Vodacom Problems: Slow Throughput, trying to Connect, DNS, High Latency

[SoftDev]

Further info:

ping smtp.vodacom.co.za
Pinging smtp.vodacom.co.za [196.11.146.148] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 196.11.146.148: bytes=32 time=126ms TTL=247
Reply from 196.11.146.148: bytes=32 time=115ms TTL=247
Reply from 196.11.146.148: bytes=32 time=105ms TTL=247
Reply from 196.11.146.148: bytes=32 time=115ms TTL=247

Ping statistics for 196.11.146.148:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 105ms, Maximum = 126ms, Average = 115ms

ping using -t -l 500 sometimes works, sometimes not

Pinging smtp.vodacom.co.za [196.11.146.148] with 500 bytes of data:

Reply from 196.11.146.148: bytes=500 time=167ms TTL=247
Reply from 196.11.146.148: bytes=500 time=176ms TTL=247
Reply from 196.11.146.148: bytes=500 time=176ms TTL=247
Reply from 196.11.146.148: bytes=500 time=176ms TTL=247
Reply from 196.11.146.148: bytes=500 time=166ms TTL=247
Reply from 196.11.146.148: bytes=500 time=176ms TTL=247

ping -t -l 1000 does not work at all.

 

[Iam3G]

When I go to Mobile Profiles the box is " greyed " out

The only time i know of when its greyed out, its when i'm connected to the network(which is the case at this moment). Going to disconnect now...

[*disconecting*]

Disconnected. Not greyed out anymore. havent seen any other instances of that. Maybe re-installing the software? I have the same version you have. Try upgrading to version 7.03.0005.0. You can find it on the Vodacom Website under the Mobile Data/Downloads section.

 

[Jase]

@v3g, do you know how to get past this in VMC?

Delete current profile(s) and redo all profiles. A VC tecchie took me step for step through this process. I cannot remember if I uninstalled and reinstalled the software as well.

 

[Iam3G]

If PJG777ZN is going to upgrade VMC, why not upgrade to the latest version of VMC? - which is 9.2.1.6545.

Having said that, I'm 100% sure that you're correct about PJG777ZN needing to disconnect before being able to create a new profile in VMC, so @PJG777ZN just disconnect and see if the menu option is still greyed out...I don't think that is necessary in PJG777ZN's case.

If he has XP, i would recommend version 7.03.000.5.0. If he has Vista, then version 9.2.1.6545.

I just think VMC9.2 is a bit too robust for XP. I'm not saying he shouldnt use it, i'm just trying to give him the most hassle free solution. So he can give VMC9.2 a try and see if it works for him.

 

[Iam3G]

so you're saying that VMC 9.2 works too well [i.e. robust] with Windoze heXPee?

No no no. I apollogize. Bad choice of a word. What i meant was that VMC9.2is like a Bull in a China Shop, XP being the China Shop.

But VMC9.2 is great through. I have had a couple of customers who had no problems using it, but they had monster laptops so to speak.

Do you understand what i meant now ic? I apollogize for any confusion.

 

[Iam3G]

Elaborate on bullish aspects of VMC 9.2...

[*Elaborating*]...

Before the whole "Vista Craze" thats been going on in my area recently, most customers i had, had relatively old(and slow) laptops. They also had VMC9.x installed. It caused massive slowdowns, especially on startup as VMC9.x starts up with Windows if you dont set it otherwise. Sometimes VMC9.x just hangs on "Looking for Hardware" and "Searching for Network" which really slows down the laptop. I've had quite a few complaints regarding VMC9.x crashing customers' laptops/desktops(BSOD). Installing version 7.03.0005.0 solved their frustration to say the least. Like with my laptop too, this machine is already so slow, i dont even want to attempt to install it on here(its like trying to install Vista on a 486... you know you gonna sukkel).

So most of my XP customers ask me why the software is so slow and why it crashes their machines, etc.

The customers i've had with the monster machines has had no problems with VMC9.x at all, especially the ones with Vista.

So what i try to do at the end of the day is to get the working with a setup thats less hassles.

I dont think i can elaborate any further. This is just the things i pick up everyday with customers coming in, and then i need to adapt to the situation to make(and keep) the customer happy.

 

[MyDraadloos]

- Pta - Wierda 1
- Option Globetrotter 3G+
- 356936004544412
- 3.17.0Hd
- internet

I have an outstanding call from 9 August ( AW-HFZw-4R5U3 ), they have not bothered to contact me. Connectivity was so bad I was unable to use my complete bundle, lost about 600 MB in the process.

Had to revert to using MTN to stay connected.

If the problem is only affecting the prepaid customers then my theory of PPDB authentication discrimination is looking more plausible.

 

[vodacom3g]

- Pta - Wierda 1
- Option Globetrotter 3G+
- 356936004544412
- 3.17.0Hd
- internet

I have an outstanding call from 9 August ( AW-HFZw-4R5U3 ), they have not bothered to contact me. Connectivity was so bad I was unable to use my complete bundle, lost about 600 MB in the process.

Had to revert to using MTN to stay connected.

If the problem is only affecting the prepaid customers then my theory of PPDB authentication discrimination is looking more plausible.

No, nothing sinister . Prepaid and contract use completely different authentication systems. One had a problem, the other not.

 

[Csnoopy]

I had been offline for +- 8 days just before I went offline I had this problem of connecting but unable to browse. (Page cannot be displayed) refresh a couple of time then it will be OK & then same problem.

