Ras Error 31 K3520 Usb Stick

[peechie]

Here's a tricky one (for me anyway) I hope someone can help with. I have a Huawei USB stick Vodafone K3520 which works fine on a winXP machine. Also works fine on another one of my Vista 32bit notebooks. It used to work perfectly on my main Vista 32bit notebook but has suddenly started throwing up a RAS error code 31 everytime I try to connect to GPRS or 3G. Grrrrr it's starting to get under my skin!! It's running firmware version 11.314.12.02.00 and the software is Vodafone Mobile Connect Lite version 9.3.0.9237.
I realise the fact it works ok on another Vista32 machine suggests the problem lies somewhere in the configuration of my main notebook. The last option I have left unless anyone suggests a better one is to reinstall Vista .... which I'd rather not do 'cos I haven't got any other issues other than this one.
I spoke to Vodafone second line support (who are difficlt to get hold of) who suggested the problem may be the length of the name of the modem ... windows needs the length of the name to be less than 32 characters .... I think the modem name is 32 characters ... so too long .... but how and where would I change the name to be shorter??????
All ideas welcome.

ta peechie

[Jenny]

Hi peechie,

A Warm welcome to the eForum! You’ve certainly come to the right place to get this sorted!

Firstly, I suggest that you uninstall Vodafone Mobile Connect (VMC) by going to Start – Control Panel – Programs. Then you’ll need to reboot.

Then go to Start - Control Panel (make sure it’s in classic view) and pick Phone and modems. In Phone and Modems pick Modem tab and then click and remove any modems showing in there that are related to Vodafone (therefore only leaving anything else unrelated to Vodafone that you have in there).

Then reboot and wait for a few minutes so that Windows is fully loaded and then plug in the modem and allow it to install.

Let me know how you get on.

Jenny
eForum Team

[peechie]

Hi Jenny - thnx for ure help
I tried what you suggested unfortunately it didn't work.
Spoke to Neil McCue on 2nd line support the other day he suggested that too then when that didn't work he suggested the following MS article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/139364


Unfortunately this article refers to a file MODEM.INF which doesn't exist in Vista. I did find a file called MODEMSCA.INF .... but wasn't sure what to do .... or more specifically how to do this

Open %SystemRoot%\system32\ras\MODEM.INF in a text editor.
in Vista substituting MODEMCSA.INF for MODEM.INF.

I opened the file in wordpad but couldn't find any reference to the K3520 stick. I've pasted a copy of the text from the file below:

; Windows Modem Setup File
; Copyright © Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
; Manufacturer: Microsoft
; Modem Wave-Voice settings



;;++ Added by AddSDisk.cmd

3426=windows cd


modemcsa.sys = 3426
csamsp.dll = 3426
;;--


signature="$WINDOWS NT$"
Class=MEDIA
ClassGUID={4d36e96c-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}
Provider=%Msft%
DriverVer=06/21/2006,6.0.6001.18000
;; Commented by AddSDisk.cmd
;; LayoutFile=layout.inf


