I ordered 801-1205-5000 watchdog contract from a reseller, now what?

[jjbase]

Hello, roughly 24hrs ago I ordered a 801-1205-5000 5yrs watchdog support for my ZD1205 because I want to have software upgrades for my ZD and attached APs (4 r700 and upcoming 1 r720), being an home user/enthusiast with no business connections I literally bought it from the first google result reseller that looked legit, used Paypal and offered international orders (I’m in EU), namely “Barcode Discount” based in Chicago (parent company is Barcodes LLC that operates a number of similar sites).

Now while I wait for my (very pricey, for a home user) order to be honored, I’m growing puzzled about the whole process. Just puzzled for now. First of all, one would expect like a 5 minutes instant digital delivery, but apparently 2-3 days will be needed. (honestly Ruckus should just put a giant “buy premium support with Paypal” button in the ZD dashboard, why they don’t do it and force you thru sales channels is beyond me, but I digress). After an hour I called the reseller (thanks Skype for cheap overseas calls) to ask about the whole process and they said that in the coming days Ruckus themselves would honor the order via email. I find it weird, how so? I paid the reseller and never told them the S/N of my ZD. They have my email of course. And I’m from another world region.

Getting all this to work is also a prerequisite for buying my next R720 ap because otherwise my ZD1205 on an old software would not support it...

So, tldr, I dropped a lot of money on an order and I’m puzzled about the whole process, reseller CS said Ruckus will honor, if tomorrow none of the involved parties (the reseller or Ruckus) digitally delivers my watchdog activation code I will have to make some calls via Skype again...

[jjbase]

Nice contribution.
My contract was backdated too, it started around the date of the original order from the reseller.
“How professionals get anything done?” Maybe they use Cisco 😄 Or maybe an IT department with the right connections.

[kj_liu]

I have you to thank for the thread and keeping it updated. Just wanted to do my part — I feel lucky I didn't have to wait six weeks like you did.

I don't know about you, but I have zero idea how to even approach building a Meraki system at home, never mind the other wireless majors. I feel really fortunate that Ruckus is available for mere mortals who have outgrown the likes of Ubiquiti. Ruckus' hardware, software, their really wonderful tech support — it's all been an absolute dream-come-true, to be honest.

Except the support contract purchasing part. That part is astonishingly bad. It actually makes me glad I don't have to go through whatever byzantine chain stands between me and Cisco, Aerohive, etc.

[jjbase]

Yeah it was mostly a joke about Cisco, I too believe that Ruckus is unbeatable for the enthusiast home user and small business.

[kj_liu]

It sounds like you've been with Ruckus awhile. I only started a couple years ago when I moved house. Prior to moving in I had it entirely rewired with Cat6a — four jacks on almost every wall. 156 drops, I think it was.

The funny thing? I did it because I saw that even the then-king of consumer wireless mesh products — Sonos — could not reliably handle the plaster-and-lath walls of typical old Boston houses. Yeah that's right: Sonos made me rewire my new house, of all things! Of course, once I had decided to wire I then went full-out in order to be able to pipe PoE and HDBASE-T everywhere it could conceivably go.

Mesh is now well in consumers' hands thanks to the eeros of the world — but FaceTime roaming (802.11r/k) remains out-of-reach for those who need it. It still can't really handle horsehair plaster, either. So I thank Ruckus literally every time I Skype or FaceTime my kids' grandparents across the globe and move in and out of the house at will with nary a pixelated frame. Beauty.

Just ... they need to get this support contract purchasing straightened out. I'm not looking forward to renewing in a year — well, eight months, apparently.

[jjbase]

Not so long, I got the Ruckus bug from a youtube video 4 years ago. That video ended up costing me a lot of money. But boy it is another world compared to consumer stuff. And yes the peace of mind of r/k roaming is great, lots of iDevices in my household, interesting point I will now look for it every time I read about a new consumer mesh system.