RIP airport express :-(

[dobbin]

My airport express stopped working suddenly yesterday. I first noticed it when my iBook couldn't load a webpage, and I couldn't find my airport express in the list of available networks.

When I checked the airport express, the light that is usually green wasn't on at all. I tried it in a different socket, and swapped the plug with the one on my iBook power lead, but still no green light (or any light at all).

After checking on the Apple support discussion forum, it seems that a lot of people have had their airport express go dead like this. I'm lucky that mine is only 11 1/2 months old, so I'm hoping that Apple will replace it for me under the warranty.

Has anyone else had an airport express go dead like this? Did you manage to get a replacement from Apple. I'm going to call them when I get home tonight and see what they say.

 

[7254278]

Mine died the exact same way yours did except it was 5 days old. They sent me a raplacement in 3 days and I shipped it out in a box they sent me free of charge, great service. It has now been around a year and I have had no problems and DAMN I had no idea this thing had such great range.
Only bad thing is for those 3 days I had to mooch of my neighbours wireless network which only work in very specific part of the house, the toilet being one lol.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

The exact same thing happened to my 11 month old Airport Express this summer...

 

[katie ta achoo]

How do they know if it's still under warranty?

Mine is probably about a year old, and I'm worried that it'll "POOF" right after warranty dies...

I actually don't know! I don't have a receipt for it..
Do they go by serial number?

 

[superbovine]

you try the reset button?

 

[dobbin]

you try the reset button?

Yeah, I tried the obvious things like that, and the fuse/plug/socket. It seems totally dead, not even a flash of the light or anything.

 

[techgeek]

Mine died over the weekend as well.
I'm pretty sure it's still in warrant. Must dig out the reciept tonight.

 

[dobbin]

Well, I now remember why I hate having anything to do with Apple customer service.

I rang them earlier to say my airport express had died and they were less than helpful.

Despite being able to give them my name, address, email, original order number, shipping notification number and serial number of the thing they couldn't find it on their records. Eventually they found it/my record by taking the serial number of my iBook which was bought at the same time.

They then told me that they couldn't help me because I didn't purchase Applecare. I said I wanted it replaced under the standard warranty, nothing to do with Applecare, and they said they couldn't troubleshoot it over the phone as I didn't have Applecare. I said I didn't want it troubleshooting under Applecare, I wanted it replacing because it was broken. I told them I had followed the info on their support website and was fairly sure it was broken.

They told me I had to take it to an Apple authorised dealer for troubleshooting before they would consider replacing it. They refused to do anything over the phone with me.

So now I have to take it to Bristol (50 miles trip for me).

If any other company behaved like this, I wouldn't buy their products, but with Apple, the alternative is worse...

grrrrrrrr, I'm really annoyed about this.

 

[rogerw]

Well, I now remember why I hate having anything to do with Apple customer service.

I rang them earlier to say my airport express had died and they were less than helpful.

Despite being able to give them my name, address, email, original order number, shipping notification number and serial number of the thing they couldn't find it on their records. Eventually they found it/my record by taking the serial number of my iBook which was bought at the same time.

They then told me that they couldn't help me because I didn't purchase Applecare. I said I wanted it replaced under the standard warranty, nothing to do with Applecare, and they said they couldn't troubleshoot it over the phone as I didn't have Applecare. I said I didn't want it troubleshooting under Applecare, I wanted it replacing because it was broken. I told them I had followed the info on their support website and was fairly sure it was broken.

They told me I had to take it to an Apple authorised dealer for troubleshooting before they would consider replacing it. They refused to do anything over the phone with me.

So now I have to take it to Bristol (50 miles trip for me).

If any other company behaved like this, I wouldn't buy their products, but with Apple, the alternative is worse...

grrrrrrrr, I'm really annoyed about this.

apple customer service is poxy!!!!!!!!!!

im lucky as ive an authorised dealer nearby. i ve had to visit them recently and they were really good and speedy, and this was for warranty work. i didnt bother logging the fault with apple, as i didnt have a spare few hours. so i sidelined them and went straight to these people.

best of luck

 

[dobbin]

I've now taken my broken airport express into my "local" authorised dealer, and although they were more helpful than Apple, I am less than satisfied with the whole process.

They booked it in and said it would join the queue for warranty claim inspections. They said it may take 4-8 weeks before they are able to look at it and confirm that its faulty. I said that it would take less than a minute to plug it in and see that the light does not come on and it doesn't show up on a laptop with a airport card, but they said they have to follow the procedure.

Meanwhile, I'm stuck with having to plug my iBook into my modem via a cable, which is rather annoying. I could cope with it for a few days, but living like that for 2 months is ridiculous.

I'm tempted to buy another one, and then eventually I'll have a spare that I can use for streaming music or wireless printing. But I really hate to think of Apple making another £100 out of me simply because their customer service is so poor. Maybe I'll buy a cheapo wireless router from PCworld to keep me going.

