Wireless Networking Zyxel - False Advertising! - Beware of this Company!

Bookmark this page:  YahooMyWeb Yahoo!  Google Google  Windows Live Favorites Windows Live  del.icio.us del.icio.us  digg digg  Add to Netscape Netscape
Subject Author Date
Zyxel - False Advertising! - Beware of this Company! Le Chaud Lapin 07-02-08
Posted by Le Chaud Lapin on July 2, 2008, 1:20 am
Please log in for more thread options
>
> > For all else who are interested, the pseudo-generic name for what I am
> > looking for is "SoftAP".
>
> > Google it, and much information will come forth.
>
> I appears that the complete package is Zyxel G200 series:
>
> http://us.zyxel.com/web/product_family_detail.php?PC1indexflag=3D200405..=
.

BUYER BEWARE:

Zyxel seems to be engaged in deliberate false-advertising to move
products known to be incompatible with Vista in some respects.

I bought the Zyxel AG-225H and was extremely disappointed today that
the Access Point feature will not run on Vista.

The following page:

http://tinyurl.com/6zr6zn

=2E..reads:

"the Software Access Point feature that is included in each and every
AG-225H."

=2E..it also reads:

"Microsoft Vista Support Out of the Box"
"Microsoft Vista is the next big operating system change users have to
contend with
coming out of Microsoft in 2007. Don=92t be afraid of your new AG-225H
becoming
obsolete lagging behind your computer OS upgrades"

I was definitely afraid of no Vista support for my Access Point
dongle, so I spent over an hour carefully searching the web to make
sure that the Access Point device I chose supported Vista. I chose the
AG-225H specifically because it mentioned "Microsoft Vista Support Out
Of The Box."

If you try to use this device with Vista, the Software Access Point
feature not only will not work, it will not install. AT ALL. This is
not a bug. It is deliberate. The engineers have not written any GUI
software for Vista. Zero. If the installation CD detects that the
operating system on which it is being installed is Windows Vista, it
will install the device driver only, and completely block installation
of any other software, including the Access Point software.

I spent 30 minutes on the phone today with a Zyxel representative and
his manager arguing about whether a rational, moderately intelligent
person reading the page at the link above would get the impression
that the device is Vista-ready, meaning not only will it be useable as
a normal Wi-Fi roaming dongle, but will also be useable as an Access
Point, which is the only reason I bought it. The representative I
spoke with, and his manager, staunchly denied that they are
responsible for any wrong-doing or confusion that might have arisen,
and faulted me [an electrical/software engineer that programs in
Windows and network devices in particular] for "misinterpreting their
clearly-written presentation."

To prove that they were not at fault, the representative told me to go
to the "Support and Downloads" location on their web site:

http://tinyurl.com/39b82r

And told to scroll down near the bottom and read one of the FAQ's
where it says:

Q:"When I install my ZyXEL Client Adapter, I can=92t use the bundled
Utility that controls the adapter. Is this normal? "
A:"Currently, Vista is not supported on any of ZyXEL=92s Client Adapters
however this does not mean that they will not work on Windows Vista!
Using the step by step setup process outlined on this webpage, you can
install any of our client adapters onto your Windows Vista OS PC.
Please remember that the Utility used to configure and control the
Client Adapter will be the Windows Zero Config Utility within Windows
Vista."

What this means, in English, is that the Access Point feature *WILL
NOT WORK* on Vista. NOT AT ALL. Note how they call the Access Point
software the "Utility", not "Access Point Software".

I then asked, "Isn't the Support & Downloads area of a company's web-
site typically visited by customers *after* they have already
purchased the product?" He said "No, it is clearly written there, and
you could have excercised some initiative and looked at that page and
seen that the Access Point feature was not supported by Vista."

I then said, "But I was mislead by the page that describes the
product. Why do you not simply put an asterisk next to the 'Microsoft
Vista Support Out of the Box' blurb on the product description page to
say that Vista support does not include the Access Point feature?
After all, the only reason I bought your product is so I could use the
Acess Point feature on Vista." He said, "We will consider that in the
future."

