Returning Customer Real Dissapointed in Netgear

[gromit4x4]

Hello to all, I am sorry to say that I didn't find these forums until it was too late

I have just purchased a DGND3700 v1.

I have had problems with not being able to get a wifi speed greater than 54Mbps on the 2.4 Ghz band, even though the setting is set to "up to 300Mbps". This means that we can't get good video streaming within our network and file transfers take forever, so I contacted Netgear support.
The tech guy was trying to be helpful but I felt that I was being given the run around.

I was told that it was likely that my wireless adaptors were not 300Mbps
when I explained that they are and if I swap back to my previous Linksys router I get a full 300Mbps.
Then I was asked to transfer some files wifi to wifi then wifi to lan then lan to wifi and time them to work out the transfer speed. I could tell that from the transfer window that it was only 800k/sec but he insisted that we worked it out.
Next I was told to change the wifi channel, ssid and security type amongst some other things, I pointed out that the wifi properties always say 54G.
I was told to reboot my machines etc etc etc.
By the end of our 45 minute conversation there was no appreciable increase in wifi performance and to be honest I didn't expect there to be as I had tried it all before contacting them.
By the end of the call I had not been offered any new firmware, I couldn't request any as I didn't know any existed at this point and the guy got frustrated and just hung up!
I should have been advised of the newer firmware in the first place even if it was offered as a temporary fix.

I wish that I found out about these issues before parting with any cash, I could have avoided the v1.

This is only my second Netgear product although its going back. I can't understand why a manufacturer can, or for that matter is even allowed to sell products knowing that they do not meet the advertised specs. Sure I can do a firmware update to fix the wifi speed issue but I shouldn't have too for such a basic function, bearing in mind it's a beta anyway and I can't be bothered with the process to get hold of it. I would prefer just to be able to download it and save my self from the extended misery that is tech support. I expect it to work out of the box having been tested prior to manufacture or am I expecting too much?.
If the firmware is not fit for purpose recall the products or fix it don't fanny about.

In the last five years I have not had the best of luck when it comes to routers. I had a DG834gv1 that dropped its connection several times a day and had to be unplugged and plugged back in all the time. I replaced that with a Linksys wag54g which died in warranty and was replaced with a wag160n which has a firmware bug that causes constant wireless client isolation and so is no good for what I want it for. In the end I resigned to using the bog standard Zyxel 150n router supplied by my ISP.

I wanted something better though so I thought that I would give Netgear another try and what can I say...

All I want is a reliable wireless router that does what it should.

Any suggestions?

Regards
gromit