Just thought a few of you guys might appreciate this. I think we all have these kind of things happen now and then. A friend of a friend has had Verizon DSL (with basic modem/gateway) for about a year. At the time he also got a Dell router but he couldn't get it to work. He finally wants a wireless network, so I take a shot at getting things going over last weekend.
First day: Set up router and modem. Configs go fine but the modem no longer connects to DSL. Finally works after several resets, then stops again. More fiddling like this until it's working properly. I go home. Get call that it stopped working that night.
Second day: Found more settings on Verizon's page to try. More fiddling and resets, same deal. Determine that the modem isn't storing settings, just going back to default. Make weekday appointment.
Third day:
Call 1, Verizon tech support says that the modem is having a problem but there's a workaround. Try workaround, connection starts working. Then stops, turns out it still didn't save the settings.
Call 2, support has me go through all the stuff I've already tried, then says the router isn't supported. I convince them that the modem's problems are unrelated. Support guy tries a few more things then tells me that the problem is that the modem isn't storing settings. Thanks, that helps. Support guy then says Verizon doesn't support their modems (which I knew was BS) and to call Westell for a warranty replacement.
Call 3, on hold for about an hour to Westell, all the while hearing a recorded message saying "if you're a Verizon customer, we'll have your head on a platter" or something along those lines. Finally get an agitated guy who I convince not to hang up on me. He says Verizon is nuts, the modem's warranty ran out six months ago, and they wouldn't support it anyway.
Call 4, tell Verizon tech my story and she says the other Verizon guy really was nuts. Also says the warranty is out and to talk to sales. Get transfered to wrong sales, then right sales. Sales has a hard time believing I'm calling for a client. Finally get that straightened out and everything else is smooth sailing.
In the end, he's getting a new Verizon/Westell modem/router combo unit to avoid any Dell issues. But man, what a lot of treading water for a simple problem.
First day: Set up router and modem. Configs go fine but the modem no longer connects to DSL. Finally works after several resets, then stops again. More fiddling like this until it's working properly. I go home. Get call that it stopped working that night.
Second day: Found more settings on Verizon's page to try. More fiddling and resets, same deal. Determine that the modem isn't storing settings, just going back to default. Make weekday appointment.
Third day:
Call 1, Verizon tech support says that the modem is having a problem but there's a workaround. Try workaround, connection starts working. Then stops, turns out it still didn't save the settings.
Call 2, support has me go through all the stuff I've already tried, then says the router isn't supported. I convince them that the modem's problems are unrelated. Support guy tries a few more things then tells me that the problem is that the modem isn't storing settings. Thanks, that helps. Support guy then says Verizon doesn't support their modems (which I knew was BS) and to call Westell for a warranty replacement.
Call 3, on hold for about an hour to Westell, all the while hearing a recorded message saying "if you're a Verizon customer, we'll have your head on a platter" or something along those lines. Finally get an agitated guy who I convince not to hang up on me. He says Verizon is nuts, the modem's warranty ran out six months ago, and they wouldn't support it anyway.
Call 4, tell Verizon tech my story and she says the other Verizon guy really was nuts. Also says the warranty is out and to talk to sales. Get transfered to wrong sales, then right sales. Sales has a hard time believing I'm calling for a client. Finally get that straightened out and everything else is smooth sailing.
In the end, he's getting a new Verizon/Westell modem/router combo unit to avoid any Dell issues. But man, what a lot of treading water for a simple problem.