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Razer Synapse 2.0 software/mouse unusable if you dont have an internet connection or their servers are down...

322K views 189 replies 102 participants last post by  Kryzzay 
#1 ·
This really took me by surprise. Just bought a new Naga 2012 mouse, installed the software and get greeted by a login screen right after. No option to bypass it to use the software to configure the mouse, set the options, sensitivity, shortcuts, macros etc.

So I go ahead and create an account and try to log in. Nothing. Try several more times, and still nothing. Try to make new accounts with different email addresses and it still wont work.

Finally call Razer who tells me the activation server is down, and I wont be able to use the mouse until it goes back up and will only be able to use it as a standard plug and play mouse til then. I ask about a workaround to use the mouse offline and they say there is none. Supposedly once the mouse is activated on the computer offline mode will work, but it needs to upload my profile and activate my account first and since their server is down its not going to happen. I ask for a supervisor to confirm this is the case and ask again for a workaround to use it offline. He said sorry theres nothing they can do, tells me the call center is closing and hangs up on me.

Im pretty shocked Razer thought it was a good idea to do this to customers. Nowhere on the box does it say anything about needing an internet connection to "activate" a mouse. If the servers go down in the future, anyone who buys this mouse is out of luck.

Honestly the last time I buy a Razer product. Absolutely ridiculous.

**Update**

Thought I would clarify a few things since Ive been asked about this a lot.

Razer forces you to create an account with them before you can use the software with the mouse. You cant configure the mouse in any way until you make an account with them and activate your computer and account through their server. If they decide to take down their activation server for any reason, you will never be able to use the software. If you live somewhere without access to internet, you will not be able to activate and use the software. If you work somewhere that has a network behind firewalls, chances are even though you can download the Synapse software, the firewall may also block you from activating and using the software as well.

If your connection drops out for any reason, the Synapse software will make a habbit of locking up on you while it transitions to offline mode. During that time your settings may revert or possibly not be saved.

Yes, you can use the mouse as plug and play with basic functionality if you choose not to make an account and activate your computer, but who pays $80 for a basic plug and play mouse? The reason people buy the Naga 2012 is the configurable buttons and to change the DPI, polling rate, set up macros and profiles along with everything else. Razer has no right to lock this away from customers who paid for these features. For the Naga 2012 mouse, there is no other offline drivers to revert to. Synapse 2.0 is your only option.

Razers Synapse 2.0 software is always online. If you have an internet connection active, Razer will be constantly using it constantly downloading updates and interrupting your full screen applications. Not only that, as I suspected, the Synapse 2.0 software is spying on you

From the Razer Synapse TOS agreement:

"User Generated Information" means any information made available to Razer through your use of the Software. Subject to the Privacy Policy mentioned above, you expressly grant Razer the complete and irrevocable right to use, reproduce, modify, create derivative works from, distribute, transmit, broadcast, and otherwise communicate, and publicly display and perform the User Generated Information and derivative works thereof in any form, anywhere, with or without attribution to you, and without any notice or compensation to you of any kind.

By using Razer Synapse 2.0 ("Synapse"), the Subscriber agrees that Razer may collect aggregate information, individual information, and personally identifiable information. Razer may share aggregate information and individual information with other parties. Razer shall not share personally identifiable information with other parties, except as described in the policy below.

http://www.razerzone.com/synapse2/subscriber-agreement
http://www.razerzone.com/synapse2/privacy-policy

The Synapse 2.0 software was not created to benefit customers in any way. It was a ploy to get into your computer and watch what you do and profit off this info.

Update#2

Since the issue has pretty much gone viral and a lot of news outlets are reporting on this story its a bit disappointing to see them reporting Razers response as truth.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Razer View Post

Our products work perfectly out of the box. Unlike DRM games or other media that require an always‐on connection, you can use any of our peripherals right out of the box, even if someone doesn't install Synapse 2.0, and whether a user is offline or online..
This is a lie. The product does not work perfectly out of the box unless you count basic plug and play with all its advertised features stripped away as working right out of the box.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Razer View Post

Synapse 2.0 works OFFLINE

One of the biggest misunderstandings is the equation of Synapse 2.0 to always‐on DRM. It's a popular notion that anything requiring a login has DRM included in it, and this misconception is one that easily gets the community fired up. In this case however, it's incorrect.

