Posts Tagged ‘3g’

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Wired or Wireless, ADSL or 3G? that’s the question?

Friday, February 10th, 2012

I’ve recently been running trails using 3G Wireless Internet with Celltime Provider Three and O2, you are probably thinking I’m as mad as a badger! (well once upon a time, I did study Electronic Communication Engineering, so I know a little about Radio Frequencies! – (thanks to Mum & Dad! for the funding!).

But check the results below, and this is with a -85 dBm signal (boffin speak for GOOD! or three bars good buddy! have you got your ears on!), using the internal antenna on a Option GlobalSurfer III (3G Router). I’ve recently noticed that Three have upgraded their transmitter to now support HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access), well what does that load of gibberish mean, well other than the UMTS or 3G symbol changes to “H” on my phone or router. It means that rather than max speed of 3.6Mbps, the max speed could be 7.2MBps or 14.4MBps. Yes via Wireless!

At present I’m getting faster wireless speeds than wired!

Eclipse Internet Three 3G Internet
Eclipse Internet ADSL speedtest by Speedtest.net Three 3G speedtest by Speedtest.net
Eclipse Internet ADSL pingtest by Pingtest.net Three 3G pingtest by Pingtest.net
Eclipse Internet ADSL speedtest by Broadband SpeedChecker.co.uk Three 3G speedtest by Broadband SpeedChecker.co.uk
Eclipse Internet ADSL speedtest by My Broadband Speed hree 3G speedtest by My Broadband Speed
Eclipse Internet ADSL speedtest by Thinkbroadband Three 3G speedtest by Thinkbroadband

I generally use this 3G router, because when normal wired ADSL fails, it automatically fails back or fails over to 3G Wireless Internet, and after the recents drop outs and faults, I noticed my 3G wireless broadband was faster!

Option GlobalSurfer III 3G Network Router

Option GlobalSurfer III 3G Network Router

I need to complete some more calculations, and purchase a directional Yagi antenna, so I can get a stronger signal = more signal = more power = faster throughput and downloads! (does that sound like Captain Kirk to Scotty the Engineer – Give me more power! Scotty! )

Microwave Wireless Aerial or Twig!

Microwave Wireless Aerial or Twig on biscuit tin!

This aerial is not correct, the VSWR (sorry boffin alert) is too high, and not correctly matched at 3G frequencies! It reminds me of long ago with a DV27 on a biscuit tin!

I now understand, when I visited China, why they did not role out copper wires to peoples houses for telephones, they just jumped to wireless 2.5G communications (whilst the UK, was still using GSM! (2G)).

Well Good Buddy Signing Off!, 10-10.

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Broadband BACK!

Monday, January 10th, 2011

and just after I posted this, I noticed that the Real-Time Energy Usage how started to work on the website, and this could only be working, if computers are sending data to the Internet via fixed ADSL!

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Broadband DOWN!

Monday, January 10th, 2011

My broadband failed today at 12.10, whilst I was trying to obtain car insurance, after a call to Eclipse Internet, and trying six routers, and a Thomson ST330 USB ADSL Modem, my broadband is kind of faulty somehwere between here and Eclipse Internet.

(Thomson is now called Technicolor, so if you after Thomson drivers for your USB modems, head this way).

So I’m operating on my Huawei E585 via 3G.

Speedtest on 3G Wireless Broadband

Speedtest on 3G Wireless Broadband

Ping Test on 3G

Ping Test on 3G

Okay, the latency is slow, but that’s to be expected, but the download speed is the same as I paying Eclipse Internet. Three (3) costs me £5 a month, unlimited, Eclispe Internet £24.99 (well it will be 2.5% more now!).

Might need to think about a fixed 3G Router for the future!

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Mobile blogging

Friday, January 7th, 2011

Trying something different today, I’m having a day of remote working via an iPad and 3G. To check to see what average data usage allowance I use in a day. So far and it’s only been a few hours checking email and a few websites, I’ve Sent 5.8MB and Received 131MB.

I’m also using an iPad blog applet as well to post this, to reduce data usage.

The Suzuki needed a MOT today, yes it’s been almost three years we’ve had it, so I’m buying time in Morrisons’ cafe waiting for the car. My banger is off the road at present because the starter motor or solenoid is broke.

Mr Apple saving you money!

Mr Apple saving you money!

This is an odd message you cannot update large apps via 3G. I hardly think 20MB is a lot!

Mr Apple is obviously helping you save money!

