Intro. Based on some reading and positive impressions, a number of years ago I upgraded from a "whole house wifi router " to an Engenius POE kit with two access points. Decent expanded coverage. Trouble was, the lack of roaming, where phones and tablets would hold on to ap1 instead of hopping onto ap2. Talked to Engenius. Upgraded to a managed poe+ switch and three aps, as the switch would manage the roaming. Phone support was there to cover an install pamphlet detail I was stuck on. Things were absolutely fine. Could walk around most anywhere and not skip a beat. I think I called engenius at one other point for something. Things were great. Except the upper part of the house sometimes struggles and the garden (understandably) needs help. Ordered an outdoor AP, but as fall and winter came, left that for another day. Time flies, too hot to sit outside, ... Now that it is cooler and things are slowing down, I want to install the outdoor AP and am adding another indoor AP in the attic.
Cables are ready. Log on to the managed switch. You have three firmware updates. One for the switch and some for the APs. Good. Let it do its thing. Reboot. " incompatible firmware " notifications, oh and when I plug in the outdoor AP that sat in the box for a while, can't manage it without updating its firmware, so can't do a thing with it from the management screen, so that one is missing in action.
Meanwhile with the switch firmware update, things are also going haywire in the AP list screens, where it will not show any APs attached or managed, from one browser or computer to another. My mac with safari seems consistent in rendering it all.
Poked around.
Looked online.
Figured I'd call Engenius.
The toll free number on the website is gone.
There is not even a long distance number on their site for NA.
Grabbed the install pamphlet from the box, dialed the if you have trouble number.
It rings. A notice they're not accepting calls while they revamp support or some such .
Tried email and ticket.
Their forum ... pretty much dead and lots of spam.
Two days. No help.
So, I have this gut feeling that I have a ton of dollars invested in this managed equipment, and engenius is no longer what it is used to be, not available and willing to support their products and fix the issues.
I think things look pretty bad when the manufacturer decides to pull the plug on phone support.
Cables are ready. Log on to the managed switch. You have three firmware updates. One for the switch and some for the APs. Good. Let it do its thing. Reboot. " incompatible firmware " notifications, oh and when I plug in the outdoor AP that sat in the box for a while, can't manage it without updating its firmware, so can't do a thing with it from the management screen, so that one is missing in action.
Meanwhile with the switch firmware update, things are also going haywire in the AP list screens, where it will not show any APs attached or managed, from one browser or computer to another. My mac with safari seems consistent in rendering it all.
Poked around.
Looked online.
Figured I'd call Engenius.
The toll free number on the website is gone.
There is not even a long distance number on their site for NA.
Grabbed the install pamphlet from the box, dialed the if you have trouble number.
It rings. A notice they're not accepting calls while they revamp support or some such .
Tried email and ticket.
Their forum ... pretty much dead and lots of spam.
Two days. No help.
So, I have this gut feeling that I have a ton of dollars invested in this managed equipment, and engenius is no longer what it is used to be, not available and willing to support their products and fix the issues.
I think things look pretty bad when the manufacturer decides to pull the plug on phone support.