New Sure Signal, cycling between full and no signal every couple of minutes

[DesertRaven]

Hello,

I installed and registered a new Sure Signal several days ago.  There are three mobiles connected to it, each one received their text message saying they have been registered.

The Power light is solid red, Internet light is white, Service light is white (none are flashing).

Problems:

• HTC Incredible S for a couple of minutes shows full signal strength but then displays ‘No signal’ and no signal strength, after a few minutes it again shows full signal strength and the cycle repeats
• Samsung Galaxy Ace, identical problem except it displays ‘Emergency calls only
• Samsung Monte, displays full signal all the time but when trying to make a call you get silence (no ringing tone) then it displays 'disconnected'

When there is a signal it is momentarily possible to start a call, and the ‘Users’ light on the Sure Signal illuminates.

If the Sure Signal unit is switched off or the mobile is removed as a ‘registered user’ that phone returns to normal (no limited service messages, and it can make calls ok).

I have switching off all wi-fi signals in the house but the problem still occurs.

This looks like a faulty Sure Signal, could someone help confirm this?

Equipment:

• Virgin Media Super Hub (60 Mbps down / 3 Mbps up)
• The Sure signal is the newest one which connects directly to the power socked (Alcatel – Lucent 9361 Home Cell p3.0).

[Retired-James]

Hi DesertRaven,

Please can you let us know the following information;

Your speed test results from here.

Your ping test results from here.

Your external IP address from here.

The results of a traceroute.

Your Sure Signal serial number:

VSS Traceroute command

On a PC:

Click on Start and select Run

Type CMD into the Run box and press enter/click ok

A black box will appear.

In this box type tracert 212.183.133.177 press Enter

Paste the output of this command into your reply.

This will help us get the quickest possible resolution for you.

Thanks

James

[DesertRaven]

Speed Test: 62.31 Mbps down / 2.89 Mbps up                             (http://www.speedtest.net/result/2433506064.png)

Ping Test: 0% packet loss, Ping 32 ms, Jitter 13 ms, Grade B       (http://www.pingtest.net/result/75493925.png)

WAN IP: 86.28.193.152

Serial #: 40124116753

Tracing route to 212-182-133-177.ip.open.net [212.182.133.177]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 6 ms 7 ms 26 ms 10.159.60.1
2 6 ms 37 ms 7 ms winn-core-2a-ae7-957.network.virginmedia.net [6.253.121.85]
3 38 ms 21 ms 13 ms brnt-bb-1c-ae2-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.25.96.169]
4 * * * Request timed out.

5 40 ms 31 ms 45 ms popl-bb-1a-ae7-0.network.virginmedia.net [213.15.159.185]
6 30 ms 9 ms 20 ms popl-tmr-1-ae4-0.network.virginmedia.net [213.15.159.2]
7 38 ms 29 ms 40 ms amst-ic-1-as0-0.network.virginmedia.net [213.10.175.6]
8 81 ms 47 ms 47 ms nl-rt-dc2-ice-ir01.kpn.net [195.69.144.89]
9 * * * Request timed out.
10 38 ms 21 ms 47 ms 82-168-41-254.ip.open.net [82.168.41.254]

11 * * * Request timed out.
12 * * * Request timed out.
13 * * * Request timed out.
14 * * * Request timed out.
15 * * * Request timed out.
16 * * * Request timed out.
17 * * * Request timed out.
18 * * * Request timed out.
19 * * * Request timed out.
20 * * * Request timed out.
21 * * * Request timed out.
22 * * * Request timed out.
23 * * * Request timed out.
24 * * * Request timed out.
25 * * * Request timed out.
26 * * * Request timed out.
27 * * * Request timed out.
28 * * * Request timed out.
29 * * * Request timed out.
30 * * * Request timed out.

Trace complete.

[Jenny]

Hi DesertRaven,

Thanks for getting back to us.

I’ve looked at your traceroute and this isn’t hitting our network.

I recommend that you make sure that if you have any firewalls, that they are either turned off or the IP address for the sure signal is allowed.

Should this not be the cause, please try the following:

Check that your Sure Signal has been assigned an internal IP address by your Router
In order to connect to your network and the Internet, the Sure Signal must be assigned an internal IP address by your Router. If your Router supports DHCP, this must be enabled. Doing so will enable the Router to assign an IP address to your Sure Signal automatically.
For detailed instructions on how to enable this, please consult your Router manual, or contact your ISP or Router Manufacturer.

If your Router or network configuration does not allow DHCP, then you will need to assign a static IP address to your Sure Signal's MAC Address, using your Router's configuration panel. Please consult your ISP or Router Manufacturer for instructions on how to do this. The MAC address can be found on the sticker at the back of the Sure Signal unit.

Manually configure your Router to allow port-forwarding.
In most cases, routers support a system called "Universal Plug-n-Play" or UPnP, which will setup port-forwarding for you automatically. If you have a complicated network setup, or a complex router, you may be required to enter these settings in manually.