So today 30 August I try to connect and BINGO I hit the jackot same problem all over. So what the heck is going on. Location Doringkloof Centurion. Kingrob on the otherside of the highway same problem.

I am on prepaid, used to be on contract. I get the feeling that things are just a HELL of a lot worse on prepaid.

It appears to be almost 2 weeks plus now that it has really gone bad. 155 told me a couple of minutes ago that Centurion is a problem area. Does anybody have any idea on when there will be a solution for CENTURION

Is MTN another option??

 

[Csnoopy]

How to locate problems ???

Will providing ping stats to different locations help to locate the problem??
@v3g do you have a set of instructions, like pings, nslookup, ipconfig etc. that we can use to assist in locating the problems???

 

[MyDraadloos]

No, nothing sinister . Prepaid and contract use completely different authentication systems. One had a problem, the other not.

OK, so my grassy knoll theory does not fly .......... but how about the problems in Centurion ?

When if works one tends to forget about all the bits and pieces to make the service work, but when the service fails it becomes nothing more than a button to click, but without any feedback.

I spoke with with 155 yesterday and got the same answer again, ( We'll get someone to call you in the morning ) Good thing I was busy or I might have felt let down.

 

[fanusj]

Having problems tonight in Faerie Glen - I am 30 meters from the cell tower . I can access POP3 but no HTTP browsing, not even local SA sites.

 

[MyDraadloos]

Just great, so now I can stay connected but international download is at 780 B/s.

CTN 849 down 291 up

NY 487 down 49 up

Not sure if this can be correct ........ FDM download is still giving me crap numbers.

 

[kingrob]

I'm tired of this ****.

Had 5 second disconnects for the whole morning at work (Rietvalleirand), then got home at 5pm - same ****. Went to gym and got back at 9pm. Same ****.

I'm BEYOND tired of Vodacom's crap. Are there like only one guy doing the upgrades, or did he cock it up and now somebody else must go and fix it? I'm paying R389 a month for NOTHING.

Can't wait for MTN's announcement, I'm so desperate now, I'll take the two bar reception I get at home.

 

[AirWolf]

Was only getting one way traffic for over an hour on my pcUsing Opera Mini on Gprs now.

 

[Csnoopy]

I'm tired of this ****.

Had 5 second disconnects for the whole morning at work (Rietvalleirand), then got home at 5pm - same ****. Went to gym and got back at 9pm. Same ****.

I'm BEYOND tired of Vodacom's crap. Are there like only one guy doing the upgrades, or did he cock it up and now somebody else must go and fix it? I'm paying R389 a month for NOTHING.

Can't wait for MTN's announcement, I'm so desperate now, I'll take the two bar reception I get at home.

I can connect but no browsing sometimes even pop3 will time out. If I force my connection to GPRS/EDGE I get a GPRS connection and I can work but the graphics icons come uuuppp vveeerrryyy sloooowwwwlyyy. That is how I am posting at the moment. I also do understand that GPRS works different to 3G/HSDPA.

I can see 1 thing definitely happening and that is that Vodacom is going to loose a lot of users that are on this forum. What is wrong guys we all want to support VC but it is not coming together, is the problem that complex ??? Pay the top guys in the country and get it fixed or else fly somebody in from overseas. If MTN can get it right why not VC ????? Where did the R6bn profit go, trips overseas, new cars increases or for the world cup in france. We are the guys paying for all this but all we get is BAD service.

It is taking weeks to fix why? We want to help how can we? @v3g said it would take +- 18000 pc's for Vodacom to test, so here we are we will do it how can we help.

 

[PsychoR8der]

The vodacom HSDPA service is still utterly crap. I would just like to know when, more or less, you expect to be done with the fixing of the towers or whatever is still causing this mess? It's more than a month as far as I know that this problem of unstable connections, disconnecting, bad speeds when connected etc persists.

I liked it when the HSDPA was running at 1400kbps, I miss those times, when can we expect to be back on those speeds???? As a lot of people I know are loosing their bundles because of pathetic connections.

During the night the connections are acceptable, but just today, about 6pm, I couldn't connect for about an hour at all, when I finally got a connection, the speeds make it unusable anyway

(Fearry Glen area)

 

[Csnoopy]

@v3g. Please can we have some feedback on what is being done to resolve the problems. IMO this is not a localised problem it is a country wide problem. The posts are coming in from all over the country. It all started with Pietpetoors and is buddies down in the Cape. Has the virus now spread to the rest of the country or what.????

We will give Vodacom all the time in world to fix there problems if they will promise to give us vouchers so we can go to MTN and get data time on there systems so Vodacom can fix there systems???

 

[PsychoR8der]

We will give Vodacom all the time in world to fix there problems if they will promise to give us vouchers so we can go to MTN and get data time on there systems so Vodacom can fix there systems???

That would be fair and acceptable, or even refund 20% of all bundles, something like that. But yet another thing not going to happen.

If they (v3g or whomever) can just give me an approximation to when everything will be up and running CORRECTLY, it would be nice.

 

[SoftDev]

I had similar problems last night as fanusj in Faerie Glen Pretoria. I can connect no problem, but I cannot access any web pages, local or international. Even the ping to smtp.vodacom.co.za resulted in time outs. I connect via the Cabana-Glen 3 tower.

Here at work (Centurion) I connect via the Highveld-2 tower, there seems to be no problems at this stage.