ExcludeFromSelect=*


%MSFT%=Microsoft,NTx86


%FULLDUPLEX.DeviceDesc% = FULLDUPLEX, MODEMWAVE\FULLDUPLEX

%HALFDUPLEX.DeviceDesc% = HALFDUPLEX, MODEMWAVE\HALFDUPLEX
%HALFDUPLEX.DeviceDesc% = HALFDUPLEX, MODEMWAVE\RockwellADPCMVoiceModemWave
%HALFDUPLEX.DeviceDesc% = HALFDUPLEX, MODEMWAVE\CirrusVoiceModemWave
%HALFDUPLEX.DeviceDesc% = HALFDUPLEX, MODEMWAVE\3COMModemWaveDevice
%HALFDUPLEX.DeviceDesc% = HALFDUPLEX, MODEMWAVE\RockwellVoiceModemWave
%HALFDUPLEX.DeviceDesc% = HALFDUPLEX, MODEMWAVE\MotorolaMC143450RDKWaveDevice
%HALFDUPLEX.DeviceDesc% = HALFDUPLEX, MODEMWAVE\OlitecVoiceModemWave
%HALFDUPLEX.DeviceDesc% = HALFDUPLEX, MODEMWAVE\LINEARPCMVoiceModemWave
%HALFDUPLEX.DeviceDesc% = HALFDUPLEX, MODEMWAVE\LASAT_Voice__Serial_Wave_Device
%HALFDUPLEX.DeviceDesc% = HALFDUPLEX, MODEMWAVE\LASATVoiceModemWave
%HALFDUPLEX.DeviceDesc% = HALFDUPLEX, MODEMWAVE\ThinkPad_Modem
%HALFDUPLEX.DeviceDesc% = HALFDUPLEX, MODEMWAVE\DRNEUHAUSVoiceModemWave
%HALFDUPLEX.DeviceDesc% = HALFDUPLEX, MODEMWAVE\CreativeModemWave


DriverVer=01/26/1999
include=ks.inf
needs=KS.Registration
AddReg=LegacyWave.AddReg, MediaClasses.AddReg
CopyFiles=MODEMCSA.CopyFiles


AddService = MODEMCSA, 0x00000002, MODEMCSA.ServiceInstall


AddInterface=%KSCATEGORY_RENDER%, Wave, CSA.Interface.Wave


DriverVer=01/26/1999
include=ks.inf
needs=KS.Registration
AddReg=MSPRegistration, MediaClasses.AddReg, LegacyWave.AddReg,
CopyFiles=MODEMCSA.CopyFiles, CSAMSP.CopyFiles


AddService = MODEMCSA, 0x00000002, MODEMCSA.ServiceInstall


AddInterface=%KSCATEGORY_RENDER%, Wave, CSA.Interface.Wave


AddReg=CSA.Interface.Wave.AddReg


HKR,,FriendlyName,,%MODEMCSA.FriendlyName%
HKR,,CLSID,,%Proxy.CLSID%


DisplayName=%MODEMCSA.DeviceDesc%
ServiceType=%SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER%
StartType=%SERVICE_DEMAND_START%
ErrorControl=%SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL%
ServiceBinary=%10%\system32\drivers\MODEMCSA.sys
LoadOrderGroup=Extended Base


HKCR,%CSAMSP_CLASSID%,,,%CSA_MSP_DESC%
HKCR,%CSAMSP_CLASSID%\InprocServer32,,,csamsp.dll
HKCR,%CSAMSP_CLASSID%\InprocServer32,ThreadingModel,,Both


MODEMCSA.CopyFiles=12
CSAMSP.CopyFiles=11


MODEMCSA.sys


csamsp.dll


HKR,,Driver,,modemcsa.sys
HKR,,NTMPDriver,,"modemcsa.sys"
HKR,Drivers,SubClasses,,"wave,WOW64"
HKR,Drivers\wave\serwvdrv.dll, Driver,,serwvdrv.dll
HKR,Drivers\wave\serwvdrv.dll, Description,,%WaveDriverDesc%


HKLM,%LINE_RECORD_GUID%,Display, 0x00000001, 00,00,00,00
HKLM,%LINE_RECORD_GUID%,Name , 0x00000000, %LINE_RECORD%
HKLM,%LINE_PLAYBACK_GUID%,Display,0x00000001, 00,00,00,00
HKLM,%LINE_PLAYBACK_GUID%,Name ,0x00000000, %LINE_PLAYBACK%


; non-localizeable
Proxy.CLSID="{17CCA71B-ECD7-11D0-B908-00A0C9223196}"
MODEMCSA.DeviceId = "{afd3eab0-5caa-11d1-a8e8-00c04fc2aae4}"
KSCATEGORY_RENDER="{65E8773E-8F56-11D0-A3B9-00A0C9223196}"
CSAMSP_CLASSID="CLSID\{B9d02AA4-6097-11D2-A265-00C04f8EC951}"
LINE_RECORD_GUID ="System\CurrentControlSet\Control\MediaCategories\{AD536070-AFDE-11d2-A286-00C04F8EC951}"
LINE_PLAYBACK_GUID="System\CurrentControlSet\Control\MediaCategories\{10C328BC-AFE1-11d2-A286-00C04F8EC951}"
SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER=1
SERVICE_DEMAND_START=3
SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL=1
REG_EXPAND_SZ=0x00020000
REG_DWORD=0x00010001

