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4620L intermittent service w/ MacBook Air

bigsmoke07

Folks, hopefully someone can help. I'm on my second unit, and second SIM card for the Jetpack 4620L.

Issue has been intermittent service on 4G, with dropouts, no connections at all, etc using my MacBook Air in various locations, none worse than a crowded Manhattan office building.

All of the issues occur with the unit saying connected to 4G with 3 or 4 bars.

Can someone help?

Ideally need to connect an iPhone 5, iPad2 and Macbook Air (running mountain lion) through the 4G, but if I can just get the laptop working, would be terrific!

thanks!

Comments

lookinforanswer

Hello Bigsmoke07,

For one, the Mac's do not like the default security configuration for the WIFI which causes frequent disconnects. But there are many other possibilities.

The following few starting tips assume that you have 4G coverage at the address you are using it at, that you can connect to 3G, that you have tried the device outside as well as inside and that you have logged into the web interface to check the dbm for the signal which should be in the -80, -70, -60 range.

Also, we assume you are connected to the WIFI portion of the device. This can be verified by clicking on System Preferences>Network then click WIFI and verify there is no IP address that begins with a number similar to 69.xx. it should be 192.168.1.1

With the vague information you've given, I'll do my best to give you a few things to try.

1. Make sure the MIFI is not sitting right next to the computer. The modem communicates with the tower much like fax machines do and the Airport sounds can sound like the tower and confuse the device.

2. Log into the web interface, click on the WIFI and change the following in the security profile all at the same time.

SSID: change this to something other than the default. i.e. Bigs MIFI

Security Type: change to WPA/WPA2 PSK mixed mode

Password: change to something totally different than what it's been before but easy to remember

802.11 mode: select the mode with b/g/n all three

Make sure the channel is set to automatic and apply the changes then give it ample time to reboot before viewing available networks with the new name.

a. Have you tried just connecting the laptop?

b. What are the lights doing on the device?

c. Are you connecting okay to the WIFI portion and able to log into the web interface, just not able to browse the pages?

d. Is there good coverage in your area and have you tried it outside as well as inside a structure?

e. Are you able to connect to 3G?

f. Have you got the Logs enabled through the Advanced Settings menu located in the interface?

Let me know the specifics and maybe I can help you.

-Mac Gal

There are more things to try however, I will need some more detailed information such as

lookinforanswer

Also saw this for customers having issues with some sites

Reducing MTU size.

System Preferences > Network > WiFi > Advanced > Hardware > Manually > MTU: Custom > 1300

Check the system logs as well.

bigsmoke07

Hello lookinforanswer! Sorry for the delayed reply, I've been away.

Your instructions were very detailed so thanks so much, but I'm trying them and still not having much luck. Here are some answers to the questions. I can't get on using Mountain Lion Macbook Air or on my iPad 6.0.1. This is my second SIM card and device already.

HOPING you can help!!

DONE

2. Log into the web interface, click on the WIFI and change the following in the security profile all at the same time.

SSID: change this to something other than the default. i.e. Bigs MIFI DONE

Security Type: change to WPA/WPA2 PSK mixed mode DONE

Password: change to something totally different than what it's been before but easy to remember DONE

802.11 mode: select the mode with b/g/n all three DONE

Make sure the channel is set to automatic and apply the changes then give it ample time to reboot before viewing available networks with the new name. YES

a. Have you tried just connecting the laptop? YES

b. What are the lights doing on the device? BLINKING GREEN

c. Are you connecting okay to the WIFI portion and able to log into the web interface, just not able to browse the pages? CAN'T GO TO PAGES, BUT CAN GO TO THE ADMIN PANEL WHILE TYPING 192.168.1.1

d. Is there good coverage in your area and have you tried it outside as well as inside a structure? HAVEN'T TRIED.

e. Are you able to connect to 3G? HOW DO I TRY THAT?

f. Have you got the Logs enabled through the Advanced Settings menu located in the interface? YES, HELPFUL IF I POST THEM?

