Counterfeit / Fake Cisco WIC-1DSU-T1 - The "Andover Test"
Recognizing a Counterfeit Cisco or fake Cisco WIC-1DSU-T1's is easy once you realize its not a matter of powering it on, but a matter of seeing the differences.
Pay attention as there will be a quiz at the end of this guide. This photograph comparison test is not absolute and within a short period of time - we have no doubt - the counterfeiters will get better! But visual recognition will remain the best way to spot a counterfeit or fake Cisco WIC.
Look at the two Cisco WIC-1DSU-T1 cards below. Can you tell the real from the Fake or counterfeit card?
Not sure? Can't figure out what points to look at? Then keep reading!
But before you do, BOOKMARK this page as the "Andover Test for Real/Fake Cisco ". This page will likely save you plenty money and time--unless you really want the hassles of counterfeit.
Who is selling the counterfeit or fake Cisco WICs?
Any seller who is unaware about how to tell the differences is likely selling counterfeit Cisco. Cisco Counterfeit WIC-1DSU-T1 cards seem to be coming from every direction. eBay is loaded with sellers having virtually no feedback offering NEW in box Cisco WIC-1DSU-T1 cards for scraps of money or sellers with 20,000+ plus feedback who have no idea of the differences between GENUINE and COUNTERFEIT / FAKE. We are not fingering only uninformed or corrupt eBay sellers. Many Cisco resellers are also part of the problem.
How do you avoid buying a counterfeit or fake card?
Send them a link to this test and ask them to run the Andover Photo test! Since this test focuses on general attributes, many of these points are common to all Cisco product. While we wrote this test for the WIC-1DSU-T1, the points below describe common characteristics of other WIC cards commonly counterfeited such as the WIC-1ENET or WIC-1T.
The Excuse Section (or "Why I don't need to take the Andover Test")
Those that most often sell counterfeit or fake cards refuse to take the Andover Photo test by saying:
- "I bought this from a Cisco dealer" (...and you have a receipt to show this?)
- "I bought this from the government" (...and we know the US government never makes mistakes!)
- "I bought it directly from Cisco!" (...but just can't find the receipt!)
- "I don't deal with counterfeit" (...of course, no one does. So, how do you know this is not counterfeit?)
- "All our products are genuine." (...and how do you know this? Because you bought them from a. Cisco dealer, b. Cisco, c. Government, etc.)
The WIC-1DSU-T1 V1 counterfeits and other Cisco counterfeits or Cisco fakes have similar attributes. For example, the RJ45 jacks are a great starting point for all COUNTERFEIT / FAKE versus GENUINE comparisons. Learning how to recognize a counterfeit WIC-1DSU-T1 will teach you how to find other fake or counterfeit Cisco product.
"Andover Test" - Counterfeit / Fake versus Genuine Cisco WIC-1DSU-T1
Seeing (the differences) is believing. Follow along by setting up a second window with a search on eBay seeking WIC-1DSU-T1 and become a counterfeit sleuth!
This comparison photograph is the starting point for the ANDOVER TEST.
Below are the TEN POINTS of the ANDOVER TEST. Some counterfeit cards will have some of the attributes; none have all the marks of GENUINE. These are:
- STEWART: To be genuine Cisco, the jack must read "STEWART." You see "STEWART" in many listings at eBay. If it says anything else, it is a counterfeit or fake card. Saying "STEWART" does not mean it is real as some counterfeit cards now say "Stewart". Below you can see "GLG" and "6" from counterfeit WIC cards. (See photos below.)
- HIGH - LOW CONNECTORS: The connectors on genuine Cisco RJ45 jacks are high on the left and low on the right. (See photos below.)
- BAR CODE - SERIAL NUMBER - FONT: For genuine Cisco, the bar code must align on the top of the sticker. The serial number font and orange color are standard for all Genuine Cisco products. Fake Cisco WIC cards have a variety of fonts and colors. (See photos below.)
- RJ45 JACK: The genuine RJ45 juts out about 1/16" to 1/32" from the front of the card. The counterfeit or fake jack is close to the card. (See photos below.)
- SCREWS: The screws are significantly different between the counterfeit and the genuine Cisco WIC-1DSU-T1. Some counterfeit screws are slightly longer and "droop" out of the front of the cards. We have seen some counterfeit cards with correct screws. (See photos below.)
- LED CONNECTOR COLOR: The acceptable colors are ROSE (an off Red Color) and BRIGHT BLUE. A BRIGHT RED led connector is an indication of counterfeit. (See photos below.)
- COILS AROUND THE "RINGS" - COLORS OF THE RINGS: Genuine WIC cards have black rings and evenly spaced wires. Counterfeit may have tight and/or poorly spaced wiring. One counterfeit we observed had green rings as opposed to black rings. (See photos below.)
