Don’t Buy a Hawking Router
I bought a Hawking router (model HWR54G, Rev.M) from Best Buy because I thought I was getting an incredible deal. $9.99 for the router and a USB wireless adapter AFTER MAIL-IN REBATE.
I was a good boy, and filled-in the rebate form carefully, included originals of the receipts, and mailed them in.
THREE MONTHS LATER, I got a post card from Hawking. They said my rebate would not be issued because the promotion required the purchase to be made through Best Buy Canada. I did buy the router at Best Buy Canada. So I called the number on the card.
I explained the situation… They put me on hold for THIRTY FIVE MINUTES, then came back on the line to say “oh yeah, it was bought at Best Buy Canada. You’ll have your rebate in 8 to 10 weeks.” Nice. I resisted the urge to drop the F-Bomb on them and hung up.
It’s been 6 months since that call. No rebate, nothing.
Also, now I find out that Hawking and Belkin routers have all sorts of connectivity problems with Canada’s largest ISP, Rogers. I got an email this morning saying my router was making repetitive DHCP requests and I would have my service suspended unless I resolved the issue. When I called tech-support, they basically said... “buy a Linksys or D-Link router” [or we’ll suspend your service].
After I replace my Hawking router, I’m going to make a delightful video to permanently document its destruction. I think I might get my 4 year old to do it in with a hammer. Either that or light it ablaze.
If anyone out there has advice of what type of router would be best to buy, I'd appreciate it.UPDATE: Thanks to a comment (below) I now know there is a Canadian recall for this router. http://www.futureshop.ca/marketing/product_recall/EN/default.asp?logon=&langid=EN
Too bad I can't find my receipt!
3 Comments:
REturn it to Best Buy.
Industry Canada issued a recall statement in November 2005 indicating a problem with DHCP and that Hawking's weren't approved for use in Canada.
I returned mine today (same Rogers problem) and got a full refund.
Return it to best buy...i had the exact same problem, and am really pissed at hawking altogether. I never got my rebate and i bought it like 14 months ago.
you can go onto the best buy website and print out your receipt (they keep a history of everything you buy, if you bought it online)!
goodluck....i need it too!!!
I bought mine at Best Buy about 2 years ago. I submitted the rebate form with receipts right after I purchased the router and adapter.
I have been following up with Hawking via emails since then for more than a year. I never got my rebate.
I am totally disappointed at the after-sale service with Hawking.
I think this is their business strategy to entice more customers to buy their products. I think they fail to recognise the importance of customer relationship.
What a crap!
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