System Preferences > Network > WiFi > Advanced > Hardware > Manually > MTU: Custom > 1300 DONE

Check the system logs as well. WHER DO I SEE THIS?

THANKS!!

bigsmoke07

Update: I have now been able to get it to work on my iPad2 (albeit super slow), still not working on my macbook air

QuakingBog

I've been having this same trouble with my 4620L for 6 months. Verizon has replaced the unit 3 times, changed the SIM card twice. It still does not work! I've changed all the settings, as suggested above, and by Apple and Verizon tech support.

As bigsmoke07 reports, it works fine with an iPad, but not a Macbook. Any new ideas?

bigsmoke07... Did you ever find a solution?

Thanks,

- Jeff

ebcase

My MacBook Air is exhibiting all these issues as well — VZN just swapped the SIM card this morning, and I suspect a replacement Jetpack will be next. It was working really well until the last firmware update (3.20.11) arrived in ~2012-12.

Anybody else have more tips to try?

lookinforanswer

Bigsmoke, sorry i took so long this time. Have you been able to resolve your issues yet? Will be here frequently now so let me know and i may be able to assist you

lookinforanswer

Okay everyone, it seems as if the Macbook Air and 10.7 Lion OS X have WIFI issues of their own.

Anybody checked the system preferences to see if the adapter shows Manually assigned IP or anything funky?

Also, if you are running Mountain Lion OS X 10.8 then go to System Preferences>Network then look at your connections list. If you notice the WIFI toward the bottom of the list then click on the Tool Setting icon at the bottom of the list and then "Set Service Order" and place it at the top of the list.

Also, if you have Bluetooth DUN modem then remove it completely as it interferes with the WIFI and isn't widely used anymore.

Also, for slow speeds, during my testing of the 4620LE it's been known to slow the connection while plugged into the electrical outlet but when unplugged it soars.

Make sure that you go to the Admin page and log in, Click on Advanced and verify the logs are enabled and then view the WWAN and the Connection log for any specific information if the above doesn't help.

Message was edited by: lookinforanswer

lookinforanswer

bigsmoke07 wrote:
Hello lookinforanswer! Sorry for the delayed reply, I've been away.
Your instructions were very detailed so thanks so much, but I'm trying them and still not having much luck. Here are some answers to the questions. I can't get on using Mountain Lion Macbook Air or on my iPad 6.0.1. This is my second SIM card and device already.
HOPING you can help!!
1. Make sure the MIFI is not sitting right next to the computer. The modem communicates with the tower much like fax machines do and the Airport sounds can sound like the tower and confuse the device.
DONE
2. Log into the web interface, click on the WIFI and change the following in the security profile all at the same time.
SSID: change this to something other than the default. i.e. Bigs MIFI DONE
Security Type: change to WPA/WPA2 PSK mixed mode DONE
Password: change to something totally different than what it's been before but easy to remember DONE
802.11 mode: select the mode with b/g/n all three DONE
Make sure the channel is set to automatic and apply the changes then give it ample time to reboot before viewing available networks with the new name. YES
a. Have you tried just connecting the laptop? YES
b. What are the lights doing on the device? BLINKING GREEN
c. Are you connecting okay to the WIFI portion and able to log into the web interface, just not able to browse the pages? CAN'T GO TO PAGES, BUT CAN GO TO THE ADMIN PANEL WHILE TYPING 192.168.1.1
d. Is there good coverage in your area and have you tried it outside as well as inside a structure? HAVEN'T TRIED
e. Are you able to connect to 3G? HOW DO I TRY THAT?
f. Have you got the Logs enabled through the Advanced Settings menu located in the interface? YES, HELPFUL IF I POST THEM?
Yes, very helpful, the connection and WWAN log under Network/WWAN
Check the system logs as well. WHER DO I SEE THIS?
Under System/System Status
THANKS!!

lookinforanswer

You didn't update the firmware via the Mac did you?

The reason I ask is because there's been past issues when doing so via the Mac systems. It really needs to be done via a Windows machine.