Dell D620, Vodacom and VPN

[DJ...]

I recently bought a Dell D620 in UK. I brought it over here to SA and took out a Vodacom 3G/HSDPA contract. At first things functioned OK (some sites took ages to load) but now things have gone completely pear-shaped. I connect via VPN to my offices in UK, however when I login through VPN using 3G it completely takes over my bandwidth. Download +-60KBits/S Upload +- 20KBits/S. When I connect using 128K line I see absolutely no affect. My tech team have looked into this and have concluded that there is nothing wrong with the VPN.

Now things have got even worse. Because I cannot connect using VPN, I use Webmail as a temp alternative. Now webmail wont even load. Vodacom speed test showed download speed of 1500KBits/S yet upload is about 10KBits/S. I have been to Vodaworld and they have told me to call Dell as I need to get the local Dell/Vodacom software to be able to change the profile. Dell wouldnt give it to me and told me Vodacom must. So eventually I found it myself on Vodacoms website - it has made absolutely no difference even after changing my profile to Vodacom's settings.

We have concluded that it is not any anti-virus blocking me so it must be either another software issue or Vodacom network issue.

Has anyone ever come across anything like this before? I hope somebody can help with some input in this regard as I am pulling my hair out. I can hardly do my job now.

 

[DJ...]

Can somebody also explain to me how it is that Vodacom's speed test is always about double the speed of any other speed test I have found on the internet?

 

[DJ...]

I also forgot to mention that I cannot ping any sites. I can access them very slowly (even though Vodacom speed test shows an incredible speed) but I cannot ping them.

 

[ic]

Can somebody also explain to me how it is that Vodacom's speed test is always about double the speed of any other speed test I have found on the internet?

http://speed.vodacom.co.za/ measures the throughput between your end and Vodacom's end of the wireless connection, what you appear to be seeing is low throughput beyond Vodacom's end of your wireless connection, and it depends on whether the specific sites you're trying to access are locally hosted or internationally hosted [a lot of .co.za etc sites are internationally hosted], it would be more useful if you did a tracert to each of the sites and posted the results. Also not every site responds to pings.

If the sites are locally hosted, then it's likely to be a peering link issue, but doing a tracert should reveal the source of the bottleneck.

 

[DJ...]

IC - That Vodacom speed test site doesnt even work for me now. Page takes about 2 mins to load and hangs on preparing download test. My connection just appears to be getting worse and worse.

Pinging - I cannot ping any site - not even vodacom.

Hosting - I am having issues with both locally and internationally hosted sites but the majority of my issues are coming from international sites.

Please can you clarify the tracert process as I have never heard of this.

 

[DJ...]

Ah I figured out the tracert thing - actually google did on my behalf. Well the command times out for vodacom, microsoft and google. Just the same as pinging does except tracert timed out 30 times on each site attempt - default 4 second timeout.

 

[DJ...]

Now the 3G connection is being lost at least once an hour too - this is getting a bit ridiculous.

 

[ic]

Ok, if you can longer access http://speed.vodacom.co.za or even http://www.vodacom.co.za, then chances are you need to check if you're getting a decent signal from your end to whichever 3G base-station you're using.

Best to take this one step at a time:

1. What area are you in?
2. Which APN are you using? - this is usually 'internet' or 'internetvpn' - verify in dashboard profile settings
3. What type of profile are you using? - 3G-only; 3G-preferred; GPRS...
4. If you aren't currently using a GPRS-only profile, temporarily switch to GPRS-only, then take your notebook outside, and see if you can get to http://speed.vodacom.co.za - post the results
5. If the previous step was an improvement, then whilst still outside, switch to the 3G-only profile, and try the speed test again - post the results.

 

[DJ...]

IC

I am in Farrarmere, Benoni, Johannesburg.
I am connecting using Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility.
Profile - Vodacom SA
APN - Internet
I can see thats its like a dynamic setting for connection type although I cant find this setting on the program - when I am in a 3g area it connects using 3g/hsdpa, otherwise it connects using GPRS.
Signal strength remains constant usually.
Is there no Vodacom software that I can try? I downloaded the software off the internet for the Novatel U740 but it only allows a connection through data card or mobile phone - no 'built in' card option.

I did take my laptop outside but it has made no difference.

