KR1 Warranty Replacement

Fresca · Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 7:53 am Post subject: KR1 Warranty Replacement

Hello all, this is my first post to this great forum. THANK YOU mackieman for the new RK1006 firmware! I am using a KR1 + PC5740 and unfortunately I suspect I might have a defective KR1. First some background:

1) I initially got a KPC-650 card from Verizon. It had problems (probably USB driver-related) on two different laptops.

2) I bought a KR1 (before finding this great forum!) as a possible workaround, and it would reboot itself every few minutes with the KPC-650 card installed.

3) At this point, I decided I must have a bad 650 card and I returned it to the Verizon Wireless store. Unfortunately the only other card they had in stock was the PC-5740.

4) The 5740 worked great in my laptop, and has continued to work great for over 3 months – speed consistently over 800k and it stays online indefinitely, for at least 2 days in a row. But in the KR1, it had the dreaded slowdown problem, AND the KR1 would still reboot itself every few minutes.

5) I anxiously awaited the release of the new KR1 firmware.

6) With the new firmware, the 5740 speed issue is GONE. I consistently get over 800k, and over 1 meg several times. However, the KR1 is STILL rebooting itself every few minutes!

Finally, my question - do I perhaps have a defective KR1? Unfortunately I bought it on eBay (before I found this forum) so I don’t think I have any warranty.

Another question - there is a sticker on my KR1 that warns not to insert/remove an EVDO card with the power on. What might have happened if the previous owned did that, any chance of damaging the KR1 circuitry?

Thank you in advance for your comments!

Michael · Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:31 am Post subject:

Normally, warranty replacements are handled by the "place you purchased it".

For those that purchased their KR1s from us, the first thing we do, is provide support to help with any problems (contac us). We have a top notch support group that really understands the KR1. IF, there is a problem that we cannot solve (like a defective router, hardware problem), we are able to work out an advanced exchange while your KR1 is under warranty (first 12 months).

I would recommend that you contact Kyocera and explain to them the problem and that the unit still is under warranty since they first started shipping the KR1 back in February 2006.
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Fresca · Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 11:46 am Post subject:

Thank you for the info Michael. I was hoping to get a confirmation that I probably have a KR1 hardware problem. I’ll call Kyocera. I understand you cannot provide support to those who did not buy from you, that’s only fair.

Just FYI, I did call Kyocera KR1 support back when I was still using a KPC-6450 card, and they eventually referred me to a D-Link support number. When I called D-Link they sent me back to Kyocera. Most of my calls were routed to India. I looped around like this a couple of times before I realized what was going on and I gave up. All the more reason to purchase from you guys!

Scott · Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:12 pm Post subject:

Try adding Verizon dialing info:

0123456789@vzw3g.com

vzw

verizon

#777

Now click on the Connect checkmark button on the lower-right of the KR1 configuraton menu page. The unit will save and come back. Then go to the Status>Device Info page aka http://192.168.0.1/st_device.html and if there isn't any info in the WAN area of the page, click the Connect button.

Another useful troubleshooting step: Disable Wi-Fi on the KR1. Go to the Basic>Wireless page of your KR1's configuration menu, click the 'Disabled' radio button, and then click 'Apply' on the lower right corner of the page.

Fresca · Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:46 pm Post subject:

Thanks VERY much Scott for this info. I will try it out tonight and I'll report back here if that fixed the problem.

I am familiar with these dialing parameters (except Server Name), because I’ve manually set up a dial-up connection for my 5740 card in Windows XP. I have wondered before how the KR1 can connect with all these fields left blank, but it does.

Scott · Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 1:39 pm Post subject:

That extra WAN(EVDO) config data normally isn't needed to connect. The #777 is normally all that is needed. Your card stores all the data it needs to handshake with your provider's network (and during first-time setup on a notebook your connection app grabs what it needs for the DUN settings).

Mackieman · EVDO Junkie Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 453

Scott · Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:11 pm Post subject:

Interesting. Thanks for the update.

Sprint and VZW never normally need those dialing configs. There have been a few instances where KR1 users could not connect without that added data. It seemed to correlate to re-activated accounts or accounts that just had a mobile number change.

We often have to walk Alltel customers through setup, unless they figured it out for themselves.

Makes me wonder about a few things (fodder for a new thread): What about the Alltel-Sprint roaming deal? What authentication data will rural customers need/use? Or how about folks up in Alaska on ACS.

Mackieman · EVDO Junkie Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 453

Well, the more I think about it the more I believe it is possible that the person above ran into this issue. Verizon has 1X roaming agreements with Alltel and other carriers. I believe Sprint does as well. If you're roaming in a place where 1X data is available but it is SIP only then you will need to provide the PPP data on the WAN (EVDO) page in order to connect through that roaming provider. This is probably a good thing to add to some FAQs and into the User Guide.

Michael · Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:58 pm Post subject:

Scott, great post. Please, create a new thread and make it a sticky. Also, lets add this note to our KR1 PDF Guide that we have for our customers.
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Fresca · Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 9:25 am Post subject:

Scott · Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 9:33 pm Post subject:

Good to hear you zeroed in on the problem, yet sorry to hear about the warranty dilemma.

Forum members: please post KR1 RK1006 firmware update issues to the KR1 RK1006 Firmware Issues thread: http://www.evdoforums.com/about2905.html -Thanks, Admin.

Fresca · Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 8:10 pm Post subject:

On the topic of warranty replacement (because my KR1 keeps rebooting when WiFi is enabled) – I called D-Link, and when the tech heard that I had bought the router used, he basically told me to drop dead. So I called Kyocera, and I somehow ended up talking to someone in accessory sales. It must be a small operation, because he was obviously more than a sales clerk. He politely listened to all the problems I’ve had with the KR1, asked me several questions, and put me on hold to see id there is anything they can do for me. I was getting my hopes up, when someone else came on the line and said sorry but they can’t honor the warranty on used items. But at least they were sympathetic and professional, unlike D-Link.

So, it looked like I was out of luck, and I resigned myself to buying a separate wireless access point.

However, today I borrowed a KPC650 card from a friend, and my KR1 works great with it (using RK1006 firmware). With the WiFi enabled, it has not rebooted at all after 8 hours. So, perhaps my 5740 card has an RF leak as Scott suggested.

Thanks again to everyone who’s responded to my many questions!