This must be a universal problem as I've had my USB720 for about 2 yrs as well, and then started having the most horrendous experience with my USB720 for the past month - nothing but constant disconnects and power off, then having to unplug, go to Task Manager, end process, plug in, connect, log back onto internet, etc. It starts getting worse after 6:00 pm and then even worse after 11:00 pm (coincidentally after the tech support dept is closed for the evening). I've spent hours on the phone during the day with tech support and all they've had me do is uninstall and reinstall and that really changes nothing. There are no additional suggestions because every time I call, I'm usually so frustrated at the end of the long time spent on the phone with them, and they don't seem to know what the problem is. Since I thought my device was faulty, I asked about replacing it, since I'm not getting the service I'm paying for, but since it's been 2 yrs (ironically), I would have to pay for a new one.
I've disconnected 3 times just while trying to register for this forum!
If you find any solutions to your problem, please let me know too! Sorry about your problem. I thought I was the only one.
make it 4, i posted a new detailed message about it today. The one thing ive noticed on mine is the modem goes dormant before it disconnects, whether im working or not. And much like the previous comments it will often disconnect right in the middle of a situation like this. Click open the vz application window and watch the lower left corner of the box, it shows the status. Mine repeated goes into dormant even if im connected to steaming sites or even game sites. I also have vista, have adjusted power settings to maximum and, after the modem disconnects i unplug it for a few seconds, reconnect it and them my laptop can again find it and power up.
I actually did not have this problem at first and it was a pretty fast connection. Now for quite a while, I have had very, very similiar problems as the others in this post; the modem disconnects and I have to reconnect and then the system says that "another user is using this connection" and I am the only "user". I have to go to the Task Manager to end the process of VZ Access Manager and then reconnect. And, while I have not talked to tech support, I have uninstalled VZ Access and reinstallled, I have downloaded the Firmware for the device. You have got to provide an answer as to what else I have to do. I am paying a lot of money for the connection and believe it is "your problem" to "help me" and not the other way around. I have acted in good faith purchasing Verizon products and continually ordering items for myself and my family.
I have been with Verizon for a very long time and have always been pleasantlly surprised by the Customer Service reps when I do have to call for assistance so, please do not dissapoint me this time.!
Hi Beanie,
Sorry you are experiencing problems with your service. The proper Verizon Wireless point-of-contact has been made aware of your situation and this thread and will be contacting you shortly. Thanks for your patience,
-Wendy
I had the USB720 for about 18 months and it started doing the same thing to me - shutting off frequently - even while I was using it. Then it got REALLY slow.. I noticed that my actual net speed into my computers was 1/10th the speed shown by Verizon on VZ Access Manager under Options>Statistics. The statistical speed would gyrate wildly between 350 MBPS and Zero while my net transfer speed through the USB720 into my computer was in the range of 20-25 MBPS.
A VZW tech told me over the phone that my USB 720 was likely getting old and tired and needed to be replaced. I took the thing to my local VZW store and they tried it on several different computers with the same results as I was getting. Since we were unable to get it any better I bought a MiFi 2200.
The 2200 is a cool gadget but unfortunately the download speed works exactly the same as my "old and tired" USB 720.That is the statistical performance is in the 350 MBPS range while the actual transfer speed into my computer is in the 20-25 MBPS range. Realistically this is no better than a poor dialup connection.
Something is obviously wrong since this same thing happens on both of my computers as well as the computer at the VZW store.My net download speed used to be in the 100 to 125 MBPS range. Not great considering the monthly cost, but liveable.
Does anybody have any suggestions?
I have also had problems with my usb720 powering down,without warning, doesn't matter if it is on my lap top or my tower.
Took it into my local VerizonWireless store , They Recommended Changing it out.
I paid my $50.00 plus tax and had them send out another unit.
It's is just as bad as the first one. Im at a stale mate as what to do.
I don't want to upgrade and have the same problem
Does anyone have any Ideas???
I would like to chime in here too. During the last couple of monthhs, it has become unusable because of the VZAccess Software shutting it down. I can leave it plugged into my laptop (without the access manager running) and it stays powered on.
Today it happened 3 times in 30 minutes. It happened occasionally in the past, but would mainly disconnect if there wasn't
activity. Now it just powers down. No rhyme or reason, even in the middle of a file transfer. I've used it on this laptop for over a year, but only the couple of months has it become a problem. I'm paying for something I can't rely on.
System:
HP Pavilion tx2525nr Notebook PC (tablet/pen)
Windows Vista Ultimate 64 SP2
EXPD EV720 usb modem
Firmware: m6800A-RAPTOR_VZW-156(Jun 27 2008 08:06:17)
VZAccess Manager Version 6.10.2 (2205a)
Broadband Access (Rev - A)
Not sure if I need to give out the ESN, PRL and ERI info.
Joe C.
Chime Chime. Let me chime in as well. A different Modem, same family though. USB727. Had no problem with it until a couple of months ago. All of a sudden the device was being powered off. No rhyme or reason. Will work for 8-9 hours straight or power down 3 times in an hour. Whether just doing web surfing or a local client.
