I ended up leaving Mr. Ngo a voice mail (is he ever in, when I call him directly?) expressing my dissatisfaction that I was not mailed a check as he had promised. I inform him that I will promptly be trying to reach his supervisor to complain further.

I call the customer support line again, trying to get in touch with a customer support supervisor. After about 8 minutes of hold, I reach a low-level customer support representative. I immediately give her my most recent case number and ask to be connected with a supervisor. After a total of 35 minutes on hold, I hang up in the interest of trying to save cell phone minutes. I’m hoping that tomorrow will bring me more luck.

Let me preface this with the fact that I had previously been a big fan of D-Link. In the past, I had used D-Link routers. When custom-building PCs (back in the day before motherboards had onboard Ethernet), I typically used D-Link network cards. So going into this, D-Link was one of the more reputable network peripheral manufacturers in my mind. Oh, how little this was to last.

My print server of about 5 years (a Hawking HPS1U) was on its last legs. Although this had lasted me well, it was sputtering about and overheating seemingly every other day. I finally decided that it was time to lay this one out to pasture and find a replacement. After a lot of online research, I decided that the D-Link DPR 1260 would be a worthy replacement. The features that attracted me to this unit were:

• Wireless capability – after about 5 years of languishing with wired print servers, I thought it was about time to move onto the wireless age
• Support for multi-function printers – I had a HP PSC2110xi that I didn’t feel like giving up any time soon, so when I read that the DPR 1260 could also share scan capabilities, my interests were definitely perked.
• Mac support – It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Apple products (in retrospect, I should have simply bought an Apple Airport Extreme), so I of course wanted something that would work easily with my MacBook. Of course, the actual Mac support was relatively undocumented, but I had read a few articles online of enabling LPR/LPD support for the DPR 1260
• Low price – With some coupons and some specials that Circuit City was offering, I could pick up this baby for about $40, when at the time, most retailers were offering it for about $80 to $100!

And with that, I set off for Circuit City. For a grand total of $42.39, I had purchased the D-Link DPR 1260. By the evening, I had it set up in my apartment. Like I said, the Mac documentation was next to non-existent, but with my computer know-how and a few online articles, I had this DPR 1260 working with my Windows desktop, my MacBook, and my fiancee’s Windows desktop and laptop computers. Everything seemed to go smoothly. For a while, I was even singing its praises…that is until the shit hit the fan!

The previous day, my print server seemed to stop working. My MacBook couldn’t see it, none of the Windows computers seemed to be able to talk to it. It wasn’t being seen as a UPNP device, and on my router’s management screen, it wasn’t listed as one of the machines on the local network. At close inspection, it even looked like that possibly one of its USB ports had malfunctioned, as it didn’t even register that my printer was plugged into it. I tried every trick I knew…power cycling, depressing the Reset button in the back, restarting UPNP services on each of the Windows computers…everything. Since the print server was still under its 1-year warranty, I called D-Link’s customer service to see if they could diagnose it over the phone. After waiting on hold for a good 10 minutes or so, a technical support representative pretty much walked me through the same steps I had already tried. They did offer me one additional step that I hadn’t thought of…plugging the print server directly into one of my computers via Ethernet to see if I could access the web administration page directly. The technical support then deemed that my print server had to be returned to D-Link so they could repair the unit directly. I was assigned a case number (ALR399506313), and they sent me instructions on getting a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number so that I could ship the unit back. The instructions involved going to the RMA website (http://rma.dlink.com) to register the product to be shipped back and to get an RMA number.

While going through the RMA website, I was a bit appalled to learn that I would have to pay for shipping my dead DPR 1260. I called their customer service phone number (1-800-326-1688) to complain about this, and the most they could offer me was that it was “standard company policy.” I begrudgingly paid $11.94 for UPS to ship the defective DPR 1260 back to D-Link.

It took a while, but I finally received a replacement DPR- 1260. I quickly attempted to hook it up to my network. But was met with disappointing results. Had they simply shipped me back my defective unit without doing a thing to it? This unit had exactly the same symptoms as my previous unit. As I looked more carefully, I noticed that this was not my previous unit, as it had a different MAC address. Enclosed with the unit was a receipt from a Circuit City in Long Beach, CA. It looked as if they had simply taken a defective unit that someone in Long Beach, CA and sent back and sent it on to me.

