USB Power for modems

ZA.Schmidt said:
I got one of those Vodafone HSDPA sticks with a gig prepaid data. I don't know if the problem is maybe my area (Hout Bay) but it seems to disconnect frustratingly frequently. The speed is also ridiculously slow - I'm lucky to get 386kbps, never mind HSDPA 3.6.

The thing that confuses me though is that I also have an HSDPA phone on Vodacom contract (Sony Ericsson C905) which I use as a modem and on this the speed is much higher and I never ever get disconnected.

Both Vodacom HSDPA modems, same area, so what's the problem here??
Click to expand...

What modem are you using? Version of firmware? Can you do a speedtest on speed.vodacom.co.za.
 
It's the Huawei K3565, using the default 'Mobile Partner' software. With my phone I use the Sony Ericsson software.

Will do speedtest shortly and reply.
 
vodacom3g said:
You made a clear statement:

"It could be network related since using MTN on the same modem doesn't get so many."

Why don't you back it up for once? Explain how you decided that SoTrue is seeing a different situation on MTN and that these modems have a general tendency to disconnect more on VC than MTN. Or can't you do that? Obviously not. A pathetic attempt at trolling......:rolleyes:

I understand in your Skeptikal nature, you cannot resist to have a go at Vodacom or myself, but please try and stay on topic and actually contribute to the actual discussion.
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I don't understand you. I experienced a lot of disconnects and up and down speeds on Vodacom as opposed to MTN, which was more stable. If you have a problem with that, then you are in the wrong business. You always blame the hardware for what could well be a network problem, as I have explained. Try and learn to accept criticism of your company. You're far too sensitive and irritate people by your immature ad hominem response every time.
 
Sackboy said:
I don't understand you. I experienced a lot of disconnects and up and down speeds on Vodacom as opposed to MTN, which was more stable. If you have a problem with that, then you are in the wrong business. You always blame the hardware for what could well be a network problem, as I have explained. Try and learn to accept criticism of your company. You're far too sensitive and irritate people by your immature ad hominem response every time.
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Don't try and deflect the question. You made a statement, prove it.
 
vodacom3g said:
Don't try and deflect the question. You made a statement, prove it.
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In my own experience, that's what I have found. I am quite within my rights to share these experiences on the forum. If it is contrary to your company's ideals, then fix it. If it's contrary to your own experiences, then share them and we'll make our own minds up.

However, you will NEVER be able to prevent public opinions being aired about your product. Live with it.
 
Sackboy said:
In my own experience, that's what I have found. I am quite within my rights to share these experiences on the forum. If it is contrary to your company's ideals, then fix it. If it's contrary to your own experiences, then share them and we'll make our own minds up.

However, you will NEVER be able to prevent public opinions being aired about your product. Live with it.
Click to expand...

Post your own experience and qualify what you post, then we can all use the information. It's called "contributing".

If you don't understand how to qualify a statement, ask. There are many people on this forum that are quite willing to help teach you the basics of useful posting.

Although they are all from South Africa, and don't have your illustrious CV, they can still teach you something. Live with it.

Now can we please get back to the topic of this thread? Or are you continuously going to try and derail it?
 
1) Plug it into a single USB port using a normal USB cable.
2) Plug it into 2 USB ports using the dual-plug cable.
3) External USB powered hub.

1) Ive tried using a single port, which works okish but my signal is extremely poor.

2) I used dual cable and while this does provide better signal it constantly loses the modem

3) To be tested

I've had severe problems with the huwai E220, which is inflamed by the poor signal in my area. Ive even taken the modem in to vodacom and they gave me a replacement which is even worse that the original one that I had.

Here's the catch, I tried the sim in a E270 huwai and it works perfectly, however the modem is from MTN, so occasionally the MTN software will try to activate and dial which in turn locks up the vodafone software.

Any advice in this matter would be appreciated.
 
nuhilist said:
1) Plug it into a single USB port using a normal USB cable.
2) Plug it into 2 USB ports using the dual-plug cable.
3) External USB powered hub.

1) Ive tried using a single port, which works okish but my signal is extremely poor.

