Version 3 VSS Lights (Power - flashing, Internet - off, In Service - orange, In Use - orange)

[Retired-Lee]

This thread has been created to discuss and troubleshoot the version 3 Sure Signal when the light sequence is as follows:

• Power: Flashing
• Internet: Off
• In Service: Solid Orange
• In Use: Solid Orange

Cause

This light sequence indicates the Sure Signal's not active and it has been unable to authenticate on the Vodafone network

Troubleshooting

Please restart your Sure Signal. If the symptoms continue please add the following details to this thread:

• Your speed test results from here
  
• Your ping test results from here
  
• Your external IP address from here
  
• Your Sure Signal serial number
• The results of a traceroute

Traceroute command:

On a PC:

1. Click on Start and select Run
2. Type CMD into the Run box and press enter/click ok
3. A black box will appear
4. In this box type tracert 212.183.133.177 press Enter
5. Paste the output of this command into your reply

On a Mac:

1. Open Terminal (Applications, Utilities)
2. Type 'traceroute 212.183.133.177'
3. Press Enter

This will help us get the quickest possible resolution for you.

Thanks

LeeH

[RobertGreen7]

Sorry - forgot my serial no. which is 43150704849

[sidpr]

I'd like share my experience with this problem and the pain its been. I had a sure signal V3 which worked for three months then failed with this problem. I used the totally useless online chat rooms and this forum, supplying the information requested to no avail. I tried the SS3 at a neighbours house with a different internet provider (BT) and it connected overnight. I then tried it at a different nieghbour with the same ISP as me and it would not work. I tried port forwarding and fixed IP addresses on my router, I couldn't open the ports. I've spent days trying to fix this.

So after another four weeks of my SS3 sat there like a useless piece of flashing plastic I decided enough was enough, I was going to unplug it and take it back to the shop to demand a refund that week. But no, the bloody box had a final trick up its sleeve.The next day I noticed four bars on my phone, it couldn't be could it? So I rushed up stairs and sure enough the box was connected! Its been up now for a week.

Can I tell you why it started working? No I cant. But I can say all my router settings, IP and ports are at the same status as before. I'm positive that Vodafone know exactly why these boxes are so unstable and won't admit its a poor product.  In summary, this Vodafone product and their customer service are abysmal, so be prepared to waste a lot of time, or find another provider who offers a better solution like I will at the earliest opportunity.

Regards

Sid

[arukDave]

Sid.

What ISP are you with?

As all this runs on IPV4 addresses, that are getting short in supply, you might have been hit by the effects of "IP address space trading."

There is a burgoning trade in IP4 address spacem where some companies or even some countries who have a lot more than they need, sell blocks of addresses to the highest bidder.   Yes seriously!

Trouble with that is, if your ISP was one who bought such a block, and then kicked their users routers to spread the load about the new address space, it may not be recognised by Vodafone as being located and used within the UK on the "RIPE Database" (That Vodafone use to try and qualify a user as being within the UK) so when any SS tries to re-connect, it will fail.

Eventually, you may have been re-assigned a new IP address that is OK in that respect, or the new block of addresses, had it's geolocation data updated on RIPE.

There has also been issues in the past with some ISP's unintentionally blocking some VPN traffic of the type that the Sure Signal uses, due to a misconfiguration of their own infrastructure.

Vodafone's SureSignal server infrastructure could be somewhat more flexible it has to be said, but many of the non functional Sure Signal issues, are not their fault.   Just that they cant (or wont) update/change how the servers behave to accomodate things in a much more flexible manner.

That and the "boilerplate" the Tech's often copy/paste to the list, is often misleading at best, or totally inaccurate (in regards to mangled IP addresses that are often seen from them on this list.)

Regards.

Dave B.

(Not part of vodafone)

[anavon]

Hi Vodafone,

Please advise how we can fix this. Thank you. Details below.

dl 87.57
us 50

ping 5ms
jitter 1ms

Your IP Address is
217.138.1.173
Your IPV6 Address is
::ffff:d98a:1ad
Serial Number * 42142458464

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\jonathan>tracert 212.183.133.177

Tracing route to cluster4.vap.vodafone.co.uk [212.183.133.177]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.64.253
2 1 ms 1 ms 1 ms 172.16.133.253
3 2 ms 2 ms 1 ms 217.138.1.161
4 7 ms 1 ms 1 ms 217.138.4.109
5 2 ms 2 ms 1 ms ve4002.cllct2.net.venus.co.uk [217.138.74.113]
6 4 ms 2 ms 2 ms e1-2-2.thnct1.net.venus.co.uk [217.138.74.70]
7 3 ms 2 ms 3 ms ve3998.thnr2.net.venus.co.uk [217.138.74.134]
8 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms 83.231.233.145
9 4 ms 2 ms 2 ms ae-15.r02.londen03.uk.bb.gin.ntt.net [129.250.3.
30]
10 2 ms 4 ms 2 ms ae-0.vodafone.londen03.uk.bb.gin.ntt.net [129.25
0.66.46]
11 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms ae22-xcr1.lns.cw.net [195.2.30.61]
12 * * * Request timed out.
13 * * * Request timed out.
14 * * * Request timed out.
15 * * * Request timed out.
16 * * * Request timed out.
17 * * * Request timed out.
18 * * * Request timed out.
19 * * * Request timed out.
20 * * * Request timed out.
21 * * * Request timed out.
22 * * * Request timed out.
23 * * * Request timed out.
24 * * * Request timed out.
25 * * * Request timed out.
26 * * * Request timed out.
27 * * * Request timed out.
28 * * * Request timed out.
29 * * * Request timed out.
30 * * * Request timed out.

Trace complete.

C:\Users\jonathan>

[Sukhi]

Hi @Chr12

It seems like you've got the correct ports open.

As you're unable to test the VSS at a different location, the next step would be a repair. 

@SRM - You will also need to send your VSS for a repair. 

@RobertGreen7 - Your VSS has not connected with our servers. So that we can narrow down the cause of the issue, please try it at a friend/family members house.

@sidpr - Thanks for letting us know that your VSS is up and running. From the sounds of it your ISP may have pushed an update down your network which fixed the connection issue. 

@Jen07 - Thanks for providing all the info. The hops in your traceroute are extremely high, as they should be under 200. Try disabling your firewall to enable the intial setup. If this doesn't work you'll need to contact your ISP.

@anavon - Your IP address in not on the whitelist. I've requested that it's added to the database. Please try it again in 48 hours.

Thanks,

Sukhi

[anavon]

cool! thank you very much

[jhopkins]

Sukhi,

So suddenly, after  3  months of seeking a  solution in this forum, the magic word REPAIR appears  on here !! So tell me how I get my VSS  repaired. The link you  supplied  is of course  totally  useless, as it just refers to repairs to mobie phones. Give  me the link  for  repairs  to VSS devices  please...or  stop  wasting our, and my time. After  3  months  without a mobile  phone signal, you owe me some help.

[SRM]

Sukhi - I'm very pleased to hear that we might be making some progress by repairing my VSS - but that link to your website is for phones, it says nothing about hoe to send a VSS off to repair. Please can someone tell me how to do this.

[jhopkins]

SRM

  Don't hold you breath...I have been  told  repeatedly (in VF shops, on the phone, etc.) that they don't  repair  SS devices. It's just another  bit of VF flannel....they  hope you will just go away  eventually !

[anavon]

Hi Sukhi,

you wrote: @anavon - Your IP address in not on the whitelist. I've requested that it's added to the database. Please try it again in 48 hours.

Please confirm that it is now on the whitelist. It's been 48hours but it' still not working