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Thread: Huawie Wifi test and interesting results.

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    Default Huawie Wifi test and interesting results.

    Admin sent me an Huawei E583C Wireless Modem and Today using a friends Optus SIM card I did some tests regarding signal reception as I know Optus is not strong here.
    In the yard outside I get an intermittent 1 bar, coming inside was as expected was No Signal no matter where I tried.
    I then connected a 'Rubber Ducky' type and db gain unknown and got a consistent 1 bar inside which I doubt would be good enough to go online.
    I then tried my external Yagi and 'BINGO' 5 BARS and 3G !!!!!!!
    Now I did not connect to the internet or the computer at any time for the testing.

    This modem has been 'unlocked' so I tried a Telstra SIM with no credit and got 1 bar or no Network with no antenna.
    I went straight to the external antenna and got 5 Bars on it but it shows as 2G not 3G which has me puzzled as thats what a Telstra unlocked (Turbo) Dongle showed when an Optus SIM card was put in it.

    I am very limited here for reception and although I have a set of Towers on the top of a nearby mountain barely 4 kilometres away I am in the shadow of the signal from them.
    Although a website shows all the mobile companies hold liceses at this location, unfortunately they are either inactive or relays only as most like Vodaphone and Virgin simply dont work here.

    Telstra has definately improved its signal strength in recent times because as little as 3 years ago, my Telstra mobile which I bought when CDMA was turned off could barely raise 1 bar but now shows 2 Bars or more in the same places without an antenna.

    Any ideas on why the 2G shows instead of 3G with the Telstra SIM but with the Optus card, it shows 3G?

    The external antenna is a Log periodic Yagi I bought off Ebay with about 10 metres of cable and a patch lead to match the modems.
    Last edited by gordon_s1942; 24-05-13 at 04:48 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by gordon_s1942 View Post
    Any ideas on why the 2G shows instead of 3G with the Telstra SIM but with the Optus card, it shows 3G?
    The Huawei E583C is made for and sold by Optus only. Therefore, the only 3G signals it will receive are 900/2100, thats the hardware in it. Your Telstra modem is 3G 850/2100.

    Telstra 3G operates on 850/2100, almost exclusively on 850 as their 2100 is mainly used for extra capacity. So by putting the Telstra card in the Optus modem, the telstra card is looking for 850mhz but the device doesnt do 850, only 900.

    The reason the Telstra card will work on 2G, is because both Optus and Telstra use these bands which the device supports.
    EDGE/GPRS/GSM 1900/1800/900/850 MHz (dont confuse these 900 and 850's with what I said above, Edge/GPRS/GSM is 2G)

    As the Telstra sim looks for 3G 850 and cant find it, it then connects to 2G instead.

    Huawei E583C Router Specifications

    • HSPA/UMTS 2100/900 MHz
    • EDGE/GPRS/GSM 1900/1800/900/850 MHz
    • HSUPA (UL) data service of up to 5.76 Mbps
    • HSDPA (DL) data service of up to 7.2 Mbps
    • Plug and play (PnP)
    • Internal memory: 128MB Flash, 64MB Memory
    • Power supply: AC: 100V~240V; DC: 5V, 1A
    • Battery : Type: Li (Rechargeable); Capacity: 3.7V, 1400mAh; Maximum working time: 3.5 hours; Maximum standby time: 100 hours
    • LED: OLED screen
    • key-press: power switch, WPS switch
    • Dimensions (D * W * H): 96.0mm*57.0mm*11.5mm
    • Weight: about 90g (including the battery)
    • USB Extension Cable, easy to connect
    • Standard mini USB interface
    • Built-in WCDMA and WLAN high gain antenna
    • External main diversity antenna interface
    • Micro Secure Digital Memory (Micro SD) Card
    • Windows Windows XP/ Windows Vista/ MAC operating system (OS) 10.4 and above


    I then tried my external Yagi and 'BINGO' 5 BARS and 3G !!!!!!!
    Thats a great result compared to what you had.

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    Thanks for posting that info Gordon, gives me hope.

    I wonder if I put a Yagi up, I would increase the mobile reception here from intermittent 1 bar to some thing I could make & receive calls with???
    Cheers, Tiny
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    Now it makes sense so really 'unlocking' any devise isnt a case of it can now 'Do and be All' is restricted by what its designed to do in the first place.
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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    Well as you know from your previous Post I had all those problems with the 2 that iinet sent out and in the end I've reverted back to DODO.

    With my external antenna I get around 2 Bars (enough to get a log in) that's at my home address, at the moment I'm currently in a place called Kalbarri and the signal strength is average-ing 93/99% couldn't be better. So yes positions do count

    The Mobile Broadband has a long way to go in the improvement stakes in my opinion, cant handle the loading's in built up areas is one thing that they should look at.