- EMBEDDED NUMBER ON TOP OF METAL: On all genuine Cisco WIC cards, there is a number embedded into the metal on top of the plate. Almost all counterfeit or fake cards do not. (See photos below.)
- "DIRTY SOLDERING" VS. "CLEAN SOLDERING": All the counterfeit cards we have observed have less than optimum "soldering" near where the card connector is located. On some cards, the metal is darker and stained. On others, the steel color is peeling off to reveal copper. (See photos below.)
- COPPER VERSUS SILVER - OVERALL CLEAN CONSTRUCTION: Copper points adorn counterfeit or fake Cisco WIC cards while silver adorn genuine WIC cards. The overall construction of the card is better. (See photos below.)
The "Andover Test": Photographs
1. STEWART: STEWART in the center of the Jack is required. The connectors must also be high on the left and low on the right.
Close up of the genuine STEWART (above). Note the RJ45 jack attachments are higher on the left than on the right. Below is a "6" on a counterfeit WIC-1DSU-T1 (below). The STEWART test is only conclusive in one way: if it does not say STEWART it is a counterfeit. However, seeing STEWART that does not mean the card is genuine Cisco. Many counterfeit cards now say STEWART.
Another counterfeit card we have shows a "GLG".
Here is the example of a counterfeit card that reads "STEWART".
2. HIGH - LOW RJ45 CONNECTORS: The first shot is of a counterfeit or fake card with connectors almost non-existent.
The next shot is of a fake or counterfeit Cisco WIC-1DSU-T1 card with connectors in the middle.
This third shot is of a genuine card with high - low connectors. You can also note the embedded number that was stamped into the metal from below.
The next shot is of a fake or counterfeit Cisco WIC-1DSU-T1 card with connectors in the middle.
3. BAR CODE - SERIAL NUMBER: The next shots are close ups of the serial number tags on the WIC-1DSU-T1s.
Note the differences in the serial number tags and the differences on the rings with the copper wires. In the bottom photo, you can easily see how the RJ45 jack sticks out farther than the jack on the counterfeit card. The serial number tag can be facing either direction and still be legitimate.
Color, font and bar code touching the top are the most important visual recognition marks.
4. RJ45 JACK: The GENUINE RJ45 jack has three attributes: a. Stewart, b. High - low connectors and c. should stick out of the card between 1/32" to 1/16' of an inch. We have observed more. Most important is that the RJ45 jack should not be flush with the card. Close up photographs of the front of the cards are below.
With the counterfeit / fake Cisco WIC-1DSU-T1 above, you can observe how close the RJ45 jack cover is to the board. Notice, again, the connectors or clips for the RJ45 jacks are not High-Low. Below is a photo of the genuine Cisco WIC-1DSU-T1. This photo illustrates just how far out the jack sticks out.
Above is the GENUINE RJ45 Jack. It sticks out between 1/16 and 1/32 of an inch. and again note the connectors or clips are clearly in a high-low arrangement.
Many counterfeits or fake Cisco WIC-1DSU-T1s do have protruding RJ45 jacks. No single point we are raising here is definitive mark of a counterfeit card. You must take all points into consideration.
5. SCREWS: Below is a side-by-side comparison of the screws. At a distance, they appear the same. Up close, the counterfeit WIC-1DSU-T1 has wider spaces and a shinier surface. Some counterfeit screws are also "droopy" as they are marginally longer and do not hold their height.
6. LED CONNECTOR COLORS: The acceptable colors are ROSE (an off Red Color) and BRIGHT BLUE. BRIGHT RED led connector is an indication of counterfeit. (See photos below.)
Counterfeit BRIGHT RED
Genuine ROSE That said, we have observed some counterfeit cards with Rose colored LED connectors.
Genuine BRIGHT BLUE
7. RINGS: The counterfeit rings can vary in color, fill and wire spacing. Here are a few examples.
Counterfeit Card, Tight Wire on Rings, BRIGHT RED LED
Counterfeit Card, Overfilled Rings, BRIGHT RED LED
Counterfeit Card, Tight Wire, Green Color Rings, BRIGHT RED LED
GENUINE Rings, Professionally spaced wire, embedded numbers ROSE LED Connector
8. EMBEDDED NUMBERS IN THE METAL: Most fake Cisco WIC cards do not have any numbers embedded in the metal.
9. "DIRTY SOLDERING" VS. "CLEAN SOLDERING": Photographs are the best description of the differences.
10. COPPER VERSUS SILVER / OVERALL CLEAN CONSTRUCTION: Like the last point, photographs are the best description of the differences.
Quiz: can you recognize the difference?
Now that we have shown the difference between Genuine and Counterfeit. Click on the link below and see if you can tell which of these items on eBay are legitimate and which are counterfeit.