Support Nightmare

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Support Nightmare

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Support Nightmare
Support Nightmare
2022-03-23 20:12:02
Model: OC200  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version: current

Has anyone tried to contact support recently. I have worked with Asian support (China) but can't seem to get any support domestically. There is a huge time gap, frustrated that this award winning support has no daytime support for "business" class equipment.

 

I have a brand new OC200, 7206 gateway, and 2008 switch. 

 

I can build things until I am blue in the face, but without a comprehensive manual... there are so many things that just don't work. 

 

I am trying to build a Segmented network: 7Vlans with matching wireless. ( some will be portals , others will be static keys) 3 physically wired netwoks. 

 

The "Core" Vlan1 network works fine, but cant seem to get new ones to pull dhcp.

 

SSIDS are broadcasting. 

 

 

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#1
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Re:Support Nightmare
2022-03-23 20:50:03

  @KillerMBunny 

 

Buisness Technical support is available Monday through Friday 6am to 6pm Pacific via 844-287-4762. Chat support is available at the same time and days from this link.  Support is avialable outside these hours in a limited capcity from our Home support team or you can email non-urgent matters to support.smb@tp-link.com.  responses will be returned with in 1 business day.

 

There is no local support though.  The majority of support for home products is provided from our helpdesks located in the Philipines and China.  For business support these calls are handled by an exclusive team at our Helpdesk in China.  This does not affect the quality of support you will receive at all, as all of our support agents do speak english.  If you feel you are not able to communicate properly please try chat or email, or post your questions on the community for our admins and other users to provide answers. 

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#2
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Re:Support Nightmare
2022-03-23 21:02:48

  @Carl 

 

I appreciate that... but 3 hours sitting on hold listening to music that makes me wanna rip my ears off... seems like hours that dont align to availability, waiting 2 -3 days at a time for responses, and even then getting articles that only provide 1/2 of the details.... 

 

I have actually found Mactelecom Networks on you tube here in Canada that has done a superior job instilling the confidence I needed in this product. Enough that I am getting past the hurdles that were not getting answered by support. ( after 2 weeks of asking for comprehensive documentation )

 

I don't believe there is a communication issue... Once I get to talk to someone.  I think that I am asking complicated questions when the documentation is defective or missing.

 

As for Business Support? I would not put my critical business on this technology knowing that when something goes wrong , I have no support available when I need it. There is too much of a gap. Business is 24/7/365 in my world. 

 

(Note that I generally do really like TP-link gear , its pretty bullet proof and rock solid, but Omada SDN is a terrible product to use when this is your first encounter with it. )

 

 

 

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Re:Support Nightmare
2022-03-23 21:17:16

  @KillerMBunny 

 

 

When did you call?  Phone Support at our HD in China was temporarily halted in China dude to Covid restrictions as there was an new outbreak.  I did not mention this in my repsonse as the message indicating this distruption has been removed from the site.  However I do see this message:

 

**Due to the effects of COVID-19, our phone support services at this time are running on a limited schedule. As a result you may also experience longer than normal waiting times. Instead, we encourage you to contact us through our Chat service or Community Forum. For your convenience we also have a database of self-help articles and videos available here

 

This could be why there was long hold times.  I also called the line myself and did here the same message play before being taking to the Queue, so it is very likely your hold time was delayed.  Communication troubles are not always lanaguage.  It is possible they are not completely understanding your question.  If you can layout what concerns you have here we can help. 

 

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Re:Support Nightmare
2022-03-23 21:54:19

  @Carl 

 

I was an old school Cisco guy years ago, and my way of building a network is still very "console" directed. 

 

The problem is the ease of deployment that was touted with SDN... and while it is, each manufacturer has a specific way of managing this. There are a lot of screens and buried features... that until you understand how they affect the outcome are dangerous variables.

 

I would propose... that a training curriculum might be worth the effort. a comprehensive manual or virtual walk through ... TP-links videos race through things that are important with no back story, only an assumption that the click box was turned on.

 

I have seen so many contradictions, like why not create a management vlan way up on 4090 ( even though they really say it isn't required out of the box in some obscure article.) or where is DHCP configured on multi network configurations, is it the gateway, the switch? it's not like you can see the scopes defined anywhere, only the reservations if you choose to harden.

 

Answers don't flow well without the back story. ( and I am 2 weeks in building this after a simple firmware update bricked my first 7206. ( I have never bricked a device, and trying to get support on that was impossible, with important facts being left out from support. (lIke that recovery didnt exist until version 1.1.1, which really should have had a disclaimer to update to that first before 1.2.0. ( the replacement went amazingly, after talking to the general Canadian support )

 

O

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#5
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Re:Support Nightmare
2022-03-24 02:21:15 - last edited 2022-03-24 02:23:30

Dear @KillerMBunny,


Sorry for any trouble caused!

 

KillerMBunny wrote

I would propose... that a training curriculum might be worth the effort. a comprehensive manual or virtual walk through ... TP-links videos race through things that are important with no back story, only an assumption that the click box was turned on.

 

I have seen so many contradictions, like why not create a management vlan way up on 4090 ( even though they really say it isn't required out of the box in some obscure article.) or where is DHCP configured on multi network configurations, is it the gateway, the switch? it's not like you can see the scopes defined anywhere, only the reservations if you choose to harden.

 

Regarding the TP-Link videos you mentioned above, are you talking about the video below?

How to Set Up the Whole Network of Gateway, Switches, and EAPs Using Omada SDN Controller

 

In the video above, the gateway works as the DHCP server, and DHCP configured on multi network can be found on the part of Step 5. Set up LAN and VLANs

 

I've reported your feedback to the support team for high attention, and got to know that your case has been escalated to the higher level support for further follow-up and your Ticket ID is TKID220323742, please don't hesitate to reply to that support email for further assistance.

>> Omada EAP Firmware Trial Available Here << *Try filtering posts on each forum by Label of [Early Access]*
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Re:Support Nightmare
2022-03-24 02:51:11

  @Fae 

  @Carl 

 

I appreciate anything / Everything you guys can and have done to help me get sorted out. I see massive potential in your infrastructure. And hope I have finally turned a corner. 

 

Finally starting to make progress,  Working with Jessie he has been sending me a lot of documentation. Some helps , some only poses new questions as I get deeper... but I will share that I finally have 7 Vlans working ( wired and wireless. some with PSK , others with portal auth....)

 

as for the videos... I don't really have the list , but they were very unsatisfying, following along trying to build my vlans and wired / wireless networks it didn't answer questions, it didnt help me understand the integration mindset. 

 

check out this guy: 

 

he really helped...Mactelecom Networks - YouTube

 

his video Creating VLANS, Wifi Networks And Bandwidth Control With TP-Link Omada - YouTube maanaged to answer for me the things "your" videos couldn't. 

 

If there are training opportunities to get certified in this product... please share!

 

 

 

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#7
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