FRUSTRATING PROCESS!

I ordered the Cisco Aironet 1231 the other day, and after it arrived, set it up, and...couldn't get a wireless signal. I called customer support and was told I would be called back by a technician (which obviously the first yahoo was not) within an hour. We waited...and got online to try to figure things out. Turns out that in VERY small print on an obscure documentation page of the 1231 it says at the very bottom that two external antennae are needed for the 2.4 GH wireless (802.11b/g) to work. NICE! Why the HECK couldn't have the put that in clear, bold words on the product page itself? Every other router I've ever purchased either came with integrated antennae or had external ones included, if required. So I surfed around and found the missing antennae for $16 a piece at pcmall.com. Now I was really mad. Is Cisco so CHEAP that they can't even bother to send two $16 antennae along with a $600 wireless router?? What a joke!

And to top it off, TWELVE HOURS later I get an email from the "technician" who said he would be happy to help me with my problem. He emailed because he said he called my home number and I wasn't there--but I had given my cell number, not my home number, to the first joker 12 hours previously; no wonder he couldn't reach me!

Anyway, I'm now waiting for the requisite antennae to arrive so I can finally use this dang thing. It just really makes me mad that Cisco would sell you something that is virtually useless out of the box without letting you know that something else is needed. This, on top of the really crappy customer service, is just about all I can handle from such a "high end" product. I really hope it works well. Cisco routers are supposed to be good, but as a WARNING to you, the potential customer, be aware that 1) you need to purchase external antennae with this product; 2) customer service SUCKS (in my experience).