Avoid cheap hardware!!

[WWW ITDoctors co uk]

I recently bought an Actiontec 802.11G Wireless network card from Dabs. I was going to buy one from a better known manufacturer but they all required Windows 98 SE, whereas the actiontec was advertised on Dabs and the Actiontec website as compatible with Windows 98. I spent ages trying to load the drivers but clearly Windows 98 would not run the card. In the end I had to upgrade my system to Windows 98 SE to get the card to work – ironic isn't it?

Anyway I emailed both Actiontec and Dabs a couple of weeks ago – Dabs have replied offering a refund for the card, if I return it and promised to update their website as they admit that after discussion with Actiontec the card will not run on Windows 98. Actiontec, however, have not been in touch despite a further email.

I would advise people to buy with care from Dabs and avoid Actiontec products where possible

[WouldBeEntrepreneur]

I bought a laptop from DABS and when it suddenly died one day I found out that:

a) DABS do not provide after-sales support and would only pass it on to the manufacturer
b) the manufacturer (JVC) would not provide after-sales support, saying that the retailer should provide it

As it happens I managed to get it working again by using the reset button (tiny recessed thing) which is not documented anywhere!

I will not be buying anything from DABS again!

[Mark Snowdon]

dabs

dont do pre-sales any more either so far as I can tell. Last time I asked for details on a product they just said ask the mfr.

JVC should provide support - didnt it come with a warranty ?

[DimPrawn]

Re: dabs

I have an ActionTect wireless hub and an ActionTec PCMCIA card.

Total junk. Worst pile of crap I have ever owned.

Avoid all ActionTec products like the plague!

[WouldBeEntrepreneur]

Re: dabs

It did come with a warranty and was/is still well within but when I rang JVC they told me to talk to the retailer.

DABS don't have a support phone number, only an email address. I sent a detailed email and they replied simply to say here's your RMA number, post it back to us and we'll ask the manufacturer to take a look. It sounded like I would be minus laptop for at least 3 weeks so I started fiddling instead!

[WWW ITDoctors co uk]

Re: dabs

Someone on another forum tells me that Actiontec products measure up pretty poorly against the likes of Linksys, Cisco, etc, in the wireless field so if anyone is looking to create/uprgrade their wireless network the best advice is to spend a few extra pounds on a well known make.
Another thing I noticed was that the guearantee for the Actiontec card is 1 year whereas a similar Belkin card that costs a mere £2 + VAT more is guaranteed for life - speaks volumes doesn't it?
When I upgraded my system to Windows 98 SE, I got the Actiontec card to work but despite this I will still be returning the card and getting a replacement.
Perhaps the Belkin card would be a good replacement?

[fiddleabout]

Re: dabs

It did come with a warranty and was/is still well within but when I rang JVC they told me to talk to the retailer.

Which is spot on legally speaking - your contract was with the retailer.

Dabs asked you to send it back for repair (whether by them or the manufacturer is irrelevant) so they've honoured their guarantee. You wouldn't get any better unless there was a specific on-site warranty from anybody else either with smething expensive like a laptop.

Fortunately most things are pretty reliable these days so we don't have to rely on suppliers. I must say I've heard other bad reports abaout Dabs but I've also heard bad reports about the other box shifters too.

I did get good service twice now on a USB wireless card which I bought from PC World (they had it on offer and the price was near on the same as everybody else). I had been working fine in ad-hoc mode but when I bought a wireless router I found it wouldn't work in infrastructure mode. They just swapped it out for a different one without question. A while later that went tits-up. When I took it back they didn't have that one - all they had was one costing £10 more. I said I didn't want to pay extra and picked a 54g PCI one at the same price - they did insist on testing the old one though - I had to show the dipstick who was supposed to be testing it how to set it up

[Mordac]

Re: dabs

would advise people to buy with care from Dabs

They offered you a refund, what more do you want? I've never had any problems with them, they even exchanged some memory I bought off them a couple of years ago, when the @#%$-up was mine. If you want really crap service, go to PC World...:rolleyes

[WWW ITDoctors co uk]

Re: dabs

Well their website desription of the card said it would work with windows 98 and it didn't. Their refund talks about conditional on the card being tested and found faulty and it isn't. I spend at least 8 hours trying to get it to work and had to buy a copy of Windows 98 SE to get it to work - I'm not that impressed Mordac, to be honest but then I'm not that impressed with a lot of the so call level of service offered by companies in this country.

.....and don't get me going on the Royal Mail please.