UPDATE:- My Dad had a moan about the grammer, so I’ve corrected it”

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3G Killer Accessory – Huawei E585

Sunday, August 8th, 2010
Huawei E585 MiFi Mobile WiFi Wireless 3G Modem

Huawei E585 MiFi Mobile WiFi Wireless 3G Modem

If you have an iPadtastic iPad without 3G or have many mobile WiFi devices that could benefit from 3G connectivity, then the Huawei E585 MiFi Mobile WiFi Wireless 3G Modem is for you.  The Huawei E585 has already won Best iPad Accessory, its sold exclusively by Three here :- http://www.three.co.uk/Mobile_Broadband/MiF.

It’s basically a WiFi router with in-built 3G mobile modem, rather than ADSL or Cable modem. At present, I’m finding I’ve got four devices that all require 3G mobile internet connectivity, Laptop, Netbook, iPad and PDA and trying to keep all contracts up to date is costing me, so this one device, I can use one mobile SIM contract, and up to five devices can connect to this mobile WiFi access point, and use 3G mobile connectivity.

It’s an excellent device, with clear excellent instructions if you need them, and good software and configuration available from a web gui.

Huawei E585 MiFi Mobile WiFi Wireless 3G Modem

Huawei E585 MiFi Mobile WiFi Wireless 3G Modem

Personally in the UK, I would continue using the network Three for data, using the loophole, I’ve blogged about before. This still makes Three the cheapest data mobile provider in the UK.

If Three’s not for you, and you want to try it on another network, the Three Huawei E585 is sim-locked to the Three network.

(I’ll post later how you remove the sim-lock).

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Why pay for Travelodge WiFi with all these FREE Access Points!

Friday, February 19th, 2010
3 Coverage HSDPA

3 Coverage HSDPA

No need for 3G, which at present I’m getting 5 bars good buddy, blowing me windows out on HSPDA! But why pay for Travelodge WiFi when there are 49 Access Points with un-secure WiFi Access in this area!

WiFi coverage at this location

WiFi coverage at this location

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What’s in your Man Bag?

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

After a few folk on-site recently have been laughing at my “hand bag”. I keep telling them it’s a man bag which I keep my notebook in and a few other things! I’m always complaining to Lindsey about not being able to find her keys in her many bags that she uses, it’s prompted me to take a photograph of the items in my man bag!

Contents of my man bag!

Contents of my man bag!

Contents Include:-

  • Sony Vaio T1XP Mini Notebook and Sony Vaio Case.
  • Sony Vaio T1XP charger and mains cable.
  • Tom Tom GO 520 in hard case.
  • SanDisk cruzer mini 1GB flash drives (2).
  • SanDisk cruzer micro clear body 4GB flash drives (2).
  • SanDisk cruzer micro 4GB flash drive (encrypted) (1).
  • hp 4GB flash drive (encrypted).
  • Corsair Survivor GT 64GB flash drive (encrypted) (including chain and dog tag!).
  • 3 3G MF627 USB Modem with 4GB micro SD card inserted. (encrypted).
  • Cisco Aironet 350 AIR-LMC350 (patched 200mW) PCMCIA card.
  • Cisco Aironet 802.11a/b/g PCMCIA Wireless Adaptor.
  • Linksys Dual-Band Wireless 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g WPC55AG PCMCIA card.
  • Orinoco 802.11b PCMCIA GOLD Card.
  • Senoa special PCMCIA card!
  • N-type to Wireless LAN card pigtails, various types (3).
  • Canon Ixus IS 850 Digital Camera including case.
  • Flash card case including compact flash, SD, Micro SD, Mini SD, Memory Stick, Memory Pro cards.
  • HP Smart Start CD ROMs and ESXi flash modules.
  • Carrying case full of technical CD ROMs.

I’ll not complain the next time Lindsey has difficulty finding her keys!

That’s alot of tech!

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Network Provider 3 Mobile Mast!

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

I’ve been using 3 mobile broadband from a remote site for 10 weeks with no issue, very strong end stopping, “breaking or bending me needle good buddy!” signal. UTMS and HSDPA signals here on site.

A few weeks ago, it stopped working, still the same strong signal, but the ping times, were timing out, it looked like a routing issue to me. But after long discussions with 3’s call centre, they told me they had decommisioned a cell site, and that was the issue, I’m not too sure whether to believe them, but it sounded convincing when they told me the location of the mast! (on top of my Garage, that repairs my car!) – I’d not noticed in the dark!

This is the local mobile mast, which my mobile broadband dongle used to use!

So here’s a lovely picture taken with my mobile phone….

