messing with evdo modem(s)...
z4alltel
Newbie

note: these tips are my own doing... and i am not telling you to do them, or what you may expect.... i'm just sharing improvements i made... and what the results have been....

 

there are a couple of things that i have done with my usb evdo modem to get the most out of verizon 3g broadband... this comes out of a career in electronics, computers, and high tech systems...  first of all, heat is always a bad thing with electronics, cool is very good... i noticed ages ago that my usb modem (huawei ec168)... sure gets pretty warm/hot as much as i use it... and it gets to a point where perhaps the issues at my end are not helping verizon 3g wireless... to be as good as it could be... i took a small 12v muffin fan... found in a pc, or the pc power supply... a 12vdc power supply/adapter... and i built a small thingie... mounted my evdo modem and this fan on it... an extension usb cable to my pc/laptop... with the small fan blowing nice cool air at the modem... it makes a huge difference in the temperature of the modem... and it is much more stable as compared to when the modem is heating up with hours of use... it really helps....

 

another thing i did... has to do with the antenna in the modem... and there is usually a place for an external antenna on these usb modems...  i experiemented around with a strip of aluminum foil... folded over several times... to make a flat antenna... about say... 5" x 3/8"... the length of this comes down to just trying various sizes... i then have taped this extended antenna right over the area on the usb modem... where the external antenna would go... i get a solid five bars and -80dbm all the time...

 

of course, finding the best position where you have your pc/laptop set up... in your house, office... is just a process of checking around the place...  for the absolute strongest signal strength...  and full bars display....

 

these kinds of things have made the verizon 3g broadband here where i live.... about as good as it can get... and without these mods i have made... things were much flakier.... just try to do what you can to get the most out of your situation....

 

remember... heat in your modem stick and poor signal strength are your worst enemies.... 

 


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Re: messing with evdo modem(s)...
Not applicable
I bought a CradlePoint CTR350 travel modem and an antenna. I put the 3G card in the modem and put the antenna in a window facing the closest Verizon antenna. It works great and I don't ever use the VZAcess Manager software.
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Re: messing with evdo modem(s)...
z4alltel
Newbie

what are you using for a connection manager?  in my case... i have gone back to an earlier version of the alltel "quicklink" connection manager... and it works a lot better than the software that i was given when i joined in may of '09...


in fact... i have been searching for... and wishing for... a generic connection manager for my evdo modem... 

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Re: messing with evdo modem(s)...
Not applicable
Sorry, I should have said "I bought a CradlePoint CTR350 travel ROUTER." Anyway, with the router I don't have to use any connection software. Just plug the modem into the router and connect my laptop via WIFI and open my browser.
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