NetGear review: terrible customer support 55

Netgear CM 1000 kept dropping Internet. Purchased it 8/16/2017. $179.00. So less then 1 year old. Rebooted numerous times. Switched cables. Finally had Xfinity come to house to check internet signal. He connected his modem. Internet signal was fine. Told me he saw the same problem last month with the same model number and it was definitely a defective Netgear modem. Then the fun began. Spent 1 1/2 hours on the phone. #14 in queue. Finally got through. Tech rep had me do all the processes I did already. Then he transferred me. Another 25 minutes. Got through. Found out I was transferred to the wrong department. It’s almost too funny. Told me to call back 888 netgear again. Finally got someone who said they’d replace the defective modem. Then he went away for 10 minutes and told me there was no stock on that item. Told ME to call back in 24-48 hours and inquire about stock situation. Meanwhile no WiFi. Not smart TV. No AirPrint.
Beyond frustrating. Called today. 48 hours later. Told me it’s still out of stock. They come in and then right back out. If I don’t call when the item is there I don’t get the item. They don’t put me on a wait list. I have 3 Netgear extenders plus the CM 1000 and the AD 7200 $390.00. Nighthawk router. But I’ve never had to deal with their customer service. I don’t care if they are in India or on the moon. If I pay attention I can ever understand their English and accent. I just expect a company this size to have a competent customer service. It’s not rocket science. The service reps probably get together and talk about those stupid Americans and discuss what they can do to play games with us. One cannot afford to get mad at them. They’ll just hang up and you start the process again.
Xfinity was always the worst. Would rather have root canal then call them. After numerous complaints over many years they finally got it. Their customer service has greatly improved. I nominate Netgear for the title of “worst customer service of a major company” The title is well deserved. I think hell for a Netgear executive is to have to spend eternity dealing with their customer service department. I’ve now experienced it and I certainly felt I was and still am in hell!
I’ll never buy another Netgear product again and I’ll go out of my way to get others not to buy their products. Any response from you bigwigs in your ivory towers?

please its not real just here to take your money just call back in now they are sending me to voice mail but they are 24/7 right the same man please don't do it

Absolutely the worst experience I have had ever trying to get someone to help me with the installation of a router. Directions are confusing and when installed as directed on their CD, it just throws off my internet connection. I have been at four different avenues of help with this company. One person could barly speak English, the other had an accent that I simply coulod not understand what he was saying. I am returning the product to the store where I purchased it two days ago. The web site written help is so awfu it is indescribable. I have spent about two hours on this--wasted time absolutely.

I attempted to contact Netgear in regards to a problem with my N series router. I wanted to set the ports for incoming and outgoing traffic. First I get a person (from INdia from the sounds of their voice) that asks me what my problem is. I tell them I can't see anything on my Netgear page for managing the router. For the most poart all I could understand was "Your warranty has expired but if you would like to waste more money we will transfer you."(add lib) The reason for the call ios that my screen to manage is blank. They told me finally to download a firmware update but then rushed me off the phone because I wasn't wasteing anymore monet with their companyO NOT BUY NETGEAR they don't have a clue.

my boyfriend insisted on buying a wireless dual router from netgear but i knew where i live in hemet it wouldnt work...so after 4 straight days of calling netgear the time warner and getting fustratedc ...i said to hell with netgears security keyword...i called radio shack and got a refund with sales c lerk alicia...i told her im leaving now @11 am on the bus..it will take me 3hours on the 27 bus from hemet to riverside...when i get there she and enrique say no money ...we had to depoisit it for security reasons...what so they made me stay at the mall from 130pm till 7 pm waiting for cash...alicia said not my problem you took so long...very rudely while rolling her eyes and tossinh her long brown hair..she was in a hurry t5o go home at 5pm...and ignored the other customers while Enrique ran around the store helping everyone.answering q;s...phone...transations..he apoligized..she smirked...howe rude...i will take my business to best buy, frys or any other place because this poor customer service has been habitual at other radio shacks...their are plenty of happy and professional men and women taht would love her job...myself included...

