Lack of Mac support

[CAlvarez]

Router manufacturers shouldn't have to support ANY operating system at all. It's a network. If you can't make your computer work on the network, that's not their fault.

[cwtnospam]

That may be true, but if they make a point of supporting Windoze, they damned well better make a point of supporting other OSes, especially the Mac.

[Las_Vegas]

Personally, I'd rather purchase a product like Linksys, that works when I plug it in than a "Mac Supported" product like D-Link that rarely, if ever works.

[cwtnospam]

That's funny, because I have no problems with my D-Link, but my Linksys was a pain in the butt. Like a PC, it worked when properly configured, but anytime a change was needed the trouble began.

[voldenuit]

Perhaps we could agree that

1
Having support for a wide variety of operating systems is a Good Thing and may be relevant for people who would be lost without hand-holding by the vendor.

2
Beyond tech support, the availabilty of open-source firmware and an active user community (for example http://wiki.openwrt.org/FrontPage ) might be a lot more important, especially to people having at least a foggy idea how TCP/IP works.

[cwtnospam]

I would agree with both, except for the fact that most people have little to no idea what tcp/ip is, let alone a good understanding of it. That's why it's so important to have at least some level of tech support.

My complaint against Linksys isn't about their technical support. It's about their support policy, which is designed to exclude Macs in much the same way that many IT departments try to exclude them.

[styrafome]

But you said that Linksys' response was

Quote: Linksys devices are compatible with Macintosh computers. However, the support is limited to providing idea on what fixes the concern rather than guiding them step by step towards the resolution. There is no training for the operating system environment so some of the technicians only based their procedures from an experience with clients with ample knowledge of their system.

That's not exclusion. That's like an IT department saying "Sure, bring your Mac to work, but just so you know, you're on your own because we're not trained to help you." Many people operate fine that way. But what you are attempting to claim is active exclusion, which is like an IT department saying "No, you can't bring your Mac to work, and if you do, we'll block its address from the network." Your claim of a Linksys policy of exclusion is not supported by your evidence.

In fact, Linksys is simply being honest about their limits, whereas D-Link promises Mac support that they often cannot deliver over the phone. That's more of a lie!

And that's why I'm just as happy with my Linksys as I am with my D-Link.

[cwtnospam]

Quote: Originally Posted by styrafome That's not exclusion. That's like an IT department saying "Sure, bring your Mac to work, but just so you know, you're on your own because we're not trained to help you."

No, what they're both saying in that case is: "We will not train to help you, so while we can't force you to use another OS, we do recommend it." That is different from "We are just as well trained on Macs as Windoze; we're lousy at both."

[CAlvarez]

Quote: so while we can't force you to use another OS, we do recommend it."

That's something you made up on your own, it's nothing near the statement they made.

[cwtnospam]

"We have not trained to support the Mac" does mean that they will not train to support it, unless they've told you otherwise, in which case, wait a few months and this discussion is moot. Refusing to train to support it means that if you want their support, you must use the OS they support. Would they ever recommend that you use an OS other than the one they support? I've certainly never heard anyone do that, have you?

[CAlvarez]

They don't recommend one OS or another. They can support you at a very basic level if you have something they know. They can support you at a network level if you have something they don't know. The consumer should be educated enough to work at the network level with a piece of network gear, or pay someone to do it for him.

What's their position on Linux support?

[cwtnospam]

Be serious. They support Windoze. They don't support other systems. Clearly, they have a bias towards Windoze that will cause many people to use it or stick with it. That's always been a so called selling point for Windoze. Now you're trying to say it doesn't exist?

By the way, I don't care what the consumer should or shouldn't know. I don't even care if the company doesn't support Macs, AS LONG AS THEY DON'T SUPPORT WINDOZE EITHER. I probably will never call D-Link for support, but at least I know that their Mac support is roughly equivalent (it's fine if they suck at both) to their PC support, so the argument that you should get Windows because they're better supported isn't valid. The problem with buying from a company like Linksys is that it makes that argument valid.

[styrafome]

Are you only buying blank DVDs from Apple? Because the last pack of DVDs I bought didn't mention the Mac on the label, but they were cheaper.

[cwtnospam]

Hardly the same issue. People aren't influenced on what computer to buy based on who's on CD labels.

[CAlvarez]

But they are influenced to change computers because their new cheap router isn't working with the current one? I was really wondering how far you'd go with this, it's quite amusing.

Quote: Clearly, they have a bias towards Windoze that will cause many people to use it or stick with it.

Clearly, they have the business sense to concentrate their resources on the operating system that more than 90% of their buyers are running.

[cwtnospam]

Quote: Originally Posted by CAlvarez Clearly, they have the business sense to concentrate their resources on the operating system that more than 90% of their buyers are running.

That's fine. All I'm saying is that Mac owners should have the business sense to avoid supporting companies that don't support their platform of choice.

[CAlvarez]

Like I asked before, what router manufacters produce GOOD products and support Mac? Apple, obviously, for three times the price with fewer features and lower signal levels.

Consumers should have the sense not to buy junk routers, even if they are "supported," since that support is both really bad and often can't fix the issue because the products are simply bad to start with.

[cwtnospam]

Quote: Originally Posted by CAlvarez Like I asked before, what router manufacters produce GOOD products and support Mac?

It isn't an issue of GOOD support. The issue is equal support. None of the routers are great, and neither is their support. If it works, and it doesn't harm the Mac platform in the market place the way Linksys does, then I'm all for it. I don't care what brand.

[CAlvarez]

I asked what company makes a GOOD ROUTER and provides Mac support of any kind? D-Link and Belkin make junk. Who is left? I'm asking because I don't know. I'd rather buy a working/unsupported product from Linksys than a junk/supported product from D-Link. What are the options for good and supported?

[cwtnospam]

And I told you, my D-Link works fine. Better in fact, than my Linksys. Lots better. Macsense makes good routers. And

Quote: Originally Posted by styrafome You can also try macwireless.com

looks like another.

The quality of both the routers and their service levels is not great for any manufacturer, so when Linksys refuses to support the Mac properly, that puts them in a tie for last place with anyone else who doesn't support it.