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kann's profile

Tutor

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1 Message

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 10:14 PM

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Microcell issues

I am on my third Microcell...  ANY suggestions to make this thing work would be great !!  It loses its 3g connection everyday... has to be rebooted... has to sit in a window in order to find its GPS signal,  I am on the fastest internet speed, and been to internet service provider twice to check any problems with internet and there are NONE... Tech's have sent "updates" to my microcell, according to reps on phone, and it will work 4 even up to 5 days at one time with NO issues, then will lose it and here we go again.  Everytime AT&T tells me its a faulty box if it wont "keep" the updates... Three microcells later all with same issue.. not buying it... HELP  we have NO service in our home... Either let us out of contract, or fix it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

10 years ago

Yeah, and he even got a kudo for responding to a 6-month old post.

Professor

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2.2K Messages

10 years ago

I'll bet he doesn't respond to your information request....Same registration date as that other guy.

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

10 years ago

Yeah. The mods are looking into their registration info.

Contributor

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3 Messages

10 years ago

Hey OttoPylot and Avedis53!  Snarky != helpful, you know? 

 

But seriously, if you want to help, step one is toread what that person said.  If ne has 'the same issues' as everyone else, then probably ne had a microcell that was working fine and then it stopped.  That's my problem and that's why I am reading this forum.

 

Your questions are, I am sorry to tell you, largely irrelevant in this situation.  Rather you should ask: 

 

1.  Did you try turning the Microcell on and off?  ANSWER: Yup.  That's always our first line of defense.   No help there.

 

2.  At the time you noticed that the microcell had stopped working, for how long had it worked?

ANSWER:  About three years.  We got it for free from AT&T when the store salesclerk pointed out that our reception at home was lousy (an understatement).  He said we could have a Microcell and pay nothing as long as we stuck with AT&T for a full year.  Otherwise we'd pay a prorated amount of the (total cost divided by 12) x (the months we stopped having AT&T).  We still have AT&T. 

 

3.  Did you change anything with regard to your phones or internet or anything at the time the Microcell stopped working?  ANSWER: Hmmm. 

We did NOT get new phones.  We did NOT change our internet provided.  But now that I think of it,   last fall is around when my spouse and I both noticed we no longer had MCell apearing in our phones, but we didn't really talk about it because we mostly use our landline at home anyway (multiple extensions, never turned to vibrate so always rings loud, etc.)  And I think we both assumed "Must be planned obsolescence:  these are free if you keep them for a year, and Cisco throws in a little more time to be nice, but then the ever-user-loving AT&T turns them off."  But conspiracy theories and brand-bashing aside, yes, there was a change that happened last fall.  It was  in connection with Comcast's change to all-digital.   We got a wireless cable-thing (yes, that's the technical term) so we could use our old flat panel - which turned out not to be digital - as a TV not just a movie screen and actually start watching television once in a while.  (Before that, we had only basic cable because the difference between no TV and yes TV was $2 a month, as the nice Comcast people had pointed out, and watched TV about an hour a year and on an ancient Sony.)  Could that little wireless-cable-transmission box be what killed the Microcell?  And if so, is there a solution?

 

4.  Is there anything else that you haven't told me about your cell phones and internet and house and electricity and anything else  that might help me help you?  ANSWER:  Don't think so, but happy to answer less open-ended questions if you ask them.

 

OK!  Go ahead now!  Snark away!

Professor

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2.2K Messages

10 years ago

While there are a lots of things I could say regarding your appoach to asking for help, we'll keep it simple for you.

 

If you think our questions are irrelevant then I doubt we can help you.  You, like some other people who post here seem to think we can provide answers to your problems when you provide little specific information concerning your situation and equipment other than "my Mcell doesn't work" or for example in your post "wireless cable thing".

 

If you truly want help and aren't a one-post troll like a couple of other posters were in this thread, I would ask that you provide answers to all these questions as your post does not give adequate information to help you with your problem.