I bought a Netgear FA120 wired USB network adapter in January 2006. It had a 5 year warranty... which would cover it through January 2011. It functioned perfectly until a month ago, so I called Netgear Customer Support to get an RMA. I was informed that they no longer support the device and that they did not have a suitable replacement, and could do NOTHING for me. Basically the five year warranty is USELESS! They would not even offer me a coupon or any discounts on any of their other products. I will no longer buy Netgear products.

The technical support of Netgear is HORRIBLE. I changed my Netgear wirless router password, and then i lost the wireless connection. I called the technical support, ant an Indian lady answered and told me a whole bunch of stuff they have to reset and wanted me to purchase the 6 month or 1 year support. I said I couln't afford it, and she then said they had one time service which was something like $40. I said I counldn't afford that at this poin either, then she became rude. I asked her if it would be ok I just change the password back, and she said no and repeated the whole process again and told me I have to pay for that service if I want to get it fixed. I told her no. Later, I restarted the router and changed my password back and everything was back to normal! Rediculous technical support!

various contacts with Netgear support (India) 1. wanting to charge a fee of $199.00 for one year (which I didn't get for this has been an ongoing issue) 2. The parties in India would just hang up on 5 calls. 3. Not supporting their product. 4. the issue is product is dropping my speed. 5. my speed is 175 direct to the modem when I connect to the Netgear Router N300 WRN2000v3 it drops to 94.88, firmware update.This issue has been going on since 2011 just after buying it.

various contacts with Netgear support (India) 1. wanting to charge a fee of $199.00 for one year (which I didn't get for this has been an ongoing issue) 2. The parties in India would just hang up on 5 calls. 3. Not supporting their product. 4. the issue is product is dropping my speed. 5. my speed is 175 direct to the modem when I connect to the Netgear Router N300 WRN2000v3 it drops to 94.88, firmware update.This issue has been going on since 2011 just after buying it.

various contacts with Netgear support (India) 1. wanting to charge a fee of $199.00 for one year 2. hanging up on 5 calls. 3. Not supporting their product. 4. the issue dropping my speed my speed is 175 direct to the modem when I connect to the Netgear Router N300 WRN2000v3 it drops to 94.88, firmware update.

I lost my resource CD. Of course, the manual is ONLY on the CD, so I was kind of hosed as I wanted to use some of the more advanced features of my WNDR3700 router. I called customer service. After listening to a lot of annoying, inane, insanely cheerful robo machines, I was finally connected to the human version who could only read off the script when I asked him about replacement. He said that they don't ship the CDs separately. They are only available when you buy the entire router package. I asked him what would happen if the CD that came in the box with the router was defective. He didn't have an answer for that and said if I didn't believe him I should call back and talk to someone else. I also couldn't understand half of what he said, and had to keep asking him to repeat himself. Netgear is so arrogant, I will never buy another thing from them until and unless they change their (lack of) customer support.

I lost my resource CD. Of course, the manual is ONLY on the CD, so I was kind of hosed as I wanted to use some of the more advanced features of my WNDR3700 router. I called customer service. After listening to a lot of annoying, inane, insanely cheerful robo machines, I was finally connected to the human version who could only read off the script when I asked him about replacement. He said that they don't ship the CDs separately. They are only available when you buy the entire router package. I asked him what would happen if the CD that came in the box with the router was defective. He didn't have an answer for that and said if I didn't believe him I should call back and talk to someone else. I also couldn't understand half of what he said, and had to keep asking him to repeat himself. Netgear is so arrogant, I will never buy another thing from them until and unless they change their (lack of) customer support.

i had subbmitted my router wgr614 for repalcement on 18.05.10 at nehru place rt service centre, new delhi & i still not get it. this is not a service

regards,
rk mohit gupta

I wish that I had found this site before I purchased a Netgear product. Purchased a new Neo streaming box. FAILED COMPLETELY after 6 months. Netgear acknowledged it was still under warranty BUT wouldn't do anything to resolve it (repair or replace). TOLD ME I'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH NETGEAR SUPPORT (AT A FEE) TO SHOP IT DIDN'T WORK ANDROID THE CLOSED MY ONLINE CASE. AVOID NETGEAR PRO DUCTS ALTOGETHER. never again for me