The following details list the IP addresses and Port Numbers that need to be forwarded to your Sure Signal's internal IP address. For detailed instructions on how to do this, we recommend either contacting your ISP or Router Manufacturer, or referring to the Default Guide for your particular make and model, over at http://portforward.com

Destination IP Addresses:
212.183.133.177
212.183.133.178
212.183.133.179
212.183.133.181
212.183.133.182
212.183.131.128/26

Ports and Protocols:
Port 50 - TCP/IP
Port 4500 - UDP
Port 500 - UDP
Port 123 - UDP

Port 8 - TCP/IP

Port 1723 (BT Customers only) - TCP/UDP

Please note that in the above list of IP addresses, the notation "212.183.131.128/26" means the complete range of IP addresses between 212.183.131.128 and 212.183.131.191

Your Router will also need to be able to assign the Sure Signal with a DNS Server address via DHCP.

Let us know how you get on.

Thanks,

Jenny

[DesertRaven]

Jenny,

Thank you for your reply.

After more testing; I believe the Samsung Monte has been able to make and receive calls through the Sure Signal box (the ‘Users’ light illuminates when I make/receive a call), so it does not seem to be a network connectivity issue.

Are you able to check the ‘logs’ of my Sure Signal to verify calls have been successfully placed/received through it?

The problem is that the HTC Incredible S and Samsung Ace are both constantly cycling between full signal and no signal when the Sure Signal box is on and they are registered to it.

If I switch the Sure Signal box off, or unregister that phone it works fine again (no cycling)!

As you asked I manually configured port forwarding and reserved an IP address for the Sure Signal box on the Virgin SuperHub e.g.,(http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Vodafone-Sure-Signal/Vodafone-Sure-Signal-amp-Virgin-Media-Super-Hub-...) however the issue still exist.

Are there any configuration changes needed on the Android handsets to use Sure Signal?

HTC Incredible S = Android v4.0.4, HTC Sense 3.6, software no 4.10.405.1

Samsung Ace = Android v2.3.6, Kernal 2.6.35.7

Samsung Monte = Software v S5620BUJC5, CSC v S5620V0PJC5 (seems to work ok)

Thanks.

[DesertRaven]

Updated tracert:

Tracing route to cluster4.vap.vodafone.co.uk [212.183.133.177]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 19 ms 23 ms 13 ms 10.159.60.1
2 19 ms 23 ms 7 ms winn-core-2a-ae7-957.network.virginmedia.net [62.253.121.85]
3 7 ms 28 ms 21 ms brnt-bb-1c-ae2-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.253.96.169]
4 15 ms 47 ms 7 ms brnt-bb-1a-ae11-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.253.174.29]
5 22 ms 25 ms 23 ms glfd-bb-1b-as1-0.network.virginmedia.net [212.43.163.105]
6 24 ms 41 ms 10 ms glfd-tmr-1-ae5-0.network.virginmedia.net [213.105.159.46]
7 13 ms 34 ms 13 ms tcl5-ic-1-as0-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.253.185.78]
8 15 ms 11 ms 11 ms LDNGW1.arcor-ip.net [195.66.224.209]
9 29 ms 23 ms 13 ms 85.205.116.10
10 * * * Request timed out.
11 * * * Request timed out.
12 * * * Request timed out.

[Retired-Dave]

Hi DesertRaven,

The changes certainly seem to have helped, as there's no time out, there are no longer jumps and, most importantly, it's now getting to our servers.

Whilst we cannot see the specific logs of calls, I can see that your Sure Signal has connected to the servers successfully after Jenny's last post. Judging by your posts, you started to see a change at your end with the Monte, so given that it can just take a little while for the Sure Signal to finish installing its full profile, can you just let me know if all three phones are now working?

If not, we'll try a resync at this end for you to ensure that everything is up to date.

Dave

[DesertRaven]

Hello Dave,

Please go ahead and resync the Sure Signal as the two smartphones continue to have the problem.  I'll test with a colleagues iPhone to see if that demonstrates any issues.

Thanks.

[Retired-PaulE]

Hi DesertRaven, 

Your unit made contact with our servers at 9:24 last night, but just to be sure I've resynchronised your Sure Signal for you now.

Can you perform a factory reset and let me know how you get on:

• Hold down the reset button until all the lights show (about 30 seconds)
• Keeping the reset button held down, remove then re-insert the power lead.
• Once all lights display release the reset button.
• The Sure Signal will come online in around 1 hour.

Paul 

[DesertRaven · Accepted solution]

Thanks PaulE,

All the mobiles are working fine now, I think the resynchronisation did the trick.

To help others these are the steps taken:

1. Connect the Sure Signal to Virgin Media SuperHub ensuring that uPnP and DHCP are enabled (they are by default).

2. Belt-and-braces, also 'reserve' an IP address for the Sure Signal and set up port forwarding for that reserved IP address (see this http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Vodafone-Sure-Signal/Vodafone-Sure-Signal-amp-Virgin-Media-Super-Hub-...  My Firewall setting is 'low'.  All should work now.

If not, these are the steps that look to have helped me.

3. Unregister the Sure Signal on the Vodafone Website.

4. Perform a Factory Reset on the Sure Signal (Hold Reset button for 20 seconds, unplug it, continue to hold the reset button when plugging it back in again for another 20 seconds)

5. Register the Sure Signal again.  Wait a while.  All should work now.

If not;

6. Ask for the Sure Signal to be resynchronised.

Hope this helps.