank click the submit button.
-Click on the "Firmware Upgrade" found under the option "Utilities".
-Click on the “Browse” and select the bin file that you have downloaded
-Click on “update” and follow the wizard
-After updating the firmware, restore the router to factory defaults by clicking on 
Restore Factory Defaults under Utilities
-Reconfigure the router.

This will resolve the problem.


Please let us know if you need any further assistance. We will be glad to help you.

If you have any other issues or questions you may also call us on our toll free 
number at 800-223-5546 (Extn. 2263). Alternatively, call us on 310 898 1100 Ext. 
2263

Regards,

Roger Smith
Belkin Technical Support

Customer Call Details Apr 26 2008 15:27
"BETA? What fixes are included?"

Can I get a list of fixes/updates in this beta release of the firmware?

We have this router in a production environment so I`m a bit hesitant to install a 
beta version.

Thx,
Lance

Belkin Response Apr 28 2008 04:41
"See this cool list of the firmware we have to offer."

Lance ,we understand that you want a list of beta firmware for the router.

To resolve this issue please click on the link below:-

https://www.belkin.com/support/article/?lid=en&pid=F5D8231-4&aid=5927&scid=0

There you can find the firmwares for this router.

These are the only firmware available currently.

Please let us know if you need any further assistance. We will be glad to help 
you.

Lance, if you have any other issues or questions you may also call us on our toll 
free number at 800-223-5546 (Extn. 2263). Alternatively, call us on 310 898 1100 
Ext. 2263

Regards,

Lynda Horjesi
Belkin Technical Support

Customer Call Details Apr 28 2008 13:46
"Ummm... What?!?!"

actually I want a list of changes/fixes in the latest version for the n series v3.

Belkin Response Apr 28 2008 04:51
"See this cool list of the firmware we have to offer."

Lance ,we understand that you want a list of beta firmware for the router.

To resolve this issue please click on the link below:-

https://www.belkin.com/support/article/?lid=en&pid=F5D8231-4&aid=5927&scid=0

There you can find the firmwares for this router.

These are the only firmware available currently.

Please let us know if you need any further assistance. We will be glad to help 
you.

Lance, if you have any other issues or questions you may also call us on our toll 
free number at 800-223-5546 (Extn. 2263). Alternatively, call us on 310 898 1100 
Ext. 2263

Regards,

Lynda Horjesi
Belkin Technical Support

Customer Call Details Apr 30 2008 11:55
"Do you know how to READ?!?!?"

 Hey, thanks for sending the same cookie-cutter response TWICE!

 Please read this message.

 I want to know what was actually updated or fixed in this release:
 F5D8231-4 Version 3xxx Firmware Beta_3.10.15

 I don`t feel comfortable installing a BETA RELEASE into a production environment
 without knowing what you did to the Firmware in the first place. Please have one
 of the engineers respond with a list of "fixes & updates" included in the beta
 release noted above.

Belkin Response May 2 2008 12:30
"Your VPN is broken? Try this."

 Lance, we apologies for the inconvenience caused.

 We understand that you have an issue with the VPN connection.

 Please follow the below instruction.

 1. a. If the port number is not forward on the router for the VPN connection, 
 please collect the port number from the VPN client vendor and enter the same on 
 the virtual server, since your internal computers are protected by a firewall, 
 machines from the Internet cannot get to them because they cannot be `seen`. If 
 you need to configure the Virtual Server function for a specific application, a 
 list of common applications has been provided. If your application is not listed,
 you will need to contact the application vendor to find out which port settings 
 you need.

 b. Enable UPNP option under "UTILITIES"

 2. If you have already enabled the computer and still unable to access the VPN
 connection, please disable router firewall and then check.

 3. If you are still facing with the same issue, change the LAN IP of the router
 to a different range (192.168.3.1 for example).

 4. If the problem persists still, we request you to try downloading the beta 
 firmware by following the previous documention, I hope will resolve this problem.

 Please let us know if you need any further assistance. We will be glad to help
 you.

 Lance, if you have any other questions or problems you may also call us toll 
 free at 1-800-223-5546 ((Extn. 2263) or Press 4. Alternatively, call us on 
 310 898 1100 Ext. 2263.

 Regards,

 Sarah Parkar
 Belkin Technical Support

Customer Call Details May 2 2008 12:49
"OMGWTFBBQ!"

Arggghhhhh....

Does anyone actually read this?

I want to know what was actually updated or fixed in this release:
F5D8231-4 Version 3xxx Firmware Beta_3.10.15

I don`t feel comfortable installing a BETA RELEASE into a production environment 
without knowing what you did to the Firmware in the first place. Please have one 
of the engineers respond with a list of "fixes & updates" included in the beta 
release noted above. 

Belkin Response May 5 2008 08:15
"A vague random list of fixes follows. To see what was really fixed just install it and find out for yourself."
"PS - Engrish is not my first language."

Lance, we apologies for the inconvenience caused.

We understand that you are still facing with the same issue.

The firmware 3.10.15 resolve the issue :

1. Router is generating unneccessary traffic on the LAN.
2. Web pages loads on one system and on another system it doesnot.
3. Poor performance with the WPA-PSK, when Trip encryption is used.
4. Wireless light switch off when firefor or Opera is used to change setting.

Secondly, you can try by updating the firmware and then check.

Please let us know if you need any further assistance. We will be glad to help you.

Lance, if you have any other questions or problems you may also call us toll free
 at 1-800-223-5546 ((Extn. 2263) or Press 4. Alternatively, call us on 310 898 1100 
Ext. 2263.

Regards,
Sarah Parkar

Customer Call Details May 5 2008 10:29
"Thanks for nothing."

I love you guys.

Thank you for the list.  I noticed a distinct lack of the acronyms DNS and VPN.

I will do as suggested and install the BETA firmware, cross my fingers 
(I added that part) and hope for the best.