I noticed that too many questions on the FAQ page seemed to indicate
that I was not the only person who inferred that "Microsoft Vista
Support Out of the Box" meant that the Access Point feature would work
on Vista, so I asked the manager..."Certainly there are other people
who where duped by this page...I cannot be the only person who thought
that the Access Point feature would work on Vista only to find out
that it doesn't?" he said, "Yes, you're the only person." I said, "Are
you sure? I am not an idiot...I know how to read, I'm not lazy, this
simply doesn't make sense." He said, "No,..no..you're the only one."

I was about to ask if I could return the device and get my money back
until I read the following FAQ not far from the other FAQ:

http://tinyurl.com/39b82r

Q: "Do you have an exchange program for customers that upgrade their
PC=92s to Windows Vista only to find out that the ZyXEL product they are
using does NOT support Windows Vista?"
A: "Unfortunately the 2 Year ZyXEL Warranty program does NOT include
exchanges if the product is not Micosoft Vista supported. The
supported operating systems are dependent on the time of which the
product was developed. Although ZyXEL tries our best to make sure that
all products will be Microsoft Windows Vista certified, sometimes a
replacement product will shift resources from one product to another."

Liar.

This company certainly knows how to make first impressions.

[NOTE: To those reading this post, this is not just a rant. I will
likely sue this company for false advertising as a matter of
principle. What would help me greatly is if you could simply take a
look at the following link, and make a mental note (or otherwise)
that, as of 2008-07-08, there is nothing on the product description
page that says that the Access Point feature of the device cannot be
used under Windows Vista.]

http://tinyurl.com/6zr6zn

Zyxel Customer Support In USA: (800) 978-7222

-Le Chaud Lapin-

Posted by LR on July 2, 2008, 2:43 am
Please log in for more thread options
Le Chaud Lapin wrote:

> [NOTE: To those reading this post, this is not just a rant. I will
> likely sue this company for false advertising as a matter of
> principle. What would help me greatly is if you could simply take a
> look at the following link, and make a mental note (or otherwise)
> that, as of 2008-07-08, there is nothing on the product description
> page that says that the Access Point feature of the device cannot be
> used under Windows Vista.]
>
> http://tinyurl.com/6zr6zn

Under Specifications

System Requirement

* Notebook or PC with the Pentium II
o 300 MHz or compatible above
o Minimum 32MB RAM (64MB Recommended)
o A minimum of 20MB available hard disk space
o A CD ROM drive
o USB Type A slot (V2.0/V1.1 Comparable)
o Microsoft Windows XP/2000

No mention of Vista


>
> Zyxel Customer Support In USA: (800) 978-7222
>
> -Le Chaud Lapin-

Posted by LR on July 2, 2008, 2:54 am
Please log in for more thread options
LR wrote:
> Le Chaud Lapin wrote:
>
>> [NOTE: To those reading this post, this is not just a rant. I will
>> likely sue this company for false advertising as a matter of
>> principle. What would help me greatly is if you could simply take a
>> look at the following link, and make a mental note (or otherwise)
>> that, as of 2008-07-08, there is nothing on the product description
>> page that says that the Access Point feature of the device cannot be
>> used under Windows Vista.]
>>
>> http://tinyurl.com/6zr6zn
>
> Under Specifications
>
> System Requirement
>
> * Notebook or PC with the Pentium II
> o 300 MHz or compatible above
> o Minimum 32MB RAM (64MB Recommended)
> o A minimum of 20MB available hard disk space
> o A CD ROM drive
> o USB Type A slot (V2.0/V1.1 Comparable)
> o Microsoft Windows XP/2000
>
> No mention of Vista
>
>
>>
>> Zyxel Customer Support In USA: (800) 978-7222
>>
>> -Le Chaud Lapin-
Zyxel Vista Support
http://www.zyxel.com/web/support_vista.php

