Suggestions for improving 1xRTT?

Oliver58 · Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 12:37 pm Post subject: Suggestions for improving 1xRTT?

I recently purchased a Verizon V740 ExpressCard for use with my MacBook Pro. When I’m in EVDO areas, such as here in Minneapolis, it works like a charm. But attempting to go online in 1xRTT areas is pretty much pointless. It’s so slow it’s virtually unusable. Web pages take between two and five minutes to load, and the browser frequently times out before they do. I’ve tried several 1xRTT areas here in the Midwest, including in some midsized cities, but it’s the same in each location.

While in these 1xRTT areas I’ve tested the connection with speedtest.net. Upload and download speeds are acceptable: about 100- to 130kbps download and 30- to 60kbps upload. Decibel levels seem to be fine, ranging from around –75dBm to –90dBm. Ping rates, however, can be very high: in a northern Minnesota location I travel to frequently, the ping rate can be 900-plus. (I don’t really understand what affects ping rates, but I’ve noticed they’re significantly lower in EVDO areas.) It’s not a matter of a weak signal -- In this particular location I get a strong signal – usually 3 bars. I can even see the cellular tower, which is a little more than a mile away. There is no EVDO service anywhere near this location, so I’m not expecting miracles. I just want to check email and weather forecasts.

One more clue: While a Web page is loading, the data transfer indicators – both the V740’s flashing green light and the up/down arrows on my MBP desktop – stop for long periods. That is, data transfer will cease entirely for 10 to 20 seconds, then start again for 5 to 10 seconds, then stop for 10 to 20, then start again, etc. The start-stop intervals are pretty regular. Sometimes a page will eventually load after many minutes; other times the browser will simply give up and display a “cannot locate the server” message. I know it’s normal for the signal indicators to go dormant when there’s no information being transferred, but this cycle happens when I’m trying to access any Web page.

Even though signal strength and tower distance don’t seem to be the issue, I purchased a booster antenna from the 3G Store. It doesn’t seem to help. I also purchased the EVDO Direct Connect Amplifier (3 watt), but that doesn’t help either. (Although I’m just using the booster antenna with the amplifier. Maybe I need a different antenna? But again, signal strength doesn’t seem to be the problem.)

I’ve called Verizon customer service and talked with a technician; I’ve called the good folks at the 3Gstore; and I even called the rural cellular company that owns the nearby tower. They’ve all been very nice, but aren’t able to offer any assistance. Suggestions, anyone?

yovinman · Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 1:03 am Post subject:

This is just a guess, but do you have any of the personal firewall stuff turned on as part of your anti-virus software (i.e. Norton, etc.)? Sometimes, that can slow things down to a crawl when surfing. If you do, try turning it off.

Species8472 · Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 4:18 am Post subject: Slow

I agree. Expereinces this same effect with my last laprtop. This one is clean,. has little background crap on it and the connections are much better.

Oliver58 · Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 7:05 am Post subject:

Thanks for your suggestions. I'm not running anti-virus software on my MacBook Pro (yeah, I know, I'm tempting fate), but I do keep the built-in firewall on. I turned it off, but haven't noticed a difference.

The real issue seems to be with what I believe is referred to as latency. When I'm trying to load a Web page, data transfer simply goes dormant for 10 to 15 seconds at a time, then starts again, then stops, etc. So the page either eventually loads, or the browser gives up. This may just be the nature of the wireless signal in this area. I've started using my Booster Antenna, and found that it makes the signal stronger -- four bars and about 75 dBm. So that's not the problem. I've also set the browser so that it doesn't load images. This does help, as there is less data to transfer, but it also makes some Web pages difficult to navigate.

But again, thanks for your suggestions. I'll keep experimenting.

Species8472 · Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 1:38 pm Post subject: Slow

Do you use teh Venturi compression software? Maybe it does not come with your VZ Manager. It did with mine and I turned it off. Def helped slow things down (if you can beleive that).