;localizeable
MSFT="Microsoft"
FULLDUPLEX.DeviceDesc = "Unimodem Full-Duplex Audio Device"
HALFDUPLEX.DeviceDesc = "Unimodem Half-Duplex Audio Device"
MODEMCSA.FriendlyName = "Unimodem Streaming Filter"
MODEMCSA.DeviceDesc = "Unimodem Streaming Filter Device"
LINE_RECORD = "Phone Line ADC"
LINE_PLAYBACK = "Phone Line DAC"
CSA_MSP_DESC = "Unimodem CSA MSP"
WaveDriverDesc = "Modem Wave Driver"





peechie

Hi peechie,

A Warm welcome to the eForum! You’ve certainly come to the right place to get this sorted!

Firstly, I suggest that you uninstall Vodafone Mobile Connect (VMC) by going to Start – Control Panel – Programs. Then you’ll need to reboot.

Then go to Start - Control Panel (make sure it’s in classic view) and pick Phone and modems. In Phone and Modems pick Modem tab and then click and remove any modems showing in there that are related to Vodafone (therefore only leaving anything else unrelated to Vodafone that you have in there).

Then reboot and wait for a few minutes so that Windows is fully loaded and then plug in the modem and allow it to install.

Let me know how you get on.

Jenny
eForum Team

[Retired-Wayne]

Hi Peechie

I can understand how frustrating this is for you.

I have just spent the last 20minutes or so trawling through various internet forums and Tech websites and the general consensus is that the resolution is to re-install Windows.

However, I'm sure there are a few other things we can try first.

Firstly, if you go into Control Panel > Phone and Modem Options > Modems - do you have more than one 3G modem listed? If so, delete ALL of them, and also delete the dial-up connections from within Network and Sharing Center > Manage Network Connections.

Then restart your PC with the modem uplugged, and wait for it to fully boot before plugging it back in. Let the software load fully, and wait for a few seconds for the device to acquire a port and signal. Press Connect, and see if this now works. During the first connection attempt it may automatically fail while it re-writes the dial-up settings, but try it three times in a row, and hopefully it should now be working.

If it is, then make sure you always use the same USB port for your modem - as putting in different ports will create multiple instances of the device in Windows, and the connection software will get easily confused about which one it is supposed to be using.

Let me know how you get on and get back to us with any results/changes in behaviour

Thanks

Wayne

eForum Team

[peechie]

Hi Wayne

Thanks for your help but no cigar unfortunately.

When I first contacted Vodafone I found there was 3 Vodafone modems in the Phone and Modems area of Control Panel. I have three USB ports ...... so I'm totally up to speed on the "use one USB port for the USB modem and always use the same one". Needless to say I deleted all three immediately.
Today when I tried what you said I only had one in there and deleted it. Also deleted the dial up connection in Network and Sharing Centre / Manage Connections as you suggested (hadn't tried this before) then rebooted, allowed everything to load properly then tried to connect after Vodafone Mobile Connect software had fully loaded ..... tried to connect five times in a row .... everytime it gets halfway to connecting then throws up RAS error 31.

Let me know if you have any other ideas .......

It was working fine for ages .... until about a month ago when this error appeared. The only software I can think I added which could possibly have conflicted with something must have been a program called Ipod to Computer Transfer made by a company called Ipod2Computer.Inc
As soon as I came across the RAS problem I uninstalled the software because it was th eonly software I had added since I had last used the USB modem - but removing it obviously didn't fix the error. I have no real evidence why the program should conflict with the USB modem I am only making an educated guess because it changed the configuration of the USB ports somehow. The software allows me to gain access to any ipod I connect to the pc which obviously previously I couldn't.

Not sure whether it's relevant but more info is better than less (sometimes!!)

peechie

Hi Peechie

I can understand how frustrating this is for you.

