Very slow connection with Mifi 4510L??

[brian3294]

I'm hoping someone here can give some guidance. I am having very slow connection with the 4510L we just got. Via test on speedtest.net I'm seeing download speed of .17 MBPS at times it was so slow the test was not completing. I normally have 1 or 2 bars on the mifi unit and have seen up to 3 at times. I drove into town and see the same range (1 to 3 bars). I have yet to see the 4G light come on except for prior to activation (would light solid green at times) since activating I have only seen the violet light for 3G.

Verizon advertises full service both around our city (Richmond, VA) and at my more remote location in Hanover. I have been through the recommended resets and nothing seems to improve the connection speed. Could the unit itself be defective? Also, I've noticed when I go to a location website it thinks I am in Pennsylvania when I am in Virginia. Could the Mifi be trying to connect to a signal in that location for some reason (was refurbished device)

Thanks for any help you can offer,

Brian

[John_Getzke]

Hello,

This sounds like a performance problem.  Performance issues are normally resolved by running through the various levels of resets.  I'll share the highest level resets below incase you haven't already tried them.  When resets do not correct the problem then a site survey should be done to confirm that there is not a service problem in your area.  Should a site survey come back positive the last line of defence is to update the firmware or request hardware replacement through Verizon.  In most cases VZW is pretty forgiving for these issues and will send a replacement without too much fuss.

Level 2 Reset:

1. Power down the MiFi
2. Remove the back cover
3. Remove the battery
4. Remove the SIM card
5. Allow the MiFi to sit for 30 seconds
6. Reassemble the MiFi
7. Test the Connection

Level 3 Reset

1. Power on the MiFi
2. Remove the back cover
3. Press and hold the Reset button next to the battery for 10 seconds
4. Watch the MiFi E-Ink display to see if all the icons are displayed
5. Release the Reset button
6. Reassemble the MiFi
7. Test your connection

To conduct a site survey:

http://3gstore.com/page/13_will_an_antenna_help_me.html

In regards to your location, do not be fooled by what is displayed on whatever website you are using.  Sites like Speedtest.net go off the location of the modem's IP Address and not your actual location.  Its not uncommon for me to appear to be close to SD or ND when I am in the middle of MN.  If you really want to know where you are in the world then you need to use GPS software and hardware, which the MiFi does not have.  Provide us the location site you are using for more information.

[SueCubed]

I was having problems but upgrading to 2.28 seems to have helped me in addition to a few other changes I made based on this review of the 4510L

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4500/novatel-wireless-mifi-4510l-review-the-best-4g-lte-wifi-hotspot/4

1) "selecting WPA2 Personal/PSK (AES)"

2) "manually selecting a channel (instead of Auto) fixes almost all the instability problems"

(I'm not sure if it actually worked as the diagnostics always shows channel 0 no matter what I picked.  I did try a couple before one - or the myriad of other things I tried - seemed to make a difference - at least for now - fingers crossed)

3) "allowing for one to select between each network mode manually, so you can force 4G LTE, EVDO, 1xRTT, or all of the above. This is incredibly useful if you’re right at the cutoff for 4G LTE SINR"  (that's WWAN Preferred Mode LTE only for me)

4) I also changed my 802.11 Mode to just one mode that works on both computers at my house

5) I am also careful to turn it off when I am done with it and take it off the charger for the night as well.

It is my only internet service due to my semiremote location (no cable etc) and when I first got it as a replacement for my dependable 2200 I was about to pull all my hair out.  I was "forced" into it because due to antenna issues on a local tower that supplies my 3G signal my 2200 wasn't even able to load my gmail account.  Verizon very helpful on that - call us if its still an issue in a "few weeks"!  However, when I inquired about the antenna's effect on a 4G signal, an intelligent tech was able to tell me that it was not the tower I would be getting a 4G signal off of - odd but I didn't question that possibility.

It runs very very warm but I suspect having it on the charger and using it almost all day is part of that.  At first I was wondering if heat was part of the problem - going so far as to have it sitting on an ice pack to test that theory.  Of course then I had to wonder if maybe I was freezing it -lol.  I am careful to turn it off when I am done with it and take it off the charger for the night as well.

I've been on it most of the day and it seems to be behaving well - so fingers crossed

[John_Getzke]

Sue,

I can see you have done your homework on the MiFi 4510L.  What you have here is a summary of all the best practice troubleshooting tips and workaround that have been discovered so far. 

Only upgraded towers can support 4G LTE signals, thats why its not everywhere already.  Sounds like your 4G signal may be coming from an alternative location than your primary 3G tower.

The MiFi's do tend to get a little hot when you leave them on all day. I haven't resorted to ice packs yet, but powering down the MiFi when not in use is always a good idea.  These devices are not ideal for an always on internet connection like thier predecessors.