R201 connection problem

[addo]

Hi

I've recently had problems trying to get this R201 connected with my Macbook Pro.  Each time I attempt to connect to it all I get is a connection time out error.  I've currently got WPA enabled of which I've tried changing but with no success - I've even turned the encryption off but it still does not connect.  I can connect to it with my iPad so at least I know it works and it also works if I use the USB cable.  I've downloaded and eventually got the new firmware installed but that didn't make any difference.  So it looks like a compatibility issue between this and OSX?

I've searched the boards but nothing, looks like support for this device is pretty scare it seems even for Windows!

Many thanks in advance

[Douglas]

I am having this problem! I have a Vodafone mobile wifi R201. Using this device, I can receive, but not send messages from my Mac, either with or without the USB cable. The device works perfectly (without having to use the cable), sending and receiving, with a PC, iPad and iPhone. I can receive and send mail from my Mac on using other wifi. Therefore, this is not an issue with either my email provider or Mac. When I first starting using the device I could receive, but not send messages, and learned that I could send if I connected the wifi base with the USB cable. However, this no longer works with or without the cable. The device works perfectly without the cable using a PC, iPad or iPhone, but not Mac. I have spent hours looking for a solution, and at least five hours with Vodafone technical support, but cannot get any help finding a solution. Please help!

[Retired-Wayne]

Hi Douglas and welcome to the eForum

I’m sorry to hear about the problems you are having with this.

Do you get any error messages at all when you try and send? If so, what are they?

Who is your mail provider? Does it help if you try a different outgoing mailserver?

Please let me know and we’ll be happy to help you further.

Thanks

Wayne

[Neil_Brown]

I'm using an R201 successfully with a Mac, and haven't had any problems sending email.

As Wayne has indicated, my first port of call would be your SMTP server; are you authenticating your connection to it (via username and password, probably)?

(Another solution, which is what do, albeit for general security reasons, is to establish a VPN connection whenever I connect outside my home environment, and route all traffic down that VPN tunnel. If email works at home, it should work when connected to home via VPN, irrespective of your network connection.)

[Douglas]

The SMTP server is authenticating via password.

[Neil_Brown]

Douglas — this is a tricky one. I'm using Lion, but I don't use AOL, so my knowledge is limited here.

A couple of things strike me:

smtp.aol.com:username.

and

smtp@aol.com

In place of smtp.aol.com:username, perhaps try just smtp.aol.com.

You might also try using port 587 instead of 25. (I don't know whether you are using SSL or not; perhaps try with that on.)

You might also try to find whether you have smtp@aol.com specified anywhere, and, if you do, changing this — if this is the user name for authenticating your connection, then perhaps try with your email address instead?

[Douglas]

Thanks for your help Neil.  I have tried all of your suggestions, and none of them have worked.

[Retired-Wayne]

Hi Douglas,

Thanks for coming back to us here.

Can you try a different outgoing mail server? You can try any open one, such as Gmail. Simply sign up for a Gmail account and use their email server in place of your AOL one. This will not change how your email looks when you send it. It will still come from the same address etc.

Thanks

Wayne

[Douglas]

Hello Wayne,

Further to your instruction I confirm that I am able to send email via an gmail server.  However, this is not a solution to the problem, and I don't think that the issue lies with AOL exclusively, if at all.  I am able to send email from my AOL account with other wifi, but still not with the Vodafone R201.  

I look forward to your next post.

Thanks,

Douglas

[Neil_Brown]

Douglas — what happens if you set the following:

• Set the outgoing (SMTP) mail server to smtp.aol.com
• Make sure SMTP authentication is enabled for this server.
• Enter your screenname as the user name and
• your AOL screennname's password as the password.
• Make sure the SMTP server port is set to 587

[server-queen]

You arent the only one with connectivity issues with the R201.

I have 12 devices with XP SP3 and although the device is listed in the available wireless networks list, it categorically refuses to connect. I'm so sick of it that i've raised my own thread (R201 and Windows XP)

We purchased these in the company to replace our USB 3G devices... worst mistake ever.