Netgear is typical American made garbage. Bough a USB card for my computer for wi-fi and the damn thing doesn't even work half the time. Cheap compnents sold for a cheap price. Constantly crashes my browser, claims to be 250mps but barely loads beyond dial up speeds. Complete waste of money. DO NOT do business with this company. Keep this American made crap on the shelf where it belongs, gathering dust. Go buy a Lynksys or something

I purchased a new in box NETGEAR DGND3700 wireless router from a dealer. I had trouble with installation so called NETGEAR Tech Support. I was told that because my equipment had a MFG. date of Jan. 2011, I would have to pay 39.95 for INSTALLATION assistance. That's right, $39.95 for them to help with installation on a brand new product. And to add injury to insult, He also told me I had NO warranty. Outrageous! I scrapped the NETGEAR and purchased a Linksys EA3500 and had no trouble at all and am covered for a year, parts and labor. Don't buy NETGEAR>

Netgear sucks, Netgear's products sucks, Netgear's customer service sucks, Netgear is a joke, don't buy a Netgear product, Netgear sucks, Netgear doesn't care about their customers, I hope Netgear goes bankrupt, Netgear karma is coming your way, Netgear sucks, Netgear is the worst, Netgear SUCKS! A simple pass word is all I need but that's too much for Netgear to give me, Netgear will spend more time on the phone telling you they can't help you instead of just helping to make their customers happy, Netgear you SUCK! NEVER AGAIN WILL I BUY A PRODUCT FROM NETGEAR!

I bought a Netgear wireless router about a year ago. I've never used it. I just bought a laptop and try to use the router but don't remember the password. I contact tech support only to hear they can't help me get my password cause my tech support time is up. He sent me to a website that will tell me how to reset my password. I followed the instructions which says the default password is password but when I type in that password and my new password it tells me the old password is wrong. I've tried several times and nothing. I've never called them or used the product and now that I try I can't. Their customer service is a joke. I work in sales and do everything to make my customers happy so I get repeat business. They must not want repeat business. I would never buy a product of theirs again. This router is completely useless because they won't help me retrieve or reset my password. Don't buy a Netgear product!

I know this is about a different device but I wanted to add to the horrible netgear service. I purchased a wall mounted ethernet adapter for streaming media (XET1001) just over 3 months ago for $100. So I was not eligible for free phone support, no biggie, I registered the device and created a support ticket. I tell the agent about my problems and he says he knows what is wrong and to call. So i call and get hung up on 4 different times after being told that my free phone support is out of date. They say they can help me if I buy the extended warranty. No way. They also say they can see the email the tech guy sent me but since I cant receive phone support then I have to respond via email. Well when the head doesn't know what the hand is doing and I get hung up on 4 times, goodbye netgear. I used to be a loyal purchaser of netgear but I can tell you now that all the switches and router I was supposed to buy for work are going to a different company.

I updated my netgear router wnr2000 and immediatly lost internet . Restarted computer and again no internet.Contacted netgear and was told support for their problem would cost me. This is a good scheme. Update their product and lose internet and have to pay them to fix their iniated problem.How many citizens have been ripped off this way.Netgear should not be allowed to operate in the United States. See this has been going on for awhile and nothing has been done? Hum payoffs.

I will never ever ever buy another Netgear product nor will I recommend them to anyone I know. I actually had a floor manager become so arrogant that he bet me his salary that no matter where I went, I would get the same response. They have the most ignorant customer service I have EVER dealt with. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME BUYING A NETGEAR PRODUCT.

I purchased a NetGear WPN824N Router. I hard wired to PC, Dish recvr, & panasonic BluRay for NetFlix. I suddenly stopped recv'ing internet connection called 1st time to NetGear for help & was told they do NOT support 3rd party devices. Do not buy NetGear products!