HP Compaq Presario F700 Notebook
Windows Vista SP2
USB 727
Firmware: m68000B-Raptor 65_v124 (April 25,2009)
Broadband Access (Rev-A)
Bob L
Hey, this is metalheledagen again. For whatever reason, I started having weird account problems right after I complained, and when I tried to re-register, it said my account was "disabled." Oh well.
Anyway, I'm glad to see I'm not alone in this problem, although of course I'm not so glad that we've all been sold a faulty product. Beanie, I am extremely curious -- did WendyM (the moderator that addressed you, and oddly enough, not the rest of us in a post on the first page) ever get back to you on your problem? If so, what did she say? I find it strange that WendyM would single your problem out when it clearly differs from the problem I presented and several others seconded in the thread.
For the record, I have used the device on a very old HP laptop as well as a newer, less beat-up Dell Inspiron 5000 Series, both running Windows XP Pro with SP3, and I have had the exact same problems on both. My contract is almost up and I definitely won't be renewing (for reasons that have nothing to do with the performance of the device), but I'd still like to get some answers about this issue and I'm sure other people would too.
I wish I had an answer. I have two Mac laptops (both at OSX 10.4.11) and a USB720.
Toward the end of my two-year Verizon contract, the modem started to power off, with the message "this has been disconnected". [It hasn't been - I didn't touch anything.]
Then VZAccess Manager would display "no device connected".
After a few minutes, the modem green light starts up again, and I have no problem re-connecting.
The problem comes and goes; sometimes I stay connected all day with no problems; right now it's 'disconnecting' every few minutes. Basically I can't use it. It 'died' while I was typing this.
VZN tech support have been patient and thorough, and sent out a replacement USB720, no help.
I have up to date software (re-installed several times). VZN have made some magic adjustments at their end.
I've tried the 'ping a web site every 10 seconds' thing, no help.
VZN suggested maybe the USB port is giving out erratic power, but it happens on both laptops.
They also suggested switching to a newer model, but this would require re-upping for two years.
I'm close to dropping the service; would prefer not, when it works, it works fairly well, but it was an expensive choice in the first place.
There's an open trouble ticket on this; I'll post if I get an answer.
I just put the USB720 on a powered hub, that is, a hub separate from the laptop, with its own electrical plug.
The USB720 is the only device on the hub.
In the first hour, it has quit twice, each time after 30 minutes.
This is (so far) an improvement from yesterday, when it quit every few minutes.
However, the second time it quit, it did not light up again after a few minutes like it usually does.
I physically disconnected it and stuck it back into the hub, and then it lit up and was ready to go.
So, still an open issue. Will report progress, if any.
Don't get me wrong, I have always had good service from Verizon but this device is W O R T H L E S S! I was using a PC card which worked fine - no problems for close to two years. It has its own slot, not in the way of any of my USB ports - unlike the 720 which hogs two ports no matter how they are positioned. All was fine. Once in a while I'd lose my signal and get booted from the net but that was NOTHING compared to what this USB 720 is doing to me! My husband went into a Verizon store back in March or May (I think) to get a battery for his phone. Surprise of all surprises the batter would cost more than the phone was worth. So the fast talking salesman sold him a bad phone AND a bad USB 720. I've had nothing but trouble ever since! Verizon was good about replacing the bad phone but this USB has been replaced twice and I still have the same problem!!!!! As a matter of fact, I am on my third device. I wondered why Verizon was shipping me new ones every time I called in until I read this thread. Granted, this third device has worked longer than the others but it eventually does the same thing everyone else is reporting. But unlike some of you guys, I'm barely getting one month out of these devices. It starts cutting off and i have to unplug it & replug it - sometimes even shutting down Verizon Access Manager and restarting the program. Worst case scenarios, I have to reboot my entire computer!!!!! All of the devices cut off at least once the very first day I got them. I would think, "Naw! Surely this is happening all over again!" Then there would be a time that would go by where all would work perfect. THEN! It would start happening more and more and more. Now I'm really done with this device and looking to see what my alternatives are - if any exist besides getting ugly and going to the BBB.
Anyway, this post is mostly to let you all know how much I appreciate your postings. Now I know I'm not the only one out here experiencing the very same problem. And I should think that a 3 for 3 repeat in my case, combined with your problems would tell Verizon to ditch the devise and make good to their Valued Customers!
We also are having the same issue with the USB720 mode--we have had it for approximately 1 year and did not have any problems with it until a couple of months ago. It continuously disconnects. We also have uninstalled and reinstalled the software several times on a couple of laptops and still have the problem. We visited 2 Verizon locations and each location stated that the only fix for us was to upgrade. Not sure where we will go from here. Any suggestions???
I am SO glad to know my computer is not going bonkers on me! Seriously, I was ready to chuck it all out the window!
I am having all of the same problems as the rest of you: constant disconnects one day, totally fine another. Goes dormant or shuts off on me in the middle of an upload, freezes and I have to use task manager to disconnect, sometimes even restart the computer. And even when it is working, it has slowed WAY down.
Sadly, I have another year on my contract, as I found out when I tried to switch to the mifi device. Looks like I'm stuck. If anyone finds a solution, please post on here as I'll be checking back over the next year, apparently
Just glad to know I'm not crazy!
PS I have noticed my AOL really has issues since all the other trouble started with the broadband. Anyone else use AOL and notice this? Freezes almost every time, or I get disconnected from internet as soon as I sign on to AOL.
Update: Verizon decided to upgrade me to the USB760. And it totally increased the nighmare!
Apparently, the USB720 software & drivers corrupted two computers; both my Notebook running Vista which I use all the time and my notebook running XP which I rarely use because I don't have the operating system disc to it.
By the time I spent 3 hours on the phone with a Verizon tech who made things SO COMPLICATED! He was sick (and on too much cold medicine if you ask me) and he screwed me up so many times that if the XP hadn't gone down when I tried to removed the USB720 from it (by myself) I would have sworn that HE caused all the problems with the USB760. By the end of the 3 hour Vista experience, he started accusing my system of being the problem and not their device and the only way they could tell for sure is if I drove into town (20 miles one way) to a Verizon store so the tech could test the device. I did and spent another 2 hours of my life in the store - not counting drive time. The tech there was over run with complaining customers ALL WHO SAID THE EXACT SAME COMPLAINT NO MATTER WHAT THE DEVICE WAS THEY WERE RETURNING, "THIS WORKED FOR 3 DAYS THEN STARTED......(fill in the blank)..." At this point, I realized that all the techs are programmed to respond to every problem with the same, exact way. They all must follow the exact same script and are not allowed to stray off of that script. They are not allowed to think outside the box.
In the end, both the phone tech & the store tech told me that I needed to take my computer in for repairs. So I came home, wiped the entire hard drive on my computer (reformatted it) and FINALLY! I was able to get the USB760 installed on my computer. If I didn't know how to do this myself I'd be looking at a $200 plus bill at a computer repair shop. It took me 12 hours to back up my files, reformat the computer, and get backup and running. MIND YOU, I run my business off this computer!!!!!! It will be days before I get things transferred back to the computer. And I missed several clients because I was off the net for two days. THANKS VERIZON! As for the XP, it's dead in the water as far as being able to hook to the internet. I cannot reformat that system with out a recovery disc or operating system disc. And it is also acting unstable since I tried to remove the USB 720 drivers and software. So now, thanks to the USB720, I have a completely useless notebook for now plus out of pocket expenses to get that one up and running again. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH VERIZON!!!!!
It's been about 24 hours and the USB 760 has not shut down. However, it has such a weak signal, I've gotten booted off the net just about as often as the USB 720's habit of shutting down for no reason. Good news: at least I don't have to unplug/replug the USB 760 but sometimes I do still have to reboot my computer because it will start dragging very very slow when some of the pages are loading.
Oh yes, you could say I'm nothing less than thrilled by all of this.............
So, it's still an open ticket. In the week since I posted, time between conk-outs has improved from 2 minutes to 2-3 hours - with one 10-hour uptime - but it's still powering down and insisting it's been disconnected. Sometimes it 'reconnects' on its own, other times VZAccess Manager hangs, sometimes I must, in fact, disconnect the modem & reconnect it. Once I had to reboot.
I have resisted upgrading the modem because of the required contract renewal.
In another forum I learned about 'swapping the ESN' - getting a modem outside of a contract, and giving it the 'identity' of the old one. Haven't tried this yet.
I'm using Macs but it sounds like this is an OS-agnostic issue, from what everyone else is saying.
My USB720 powered off as I started to type this message. Like a lot of the former entries. I am in the last six months of my current two year contract. My Verizon modem and been spontaneously powering down for the past three weeks. If it has done it before, I didn't notice the pattern at that time. I have to unplug it and reseat it and then it reconnects. I also spoke with Verizon who tried to sell me and upgraded modem. Once the service tech found out that I was on the latest version of VZAM, he quickly pointed to my PC as the problem. I was ready for that assumption and pointed out to him that I had experienced the powering down problem on four computers of varying age, my home laptop, my work laptop, and on an older desktop and a new out of the box desktop. After I gave him that information he again tried to sell me an upgraded modem.
I have always had good service from Verizon but I am kind of at the end of my rope with this issue. OOPS! It just did it again! I'll have to reset it before I can send this message.
VERIZON, ARE YOU READING THESE MESSAGES???
Awesome Rockoone! I found what you are talking about and hope this will fix the problem. Why don't the Verizon Techs know about this?
I suspect you might have just been lucky that day. I unchecked that "modem power control" button weeks ago and that didn't have any affect on the spurious powering down of the USB720. Hope your experience will be better than mine.
Same problem here. Location seems to determine connection success. I have no troubles at work with signal strength 4 bars. At home signal is only 2 or 1 bar oscillating to no bar. The last tech rep I talked to sent an auxiliary antenna meant for a phone and will not plug into my 727.
I think there are deceptive error messages when the signal is dropped. This is my 3rd aircard and the signal at my home location is weak. The deceptive error messages have wasted a lot of my time. The only time I have dropped signal is at home. 2 years ago I lived near Muncie, IN and never had weak signal or troubles remaining connected.
The 727 LED remains on while the VZManager thinks the 727 is no longer connected, the wizard tries to reinstall the 727, and windows XP locks up. I have to remove and reinsert the 727 to get windows moving again.
11 miles away at Indianapolis, no problems signal is 4 bars.
Amplifying the signal is probably a move in the right direction but what they sent me will not plug in, it is not compatable with a 727 USB device. Good luck all.
Rockoone, I went poking around and found that there was a check mark by the
power option on the moden on mine! I've unchecked it and can't wait to see
if I can stay online for more than 10 minits. As it is today, if this continues,
I will be dragging my red face back to Quest and sucking up to them.
Thank you Tom.
I will be looking for an amplifier on the net.
I lost connection twice attemting to look and make a reply..
VERIZON TECHS if you read this board, the signal in Avon, Indiana is weak and **bleep**ty. Turn it up.
The so-called service is an obvious rip off, note all the comments by users trying to figure out false misleading error mesages about the equipment.
SHAME ON YOU VERIZON , for the lazy corporate greed. The number of posts on this topic alone should have gotten attention from somebody in the tech staff with a brain.
I just found this board and have been an electrician nearly 30 years.
Letting these customers struggle aginst the weak signal is about as callous and greedy as I have ever observed.
Unckecking the default setting:
“Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” Reduces Windows lockup conflict with VZAccess Manager.
The path is: Tools, Control panels, Modem, Properties, Power Management
Saving power would only be of value conserving battery on a stand alone laptop with no charger.
Thank you Rockoome.
“Duh” Verizon Techs.
{keep it courteous}
Root Problem Remains Weak Signal.
All of you look at signal strength where you are getting dropped connections. I must compose this in Word and use copy n paste just to post from home.
Often the signal fades to nothing in seconds dropping the connection. Signal strength is at the bottom edge of VZAccess Manager Window.
Where you have a weak signal focus on active complaining about Weak Signal.
Do not let these Tech's bull**bleep** you about your equipment.
You can probably suspend the account rather than being fined for cancellation.
Weak signal is not good service.
Weak signal is Fraud.
“Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”
Reduces Windows lockup conflict with VZAccess Manager.
The path is:
Tools, Control panels, Modem, Properties, Power Management
A lot of us can understand that a weak signal may cause us to lose our connection. I use my laptop alot as we travel along the highway and often lose connections, however, with my business laptop, once a signal is back, the connection can be reestablished. My business laptop employs a Verizon PC5750 modem, however. With this USB720, not only does the connection drop, but the modem is removed from the computer an must be reset and restarted in order to reestablish, at least that is my situation. That is the part I don't understand.
I have also set my business laptop right beside my desktop and connected both at the same time. Only the USB720 drops number of bars from "4" to "2" then disconnects. And by switching the modems between the computers, the same result with the opposite machine, and that is while setting still at the desk.
I had a PC 5740 that worked well around Muncie, IN. Never had a dropped signal.
Lived near 465 and Rockville road Indianapolis about a year, never had a dropped signal.
Moved to Avon, IN. and have never had a consistent signal above 2 bars, often no bar.
The PC 5740 only had to be reconnected by clicking reconnect when the signal dropped.
Store front sales at Verizon, Avon, said I should upgrade free to USB720 it was faster and would work better, not so. Mid July this year, I got a free exchange to a USB727, Both USB devices lock up the VZAccess Manager when signal is dropped.
Now that I have unchecked the default setting in Power Management there is less lockup conflict with windows from dropped signal. Less remove and reinsert from USB socket. After a few seconds I can now click reconnect in the VZAccess Manager window.
Obviously the software VZAccess Manager version has conflicts with windows and the USB727 is not an improvement for me. I had an unlimited data account with the PC 5740 that I was talked out of. Service was no worse on dropped signal. I do not remember having to unplug and reinsert or locking up the VZAccess software. The tech reps have been friendly trying to help but they don't seem very smart.
Thanks Katman for the thoughtful description of your 2 systems operation. If everyone will bring in a little more detail maybe a fix will emerge.
You are not running the same version of VZAccess Manager for both the PC5750 and USB720 are you?
In VZAccess/ HELP/ ABOUT next to SmithMicro logo will be the version number.
I have Version 6.10.2 (2205a)
Love and kisses WENDY.
If you've been following these posts, you know I am now running the USB760. Twice in a few weeks time, it has turned off just like the 720. I've had to unplug and replug to reboot it.
The power saving box is unchecked by the device - so that's not causing it.
My question to any one who might know the answer is this:
Has anyone checked out the Diagnostics log on their USB devices? Does anyone understand what the logs mean?
I went to Device Manager; then to Modems; then I right clicked on Novatel Wireless Modem; then clicked on Properties; then clicked on Diagnotstics; Then I clicked on View Log.
Last night, when I heard the infamous sound that means the modem has died, I ran over and checked for yellow exclamation points on the device (in Device Manager) and then I viewed the log to see what may have caused the device to shut down.
I printed the log but can't make heads or tails out of what I could do to fix the problem. I'm thinking that it was most likely due to low signal strength; the RSSI reading was bouncing between -85 dBm (which is super good for where I live) and then skyrocketing to 105-108 -dBm throughout the afternoon & evening. Since I live in BFE (rural area) I imagine that I could camp out underneath a Verizon Cell Tower and get better strength. I had lost the signal several times yesterday, but was able to reconnect immediately. The USB device only shut down once last night.The readings I got immediately before shut down were:
07-31-2009 20:54:00.890 - CD dropped--Remote modem hung up. ModemStatus=00a407c8
07-31-2009 20:54:00.890 - while processing CD event, CD is reported as high when it should be low
07-31-2009 20:54:00.890 - While processing DC dropping, CTS or DSR was found low.
07-31-2009 20:54:00.891 - Hanging up the modem
07-31-2009 20:54:00.891 - Hardware hangup by lowering DTR.
07-31-2009 20:54:00.901 - 230400,8,N,1, ctsfl=1, rtsctl=2
07-31-2009 20:54:00.901 - Initializing modem.
07-31-2009 20:54:00.901 - DSR is low shile initializing the modem. verify modem is turned on.
07-31-2009 20:54:00.901 - CTS is low while initializing modem.
Now mind you, the modem had been turned off by either itself or the computer and I had not replugged it until after I printed this log. So really, if I could identify what is going on at this point, I could figure out why the modem shut down. and whether I need to battle with Verizon Techs again. Because we ALL know the step by step POINTLESS routine I will suffer through for hours if I call tech support. And I do not want to have to reformat my entire hard drive AGAIN after they are done with me.
When windows can not make the connection to the next web destination, a blank screen with a button appears offering to diagnose connection problems. That path also leads to the Diagnostics log.
Deceptive part of this is the signal is weak and the log has no message about "weak signal dropped call".
I have good signal from RSSI -80 dBm to smaller values, 3 or more bars on the icon.
With RSSI -90 dBm and bigger numbers to RSSI-100 dBm 2 bars and less, after RSSI -100 to bigger numbers RSSI-125 no bars and signal is lost.
Verizon sent an antenna to me yesterday. The connector is twice as large as the socket on my USB727 moden. No way it will plug in.
I spent half hour on the phone with tech rep last week, thought my problem was on to a fix. They are very nice but unable to accomplish. We talked about my service log at Verizon Service and the type modems I have and have in use now.
Frustrating.
Good luck all.
All of the same issues here thought it had something to do with running Vista....Not.....happens on my laptop with XP, too.....exchanged for brand new USB727, ALL the same problems.....online and next thing I know the device is turned off, must take out of USB port and plug it back in, sometimes have to close VZManager via the Task Manager....ridiculous.....guy at Verizon told me he never heard of anyone with this problem before....LOL...glad I found this forum. I used to have the card that plugs in but when I was upgrading my phone they said to "Upgrade" to the USB modem which was faster and better.....I WISH I HAD NEVER DONE IT!!!!!!
I'm done when my contract is up because they refuse to fix this issue....I need the connection for my business and it's costing me customers and money......shame.
Check the previous posts about accessing your device manager. Go into your control panel, system, click on the hardware box and device manager. From there find your verizon modem and open it, look under power management, there may be a box that says aloow computer to power off this device. Uncheck it if there is. Good luck, lotsof people are having problems just like yours. I found the above mentioned fix on my HP laptop and while it has not toally eliminated the problem i get disconnected maybe twice a week as opposed to 20 times a day. Keep us posted
Duffycoug:
I agree with you. I was using a card. I sailed along nicely with no headaches until a salesman talked my husband into upgrading me to the latest and greastest usb. Nothing but misery on both the USB720 and the USB760. And I also experienced problems from the devices & the software on both my XP and my Vista; finally even had to resort to reformating my Vista hard drive to uninstall the 720 software and get the 760 software to work. (For any following my post; I did find a way to get the XP back up and running, Saturday, plus get the 760 to work without sending the notebook into a repair shop.) I lost contact with several clients while working on this problem but thankfully they are good clients and tolerated my down time.
I'm going with another company as soon as my contract runs out on this (20 months and counting). I'm sick of Verizon.
Anyway, I really appreciate your post and that of everyone else on here.
Hey guys, I'm back (I don't know if I posted this before, but I'm metalheledagen too, with a different account because metalheledagen got messed up). For whatever reason I kept having problems changing my password, these forums are a little stranger than the ones I'm used to.
Anyway, I'm still having the exact same problems. I read what some posters were saying about foliage causing bad signal, which I thought might be the case in my situation. However, I use my laptop at the foot of the bed, and the adapter is closest to the window that has no trees blocking it.
I have had some success running it in NDIS mode without the VZ Access Manager running, but then after a while, it kept messing up in that way too. I couldn't get it to run even after I disconnected and reconnected the device AND after I tried running the VZ Access Manager, so I had to restart my computer. I am at my wit's end with this crappy little device, and wondering when on earth my contract is going to end.
Just wanted to update again...another full day of zero disconnects.....driving over 70 miles all around the state....also, times I was idle and I checked the signal strength is was only -90 to -95, yet no disconnects.......if you are going to try reinstalling the software, make sure you remove it from add/remove programs, then follow the directions here: http://search.vzw.com/?do=viewdoc&id=15237&p=2849&supportview=1
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO NOT INSERT YOUR USB UNTIL IT ASKS YOU TO.....hope everyone can get results like i'm having from this.
Deleted VZManager in Add and Remove programs. Defraged, rebooted and reinstalled VZManager.
Avon IN, Signal is 93 with antenna, 98 without, weather clear.
I would not expect dropped call till signal fails to 110 or bigger number.
100 at the moment.
Both my systems are refreshed, old VZManager deleted by Remove & Reinstall in control panel.
Both attempted 2 forms of spyware during delete process, and 2 forms of spyware durring reinstall.
Zone Alarm alerted me and access was denied by me.
Signal is 93 at the moment. Not much time to try this today, have outside work. I waste enough time on it through the week.
Have you all noticed the same errors come up if you pull out the USB-aircard? Same as weak signal disconnect.
If anyone is thinking about buying a new USB 760 in an effort to get better connections and speed please read my recent post about the USB 720 vs. USB 760. In my case, the signal strength with the 720 was better than with the 760 by possibly 5dbm with the modems in the exact same location. I get disconnected occasionally and go to dormant more often but the net result is usually very low download numbers.
If you still want to try the USB760 modem....... buy it from Verizon and watch the 30 day return window closely. And be sure to return the modem to a company store instead of shipping it back. That gives you an instant credit and returns you to the old contract. Shipping it could result in delays costing you the 30-day window. Good luck.....
I sent an email to Verizon requesting my account be suspended till they have a stronger signal at Avon.
AT&t offers 768Kbps download with the cheapest DSL at $19.95/ month.
That is more than twice the speed my USB727 works at on the best day.
This service is very bad. It is a fraud to even consider this a connection.
All day Sunday reconnect, reconnect, reconnnect......and no rain no bad weather.
I STRONGLY AGREE WITH Filmer 321! Signal IS weaker on the 760 but at least it doesn't lock up your computer when it powers off and it powers off less than the 720.
Filmer 321 is probably right about the return & the 30 day window as well. Except that the idiot that sold my husband the 720 didn't want to take it back. He insisted we damaged the product and wanted us to file a claim on the insurance we had on it. I finally had to deal over the phone to get anywhere. That's why 3 months later, I've been upgraded to the 760 for free but still stuck in the two year contract. After three or four of the 720 devices, Verizon upgraded me for free but wasn't about to let me out of the 2 year contract.
Well, still going strong....device never turns itself off anymore.....uninstall/reinstall seems to have fixed it....signal is usuall -71 to -75 now, too, instead of -85 to -105.
There is going to be a signal survey in the next 10 days of the Avon area.
I got them to tell me the direction of 2 towers but not the distance from my house.
The AT&T connection $20/month is supposed to be on today when I go home.
It will be twice as fast as Verizon. Still I want a good signal at Avon.
My brother near Newcastle has 4 bars full signal. Very spotty coverage it seems to me.
Keep looking at your signal strength numbers.
Nothing from signal survey as promised.
I already know the signal is to weak to remain connected.
What I want to know is why they do nothing about it?
The signal will not maintain a connection and when I am connected it as slow as a land line telephone connection.
The closest tower is 1.9 mile right out the bay window of my place.
I should have a good signal but do not.
ATT service is great DSL at $20 per month.
This crappy connection should be free.
Since 25 Aug I have been thrown off at least 125 times. I have re installed VZ Manager and everything else the support center has recommended. To no avail....I do believe it is all about contracts and not service......I believe it is time to let Senator Schummer from NY about this scam. I have also gone ahead and had cable installed with Time Warner. What a difference! Now I will have to fight with V over their disconnect fee......This company has become a monopoly.
I'm so glad that I'm not the only one having this problem. When I first got the device everything was fine, 3 months later I started having the same problems that everyone here has been describing. Disconnecting at random times, device powering off. I have a low signal yet I'm in a high coverage area. Every time I had a problem I called Tech support and all they told me was to uninstall and reinstall the software. Every time I called tech support I was told to do the same thing and that will fix my problem. It did for a short period of time, but then all my problems would reappear. The last time I called I was told to change out the device. I did. Things were good, for a short while. Again the same problems have resurfaced. The tech support people were clueless as to why I was having the problems. That's why they told me to change devices. I've had nothing but problems and now I'm sick out it. I want to know if anyone has tried to end their services without having to pay the termination fee. After all why do you have to pay to end something that has done NOTHING BUT DISAPPOINT YOU!!!!!!
