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Solution

Sure Signal not transmitting a 3G signal

Retired-George
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

This issue presents the following symptoms:

 

For version 1 Sure Signal (the one with four lights on the front):

  • Lights one and two are solid which indicates the Sure Signal is connected, but isn't giving a 3G signal.
  • Light four doesn’t light up or lights occasionally and then goes out at certain times of day.

 

For version 2 Sure Signal (the one with 3 lights on the front): 

  • The power and system lights are both solid, indicating that the Sure Signal is giving a 3G signal.
  • Your registered phones don’t pick up a 3G signal.

 

For version 3 Sure Signal (the plug in version):

  • Power, internet and service lights are solid and the ‘in use’ light is either solid or flashing
  • Your registered phones don’t pick up a 3G signal

 

Troubleshooting steps:

Check that your broadband connection meets our minimum requirements.
Please run the broadband speed checker.


If your connection fails any part of the test, this indicates an issue with your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and you’ll need to contact them to discuss this.

 

Your connection speed will vary throughout the day, so we recommend running it at various times to get an accurate reading.

 

To ensure the Sure Signal broadcasts at the correct frequency, it sends and receives small amounts of data to a Network Time Protocol Server hosted by ourselves. If these packets of data take longer than 240ms to make a round-trip, the accuracy can no longer be ensured and so the Sure Signal will automatically stop broadcasting and light four will go out.

 

Check for planned maintenance.

Planned maintenance can cause periods of downtime, so check the forum for any planned maintenance. If there is, this will be announced at the top of the Sure Signal forum.

 

Reset your Sure Signal:

 

  1. Hold in the reset button until all lights go solid
  2. Pull the power lead out with the reset button still pushed in
  3. Continue to hold down the reset button and reconnect the power lead
  4. Wait for all lights to come on and then release the reset button

 

The Sure Signal will be back online in around 1 hour.

 

Configure your Router Firewall.
The IP address and ports used for NTP (Network Time Protocol) synchronisation are listed below. You may need these to configure the correct firewall settings on your router.

 

This step isn’t usually necessary, but it may help if you’re using a complex network (such as a corporate or office LAN), or a complex router.

 

We recommend contacting your ISP or router manufacturer directly for detailed instructions on exactly how to change your router settings. Alternatively, select your router make and model over at http://portforward.com and follow the default guide there.

Destination IP addresses:

  • 212.183.133.181
  • 212.183.133.182
  • 212.183.131.128/26

 

  • Protocol = UDP
  • Port = 123


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

 

Perform a PathPing to our server.

In order to check if the Sure Signal's able to communicate with our NTP server, a PathPing can be performed as a test. In order to do this, you'll need to open the command prompt in Windows as follows:

  • For XP just click Start > Run and type cmd then hit enter
  • For Vista/Windows 7, press Start and type 'cmd' into the search bar
  • Right click the result and click ‘Run As Administrator’


Once you're in the command prompt, type in PathPing 212.183.133.181. This will perform a trace route to the NTP server and will show you the route it took to get there. One of the columns will display packet loss, if this occurs before hitting our server, you'll need to contact your ISP for further assistance.

 

If you've completed all the troubleshooting steps above and not identified the cause of the issue, your Sure Signal may be faulty. Please post in this thread and we can look into it further.

 

Thanks,

 

Jenny

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Hello

 

serial number 21224717989 version 1

 

the sure signal stopped working a few days ago after a lont internet outage (2 hours), presented with only light 1 flashing.

 

I have done a little troubleshooting and have now manged to get to light 1 and 2 solid.

 

how is it looking from your end?

 

 

Internet speed >5 Mbps ping normally <55ms.