After being told NetGear was a preferred product for WiFi I purchased a
WPN824N router. I hard-wired to DISHtv & Panasonic BluRay. I stopped receiving NetFlix on blu ray & called 1st time for tech support. After 3 hangups on Net Gear end, Was told that NetGear does not support 3rd party devices. Do NOT buy NetGear proucts. No CS at all!

Well, I tried to set up the wifi myself, and i have done this many times with other devices, and it was the most complicated un-user friendly device I've ever used.
So I called and was talked into paying 100$ for tech support, and put on hold for 15 minutes before being told i had been sent to the wrong department. Once that was established, I was redirected and sat on hold for nearly an hour before i gave up and nearly threw the damn thing out the window. I want my money back!

You guys are such a stupid monkeys. Do you know how to set up devices? I think you don't even know the functions of your router. You guys just purchase devices, purchase things without knowing how they works!

You guys are such pain in the [censor]. STUPID IRATE [censor]! super spoon feeds! TSK!

Net gear routers are really the bottom end of the market

which is why so many isp's use them (Cheap)
Netgear made big mistakes doing special routers for isp's

these routers had special firmware. We (techs) know that all firware has problems
thats is why they release upgrades..

unfortunately the special routers done for the isp's are nust ignored after
being rolled out to customers...Netgear don't want to know
and the isp's (indian or not don't have a clue).

I have 20 to 30 DG834g / SP /g U routers all that have firware issues and are unfixable..

these dropout, don't work properly etc etc etc..
most OWE there old owners hundreds of frustrated hours on the phone
to people that can't give them a straight answer. (ISP techs and Netgear)

Unacceptable really but reality...

Truely terrible non-responsive customer service - don't waste your time - buy another brand.

I spent, just today, 7 hours trying their (NETGEAR) suggestions including calling the other company who's equipment had to work w/NETGEARs router and that company's tests stating NETGEAR actions hadn't gone through and having to call NETGEAR back ea time - always, it being insisted we start again at the very beginning and repeat everything already tried - again. When I asked for a supervisor some 6+ hours into this, I was told there were none available and they wouldn't be able to reach any "now". Thirty minutes later with the latest rep, I was told all efforts at trouble-shooting had been attempted on their end and could I just call back another time. This time when I requested a supervisor and mentioned the complaints I was then reading online, I was asked to hold and another man came on the line admitting he wasn't actually a supervisor just another technician - he ultimately also asked me to try something requiring contacting another company altogether and call NETGEAR back only if that company couldn't fix the problem for me. This is after they tested the other product themselves and verified it was networked and communicating just fine - but it still couldn't be their router - also, the question was never addressed as to why the outside test sites not releated to any specific company or product showed NETGEARs router to be the problem regardless of what NETGEARs site configs said.

I just purchased a reconditioned WNR3500 and found out the hard way that if you buy an item that is not NEW you can kiss any intelligent support goodbye. O' and forget about talking to someone that can speak clear English. I am probably coming off a bit harsh but call tech support with a reconditioned unit problem and see how well it goes for you. But wait you get email support... they will ignore anything you say and work off a trouble shooting guide and tell you to try everything you told them you tried in the email YOU sent them to begin with. I cannot find a phone number or anything related to a complaint department so this is why this is here. Well, I think it is VERY important for people to hear the good and bad when spending their hard earned money. I splurged when I decided to purchase this item and now… well I think you can guess.

Here is what I sent them:
I guess you did not read my email the first time! I already did everything you suggested before I emailed support and I CAN access the router at 192.169.1.1 but the router refuses to accept the default login of admin and password or 1234 as the password "access denied" I would like the phone number of the complaint department please. I also need the address and phone number of Netgear’s corporate office so I file a complaint with the BBB. People need to know how bad the quality of your product and support is so they do not have to go though the frustration and idiocy as I am. I am now going to smash this piece of junk with a hammer and buy something with a tech support that speaks English and can read. If you do not supply me with the information that I have requested, I will also note that in my complaint.
When I worked as an IT tech Netgear WAS a good product…. I guess a lot has changed since the 1990’s. If anything you guys are sure GOOD at 2 things… losing customers and making people angry . In all fairness to you… it was the phone support that got me going. You just finished the job.