3 Mobile Mast

3 Mobile Mast

I’m thinking of creating an Observer’s Book of Mobile Phone Masts or I-Spy UK Mobile Phone Masts!

okay, maybe a website!

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Stop Press! 3 Mobile Broadband still works for a fiver!

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Ignore the last post!

That’s what happens when you talk to a call centre!

It still works!

My 3 Balance and Free Stuff

My 3 Balance and Free Stuff

for the moment, but technicaly, it’s exploting a loophole. I think it could have been the Add-On option had vanished, maybe because I was low on “top-up”! But it’s strange that my mobile number is now associated with a Dongle and a Mobile Phone!

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Unlocking a 3 USB Modem (ZTE MF627)

Monday, June 29th, 2009

Important: Re-flashing of the ZTE MF627 USB Modem MUST be done on Windows XP ONLY. If you try it on another OS, you’ll brick it! (break it!)

This is the procedure I’ve now done twice!

1. Download this file from here. This contains replacement firmware, and will replace the software on the USB modem.
2. The file is a RAR archive (similar to a ZIP). So you’ll need an extraction tool to handle this file and extract the contents. e.g. winrar.
3. Extract the contents of the above file to a directory e.g. c:flash.
4. DO NOT USE A USB HUB FOR THE FLASH UPGRADE. (you’ve been warned!).MAKE SURE YOU’VE GOT PC ATTACHED TO A UPS OR USE A LAPTOP CONNECTED TO MAINS. (Enough credit in your electricity meter etc). THE FLASH UPDATE ON AVERAGE TAKES APPROXIMATELY 18-20 MINUTES TO COMPLETE, SOME COMPUTERS CAN TAKE UP TO 46 MINUTES. THIS IS A VERY LONG DANGEROUS TIME, IF IT FAILS IT WILL BRICK YOU USB MODEM. (aka stuff it!). It’s also probably a good idea to stop all other Windows XP application as well!
5. Install the software that comes with the USB modem dongle. After inserting the USB modem into your Windows XP computers’ USB port, Windows XP will do the plug N play thing, and install all the drivers, it will then Autorun the software installation and install the 3Connect GUI.
6. Unplug, and re-insert the usb modem, to check drivers are correctly loaded.
7. Select Start->Control Panel->System->Device Manager, Expand the modems section, you should see a ZTE modem.
8. Run FlashUpdate.exe in the c:\flash directory. (don’t worry that the update states is for the MF626, if you query the modem using Hayes AT commands, you’ll see this is a MF626, it’s just the MF627 is a black/green version OEMed for ‘3’)
9. The updater scans serial ports looking for the modem, when it finds the Diagnostic port, the Download Button un-greys. (you may need to maximize the application to see the Download box).
10. Wait for approximately 20 minutes. (see above) It will eventually announce when it’s completed and the Cost it took in minutes!
11. In the first few seconds, it disables autorun, and resets the modem, and waits 50 seconds before it re-appears again on the USB bus, so don’t be tempted to flash under VMware! So you should here it disconnect and re-connect to the PC (bing bong Windows XP sound!).
12. Your 3 ZTE MF627 USB Modem dongle is now been unlocked from 3 and you can put any network’s data SIM in it.
13. You’ll need to install different Connection Management software in the c:flash directory.
14. Once that’s been installed, create a new Profile for your Network Provider.

Not that this is a big issue, but I’ve noticed that using another SIM (other than 3), the light always stays in ROAM mode (solid/flashing red) rather than Green = GPRS, Blue = 3G/HSDPA.

The Telstra/3Connect connection manager software is able to correctly tell, whether you are connected at GPRS or 3G/HSDPA. You can still use your 3 SIM correctly with the 3 Connect software after flashing, but the 3Connect software will only work with a 3 SIM.

Luckily there are software programs that can over-ride this lock. I’ve used the following procedure to over-ride the lock in a 3 USB Modem (ZTE MF627) and replace the 3 SIM Card with an ASDA SIM Card. Your mileage may vary, and I will not be held responsible if this procedure fails, and turns your 3 USB Modem into a brick (breaks it!).

UPDATE (12 Dec 09) :- I originally thought that using a non-3 (three) SIM caused the ZTE MF627 to flash RED. This is not the case, RED Simply means GPRS mode!

For details on software please make a 10 GBP donation via PayPal and by return I’ll send you the software to unlock your MF627. The donation pays for the hosting of this website, and thousands of hits and free information I’ve provided on unlocking Three Mobile Modems.


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