 

pathping 

C:\WINDOWS\system32>pathping 212.183.133.181

Tracing route to 212.183.133.181 over a maximum of 30 hops

0 XPS-M133064BIT.int.hillblock.com [192.168.1.104]
1 WRT54GL [192.168.1.251]
2 192.168.1.250
3 losubs.subs.dsl5.wh-man.zen.net.uk [62.3.83.10]
4 no-dns-yet-62-3-86-29.zen.co.uk [62.3.86.29]
5 ge-2-0-0-0.cr1.wh-man.zen.net.uk [62.3.80.49]
6 ge-3-0-0-0.cr2.th-lon.zen.net.uk [62.3.80.45]
7 ldngw1.arcor-ip.net [195.66.224.209]
8 85.205.116.14
9 * * *
Computing statistics for 200 seconds...
Source to Here This Node/Link
Hop RTT Lost/Sent = Pct Lost/Sent = Pct Address
0 XPS-M133064BIT.int.hillblock.com [192.168.1.104]
0/ 100 = 0% |
1 1ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% WRT54GL [192.168.1.251]
0/ 100 = 0% |
2 1ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% 192.168.1.250
1/ 100 = 1% |
3 44ms 2/ 100 = 2% 1/ 100 = 1% losubs.subs.dsl5.wh-man.zen.net.uk [62.3.83.10]
0/ 100 = 0% |
4 45ms 1/ 100 = 1% 0/ 100 = 0% no-dns-yet-62-3-86-29.zen.co.uk [62.3.86.29]
0/ 100 = 0% |
5 46ms 1/ 100 = 1% 0/ 100 = 0% ge-2-0-0-0.cr1.wh-man.zen.net.uk [62.3.80.49]
1/ 100 = 1% |
6 54ms 2/ 100 = 2% 0/ 100 = 0% ge-3-0-0-0.cr2.th-lon.zen.net.uk [62.3.80.45]
0/ 100 = 0% |
7 54ms 2/ 100 = 2% 0/ 100 = 0% ldngw1.arcor-ip.net [195.66.224.209]
98/ 100 = 98% |
8 --- 100/ 100 =100% 0/ 100 = 0% 85.205.116.14

Trace complete.

 

Can you see the sure signal from your end?

 

Thanks in advance

IAn

 

 

FIXED

 

Came back about an hour later and it is working OK

 

Don't you just hate it when that happens

 

Ian

View solution in original position

501 REPLIES 501

dandyant
Not applicable
Hi

I am now on my 4th SS box (yes 4 boxes). I think Tech Support just give up on things to suggest so send a new box!

I have spoken to half the population of India too via Vodafone tech support yet I still have the same issues.

Sorry for the negative start to this post but tthis is driving me mad.

I have Belkin Router, Virgin 50M Broadband and all work fione.

The SS box once connected usually gets lights 1 and 2 ok then light 4 comes on BUT only stays on for between 10 mins and 4 hours then I have to constantly rebott - up to about 20 reboots per day.

I have had every different response from tech support and have tried every reboot, reset etc, etc - I feel now quite an expert on the SS box but alas it never works for long.

I am considering cancelling contraxct now as I purchased the SS with my new contcdat as coverage here without it is next to nothing.

Any help would be greatly received.

Thanks

Ant

robinbrewerton
2: Seeker
2: Seeker





Hey the robster,

Thanks for your post. The light sequence on your unit should be 1 & 2 on and light 4 flashing if your unit is downloading an update or a profile. Can you confirm for me that this is what you see?

If it's something different, then would you also be able to confirm for me the symptoms you're seeing?




LeeH
eForum Team


yes the light sequence is as you describe, it is however faulty (it's been over one week now doing the same thing...... not downloading I think) I have finaly convinced somebody at VF to replace it, now waiting for some sort of packaging to be sent, why an onsite swapp couldnt be arranged is beyond me. Vodafone customer service seem to be Vodafones own nemesis.

Robin

Retired-George
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)
Hi guys,

18monthstogo, I'm pleased to hear that your issue is now resolved :). If you do need any further assistance then please let me know.