 

MicroCell™ TroubleShooting Questions:

 

  1. Do you have an active postpaid AT&T mobile account?
  2. Do you have a combined modem/router or a separate modem and router? What are the model numbers?
  3. Have you met the minimum requirements for router configuration as outlined in the Tech Guide?
  4. What are your download and upload speeds?
  5. What kind of internet service do you have (ADSL, cable, WiFi)?
  6. Are you using the basic connection (modem -> router -> MicroCell) or the alternate connection (modem -> MicroCell -> router)?
  7. What other equipment (computers, WiFi TV’s, Xboxes, Playstations, etc.) do you have connected to your network?
  8. What does the light pattern look like on the MicroCell (power, ethernet, GPS, and 3G)? Are they all a solid green or is any of them blinking green or red, and if so, which one?
  9. Does the ac adapter feel warmer than the top of the MicroCell where the vents are?
  10. Are all of the cables firmly in place?
  11. Have you checked your line speed, http://www.speedtest.net/ ? If so, please post results.
  12. Have you checked to see if you line is adequate for VoIP, http://www.voipqualitytest.com/ ? If so, please post your results.
  13. Have you checked the Technical Guide?

We will try our best to help you but coming in here with an attitude like you displayed in your post makes me think you don't want help so much as to just complain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

10 years ago

You beat me to it! If he truly wants help, we'll do what we can, provided he's willing to work with us in  a civil manner. Otherwise, I'll have the Admins look up his account information and either have him put on notice for making an abusive/rude post or just have his forum account terminated altogether.

Professor

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2.2K Messages

10 years ago

One other thing communityIDname, we are not AT&T employees nor are we compensated in any way for the help we offer to people who post here.


Otto and I are simply Mcell users who try to help this forum community out by providing assistance to people who are having problems with their Mcells.  We've put a lot of effort into monitoring this forum and given the number of kudos and Accepted Solutions we have earned from the people who have solicited our help, I'd like to think we are having a positive impact.

 

 

 

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

10 years ago

Well said, but I doubt we'll see him again.

Contributor

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3 Messages

10 years ago

Greetings.  Yes, you see me again.  Surprise!

 

I was very curious to see if you'd read what I wrote beyond that first equation of inequality.  I gather that the inequality hit a nerve and I apologize.  But you know you have a little responsibility for this because of what you wrote to and about the previous poster.

 

Anyway, I must be missing something, because as I said, **the Microcell worked fine for 3 years and then stopped.  NOTHING else changed ** or nothing as far as I can tell, other than the one thing I could think of - the acquisition of a wireless cable signal transmitter - and mentioned.  I would be thrilled if you were now saying "Well, we know all that, it was in the earlier post."  But you chose not to revealed that level of knowledge so far.  (I invite you to go back and read my post and your answers, and point out what I have overlooked.)

 

I am delighted to know that you two are authorities on Microcell and not AT&T employees. (But maybe Cisco and you are good friends?  Suspicious minds might wonder, you know, since you didn't rule that out, and the Microcell is made by Cisco.)

 

I also take it that you are puzzle-solvers by nature.  Great!  But that means that instead of approaching each problem as if it is the same as the previous one, you pay attention to the facts you are given, you avoid jumping to conclusions or making unfounded assumptions, and you come up with a solution, or at least a method toward achieving one, that takes account of the facts you know, does not depend on facts you do not now, and does not depend on disregarding or contradicting facts you do know. Yes, that's often called the scientific method. 

 

So let's look at your 13 questions and consider whether they make sense given the facts you know about my Microcell problem.  They're between the pair of **s above, just in case you missed them, and they were in the previous post.  I apologize if I obscured those facts.  The **s should help.

 

Your MicroCell™ TroubleShooting Questions:

 

