I need your help!

A

AndyCT

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I do volunteer work for an animal rescue centre on the weekends. They are based are on a farm near Fisantekraal north of Cape Town.

The problem is they desperately need a reliable internet connection but their intenet speed is so slow it takes about 10 minutes to load one page! They are using a MTN wireless modem.

Is there is anything that can be done to boost speeds so they can have a decent connection?? (It will have to be wireless because all the telephone cables have been stolen so they have no landline)
 
Call wireless internet companies(mtn,vodacom or telkom) and ask them if your area has coverage, otherwise you might have to look at satellite internet, that's what a person I know uses at his farm
surrounded by mountains.
Also if they do offer, ask them to test it there first or give you a trial run, as for improving your connection you should specify what modem you use, or package.
 
your quickest and cheapest solution would be to add an external antenna to that modem and bump it from what sounds like a bad GPRS connection to at least a good one. Maybe even 3G. There should be an external antennae jack on the modem. You can buy these antennas and wiring from many places. Just google GSM antenna.
 
Thanks so much for your answers! I really apprerciate.

I really wish I could show you what wonderful work these people do to help animals in need.

I do some googling based on your answers.
 
I have a little experience with this stuff. I can assist by helping you determine which network has the best signal in the area and aligning an external antenna.
I have some contacts at Poynting, I'll try and organize an antenna on loan. Contact me by PM with the details if you want to take me up on my offer.
 
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Hi Andy :)

I love what you are doing to help your cause, i know MTN sets aiside time for their employees to help at a local animal shelter to wash, feed, build extra things for the animals, one of the unnoticed things we do cause we dont need the recognition thereof.
Regarding signal i would advise logging a call via 0839001212, they will send out a guy that will asess the situation- perhaps they could assist with optimisation of a serving tower, if not they could assist with an arial free of charge for such a noble cause, let us know :)
PS when you get the call logged plese pm me the reference number and il supply the significant pressure needed to make this a priority, thank you for taking the time to make the pets feel special this time of the year and God bless you;)
 
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When the lady from the rescue centre called 0839001212, she was told "it's a data problem, not a network problem" and wasn't given a reference number.

AndyCT and I went out to Uitsig yesterday morning. We started by doing testing SIMs from the various operators in a Huawei E1820 on my laptop with the following results (in no particular order):
OperatorCell IDRSSIRAT
MTN64102-107dBm3G
MTN25708-107dBm3G
MTN1332-69dBmGPRS
Cell-C45491-103dBm3G
Cell-C28410-69dBmEDGE
Vodacom28838-103dBm3G
Vodacom28833-87dBmEDGE
8-ta64102-111dBm3G
8-ta25708-107dBm3G
8-ta1332-69dBmGPRS
Note the 8-ta Cell IDs are the same as the MTN Cell IDs, I've never used an 8-ta SIM before so I am assuming that means they don't have their own coverage out there.

We then attempted to do speed tests on the rescue centre's own computer using their MTN E270 modem and a Cell-C E1820 modem.

The MTN results were as follows: ping 1352ms, download 0.80Mbps, upload 0.33Mbps, link.
At first glance the download speed is quite acceptable, more than twice as fast as an entry-level ADSL line, however the ping result is disturbing.
The problem is the 0.80Mbps download speed is not consistent. When browsing, pages would start to load, then stop for several seconds, then start loading and stop again.

With the Cell-C modem the results were: ping 915ms, download 0.49Mbps and the upload test failed to complete. Browsing experience was similar to using the MTN modem.

To eliminate anything on their computer being a problem we then tried the speed tests on my laptop, with similar results.
We did notice the Cell ID kept changing and we picked up the following on MTN: 64102, 25708, 61380, 7588 and 6788 and the following on Cell-C: 45491, 42551 and 40092.

I concluded that setting up an high-gain directional antenna on their roof would stop them being handed over from cell to cell.
 
ginggs said:
When the lady from the rescue centre called 0839001212, she was told "it's a data problem, not a network problem" and wasn't given a reference number.

