Question about 1xrtt

Levrionn · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 23

Hello, I currently live in an area where no EVDO coverage is available but I connect at the 1xrtt speed through Sprint with a Novatel Merlin 620. I always connect at around 16 to 17kbs. Is 1xrtt supposed to be faster? I live in Baltimore, Ohio (43105)and the nearest EVDO is about 10 miles or so from my house in a place called Reynoldsburg. I have aWilson Antenna, a booster antenna and also a Wilson 3 watt amplifier. The nearest tower to me is about 2 miles or so and was wondering if I should be connecting at a faster speed in my 1xrtt? Am I doing something wrong? With the amplifier turned off I get zero to 1 bars but with my amplifier on and with my outside antenna I get full bars and the amplifier really does wonders. I have read where people are like 10-15 miles from EVDO and they are able to get it. Is this possible out in my area? I live in the country where there is alot of wooded acreage but there is a tower that ISNT EVDO and its 2 miles from my house. Any ideas on how to boost my signal or if I am just "stuck" at the 16kbs, or should it be higher?
Oh forgot to mention that I am getting with my connection card signal about -79 dBm and -81dBm, is this good?

MaximumSignal · Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 6:43 pm Post subject: Re: Question about 1xrtt

Levrionn · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 23

When I unhook my antenna and amplifier and just go with the connection card I get -97dBm and the same amount of speed. I also have my card set to Automatic and automatic with roam guard turned on, should I set it to Sprint/Automatic?
Actually on www.testmy.net is was saying...
123 Kbps or 0.12 Mbps (15 kB/s)
You are running: 2 times faster than 56K and can Download 1 megabyte in 68.27 second(s)
Diagnosis ^info^: May need help : running at only 9.55 % of your hosts average (spcsdns.net)

I also used to work for Sprint and Nextel and recently decided to go with another company and I checked in my area for the nearest tower. The nearest tower was on a place called Shelley Cemetary in Baltimore, OH. and its honestly 2.3 miles from my house. There are tons of cell towers near me including Verizon and a T Mobile tower not even 1 mile from my house. I decided to go with Sprint because they say you can online game with them and also can watch streaming movies (which I can) I live in an area devoid of any broadband access so I thought I would give it a shot. The 1xrtt is nice though as connecting at 16kbs is ALOT nicer than the 2.6kbs I have gotten for the past 10 years. I also talked to a couple techs through the company and Sprint was talking about POSSIBLY upgrading that tower in Baltimore but it could be awhile before they do. Just wondering in which way I should get the max effect of my 1xrtt. I tried Verizon before and did connect EXTREMELY fast but Verizon I couldnt online game with (high latency around 12k ms ping with World of Warcraft) and Sprints latency was around 550ping (in Blackwing Lair, a high level instance zone with alot of "events" that happen in it) I get really good latency with my 1xrtt in online gaming but I truly want to get the most out of it and see if I can connect faster somehow so here I am asking for some tips =)

horsessmellfunny · Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 7:07 pm Post subject:

How are you as far as obstructions? (IE Buildings, green trees, hills, valleys, etc) Im about 10 miles or so from the nearest EVDO tower, but due to my geography (hills and valleys, and a 1000 foot elevation drop), EVDO is a NO GO for me. Plus, the 1xRTT tower seems to over power anything. I have an amp and antenna. I have to drive a good 5 or 6 miles to come close to picking it up.
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Levrionn · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 23

Yeah, I realize I may be farther away from EVDO but if memory serves I think the tower in Reynoldsburg is honestly in between the 10-15 mile range, being closer to 10. I am just looking for a great way to tweak the 1xrtt. I took my comptuer to my sisters house which is in Reynoldsburg and about pooped my pants because I was getting 550kbs. I downloaded a movie from a gaming website at 100kbs. I locked in EVDO and set it to Sprint and experienced the awesomeness of EVDO. But the area I'm in really sucks and was wondering if my top speed in 1xrtt is going to be 16kbs. Or am I doing something wrong or have something set up wrong to where I can only connect at that top speed. Keep in mind I have no router set up or firewall, just straight connect to the tower from what I'm trying to get.

Levrionn · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 23

Definately lots of trees...unfortunately. I have a Wilson trucker antenna think I should go with a cantennae or a beefier wattage antennae?

MaximumSignal · Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 7:13 pm Post subject:

horsessmellfunny · Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 7:33 pm Post subject:

You can do a cantenna, as long as it is set for 800mhz and 1900mhz respectfully. I had a cantenna design with use of a spare satellite dish I had lying around. However, it was tuned for the 2.4ghz band. It worked increadibly! Do what Maximum Signal said. If you have access to your roof, and you can place a yagi up there, you should be high enough above our best friend the tree to get a pretty decent signal With line of sigh. If you dont have line of sight to the tower (IE you cant see it), then you are possibly out of luck. You are in the exact same boat as me, and pretty much have to wait until Sprint finished there roll out with EVDO hopefully the end of this yea to the beginning of next. I wish you the best of luck!
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Semi75 · EVDO Junkie Joined: 25 Feb 2006 Posts: 230

Actually you are well within the speed range for 1xRTT. Your "123 Kbps or 0.12 Mbps (15 kB/s)" is about as good as it gets for 1xRTT. Your best hope at faster speed is waiting until they expand EVDO coverage. Have you checked out the maps to see if you are in a future coverage area? That will go a long ways in telling you whether you will want to stick with the 1xRTT and wait on opt out. Sprint's website has a fairly comprehensive coverage area expansion listing.

xenophon · EVDO Addict Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Posts: 2003

^Nice catch. It's a bits vs. bytes thing. 15Kbytes/sec or 123Kbits/sec is quite good for 1xRTT.

Semi75 · EVDO Junkie Joined: 25 Feb 2006 Posts: 230

To answer your question on future coverage:

http://www.sprint.com/business/products/products/map.jsp?map=Columbus_OH&mrkt=Columbus,%20Oh

You are plainly in future EVDO coverage area per the map but the town you listed as having coverage now appears to be too far away for even the best yagi and amp to bring you in a decent EVDO signal. You already have the equipment and if you are past your 14 day trial period I would stick it out and wait.

From the rumors and speculation it is entirely possible that when the cell site serving you is upgraded it will be to REV A which will reduce latency. Hold in there imo.