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John Weber
03-12-2004, 9:21 PM
Ok, we finally got the Dell notebook I ordered for my wife. I've been a little less then thrilled with Dell for taking forever to ship and charging me $35. Well today I get the system and try to set up the wireless - no internal card, external card, no anything. I call Dell and speak to a bunch of different people, no one knows anything. One person says it should be included another says I need to buy the card seperately. Here is the rub, the web site clearly stated:.

“…Starting at 5.4 lbs, it also incorporates brilliant 14.1” XGA and SXGA+ displays, 10/100 LAN, modem, and 802.11b wireless…”

I understand this statement as "part of", "integral", or "included with" the system. Had the description read: optional or wireless ready, I would have known that I needed to add a card. I feel Dell should make this right.

I'm so fed up I feel like sending it back. What do you guys think. It seems like clear false advertising, although I am no computer expert. For those that said buy something else, go ahead say I told you so, for the Dell fans - help me out, what do you think.

Thanks - John (venting a bit)

Michael Perata
03-12-2004, 9:57 PM
what do you think.

Thanks - John (venting a bit)

Stand your ground! Dell is a VERY reputable company and will (should) stand by their deal.

Was the offer a paper or internet ad. Either way, try to make a copy of the offer and send it back to them with the suggestion they honor the ad, cuz you can always send the box back.

John Miliunas
03-12-2004, 11:33 PM
Ok, we finally got the Dell notebook I ordered for my wife. I've been a little less then thrilled with Dell for taking forever to ship and charging me $35. Well today I get the system and try to set up the wireless - no internal card, external card, no anything. I call Dell and speak to a bunch of different people, no one knows anything. One person says it should be included another says I need to buy the card seperately. Here is the rub, the web site clearly stated:.

“…Starting at 5.4 lbs, it also incorporates brilliant 14.1” XGA and SXGA+ displays, 10/100 LAN, modem, and 802.11b wireless…”

I understand this statement as "part of", "integral", or "included with" the system. Had the description read: optional or wireless ready, I would have known that I needed to add a card. I feel Dell should make this right.

I'm so fed up I feel like sending it back. What do you guys think. It seems like clear false advertising, although I am no computer expert. For those that said buy something else, go ahead say I told you so, for the Dell fans - help me out, what do you think.

Thanks - John (venting a bit)

Hey John, what model was that? Also, was it advertised as some pre-packaged deal or did you go through the "configurator"? Finally, you mention the ad showed all three different modes of communication (Wireless, LAN and modem); Did it come with the modem and Network card? :cool:

John Weber
03-13-2004, 12:07 AM
John,

Right now I think Dell SUCKS! All they can say is:

"Dear Mr. Weber,

Sir, as per our records the system was not shipped with the wireless card, so if you have ordered for the wireless card along with the system and it was missing out of the box then please refferd this issue to the cutomer care department as they have the tools and resources to track the shipment and issue any missing replacement.

I would suggest you to contact Customer Service at 1-800-624-9897 or please write to our customer service unit at below mentioned e-mail address regarding your issue."

After three emails, I still get this same answer.

Here is the first page of the order/form description (sorry a little hard to read):

http://www.weberwoodworking.com/picsw04/dell%20description.jpg

It's a Latitude C640 (now it's not even listed on the web site - it was an older model). And I did do some extra configurating, but it was a mostly preconfigured "Healthcare" package - whatever that means. Yes, it did come with the modem and ethernet connection.

I'm sorry to ramble, but every other computer we looked at had all three built in, Dell's site said basically the same thing. I just don't know what to do. We bought 2 docking stations, and a bunch of other accessories for the C640, so if I send it back, I'll need to resell all that stuff - not a huge deal, just a pain. I just feel they clearly misrepresented what I would receive (although I am very green in computer lingo).

I took the old network card out of Kim's old laptop, and finally was able to get connected, so at least we made a little progress. It appears to be a decent computer, but I just have a bad Dell taste at the moment.

I guess we are spoiled by the WW companies, we have a problem, they ship a part, no questions, quick as can be, and other then the debateable air compressor hp issue, rarely is something misrepresented.

I guess I'm suffering from spending almost $2k and seems like getting nickled and dimed.

I appreciate any thoughts - John

P.S. I'm really rambling tonight...

Ray Thompson
03-13-2004, 12:13 AM
What I would do is call them with the ad in hand and give them two options, either make good on their ad or take the computer back and explain that you will be buying from their competitor and posting their unwilliness to stand behind their ads in a public forum.

