VSS v.1 still no joy

[DeanUK]

Hi everyone

Have had a VSS v.1 from the start.  Have always had trouble with it and yet again I am trying to give it the benefit of the doubt.

The VSS had been unplugged for some months (or even longer possibly) whilst some renovation work was carried out.  Last night I plugged it in, directly to the router, and sat back and watched.

Light 1 - check

Light 2 - check

Light 4 - check

When I log into the dashboard I have four number registered, none of which is my mobile number.  When I try to add my number I get an error saying that as I am the owner my number is automatically included.  The only registered item that I can get to connect is an old iPad (original version) that has a 3G data plan.  Now I know that using 3G over my home WiFi is counter productive because I am using my VF data allowance but it is useful to be able to see if the 3G is being broadcast.

No other handsets will recognise the VSS at all - an iPhone 4S, an iPhone 5, a newer iPad 4 and another 3G mobile.

What gives?

I have telephoned tech support but it was the usual 'hold the button' and replug and I will reset from this end.  Oh, and the insulting 'have you got 3G turned on in the phone settings?'.

Is this thing EVER going to work?

I have the following stats:

Download speed (BTWholesale Speed tester) - 11.21Mbps

Upload speed - 0.7 Mbps

Pings to 212.183.133.177:

Ping has started…

PING 212.183.133.177 (212.183.133.177): 56 data bytes

Request timeout for icmp_seq 0

Request timeout for icmp_seq 1

Request timeout for icmp_seq 2

Request timeout for icmp_seq 3

Request timeout for icmp_seq 4

Request timeout for icmp_seq 5

Request timeout for icmp_seq 6

Request timeout for icmp_seq 7

Request timeout for icmp_seq 8

--- 212.183.133.177 ping statistics ---

10 packets transmitted, 0 packets received, 100.0% packet loss

That tells us something I am sure...

Traceroute to 212.183.133.177:

Traceroute has started…

traceroute to 212.183.133.177 (212.183.133.177), 64 hops max, 72 byte packets

 1  192.168.0.1 (192.168.0.1)  10.567 ms  5.233 ms  2.817 ms

 2  lo0-central10.pcl-ag01.plus.net (195.166.128.182)  65.594 ms  38.229 ms  34.621 ms

 3  link9-central10.pcl-gw01.plus.net (84.93.249.16)  34.033 ms  34.868 ms  34.519 ms

 4  xe-0-2-0.pcl-cr01.plus.net (212.159.1.0)  33.538 ms  34.247 ms  33.670 ms

 5  ae2.pcl-cr02.plus.net (195.166.129.7)  33.537 ms  39.366 ms  33.236 ms

 6  ae1.ptw-cr02.plus.net (195.166.129.2)  52.773 ms  34.513 ms  35.073 ms

 7  ae2.ptw-cr01.plus.net (195.166.129.4)  37.690 ms  33.454 ms  34.221 ms

 8  ldngw1.arcor-ip.net (195.66.224.209)  34.933 ms  35.508 ms  35.786 ms

but does not complete.

Can somebody please help me with this over-priced plastic ornament?

[DeanUK]

My external IP address:  87.113.29.131

Speedtest result:  14.59 Mbps Downstream / 0.75 Mbps upstream

Pingtest:  0 packet loss / 36ms with 4ms jitter

Traceroute:

traceroute to 212.183.133.177 (212.183.133.177), 64 hops max, 72 byte packets

 1  192.168.0.1 (192.168.0.1)  5.469 ms  1.092 ms  0.809 ms

 2  lo0-central10.ptn-ag02.plus.net (195.166.128.191)  32.866 ms  32.422 ms  32.716 ms

 3  link1-central10.ptn-gw01.plus.net (84.93.248.160)  35.402 ms  36.681 ms  32.600 ms

 4  xe-1-2-0.ptw-cr01.plus.net (212.159.1.28)  33.021 ms  62.367 ms  31.523 ms

 5  ae2.ptw-cr02.plus.net (195.166.129.5)  31.573 ms  47.045 ms  31.671 ms

 6  ae2.ptw-cr01.plus.net (195.166.129.4)  31.584 ms  32.038 ms  32.273 ms

 7  ldngw1.arcor-ip.net (195.66.224.209)  35.282 ms  31.938 ms  32.091 ms

 8  85.205.116.10 (85.205.116.10)  33.383 ms  33.264 ms  33.593 ms

 9  * * *

10  * * *

[Phil]

Hi DeanUK,

Thanks for providing us with the updated details.  The Sure Signal hasn't connected to our network at all I'm afraid. 

I've checked your IP address and it's on our whitelist so won't cause any issues and the traceroute all looks fine to me.  This does suggest that there's something in your location stopping it from connecting. 

Please try it in a different location so that we can confirm the device will connect and work as it should do. 