Around Avon, Indiana the ground is mostly flat. I drove to see the Verizon tower 1.9 mile West of my place.
It is in a Glacial outwash valley 50 feet below the flat ground both East and West of it.
Instead of locating on a Moraine or Esker the dumb **bleep**'s put it in a hole.
Signals radiate line of sight.
Imagine a shallow V shape comming away from the antenna to the crest of the valley walls.
East and West of the valley walls have little to no signal Duuuuuuu.
Can you hear me now? Morons......
The guy that located that antenna should be fired.
Now I have a contract with some very stupid service providers.
Same issue with my USB727! This has been just one more reason why I will switch from Verizon asap! First it was the poor data usage reports. I would go over my monthly usage because I got my usage reports about two days after the fact! Now I lose connection or my modem just shuts off for no reason! For the past month I will have full bars showing on my VZAM and no internet? WHAT?! Now when I see I have full bars I go "OMG NOOOOO!" because I know I will have to shut down and restart my modem!!! This is not acceptable and will be closing my account as soon as I can. Due to the fact I'm on the 2 year plan I'm stuck ATM with this garbage! Thanks for the great service and support Verizon! CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?!!!
The purpose of this post is to let everyone know that you can purchase any Verizon device you wish on eBay without a contract. Most are affordable, the exceptions being the very latest models. For example an old PC5220 card is almost free, a USB720 is about $35. Make sure it's a legitimate seller and that the device has a "clear ESN". Then you can go to the Verizon support page on line and change the ESN yourself. If anyone has trouble finding that option, I will be happy to find and post the link, just ask.
My history with EVDO is that I started using a PC5220 card 2 years ago with checkered results. Fortunately, I didn't need it often because about half the time it didn't seem to get enough signal to work. It did however work with all PC's I tried it with-- mostly Lenovo/IBM Thinkpads.
About six months ago, I "upgraded" to an eBay bought PC5750. Unfortunately I was never able to install it on a Thinkpad -- I tried an X30, X32 and T40! Maybe the card was defective, maybe not. I did try the updated drivers and software from the Verizon site.
Next, I bought a USB720. It installed easily, updated fine -- both firmware and the program itself. And now, I find it tends to drop out with low signal and when it does, the card disconnects from the system and the system no longer finds it. So what next? I don't know but I'm at least pleased to find a community with whom to discuss it.
Again, fortunately, EVDO is occasional for me-- most of the time, I can find wifi or a corded connection for the laptop. So I will keep experimenting. Maybe I'll try myfi.
Main purpose of this post: regardless of what a salesperson may tell you, you do NOT have to keep extending your contract to get new cards. You can buy them anywhere provided they are legal, specifically for Verizon (it says so on them), and of course, have a clear ESN -- that is, nobody is currently using an account registered to that card.
I'm not sure if this has something to do with it, but I know the normal USB drive that you buy from wherever, your computer generates 500ma to that USB drive. Unless you undock that USB drive every time you pull it out, soon or later it will go out on you. But again, I'm not sure if this USB modem is the same thing. Just a thought.
RE: USB727
I have the same problem,called tech,they said i had a virus....wrong...I just started having this problem a couple of months ago..I also have a laptop{windows vista} and a desktop{win XP},both have the same problem,it even booted me during this writing.What is wrong with Verizon,,cant they read the forum to..Come on get on the stick,,I pay to much for this junk....Going to leave this Verizon when my account is up...IT SUCKS
if anyone knows of a lawer to work on this class action lawsuit,please put it on here.I have been booted right in the middle of very important downloads,and they arent re startable,so I have to start all over...something should be done about this,I Pay $60. for 5 gigs
Looks like i'm joining this discussion a little late but i just wanted to join the choir! i too have the same problems only mine is mostly with a suddenly slow service and not so much all the disconnects. i jumped online hoping to find a solution and dismally ran across this post. I'm feeling like there may be no hope for a solution! I'm wondering if anyone has gotten any resolution or solutions since they posted on here. or if suddenly it fixed itself (hopeful!) I feel like since i'm starting at the beginning that it's almost a waste of time to get on the phone with verizon since they didn't seem to help anyone else.
i've had my mobile broadband card for 3 months and it worked fine until 2 days ago when it slowed down to a crawl slower than my 28.8 kbpm dial-up service. Nothing has changed around here except for a cold-front. When i talked to a customer service rep yesterday he mentioned an antennae....got it - does nothing. I ordered a Y Cable but don't have much hope for that either. Uninstalled VZ Manager and reinstalled - no help. I even went up and parked under the tower to see how much better my service was. the best i got was -84 on the EVDO. I was sort of expecting better but i'm not all that knowledgeable in this area. At home i'm getting about -115 to -120's which means no internet.