First time I have ever needed support for a Netgear product.
Used email support and have never had a response.
Called technical support and was given a run around I could not beleive.
After my 6th attempt to call them and explain that I was being sent back and forth between the same 2 departments I was hung up on.
I have seen many comments on India here, but I was talking to Americans. Maybe if I got an Indian, they may have been able to answer my query.
So my feelings on Netgear support are:

Rude and useless

I've had the same experience. I couldn't get the darn thing to work right (I'm not exactly a novice, but I'm no networking expert either, and this was supposed to be basically "plug and play") so I called their tech support. I finally had to have the non-english-speaking guy spell everything so I could figure out what he was saying. The things he told me to do to "fix" it did such a great job that it wouldn't work at all anymore, at which point he told me I needed firmware upgrades and hung up on me. I had had it for 29 days, so I took it back to Best Buy. But they assured me that Netgear was the best available and that was a fluke, so they exchanged it for another one (ok, yeah, that WAS stupid and I certainly wish I hadn't done it!). Now I'm researching other routers, since the second one doesn't work much better than the first one, and I'm sick of the aggravation.

Does anyone know any customer complaint line or anything to help with this HORRIABLE PRODUCT? After reading the reviews posted, seems like we have all had the same bad experiences with netgear. This company is a bunch of rip-offs and why do i have to buy extra support for a product that went out within 4 months and its their equipment nothing i have done to it. If anyone knows any info so we can stop others from buying this cheap product it will help a whole lot. thanks

I had made the mistake of purchasing, what I consider through all the hardware I have purchased, one of the biggest piles of garbage. It's not so much that before the 5 month old router bit the dust, I had spent approximately 8-9 hours on the phone and after they had me going back to the I.P., since they blamed them for the problem; their router held no settings after finally getting into their settings page. It was not bad enough to have to go through NETGEAR support overseas, then after they finally agreed the router was defective, I then had to call again since the promised call back from NETGEAR'S California office, was never returned. When I called them again, I finally spoke with their tech, which they required and I wasted another close to 2 hours only to confirm what was already known, this router was defective. The only way to get the replacement (REFURBISHED ONLY AND OF COURSE IF SOMETHING HAPPENED, MY CREDIT CARD WOULD BE CHARGED FOR A BRAND NEW ONE), was by giving them my credit card and then expect a Refurbished replacement router in maybe a week and a half. NETGEAR'S pathetic customer service management team, claims they answer directly to Mr. Lo, the CEO. These management reps (all 5 young immature individuals) could care less that I had wasted close to 9-10 hours on the phone in total and being felt as though I was played as a tennis ball by them accusing my I.P. to be the problem. They are the most arrogant idiots I have ever dealt with in all the years of dealing with computer hardware companies. Like all the other responses, I to suggest not wasting your money, especially your time or you may find out this type of experience first hand. They do not extend the support since we are not their customers (per their customer service management) and you may waste your time by supporting a company that does not extend the same to their indirect customers. I believe customer support, which is non-existent with this company, is to be the most important thing a company has to offer. Mind you for this company, that would be pathetic customer support at its’ very least, from this company that cares less of their supporting customers. According to them, they do not sell anything to us, the customers, they sell to their distributors. In dealing with this mentality, what they don't understand is without their customer’s; they won't have any need to sell to their so-called distributors. In closing, this has to be the most regrettable pile of hardware I ever made the mistake in purchasing. Without support, there is no product as far as I'm concerned. STAY FAR AWAY FROM THIS DISRESPECTFUL COMPANY, EVEN IF IT MEANS PAYING A LITTLE MORE, WHICH WILL BE WELL WORTH IT. OTHERWISE, YOU MAY HAVE THIS TYPE OF PATHETIC EXPERIENCE FIRST HAND. THERE MAY BE A GOOD POSSIBILITY, YOU MIGHT BE ANOTHER TO POST WHAT A PATHHETIC COMPANY THEY ARE TO DEAL WITH. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT EVEN HEAVY ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY MAKE A GOOD PAPER WEIGHT, WHICH I WOULD HAVE AT LEAST GOTTEN BETTER USE OF WITH LESS AGGREVATION. PATHETIC, PATHETIC AND I ONLY HOPE THIS TYPE OF SUPPORT EVENTUALLY CATCHES UP WITH THEM, (AS WE THE CUSTOMERS THEY DON'T SELL TO) HOPEFULLY PUTS NETGEAR OUT OF BUSINESS, WERE THEY BELONG, SINCE THEY DON'T SELL TO CUSTOMERS.