AndyCT and I went out to Uitsig yesterday morning. We started by doing testing SIMs from the various operators in a Huawei E1820 on my laptop with the following results (in no particular order):
OperatorCell IDRSSIRAT
MTN64102-107dBm3G
MTN25708-107dBm3G
MTN1332-69dBmGPRS
Cell-C45491-103dBm3G
Cell-C28410-69dBmEDGE
Vodacom28838-103dBm3G
Vodacom28833-87dBmEDGE
8-ta64102-111dBm3G
8-ta25708-107dBm3G
8-ta1332-69dBmGPRS
Note the 8-ta Cell IDs are the same as the MTN Cell IDs, I've never used an 8-ta SIM before so I am assuming that means they don't have their own coverage out there.

We then attempted to do speed tests on the rescue centre's own computer using their MTN E270 modem and a Cell-C E1820 modem.

The MTN results were as follows: ping 1352ms, download 0.80Mbps, upload 0.33Mbps, link.
At first glance the download speed is quite acceptable, more than twice as fast as an entry-level ADSL line, however the ping result is disturbing.
The problem is the 0.80Mbps download speed is not consistent. When browsing, pages would start to load, then stop for several seconds, then start loading and stop again.

With the Cell-C modem the results were: ping 915ms, download 0.49Mbps and the upload test failed to complete. Browsing experience was similar to using the MTN modem.

To eliminate anything on their computer being a problem we then tried the speed tests on my laptop, with similar results.
We did notice the Cell ID kept changing and we picked up the following on MTN: 64102, 25708, 61380, 7588 and 6788 and the following on Cell-C: 45491, 42551 and 40092.

I concluded that setting up an high-gain directional antenna on their roof would stop them being handed over from cell to cell.
Click to expand...

Howzit ginggs...wow...you really went out of your way here. Well done.

Why no test on Vodacom?

Just curious.
 
ginggs said:
You mean why no speed test on Vodacom?

Their signal strength wasn't any better than than the others and they're not cheaper than MTN.
Click to expand...

Oh...so if the signal strength is the same, that means the same download speed will be achieved?

But we are cheaper than MTN aint we? You get more data for the same price.

Sorry, not trying to sway you....just wondering. :-)
 
ocleroux said:
Oh...so if the signal strength is the same, that means the same download speed will be achieved?
Click to expand...
Normally I don't think you could say that, but in this case all of the operators' 3G signals were very weak, so first priority is getting an antenna before trying to compare download speeds.
ocleroux said:
But we are cheaper than MTN aint we? You get more data for the same price.
Click to expand...
MTN have OOB=IB and a nicer carry-over policy.
 
ginggs said:
Normally I don't think you could say that, but in this case all of the operators' 3G signals were very weak, so first priority is getting an antenna before trying to compare download speeds.

MTN have OOB=IB and a nicer carry-over policy.
Click to expand...

oh ok. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

And again...it is great you went out of your way for a good cause like this. :-)
 
ocleroux said:
oh ok. Thanks for clearing that up for me.
Click to expand...
No problem.

PS: You are quite brave coming on to the MTN section and punting Vodacom, Snakepit's going to come here and pound your ass! :D
 
ginggs said:
PS: You are quite brave coming on to the MTN section and punting Vodacom, Snakepit's going to come here and pound your ass! :D
Click to expand...

NO! I was not...swear on my black heart I was not! tehehehehe. I just read your report and I noticed that no test was done using Voda...so I got curious. Besides, Snakepit too busy sorting out billing issues!

/runs like the wind! lol
 
ocleroux said:
Oh...so if the signal strength is the same, that means the same download speed will be achieved?

But we are cheaper than MTN aint we? You get more data for the same price.

Sorry, not trying to sway you....just wondering. :-)
Click to expand...

ocleroux said:
NO! I was not...swear on my black heart I was not! tehehehehe. I just read your report and I noticed that no test was done using Voda...so I got curious. Besides, Snakepit too busy sorting out billing issues!

/runs like the wind! lol
Click to expand...

haai wena, remember a black mamba runsssss fater than your average human!:twisted:
Jussst kidding, but yeah with signal levels like that on both networks mentioned there will hardly be a comparison;)
I have the details and the location of the shelter many thanks to Ginngs, and ive passed it on to coverage with an order to log the query, they will be in touch so that the Cape town guys can look at this one.
 
snakepit said:
I have the details and the location of the shelter many thanks to Ginngs, and ive passed it on to coverage with an order to log the query, they will be in touch so that the Cape town guys can look at this one.
Click to expand...
Any progressss?
 
I dunno guys, looks like im still fighting hard to get this logged, ive escalated to a senior manager now cause ive had enough of being ignored:mad:
 
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