Ok I can't resist I told you so.(G) Ray

John Miliunas
03-13-2004, 12:34 AM
John, when you went through the "configurator", did you happen to notice if there were Network card options? You probably would have only had two extra options, because the built-in NIC (the plug-in type) comes standard with all Latitudes.

Sorry, but I can't quite make out the scan on the link you posted. By the same token, I don't doubt you for a minute regarding that's what it said. If that is indeed the case, I'd have to agree with Ray and give them the riot act! They should make good on it. Also, when contacting them, I would start asking for supervisors! :cool:

John Weber
03-13-2004, 1:16 AM
Thanks guys, here are the options they list:

http://www.weberwoodworking.com/dell%20description%20002.jpg

I assume these are the wireless network cards, and according to Dell I assume I should have bought one of these cards. However, according to the description, the laptop already "incorperates" 802.11b wireless, so why would you need an additional card?

If this is clear for you folks, I'll back off and order a card. It's late and I'm beat, the deal on the Dell is looking like less and less of a deal. Maybe they are right and I just jumped the gun, when it didn't have a card. But from the description and every other laptop we looked at they all have 10/100 ethernet/modem/802.11b connections built in.

Thanks guys - John

John Weber
03-13-2004, 1:20 AM
Here is the original description:

http://www.weberwoodworking.com/delldes1.jpg

Nite Guys - John

Glenn Clabo
03-13-2004, 5:51 AM
John,
I feel your pain. All I can say is...you can see why I have told everyone that they will not buy another Dell in my program at work and we will not buy another one here at home.

And it only gets worse if something goes wrong with a Dell... you must plan to accept amazingly bad service. I have had three very disturbing run ins with them in the last 2 months but this was the last one we will have...

Long story short...The LOML's laptop wouldn't boot...we are both pretty computer literate...harddrive was dying...they said it was out of warranty...even though they acknowledged an extended one was paid for. It seems they thought I wanted to skip a year in between the given and the extended one! And it gets worse...the only thing they would do was replace the harddrive if we paid for it...not mirror it. That meant everything that was on it would be lost for no reason. After a rather irate Canadian told the poor kid from India what for in French...you can't talk to a supervisor btw...we went to the local guy and paid out the butt to get it fixed. It seems they didn't understand that someone who is a few weeks from defending her PhD needed a computer in this day and age.

I could go on...and on...and on...But I think you may be getting my drift.

Chuck Wintle
03-13-2004, 6:28 AM
Can you return the Laptop to Dell for a refund? And then buy a Toshiba or a Sony?

Mike Cutler
03-13-2004, 6:33 AM
John. Send it back!! That add clearly states that you were purchasing an 802.11b compliant laptop. There should have been an internal wireless networking card, not an external network adapter. Call your credit card company and contest the order and then send it back.Dell will give you a little static on the phone about it, but stand your ground, and ask for the persons supervisor.You may not be able to find the product on their site any longer, but if you give them the laptop system/product number they can look up exactly how it was supposed to be configured. I wouldn't say I told you so at all. Dell is a reputable company and their product line represents great value. It seems to me, from this forum and other forums I participate in(computer related) that Dell seems to be falling short in the laptop area. I don't know why that is though? I'm not even a PC fan( I use Mac's) but the Dell 8100 desktop I have has been great and I have no complaints. If you elect to keep the laptop and purchase an external wireless adapter, look at the Netgear,or Linksys product lines. These are the most trouble free and easiest network adapters to configure, especially if a person isn't real computer savvy. One more thing to consider for the near term. It sounds as if this computer will be used in a professional/business application. I cannot stress how important it will be to back up your data. Think about getting an external Firewire 800 drive to backup to. "There are 2 kinds of computer users. Those that backup and those that will learn to backup" Good luck with whatever happens.

John Miliunas
03-13-2004, 9:20 AM
John, I'm completely in agreement with Mike C. on this one, regarding "sending it back". Although the configurator does show one of two forms of WiFI as an option, the description shows that your unit already "incorporates" that option. I do computer crap for a living and seeing the description you show, I too would've probably just skipped over that option choice, figuring, "Why bother? It's already got it!" On the other hand, you indicate that you already pre-purchased a couple docking stations for the unit. If you got them from elsewhere, it may be a bear getting your money back out of them. Like Mike says, if you should decide to keep it, go with the Netgear or Linksys, though I think Cisco already has *enough* $$, so I'd lean toward the Netgear. (Cisco now owns Linksys.) Best of luck with it, John, and keep us posted. :cool: