Re: Need help with my internet connection
Fairchild
Newbie

Thank you much for your reply, this is the most help I have had in months!

 

Something in your reply scares me though. You say it should be 12'' away from my computer, but the cable is only 10'' long. They said it would be a 30'' cable but it is 10. At the moment, it is only about 5'' away from the computer. 

My RSSI is still lower than usual today, the speed is somewhat better but not much though. I only got disconnected about 4 times yesterday which is much better than it has been so far.

 

The part of the antenna I found and attached is a small, skinny piece that screws into the round thing (lol that's the most technical explanation I can come up with) I did attach the magnetic part to a piece of metal, but not until after googling for solutions and finding a post where someone said to do that, The antenna didn't come with instructions.

 

I went to the verizon store again yesterday, but did not get anywhere. I still don't have my username and they had no idea how to give it to me. The message "someone else is already using this connection" worries me, so I want to change my password. The password they gave me is so obvious a child can crack it, but I don't know where to change it and I don't know my username.

I also told them about my RSSI going too high, and they thought I was talking about Kbps and said well the higher the better, right? They then gave me the phone number of technical support for 'further help' but that's the exact same phone number I've used for hours on end without ever getting a human being on the line.

 

I asked to let me out of the contract without a cancellation fee due to constant problems, but didn't get anywhere with this either. I then asked for the phone number or email of a supervisor, and they referred again to the useless phone number for tech support.

 

I received an email 4 days ago to say that this topic had been escalated and was asked for some information such as account number, name and phone number. I replied immediately with the information but have not heard back since.

 

Sorry but this has been one of the most dreadful, stressful and ridiculous experiences I've ever had with any product. I am not using the internet for fun, I work full time on line and depend on this connection to make a living. I've been actively trying for 3 months now to get this sorted, spening far too much time on this. 

 

Since you were so kind to help me, the only 'real' help I have had so far, it does look like my connection may have improved a bit, the next few days will tell, no doubt. Thank you much for your time.

 

And to verizon.. I still want my username, and I still need to know how and where to change my password and how to secure my connection if it is not secure. I am also still waiting for the $50 rebate I was supposed to get, but at the store where I bought this, they didn't know how to go about this. 

Getting some kind of credit for all the stress and outages would be an added bonus :smileyhappy: 

 

 

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Re: Need help with my internet connection
Fairchild
Newbie

Well I guess this is about the drop that makes the bucket overflow. I am writing this from my dial up because I can't get a connection with verizon to save my life.

 

This time, it says I have a whole two bars, RSSI is fine, it says I am connected, but I simply can't get on the internet. It just says 'looking for (URL), nothimg happens and eventually it times out.

Connection went out in the middle of a work-related conversation a while ago (after several sudden disconnects earlier) and I have not been able to reconnect at all.

 

Yes I've tried the usual. end process, disconnect modem, try different websites, clear cache, flush/dns, nothing, I cannot connect via verizon in any of my 9 browsers to any website out there. I have once again lost an hour of work while struggling with this.

 

I am paid up until the end of July and am not planning on making another payment. Everything has been documented, with screen shots, times of outages, (fruitless) contacts with verizon over the past three months to get help...  I expect to be let out of the contract by the end of July without a cancellation fee. I do not believe it is legal to force an early cancellation fee on a product that does not work.

I yet have to hear back from 'escalating' this topic. I am sorry for this, but it has become more than I can handle.  

 

 

 

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Re: Need help with my internet connection
LukeTech
Contributor - Level 1
I appreciate your appreciation for my feedback!

I'm sorry to hear that you are at the end of your rope. There are ways of terminating the contract with no ETF charge, as you have been wrestling this issue for some time, it should (in my opinion) allow you out.

I would like to respond to your other points in case someone else is having issues and my input may help.