  1. Do you have an active postpaid AT&T mobile account?   Yes.  As I said, nothing changed between when the Mcell worked and when it did not. That includes that I have the same AT&T account I had before and after.  But maybe "postpaid" has some secret meaning that I don't know. Still, since my account and its status has been the same at all relevant times, I rather doubt that this question will obtain anything useful to solving my problem.
  2. Do you have a combined modem/router or a separate modem and router? What are the model numbers?  Both before and after the Microcell ceasing to work, I had the same configuration.  I will tell you what that CONTINUOUSLY PRESENT configuration is but again, I will be surprised that this information will enlighten you in your kind and generous search for a solution.  I am going to start putting the word "have" between **s -- *have* -- to remind you that that word means BOTH (A) I had, back when the Microcell worked, AND (B) I have now, when the Microcell does not work.  I *have* a modem and a separate router.  Now, here are some follow-up Q&As  you might want to ask:  2A. Is the Modem from AT&T.  ANS:  No, I *have* a  Comcast modem. (Remember, *have* means before and after.  Sorry to keep saying that but your ignoring it in my previous message has made me sensitive about this.)  2B.  Do you have an AT&T Router?  ANS:  No, I *have* a Netgear router. 
  3. Have you met the minimum requirements for router configuration as outlined in the Tech Guide?  I betcha I met those requirements back when the Microcell worked.   I don't know what they are, but since the router has not been changed, and the Microcell has not changed, I suspect that the minimum requirements have not changed either.  If I'm wrong about that, please tell me.
  4. What are your download and upload speeds?  I hate to be so suspicious, but I cannot imagine that I need to tell you this if the speeds - and everything else -- the cell phones, the contract with AT&T, the Microcell, my house, my attitude, etc. etc. -- did NOT change between the time when the Microcell worked and the time when it stopped working.  Please be kind enough to explain where I am incorrect on this.
  5. What kind of internet service do you have (ADSL, cable, WiFi)?  I *have* cable but hey, don't I also have WiFi since I *have* a wireless router?.
  6. Are you using the basic connection (modem -> router -> MicroCell) or the alternate connection (modem -> MicroCell -> router)?  I *have* modem-router-Microcell.
  7. What other equipment (computers, WiFi TV’s, Xboxes, Playstations, etc.) do you have connected to your network?  We *have* two computers that use my wireless network.
  8. What does the light pattern look like on the MicroCell (power, ethernet, GPS, and 3G)? Power only.   Are they all a solid green or is any of them blinking green or red, and if so, which one? It is solid green.  Whether this was the light pattern before the Microcell stopped working I can't recall but maybe the 3G light used to be on and isn't any more.  And you didn't ask but the modem, router and Microcell are in a cupboard in a corner  The cupboard door is usually open but frankly we don't stare into it. The Microcell was obtained to correct the lousy cellphone reception we had inside our stucco house.  Now we just limp along with lousy reception and use our landline for telephoning, and our wifi network for everything else on our phones.   
  9. Does the ac adapter feel warmer than the top of the MicroCell where the vents are?  AC adapter??  The top of the microcell is warm, the rest of it is cool.  I bet that means it's not working, despite the power light being on, eh?
  10. Are all of the cables firmly in place?  Well, unless someone dislodged something when we got that wireless cable TV thing I mentioned in my first post, nothing has changed with the cables.  But OK, the Microcell has a yellow cable to the router and an electric cord and I just checked and both are in tight.
  11. Have you checked your line speed, http://www.speedtest.net/ ? If so, please post results.  I would be happy to spend time doing things that have an obvious relationship to my problem (which is: no Microcell after 3 years of yes Microcell when nothing else has changed, as you know) but I'm not so happy spending time on things that don't seem to take the known facts into consideration.  Please be kind enough to explain whether my line speed could suddenly change without my knowing about it and without affecting anything else - computers, television - that use that line.  Thanks.
  12. Have you checked to see if you line is adequate for VoIP, http://www.voipqualitytest.com/ ? If so, please post your results.  See answer to 11, but substitute VOIP adequacy for line speed.
  13. Have you checked the Technical Guide?  Hey, if the Technical Guide has an answer to why the Microcell suddenly stopping working after 3 years when nothing else has changed, I would expect you two Good Samaritans to know that and to give me the URL to the online Technical Guide. But maybe I'm wrong.  Also, I don't think my Microcell came with anything, not a technical guide, not a manual, nothing.  It's 3 years so maybe I forgot.  But there's nothing in my file, and every other manual I've ever gotten is in my file, each in its properly marked folder, and that makes me more confident that I never received a Technical Guide.  And if there wasn't one in the package with the Microcell, that suggests to me that the manufacturer thought that this device, purposely made simple-to-use, needs no Technical Guide to be used by consumers.  I'm sure you'll explain why I am drawing an erroneous conclusio, if indeed I am.

I answered your questions.  Your turn.

Former Moderator

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7.6K Messages

10 years ago

I would like to thank everyone for taking the time to post your comments and opinions related to this topic.

The conversation has strayed from the original subject and this thread will now be closed.

 

 

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