Once registered, Synapse 2.0 works offline and never needs to be online again. So basically, a user creates an account, saves initial settings, and if there's no internet connection, it doesn't matter ‐ settings are saved on the client PC and are not synced to the cloud. Synapse 2.0 works offline.
Wrong. What do you call restricting use of a product until you activate and register it while agreeing to an invasive TOS? There is no offline toggle function. If you are online, then Synapse 2.0 is as well. There is no option to turn it off. If you lose your internet connection the software and mouse can freeze up while it transitions to offline mode when it doesnt detect a connection to the internet any longer. How does this possibly benefit the consumer?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Razer View Post

Server Outages

Finally, as far as the Synapse 2.0 activation server goes, we realize that we have had intermittent issues with it due to server usage spikes and, most recently, because of Hurricane Sandy - not uncommon challenges with server‐based functions, especially given the severity of the storm - and we're working on increasing server reliability.

We had an issue for four hours recently when users were unable to register for new Synapse 2.0 accounts. Current users of Synapse 2.0 were unaffected. We are working on new ways to keep these types of issues from occurring.
This shouldnt be an issue in the first place. A mouse should not have to be activated to get full use of all its features. I also reported the problem long before Sandy hit. Dont blame a disaster on your incompetence.

In the end it all boils down to being forced to do what Razer wants you to do. We paid for our expensive Razer products, just let us use them how we want. All of this could have been avoided by simply allowing a user to click "no thanks" to the account creation and online drivers and just let them use the mouse offline like all your previous products.
 
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#5 ·
Ill be experiencing this shortly.
I have the original naga and when I was looking for updates a few months ago I saw synapse.
Gave that a whirl and it kill my macros and settings I already had, then hassles with logging in, etc.
So I run the old app and says no Naga mouse detected.
I had to uninstall synapse and the original drivers, reboot, install the old ones and all was fine again.

This week bestbuy has the new 2012 Naga for $60 and their Gamer magazine has a $20 off coupon.
So for 40, i couldn't pass it up. I got it yesterday and going to deal with Synapse tonight.
Side note I opted for the 2 year protection for $12 because once my current naga dies Id like to pull a switcharoo on them and return the old one.
I used to work there so I know some hustles. Hell, I had to walk 2 cashiers yesterday on how to ring up the coupons and protection plan properly.
 
#8 ·
i swear to gods the lachesis 5600dpi gaming mouse better not have some crap like that otherwise i might go postal and flip biscuits at the idiots at razer. why would you need a valid internet connection to use a flipping mouse?! someday i hope to have the lachesis 5600 dpi. its also rude the supervisor hung up on you OP.
 
#10 ·
Gets even better. They finally replied to my support request through email about not being able to log in to their terrible software. I get an obviously prescripted response asking me if the keys on the mouse stick (like I spilled soda or something on it ), telling me to try a different usb port, and asking if I use a desktop or a pc. Nowhere did they acknowledge my issue about their server being down, why they require a log in and why I cant use their software offline.
 
#13 ·
Razer is the worst POS company ever. After owning their Imperator and Naga, and briefly owning the blackwidow garbage, and having to deal with their 'support', I will never EVER use their products or recommend their overpriced cheaply made crap.

Forget the naga, get the Logitech G600. Its a better mouse, better built, better software, better ergonomics, better price, better layout, higher DPI. In every possible way measurable, an equivalent Logitech mouse will stomp over a Razer.
 
#14 ·
Razer has been making gimmicky under-performing products with terrible build quality for ages, yet people keep buying it for reasons beyond my understanding.

I know people that periodically buy razer mice because they break so fast.

I mean... if it breaks in a few months of NORMAL use, why in the god's name would you go and buy ANOTHER same mouse.

