All I want is a driver - why is this so hard?

[freebird76]

I came to cisco.com looking for the latest driver for a "Cisco Aironet 802.11a/b/g Wireless Adapter". I initially installed the driver off the CD, but since there are some mysterious problems with the adapter, I thought it might be worth trying the latest driver.

Ordinarily downloading a driver from a manufacturer is a 5 minute task at most, but with Cisco this has turned into a half hour ordeal... and they STILL won't let me download the driver! I've filled out a gazillion registrations, checked checkboxes, clicked acceptances, agreed to whatever legal blah blah blah, and after all that, I get this message that my profile is incomplete. So I "update" the profile and try again: same message.

What is the big deal here? Why can't they have normal links to download drivers like everybody else? If anybody from Cisco reads this, could you please email me the Version 3.0 of this wireless driver? Thanks,

freebird76 at gmail dot com

[andrew.burns]

Hi,

Unlike other manufacturers, Cisco software updates aren't free - you need to purchase a support contract to enable you to download updates.

If that's an issue for you then maybe Linksys would be a better option?

HTH

Andrew.

[jonathan_westlake]

I have to agree. Crappy driver sites are less effort than this - start acting like a fucking manufacturer Cisco! Anyway, time to head off to the crappy driver sites I guess...

[chris-marshall]

In fact, with proper support contracts, obtaining the latest drivers for wireless devices is one of the easiest things to do. Cisco has broken it down to a 4 step process that walks you through to the proper driver, with little thought required. But as was pointed out by others in this thread, you have to maintain a valid support contract. For a corporation it's well worth the cost, in my opinion. For an individual, Cisco's product line isn't really the best pick. Linksys or other consumer grade devices is much more well suited (Linksys is what I end up suggesting to friends and family who ask).

-Chris

[freebird76]

Hi, I'm the original poster. I'm the "IT guy" for a small, non-profit organization. We originally received the Cisco Aironet adapters as part of a donated bundle through Techsoup. The whole point of getting donated equipment is that it's cheaper for the non-profit than buying the stuff at Best Buy or whatever.

Think of it this way: what kind of "donation" requires a support contract just to get a driver? It's cheap, and it's lame.

[pmays]

Freebird76,

Cisco donations through TechSoup automatically come with a 5 year SmartNet contract. This gives you access to TAC as well as software downloads. Here is a link for reference:

http://www.techsoup.org/stock/cisco/smartnet/default.asp?cg=searchterms&sg=cisco

There is also some information on what to do if you never received your Welcome kit.

Not sure what is wrong with your CCO access. I'll ping you direct and see if I can't help in the short term.

Perry

[enrico.benry]

I append a complain to this post... to pay to obtain new drivers is something crazy!!!

I bought a cisco Aironet 350 PCMCIA wireless card and I need the WPA support, (apparently) available only with the new driver.

And the only solution for me is to trow it away and buy another card from a *really professional* hardware vendor!

I'll never buy a cisco product anymore!

My company will not too!

I'll speak badly of cisco for the rest of may life!

And I'll sell all of my cisco stocks!!!

I'm so angry that I would like to see some cisco's manager being eaten by a tiger in his office!

[lwhyman01]

Wow, I have to agree. Here it is, two years later and you still can't get what you need. I have spent hours trying to get the darn driver. If I have learned anything at all, it's don't buy a Cisco wireless card! Buyer Beware.