iNFORAD help

NikTheGeek · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 01, 2005 Posts: 12

Hi, I've just got an iNFORAD gps SCD device. It works ok but I can't register it or update it. I've tried several times from a number of different PC's both at home and at work. But always behind a firewall (as I have no choice). iNFORAD's support is crap, you get a standard email 24hrs after asking a question and it contains nothing of use - you can't speak to a real person.

Can a firewall really make a difference? I don't block any outbound traffic, only incoming requests/connections.

Any other ideas or do I have a duff one?

tnx,
Nik

LostAtSea · Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 8:10 pm Post subject:

Can you check your firewall logs? They might be trying to use a strange port number that is blocked and you didn't notice?

NikTheGeek · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 01, 2005 Posts: 12

I can't see anything in the logs apart from the usual hacking attempt.

Their support says to turn off any AV programs or firewalls or set them to their lowest level. Not really a sensible solution. If they'd just tell me what ports were used I'd be half way there.

Time to get a packet sniffer out I suppose...

tnx, Nik

LostAtSea · Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2005 9:23 am Post subject:

If they're asking for AV stuff to be turned off as well it sounds well dodgy.

I've never had any trouble with the Origin B2 update working through both Zonealarm and a hardware firewall.

Out of interest that doesn't act as a server, just a client. So I would only expect outbound requests (+ responses).

Hope that helps, a little

Good luck!

caravanj · Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 6:45 pm Post subject:

I'm in the same boat. Inforad's support and customer service is a joke. My Inforad database is dated 21st feb 2005. I have sent numerous emeils and made numerous phone calls, all to no avail. Below is the last email I sent today to Inforad.
IN SHORT, AVOID INFORAD LIKE THE PLAGUE. YOU REALLY DO ONLY GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To Inforad Customer Services ( if you exist!!)
I regularly give feedback on my experiences of a product.

This feedback from myself will be posted on those Inforad supplier
websites which invite comments from customers.

"You get what you pay for."

I purchased an Inforad GPS speed trap detector on last Friday and
registered the unit and because the database was dated 21st Feb 2005
and since I do a high mileage I needed to update it quickly via the
Inforad Manager software which I installed. It is now Tuesday and I
have not been able to update the database because the option to update
remains "greyed out".
My emails to technical support have remained unanswered and my phone
calls to technical support merely told me to contact by email.
I find this level of customer support totally unacceptable and may
explain the cheap price of the unit.
I am now considering buying a Cyclops, Road Angel or Snooper unit.

caravanj · Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 6:45 pm Post subject:

I'm in the same boat. Inforad's support and customer service is a joke. My Inforad database is dated 21st feb 2005. I have sent numerous emeils and made numerous phone calls, all to no avail. Below is the last email I sent today to Inforad.
IN SHORT, AVOID INFORAD LIKE THE PLAGUE. YOU REALLY DO ONLY GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To Inforad Customer Services ( if you exist!!)
I regularly give feedback on my experiences of a product.

This feedback from myself will be posted on those Inforad supplier
websites which invite comments from customers.

"You get what you pay for."

I purchased an Inforad GPS speed trap detector on last Friday and
registered the unit and because the database was dated 21st Feb 2005
and since I do a high mileage I needed to update it quickly via the
Inforad Manager software which I installed. It is now Tuesday and I
have not been able to update the database because the option to update
remains "greyed out".
My emails to technical support have remained unanswered and my phone
calls to technical support merely told me to contact by email.
I find this level of customer support totally unacceptable and may
explain the cheap price of the unit.
I am now considering buying a Cyclops, Road Angel or Snooper unit.

NikTheGeek · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 01, 2005 Posts: 12

I have mine sorted. Email sr@gpsinforad.com (Stephanie Richard). She manually registered mine and now it updates fine. Interestingly, I had the same database date as you, so maybe there was a problem with them. Anyway, I'm happy now... Smile

Nick

caravanj · Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 9:41 pm Post subject:

Many thanks for that Nick. Laughing

The phone bill for calls to the Inforad 0870 customer support number was in danger of costing me as much as the unit did. Sad

Fingers crossed, but Inforad should get their act together. It isn't acceptable to have to rely on forums such as this to get it sorted.

NikTheGeek · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 01, 2005 Posts: 12

For the benefit of anyone else. Customer service aside, the unit is excellent value for money. I've tested it on several local camera's and it works a treat.

My next step is to try and interface it to my Pocket PC. Luckily (since inforad don't do a lead) my Acer N30 has a standard active usb port on it. All I need now is some sort of driver. Anyone know what chipset it uses??

tnx, Nick

caravanj · Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 11:48 pm Post subject:

Yes I agree about the unit itself. It's cheap and cheeful but does the basics. It will warn you of all fixed cameras including those on the M25 gantries even if you are on a road running parallel to the M25, cameras in the opposite direction of your travel etc. but at 80 quid I can't complain. A good feature is the overspeed beep so that you don't need to look at the unit in order to drop below the speed limit. You can also set the unit to beep if you go over a speed limit that you select where there aren't any cameras ( if you want to stick to 30mph without staring at the speed all the time ). The best feature I thought is the fact that the camera warning is time based and not distance based. By default you get a 20 sec warning
whether you are doing 45mph or 145mph. You can enter 255 personal POI's into the unit as well.

caravanj · Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 6:28 pm Post subject:

Nick .
I'm still not sorted. I just keep getting asked the same stupid questions over and over. The thing that worries me the most is the request to go online with no firewall or virus checker. Can you update your Inforad through your firewall ??

NikTheGeek · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 01, 2005 Posts: 12

Yes, since Stephanie registered it for me, I can update it at home or at work, both behind "proper" hardware firewalls. The only problem was registration and I'm still convinced (as I tried it with a pc connected directly to the net with no protection) that the fault is either with their unit or with their online registration bit. But to confirm, it updates fine behind a firewall.

BTW, it still took Stephanie 24hrs to reply that she'd done it. So fingers crossed for you...

Nick

caravanj · Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 12:55 pm Post subject:

Thanks Nick,
Yes Stephanie has now manually registered the unit for me and I updated it today through my ZoneAlarm firewall and with AVG antivirus running.
I am now using V 5.9 dated 1/7/2005 which now shows less cameras than the Feb database so they must be removing them from non danger sites.

NikTheGeek · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 01, 2005 Posts: 12

Wouldn't you think that the iNFORAD would have the "option" of warning you about likley mobile speed traps. Perhaps either a seperate, larger database, or an option to tick in the iNFORAD Manager software. They don't and they don't plan to. Not, that is, until they get lots and lots of requests for that feature. Anyone got one and fancy requesting it from support?

Nick

caravanj · Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 9:06 pm Post subject:

Hmmm.More confusion. Before I bought the Inforad I checked out the
Lord Percy gadget review site and the review of the Inforad is:

http://www.lordpercy.com/toad_inforad.htm

This review shows user choosable databases for speed cameras, red light cameras and mobile trap sites. I haven't found anything in the Inforad Manager software that covers these options. Have I missed something?

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