Dec 24 2009

Warning, Cisco WRT54G2 Wireless Router set-up disk ruins your Mac network #buyerbeware #cisco

WRT54G2General warning about the Cisco Linksys Set-up software on a Mac!

If you have a Mac and run the installation disk provided with the Cisco Linksys WRT54G2, it will DELETE all your internet settings and make the WRT54G2 your only “location” forgetting all your previous SSID’s passwords, and network configurations. To fix this problem you will need to open your network settings, create a new location and turn on the wireless in this location. The damage is pretty extensive and I am not sure if this will affect time port, mounted drives and other network devices, but I am deeply concerned that Cisco is advertising this product as a “Mac friendly” device. If you are not particularly network savvy, I feel especially bad for you, as you probably wouldn’t notice this had happened until you try to go to log onto a friend’s wireless network only to find that Cisco had basically uninstalled your wireless drivers. As for my skill level I once sold Cisco routers and had begun a Cisco training CCNA course (which I admittedly did not finish as I left AT&T to start a new company)….but the mear fact that someone of my level is having difficulty installing their consumer product should be cause for concern.

I tried to call Cisco’s “24 Hour tech support line” which resulted in a 1 hour wait time. I eventually gave up, logged onto their tech support web site, only to find it doesn’t work in Safari. Thankfully it (barely) works in Firefox, and attempting to join a chat session with a tech support person put me #72 in line to be helped. At this point I gave up and am simply returning the product for a better designed (albeit likely more expensive) mac friendly solution.

Some of my more jaded friends point out that this is why they do not buy Mac products because of the lack of support from cheaper solutions, and the need to buy more expensive products.  To those critics I invite you to watch this Hulu video which perfectly articulates the entire Mac vs PC debate.