I just called customer support last night regarding issues with my wireless router. TERRIBLE customer service. I spent over 45 mins on the phone with this lady and since she was from India her accent was preventing me from even understanding half her instructions. At the end of our converation she was getting irritated with me, practically yelling at me that I was not following her instructions, and telling me to hurry up so we could get through this. WTF kind of customer service is that? I tried to remain calm during the entire conversation but when she starting huffing and puffing into the phone because she was thinking I was not doing what she was saying, I just finally said thanks for nothing and hung up on her. I would have been fired for customer service like that! Needless to say I am throwing this router in the trash and will research a better company.

THE WORST CUSTOMER SUPPORT

First person said they do not support Macs. Suggested I borrow a PC and then transfer four "upgrades" from that. Said the reason I did not know about the upgrades is that they do not notify Mac users.

Second person said they do support Macs and kept trying to get my computer to download the upgrades. He hung up on me.

Third person (supervisor) actually said "I will not help you." (hope that is on tape) Then said someone else would help me if I bought an extended warranty that would also cover my computer (Mac) and my printer (Xerox).

I said how can you provide support for my Mac if you can't get the Netgear router to work with the Mac. "Oh, we have experts." I said, then how come you can't get my Mac to work with Netgear. These people are only interested in getting people to pay for help -- and I very much doubt if they have anyone there who can help you -- especially if you have a Mac.

I'm buying an Apple router - and taking the sledge hammer to the Netgear.

Netgear has HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. Maybe THE WORST.

The first person said they did not support Macs and I needed to borrow a PC fomr someone to fix the problem - which was that I needed four upgrades. I said I was never notified about upgrades. She said we don't notify Mac people.

The second guy said they do support Macs and then I spent about an hour (or More) following his instructions to install the upgrades. Then he hung up on me.

The third guy was a supervisor and said he would not help me. (I hope they have that on tape.) He said the only way I could get help was to buy an extended warranty that would include warranty on my computer (Mac) and my printer (Xerox). I said if you can't get your Netgear router to work with my Mac, there is absolutely no way that you could help me with Mac or Xerox problems . He said, "Oh, but we have Mac and Xerox experts." I said if you have a Mac expert, then how come you haven't let him fix my problem. No response.

BTW - all of these folks speak one of the many Indian languages and are far less familiar with English than other support groups we have to put up with.

If any of you have any type of computer -- DON'T BUY A NETGEAR ROUTER. If you need support - you may well end up throwing it away -- that's what I am going to do with it. Might hit it with a sledge hammer first, though.

I wish I could get back the 2 1/2 hours of my life back I spent on the phone with these idiots.

After they could not fix the problem with their router they had me check to see if I could access a neighbors wireless router. I was able to and then the girl said "Well now that you are connected, please give us a call if you have any other issues.

What a load of crap. Then I asked for a supervisor and after asking for 15 minutes the same girl came back a tried to change her voice to sould like someone else. Dot-Heads have a hard time changing their voices.

Now I have a brand new Linksys and hope it works better.

hahaha! nice BOb!

Now now easy Bob!, Not everybody smart as you are :) . Netgear should expected that :) .

I'm a network admin and your all ###s... All the information you need is on the net but your too stupid to find it your selves. I have several netgears that work perfectly (because I'm not stupid). But your ignorance fules our econmy, so, rather than call netgear, pay Best Buy 200 bucks to come to your house and explain to you what cable goes where, what a DNS server is and how to set the session timeouts (first posters problem) before they leave twenty minutes later...

and you are %100 right "tech Guy" you don't need to call them :)