Update and Solution: The D-Link DIR-825 Problem with Invalid MAC Addresses

I have the answer to my own mystery post regarding problems with my router.  I dug through every nook and cranny on the D-Link tech support website.  I looked for drivers, applications, firmware updates - you name it, I  researched it.  So, like your average guy, I don't like to stop to ask for directions, but in this case I needed to do so.  I filled out a form on the D-Link website to create a tech support request. (BTW- this entailed registering the device with D-Link which I previously had not done.)


You can find the details of my original problem here:

The D-Link DIR-825 Problem with Invalid MAC Addresses

I submitted the technical support ticket after writing my blog about this particular problem on January 15, 2011. D-Link responded to my question on January 19, 2011.  It took them 4 and a half days (108 hours, 6480 minutes, 388,800 seconds... ok, I'll stop there, couldn't help myself).  I will leave it up to your judgement and your experiences about the length of time that it should take to answer a routine tech support ticket at a company the size of D-Link.  D-Link's sales are over $1 Billion US dollars. (Wikipedia adds: The company has 127 sales offices in 64 countries and 10 global distribution centers serving 100 countries worldwide.)  Home base is Taiwan.


Another source says:
Actually DLink does not have many technical employees. Designs are purchased from Wisecom and other Taiwan OEMs, and firmware comes from India and other contractors.


I don't have any difficulty believing that.  Interestingly, I also just found out that D-Link COMPLETELY outsources it's technical support operations.  D-Link does not operate or have any actual tech support employees, nor do they operate their own call centers, web chat assistance and trouble ticket processing.


Fortunately or unfortunately, they seem to be very successful using this business model as they continue to grow, despite the world economic slump and continue to hold a major market share on networking and Wi-Fi products.


Again, I am just providing to you the information that I uncovered whilst curious about why their tech support is so bad.  There are others brands to choose from that make equivalent hardware, at equivalent prices that are US companies.  Those brands include Cisco/Linksys and Netgear.  To be competitive I am sure that they all do manufacturing all over the world and a lot in China.  It's not like cars - I remember back 20 years ago and my father would only buy American.  Then the world surpassed us in our ability to produce quality products and good prices.  Cisco and Netgear make great products- at least on level with D-Link. Geez, I sound like a politician, but I assure you I am not. But next time you're looking around at electronics and home or business networking gear, keep in mind which companies are based where.


Nonetheless and moving on....

So here is my support request as sent to D-Link:

============Begin of Original Message===========
Through DHCP, I am attempting to reserve IP addresses to be assigned to particular devices.  To do so, the router requests the MAC address for the reserved device.

I have concluded that whether I manually type the device, or connect it and use the "pre-populate" option, I am given the error of "Invalid MAC Address".

Through my research I have determined that this is not an issue with my unit in particular, but a wider spread issue the certain D-Link devices will not accept ANY MAC addresses that do not start with "00".

As you can see below, numerous of my devices have MAC addresses that do not begin with a "00" prefix, obviously causing me a significant stumbling block when trying to reserve these addresses.

For various reasons, a work around by which I would use a STATIC IP address rather than a DHCP IP address is not satisfactory, as these devices connect to several networks with their own particular reserved DHCP address.

Please let me know D-Link's current status on a "fix" for this obvious error in the D-Link DIR-825 wireless router.
Thank you.


IP Address          Name (if any)                   MAC
192.168.X.10                                           00:21:5A:XX:XX:XX
192.168.X.13                                           44:58:29:XX:XX:XX
192.168.X.12   LAPTOP                         00:1F:3B:XX:XX:XX
192.168.X.11                                          DC:2B:61:XX:XX:XX
192.168.X.16                                           00:19:DF:XX:XX:XX
192.168.X.15                                          78:A2:A0:XX:XX:XX
192.168.X.14   NAS DEVICE                00:0D:A2:XX:XX:XX
============End of Original Message============

And the D-Link response:
============Begin of Response Message===========

from Email Support <help@dlink.com>
date Wed, Jan 19, 2011
subject D-Link Email Case ID: C0460XXXX
mailed-by bounce.salesforce.com


Your Case ID is C0460XXXX
[Critical: Please do not change the subject line of your email when you reply. Leaving the subject line as it is will allow us to review your complete history and help us to better serve you.]

Date of Reply: 1/19/2011
Products: DIR-825

Please update the firmware on your DIR-825. The latest firmware is available here:
http://www.dlink.ca/products/?tab=3&pid=DIR-825&rev=DIR-825_revB

Should you require further assistance with your D-Link products, please reply to this message, or call toll free at 877-453-5465.

Thank you for networking with D-Link.

Sincerely,
Anthony D
D-Link Technical Support

============End of Response Message============


I searched high and low for this firmware update on their website.Turns out that they date the firmware release as 1/13/2011. Maybe they've had it since January 13, 2011 from the small subcontractor actually writing their software and just got around to posting it - OR - maybe I just missed it somehow.  There are similar complaints abound on the web and no where did anyone have the answer.


And a special thanks to D-Link for letting us know that they are using the CRM tool salesforce.com to handle tickets.


With the new firmware in place, the router is working well.