I've bought razer products before, I've tested a lot of them and so far they haven't convinced me.
 
#15 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bojamijams View Post

Razer is the worst POS company ever. After owning their Imperator and Naga, and briefly owning the blackwidow garbage, and having to deal with their 'support', I will never EVER use their products or recommend their overpriced cheaply made crap.
Forget the naga, get the Logitech G600. Its a better mouse, better built, better software, better ergonomics, better price, better layout, higher DPI. In every possible way measurable, an equivalent Logitech mouse will stomp over a Razer.
I left Logitech because of setpoint. I have been happy with my deathadder(s) and Mamba. Logitech mice tend to hurt my hands on extended usage. But this is pretty much unacceptable.
 
#16 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by CorruptBE View Post

Not to mention the Deathadder feels weird and funky when not using native DPI steps... (even when they're 1/2, 1/4 of the native value).
Ya I have to use the archived drivers because I can't play half the games I play at anything higher than 900 dpi. This is my last razer product though because of Synapse.
 
#18 ·
I will just throw my 2 cents in.

I recently bought a deathadder 3.5g mouse. I was told I would need the Synapse software to use my mouse, I thought ok must be how they do drivers now. Then I realised I needed an account, again no problem I thought. Then the problems started. I had mouse lag in which it would stutter and misbehave as well as the LED lights would flicker on the mouse. Looking around the internet I found it was a common complaint and could be fixed by updating the firmware I did that to no avail.

I then put in a support ticket to figure out what was going wrong with my mouse. A guy comes back with all these troubleshooting suggestions, having followed those and got no results I asked why do I need to use Synapse 2.0 is there no proper drivers any more and why do I need to use this bloatware software package. Low and behold on the next email some proper drivers turned up with a normal config utility and best of all no login or mouse problems.

The only thing I can suggest is to ask for proper drivers and ditch this synapse thing altogether. The Mice are good Mice its just the current driver platform is pure crap.

I have found more and more companies now doing this bloatware driver platform and it has to stop we do not need flashy gfx or cloud storage for a mouse driver let alone any driver. all we ask is for a driver that performs well and does what it says it will do.
 
#20 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Enigma776 View Post

I will just throw my 2 cents in.
I recently bought a deathadder 3.5g mouse. I was told I would need the Synapse software to use my mouse, I thought ok must be how they do drivers now. Then I realised I needed an account, again no problem I thought. Then the problems started. I had mouse lag in which it would stutter and misbehave as well as the LED lights would flicker on the mouse. Looking around the internet I found it was a common complaint and could be fixed by updating the firmware I did that to no avail.
I then put in a support ticket to figure out what was going wrong with my mouse. A guy comes back with all these troubleshooting suggestions, having followed those and got no results I asked why do I need to use Synapse 2.0 is there no proper drivers any more and why do I need to use this bloatware software package. Low and behold on the next email some proper drivers turned up with a normal config utility and best of all no login or mouse problems.
The only thing I can suggest is to ask for proper drivers and ditch this synapse thing altogether. The Mice are good Mice its just the current driver platform is pure crap.
I have found more and more companies now doing this bloatware driver platform and it has to stop we do not need flashy gfx or cloud storage for a mouse driver let alone any driver. all we ask is for a driver that performs well and does what it says it will do.
Yup if razer did not have a diver archive on their sote inwould not have bought the da black ed
 
#22 ·
I actually can't believe what I've just read in this thread. OP, this might be a daft question, but why can't you return the mouse for a refund?

I know for a fact if this happened to me I would be sending that mouse from whence it came. I guess due to the UK's inability to offer a decent PC store locally, I make all my purchases online and am covered under the distance selling rights to an extent, but seriously it seems to me you've paid good money to a company to use their product which clearly isn't fit for the purpose that you bought it for, so why not get your money back?
 
