Anyone using a 3Com 3CRWE754G at 1M or above?

My OfficeConnect wireless ADSL modem/router/firewall worked quite happily at
512k for over a year, but started playing up just before my connection
(PlusNet) was upgraded to 1M (possibly BT were fiddling with the line a few
days before the actual upgrade).

Since the upgrade, it works for half an hour or so when first turned on from
cold - but then takes a serious dip in downstream noise margin, accompanied
by a very high CRC error rate and reduction in throughput - then it drops
the connection altogether and refuses to synch thereafter.

Having satisfied myself that the line is ok - by virtue of the fact that I
have an old PC with a PCI modem which works ok on the line, and have since
bought a ZyXEL (non-wireless) router which also works ok - I sent the
wireless device back to 3Com to be rectified. They have replaced it with
another one of the same sort (possibly refurbished - doesn't look new -
different serial number from the original) which arrived today - and that
behaves EXACTLY THE SAME!

The 'new' one has even got the same firmware revision as the old one
originally had - despite not being the latest by several versions. [I
upgraded the original to make sure that didn't fix the problem before
sending it back].

So I suppose my questions are:
* Does anyone have any evidence that this device *does* work at speeds
higher than 512k - or are they all the same?
* Does anyone have any comments about the quality/reliability of 3Com kit
and about 3Com customer service?

[Having been sent a replacement containing *old* firmware, and exhibiting
the same problem as the original, I am currently not very impressed, and
wonder whether this is typical. There was not even any paperwork explaining
what they had actually done!]
--
Cheers,
Tim
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

On Wed, 24 Aug 2005 21:45:31 +0100, "Tiscali Tim" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

snip
>
>So I suppose my questions are:
>* Does anyone have any evidence that this device *does* work at speeds
>higher than 512k - or are they all the same?
>* Does anyone have any comments about the quality/reliability of 3Com kit
>and about 3Com customer service?
>
>[Having been sent a replacement containing *old* firmware, and exhibiting
>the same problem as the original, I am currently not very impressed, and
>wonder whether this is typical. There was not even any paperwork explaining
>what they had actually done!]

I use the same router with BT and have no problems with the router at
speed above 1M. My sole problem, to date, is the power supply failed
and I am still trying to get it replaced under warranty.

As you observe their customer service is needs much to be desired and
I would not deal with 3com again, however, I suspect others are not
likely to be significantly better.

"Tiscali Tim" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> My OfficeConnect wireless ADSL modem/router/firewall worked quite happily
> at
> 512k for over a year, but started playing up just before my connection
> (PlusNet) was upgraded to 1M (possibly BT were fiddling with the line a
> few
> days before the actual upgrade).
>
> Since the upgrade, it works for half an hour or so when first turned on
> from
> cold - but then takes a serious dip in downstream noise margin,
> accompanied
> by a very high CRC error rate and reduction in throughput - then it drops
> the connection altogether and refuses to synch thereafter.
>
> Having satisfied myself that the line is ok - by virtue of the fact that I
> have an old PC with a PCI modem which works ok on the line, and have since
> bought a ZyXEL (non-wireless) router which also works ok - I sent the
> wireless device back to 3Com to be rectified. They have replaced it with
> another one of the same sort (possibly refurbished - doesn't look new -
> different serial number from the original) which arrived today - and that
> behaves EXACTLY THE SAME!
>
> The 'new' one has even got the same firmware revision as the old one
> originally had - despite not being the latest by several versions. [I
> upgraded the original to make sure that didn't fix the problem before
> sending it back].
>
> So I suppose my questions are:
> * Does anyone have any evidence that this device *does* work at speeds
> higher than 512k - or are they all the same?
> * Does anyone have any comments about the quality/reliability of 3Com kit
> and about 3Com customer service?

My 3CRWE100A router (the replacement for the one you have) was randomly
disconnecting a few times a night. Sometimes it would run for days, other
times it would disconnect every few minutes. Spoke to 3Com who were adament
it wasn't a hardware or firmware problem. Then the 2.05 firmware was
released and so far it's been much better.

Still would rather have a ZyXel and won't be touching 3Com again.

>
> [Having been sent a replacement containing *old* firmware, and exhibiting
> the same problem as the original, I am currently not very impressed, and
> wonder whether this is typical. There was not even any paperwork
> explaining
> what they had actually done!]
> --
> Cheers,
> Tim
> ______
> Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.
>
>

> * Does anyone have any comments about the quality/reliability of 3Com kit
> and about 3Com customer service?

Their customer support is tripe. My PSU failed on this exact model of router
and, using their online support tools, I completed a precise and fully
descriptive fault report and requested a replacement power supply. I was
able to test the router by borrowing a PSU from work, confirming that indeed
the router was fine but my home power supply had failed. I measured 0 volts
on its output, so i explained this in one of the free text entry boxes on
the fault reporting webform.

They sent me a complete replacement router, without power supply - so now I
had two routers which were both fully working, but still no power supply.

I then completed another fault report and made it absoultely clear that the
fault was in the PSU *not* the router - they then sent me another router.

I telephoned them and spoke to a French man who confirmed that both of my
fault reports showed the PSU to be faulty, and then explained that the
automated system that dispatches replacement units couldn't differentiate
between the router being faulty or the PSU being faulty - it just saw the
words "faulty" and "3CRWE754G " and sent another router.

