Sure Signal V3 - Broadband Connection Type Prevents Sure Device From Working

[Medimitch]

Hi - For all of you struggling to get your v.3 Sure device to work - here's something that I found out that I think you should all be aware of before you start changing port settings, IP addresses, router settings, etc.

I am on a Fibre Optic connection using a PPPOE line connection method which cannot be changed as it is required for the Fibre Optic to work. This is an Encapsulated method of sending data down the phone lines.

According to Vodafone technical dept., the Sure v.3 must be on a PPPOA type of connection to work.

It's a shame that the Vodafone staff in the store don't know about this or make the potential customer aware that there is this limitation! I could have saved myself a lot of time and effort and pain of trying to figure out why only the red power light was on and the internet connection was flashing slowly for over 24 hours...

So I am now stuck with a terrible signal strength and a mobile phone which drops callers like there is no tomorrow - unless I hang myself half way out of the bedroom window with the phone in one hand and a coat-hanger in the other! 

Beware !!

[Sukhi]

Hi Medimitch

Welcome to the eForum.

Could you try our Troubleshooting stepsto see if that makes any difference to the signal you're receiving? It’ll be interesting to see if this is happening to other users.

Have you tried testing the VSS with a different connection?

Thanks

Suhki

[Medimitch]

Hi Suhki,

I'm afraid it's too late for this - after spending most of the weekend on the phone to your tech boffins going through the troubleshooting guide where we changed port settings, router setup, compatability checks etc and then being told catagorically by you guys in Vodafone 2nd line tech, that the VSS will only work on a PPPOA connection and also being told by my ISP that the 80mb Fibre connection I am on cannot be changed from a PPPOE sort of made all of this a bit redundant.

No - I have not tried another connection - I take it you mean a friends house as mine cannot be moved from a PPPOE account - if so, what purpose would that serve?

I find it rediculous that the VSS v.3 has been released in stores where it will not work with this type of modern setup to which we will all be migrating too in the search for faster broadband speeds. I think Vodafone should be making it extremely clear that unless users are on a PPPOA connection, expect a world of pain and ultimately dissapointment...If some people have managed to get this to work then they must be miracle workers !

To be quite blunt, why should I have to go through all of this when it is Vodafone who is providing a very poor signal reception in the area where I live. Surely this is where Vodafone should be looking at boosting transmitter signal strength and not relying on customers spending their hard earned cash on a unit that fills this gap and hides the fundamental problem. It all stinks of a money making scam to me but one where I was willing to give it a try - more fool me.

I'm afraid that unless this is resolved, I shall have to vote with my feet and take my contract and my family's to another mobile phone provider when they are due for renewal...

Thanks anyway,

Mitch

[Retired-Dave]

Hi Medimitch,

Whilst we specifically support PPPOA, this doesn't mean it won't work with PPPOE. In fact we've had numerous posters here on the eForum confirming it does work over their PPPOE connections.

The test with an alternate connection such as a friend's or family member's is to help see if the box itself may be faulty - if it's the only common component and works on a different connection then we know that's not the case.

We invest millions into the network as part of constant upgrades, but we can't necessarily guarantee 100% coverage, particularly indoors where building materials might affect signal. The Sure Signal is designed primarily for situations like this - rural areas with little local 3G, buildings signal struggles to penetrate, etc - and is meant to complement the network, not to cover up any gaps. 

Upgrades to local network can take time, what with planning permission for new sites, access arrangements to existing ones and so on, but these can be requested via our coverage checker by leaving feedback for a postcode. This helps our planners see where there is demand and focus upgrades with that in mind.

Dave

[Medimitch]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for your response but here come a rant (apologies in advance)...

It seems strange then that your colleagues in technical didn't know how to get around this or even provide a solution. If you check your records and the recorded phone conversation I had with Hameed, you will hear him tell me that it will NOT work with a PPPOE connection and that I had to get my ISP to change over to a PPPOA. Perhaps you guys need to read through the forum, bounce the fix to the top of the forums or explain how to get it working for people who have experienced the same issue as myself. In plain English too - not all of us build pc's in our spare time...

I am not going to trawl through your forum looking for the mystical white elephant fix when I was sold this device as a plug in and go option. I am not technically minded to start changing all my settings just so that I can get a phone signal when my setup is probably not unique or vastly different from the rest of the UK - I am running win 7, a netgear WNR200 on a fibre 80mb connection. I would expect the VSS v.3 to be a tried and tested device which accepts a fibre connection without the grief and pain of trying to completely rehash my settings on my firewall, windows software and my router which may ultimately kill something else if I get it wrong. Not going to happen!

I am also not going to take the VSS unit to a friends house just to see if it's working or not - why would Vodafobne be letting sub-standard and broken kit out of their shops and even if it was working, I'm still back to the PPPOE problem.

I think we have the tail wagging the dog sscenario here so, thanks once again for your non-value added solutions and comments but I am going to walk away from this one and move to a provider that can offer me a 3G signal and a telephone call that lasts more than 1 minute without dropping either inside or outside of my house.

I take on board your suggestion for leaving the post code on the coverage checker and will do so even if it helps other users in my local area.

Appreciated,

Mitch

[Retired-Dave]

Hi medimitch,

There's rarely a single solution which guarantees success in every case with this technology, as router models, available speeds, firewalls, home network configurations and so on make every case an individual one. I do appreciate your points, though, and can only emphasise that we do test the device with many set-up variations, especially the most common, to make sure that we're aware of any incompatibilities.

We'd never intentionally ship or sell a faulty unit but sometimes one may slip through. This is why, once the most common fixes have been tried, we'd look at that possibility. We see it more as identifying the cause that ruling something out - if it's faulty then there's no point doing more tests.

Whilst it's disappointing to see you've decided to leave, we do appreciate you leaving feedback on local signal. If you know anyone else in the area on Vodafone, point them there too as the more requests the planners see, the more they can see the demand.

Dave