I downloaded the latest VZ Mgr 5.8.6 (1470a) 2 months ago.

Oliver58 · Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 7:50 pm Post subject:

I'm not using any compression software. I'm also not using the Verizon software. Macs have support for EVDO built into the operating system. Very clean, very simple.

But thanks for the suggestion. I'm willing to hear and consider anything.

yovinman · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 5:08 pm Post subject:

kc_fan · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 9:18 pm Post subject: Ping times

I can say that from what I have seen ping times for 1xrtt can be slow, most of what I have seen have been 200-450ms ping times.

Keep in mind 1xrtt is made for voice first and data second, so you are fighting with anyone using those towers for bandwidth, (which will be less then availiable with EVDO). As the amount of voice users go up and the terain worsens the higher the pings you could see.

EVDO is made for data and data on EVDO gets higher priority and the tower normaly has more bandwith available to it (most have two or more T1's). The pings will be much better 100-250ms most of the time.

NoWayJose · EVDO Newbie Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Posts: 10

Your ping rates are going to be high when in 1Xrtt and you'll max out at around 144. Don't expect much there. I had the same dormant problem and someone turned me on to some freeware called BySoft Stay Alive. It does a good job at keeping you connected and getting rid of the dormancy issue. I have it set to 9 second fixed intervals and now I don't get the yellow icon anymore, and the green light on my card (S720) blinks continuously. It might be a good start to your troubleshooting.

Oliver58 · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:43 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the suggestions, folks.

Yovinman: I think my Mac is handling 1xRTT as well as any computer would. I was in Marshalltown, Iowa, yesterday, where there is no EVDO service. 1xRTT worked like a charm there -- very usable. Upload-download rates were typical; ping rates were high, not surprisingly; signal strength was about three bars; and decible strength was in the 75-83dBm rate. All indicators are about the same in the northern Minnesota location where 1xRTT is virtually unsuable, except that the transfer of data was almost continuous, allowing pages to load fairly quickly.

kd_fan: Interesting point about 1xRTT prioritizing voice data first. When I'm using my Verizon cell phone in the northern Minnesota location, I frequently get an "all circuits are busy" recording. That could have something to do with my poor 1xRTT experience.

NoWayJose: Thanks for the suggestion about the freeware. BySoft Stay Alive is for PCs only, but I googled around and found there is similar freeware for Macs. I'll try it and let you know if it helps.

Thanks, all.

Oliver58 · Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:51 am Post subject: Slow 1xRTT

I installed Turbo Internet, an application for the Mac that simulates Internet activity (like BySoft Stay Alive for PCs) and tried it in northern Minnesota where I've been having trouble with 1xRTT.

While it seemed to help download speed somewhat while my V740 card was actively transferring data, it didn't alleviate the "dormant" problem I've detailed in previous posts. Dang.

Guess I'm not surprised. The 10-to-20-second signal dropouts happen even in the midst of loading a Web page. Presumably there would be no need for Turbo Internet to simulate activity during those periods, as there is already actual ongoing Internet activity. Maybe, as kc_fan suggested, it's a matter of the local cell company prioritizing use of their bandwidth.

Maybe it's also got something to do with Verizon's three-tiered geographic areas of coverage areas. BroadbandAccess (EVDO) is mostly in larger metro areas; then comes National Access & Enhanced Services (1xRTT), typically just beyond metro areas. Finally, there's National Access Extended Services (also 1xRTT), which primarily consists of outlying areas far beyond large cities. This is where I'm having the most trouble.

isotherm · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 21 May 2007 Posts: 13

It may be that it's using the 850MHz band. I can't provide any technical reason for this, but when I had T-Mobile internet (GPRS/EDGE) I had similar problems whenever I was in an 850MHz area, and when I called advanced support they claimed this was the reason. I'm in far northwestern Wisconsin presently and experience similar problems every now and then with 1xRTT on 850MHz. I'm not familiar with Verizon, but that may be what "Extended Services" means to them.