>>Something in your reply scares me though. You say it should be 12'' away from my computer, but the cable is only 10'' long. They said it would be a 30'' cable but it is 10. At the moment, it is only about 5'' away from the computer. <<
This is my "safe" answer to magnets around computers. Just to avoid any confusion and not question your intelligence; I'm suggesting 12 inches away from the computer, particularly the hard drive. The HDD location varies from laptop to laptop yet I have noticed most are near the front, under your wrist. The magnet on that antenna isn't "strong" relatively speaking, so 5" should not be an issue.

>>I went to the verizon store again yesterday, but did not get anywhere. I still don't have my username and they had no idea how to give it to me. The message "someone else is already using this connection" worries me, so I want to change my password. The password they gave me is so obvious a child can crack it, but I don't know where to change it and I don't know my username.<<
It's unfortunate that nobody in the store could tell you that the user name is 0000000000@vzw3g.com, substituting the mobile number of the data card, and the password is vzw3g.com. This is all over the internet, it isn't uncommon knowledge... very disappointing. VZAccess Manager handles the username so you really don't have to maintian it. If you want Windows XP/Vista to manage the connections (which I prefer) you enter the user name/password manually. If you enter the wrong one, it will not authenticate and you won't be connected. As for the message that someone else is connected, I have not seen that before, though I would be curious to know the exact verbiage and HOW it is presented on the screen so we can determine which application is complaining about it. Your over the air data connection is extremely secure, I have no reservations to check my usually empty back account or diminishing 401k over an EVDO connection. However, I would recommend running a firewall. XP/Vista's built-in at least, though ZoneAlarm's free firewall is strongly suggested.

>>I also told them about my RSSI going too high, and they thought I was talking about Kbps and said well the higher the better, right? They then gave me the phone number of technical support for 'further help' but that's the exact same phone number I've used for hours on end without ever getting a human being on the line.<<
I admit, I used to work in a Bell Atlantic Mobile store (years ago before Verizon Wireless ever existed) and at first I didn't know RSSI from a light bulb. Some, not all techs, crave to learn this stuff and go out and educate themselves (such as yours truly) and eventually grasp this RF knowledge. Again, to be clear and not insult intelligence, RSSI measures power in dBm (decibel milliwatt). It's a far easier was of describing such minuscule amount of power. 0db = .001watt or 1mW. -90dBm is 1nW, yeah, that's one nanowatt! -100dBm = .1nW. Back to your statement, when RSSI goes "higher" the power is "lower" assuming we call -100dBm "higher" RSSI than -50dBm for example. To put this in more simple terms, -50 to -60dBm is about what you'll get under a cell site or within a few hundred feet. -90dBm range is the upper limit of excellent call quality. -104dBm is the CDMA minimum design power, a phone "should" maintain a low error rate (the % of errored bits it receives from the cell site) to -104 where it will quickly begin to sound horrible drop packets.

I hate rebates and really wish that VZW would move away from them. This website is set up to track the status on rebates: https://www.yourwirelessrebatecenter.com/promocenter/verizonwireless/
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Re: Need help with my internet connection
Fairchild
Newbie

LukeTech,

 

Again, thank you so much, you're a gem!

 

First, my apologies, lol you really *should* question my intelligence, I read 12 inches as 12 feet. Being used to the metiric system, this always confuses me. Thanks for clarifying that. I should be safe there, the antenna is at a safe distance. (lol to think that I was considering to stick it to my tower and see if that would work) you probably saved my computer's life :smileyhappy:

 

UGH about my username and password. I was told a different password, and I did try the mobile number as username after reading somewhere that this could be it but I didn't add the last part you just gave me.

I will give this a try. My OS is vista btw.

 

When I see the message again that someone else is already using my connection,. I'll take a screen shot and post it here. I haven't seen the message in two days now.

 

My usage gets reset on the 17th of each month. Today is the 26th, I'm a little over 1 gig at the moment, and that's actually a tad lower than usual this time of month. I'm pretty sure the wording of the message is "someone else is already using this connection" but there is something more that goes before those words, like sorry, or unable to connect or something. Sorry about being of such little help here.

