Netopia prides itself on having one of the premier Technical Support departments in the industry. Our Technical Support Representatives are well versed in Internet Routing using TCP/IP, Physical and Second Layer Protocols such as XDSL, T1, ISDN, Frame Relay, PPP, ATM, etc. Because of this extensive knowledge, customers often solicit a representative's advice on issues other than the function and features of Netopia products. Netopia Technical Support Representatives will always use their networking knowledge to help isolate a customer's problem. The problem, once identified, may not relate to the Netopia or its configuration. It is necessary to draw boundaries for the support given by the Technical Support Department.
1. Netopia Routers operate primarily at the first three layers of the OSI Model: Physical, Datalink, and Network. Problems with File-Sharing, Email, Web Hosting and any other service that runs at the Application Layer are beyond the boundaries of Netopia Technical Support if the router is successfully allowing the necessary IP connectivity.
2. Netopia Routers are designed to interoperate successfully with many other manufacturer's hardware products. If the Netopia Technical Support Rep determines that the Netopia router is performing its functions in accordance with applicable specifications, we will attempt to isolate the source of the networking problem. However, Netopia Technical Support cannot address the configuration of any third-party products such as ethernet cards, servers, routers, hubs, switches, or firewalls.
3. Netopia Routers are capable of three distinct VPN configurations, ATMP, PPTP and IPSec. Netopia incorporates industry-standards for these protocols in its VPN feature implementation. Once it has been established that the Netopia router is properly routing TCP/IP traffic through the VPN, Netopia's support responsibility ends. Configuration or troubleshooting of any problems related to VPN adapters, Ethernet cards, File and Print Sharing, Net Bios Name Resolution, WINS, NT Domain issues, or any other Microsoft Networking issues are the customer's responsibility.
4. Netopia Technical Support is happy to help its customers integrate Netopia products into their network design, but it is the customer's responsibility to first develop the network design. If the customer is not comfortable developing a network design, Netopia Customer Service can refer an independent local network consultant.
5. Netopia Technical Support will not make changes to customer filter sets or Stateful Packet Inspection configurations. Netopia provides technotes and documentation for both features that should be used as a starting point for your configurations. Representatives will then gladly make suggestions to an existing customer configuration, but will not go further. All configuration changes for both of these features must be made by the customer. Netopia takes no responsibility for any security issues caused by changes to SPI or filter sets. It is the customer's responsibility to make sure that their network is always secure from outside intrusion.
6. If more than one Netopia Technical Support Rep has determined that a particular customer issue is not related to the Netopia router, no additional calls on that particular issue can be addressed.
7. Netopia Technical Support Reps endeavor to solve customer problems in a methodical, calm, professional manner. We expect our customers to do the same. Customers who use abusive language and/or profanity will immediately lose their Technical Support privileges.
These boundaries are designed to provide the highest quality Technical Support to Netopia Router Customers. The efficiency and expertise of the Support Group must be tightly focused in order to continue our tradition of excellent Technical Support.