Novatel U720 Help Please

kess91 · EVDO User Joined: 27 Dec 2006 Posts: 30

Hello Everyone,
I am new to the forums, and to the Broadband card as well. I was on the phone with Sprint for about an hour, and we tried everything, and no luck. What happens is that every morning when i turn the computer on, it loads up, and the connection is very slow. I mean like something is wrong slow, not just slower than usual. It would take a good few minutes for a page to load up. So i stop the connection, and restart the connection. I unplug the modem, and replug it. mess with the settings by checking the NDIS, and nothing. After a while playing around like that, finally i will get a good connection. My signal strength is full bars, and the numbers say:
(1XRTT)-90dBM
(1XEVDO)-83dBM
Most of the time those numbers are higher. I am not sure if that has anything to do with it, but please let me know, and i really do appreciate it Also i even have the Y shaped wire that it came with hooked up in both USB ports.

Walter · EVDO Junkie Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 307

Here's my advice (such as it is):

I would try a reinstall of Connection Manager. The first time I installed it, I had some strange behavior as well (though not the same as yours). Also, it did not seem that the U720 drivers installed cleanly the first time. So I decided to uninstall Connection Manager and then reinstall it. The U720 was fully recognized this time and the drivers loaded cleanly. It's been working fine since then.

I realize that you may have already done this, but that's the best I can think of given the behavior you describe.

Good luck.

P.S. The numbers you list show a "fair" connection to the tower. You should be able to do decent EVDO transfers if you are in the low -80's dBm (in my experience). This is one case were *lower* is better (OK, OK for those who know better it's actually higher since we're talking negative numbers). I have an external antenna connected to my U720 and the unit is sitting on my window sill. I'm usually getting in the mid to high 70's dBm.
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tbhausen · EVDO Junkie Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 158

If doing a reinstall, I'd go to www.sprint.com/downloads and get the latest version of the U720 software (.006?). It's very unlikely you have that on CD in the original packge.

HTH,
Todd/Indy

kess91 · EVDO User Joined: 27 Dec 2006 Posts: 30

Thanks alot guys. I am trying it now. Of course it is downloading super slow. Let me also ask about the NDIS? Do you keep it set on that, or not? I don't know what it is for? Also i never see the yellow arrows on the signal strength. The book says that they will have a yellow outline when EVDO is connected, and i never had the compression symbol, and i don't have the bandwidth optimization setting in mine?

kess91 · EVDO User Joined: 27 Dec 2006 Posts: 30

Ok so i finished the download, and it was the same crap again. The guy at Sprint told me not to activate the NDIS, and that it would make it slower. Guess what? It is super fast with that on.

Jbradthomas · EVDO User Joined: 22 Jan 2006 Posts: 39

Try locking card on EVDO only.
Yellow arrows indicate Rev. A

kess91 · EVDO User Joined: 27 Dec 2006 Posts: 30

Thanks. I tried that. Didn't work.

kess91 · EVDO User Joined: 27 Dec 2006 Posts: 30

Well it seems to working well now. I have it set on NDIS. I still don't know why i don't have those other settings, like the bandwidth optimization? I would like to know what settings to really keep it on so i can get the full power from it?
Thanks

tbhausen · EVDO Junkie Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 158

I haven't seen Bytemobile (bandwidth optimization) in any recent versions of SPCS Connection Manager for either Sierra or Novatel products. I'm not sure why user guides still refer to it.

Todd/Indy

Walter · EVDO Junkie Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 307

Glad to hear it's working better now.

I do not have NDIS on. In fact, once I got the card activated and was able to connect, I stopped using connection manager altogether. The install puts a Windows DUN configuration on your system as well. Since my U720 is on my server, I use ICS to share the DUN connection so I don't need to be logged on to my server in order to share access.

One of these days I'll try and see if I can get my D-Link DIR-450 router to recognize it.
_________________
Reach, Connect, Celebrate, Grow, Serve.

kess91 · EVDO User Joined: 27 Dec 2006 Posts: 30

So is it possible to share my DSL connection with the U720? I wouldn't think so, but i am still have these slow speeds. Would the booster antenna help?
Thank You Everyone for the help.

3stepps · EVDO Newbie Joined: 24 Jan 2007 Posts: 4

Talked to a sprint tech a couple of days ago about the U720 with the same problem. Had me reboot, which is what a windows support tech will always tell you, must be something about windows. OK did that. Then uninstalled drivers from device manager. Disabled internal modem, removed device, then reinserted device, got found new hardware. Still wouldn't connect. Set telephony from manual to auto in services. Had to reboot again. Connected and worked fine till power down and restart an hour later. Rechecked device manager and the comm ports had the yellow question mark in it. uninstalled drivers again. unpluged and repluged device and no yellow queston mark it connected great. Same thing the next day. Called back in and an hour later got tech support after five (5) transfers and he didn't know how to get to device manager from anywhere but catagory view. edu him about start - right click on my computer and click manage. (figured that I would help him with his call time.) But he did suggest; after he finally heard what I was telling him about the reoccuring problem, to just dial from the dun after I uninstalled the connection manager. Has worked great ever since. Only thing is no signal strength or data sent/received.

Grammer free ZONE.
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Just cause!

mrchuckbadazz · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 27 Sep 2006 Posts: 19

Sometimes resetting the card by doing ##rtn and having it go through the activation wizard and IOTA helps get the speed back up.

jvhite · EVDO Newbie Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 6

Have you checked TCP/Ip Window size?