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08-07-2013 11:45 AM
Hi Team,
I have the new 4G Ready R212 MiFi device which switches all the time between 3G+ and HSUPA.
When on 3G+ browsing and performance is perfect, however when is switches to HSUPA I essentially lose internet connection as browsing, email refresh etc just does not happen (usually get page cannot be loaded error) - even when on 5 bars HSUPA.
Why is this and what can be done to remedy?
Thanks
08-07-2013 11:52 AM
Wierd, 3G+ and HSUPA/HSDPA are the same thing.
Ummm, OK, I'm going to have to ask more questions to be able to help. The mobile network will tyr to serve you with the best (fastest) connection it can, so this sounds a little like it may be related to the network that's local to you, rather than the device itself. After all 3G, HSPA, HSDPA, HSUPA and 3G+ are all types of 3G and the R212 only offers 2G and 3G selection options.
Have you ever had this problem before?
Have you used the R212 in a different location without getting this problem?
What's listed as the Network operator on the R212? Is it always Vodafone UK?
Have you tried setting the R212 to 2G only? Does this make a difference?
Have you tired setting the R212 to 3G only? Does this make a difference?
If you could let us know it would be great and we can probbaly offer further advice.
Cheers
HC
08-07-2013 12:11 PM
Hi,
Thanks for coming back so quick, please see answers below:
Have you ever had this problem before? A: Since I received it last Thursday
Have you used the R212 in a different location without getting this problem? A: All around the house with same issues
What's listed as the Network operator on the R212? Is it always Vodafone UK? A: Yes
Have you tried setting the R212 to 2G only? Does this make a difference? A: How and why would I do this?
Have you tired setting the R212 to 3G only? Does this make a difference? A: How do I do this?
Thanks
08-07-2013 12:28 PM
OK, so it sounds like you've only used it in the one location (i.e. at home), so it makes it a little tricky with working out if it's the network or the R212 that's causing your problem. If you'd had consisten success in a different lcoation then it woudl make it sound more like you have a network issue at hand, but as you've only used it in one location there isn't any comparitive success to compare things with.
What I was asking in my previous post was to help work out if it was the device that was causing the problem or the local network. On mobile networks cells tend to be either 2G or 3G so if you switch to 2G only then you're using a different cell to if you select 3G only. So if you don't experience these issues when using 2G only, then it looks like a network rather than a device problem.
To switch to 2G only you'll probably need to do something like:
Log in to the R212 admin interface
Click on Mobile Broadband (at the top)
Click on network (on the left hand side)
Select GPRS only
Click save
I'm not suggesting you use this as a permanent solution, only to help identify where the issue you're experiencing lies, because from what's been written on this thread so far it's not possible to definitively state what's causing your problem, and this in turn makes it impossible to solve. Knowing the cause is the best way to address the effect.
Answering these questions woudl also help:
Do you have any phones that use Vodafone data services picking up an HSPA signal in your current location?
Do they have any data throughput issues when connected to HSPA?
Do they reflect what's happening on the R212 (i.e. switching between 3G+ and HSPA and experiencing throughput issues with the latter)?
Cheers
HC
10-07-2013 01:56 PM
Hello,
Switching to 2G only put me to EDGE and nothing would load using EDGE.
Do you have any phones that use Vodafone data services picking up an HSPA signal in your current location? A: No - have an iPhone 4s & BB9900 both of which pick up 3G and hotpots work perfectly on them.
Do they have any data throughput issues when connected to HSPA? NA
Do they reflect what's happening on the R212 (i.e. switching between 3G+ and HSPA and experiencing throughput issues with the latter)? NA
Thanks
11-07-2013 02:16 PM
Hi ramtab,
Thanks firstly to headcheese for the help he’s given you.
The next thing I’d suggest is to try the R212 in a different area to see if you can get a more consistent signal there.
If you do, it may indicate a signal issue in your area. Take a look at Network Troubleshooting thread for more information.
If there’s no change in signal quality, I’d suggest you pop to a Vodafone store to get a free of charge replacement SIM for the dongle.
Let me know how you go on.
Thanks
Andrew
21-07-2013 05:05 PM
I can confirm ramtab's experience, currently sitting with 4 bars HSUPA and cannot maintain a reliable intenet connection.
Despite solid signal strength Windows 7 frequently reports loss of connection with "No Internet Access"[1].
Currently running a program to ping out to a couple of sites every 30s with logs showing 56% loss and some very slow responses on the non failures, many in the 2-5s range.
Very much regretting my early adoption of this new to market product.
Any advice welcomed.
[1] W7's issues in this area already eliminated and problem confirmed with an XP laptop reporting similar loss rates.
21-07-2013 07:42 PM
21-07-2013 09:09 PM
Hi,
So new sim has not resolved and I have tested in a couple of locations and just locks on HSUPA and no joy. As soon as it drops to 3G+ hey presto all works well.
I have tested the sim in a HTC wildfire, created a hotspot and this works perfect also - displaying the H for signal but unsre of the HTC's capabilities for HSDPA or just 3G.
Chris
21-07-2013 10:01 PM
Hi Ben,
Thanks for the speedy reply.
Here are the results of this evening's tests:
1. Setting to 'GPRS only' results in connection with only minimal ping losses and basic content sites can be loaded so I'd say that was working but obviously at unacceptably low speed.
2. Setting to '3G only' will only connect to HSUPA at my main location (postcode in my profile, if that is accessible to you tech guys?). Problems as described before. 50-70% ping loss pretty steadily over a 1hr test and occasional prolonged periods of 'no internet access' either side of the main test.
3. Took a trip to an alternate location (city centre with known good 3G coverage - 5bars). Setting to 3G only, the R212 would show a brief attempt to connect to voda 3G+ but voda HSUPA would take over shortly after and manifest all the problems described, 50-70% ping loss, no sites accessible (even on forced browser refresh) and finally a prolonged 'no internet access' which could not be recovered by wireless connection resets or PC reboots. Windows network troubleshooter reports no response from DNS but I'd expect that to be typical of any broken connection and not necessarily the root cause of these problems. Note that the Wifi connection to the R212 remains solid throughout all these episodes verified with ping tests through it to a second lappy also connected for the purpose of the test.
4. Made a minor change in location, power cycled the R212 and managed to get voda 3G+ (rather than HSUPA) connection for the first time. Unit performed as it should have from the beginning, instant access to stream a youtube vid and simultaneous streaming from a radio site (impressive when it worked). Pretty much reinforcing the o/p's experience.
5. No suitable phone to SIM swap but tried the R212 contract SIM in a Huawei K3565 voda PAYG usb dongle, no joy, refused to connect on demand with a RAS error code 619. PAYG dongle SIM in R212 did work however and behaved exactly as the original contract SIM, satisfactory but slow connection on GPRS (EDGE) with excessive ping loss and failure to load sites on HSUPA. No access to voda 3G+ at this test location.
6. SIM swap at shop. Not sure what the suggested benefit is here and does the testing above rule out the need to try this? More confidence on the tech team here than the shop staff.
Hope this helps provide a solution.
Thx,
R212
Notes:
a) All connections have been to Vodafone, whether it be Edge, HSUPA or 3G+.
b) Problems have manifested from day 1 which in my case was a week ago, item has not worked satisfactoraly at all.
c) Much of testing done using google's fixed DNS servers to eliminate potential issues there but repeated with assigned DNS for completeness.
d) Ping testing done to a couple of known sites, selected by numeric IP as when it's not playing it wont resolve the address from the site name.
e) Favourite test is to stream some radio, it'll soon show dropouts.