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!