2) I used dual cable and while this does provide better signal it constantly loses the modem

3) To be tested

I've had severe problems with the huwai E220, which is inflamed by the poor signal in my area. Ive even taken the modem in to vodacom and they gave me a replacement which is even worse that the original one that I had.

Here's the catch, I tried the sim in a E270 huwai and it works perfectly, however the modem is from MTN, so occasionally the MTN software will try to activate and dial which in turn locks up the vodafone software.

Any advice in this matter would be appreciated.
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Could be that you are just in a low signal area. What does the coverage map indicate for your area? An external antenna will probably do you wonders.

I suspect the E270 supports RX Diversity and this might well be why it's doing better than the E220.

Try doing the drive-letter disable thing. Should make the software behave.
 
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vodacom3g said:
I'd like to get more feedback / symptoms on this from you guys and especially would like to know how you power the modem. For example:

1) Plug it into a single USB port using a normal USB cable.
2) Plug it into 2 USB ports using the dual-plug cable.
3) External USB powered hub.

Maybe the mods can nail up a poll for this. Something like:

Options 1 - 3 ) I get disconnects and I'm using one of the above 3 methods to power the modem.

4 - 6) I don't get disconnects and I'm using one of the above 3 methods to power the modem.

7) I get disconnects but don't believe they're power related.
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Except in places with very marginal signal, I don't get disconnects, even though I use method 1 which is probably the lowest supplied power.

My usage is mostly daytime. I wonder if that's a factor and should be included in the poll?
 
I'm not quite sure what you mean by dual USB, but this one only has one... like a flash drive (for need of a better technical term).
 
SecretCode said:
Except in places with very marginal signal, I don't get disconnects, even though I use method 1 which is probably the lowest supplied power.

My usage is mostly daytime. I wonder if that's a factor and should be included in the poll?
Click to expand...

I don't think so for this case. But what would be good to know is the PC spec.

I suspect some USB ports are just better than others. My Sony Vaio also never disconnects and I use a single USB plug.
 
vodacom3g said:
Post your own experience and qualify what you post, then we can all use the information. It's called "contributing".

If you don't understand how to qualify a statement, ask. There are many people on this forum that are quite willing to help teach you the basics of useful posting.

Although they are all from South Africa, and don't have your illustrious CV, they can still teach you something. Live with it.

Now can we please get back to the topic of this thread? Or are you continuously going to try and derail it?
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Tell me honestly what issues you have with my CV. You keep mentioning it, my qualifications and everything. Now you make a comment about where I'm from??? It's you who is derailing the thread.
 
vodacom3g said:
I don't think so for this case. But what would be good to know is the PC spec.

I suspect some USB ports are just better than others. My Sony Vaio also never disconnects and I use a single USB plug.
Click to expand...

This is on a Mecer TW7A something or other - no reason to expect particularly fine engineering.
 
Using phone as modem:

Upload: 107kbps
Download: 887kbps

Using USB stick modem:

Upload: 123kbps
Download: 797kbps

So the test results seem logical... but it still doesn't explain the disconnecting.
 
nuhilist said:
1) Plug it into a single USB port using a normal USB cable.
2) Plug it into 2 USB ports using the dual-plug cable.
3) External USB powered hub.

1) Ive tried using a single port, which works okish but my signal is extremely poor.

2) I used dual cable and while this does provide better signal it constantly loses the modem

3) To be tested

I've had severe problems with the huwai E220, which is inflamed by the poor signal in my area. Ive even taken the modem in to vodacom and they gave me a replacement which is even worse that the original one that I had.

Here's the catch, I tried the sim in a E270 huwai and it works perfectly, however the modem is from MTN, so occasionally the MTN software will try to activate and dial which in turn locks up the vodafone software.

Any advice in this matter would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Some good advice on these pages. The port blocker works well on a Vodafone branded device, but I haven't tried it on an MTN E270. IN theory it should work. I prefer it to tampering with the drive letters.
http://www.mobilebroadbandrocks.com/huawei-modem-utilities
 
I can see how that might help the speed, but it still doesn't explain the disconnecting. And surely if the speed is only as fast as USB2, they should've taken that into account and used a different kind of port?
 
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