Need help on VZ Access

[Carol]

Okay, you tech wizards. I have a question.

I signed up for VZ Access from Verizon and got a PC card. I am supposed to be getting broadband speed. Instead, depending on the time of day, I may get throughput of 70-120K with occasional bursts. On top of that I get frequent disconnections. I got disconnected writing this post! To me, ANY disconnection is unacceptable but these happen randomly and seem to be more frequent in the afternoon. Early in the morning if I am sitting right next to a window I might get 350k throughput. I use the shuttle test on toast.net to check speed.

Other factors:
I bought the card at a location away from my home area code. The card number has my home area code. We changed the access using VZ Access manager.

I am sitting in a concrete building (no, not a jail cell) near the coast. Tech support says broadband should be available here.

I was on the phone with tech support for an hour and a half two days ago, even got bumped up to the next level, got a ticket number and a direct callback number. We ran through every diagnostic on his list. We left the laptop in diagnostic configuration and, at his direction, I took it to the Verizon store the next morning to determine if the problem was the card or the location. I had a bad card and they replaced it. I was getting broadband speed at the store even after returning the laptop to normal config.

Back here I am at the slower throughput. Called tech support on the direct number and we ran diagnostics again. The call ended with them saying there has to be something here at my location effecting the throughput.

Here's my question:

What could be effecting throughput and/or causing me to lose connection? It seems I have exhausted the diagnostic question list at Verizon.

Any help will be gratefully appreciated.

 

[mgkdrgn]

"What could be effecting throughput and/or causing me to lose connection? It seems I have exhausted the diagnostic question list at Verizon."

Unfortunatlly, any little "glitch" in the phone wiring, anywhere between you and the local switch you are connected to. I do believe there is a physical limit as to how far a DSL connection can be from the switch. Perhaps you are at, near or beyond that physical limit.

You -can- get DSL here ... but there is a reason I got cable instead.

Brett

 

[Carol]

"What could be effecting throughput and/or causing me to lose connection? It seems I have exhausted the diagnostic question list at Verizon."

Unfortunatlly, any little "glitch" in the phone wiring, anywhere between you and the local switch you are connected to. I do believe there is a physical limit as to how far a DSL connection can be from the switch. Perhaps you are at, near or beyond that physical limit.

You -can- get DSL here ... but there is a reason I got cable instead.

Brett

I should add that I am using a wireless card. No phone wiring involved. I went through that nightmare here before. The phone wiring is so old *any* dialup connection would drop out.

 

[Bill]

What could be effecting throughput and/or causing me to lose connection? It seems I have exhausted the diagnostic question list at Verizon.

Well, wireless is basically radio communication. How is your concrete building constructed? Being on the coast, does it use a lot of rebar for strength? Rebar could act as a faraday cage blocking the communication.

 

[Brian Austin]

I've got about 20 of these in our inventory right now. It's sporadic but VERY dependent on signal strength and orientation.

Concrete isn't a good medium to pass a high frequency RF signal through. If you take the laptop outside, does it work better? That's a quick check. Your distance to the signal hasn't changed much but the building is no longer a factor.

Ask if the external antenna is available for your card. We've had good luck with those. They're not terribly big but make a big difference.

There are two cards available from Verizon. Only one (V620) supports the antenna:

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/accessoryPopup?item=accessoryMart&accessoryId=16630

You need the adapter cable with it. Total is about $30.

 

[jesse]

Just curious..What kind of speeds does Verizon promise? What do they actually deliver in the real world?


I used T-mobile for quite awhile with my PDA. Since it had bluetooth and my phone had bluetooth it would access the internet through it. I also did it with a laptop sometimes. You were lucky if you broke about 60 kbps (kilobit)

 

[Brian Austin]

Just curious..What kind of speeds does Verizon promise? What do they actually deliver in the real world?


I used T-mobile for quite awhile with my PDA. Since it had bluetooth and my phone had bluetooth it would access the internet through it. I also did it with a laptop sometimes. You were lucky if you broke about 60 kbps (kilobit)

It varies, based on where you're at and what technology is available in that area. Some urban, primarily downtown, areas are set up on EVDO technology and get 600kbps+. Digital connection areas with 1x technology will see up to 200kbps (but it's sporadic and really needs a good line of sight to maintain that speed). Typical ranges are 100-160kbps.

When only analog signals are available, it switches to a basic cellular modem and tops out at 14.4 (the ones I've been using, anyway. They may have improved them).

 

[Carol]

I've got about 20 of these in our inventory right now. It's sporadic but VERY dependent on signal strength and orientation.

Concrete isn't a good medium to pass a high frequency RF signal through. If you take the laptop outside, does it work better? That's a quick check. Your distance to the signal hasn't changed much but the building is no longer a factor.

Ask if the external antenna is available for your card. We've had good luck with those. They're not terribly big but make a big difference.

There are two cards available from Verizon. Only one (V620) supports the antenna:

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/accessoryPopup?item=accessoryMart&accessoryId=16630

You need the adapter cable with it. Total is about $30.

Thanks. It's probably the reinforced concrete. Outside I get slightly better but still not the 400-700k broadband throughput for which I am paying. The most I have ever gotten, even in the Verizon store, was 360K which, according to the graph on toast.net, is within cable capacity range, but is not the blazing speed I expect. I am showing EVDO and should be getting the connection. Plus the lost connections are a PITA.

I am using the Verizon Wireless PC 5740.

Thanks, folks, for your help. I really appreciate it. This is quite annoying.

 

[mgkdrgn]

So, truely "wireless, wireless", all the way back to Verizion?

I'll wager that in the "store" you are a h*ll of a lot closer to a transmitter than you are in da bunker. Perhaps some kind of "repeater" with a more substantial antenna on it is in order?

I should add that I am using a wireless card. No phone wiring involved. I went through that nightmare here before. The phone wiring is so old *any* dialup connection would drop out.

 

[wsuffa]

Sounds like the bit error rate is too high to maintain a reliable full-speed connection.

All the companies oversell their capabilities. All of them. I tried a Sprint card for a while, sent it back. I tried an AT&T GPRS card for a while. It went back, too. Neither could reliably maintain a connection.

EVDO operates much like a cellphone. You should expect dropouts - and reduced speed unless you have a very clean shot to the cellular tower. Leaves and pine needles on trees are enough to disrupt.

 

[Carol]

So, truely "wireless, wireless", all the way back to Verizion?

yes

I'll wager that in the "store" you are a h*ll of a lot closer to a transmitter than you are in da bunker. Perhaps some kind of "repeater" with a more substantial antenna on it is in order?

Yes, that's probably right.

Sounds like the bit error rate is too high to maintain a reliable full-speed connection.

All the companies oversell their capabilities. All of them. I tried a Sprint card for a while, sent it back. I tried an AT&T GPRS card for a while. It went back, too. Neither could reliably maintain a connection.

EVDO operates much like a cellphone. You should expect dropouts - and reduced speed unless you have a very clean shot to the cellular tower. Leaves and pine needles on trees are enough to disrupt.

I was afraid of that. Thanks to everyone for your help.

 

[AirBaker]

Carol,
Has the connection improved at all? I've been considering getting one of these for my wife.