EVDO-U720-Other Noob Questions

buckiebo · EVDO Newbie Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 9

Hi all!

I have been reading the forums for the last few weeks. Even registered once under another id but, for some reason was unable to login. Anyway, I have learned quite a bit but, I still have some issues.

I am on my 2nd week with Sprint and the U720. So far, Im pretty happy with it even though I am not seeing anywhere near the speeds I thought I would in my area. I live in 27357 but, travel daily in the 27410 area which is supposed to be Rev 0. I have looked all over NC and Rev A is nowhere in sight. Anyway, that being said, I think I will stick with the service and hope it gets better.

Here is my problems/questions. When I am using the service...at home or on the road, my speeds/bars, stay about the same. What I do not understand is it shows
1XRTT*
1XEVDO
ALWAYS!

It doesnt matter if I am at home or in the 27410 where the speeds are supposed to be higher, this is what it shows. My question is, how do I know what connection I am on AND if EVDO is showing, then I assume it is available.

The connection software settings are greyed out and do not allow me to force EVDO only or anything else. It is locked in to Automatic.

Is there a way I can tell which connection I am using? If I am guessing right, I can tell by the download speeds which are less than impressive but, still better than nothing since I am a driver and need mobile internet.

I think the highest I have seen at home are 325 down and about 125 up using speakeasy.net speed test.

According to the Sprint map, Evdo O is all around me and I would think if I could find a way to force the issue, I could lock into that and increase my speeds.

Maybe Im right, maybe I am wrong. All I know is 1xrtt is always on top with the * and 1xevdo is on the bottom...no *

Im sure this info is all over this forum and I am reading around it but, I have searched and tonight decided to ask so I can continue my 30 day trial and make sure I am keeping this service.

Thanks for any help or advice or links anyone can give!

Chuong · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 25

You click "stop" on connection manager then check evdo only. This will help.

buckiebo · EVDO Newbie Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 9

Bigdave · EVDO Addict Joined: 08 Nov 2006 Posts: 1069

You're obviously getting evdo with speeds of even 300 down since the max on 1x is around 144 I think. 300 is ev for sure. Not good evdo but it is definitely evdo. Mine is always like yours as far as the fact that 1x is on top of the evdo signal in CM. Doesn't appear to have anything to do with anything since I have always gotten well over 1000kbps down. You're 125 up is pretty close to max until Rev A is in your area. I would think you should be getting more than 325 down though. You might need some type of antenna which the experts here at www.antenna-booster.com can provide their expertise on since looking at the map, you appear to be in a fairly spotty area at home. Weird little gaps in coverage probably due to some licensing issues or something.

There's no roaming charges for data roaming. Also, looking at the maps Alltel doesn't have EV in your area and you certainly won't be roaming on VZW's Evdo so apparently, since you're connecting to evdo it is Sprint's. Doesn't appear to be any other ev source in your area that you could possibly roam on anyway.

buckiebo · EVDO Newbie Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 9

Now thats good info! I THOUGHT Alltel was "big" around here so, I assummed when that warning came up, I was on their service. Again, the connection showed several different things when I first tried to turn EVDO only on. I am still going to tinker with it to see what is what.

You are correct about my area. First of all, its about as rural as it gets but, we are surrounded some larger cities...Greensboro, Kernersville and Winston Salem. If you look at the street level map, its all orange with the exception of the small circle around my house....go figure that one.

Like you said though, with those speeds, it is EVDO. Even though the map shows my house to be inside the "non-evdo" area...Im getting it.

Tell me whether this makes any sense. If I go back and change the mode to Automatic, my speeds drop and the 1XRTT coverage again is on top with the *. It still shows ALMOST the same -88 reading on both Evdo and 1XRTT but, the speeds are MUCH MUCH slower...in that 300 range I spoke of earlier.

If I change it to EVDO only, well, the speeds jump up to the 800 range with the same 125 or so UP speed.

I am going to guess it is pretty simple, the 1XRTT signal is a little bit stronger so, it takes the strongest signal and that would be the 1XRTT and not the EVDO.