#23 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Enigma776 View Post

I will just throw my 2 cents in.
I recently bought a deathadder 3.5g mouse. I was told I would need the Synapse software to use my mouse, I thought ok must be how they do drivers now. Then I realised I needed an account, again no problem I thought. Then the problems started. I had mouse lag in which it would stutter and misbehave as well as the LED lights would flicker on the mouse. Looking around the internet I found it was a common complaint and could be fixed by updating the firmware I did that to no avail.
I then put in a support ticket to figure out what was going wrong with my mouse. A guy comes back with all these troubleshooting suggestions, having followed those and got no results I asked why do I need to use Synapse 2.0 is there no proper drivers any more and why do I need to use this bloatware software package. Low and behold on the next email some proper drivers turned up with a normal config utility and best of all no login or mouse problems.
The only thing I can suggest is to ask for proper drivers and ditch this synapse thing altogether. The Mice are good Mice its just the current driver platform is pure crap.
I have found more and more companies now doing this bloatware driver platform and it has to stop we do not need flashy gfx or cloud storage for a mouse driver let alone any driver. all we ask is for a driver that performs well and does what it says it will do.
Ahh see that deathadder is an old model, so they still have those pre-synapse drivers sitting around.
Hell you can google and it will link you the old ones on their site, but if you naturally browse around their site, everything leads to Synapse.
http://www.razersupport.com/index.php?_m=downloads&_a=viewdownload&downloaditemid=574

I did the update to synapse for the naga 2012, so far so good. No real horrors as of yet. However it's informing me my Blackwidow Ultimate has a firmware update, but I refuse to update that in the event I decide to go back to standard drivers and find out the keyboard won't be detected because of wrong firmware.
And I've read mixed reports of being able to roll back the firmware.

Also the 2012 naga didn't pick up on the older drivers. I actually had 3.02 installed and no luck.
I know these guys have stand alones for the old stuff still and wouldn't be surprised if one of the perks of working there is to have a synapse-free setup.
Someone needs to start up a fake email chain complaint about not having internet and only can email by phone and need an alternate non synapse for 2012.
Also that site razer blueprints has been under construction for a year + now. Cant find some blueprints for an LED mod.
 
#24 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by 5nak3 View Post

I actually can't believe what I've just read in this thread. OP, this might be a daft question, but why can't you return the mouse for a refund?
I know for a fact if this happened to me I would be sending that mouse from whence it came. I guess due to the UK's inability to offer a decent PC store locally, I make all my purchases online and am covered under the distance selling rights to an extent, but seriously it seems to me you've paid good money to a company to use their product which clearly isn't fit for the purpose that you bought it for, so why not get your money back?
More than likely I will be Ive got a while on the return period. Waiting to see what Razer has to say about it first though but Im guess that might be futile.
Its a shame though because I dont know any mice that have all the buttons on the side like the Nagas do.
 
#25 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by channelx99 View Post

More than likely I will be Ive got a while on the return period. Waiting to see what Razer has to say about it first though but Im guess that might be futile.
Its a shame though because I dont know any mice that have all the buttons on the side like the Nagas do.
sent you a pm with the 3.03 driver link. also, they're not set up exactly like the Naga's are, but http://www.corsair.com/us/vengeance-gaming/vengeance-gaming-mice/vengeance-m90-performance-mmo-rts-laser-gaming-mouse.html seems to be the same style and amount of buttons.

edit, meant http://www.logitech.com/en-us/mice-pointers/mice/g600-mmo-gaming-mouse although the corsair mouse is kind of similar too.
 
#26 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by -SE7EN- View Post

sent you a pm with the 3.03 driver link. also, they're not set up exactly like the Naga's are, but http://www.corsair.com/us/vengeance-gaming/vengeance-gaming-mice/vengeance-m90-performance-mmo-rts-laser-gaming-mouse.html seems to be the same style and amount of buttons.
edit, meant http://www.logitech.com/en-us/mice-pointers/mice/g600-mmo-gaming-mouse although the corsair mouse is kind of similar too.
Drivers didnt work unfortunately. Said Naga Epic wasnt detected when the software launched

I do like the Logitech G600 didnt know they made a mouse like that. Ive been happy with all my other logitech products in the past too they have great customer service.
 
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