He promised to send me an actual power supply, which he did. The wrong one -
it was a European plug rather than a UK one.

I now had three working routers, a faulty PSU and a presumably working PSU
that I couldn't plug in. I phoned them again and finally - FINALLY!- got
them to send me a UK power supply. Then the games began, getting them to
collect the two routers they had erroneously sent me.

All in all, it took something like two and a half weeks to get the mains PSU
to me, then another two weeks to get the unwanted units collected.

I managed to keep my patience throughout but I will avoid 3Com in future.

RMC

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, Tiscali Tim
<(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>My OfficeConnect wireless ADSL modem/router/firewall worked quite happily at
>512k for over a year, but started playing up just before my connection
>(PlusNet) was upgraded to 1M (possibly BT were fiddling with the line a few
>days before the actual upgrade).
>
>Since the upgrade, it works for half an hour or so when first turned on from
>cold - but then takes a serious dip in downstream noise margin, accompanied
>by a very high CRC error rate and reduction in throughput - then it drops
>the connection altogether and refuses to synch thereafter.
>
>Having satisfied myself that the line is ok - by virtue of the fact that I
>have an old PC with a PCI modem which works ok on the line, and have since
>bought a ZyXEL (non-wireless) router which also works ok - I sent the
>wireless device back to 3Com to be rectified. They have replaced it with
>another one of the same sort (possibly refurbished - doesn't look new -
>different serial number from the original) which arrived today - and that
>behaves EXACTLY THE SAME!
>
>The 'new' one has even got the same firmware revision as the old one
>originally had - despite not being the latest by several versions. [I
>upgraded the original to make sure that didn't fix the problem before
>sending it back].
>
>So I suppose my questions are:
>* Does anyone have any evidence that this device *does* work at speeds
>higher than 512k - or are they all the same?
>* Does anyone have any comments about the quality/reliability of 3Com kit
>and about 3Com customer service?
>
I've been using this router for about a year now. A bit unstable at
first, but ever since I installed the latest firmware it has been rock
solid. I was upgraded to 2 mbps about three weeks ago, and have had no
problems.

Can't comment about their customer service: haven't used them.
--
Thoss

On Thu, 25 Aug 2005 09:24:53 +0100, "RMC" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>> * Does anyone have any comments about the quality/reliability of 3Com kit
>> and about 3Com customer service?
>
>Their customer support is tripe. My PSU failed on this exact model of router
>and, using their online support tools, I completed a precise and fully
>descriptive fault report and requested a replacement power supply. I was
>able to test the router by borrowing a PSU from work, confirming that indeed
>the router was fine but my home power supply had failed. I measured 0 volts
>on its output, so i explained this in one of the free text entry boxes on
>the fault reporting webform.
>
>They sent me a complete replacement router, without power supply - so now I
>had two routers which were both fully working, but still no power supply.
>
>I then completed another fault report and made it absoultely clear that the
>fault was in the PSU *not* the router - they then sent me another router.
>
>I telephoned them and spoke to a French man who confirmed that both of my
>fault reports showed the PSU to be faulty, and then explained that the
>automated system that dispatches replacement units couldn't differentiate
>between the router being faulty or the PSU being faulty - it just saw the
>words "faulty" and "3CRWE754G " and sent another router.
>
>He promised to send me an actual power supply, which he did. The wrong one -
>it was a European plug rather than a UK one.
>
>I now had three working routers, a faulty PSU and a presumably working PSU
>that I couldn't plug in. I phoned them again and finally - FINALLY!- got
>them to send me a UK power supply. Then the games began, getting them to
>collect the two routers they had erroneously sent me.
>
>All in all, it took something like two and a half weeks to get the mains PSU
>to me, then another two weeks to get the unwanted units collected.
>
>I managed to keep my patience throughout but I will avoid 3Com in future.
>
>RMC
>
Your experience is making me very nervous. The power supply of my 3com
3CRWE754G router also failed after 13 months. I returned the PSU with
a letter explaining the problem and nothing has happened. Yesterday I
called 3com and they agreed they had received the PSU but had not
received the router. I then explained that the router was working and
their web site specifically advised to only returned the failed
component. The person I spoke to promised to follow up my problem and
get a new PSU to me but after reading your post I am not optimistic.

Like you, I doubt whether 3com will get business from me in the
future. However, are any of the other suppliers any better? Poor
after sales service seems to be the norm in the computer peripheral
industry, its the price we pay for rock bottom prices I suppose.

> Like you, I doubt whether 3com will get business from me in the
> future. However, are any of the other suppliers any better?

You're completely right. Service, as a general concept, is diminishing month
by month - in all aspects of industry (e.g. banking call centres being moved
offshore and hence providing a lousy service).

There are a couple of British companies making routers, whose names escape
me. I might try them next time. Good luck with 3Com; you can of course get
away with any 12V DC, 1 to 2A power supply, with a centre pin that's
positive. I found one off some kindofportable CD player that I had knocking
aboutand it will work fine until you get a replacement (sometime around
Bonfire night, if my experience is anything to go by!).

Cheers

RMC