If I have learned anything from reading these forums, I guess I should just set it to EVDO only as instructed in this thread and keep on keeping on.

When I decide whether to keep the service or not, then I will look into an antenna to help with the signal.

(who am I kidding, this mobile broadband is like a drug...and I am addicted!)

Bigdave · EVDO Addict Joined: 08 Nov 2006 Posts: 1069

buckiebo · EVDO Newbie Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 9

It is addictive and I am still a new user....the possibilities are endless Im telling you.

Anyway, I had to make a run this afternoon and I am now in downtown Greensboro (27410) I would have thought I would see a "incredible" jump in speed from my house in the sticks. Not so fast my friend!

I just used speedtest.net to run a test and was able to pull down 800 and 135up....still very good, just not as fast as I would have thought.

It may be time for me to see what speed equals what and see what the actual limitations are.

I do know it is plenty fast here or at home in the sticks to stream my Slingbox so, no more missing games for me.

Also, I looked at the entire NC map earlier trying to see where I might try rev a. Well, it does not look like it is ANYWHERE around here so, that may have to wait. Very surprising considering the larger cities, Greensboro, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham and Wilmington are not in the plans yet.

-85dBm here in downtown GSO which is not a lot better than at home.

Bigdave · EVDO Addict Joined: 08 Nov 2006 Posts: 1069

Check this thread out to possibly tweak your settings. I was able to see a pretty decent increase by tweaking the TCP receive window size as directed here http://www.evdoforums.com/thread504.html?sid=45037c9f65588e8286615ff2e81faeaa

buckiebo · EVDO Newbie Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 9

I do that TCP change whenever I get a new system so, it was done well before I got addicted to EVDO!

As for the Slingbox, they suggest you have a minimum of 256up at home before attempting to do any serious "slinging" My cable broadband is 5mb down and 384k up and it works great.

I actually upgraded to "premium" RR for awhile to increase my up to 512 and for the cost and all the trouble I had, it was not worth it. It caused more trouble than it was worth. Had to get another cable modem/router combo from the cable company, it was crap. Had all kinds of disconnects and downtime was a plenty.

I finally got tired of it, went back just to "basic" RR and everything works like a charm.

As for slinging with this 720, its pretty slick. I actually drove all the way from downtown Greensboro to my home without missing a beat. It "stuttered" one time going down 158 but, I never lost the connection.

This was about a 35 mile trip, with varying terrain and highways and backroads. I was amazed. It was almost as good out in the sticks as it was sitting parked in downtown Greensboro.

One thing I did notice..and I was going to bring this up later but, I will do it now. Off of 158 between Stokesdale and Kernersville there is a huge tower. From what little bit I know, I have to assume this is a cell tower with several different carriers. The damn thing is huge.

Anyway, there is a stoplight on 158 right at the tower intersection. While stopped at the light, I hovered over the bars on the CM software. I figured it would show something low...like -15 or anything but the constant -83, -85, -88 I see most of the time.

It jumped up to -119 and -129 while I was stopped there! That totally confused me even more. I was right up on a tower and Sprint is bound to have a transmitter up there with everyone else. I was shocked to see it go so high.

Maybe I was "too close" if there is such a thing? Next time I go that route, I will take a photo of the tower and post it here (if that is allowed) and see what the people with knowledge can make of it.

kd5xb · Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 8:49 am Post subject:

With all those antennas, I would guess that either it isn't a cell tower, or possibly you're so close that you're getting a bit of desense from something on another frequency. Or maybe an image frequency is interfering. Just a guess, though.

What I want to know, is how do you tell if you're on EVDO Rev A or Rev 0??? I'm using the Merlin S720.

Thanks y'all!
Earl

Bigdave · EVDO Addict Joined: 08 Nov 2006 Posts: 1069

buckiebo · EVDO Newbie Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 9

I should be going by it on Tuesday and will take a pic of it. Got sidetracked this week and ended up in Lakeville, MN on a sidetrip.

Getting about the same speeds in this area as I am at home...which of course surprised me since its not far from MSP and I would THINK they have Rev A over there....but, they dont!