Posted by Le Chaud Lapin on July 2, 2008, 1:46 pm
Please log in for more thread options
> LR wrote:
> > Le Chaud Lapin wrote:
>
> >> [NOTE: To those reading this post, this is not just a rant. =A0I will
> >> likely sue this company for false advertising as a matter of
> >> principle. =A0What would help me greatly is if you could simply take a
> >> look at the following link, and make a mental note (or otherwise)
> >> that, as of 2008-07-08, there is nothing on the product description
> >> page that says that the Access Point feature of the device cannot be
> >> used under Windows Vista.]
>
> >>http://tinyurl.com/6zr6zn
>
> > Under Specifications
>
> > System Requirement
>
> > =A0 =A0 * Notebook or PC with the Pentium II
> > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 o 300 MHz or compatible above
> > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 o Minimum 32MB RAM (64MB Recommended)
> > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 o A minimum of 20MB available hard disk space
> > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 o A CD ROM drive
> > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 o USB Type A slot (V2.0/V1.1 Comparable)
> > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 o Microsoft Windows XP/2000
>
> > =A0No mention of Vista
>
> >> Zyxel Customer Support In USA: (800) 978-7222
>
> >> -Le Chaud Lapin-
>
> Zyxel Vista Support

> http://www.zyxel.com/web/support_vista.php

Apparently you did not read my OP. In it, I placed that link already.

Here, let's take two paragraphs, bout written by Zyxel, and place them
next to ecah other to see if it becomes clear:

First, the link that you put above reads:

Q:"When I install my ZyXEL Client Adapter, I can=92t use the bundled
Utility that controls the adapter. Is this normal? "
A:"Currently, Vista is not supported on any of ZyXEL=92s Client
Adapters
however this does not mean that they will not work on Windows Vista!
Using the step by step setup process outlined on this webpage, you
can
install any of our client adapters onto your Windows Vista OS PC.
Please remember that the Utility used to configure and control the
Client Adapter will be the Windows Zero Config Utility within Windows
Vista."

And now, the link for the AG-225H [http://tinyurl.com/6zr6zn] reads:

"Microsoft Vista Support Out of the Box"
"Microsoft Vista is the next big operating system change users have to
contend with
coming out of Microsoft in 2007. Don=92t be afraid of your new AG-225H
becoming
obsolete lagging behind your computer OS upgrades."

So, quick question: After reading this last paragraph, should I expect
Vista support or not? This last paragraph, which is on the main page
for the product, indicates that I should, even though it does not. The
other paragraph is in the product support section.

If I buy even a $40,000 vehicle, I do not go to the car manufacturers
web site to look at the product support section to see if the
marketing materials about its features were dishonest. That would not
make sense.

If a company says that their product has Vista support on the main
description page of the product, then, in my mind, there should be
Vista support for that product. If not, then they should not write on
it, "Microsoft Vista Support Out of the Box".

One of five key tests of whether this constitutes false advertising,
as outlined by US DOC and other laws , is whether a majority of
people, upon seeing on main description page,

"Microsoft Vista Support Out of the Box".

would be lead to believe that there is Vista support for the product.

If so, then this is false advertising.

