I have been a user of Netgear's Powerline Ethernet products for years, since the XE102 (
NETGEAR XE102 Wall-Plugged Ethernet Bridge
), using them both at home and at work. I got my first XE103 last year because I wanted to upgrade my home network in stages, and the XE103 & XE104 (
NETGEAR XE104 85 Mbps Powerline 4-Port Ethernet Adapter
) are backwards compatible with the XE102 (speeds between units are determined by the slowest unit, of course).
After buying 12 Netgear Powerline units, I finally got one that failed shortly out of the box. It works initially, then the Ethernet side dies. So now I get to test Netgear's warranty support. I email Netgear's support group; after three days, still no reply, so I find their phone support number on their website (888-NET-GEAR -- not listed with their warranty info, btw) and spend 15 minutes wandering through the voicemail menus and sitting on hold. Finally I get a tech, I explain what happened and what I've done to diagnose the problem. He follows his script and walks me through it again, of course (why should he take my word I work in IT? I wouldn't), and since the unit hasn't been plugged in for a few days it works fine while we're on the phone. But he gives me a case number and tells me to call back when the unit does fail.
Half an hour later the unit has once again failed on the Ethernet side. I call back, and this time (being after normal business hours even on the West Coast) spend half an hour on hold. When I talk to a tech she is able to pull up my case number with no problem, and I am able to talk her out of running through the diagnosis script this time. At this point she tells me that I need to return the unit to the store where I bought it! I read her the Netgear warranty that says Netgear will replace a defective unit when the bad one is returned, but she says they only do that when the seller refuses to take a unit back. Problem: since this is a two-pack, that means I need to send back a perfectly good unit with the bad one? Sorry sir, company policy, etc. And I didn't pick this up at Best Buy or wherever; since I got it from Amazon, I need to MAIL it back and wait for a replacement? Sorry sir, company policy, etc.
So at this point I'm not happy. But I sign on to Amazon and start the replacement process. At which point I discover that Netgear accidentally did me a favor, since dealing with Amazon turns out to be easier than going to Best Buy and explaining things so some clerk. Amazon is shipping me a replacement product, no questions asked (well, not many), and I have a month to return the bad unit. AND they are shipping it 2nd day air (my original shipment was Super Saver). So I can check out both new units, make sure one works, and get the bad one (and one good one, probably) back to Amazon on their prepaid postage label. Sweet!
OK, five stars to Amazon! But only three to the XE103, because (a) Netgear does not honor its warranty as stated [yes, it worked out better for me, but *they* didn't know that]; (b) although Netgear now offers 200mbps Powerline Ethernet units (like the HDXB111 -- good units, we use them at work), they have not dropped the price of the 85mbps units to reflect the older technology.
Side note: the CD that comes with the units has software for "security." If you don't plan on installing security passwords, you probably won't bother to install it. Do so anyway -- the "security" software also can detect which units are on your network, what their MAC addresses are, and what their current speeds are. Excellent for troubleshooting, or just figuring out if running the vacuum cleaner on the same electrical circuit slows down the network (it does, btw).
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- NO ADDITIONAL COST: You pay $0 for repairs – parts, labor and shipping included.
- COVERAGE: Plan starts on the date of purchase. Malfunctions covered after the manufacturer's warranty. Power surges covered from day one.
- EASY CLAIMS PROCESS: File a claim anytime online at www.Asurion.com/Amazon or by phone. Most claims approved within minutes. If we can’t repair it, we’ll send you an Amazon.com Gift Card for the purchase price of your covered product or replace it.
- EXPERT TECH HELP: Real experts are available 24/7 to help with set-up, connectivity issues, troubleshooting and much more.
- MORE DETAILS: Additional information about this protection plan is available within the “Product guides and documents” section. Simply click “User Guide” for more info. Asurion will also email your plan confirmation with Terms & Conditions to the address associated with your Amazon account within 24 hours of purchase (if you do not see this email, please check your spam folder). Contact us if you cannot locate your plan confirmation and Terms & Conditions via email at AmazonFeedback@Asurion.com.
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