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Product registration needed ?

I've had a cisco account to access the command reference for some time.

Recently, I bought a new router (871W). In it was a simple sheet with a list of URLs (none of which are valid), with one pointing to product registration.

Do routers at this low level grant one any real support from Cisco ? (like 90 days or whatever) ?

Are individual customers expected to register their products with Cisco, and if so, how does one navigate the Cisco web site to get to the product registration page ? (if we have a login already). ?

Reply to
JF Mezei
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Sure, you get TAC support from Cisco, you talk to TAC, they can give you info, or special access to some bugfix. You don't get full bore self-service access like SmartNet does, there's still SmartNet for the

871W..

The registration is the account user signup form last I remember. It doesn't entitle you to anything, its just a matter of them tracking warantee start.

Reply to
Doug McIntyre

Ok, so I register a "new" account using the same username/passowrd that I already have and include the new hardware I bought ?

Or must I take a CCNA course or higher to be taught how to navigate the Cisco web site to register products ? :-)

Reply to
JF Mezei

It does about the same as sending in the warantee registration cards for your new refrigerator... I don't know why you'd bother.

There is no way any sane human can navigate Cisco's web site. It must be designed by those in an asylum.

Reply to
Doug McIntyre

Well - they have a lot of stuff on the site. I am prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt - for now.

I think that the warranty varies from country to country. If you state where you are then maybe someone can help.

In the UK, to get full access to the web site you need to get a smartnet contract. You need to buy this from your reseller. It might cost 15% of the product list price per year - at a guess.

Registering such a contract - such that you can use it - however will take you days since it seems that there are no comprehensible instructions and no one who can tell you what to do - as of a year ago.

In the UK, if you only have a few devices, I guess that you might find it hard to even buy the contract.

Once you are registered however - the support is very fine indeed. They do not care if you have spent =A340 or =A3400,000. You talk to the same people and get the same cover.

Note however that ALL of the manuals - the Configuration Guide and the Command Reference Guide - are available to the public. The contract basically gets you software downloads and access to search the bug database, and maybe a few extra bits and pieces.

Finally - I said "full access" - if you are a "Partner" you get a higher level of access again, however this is unlikely to be of concern to an end user. One thing for sure that Partners get is some nice on-line training material.

Partners have to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Reply to
bod43

I pay the equivalent of US$ 59,- for a 1 year 8x5NBD SmartNet Contract for a

871W Box. It will give you full access to Softwaredownloads (latest IOS etc) as well as hardware exchange in case of hardware failures. The TAC support is indeed very good in all aspects. They helped me out with a tricky configuration for example. I can higly suggest to get a contract for your box. Just ask any Cisco Partner for a SmartNet offer (you do not neccessarily need to use the reseller where you bought the box by the way). Find a (SMB) partner near you here:
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Best...Andy
Reply to
Andy

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