What is happening with 3G?
rubyross55's profile

Contributor

 • 

3 Messages

Monday, March 31st, 2014 12:22 AM

Microcell won't activate. Mr. Pylot please help!

If you see this please, please help! I live on St. John in the US Virgin Islands and have been trying to activate my microcell for 3 weeks at this point. At&t says they have resolved my address issues but it still won't connect. I have 3mbps/1mbps through Choice with a Green Packet DX-250 as my router/modem in one. At&t says my ports need to be opened but Choice say there are no closed ports. Since there is no problem with their device I would have to pay choice $100 an hour to try to make any changes, which may not fix it. I could make them myself if anyone could give me a little guidance on what to change. Here is a link to screen shots of the pages of the device.

 

http://screenshots.portforward.com/routers/GreenPacket/DX-250/

 

And here are the changes I'm supposed to make, but it doesn't make sense to me. I know how to access it but not what it all means. Please tell me what to do!

 

http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB110286&cv=820,721,1001,904,102&ct=&source=email_share#fbid=sJ2owRR4BuC

 

At&t has not been much help. I'm like 6 different tickets in at this point. It has never gone through any of the steps. I have tried resetting it maybe 25 times, was sent a second microcell to try, it had the same results. Everything is solid except the 3g bars, they are flashing. I also tried a second ethernet cord to my laptop but it did the same.

 

Anyone who can help me get this working is welcome to a free place to stay in tropical paradise!

 

BTW At&t's team assigned the latitude and longitude of my house to a made up address. I kinda feel like that might be part of the problem...there are no e911 address here and my address wasn't recognized.

 

 

ACE - Expert

 • 

23.9K Messages

10 years ago

To be honest with you, I was always under the impression that the MicroCell only worked in the continental U.S. I'll have to look into that.

 

How do you have your MicroCell setup? You mentioned something about an ethernet cable to your laptop. Even though you can connect your MicroCell from the Computer port on the back of the MicroCell to your laptop I've never done that and don't really see a need to.

 

I would connect the MicroCell directly to your modem/router. Do not connect your laptop. Reset the router/modem and power cycle the MicroCell and see what happens.

 

What kind of connection do you have by the way, DSL or cable?

 

You have to meet the minimum router requirments as listed in AT&T's literature or my Guide (link in my sig). Most of the time, the ports listed are open by the ISP but it never hurts to check with them. IPSec Passthrough enabled, Block Fragemented Packets disabled, MTU at least 1492, and only one device performing NAT duties. We can work on port forwarding later so let's see how this setup works first. Keep in mind that port forwarding to a static MicroCell address should not be necessary, and in a lot of cases it's not, but most find that doing port forwarding results in a much more stable connection.

Contributor

 • 

3 Messages

10 years ago

It is connected directly. I was told by at&t that I should connect a second ethernet cord from the microcell to my computer, which made the computer light on the microcell light up, solid. They said it priortized the connection or something like that. I have talked to them maybe 30 times at this point about this. Microcells do work here and with my internet service provider called Choice. I listed the device, its called a Green Packet, model dx-250...you just plug it into the wall and you have internet service. 3mbps download, 1mbps upload, which is about the fastest you can get here. You can even take it with you other places, its pretty awesome actually.

Contributor

 • 

3 Messages

10 years ago

In my first message I included a link to the pages of the router thing, where you would open ports, etc...it just doesn't make sense to me. If you have any insight on what I need to change please give me directions! Just let me know what to type in where. Thank you so, so, so, so much for your help!

ACE - Expert

 • 

23.9K Messages

10 years ago

Just connect the MicroCell via the ethernet port of the back of the MicroCell to the ethernet port on your router/modem and see how that works. Sometimes connecting your computer enables the network settings of your OS and that may interfere with the network settings of your router.

 

The GreenPacket DX-250 is a WiFi modem/router with built-in VoiP. There could be an imcompatibility with the GreenPacket and the MicroCell. Using the MicroCell with WiFi internet can be difficult because of latency issues, etc and if the DX-250 is already configured for VoIP by default, the settings may interfere with what the MicroCell needs to properly function.

 

ACE - Expert

 • 

23.9K Messages

10 years ago

@rubyross55-  this is what I found, which I should have known....

 

MicroCell domestic calling areas include the 50 United States,Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Northern Mariana Islands

 

So, it would appear that your area is fine so now the issue may be your wireless interent service and the router/modem supplied (built-in VoIP).

Professor

 • 

2.2K Messages

10 years ago

Yeah, I was wondering about the wireless 4G network compatibility issue also after reading this thread. 

 

I saw a Youtube video comparing Broadband V.I. vs. Choice on St. Thomas.  The poster ran speed tests side by side of those two ISPs.  Choice plan was 1.5 Mbps nominal download speed.  The actual test showed 219 kbps down and 147 kbps up.  This was at 6:30 PM so it was during a time when network usage was probably higher.  Broadband V.I. test had 1.5 Mbps down and 846 kbps up.

 

Granted this wasn't on St. John but I think it is probably indicative of typical bandwidth performance for Choice's wireless internet network versus their stated data plan speeds.  The OP has a data plan that is 3 Mbps down and 1 Mbps up.  It would be interesting to run a speed test to see if the real-life bandwidth is adequate for the Mcell.  It might be marginal at best.  Also I would run a VOIP test to see what kind of packet loss and jitter the Choice network has. 

 

Yet, the OP indicates that Mcells are being successfully used on Choice's wireless 4G system, so who knows?  Perhaps setting a static IP address and opening the required ports would help.  Then there is the settings issue for MTU, IPSec Passthrough, Fragmented Packets, and the dreaded double NAT possibility.

 

I am not familiar with that wireless router and trying to talk someone through the settings changes who is not familiar with router management would be very difficult to do.  I don't think the fact that the DX-250 is VOIP-capable  is a problem here but again, without being able to access the router management web pages, I am not sure.

 

We'll see what the OP reports back when trying your suggestion.  I suspect there will still be a flashing 3G light though.  

ACE - Expert

 • 

23.9K Messages

10 years ago

Agreed. I did look at the router setup page but like you, I'd be a bit apprehensive on walking her thru port forwarding etc being as we are not "official" support for that router and it could cause more problems than solve any. I think consistent speed, WiFi internet, and the VoIP interference are going to be big obstacles to overcome. A VoIP test would certainly be in order just to set some sort of baseline.

Professor

 • 

2.2K Messages

10 years ago

@ rubyross55 - Please run the tests provided at the following websites and post the results.

 

http://www.speedtest.net/

 

http://voipqualitytest.com/

 

At the voipqualitytest.com website, please post the results listed under the "Advanced" tab after running all the tests.

 

These will only be snapshots of the bandwidth and quality of your connection but they will still provide some insight as to what your problem might be.

ACE - Expert

 • 

23.9K Messages

10 years ago

Thanks partner.

Tutor

 • 

5 Messages

9 years ago

Im having the same issue. Did you ever solve the problem?

Not finding what you're looking for?
New to AT&T Community?
New to the AT&T Community? Start by visiting the Community How-To.
New to the AT&T Community?
Visit the Community How-To.