Is it any wonder that Apple marketshare is so small. There's more to running a successful business than simpy making good products. My wife says that I'd be going absolutely mad if it were any other company but Apple, and she's right. Why do we all think Apple is so great when they clearly are not?

 

[Gordy]

Well, I now remember why I hate having anything to do with Apple customer service.

I rang them earlier to say my airport express had died and they were less than helpful.

Despite being able to give them my name, address, email, original order number, shipping notification number and serial number of the thing they couldn't find it on their records. Eventually they found it/my record by taking the serial number of my iBook which was bought at the same time.

They then told me that they couldn't help me because I didn't purchase Applecare. I said I wanted it replaced under the standard warranty, nothing to do with Applecare, and they said they couldn't troubleshoot it over the phone as I didn't have Applecare. I said I didn't want it troubleshooting under Applecare, I wanted it replacing because it was broken. I told them I had followed the info on their support website and was fairly sure it was broken.

They told me I had to take it to an Apple authorised dealer for troubleshooting before they would consider replacing it. They refused to do anything over the phone with me.

So now I have to take it to Bristol (50 miles trip for me).

If any other company behaved like this, I wouldn't buy their products, but with Apple, the alternative is worse...

grrrrrrrr, I'm really annoyed about this.

Isnt there an apple place in gloucester? I thought western (the bristol mac place) had a branch in glouscester??

Nice to see a fellow south western uk resident too


Edit: http://www.western.co.uk/ not in glouscester but theres one in cheltenham that maybe be easier for you to get to?

Western Computers
Beechwood Shopping Centre
123 High Street
Cheltenham
GL50 1DQ

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I think you've been had.

When my AE died, in what seems to be the exact same way (see link above), Apple Support tried giving me a little runaround, but tech support fairly quickly acknowledged that it was dead over the phone, and a new was shipped instantly. (I think it helped that I described the gunpowder-like smell it had. )

Only 4 days after it died I had a new one in my hand, and UPS even took away the old one and shipped that back to Apple. (It broke on a Thursday and I had the new one Monday, just over the weekend, can't complaint about that. )

 

[dobbin]

Isnt there an apple place in gloucester? I thought western (the bristol mac place) had a branch in glouscester??

Nice to see a fellow south western uk resident too


Edit: http://www.western.co.uk/ not in glouscester but theres one in cheltenham that maybe be easier for you to get to?

Western Computers
Beechwood Shopping Centre
123 High Street
Cheltenham
GL50 1DQ

Thanks for this Gordy. I didn't know they also had a shop in Cheltenham. I might have a look next time I'm there. I'm in Dursley, so Bristol and Cheltenham are a fairly similar distance for me.

 

[dobbin]

I think you've been had.

I think I've been had too. What really makes me cross is that Apple made out this is my fault for not buying Applecare.

I shouldn't need to have Applecare to get faulty hardware replaced - its my legal right anyway I believe.

I suppose I should be glad its my AE and not my iBook. I really don't think I could manage without that for 2 months!

 

[Lau]

They told me I had to take it to an Apple authorised dealer for troubleshooting before they would consider replacing it. They refused to do anything over the phone with me.

So now I have to take it to Bristol (50 miles trip for me).

Total deja vu! I had exactly the same thing with my PowerBook and Western in Bristol quoted 8 weeks too! Get back on the phone, they will send you a box if you cause enough fuss. If one guy won't do it, phone back and try someone else. I eventually got them to send out a box, and the service was great after that. However, the experience before it was one of the main reasons I didn't buy AppleCare, and would make me seriously consider not buying a new Mac in the future, and just going 2nd hand.

My sorry experience is documented here. Feel free to PM me for advice!

 

[Gordy]

Total deja vu! I had exactly the same thing with my PowerBook and Western in Bristol quoted 8 weeks too! Get back on the phone, they will send you a box if you cause enough fuss. If one guy won't do it, phone back and try someone else. I eventually got them to send out a box, and the service was great after that. However, the experience before it was one of the main reasons I didn't buy AppleCare, and would make me seriously consider not buying a new Mac in the future, and just going 2nd hand.

My sorry experience is documented here. Feel free to PM me for advice!

If you got your mac from them they say 10days for repairs if you got it from apple or elsewhere they quote that 8weeks thing!

 

[Lau]

If you got your mac from them they say 10days for repairs if you got it from apple or elsewhere they quote that 8weeks thing!

Yeah, I got the feeling the guy who quoted that took great pleasure in saying it. In a kind of "Look, Apple are screwing us over by making us do repairs for the whole South West". Still incredibly annoying though. What really annoyed me was that Apple online thought that was an acceptable time for repair! I have got an email from them saying

I regret the inconvenience that a 4-6 week delay may cause but unfortunately our Applecare department is unable to provide an alternative.

Well, that's the best advert I've ever seen for not spending £200 on AppleCare!

