Upgrade your firmware or else?? (Verizon 7/15/07)

catows · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 07 Jun 2005 Posts: 13

I was talking with the local Verizon engineer today and he was telling me for the V620 there is a new device driver for it as well that has to be updated along with the other updates.

Robbins911

Every since I "upgraded" the firmware, I cannot stay connected when in a National Access area. Broadband works great and it will reconnect when it finds a broadband signal, but no joy with the National. Verizon is clueless is to the cause, I've talked to a couple of the Tier 2 folks and they have no idea what's wrong. Naturally, there only suggestion was to uninstall and reinstall the drivers and access manager software (which I did prior to calling them).

On another note, I just downloaded an update from the Novatel website for the V620. It has something to do with the roaming capabilities. http://www.novatelwireless.com/products/merlin/merlin-v620_verizon.html

We'll see tomorrow if it helps with this problem.

Jimincalifornia · EVDO User Joined: 25 Sep 2005 Posts: 72

So on my rig, the process will look like:

1) Download Verizon stuff and stick it on a USB drive.

2) Pull out my 60gig laptop hard disk loaded with Linux (Fedora Core 6).

3) Slap in my 40gig WinXP hard disk that has never so much as once touched the Internet...and never will if I can help it...

4) Grab Verizon stuff from USB drive.

5) Load VZW software.

6) Pull KPC650 from my KR1 and plug it into the laptop.

7) Update firmware.

Cool

Power it all down and set it back up properly...

Razz

Annoying but doable...

vpnavy · EVDO Junkie Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 168

I just upgraded and had no problems (thank goodness!).

The only difference I've noticed is the Connection Bars at the bottom of VZAcess Manager went from 4 to 5.

Before Update: 87%
After Update: -75dBm (no % number anymore)

Not sure what -75dBm is or if it is better then the original 87%?

Thanks!

Michael · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:10 am Post subject:

Looks like Verizon is sending out postcards that indicate you need to upgrade firmware by 7/15/2007.

More info at:

http://support.vzw.com/how_to_use/bba_device_update.html

Michael · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:19 am Post subject:

We have more info on this at:

Update Verizon Firmware by 07/15/2007 to avoid EVDO service interruption - EVDOinfo.com

Don't panic if you get a postcard in the mail, if you purchased after 1/1/2006, you may already have the latest firmware.
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tiztiz · EVDO Newbie Joined: 20 Apr 2007 Posts: 1

Well I found out the hard way what they don't tell you about the firmware upgrade and how it reacts with your computer.

If you are a true mobile user and rather than having to continually reboot your laptop, you use hibernate or standby mode, once you do this firmware upgrade you can not use this feature. When you try to connect you get various messages such as:

Remote system does not respond
Modem in use
Request not supported
Cannot automatically connect to National Access - Broadband Access.

So after going back and fourth with Verizon Tech support at highest level they tell me that adjustments in the firmware were made so that it "powers off" the card (their reasoning is that there were various issues with having this function) so that the only way you can connect again is to do a fresh restart.

I find this reasoning ridiculous since from the users view the card is not powered off (blue light still on and if you check status card is still powered on so you can turn it off). Also you can't manually power off card; then eject it; reinsert it and start VZAccess Mgr again. This will not work either.

I have over 50 mobile personnel who are on the go throughout the day and who keep their laptops in hibernate or standby mode.

I can't believe that this would be a problem that would require Verizon to disable the ability to have been able to reconnect when laptop is reactivated from such a mode. What are they thinking?

Species8472 · Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:54 am Post subject:

Tiz

How did this all work out with your Team.? Did they have to restart the laptops each time or did they disconnected and powerdown the device?

CraigCraig · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 142

Species8472 · Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 6:34 am Post subject:

I have stopped using the VZM connection software. I will use it to change some settings such as forcing it to stay EV vs auto etc. I now use the Novatel's mobilink connection. It is working perfectly so far. I throw my Dell D420 with XP (SP2) into hibernate mode all the time and this baby wakes up and autoconnects with no issues at all.