Let me know how you get on. 

Thanks,

Phil

[DeanUK]

Hi there Phil

Thanks for your message.  I had already moved the v3 once.  I have now moved it again.

I have also opened outgoing ports despite there being no outgoing firewall set so that I can view what is happening in the log.

There appears to be no outgoing packets from the SS other than the occasional outgoing connection on port 500 to the following IP address:

88.82.13.170

212.183.131.129

88.82.13.178

88.82.13.169

There have also been four attempts to access the SS on port 4500 from 212.183.133.177 which I believe is a VF server.  All four attempts were over a period of less than a minute and have not occurred again.

Other than that there do not appear to be any other attempts by the SS to access the servers on any other ports despite them being open and available.  There are certainly no outgoing connections to NTP servers that are reported in the logs.

[Retired-Andy]

Hi DeanUK,

Thanks for the update, I’ve just checked and your Sure Signal (VSS) still hasn’t connected to our servers.

I believe they may have been a slight misunderstanding with Phil’s post. When he suggested a different location, he meant a different internet connection (a family member, friend or neighbour etc). Another option is to try a different router if you have the option of borrowing one.

If you can give these a go please and then let us know how you go on.

Thanks

Andrew

[DeanUK]

Hi there

I get the misunderstanding but might be a bit late.

Have just been on the phone to VF and the operative I spoke to was through to 2nd line support and explained the solid red light and the pulsing leftmost white light and I was advised to hold the button for 10 seconds, remove the device from the socket whilst holding the button and then replug the device in and release the button.  I was advised a reset would be initiated from your end.

I was then promised that the device would be working within 20 minutes but if not working at the hour to return to the VF store where I got it to exchange for another one (which would be the third device).

I find it odd that the reset instructions were at odds with advice on another thread which advised that it did not need unplugging, that the button should be pressed for 30 seconds and released when the lights flashed.

Oddly when I have attempted the last routine the lights never flash or come on after 30 seconds they go off when the button is released.

There appears to be some disparity amongst everyone on how these devices work!

Anyway 10 minutes until the hour is up!!!

You will probably hear me rant when the light is still pulsing!

[Ben_H]

Hi DeanUK,

Thanks for posting. There are different resets based on different symptoms and fixes. Have you managed to get the Sure Signal working on the back of your last post or have you got to go to the store for an exchange? Let me know the outcome either way.

Cheers, Ben

[DeanUK]

Hi there

No it didn't work... Same symptoms - red light on solidly and the leftmost white light pulsing slowly. The v1 still giving me a three light disco as before.

Was reading re. SS on my ISP forum and a user had managed to get working on an old Netgear DG834GT so I dug out my old one and have chaned the sparkly new Netgear for a very old one and I think things might have changed... I can see lots of entries in the log from the v3 on port 4500 though no other ports and the disco lights on the v1 have stopped and the 1st light is solid and the second flashing slowly. I changed the router after 9 last night so have left it overnight... The lights we the same this morning but I suppose it might take 24 hours???

Could you see if either have checked in with your servers please? The serial numbers should be in other threads but if you can't find them I can PM my mobile number as I don't have the serial numbers with me at work!

Anything else I can try?

[DeanUK]

Hi there

Well, I am flabberghasted!  Completely and utterly gobsmacked!

I got home this evening to a working SS v1 but a still flashing v3.  iPhone 5 picked up 3G instantly and I made a very clear call (both ways) straight away.  The other iPhone did the same.

Within 20 mins I checked the v3 again and lo and behold - solid red, solid connection light, solid service light and a connection light when mobile moved close to it and further away from the v1.

It seems therefore that the brand spanking new Netgear DGND3700 v2 had something to do with it.  What though I am not sure of!  I do know however that the old DG834GT has an MTU setting of 1500 but the max MTU the new DGND3700 v2 will allow is 1458 for PPPoA connections - perhaps packets were being fragmented???  Every other setting is exactly the same so something somewhere is amiss and the only thing I can put my finger on is the MTU but who knows!!!

So, I take it back - the v3 and the v1 do work, its just the router that is the problem.  I do not envy you at all in trying to sort all this out but what I can say is that perhaps an official 'approved router' list might be helpful.

Thank you if I have been a cutting, short or frankly stroppy over this but it has been infuriating - I hope you understand!

[Retired-PaulE]

Hi DeanUK, 

There's no need to apologise, as a SUre SIgnal user myself I understand completely the need to have a good 3G signal - we're just happy that you're sorted out now :smileywink:

It definitely looks like it was a router/MTU issue - as there are so many routers available now and with more seemingly becoming available on a daily basis it's quite hard for us to have an approved list, we've done our best to make the Sure Signal a universal Plug n Play device and we'll offer what support we can on here.

Paul