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    Quote Originally Posted by gordon_s1942 View Post
    Now it makes sense so really 'unlocking' any devise isnt a case of it can now 'Do and be All' is restricted by what its designed to do in the first place.
    Yep. Unlocking is just taking the carrier (telstra/optus/vodafone etc) lock off.

    From memory, I only really unlocked that device for the fun of it as there was little point with it being Optus 900/2100 only. But its the same as mobile phones.

    If you had a device that had the specs of 850/900/1900/2100MHz (Quadband) for 3G, you would definately get it unlocked if it was network locked, as it will do both 850 and 900 meaning it will work with both Telstra and Optus (and of course Vodafone who also use 850)

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tiny View Post
    Thanks for posting that info Gordon, gives me hope.

    I wonder if I put a Yagi up, I would increase the mobile reception here from intermittent 1 bar to some thing I could make & receive calls with???
    Tiny, sight unseen its stupid to give a definite answer but, and I hope the others agree, if you have ANY signal now, the Yagi WILL increase the signal with a few proviso's, one being to keep the cable run as short as possible as the signals at these frequencies suffer with too long a run.
    If I am correct, all you need is 3 bars to ensure an error free internet connection and as you have one now, the yagi should gain that at least.
    I had to decide to either go UP 7 metres to clear my roof to see the tower or go to the end of the house which was about the same cable distance but meant it was easier to instal.
    I used a standard 'J' pole to mount the antenna Vertically with its nose raised as the tower is some 100 metres higher than I am.
    I spent about $150 all up.
    But before you decide anything, does your modem have the facility to connect to an external antenna?
    **************************
    Toyboys comments on 'loading' wont change no matter what antenna you use as all the antenna can do is collect and transmit the signal thats available.
    I doubt theres an area anywhere that doesnt suffer 'overloading' during Peak or weekends when everyone is online surfing but having a poor signal certainly doesnt help any.
    Remember the wifi/wireless internet works exactly the same as Digital TV and its either there or not.
    Last edited by gordon_s1942; 24-05-13 at 06:21 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by gordon_s1942 View Post
    Tiny, sight unseen its stupid to give a definite answer but, and I hope the others agree, if you have ANY signal now, the Yagi WILL increase the signal with a few proviso's, one being to keep the cable run as short as possible as the signals at these frequencies suffer with too long a run.
    If I am correct, all you need is 3 bars to ensure an error free internet connection and as you have one now, the yagi should gain that at least.
    I had to decide to either go UP 7 metres to clear my roof to see the tower or go to the end of the house which was about the same cable distance but meant it was easier to instal.
    I used a standard 'J' pole to mount the antenna Vertically with its nose raised as the tower is some 100 metres higher than I am.
    I spent about $150 all up.
    But before you decide anything, does your modem have the facility to connect to an external antenna?
    I don't have any 3g modem ATM, I'm on NBN Satellite, I'm just hypothesizing whether I could use the Yagi with a wireless 3G router to get phone reception & possibly internet for those that visit here with wireless dongles. Have tried wireless 3g with internal antenna, but only got 1 bar, not enough to register on the network.

    I guess I won't know till I try. But your results give me hope. Thanks.
    Cheers, Tiny
    "You can lead a person to knowledge, but you can't make them think? If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.
    The information is out there; you just have to let it in."

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    What frequency is your yagi
    I have tried a 2100 and it works OK 4- 5 bars
    But I think optus switches between 900_2100 because I would loose the internet but still have service
    Should have tried a multi frequency yagi but am now using kogan which doesn't need boosting
    Good luck

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    Tiny, thats how I am working right now, I came off the Ipstar Satellite last June and went to a Telstra modem, not who or what I wanted but modems like this Huawei werent available that I knew of at the time.
    I only added the Yagi after as I had sufficient signal so long as the modem was near the window.
    But I already knew what signal was generally available as my Telstra mobile had an antenna connection and with the car antenna I got cheap I had done some rudimentary testing around the area already so this just made me look harder at changing over which I am glad I did.
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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    Quote Originally Posted by mickc View Post
    What frequency is your yagi
    I have tried a 2100 and it works OK 4- 5 bars
    But I think optus switches between 900_2100 because I would loose the internet but still have service
    Should have tried a multi frequency yagi but am now using kogan which doesn't need boosting
    Good luck
    Mickc, I chose a Log Periodic type Yagi with a band range of 800 to 2100, cost about $99 from an Ebay seller in Adelaide.
    I know the purists will bite my head off but as far as I am concerned there isnt a single frequency antenna built as they all can cover a range outside their advertised rating.
    The really good ones will perform better no doubt but the big difference will be in how well its constructed more than anything else.
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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