Counterfeit / Fake Cisco WIC-1ENET Guide

Counterfeit Cisco or Fake Cisco WIC-1ENET: the counterfeiters get better

The Andover Test rolls on to look at how to tell a fake or counterfeit WIC-1ENETfrom a real WIC-1ENET. There are fewer easily distinguishable points but nonetheless obvious pointers.

Look at the two Cisco WIC-1ENETcards 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.

The Excuse section (or why someone will claim they don't need the test!)

Does everyone know that they are selling counterfeit? Yes and no. Yes, they know but believe that you will not know. And no, because they were uninformed when they acquired the counterfeit card.

So ask them to take the Andover Photo Test! Those that most often sell counterfeit or fake cards refuse to take the Andover Photo test by saying

"We do not sell counterfeit period." Our response: Yes. Do you know how to identify counterfeit?
"We bought these directly from Cisco." Our response: So, the CIA erased your receipts?
"I am a CCIE. Do you think I would let a fake card get by me? " Our response: Great! Tell me how to identify a counterfeit WIC card? (I won't mention that there is no Counterfeit/Real test in the CCIE course.)
"We bought these from the US Government." Our response: there are over 1,000,000 buyers at all levels of government: local, county, state and federal. Are you telling me all of these buyers are counterfeit-aware? Or better, the same government that never made a mistake would make a guarantee that they never acquired counterfeit cards?
"We bought these from a Cisco VAR." Our response: maybe your VAR does not know how to tell what is counterfeit and what is not. Or worse, maybe they are and do not want to tell you.
"I already tested them by powering them on." Our response: and since counterfeit product runs the same - with high failure rates - I guess you detected they were real through zen waves.

The WIC-1ENETcounterfeits 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-1ENETwill teach you some of the basics to .

"The Andover Photo Test" - How to tell a counterfeit WIC-1ENET

Seeing (the differences) is believing. Follow along by setting up a second window with a search on eBay and become a counterfeit sleuth!

Below are the SIX POINTS of the WIC-1ENET ANDOVER PHOTO TEST. Some counterfeit cards will have some of the attributes; none have all the marks of GENUINE. These are:

FRONT OF CARD: Font should not be thin nor easily scratched off. The front metal plate should not be shiny but should be somewhat fuzzy. Too shiny with thin letters indicates counterfeits. (See photos below.)
EMBEDDED NUMBER ON TOP OF METAL: On all genuine Cisco WIC-1ENETcards, there is a number embedded into the metal on top of the plate. This embedded number is a number that is stamped onto the reverse of the metal and comes through on top as an imprint. Most of the imprinted numbers are to the left side of the card where we have drawn the circle. (See photos below.)
COPPER ON THE CARD: Some counterfeit WIC-1ENET have points on a very limited area. On all real Cisco WIC-1ENETcards, all points everywhere are silver. (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: There are three things to examine when looking at the RJ45 Jack:
- POSITION: 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.
- STEWART: To be genuine Cisco, the jack must read "STEWART." You will see "STEWART" in many Cisco WIC 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. Some counterfeit's say STEWART.
- HI-LOW CONNECTORS: Genuine Cisco have a hi connector on the left and a low connector on the right. (See photos below.)
HOLOGRAM: Not all Genuine Cisco WIC-1ENETcards have holograms. So far, ever card that we have seen that has one is genuine. Fake or counterfeit WIC-1ENETcards do not have one. (See photos below.)

The WIC-1ENET "Andover Photo Test":

1. FRONT OF CARD: Font should not be thin nor easily scratched off. The front metal plate should not be shiny but should be 2somewhat fuzzy. Too shiny with thin letters indicates counterfeits. Also, look for the "thin extra lip" at the bottom of the RJ45 jack. No genuine Cisco has this lip.

On the front of the counterfeit card, observe:

mid-mid connectors
thin lower lips on the bottom of the RJ45 jack (Genuine Cisco does not have these)
thin printing

Note that the real or Genuine Cisco WIC-1ENEThas:

hi-low connectors
No thin lower lips on the bottom of the RJ45 jack
thick unblemished printing

2. EMBEDDED NUMBERS IN THE METAL: Most fake Cisco WIC cards do not have any numbers embedded in the metal. In the photo, the numbers are to one side on the left card. Sometimes the embedded number may run the length of the top of the metal.

3. COPPER ON THE CARD: Below are two photographs comparing different parts of the card. Again, if you see copper where silver should be, you have a counterfeit card.

3.2 Copper vs. Silver point comparison

4. BAR CODE - SERIAL NUMBER: The next shots are close ups of the serial number tags on the WIC-1ENETs.

4.1 Serial number / Bar Code Comparison

Note the differences in the serial number tags. Unlike other Cisco products, the Serial number stickers are white. The bar code should touch the top of the sticker. If there is any space, the card is counterfeit.

5A. RJ45 JACK POSITION : 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.

5B. STEWART: STEWART in the center of the Jack is required. The connectors must also be high on the left and low on the right. Below shows a counterfeit RJ45 jack. Note also the mid-mid connectors and the extra lip on the bottom.

5.1 Counterfeit WIC-1ENETJack - GLG

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.

Here is the example of a counterfeit WIC-1DSU-T1 card that reads "STEWART".

5.2 Counterfeit WIC-1DSU-T1 with STEWART

5C. HIGH - LOW RJ45 CONNECTORS: While this is the same photo as above, focus on the connectors. Sometimes you will only have a glance at the connectors in a photo to make a determination if the card is real or counterfeit. Note that some counterfeits coming out have hi-low connectors.

5.3 Front of card key point comparison

6. HOLOGRAM: At the moment, the best indicator of a genuine WIC-1ENETis the presence of a hologram. The photo below shows the comparison of a card with hologram and a counterfeit card without one.

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 see which of these items on eBay are legitimate and which are counterfeit.

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Andover will publish and acknowledge any more counterfeit stories (and photographs) of counterfeit Cisco products. Mail us at liquidation@andovercg.com.