What is happening with 3G?
jpenaflorida's profile

Tutor

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1 Message

Saturday, December 17th, 2011 3:32 AM

3G Microcell - 3G Red Light Flashing

My GPS, Ethernet, and power light are on with a solid green. My 3G light is a solid red that flashes every three seconds. I use a Netgear router/modem; honestly, I'm not sure what a modem or router looks like but I plugged the microcell's ethernet into the Netgear. I've tried disconnecting then reactivating the microcell. No luck.

 

Any advice on how to troubleshoot this issue would be awesome. I live in the countryside where cell phone reception is severely limited. Thanks!

Contributor

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2 Messages

12 years ago

Try re-registering your location using the ATT Microcell on-line web site. Delete the current location and then re-enter it and select it as the current location. I had the constantly flashing green 3G LED.  ATT chat support couldnt fix it so I relocated to a location  I have available and the problem resolved when I entered that location.

Tutor

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4 Messages

11 years ago

So I have been having the flashing red bar syndrom for a couple of months. I have tried a lot of the suggestions in this forum. The only one that seem to work was to hold the reset button in for 30 seconds and then it would start working again, but, usually for only a day or so. Then I tried deleting my location and re-adding. That worked once, then the Microcell stopped working all together. Worked with 3 or 4 first line ATT  support folks, but that was useless as they were basically reading from the Microcell manual. Finally the last one I worked with said she would elevate the issue. but neglected to tell me that it would probably 5 - 7 days before 2nd line support would call me. I got up this morning and figured I would give it another shot troubleshooting myself. I logged on to  the ATT website and found that my microcell was no longer even registered. I tried to call ATT Microcell support, but because the device was no longer registered, Microcell support was not an option I could pick. This turned out to be a good thing. I got someone in regular phone support that was good. She re-registered the device and re-added my location, and said she would call me back in 90 minutes. Boom, in 5 or so minutes my Microcell was online. The tech did call me back. She did not know why my device was no longer registered, but she had corrected the situation! So is the holy grail to fixing this problem having your device unregistered and then registered? I have never had it come online in 5 minutes the whole year I have owned it. The jury is still out as to whether this will work day over day, but I am hoping!

Former Community Manager

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5.2K Messages

11 years ago

Sometimes de-registering/re-registering resolves issues, like turning the computer on and off does. 

 

I'm glad your Microcell is working again!

Tutor

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7 Messages

11 years ago

I'm having the same issue. I have to reset mine sometimes 4 or 5 times a day. The light will stay green for hours, then suddenly start blinking red again. I unplug the power cord on the device, let it sit 5 minutes, then plug it back in. It comes back green for hours again and then goes back to flashing red. I'm with you, it's disturbing, the lack of support for this product. I'm on my second one, as they always seem to tell you it's the device, exchange it for another one. I bet my first one wasn't really defective, because it did the same thing.

Tutor

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12 Messages

11 years ago

I'm wondering if your device has a good view of the sky. I had the Red Light syndrome for months, power cycling it at least every other day. I finally moved it right under a window and it has been rock solid for over 4 weeks now!

Teacher

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23 Messages

11 years ago

So here we are approaching December of 2012.  I believe the post that started this thread was entered almost one year ago...and I've read all sorts of suggestions....from powering off the device in specific sequences that included disconnection of the ethernet port...to gigabit network incompatibility....to chanting while swinging a dead chicken overhead (of course, that's an exaggeration).  I imagine some have resolved their issue, but only some.  I get the distinct impression that most are still dealing with the flashing 3G LED.  It does appear that many agree with the failed firmware update theory as the cause, although I can't seem to find how I might confirm through MCell status and date/time stamps.  I've been all over the net and can't find any definitive discussion of root cause and permanent resolution.

 

I really want to try the suggestions that I've read thus far, but would like to avoid the days or weeks worth of trial & error (which I will do out of desperation).  Is there anyone on this forum that can claim success?  Is AT&T listening at all?  Any success stories would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

11 years ago

Your are correct in your conclusion that the flashing red 3G is the result of an update by AT&T. The MicroCell failed to properly re-boot after the update and it thinks it is broken. There is no way to confirm what is going on with the MicroCell because it is a totally closed system only available for "inspection" at the AT&T end. I had the blinking red 3G only once, and that lasted for about an hour with a simple power cycle fixing the problem. I posted yesterday my iPhone 5 and MicroCell speed test. In it, I've listed my hardware setup which may help you. Basically the MicroCell is setup following AT&T's installation instructions and then my port forwarding scheme. There are just way too many hardware variables out there to point you to any one thing that may fix your setup. A hard reset may work for you (pressing the reset button on the back), port forwarding, changing the position of your MicroCell and using an extension GPS antenna, making sure your ISP is not blocking any of the ports necessary for the MicroCell to communicate with the AT&T servers, etc.

 

Oh, and sometimes swinging a chicken over your head does help Smiley Wink

Teacher

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24 Messages

11 years ago

Spoiler
 

Gps antenna is the cheapest thing to try and the only thing that fixed mine..........

Teacher

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11 Messages

11 years ago

I say;"Go with the chicken!" I ended buying a new unit, when old one did the whole "flashing red" thing. The thing that amazes me is the total lack of understanding at tech support. It's clear to me that they are just reading from a manual. I didn't even bother calling, when my unit "flaked out" a couple of weeks ago. I tried a power cycle and ended up un-registering and then re-registering. I didn't have a chicken, so I used the neighbor's cat. It wasn't happy!

Wake up AT&T and get some tech folks that actually can troubleshoot these units.

Teacher

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23 Messages

11 years ago

LOL..so I guess the voodoo thing is not off the table. 

 

Re: AT&T tech support....I agree.  I called yesterday to see if there might be an acknowledgement of the problem and a solution on their part.  They recommend the unreg/re-reg approach to start.  Then the tech said something that I couldn't let pass....so I asked her to help me understand exactly how the system works end-to-end.  I was stunned when she tried to suggest that the MCell communicates to local cell towers.  I asked "how is it that the MCell can connect to a cell tower, while my phone cannot?.....If my phone could do so, I wouldn't need the MCell".  Her answer:  Because the MCell is supposed to be located by a window.  I knew it was time to end the call.

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