I have a family plan for our cell phones and a 5GB plan for my Mobile broadband. Verizon gets over $200 a month from us and after this i'm ready to move-on! this is ridiculous to be locked into a plan that doesn't deliver and no one seems to be able to fix or even acknowledge that it's a problem. The best excuse i got was that it was the trees (which happen to have NO leaves on them now compared to 2 months ago!). Whatever!
Dell Inspiron 1525
Windows Vista
Novatel USB727
Just wanted to post my findings here so far with a USB760. Just got it today after a replacement for my "killing" my UM175. So far, the modem works excellently well. I stumbled across this forum while searching for a suction cup mount so I can put my USB modem in a window when vacationing at the beach.
I think most of you have a USB port issue on your machine. As another user noted, a lot of "premium" machines from Dell and Compaq cause USB devices to randomly fall off the bus. I have seen it in a number of machines myself (at peak 2 years ago, I personally owned 8 Windows machines and 6 Macintosh computers, all up and running pretty much simultaneously for the better part of a year). USB ports are about the worst way to connect something that has to be fail safe, because ports themselves are not failsafe. The drivers can't tell you if the port or device is malfunctioning, because the problem usually occurs in the analog domain. The drivers just get a "disconnect" event, and think their device dissappeared, or the device starving for power, begins to behave erratically.
Especially telling is the fact that many disconnects happen at low signal. Your modem, when it is having problems seeing or hearing the tower, will boost its own power. This will further load your USB port, and if its is flakey (many are), your device "falls off" or begins behaving irrationally since the power rails dip to the device.
One thing you could try is a powered USB hub for the modem. These tend to have beefier rails to the USB port, and can support the full .5Amp standard continuously without fail.
To give you some idea of how lame some USB ports are on even full power desktops: I had a Sony VAIO desktop, that if you plugged in a WiFi USB modem, it couldn't even identify the device half the time. So I dropped in a $40 adaptec USB card, problem solved.
Similarly, I had a Compaq laptop with a 64 bit processor (AMD), big beefy power supply, but if you use all the USB ports at once, no matter the device mix, everything would fall off within 10 to 20 minutes of use. Worse yet, before things started falling off, the optical mouse would go goofy, or a thumb drive would start mounting and unmounting.
So, before you blame Verizon, it's probably actually your own machine causing the problems.
***PROBLEM SOLVED***
I was having EXACTLY the same problem everyone here is describing. I googled the symptoms, and it brought me to this discussion.
I spent 5 hours testing all this. The highlites?
When I had my USB727 pluged in and powered, but was NOT connected, I got a perfect signal. As SOON as I connected, the signal level dropped to near nothing. The Highspeed connection would try to come up, and as soon as it would switch to it, it would drop right back to ZERO. It would switch back to 1x, which only had 1 bar itself. When it would finally hit no signal, that is exactly when the card would power off.
I tried it on my oldest laptop, and it acted exactly the same. I decided to try one last place, and tested it on my wifes laptop, and it worked perfectly!
While doing all my testing, I tried it with ONLY the USB727 aircard, and would also trying loading up my laptop with a LOT of USB tools. It did not matter. Either alone, or with a lot of USB things plugged in, the Aircard and my GPS programs were flakey as hell. I am a storm chaser, so I use a LOT of USB tools on my laptop, including USB connections for GPS data I send to 4 applications. It was ALSO dropping all the time.
I did exactly what the poster above me said to do. I bought a *POWERED* USB HUB. It has to be POWERED. You plug it into a power outlet, then plug all your USB items into it. You then plug the POWERED usb hub into one of the USB ports on your computer. FIXED. No kidding.
I just spent 10 hours in my Xterra yesterday chasing storms across Oklahoma, and my GPS did not drop once! My USB727 aircard only dropped ONE TIME in 10 hours. Even then, it did not power off! I just had to click "reconnect".
Today, I spent more time looking into this, and Dell even has a "paper" online where they alert their users that a LOT of Dells laptops have a hard time supplying the proper 500ma voltage to the USB ports. The power the USB ports supply is fine for a lot of things, but for real critical things like your aircard, it is not reliable enough power! That is why the signal was perfect when I was not connected, because I was not asking the card to do anything. BUT, as soon as I connected, I was asking the card to SEND and receive data, which requires POWER. The card tried to draw the power from the laptops USB port, and the USB port was not able to supply enough.
So, there you go. Buy a POWERED USB PORT, and you will be good to go.
I hope this helps someone.
It has now been just over 2 months since I posted the info above. I wanted to drop back in one more time to let everyone know that since buying the powered USB hub, my USB727 aircard has worked perfectly. These past two months have seen me chasing from Texas to Nebraska with my aircard in use for sometimes 16 straight hours. It has not powered down once. The signal strength is excellent, etc. None of the bizzare problems. This exact same problem was also killing my external GPS antenna. The powered USB hub fixed it too. This will be my last post here on this. Good luck.
