What is happening with 3G?
jefe's profile

Guru

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396 Messages

Friday, March 4th, 2016 2:07 PM

3g light binking green or red....

I have a several years old (white) MicroCell.   It's worked flawlessly for years until recently.  In the past week or two the 3g light will occassionally start flashing green.  This morning I woke up to find the 3g light flashing red.

 

Each time it happened a power down / power up reboot solved the problem. The MC booted back up in normal operation.

 

There have been no configuration changes here.   And while I haven't pinned down the time frame between events, it has happened in the middle of the day and then, last night, in the middle of the night.

 

When the 3g light starts flashing the other 3 lights stay solid green.

 

I am on Verizon FiOS.  My MicroCell is connected to my Verizon router via a short length of Cat 6.

 

I'd appreciate any insight and/or suggestions of what I might do to prevent the MicroCell from going out of service.  Is a new unit the answer, or is there anything else I could try?

 

tia

 

P.S.

I've searched and found a number of threads where users where getting the blinking 3g light but none seemed to be the same symptoms I'm seeing, nor did any of the solutions seem like they'd work here.  Thus this new thread.

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

8 years ago

I have three MicroCells. Two older white models and the new black model. All of the ac adapters read 16VDC with no load.

Professor

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2.2K Messages

8 years ago

As does my adapter....

Guru

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396 Messages

8 years ago

Ok...the saga continues.

 

The replacement power adapter arrived today and sure enough, it measures 16 volts under no load.  It seems to power the MC OK so maybe the old power supply was the problem.

 

However, the MC 3g light hasn't flashed either red or green since I made the original post here.  And so....I'm back to waiting, hoping the problem doesn't re-occur.

 

P.S.

 

I haven't gotten around to measuring the old power supply voltage under load but I will one of these days.  If and when I do I will report back.

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

8 years ago

Ok. Adapter is good according the voltmeter readings. Is the ethernet and GPS lights lit and solid green? If they are, then do a hard reset to clear out any "gremlins" in the MicroCell:

 

Disable the power to the MicroCell. Using a paperclip, push in the reset button on the back, restore power, and continue to push in the button for about 30 seconds. Release it and let the MicroCell go thru the entire Initial Activation process. That forces the MicroCell back to factory default and it will update if necessary and clear all memory and registers.

Guru

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396 Messages

8 years ago

Yes, all lights are solid green, as they have been since my original post.

 

I will do the hard reset and keep my fingers crossed the problem has gone away.

 

Thanks for your input Otto.

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

8 years ago

By all lights I'm assuming you mean power, ethernet, and GPS?

Guru

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396 Messages

8 years ago


@OttoPylot wrote:

By all lights I'm assuming you mean power, ethernet, and GPS?


Correct, as well as 3g.

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

8 years ago

Oh. So all 4 lights are solid green? Then that indicates that you have connectivity to AT&T's Mobility Servers. Now you've got me really curious.

Guru

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396 Messages

8 years ago

I actually just noticed there's a 5th light I was never aware of.

 

Here's what my lights look like:

 

IMG_4895.JPG

 

1 Attachment

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

8 years ago

The unlit light is the Computer Port. At one time, Cisco/AT&T thought it might be a good idea to use that as a pass-through ( I could never figure out why) but there were so many issues with it that they eliminated that port on the new, black MicroCell. As long as you connect your ethernet cable to the yellow port you're fine. By your light pattern you should be good to go.

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