There is clearly a common issue with "devices" and WiFi.
As I have a mixed bag of WiFi devices some of which only support WEP I have a WEP WiFi network on a Netgear DG834G with v4 hardware.
Although initially the Orange San Francisco had been fine with the Netgear more recently it hadn't been getting an IP address via DHCP, hanging during the connection process as a result.
I updated from the DG834G version 4 Firmware V5.01.01 to the most recent from the Netgear websiste (with some trepidation as I thought a hell of settings would follow) to DG834Gv4 firmware version 5.01.16 and so far all seems well with the Orange San Francisco and DHCP. No settings to re-enter either, bonus !
I will see if it seems fixed and perhaps set the iPod touch back to DHCP.
Sunday 9 October 2011
Saturday 9 July 2011
E-Mail on phones
My needs are modest, I want the functionality phones come with to work.
Settings for e-mail providers can be difficult to find.
Yahoo mail ( yahoo.co.uk ) settings for IMAP as working on the mail client on my Sony Ericsson k530 are as follows:-
Incoming
imap.mail.yahoo.com
Port: 143
Security: None
Outgoing
Outgoing Server - smtp.mail.yahoo.com
Outgoing Port - 465 (requires SSL/TLS)
Username: full email address (for example, bill@yahoo.com or bill@rocketmail.com)
Password: the password you login to Yahoo with.
Info via much web searching.
It worked for me, your milage may vary !
Settings for e-mail providers can be difficult to find.
Yahoo mail ( yahoo.co.uk ) settings for IMAP as working on the mail client on my Sony Ericsson k530 are as follows:-
Incoming
imap.mail.yahoo.com
Port: 143
Security: None
Outgoing
Outgoing Server - smtp.mail.yahoo.com
Outgoing Port - 465 (requires SSL/TLS)
Username: full email address (for example, bill@yahoo.com or bill@rocketmail.com)
Password: the password you login to Yahoo with.
Info via much web searching.
It worked for me, your milage may vary !
Thursday 2 June 2011
How to pair a Sony Bluetooth Headset HBH-DS200 with a Bluetooth accessory
Adapted from information on the Sony website:-
Make sure the headset is fully charged and within 1 m (3 ft) of the phone.
Make sure the headset is turned off.
Press and hold the headset On/Off button for at least five seconds, until you hear a long beep after the first signal. The headset is now in pairing mode.
On the phone scan for a new device, when the question "Add device?" appears on your phone press "yes".
If you need to enter a passcode, the headset passcode is 0000.
It works OK with the Orange San Francisco which was what it was bought for.
It also works fine with the iPhone 3GS which has taken over from the Orange San Francisco for some duties.
To unpair (from http://www.mrandmrsloh.com/?p=542 )
"Inside manual: (To reset headset or To unpair headset with a phone)
1. Press and hold down the on/off key until the display shows the flashing
pairing icon.
2. Simultaneously press and hold down the on/off key and the action key until
the headset turns off.
For step 1, you have to turn off your device off first. Once you have turned off the device, then only you can press and hold down the on/off key (about 3-5 seconds) before the display shows a flashing pairing icon (like a recycle logo).
For step 2, press and hold down the on/off key (the button with the play sign) and you press the on/off at the same time to turn it off."
Make sure the headset is fully charged and within 1 m (3 ft) of the phone.
Make sure the headset is turned off.
Press and hold the headset On/Off button for at least five seconds, until you hear a long beep after the first signal. The headset is now in pairing mode.
On the phone scan for a new device, when the question "Add device?" appears on your phone press "yes".
If you need to enter a passcode, the headset passcode is 0000.
It works OK with the Orange San Francisco which was what it was bought for.
It also works fine with the iPhone 3GS which has taken over from the Orange San Francisco for some duties.
To unpair (from http://www.mrandmrsloh.com/?p=542 )
"Inside manual: (To reset headset or To unpair headset with a phone)
1. Press and hold down the on/off key until the display shows the flashing
pairing icon.
2. Simultaneously press and hold down the on/off key and the action key until
the headset turns off.
For step 1, you have to turn off your device off first. Once you have turned off the device, then only you can press and hold down the on/off key (about 3-5 seconds) before the display shows a flashing pairing icon (like a recycle logo).
For step 2, press and hold down the on/off key (the button with the play sign) and you press the on/off at the same time to turn it off."
Wednesday 18 May 2011
TP-Link TL-MR3220 and ZTE MF627 follow up
I see that 90% plus of the readers of this blog are interested in the TP-Link TL-MR3220 and the ZTE MF627 so I'll follow up on the original piece.
There are still a few issues with the TL-MR3220 and the ZTE MF627.
1) I spent the weekend in a location with poor mobile coverage. It seems that if the SIM can't register with a network then the router doesn't recognise the modem. It took a bit of SIM swapping to find that.