 

Thank you for that explanation on RSSI. I didn't know RSSI from a lightbulb either. Had never heard of it until someone told me to check it.

My connection seem okay today, better than it has been but it started out fine yesterday too and then turned into a huge drag.

 

Thank you very much for the rebate link, I have the link open in another tab and will get to it immediately after replying here. Thank you again for all your useful help, it really is very much appreciated.

 

I am still waiting to hear back after this topic was escalated. Five days now :smileysad:

 

Cheers and have a great weekend.

 

 

Message Edited by Fairchild on 06-26-2009 10:17 AM
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Re: Need help with my internet connection
LukeTech
Contributor - Level 1
Do you happen to have the email address of the person who contacted you saying they would escalate? A name? I hope it isn't wasn't a phishing attempt...
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Re: Need help with my internet connection
Fairchild
Newbie
It looks like it was completely ligit. He sent me a private message as well as an email, and he has a reply in this topic, showing the name as a moderator. Name is BradC and email was a verizon email. Maybe the person the topic was escalated to is on vacation or something.
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Re: Need help with my internet connection
Fairchild
Newbie

Well ten days later.. and we're still at square one. Another trip to the store, two more hours on the phone without finding a soul to talk to, unanswered emails, many many disconnections, and now the new game.. I am connected, or so it says, but no web page is loading at all. I have yet to hear back from "escalating" this topic.

 

In addition to the already existing errors, I am now getting "your modem is not configured properly" mind you, this happens after I've been using my connection, suddenly get kicked off, and the error comes up when trying to reconnect. No, there is no process running, because I end it all before reconnecting.

 

Then there is the "other" new error, where I connect, it says I am connected, but the usage pop up box sits there for several minutes, then in the middle appears some little screen saying I'm not connected, but my access manager says I'm connected.

 

After a dreadful week connection-wise, yesterday it went all poof again in the middle of an important meeting for work. Couldn't connect for over an hour after that.

Today it did the same thing, and again it took over an hour to reconnect.

 

I don't see an option here to post screen shots, so I posted them on my site and will link to them:

 

 http://yukitagazette.yuku.com/topic/879

 

The 2nd and 3th sreen shots are new errors, that just started. Take a look at screen shot #3, you will see to the left, half hidden behind the box where it says 'disconnect' (indicating I am connected) yet the box says I'm not connected and when I try to browse, nothing loads at all. 

At this time I am not interested in the least in any type of fix. If it hasn't been fixed after 3 months, and certainly lots of trying on my end, (email, phone, stores, add booster, add antenna) then it isn't going to get fixed. Right now I just need verizon to have the decency to contact me and tell me I can bring my modem back to them and they won't charge me a cancellation fee. Preferably before my next payment is due. 

 

 

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Re: Need help with my internet connection
jeorider
Enthusiast - Level 2

I am sorry to hear about your service, I can relate because my cell phone started to do the same thing as your broadband link.

 

If I stand in one area of the house facing north, it barely works (no kidding)

 

 

Leaves have a "prizm effect" on RF transmissions, based on moisture content etc..... this is normal, what is the driving issue is distance to tower and line of sight.

 

Try raising antenna.

 

Sorry here I go, making it your problem. It is not, it is very likely that the tower you were using has been switched.

 

Since you have no control over that raising the antenna may provide relief till you can cancel the service.

 

 

 

 

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Re: Need help with my internet connection
Fairchild
Newbie

Thanks for the suggestion, jeorider (I hope you didn't take the time to read through this entire topic)

 

I can't get my antenna any higer than it is though.  My computer is upstairs, and the antenna is now up in my lamp shade (the best place I have found so far)

Since I attached the third part to the antenna, my signal seems to be much better, but it are the other problems now that are killing me (frequent disconnects and not being able to connect again) 

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Re: Need help with my internet connection
Fairchild
Newbie

Well fair is fair. Three different verizon technicians spent a total of 7 hours on the phone with me today, can't say that I haven't gotten any help.

