Feeling As If I Have Been Cheated...

[Zhongjie]

Recently I have purchased a contract with vodafone for mobile broadband, the usb modem lite.

I live in South London (Tooting specifically) and because of the giant mast in Crystal Palace I would have thought that reception for 3G services would be at least half decent where I am.

Instead all I can connect to is GPRS and the only 3G network available to me is "roaming"??? Why do I have that option even though I live in the UK?

GPRS connection is horribly slow, connection manager shows something between 10-45 kbps maximum. When the advertised speed is 7.2mbps i wasn't naive to think "yes that is what I'd be getting" but was hoping to have at least a stable 1mbps connection, guess I had my head up in the stars even then.

Now onto my specific problems:

I have changed the usb modem to only detect 3G networks only, I can detect it but the signal is VERY POOR and it has a "r" in a square next to it showing that it is roaming. When I try and connect I get RAS error code 678, from a little research this means that the server I am trying to connect to is not responding or does not exist.

I have tried to connect using the windows network manager instead of the mobile connect software. Same error code.

Only other thing I can think of is that my machine is under a desk, but I severely doubt that makes such a huge impact on reception.

Are there any hints or tips to improve my situation or am I just going to have to return it and try something else?

[richie1913]

What Dongle are you using

[Zhongjie]

Also sometimes even when I have signal, I cannot download anything or view any pages...

@richie how do I check?

[richie1913]

What dongle are you using?
What do you mean,how can you check
When you have a signal but cant download or view pages is that with 3g or gprs or does it happen with both.

[Zhongjie]

I mean that I do not know the specifc model of my dongle

Also in regards to your other question: it only happens with 3G but it might also happen with GPRS, its so slow that I probably don't notice.

[richie1913]

Hi,It should tell you the model on the back of the dongle.

[peterpp_bg]

I just moved it to the window and got even worse results =/

The odd thing is, crystal palace is in the direction of my window and im getting no 3G signal.

I do however get VERY good GPRS signal, does this even make any sense?

Here is a link where you can find the mobile network base stations. Check against your post code and find where is the nearest Vodafone base station, and then place the dongle to face that direction, through a window if possible. Pay attention, that you actually need a 3G base station, and not just an ordinary GSM one. Hope that helps, it worked for me:
http://www.sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk/

[Retired-Andy_V]

Hello Zhongjie

I have checked the 3G coverage in the postcode area you have provided (SW17 0PD) and for 3G coverage you are showing as being in an area where you are only likely to get outdoor 3G coverage. This means that you are right on the outer limit of the transmitter’s 3G signal range. The fact that your dongle is working fine over GPRS and has worked on 3G in a different location where the signal was stronger would indicate that this is not down to a fault with your equipment, but rather your room in the student halls is just out of 3G range.

Cheers

Andy H
eForum Team