Acer support tried to sell me $200 Network Access Protection

[khelben1980]

Here is the story. I've been having trouble with my Acer laptop gamma setting. The default setting is way too bright so I take the slider all the way down. For some reason though when I play certain games the gamma will reset to default after I close the game. I then have to go back in and reset the gamma everytime I played these games.

I got tired of this and couldn't find a solution so I called Acer tech support for help. I talked on the phone with a tech and he had me connect my computer to him so he could look at it. He found that the flash player update was stopped instead of running and said that what was causing the problem. He brought up another screen with a bunch of errors and warnings, one of which mentioned the game I was playing, and said that it could be a network issue causing all this. So he runs a network scan which takes several minutes and it ends up showing that my network has been hacked.

"network compromised!!"
"ugunda ip conflict!!"
"6155 hacking files!"

It shows 5 active connections and only 2 have my computer name.

He claimed that if I were to get rid of my computer and got a new one that my ip address would still be hacked. The only way to fix the network, and hence fix the gamma issue, would be to pay $180 +10% tax to sign up for a 5 year network protection.

I don't know much about this so I wanted to research it first. Paying $200 to protect my ip address seems silly to me. What can you guys tell me?

More info: I just have my laptop hooked straight up to the modem at home. It's the only connected device I have.

 

[DistraughtSysop]

Re: Acer support tried to sell me $200 Network Access Protection.

He claimed that if I were to get rid of my computer and got a new one that my ip address would still be hacked.

That... makes no sense.

Maybe he means that whoever gained access to your machine would still have your public ip, but that would be a super weird way of saying that, and in any case I doubt that you have a static ip. It sounds like he's trying to scare you into spending some money.

The only way to fix the network, and hence fix the gamma issue, would be to pay $180 +10% tax to sign up for a 5 year network protection.

I don't know much about this so I wanted to research it first. Paying $200 to protect my ip address seems silly to me. What can you guys tell me?

Ripoff alert.

Sounds like a load of crap to me. Look, it's very possible that your machine is infected with malware, but you have a lot more options than that. If you don't know anyone who will help you for free, take your machine to a tech to get it scanned and cleaned, if necessary. It'll be a lot cheaper than $200. You can even ask people here how to do it, yourself.

I'd be interested to know exactly what this network protection entails, as well. It's probably just a subscription for some crappy antivirus software like McAfee, or something.

 

[Yevrag35]

Re: Acer support tried to sell me $200 Network Access Protection.

Wow, I knew Acer support was bad, but to be (very close to) downright criminal is a new low. Actually, what phone number did you call, curiously?

 

[IntelFanboy417]

Re: Acer support tried to sell me $200 Network Access Protection.

Let me just tell you I have been dealing with Acer for 4 years now. Never buy anything they want you to. I called when my old acer laptop (My first computer I ever had with windows 7... good memories) that the keyboard stopped working. The tech support guy told me to just buy a new computer just because the keyboard wore out! I've also had a terrible experience with Acer in general. Their laptops never last long, I never dealt with the desktops but I have also heard that they are pretty bad as well. If I were you I WOULD NOT Get that protection plan.

 

[Tehporp]

Re: Acer support tried to sell me $200 Network Access Protection.

Wow, I didn't know Acer was that bad, I never had a problem with the laptop and I've been using it for 4~ years and it still works fine. I guess the story is different when it come to Acer support.

 

[IntelFanboy417]

Re: Acer support tried to sell me $200 Network Access Protection.

Wow, I didn't know Aser was that bad, I never had a problem with the laptop and I've been using it for 4~ years and it still works fine. I guess the story is different when it come to Aser support.

You did? Maybe some of their more expensive laptops last longer but I know their netbooks are no good. My mom had a acer netbook, lasted 7 months and mine lasted 4 months.

 

[Yevrag35]

but I know their netbooks are no good. My mom had a acer netbook, lasted 7 months and mine lasted 4 months.

Netbooks were essentially ALL bad. They were one of the biggest flops ever. The manufacturers knew where the market was going, but unfortunately rushed to make a product you barely could consider a computer. I only recommended netbooks to kids under the age of 9 when they were in their "heyday" (if they ever really had one).

 

[carnageX]

IMO, Acer has lower quality laptops, but they make fairly nice monitors and displays.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using TechForums

 

[Tehporp]

I suppose, I couldn't run Windows Vista or 7 at the time when it was new, so I flat out wipe the hard drive and make it run Xubuntu/Arch Linux with minimal install and it have been mostly stable since.

 

[Joe C]

I have an Asus netbook and it's been chugging right along for the past 4 yrs now. It does need a new battery now but that can be expected. I put more memory in it, a larger 7200 rpm hard drive and Windows 7 on it