 

Yesterday my connection went out again for over an hour. I was desperate, real desperate. After I had received a tip from someone on how to contact 'higher up', I followed the instructions and it worked. I managed to email the person responsible for this area and told him my verizon story. He replied and said he would have someone call me today to look into my problems. Someone did call, and told me I should download the latest version of access manager and install it, which may improve things for me.

 

I downloaded the latest version and started the install. It went wrong. It asked me to 'install drivers for my ports' (didn't say which ports) 

This went around in circles for quite some time, couldn't get it to work. I connected via my dial up and sent another email, asking for more help. The person called me back and tried to help me, had me do some things but nothing worked. Eventually he said he was not a technician and would connect me with someone who would be able to help me. While this technician was real nice, he was not able to help me either after almost two hours of trying. He talked me through uninstalling the whole thing and starting from scratch. It did not work, it kept asking me to install drivers for my ports. He said he had done this tech job for many years and had never seen a similar problem. We then decided to do a system restore. The system restore took some time and eventually failed. Back to uninstalling access manager, installing it again, and back to the exact same problem. I then did a system restore to a day further back in time, this system restore failed as well.

Another uninstall and another attempt to install. Eventually he told me I needed to connect via my dial up and look for a solution on line. As I was on my landline, I was unable to connect and be on the phone at the same time. He gave me some instructions and we hung up.

I let the install wizzard run again, and selected look on line for a solution (or something like that, lol) but was unsuccessful. in the meantime I was on google chat with one of my co-workers (my dial up was too slow to start up my trillian). She googled for a solution and found it.

 

This is what she found at some help forum, in reply to someone who had encountered a similar problem (I am going to post it here as it saved my sanity, and in case others ever have this problem, it may help them)

 

" A bad cache file in Windows sometimes can cause this condition.

  I suspect that your C:\windows\inf\INFCACHE.1 is corrupted. The fix is to delete that  
file. (Before you can delete it you must edit its file permissions to grant  
Full Control to the Users group.) Right click the file and select  
Properties. You'll see the tab."

 

It took me a while to delete that file because it kept saying I did not have permission to do so, but eventually it deleted after making some changes.

Once the file was deleted, I ran the install wizzard again, and this time, oh gosh *gasp* it went all the way through. No errors, no whining about installing drivers for ports, it simply installed.

 

Light at the end of the tunnel? You'd think so, but no. After the install I disconnected from my dial up and clicked on my access manager to connect via verizon. It told me it could not find the device. I once again did the install, but the same happened. I disconnected my device, waited a bit, connected again, no luck. I called verizon via a number this gentleman who had tried to help earlier had given me. Oh man I better hold on to that number because it took less than a minute to get a technician on the line.

He was real nice and I gave a brief description of the problems (if you can call it brief, now we were almost 6 hours into this disaster and I couldn't remember what was what, or the sequence of events). He said okay, let's start with a complete uninstall. I told him I've already done that several times today and I'm officially sick of trying. He said come on, let's try it one more time, I promise it will work. Once again we uninstalled but this time he had me go into different sections of my computer and uninstall more stuff. Once the uninstall was finished, in went the install cd again for another round. This time, the install took a lot longer (the guy who had helped before kept telling me it wasn't taking long enough because it only took like 3 seconds each time he had me install it)

Anyways, I guess at this point I'd make you laugh if I said "long story short" (IF you're still reading that is).. the install was successful, I clicked on my vzaccess icon and it started right up, I was connected. Nearly seven hours later.

I am now back on the old version, whether I'm back at square one, square two or square whatever, I have no idea. At least my connection has not been interrupted since I got back on line 6 hours ago.

 

I lost a day of work (sort of) it is going on 4 in the morning, worked all night to catch up a bit after the problems today.

 

Apparently verizon will credit my account with the price of the antenna which was $32. I guess I will have to live with outages like they have been occuring, but now I'd feel bad to ditch verizon, because I really do have to say that they went out of their way to help me today. 

 

 

 

 

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