It does. I could see all sorts of networks but couldn't connect to our encrypted one and could only sporadically connect to ours without encryption.
Chris
Okay, I should qualify, a simple GUI over a backend that WORKS reliably and doesn't need tinkering under the hood. :)
I just sort of shake my head at that sort of thing. It's not like they've not had reliable wireless for linux for a long time to benchmark for the product! And encryption? The Wii has been out as a consumer product for several years, and it has no problem connecting to encrypted networks. Hell, even the old PSP has no problem with WPA-2. A "serious" device in this day and age shouldn't, either. It only takes one fatal flaw coupled with a lack of any attempt to fix it (bad customer service) to sink a product and even a brand...and it sounds like you ran into it.
I'd not be surprised if Asus retreats back to the Asian market except for motherboards, wondering what went wrong.
(related historic trivia bit)
As a motivational reminder exhibit, I have a 1983 Viewtron Sceptre with a card explaining what it is. It's a little set-top box with a wireless keyboard that was very good. And...it was basically the basic functions of web, GUI and all, in 1983. Online shopping, banking, news services, true email with an inbox, airline reservations, even online graphical ads targeted to the user and
online auctions. In 1983. But they blew it with poor customer service, excessive charges, and a lot of other issues that had nothing to do with the hardware or the technology, which was a decade ahead of its time.
The best product can be derailed by poor implementation, but can be salvaged with quick fixes to make it right. It can instead be destroyed completely by poor customer service following that initial flaw.