Belkin wireless routers

Quite some time ago, I ordered the cheapest wireless router I could find at Circuit City online.  It was, I believe, $38 including tax.

When it arrived I carefully followed instructions (at least I thought I did) but alas, it didn't get my notebook computer on the Internet as it was supposed to do.

Months later, my daughter spent half of her Saturday fixing the problem for me.  It took her at least four hours, including an hour or so on the phone with the Belkin techs.  But she did get the thing working.  I'm not that patient, and would have given up long before she did.  In fact, I kept telling her, "Just forget it; it isn't worth it."

Last week I got an e-mail.  Here's what part of it said:

ettlement Claim Information

For details about the Belkin Wireless Product Class Action Settlement go to:

Class Notice

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING A CLAIM FOR A FULL REFUND

YOU MUST READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. IF YOU DO NOT FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS, YOU MAY LOSE CERTAIN BENEFITS TO WHICH YOU MIGHT OTHERWISE BE ENTITLED.

To receive a full refund for a qualifying Belkin wireless product, you must follow these Instructions. If you fail to submit the required documents by the deadline set forth below, your claim will be rejected, and you will lose the right to receive a refund under the settlement.

Who is Eligible for a Full Refund of Actual Purchase Price? You may be eligible to receive a full refund of your actual purchase price of your Covered Belkin Wireless Product if: while residing in the United States, you purchased, between October 13, 2002 and February 5, 2007, a Covered Belkin Wireless Product from an entity that regularly sold such devices or items at the time of such purchase.

What is a Covered Belkin Wireless Product? These include 37 different wireless routers, modems and adapters, the packaging for which, at the time of retail purchase, did not state that the actual data transmission rates and/or connectivity ranges would be lower than the rate and/or range, respectively, identified on the product. "Covered Belkin Wireless Products" do not include any products that were installed in or sold with other devices, items or equipment. The product identification (SKU) numbers for these 37 products are the following: B5D036, F1UP0001, F5D6000, F5D6001, F5D6020, F5D6050, F5D6050-APL, F5D6051, F5D6060, F5D6130, F5D6230-3, F5D6230-4, F5D6231-4, F5D6231-4-APL, F5D7000, F5D7001, F5D7010, F5D7010-APL, F5D7011, F5D7050, F5D7130, F5D7230-4, F5D72314, F5D7231-4P, F5D7233, F5D7330, F5D8000, F5D8010, F5D8230-4, F5D9009, F5D9010, F5D9013, F5D9230-4, F6D3000, F6D3010, and F6D3230-4.

How you obtain a refund: You may be eligible to receive up to two full refunds of the actual purchase price, but only if, no later than 180 days after the date of the Class Notice, you fill out and submit online the Refund Claim Form and Release ("Refund Claim Form") found at Online Form. After you submit the Refund Claim Form online, and once the settlement is approved and becomes final, Belkin will e-mail you a notice (the "Refund Notice"). Then, within ninety (90) days of the Refund Notice, you must send a copy of the Refund Notice, along with the original or legible photocopy of the sales receipt(s) for the Covered Product(s) showing the place and date of purchase(s) and the purchase price(s) paid for the Covered Product(s), via U.S. Mail, addressed to: Belkin Corporation, 501 West Walnut Street, Compton, California 90220, Attn: Networking Offer.

If I understand it right, it states that those models of the Belkin Router did not perform as they were supposed to.  Mine is one of those listed, so I filled out the online form.

They'll let me know when the class action suit is settled, and then I can submit my receipt and collect.  One of the perks of buying things at Circuit City online is that your receipts are always right there to print.  No problem with losing them.

Tags: belkin