DandyAnt
, a very warm welcome to the eForum :). This definitely sounds frustrating, I'm confident a solution can be found though. Can you please try a pathping to 212.183.133.181 using the instructions in my original post. This will show whether the failure happens before our servers or not. If it does then you'll need to contact your ISP. If not, then please contact us using the details in my original post.


the robster, hmmm, it definitely sounds like something is amiss :wacko:. Your Sure Signal may well be faulty, however it's worth trying a factory reset first of all just in case it's just a case of the download being stuck. If that doesn't resolve it then keep us updated with the progress of your new Sure Signal.


George
eForum Team

Hi Guys, please help. I received my SS yesterday, registered, plugged in as requested and after its initial startup i have only lights 1 and 2 showing. 3 and 4 havent lit up at all except in startup. I have rebooted pc, router and modem and ss to no avail. ive done a pingtest and its getting to vodafone fine.

Can someone help me please?

Hi kristianjeffrey,

 

I would firstly like to wish you a very warm welcome to the eForum.

 

To best help you get your Sure Signal issue resolved, it is best to follow the the Sure Signal Troubleshooting Guide . This will guide you through the problem step by step and help you get this resolved as quickly as possible.

 

Woody

eForum Team

kingchillout
4: Newbie
First two lights on solid. Been like it most of the day.

Here we go again !

I'm not even going to bother fiddling around with router settings as every time the VSS has gone down it has been a Vodafone problem that they take days faffing around with before they even grow the balls to admit to.

alexyeates
Not applicable
Totally new to this forum but like many having problems.

Lights one and two come on then after about five minutes light 4 flashes a bit and then comes on and then bingo my HTC registers a 3G signal and the third light flashes.

BUT make a phone call and after about 20 seconds it drops the call and lights change to just the first one on. Then after a few seconds light two comes on and light four flashes for about 2-3 minutes then goes solid then after a few minutes the HTC finds 3G again and third light flashes.

BUT then all by itself goes back to light one only then after sew seconds light two comes on and light four flashes for about 2-3 minutes then goes solid then after a few minutes the HTC finds 3G again and third light flashes.

BUT after about 3 minutes all by itself goes back to light one only then after sew seconds light two comes on and light four flashes for about 2-3 minutes then goes solid then after a few minutes the HTC finds 3G again and third light flashes.

So follow all instructions in this thread. 5Mb download and 800kb upload and it says my line is suitable. pathping and it all works although a few milliseconds delays her and there. Reset, hard reset and still the same. Change the cable, try other sockets and still the same.

Help please

Thanks

See below.

Alexyeates wrote some time ago:

 

Totally new to this forum but like many having problems.

Lights one and two come on then after about five minutes light 4 flashes a bit and then comes on and then bingo my HTC registers a 3G signal and the third light flashes.

BUT make a phone call and after about 20 seconds it drops the call and lights change to just the first one on. Then after a few seconds light two comes on and light four flashes for about 2-3 minutes then goes solid then after a few minutes the HTC finds 3G again and third light flashes.

BUT then all by itself goes back to light one only then after sew seconds light two comes on and light four flashes for about 2-3 minutes then goes solid then after a few minutes the HTC finds 3G again and third light flashes.

BUT after about 3 minutes all by itself goes back to light one only then after sew seconds light two comes on and light four flashes for about 2-3 minutes then goes solid then after a few minutes the HTC finds 3G again and third light flashes.

So follow all instructions in this thread. 5Mb download and 800kb upload and it says my line is suitable. pathping and it all works although a few milliseconds delays her and there. Reset, hard reset and still the same. Change the cable, try other sockets and still the same.

Help please

Thanks

 

 

Has this been fixed - it is exactly what I see, and have run all the checks.

 

 

Hi tjstevenson,

 

Thanks for posting, I can understand how frustrating this issue is. The symptoms you're experiencing sound the same as those discussed in a different thread: Sure Signal Resetting.

 

Basically, it's caused by a duplicate Sure Signal ID being present on the server. In order to fix it, all we need to do is to resync your Sure Signal. If you could provide your Serial Number, then I'll be able to do this for you.

 

George

eForum Team