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Defective refurbished modem (HT2000W)

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pferron
Sophomore

Defective refurbished modem (HT2000W)

Earlier this summer (2019), my old modem, and the dish transponder, were zapped by a nearby lightning strike.  The tech said the anti-lightning squib failed to protect the modem.  He had with him a replacement modem, an HT2000W.  It had an ungodly long and complicated password--more on this later.

 

The "new" modem worked fine for a month or so, and then a couple of weeks ago it started disconnecting from the satellite, requiring a reboot.  It would work fine for a few hours and then would disconnect again.  After a few days I called the Service Center, every few days, for another week and a half.  On successive calls I was directed to perform increasingly elaborate resets, re-registrations, re-installations, whatever.  Nothing helped.  The modem soon began requiring reboots every 20-30 minutes. 

 

Finally tech support decided to send out the technician.  He asked me if the modem was a refurbished modem.  I said, I don't know, how can I tell.  Then he looked on the back and noticed the long, complicated password.  "Yup," he said, "It's refurbished."  He said Hughes had finally started sending him new HT2000Ws, and he got a new one out of his truck and set it up.  It seems to be working fine a day later.

 

TL;DR:  Watch out for refurbished modems.  Mine had a 16-letter/number password that was a nightmare to type in.  If your password isn't something simple, like "pine42blue", you got a refurbished modem.  Sometimes the refurb center cannot diagnose a given modem's problem, especially if it's intermittent, and they slap a new label on it and put it back in circulation.  At least that's what I suspect.

 

Question:  The Service Center said that I would have to pay $100 or so for this technician's visit.  This seems outrageous.  The service call to replace the lightning-zapped modem was free.  I was given a defective replacement modem...so now I have to pay to get that modem replaced?   I haven't received a bill yet, but I'm on the lookout.

 

the local power company says they are bringing high speed internet to my area...there is competition even in the hinterland, Hughes.

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
Liz
Moderator
Moderator

Good morning pferron,

 

Thanks for posting and sharing your story. I'm sorry to hear about the replacement modem, glad you got a new one.  Please check your private messages (PM) in the top right corner of the community page as I've sent you a PM to further address your concerns.

 

If you have a tech or billing question and need help, please start a new thread in the appropriate board. Unsolicited Private Messages may not get replies.

Slow performance? Click me!

View solution in original post

5 REPLIES 5
Liz
Moderator
Moderator

Good morning pferron,

 

Thanks for posting and sharing your story. I'm sorry to hear about the replacement modem, glad you got a new one.  Please check your private messages (PM) in the top right corner of the community page as I've sent you a PM to further address your concerns.

 

If you have a tech or billing question and need help, please start a new thread in the appropriate board. Unsolicited Private Messages may not get replies.

Slow performance? Click me!

pferron
Sophomore

I'd like to publicly thank Liz from the forum for her prompt response and help.  

 

Count me a satisfied customer of HughesNet once again.

Happy to help, pferron. 🙂 Drop by the community any time.

 

If you have a tech or billing question and need help, please start a new thread in the appropriate board. Unsolicited Private Messages may not get replies.

Slow performance? Click me!

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV


@pferron wrote:

Watch out for refurbished modems.  Mine had a 16-letter/number password that was a nightmare to type in.  If your password isn't something simple, like "pine42blue", you got a refurbished modem.   


Just to allay any confusion, a 16 digit password, or even some other long, complicated password, isn't necessarily indicative of the modem being refurbished.  Though they may have changed the password style to something shorter and simpler at some point, there are many HT2000W modems out there with long, complicated passwords that were brand new when installed or given as replacements.  

 

I'm glad they got your modem issue resolved.  🙂

Good to know that about the password.  The technician said it with authority, which was apparently misplaced.