 

[petej]

I am worried that my AE my be on the way out. It is making a buzzing sound that seems to get louder by the day. Of course, it is now out of the warranty period so if it dies then I may have an issue. Did anyone else hear any excessive noise coming from their AE units prior to death?

Sounds like a very poor show from Apple Customer Service.

 

[Gordy]

Yeah, I got the feeling the guy who quoted that took great pleasure in saying it. In a kind of "Look, Apple are screwing us over by making us do repairs for the whole South West". Still incredibly annoying though. What really annoyed me was that Apple online thought that was an acceptable time for repair! I have got an email from them saying Well, that's the best advert I've ever seen for not spending £200 on AppleCare!

I can't see how anyone can claim that 6-8weeks is an acceptable time to repair something that at most takes a couple of hours to do.

I'm very glad I decided to buy from western instead of the apple online store, I had to wait a week for a 12in pb dvd writer model to come in but I thought that is far easier to drive a mile and to get it fixed than to send it back to apple and risk loosing it for ages.

I'm still putting it off being repaired till I can work out what to do for a laptop in the mean time. My parents need an ibook for a trip abroad so I may borrow that for the time.

 

[dobbin]

Total deja vu! I had exactly the same thing with my PowerBook and Western in Bristol quoted 8 weeks too! Get back on the phone, they will send you a box if you cause enough fuss. If one guy won't do it, phone back and try someone else. I eventually got them to send out a box, and the service was great after that. However, the experience before it was one of the main reasons I didn't buy AppleCare, and would make me seriously consider not buying a new Mac in the future, and just going 2nd hand.

My sorry experience is documented here. Feel free to PM me for advice!

You're probably right, I should have made more of a fuss on the phone to Apple. Its too late for me now though, I have left my AE at Western. At the time I didn't see that I had any choice. I had to make a quick decision as I was parked in the free 20 minute section of Temple Meads and had already been waiting for 10 minutes!

As I said earlier, its not the end of the world as its only my AE and not my iBook. I have already run a long cable from my modem to my sofa so I can still surf in relative comfort

Could be worse - I'm currently tyoing this on a D*LL laptop at work. At least I don't have to take that home!

 

[dobbin]

My sorry experience is documented here. Feel free to PM me for advice!

Just had a read through that thread and its depressing. Nothing is simple these days when things go wrong. Apple, like most companies, don't care once they've got your cash in the till. If it weren't for legal requirements, I don't think they'd offer a warranty at all. As it is, I think they are pushing their legal obligations to the very bottom limit.


P.S. Lau, Did you get your PB fixed OK in the end?

 

[Applespider]

Just had a read through that thread and its depressing. Nothing is simple these days when things go wrong.

Agree completely on improving the service bit particularly over the phone. I appreciate that they're probably getting a lot more calls since the iPods took off and there are a heck of lot of people with iPods who have no concept of seeing if anything wrong themselves but I do wish there was a non-iPod number you could ring if you had other Apple gear that there was a problem with. No iPod for a few weeks is annoying; no computer or wireless could be financially crippling (even if it's only spending money to entertain yourself!)

On a better note, let's hope that they keep rolling out Apple stores. Yes, it's a pain to get to see a Genius at times but they do seem to sort things out and expedite repairs. I've only had minor things replaced (iPod and two sets of in-ear headphones) and a couple of problems with the Powerbook checked out because I could.

 

[Lau]

Just had a read through that thread and its depressing. Nothing is simple these days when things go wrong. Apple, like most companies, don't care once they've got your cash in the till. If it weren't for legal requirements, I don't think they'd offer a warranty at all. As it is, I think they are pushing their legal obligations to the very bottom limit.


P.S. Lau, Did you get your PB fixed OK in the end?

I know, I just read it again and it depressed me!

Thanks, I did get it fixed. It took literally 2 days from my house, then delivered back at work. Very impressive. Sadly, my new screen has a stuck blue pixel. It isn't noticeable, but a bit of a sorry end to the whole business!

I really hope you get your AE back as soon as possible, and it's all good again.

edit: Applespider, I think you're right about the stores. It seems like when Apple do it themselves, they do it right, - e.g official stores, Apple US Care, etc. Which just makes it all the more depressing when it's bad. I would very possibly have shelled out £200 for AppleCare if I could have phoned up and had that turnaround service that I eventually got. As I didn't get that service, I didn't pay. I'll take my chances, and pay for it myself if anything goes wrong. It makes me think they're shooting themselves in the foot because it puts people off buying extras. For example, I'd seriously consider buying a 2nd hand Mac in the future, and using the money I saved as insurance if anything went wrong. I would call it LauCare But none of that money would be going to Apple, so it's kind of their loss.

 

[carpe diem]

apple replaced mine which was 14 months old

 

[dobbin]

I had a call this week from Western to say they've tested my AE, confirmed it as faulty, and Apple have replaced it. So my network is back up and running!

To be fair to Western this has been dealt with much more quickly than they said it was going to be, but I still think that the Apple warranty system is clearly flawed as described earlier in the thread...