I called D-Link once again to complain. Technical support walked me through the same steps…power cycling, ping the supposed address, depress reset button, plugging the unit directly into a computer…all the same steps that I had gone through on April 27. Once again, they assigned me a case number (PTS399537082) and had me go through the RMA process. But this time, I insisted there was no way I would pay again for shipping. The representative on the phone (Alan) gave me a new phone number to call regarding the RMA process. When I called this new phone number. I told the representative exactly what Alan told me to say, “I am requesting a call tag.” Instead, I was met by someone (Jon Claud) who insisted on walking me through the technical support process yet again. I admittedly lost my temper and ended up shouting at the guy that this was the exact same thing Alan had me do. Why the hell did I need someone to run me through the exact same process only to issue me yet another case number (DLK399538409)?! Apparently, within the D-Link organization, only case numbers that begin with DLK can be approved for shipping without the customer paying. With this, I was sent a UPS label via email a few days later so that I could ship the second DPR 1260 back.

I was out of town this day and spending some relaxing time with my fiancee when Jon Claud (I was able to speak with him much more calmly this time) called me back. He said that he had received my unit (considering the time span between when I had shipped the previous unit and this call, he must have meant my original unit), and that he would inherently assign the DPR 1260 a different static IP address. I agreed, and hoped that this would solve all of my problems.

I receive an email saying that they had shipped me a replacement product.

I receive another unit, and once again, this one appears to be defective. The only marginal improvement was that when this new one was connected to my network, I could successfully ping the print server from my MacBook (but not from any of my Windows computers). Call to D-Link…same process…power cycle, reset button, ping IP address, plug directly into Windows computer…all the same thing over again. Once again, they assign me a case ID (ALR399557460) to have it shipped back. I asked if the technical support representative (Mike) could somehow just go ahead and assign me a DLK case ID, having learned about the RMA/Case ID procedure from before. No dice. He recited the same RMA procedure, and gave me the same RMA phone number as before. This time, when I called the RMA phone number, I first spoke with a gentleman name Robert, who then had me speak to his supervisor Michael Wang. Ultimately, I was given case ID DLK399557692, and I start patiently waiting for another UPS call tag.

Something’s holding up my receipt of a UPS call tag. I call customer support (originally on May 23, 2008, but did not receive a return phone call until today). I speak with Blake Baston, who assures me that I will receive a UPS call tag within the next few days.

Still no UPS call tag. I call Mr. Baston directly (he gave me his extension last call), and end up leaving a voice mail.

Still no UPS call tag. I call again, asking to speak with someone else other than Mr. Baston, since he has not returned any of my calls. I end up speaking with Darren, who says he has forwarded the concern on to his supervisor, and that I can expect the call tag within a couple days.

I receive the following email from Van Ngo (apparent D-Link Customer Service supervisor/manager:


From: [email address hidden]
Subject: Re: Fw: CT request - Randy Chang; DLK399557692
Date: June 6, 2008 1:26:36 PM EDT
To: [email address hidden]

Randy,

Looking over the case, the print server does not seem like it is compatible with your printer. Would you like ot process a refund or perhaps swap it for a difference model? Please let me know. Thanks

In response, I quickly send him the following email:


From: [email address hidden]
Subject: Re: CT request - Randy Chang; DLK399557692
Date: June 6, 2008 4:48:28 PM EDT
To: [email address hidden]

Mr. Ngo

Given the choices, I would rather have a refund. Please let me know what will be involved in this process.

-Randy Chang

I receive an email from D-Link’s RMA department telling me that I have been assigned an RMA number and asks that I ship back the defective product. Isn’t this what I’ve been trying to do all along?!? I reply back to the email asking if I will receive a UPS call tag, as given that this is the third defective product (counting the original), and that I refuse to pay shipping.

I receive an email from Van Ngo in response to my RMA email. He simply states, “Yes.” That was it?! I was a little appalled that he did not even acknowledge receipt of my previous email saying that I would like a refund. I felt like he should have at the very least shot me an email saying something like, “We’re working on that refund now.” A little concerned, I write him the following email:


From: [email address hidden]
Subject: Re: CT request - Randy Chang; DLK399557692
Date: June 10, 2008 4:48:28 PM EDT
To: [email address hidden]

Mr. Ngo

I just wanted to follow up and make sure you had received my request for a refund on this case. Please let me know what the status of this is and if you need any additional information from me to speed this up. Thanks!

-Randy Chang

Finally, later, in the day, I receive the UPS call tag.

I receive an email saying that they have received the defective DPR 1260 that I sent back.

A little concerned that I still haven’t heard anything from Van Ngo regarding the status of the refund, I shoot him another email:


From: [email address hidden]
Subject: Re: CT request - Randy Chang; DLK399557692
Date: June 24, 2008 7:47:05 PM EDT
To: [email address hidden]

Mr. Ngo

It’s been a while since I had heard from you about the refund (reference #DLK399557692). I wanted to find out the status of the refund and an ETA on the refund. Thanks!

-Randy Chang

He sends me back with the following:


From: [email address hidden]
Subject: Re: CT request - Randy Chang; DLK399557692
Date: June 24, 2008 7:56:18 PM EDT
To: [email address hidden]

Randy,

From my system notes, I believe a proof of purchase was still needed correct?

Van Ngo

I have to admit this was one thing he could kind of ding me on. After a few months of the print server seeming to work just fine, I had gotten rid of the original receipt. I did, however, still have my credit card statement that had this purchase on, so I sent Mr. Ngo a copy of this. If this wouldn’t suffice as proof of purchase, he would at least have the decency to inform me of this, wouldn’t he?

Still, I was a bit peeved that almost 2 weeks had elapsed since our last contact, and he waited until I had initiated another contact before he told me that there was something missing. If this were a responsible and responsive customer service department, wouldn’t you think that they would at least inform me beforehand that this little piece of information was missing?

Once again, weeks go by without any word from Mr. Ngo or D-Link about the status of my refund. I would have at least expected something along the lines of “We received the credit card statement. This did/did not suffice as proof of purchase.” So, once again, I send Mr. Ngo yet another email:


From: [email address hidden]
Subject: Re: CT request - Randy Chang; DLK399557692
Date: July 10, 2008 7:54:17 PM EDT
To: [email address hidden]

Hi Van Ngo

It’s been a while since I heard from you last. Did the credit card statement suffice as proof of purchase? What is the status of the refund, and when can I expect to receive this? I will be moving in a couple weeks, so it is important to know when the refund will go through.

-Randy Chang

I received no response from him. The part about moving was not a lie. I was scheduled to move from Atlanta to Maryland at the end of July 2008.

Around this time, several things were starting to consume me. I was trying to complete some final projects for work before I was scheduled to leave, and of course I was starting to pack up for my impending move. Amidst all of this, I realized that I had still not received anything from Mr. Ngo or from D-Link. Given his general pattern of not communicating back, I decided to instead email D-Link’s customer service department hoping someone from their ranks would see this and respond in some way or another.


From: [email address hidden]
Subject: ongoing technical and support problems
Date: July 21, 2008 1:02:11 PM EDT
To: customerservice@dlink.com

To whom it may concern:

Let me first state that I have been a longtime fan of D-Link products. Whenever I assemble a home-built PC, I use D-Link NICs, and I often recommend D-Link to others as well. I am also on my second D-Link router, as these have commonly served me very well in the past. However, my faith in D-Link has recently been shaken, and I am ready to take my business elsewhere.

I have had repeated trouble with your DPR-1260 print server. These problems started in April 2008, and despite several calls to your technical and support departments, the problem has not resolved. I originally purchased the print server at Circuit City in December 2007. It seemed to work fine within my home network (consisting of a D-Link DIY 655 router, an HP PSC 2110xi multifunction printer, and several Windows-based and Mac-based laptops and desktops) up until April 2008. At this point, the print server refused to be seen on my network as a UPNP device, and I was unable to access the print server’s web configuration page. Given that this print server supposedly has a 1-year warranty, I called your technical support department to hopefully resolve the issue. I went through a series of case numbers, and there seemed to be a repeating cycle: through phone diagnoses, my print server was deemed to be malfunctioning, and I would send the print server back to you. Annoyingly, each time a replacement unit was sent to me, the replacement unit seemed to be malfunctioning as well. Based on my records, I have mailed back 3 units to you. (By the way, I find it incredibly disappointing that the standard RMA process involves the customer paying to return a defective unit; it is as if you are penalizing the customer even though it is your productive that is defective.) Based on my records, I have also had the following reference ID’s related to this problem: ALR399506313, PTS399537082, DLK399538409, ALR399557460, DLK399557692. My last contact was through email with someone named Van Ngo, who deemed that the most appropriate remediation would be to offer me a refund. However, my last contact with him was June 24, 2008. Despite repeated attempts to email him back, I have received no reply as to the status of my refund or even an ETA. I will soon be moving (within 2 weeks), which may complicate the refund process, but I still find it appalling that 4 months have elapsed, and this has not been resolved.

-Randy Chang

Of course, I received no immediate reply.

Finally with some downtime with the major bulk of the move done, I decided to try D-Link’s customer service email again.


From: randykchang@gmail.com
Subject: problem not resolved after 5 months!!!!!!!
Date: August 10, 2008 8:53:30 PM EDT
To: customerservice@dlink.com

To whom it may concern:

Let me first state that I have been a longtime fan of D-Link products. Whenever I assemble a home-built PC, I use D-Link NICs, and I often recommend D-Link to others as well. I am also on my second D-Link router, as these have commonly served me very well in the past. However, my faith in D-Link has recently been shaken, and I am ready to take my business elsewhere.

I have had repeated trouble with your DPR-1260 print server. These problems started in April 2008, and despite several calls to your technical and support departments, the problem has not resolved. I originally purchased the print server at Circuit City in December 2007. It seemed to work fine within my home network (consisting of a D-Link DIY 655 router, an HP PSC 2110xi multifunction printer, and several Windows-based and Mac-based laptops and desktops) up until April 2008. At this point, the print server refused to be seen on my network as a UPNP device, and I was unable to access the print server’s web configuration page. Given that this print server supposedly has a 1-year warranty, I called your technical support department to hopefully resolve the issue. I went through a series of case numbers, and there seemed to be a repeating cycle: through phone diagnoses, my print server was deemed to be malfunctioning, and I would send the print server back to you. Annoyingly, each time a replacement unit was sent to me, the replacement unit seemed to be malfunctioning as well. Based on my records, I have mailed back 3 units to you. (By the way, I find it incredibly disappointing that the standard RMA process involves the customer paying to return a defective unit; it is as if you are penalizing the customer even though it is your productive that is defective.) Based on my records, I have also had the following reference ID’s related to this problem: ALR399506313, PTS399537082, DLK399538409, ALR399557460, DLK399557692. My last contact was through email with someone named Van Ngo, who deemed that the most appropriate remediation would be to offer me a refund. However, my last contact with him was June 24, 2008. Despite repeated attempts to email him back, I have received no reply as to the status of my refund or even an ETA. I have even attempted emailing your customer service department (dated July 21, 2008), with no reply.

Either I will be refunded my money in a timely manner, or I respectfully request that you send me a brand new print server (brand and model OF MY CHOOSING). I have been more than patient, but this patience is wearing thin.

-Randy Chang

As you can tell, this was a virtual copy and paste of my previous email with a few details changed here and there.

My patience has more than drained, so this time I call up their customer service so that I can talk to an actual human being. After waiting through an ungodly wait time, I speak to a young lady. When I give her my case ID, she has the gall to ask if I would like to use technical service to resolve my case. At this point, I don’t even have a physical unit to diagnose. I said that I should speak directly to Mr. Van Ngo, as he would be the only person who would be able to resolve my case. I tell her that I’d rather not speak to Mr. Ngo, as he has historically not returned my calls or emailed in a timely fashion. She insists that Mr. Ngo is the only one who can address the case, yet he is out of the office. Despite my protests, she routes me to his voice mail. I end up leaving a fairly angry voicemail (though I amazingly was able to refrain from cursing) about the history of my case, and my disappointment that approximately 5 months have elapsed with no resolution to this case. I demand that he call me back by Monday August 18, 2008 (the next business) day, or else there would be hell to pay, and I’d simply lodge a personal complaint against him to his supervisor.

No call from Mr. Ngo.

To keep with my promise, I call D-Link’s customer service. I finally hear a human voice after about 6 minutes of wait. I immediately demand to speak with a supervisor. The representative asks for my case ID. After I tell her, she says that she can route me to Van Ngo. At first, she insists that Van Ngo is the supervisor. I then insist on talking to someone above Mr. Ngo, but she seems ignorantely unaware of who that would be. Then, she verifies that Mr. Ngo is in!I wait on hold for what felt like another 3 minutes. Finally, I’m speaking with Mr. Ngo, a man who has earned a lot of ire in my eyes and ears.

He tells me that he was unable to process the refund because my credit card statement does not qualify as a valid form of proof of purchase. I’m wondering why he didn’t tell me this when I initially submitted this. I’m also pretty livid at this point. He tells me that what he can do is give me a “rebate” of $40, as D-Link submits these “rebates” in increments of $20. When I hear the word “rebate” I get further upset, as to me, the word has a connotation of having to buy another product before I get anything of $40 value. I spout off that this experience has spurred me to never buy D-Link again, so how does he think I would be satisfied with this so-called rebate? He then explains that D-Link is basically giving me a $40 check. So why didn’t he call it a “refund” in the first place? I then inform him that my mailing address has since changed due to the move. He asks that I email him the new address. I insist that he stay on the phone with me while I email the new address so that I can be sure that he has received it. While I’m mailing this off, I spout off on each of the inconveniences this whole ordeal has set me through…seemingly repetitive and incompetent customer/technical support, irresponsibly sending me DOA units, the ungodly time this has taken to resolve, the lack of communication, feeling penalized for the RMA process of paying to ship back D-Link’s defective product…all of this comes spewing out of my mouth. All Mr. Ngo does is apologize and state that these are all company policies. I further state that for a company of D-Link’s stature, I feel that their customer service department reflects a sense of irresponsibility. For a while, I probably sounded like a thesaurus, as I spout off words like appalling, deplorable, irresponsible, etc.

Now, I’m just waiting for the check to arrive. I also ask for Mr. Ngo’s personal extension so that in case I do not receive the check by September 2, as promised, I can speak with him directly without having to be put on hold for 5 months.