I have just spent the last 20minutes or so trawling through various internet forums and Tech websites and the general consensus is that the resolution is to re-install Windows.

However, I'm sure there are a few other things we can try first.

Firstly, if you go into Control Panel > Phone and Modem Options > Modems - do you have more than one 3G modem listed? If so, delete ALL of them, and also delete the dial-up connections from within Network and Sharing Center > Manage Network Connections.

Then restart your PC with the modem uplugged, and wait for it to fully boot before plugging it back in. Let the software load fully, and wait for a few seconds for the device to acquire a port and signal. Press Connect, and see if this now works. During the first connection attempt it may automatically fail while it re-writes the dial-up settings, but try it three times in a row, and hopefully it should now be working.

If it is, then make sure you always use the same USB port for your modem - as putting in different ports will create multiple instances of the device in Windows, and the connection software will get easily confused about which one it is supposed to be using.

Let me know how you get on and get back to us with any results/changes in behaviour

Thanks

Wayne

eForum Team

[richie1913]

It sounds like something has corrupted your system,there Is one last thing you could try before a complete reinstall of your os.Check this link out the very last post is from about 2 weeks ago about a fix for ras error 31.Fix for ras error 31
Make sure you follow the Instructions to the letter.

[Retired-Jon_V]

Hi Peechie,

I've seen Error 31 before, and it's almost always associated with a local network fault. I've checked the postcode in your profile, and have confirmed that there is indeed a fault with your nearest site on GPRS. Out of 362 attempted connections, 247 of these have failed within the last 15 minutes. The Site ID is 7510.

So that we can raise a case to our engineers to resolve this, I've sent you a quick email asking for some account details. Once we have these, we will be able to raise a fault and get this looked at as quickly as possible

Jon

eForum Team

[peechie]

ok - but the only concern with that is I can use the stick without any problems on another vista32 and winXP machines.

peechie

Hi Peechie,

I've seen Error 31 before, and it's almost always associated with a local network fault. I've checked the postcode in your profile, and have confirmed that there is indeed a fault with your nearest site on GPRS. Out of 362 attempted connections, 247 of these have failed within the last 15 minutes. The Site ID is 7510.

So that we can raise a case to our engineers to resolve this, I've sent you a quick email asking for some account details. Once we have these, we will be able to raise a fault and get this looked at as quickly as possible

Jon

eForum Team

[Retired-MatC]

Hi peechie,

Thanks for coming back to us.

With the site in question having the issues that Jon mentions above, it would be great if you could reply to the email we sent (if you haven't already) as we can then make sure that particular issue gets sorted - it can't be helping with your proble, even if it isn't the direct cause.

Have you tried the "fix for ras error 31" link supplied by richie1913 at all? If so then any chance you can let us know how you got on, and if not would you be alright to give it a go?

In the meantime I've asked one of our Mobile Broadband specialists for any information and/or fixes they might have for error 31 - just waiting on a response at the moment however I'll let you know the outcome as soon as I do

All the best,

MatC
eForum Team

[peechie]

I've replied to the email so I guess your engineers are working on it.

Yeah I did see Richie1913's post (thanks Richie) ...... just didn't have the time to try it. It looks like I'll be uninstalling McAfee and removing all bluetooth, WLAN stuff which if it doesn't work will put my pc out of action for a day or so while I get everything back on or windows reinstalled so I will try it unless you guys come up with something better. I'll let you know how I get on.

peechie

Hi peechie,

Thanks for coming back to us.

With the site in question having the issues that Jon mentions above, it would be great if you could reply to the email we sent (if you haven't already) as we can then make sure that particular issue gets sorted - it can't be helping with your proble, even if it isn't the direct cause.

Have you tried the "fix for ras error 31" link supplied by richie1913 at all? If so then any chance you can let us know how you got on, and if not would you be alright to give it a go?

In the meantime I've asked one of our Mobile Broadband specialists for any information and/or fixes they might have for error 31 - just waiting on a response at the moment however I'll let you know the outcome as soon as I do

All the best,

MatC
eForum Team