Back in December I was ecstatic when AVM released a new software version for my Fritzbox VDSL/Wi-Fi Router at home as they included a cloud file server system in the box that made it very easy to share large files with other people, which I sometimes do. And things worked pretty well for about a month ago until things suddenly started to go wrong.
I first noticed it when I got an email from a friend that the sharing URL I sent for a file stored on the Box was not working. I investigated and found out that the sharing link disappeared from the routers sharing links list. So I added it again and just to make sure rebooted the box. And gone it was again. Hm, o.k. so I added it again and told my friend to download the file immediately before my daily automated power interruption (for stability reasons) resets the link again. Lets fix this later I thought.
Then he told me that the link worked but the file download always terminates after around 30 MB. What!? So I tried myself and indeed, after 30 MBs the transfers to the outside world always terminated. Now this was getting really inconvenient. So I saved the configuration, made a complete firmware reset of the router and restored the configuration in the hope that the file sharing problem would go away. But unfortunately it didn't. Hours wasted on two problems and no fix in sight.
So I opted for the last resort and contacted tech support with a detailed description of my two problems. A couple of days later (what a joke) I got a response that the early file transfer termination is a known problem and would at some point be fixed. But they couldn't give me a date and also didn't mention if there's a fix in sight for the second problem with the disappearing sharing links after reboot.
Very disappointing really and I don't think it's going to be another Fritzbox for me in the future... I felt a bit stranded as I was left without a good solution for my use case as I don't want to use Dropbox and Co. But then I remembered that the other day I read something about a personal cloud service, OwnCloud, which finally saved the day. But that's a story for the next post.
Yeah, you got the foul egg of AVM's support, there.
Of course, the company sanctioned way to deal with your problem would have been to make you go through repeated hardware swaps before finally up-selling you on their newest model, "that comes without such limitations". Hope you catch the sarcasm ;)
Posted by: Christian Seifert | March 08, 2013 at 10:09 AM
How about using a file compression utility to span the file over 29.9 Mb files?
I would chose this workaround first, then sort out another option later on.
Posted by: Mark | March 11, 2013 at 05:05 PM
I've had similar experience with AVM support: "Problem is known, thank you. Maybe we'll fix it later."
Difference to cheap box vendors is: they will not even reply to your query.
Posted by: Stefan | March 13, 2013 at 05:37 PM