FYI my current connection is 3G. I even tried re-installing my browser and setting it back to all defaults but that didnt help. I tried installing IE7 but that didnt help. I tried a system restore to the point where the internet was working OK but that didnt help either.

 

[ic]

...
Signal strength remains constant usually.
...

The reason I'm concentrating on signal strength from your end to the base-station, is that you mentioned your Upload speed was 10kbits/s, which is quite low, and an indication that signal from your end to the base-station is very far from optimal when you run the Upload speed test on http://speed.vodacom.co.za/. The dashboard app will only show you signal strength from base-station to the notebook.

Poor Upload speed can drastically kill Download speed if uploaded IP packets are being lost & constantly have to be re-transmitted, between your location and the base-station, this is why I suggested that you try outdoors as indoor obstructions [walls etc] could then be eliminated.

I don't know what else to suggest at this stage.

@v3g|brad|Tazz_Tuz, any ideas?

 

[DJ...]

This upload speed was actually a bit of an anomaly as it is again usually OK. Vodacom speed test usually shows it is around 200-300KBPS. Dell have given up, Vodacom appear to have given up according to the last conversation I had with the guys at Vodaworld who just suggested trying to get closer to the base station. Sure, I will move my offices then

I really hope you guys can help me in this respect - I am even willing to pay somebody on an hourly rate if they can help me get this all sorted. It forms the basis of everything I do for a living. (Its amazing how reliant we are these days on technology)!

IC, thanks for your help already mate!

 

[DJ...]

Ha, I just managed to connect to the speed test - results:

Download: 677KBPS
Upload: 359KBPS

Hope this helps.

 

[bozzy]

Vodafone Dashboard

Hi DJStealth

I have a Latitude D620 and have the Vodafone Software.

PM me and I will upload it somewhere for you to download. Its about 24mb.

Regards

Bozzy

 

[vodacom3g]

The speed test system sits on the Vodacom network, so the test results gives the Vodacom component of the network.

We've been seeing lots of hassles both local and international beyond the Vodacom network. SAIX have explained some of these problems, but not (in my personal opinion) all of them.

The fact that you battle to get to the speed test itself worries me, as it's on our side of the network. So either it's a local radio/transmission problem or something is eating HTTP packets again like last week.

 

[DJ...]

Well I went off to Vodaworld and set up my office in the data centre. I told the guys that I will be back every day to continue with my work until Vodacom can sort this out for me. Amazingly when I go to Vodaworld I connect absolutely perfectly; never lose a connection and my VPN works like a dream. I met a client in Midrand later in the day along Allandale Drive and nothing worked once again! Its about 1km from Vodaworld!? My offices are in Marshall Street JHB and according to Vodacom customer support, its just down the road from their offices. He connects perfectly however I cant. Very strange - even my cellphone loses 3G connection intermittently.

Does this indicate a problem with the Vodacom signal? Has anybody else reported issues like this before?

BTW - I am posting this from home and it has taken me 5 attempts to send this message - the laptop keeps losing connection to the network.

 

[ic]

Signal strength & general radio conditions at Vodaworld are optimal - IOW even a weak signal transmitted from your D620 to the HSDPA base-station, is likely to still work nicely.

The fact that both Allandale and Jhb give you problems, [IMO] suggests that there is an HSDPA-signal-related [hardware] problem with the notebook itself...

IIRC brad also mentioned something about the D620 being prone to one-sided deafness.

@v3g, maybe you could convince brad to post an opinion?

 

[DJ...]

In fact this seems to be an area specific signal issue as I am now losing my cellphone signal once every 15 minutes. It drops completely and reconnects after about 2 minutes. I have now been dropped during the middle of a few conversations and have missed plenty calls without realising it - it just goes straight through to voicemail. I didnt have this problem at my new offices today - Vodaworld. BTW lovely offices and the rent is dirt cheap!

 

[DJ...]

Well actually it looks like it is definitely a signal problem as I had no issues in UK (just returned) with the laptop and 3G connection. More than just that - every time my phone loses signal (now once every 5min) my laptop drops the internet connection. Not even a switch to 3G only or GPRS, it just loses signal completely just like my phone.

 

[DJ...]

After a month of arguing it turns out that it was a signal problem after all. Vodacom have now fixed the problem and all is working perfectly even my VPN. Thanks to all who replied and offered help - you make Vodacom's customer service look good.