-Le Chaud Lapin-

Posted by LR on July 2, 2008, 2:00 pm
Please log in for more thread options
Le Chaud Lapin wrote:
>> LR wrote:
>>> Le Chaud Lapin wrote:
>>>> [NOTE: To those reading this post, this is not just a rant. I will
>>>> likely sue this company for false advertising as a matter of
>>>> principle. What would help me greatly is if you could simply take a
>>>> look at the following link, and make a mental note (or otherwise)
>>>> that, as of 2008-07-08, there is nothing on the product description
>>>> page that says that the Access Point feature of the device cannot be
>>>> used under Windows Vista.]
>>>> http://tinyurl.com/6zr6zn
>>> Under Specifications
>>> System Requirement
>>> * Notebook or PC with the Pentium II
>>> o 300 MHz or compatible above
>>> o Minimum 32MB RAM (64MB Recommended)
>>> o A minimum of 20MB available hard disk space
>>> o A CD ROM drive
>>> o USB Type A slot (V2.0/V1.1 Comparable)
>>> o Microsoft Windows XP/2000
>>> No mention of Vista
>>>> Zyxel Customer Support In USA: (800) 978-7222
>>>> -Le Chaud Lapin-
>> Zyxel Vista Support
>
>> http://www.zyxel.com/web/support_vista.php
>
> Apparently you did not read my OP. In it, I placed that link already.
>
> Here, let's take two paragraphs, bout written by Zyxel, and place them
> next to ecah other to see if it becomes clear:
>
> First, the link that you put above reads:
>
> Q:"When I install my ZyXEL Client Adapter, I can’t use the bundled
> Utility that controls the adapter. Is this normal? "
> A:"Currently, Vista is not supported on any of ZyXEL’s Client
> Adapters
> however this does not mean that they will not work on Windows Vista!
> Using the step by step setup process outlined on this webpage, you
> can
> install any of our client adapters onto your Windows Vista OS PC.
> Please remember that the Utility used to configure and control the
> Client Adapter will be the Windows Zero Config Utility within Windows
> Vista."
>
> And now, the link for the AG-225H [http://tinyurl.com/6zr6zn] reads:
>
> "Microsoft Vista Support Out of the Box"
> "Microsoft Vista is the next big operating system change users have to
> contend with
> coming out of Microsoft in 2007. Don’t be afraid of your new AG-225H
> becoming
> obsolete lagging behind your computer OS upgrades."
>
> So, quick question: After reading this last paragraph, should I expect
> Vista support or not? This last paragraph, which is on the main page
> for the product, indicates that I should, even though it does not. The
> other paragraph is in the product support section.
>
> If I buy even a $40,000 vehicle, I do not go to the car manufacturers
> web site to look at the product support section to see if the
> marketing materials about its features were dishonest. That would not
> make sense.
>
> If a company says that their product has Vista support on the main
> description page of the product, then, in my mind, there should be
> Vista support for that product. If not, then they should not write on
> it, "Microsoft Vista Support Out of the Box".
>
> One of five key tests of whether this constitutes false advertising,
> as outlined by US DOC and other laws , is whether a majority of
> people, upon seeing on main description page,
>
> "Microsoft Vista Support Out of the Box".
>
> would be lead to believe that there is Vista support for the product.
>
> If so, then this is false advertising.
>
> -Le Chaud Lapin-
Evidently you cannot be bothered to read the posted links as the one you
posted and the one I posted are not the same, there are no FAQ's on the
link I posted and it clearly states that the "Vista Utility" is not
supported.

Similar ThreadsPosted
Zyxel - False Advertising! - Beware of this Company! July 2, 2008, 1:20 am
Microsoft blatant false advertising of MN-710 March 25, 2005, 2:54 am
beware of OxfordTEC UK December 27, 2007, 5:08 am
Zyxel 660HW June 26, 2005, 4:38 am
Need scan of Zyxel UPC February 12, 2006, 6:15 pm
any hack kow how to get zyxel b-220 usb 802.11 nic going? January 14, 2007, 4:20 pm
Need WEP key--Not on Zyxel "web configurator"--please help June 19, 2008, 2:43 pm
Beware all you DLink users! October 30, 2004, 5:28 am
Which Voip company do you think is best? January 2, 2008, 6:54 pm
Moving Company January 24, 2008, 11:40 pm
Zyxel 660HW-61 PE.10 firmware December 11, 2005, 12:48 pm
Company network slowdown September 9, 2005, 11:29 pm
Competitive Web Design Company September 7, 2006, 6:05 am
Moving Company Los Angeles January 1, 2008, 10:57 pm
Zyxel 660HW drops connection October 31, 2005, 5:14 am