2) With good signal it can work for hours but I've not got to the bottom of occasional disconnections. I think these are mobile network initiated so that when there is no data flow the network closes down the connection to the dongle and this confuses the router. This is only a theory and I've also been using phone SIMs (as against SIMS intended for dongles) up until now.
I've got a proper "3" dongle SIM coming and I'll give this a go with the TL-MR3220 and the ZTE MF627 combination.
From a bit of Googleing I'm increasingly of the opinion that the TL-MR3220 plays better with the Hauwei E160 than the ZTE dongles and at some stage getting one of those might be the answer.
There are still a few issues with the TL-MR3220 and the ZTE MF627.
1) I spent the weekend in a location with poor mobile coverage. It seems that if the SIM can't register with a network then the router doesn't recognise the modem. It took a bit of SIM swapping to find that.
2) With good signal it can work for hours but I've not got to the bottom of occasional disconnections. I think these are mobile network initiated so that when there is no data flow the network closes down the connection to the dongle and this confuses the router. This is only a theory and I've also been using phone SIMs (as against SIMS intended for dongles) up until now.
I've got a proper "3" dongle SIM coming and I'll give this a go with the TL-MR3220 and the ZTE MF627 combination.
From a bit of Googleing I'm increasingly of the opinion that the TL-MR3220 plays better with the Hauwei E160 than the ZTE dongles and at some stage getting one of those might be the answer.
Saturday 2 April 2011
The TP-Link TL-MR3220 and the ZTE MF627
I've had an unlocked ZTE MF627 around for a couple of years, ever since the "3" offer of a "dongle for free" (plus £4.95 p&p) was around. I unlocked it at the time (google ZTE MF627 unlock for free and I'm sure you will find out how) but I've not made much use of it.
I had a bit of a hankering for an unlocked "mifi" type device but £60 was a bit much to spend for something that was very much a "holiday use" item.
While looking for something else I came across the TP-Link TL-MR3220. This is one of the modern routers which can take a WAN connection (say cable broadband) and back it up with a 3G dongle connection.
There is no operator lock on the device (although there could be on the dongle) and any APN can be entered. Finally it was about £25 from Amazon. How could I resist.
I got it out, connected it to a PC via a cable (it does 4 cable ethernet ports as well as WiFi) and started the set up process.
Sadly, it wouldn't recognise my dongle even after a firmware update. It was starting to look like a return to Amazon and a snotty review was required as the ZTE MF627 was supposed to be a supported device.
In desperation I borrowed a different dongle (a T-Mobile USB stick 120 which is also known as a ZTE MF626) and it was recognised.
I e-mailed the support address [ support.uk@tp-link.com ] but heard nothing back. I then found a UK telephone number(0)845 147 0017 and gave it a ring.
To my great surprise an extremely helpful person answered the phone and after listening to the problem e-mailed a set of instructions.
The problem seemed to be that the ZTE MF627 3G modem was in an autorun mode (so it can start the manager software) not a modem mode when plugged in.
The following sequence of instructions fixed this for me.
Step 1: Plug the 3G modem directly to your computer. Run the manager software (in my case "Globe Visibility Connection Manager") and from control panel find out what COM port the ZTE modem was on.
Step 2: (On Windows XP) click Start->go to All programs->Accessories->Communications->Hyper Terminal->choose the corresponding COM port for the 3G modem
Set the HyperTerminal connection parameters to:
Bits per Second: 115200
Data bits: 8
Parity: None
Stop bits: 1
Flow Control: None
Then, once connected, type the following command (this was "blind" as there was no echo) AT+ZCDRUN=8 then press "enter".
The modem responded
Close autorun state result(0:FAIL 1:SUCCESS):1
and I closed Hyper Terminal.
When I then connected the 3G modem to the router and restarted the router, the modem was recognised (as a MF626 which I think was a result of unlocking).
Using the "3" sim from my phone in the dongle works fine now in the TL-MR3220 and the connection can be shared around a few devices.
The ping (latency) is high (perhaps 200ms) and the data rate is perhaps 200kb/s download and less up but as a way of using WiFi and ethernet devices when away from home it's not bad for the money.
I'll try other SIMS as required but it all looks promising now.
Fantastic technical support TP-Link. It will now be a glowing review at Amazon !
I had a bit of a hankering for an unlocked "mifi" type device but £60 was a bit much to spend for something that was very much a "holiday use" item.
While looking for something else I came across the TP-Link TL-MR3220. This is one of the modern routers which can take a WAN connection (say cable broadband) and back it up with a 3G dongle connection.
There is no operator lock on the device (although there could be on the dongle) and any APN can be entered. Finally it was about £25 from Amazon. How could I resist.
I got it out, connected it to a PC via a cable (it does 4 cable ethernet ports as well as WiFi) and started the set up process.
Sadly, it wouldn't recognise my dongle even after a firmware update. It was starting to look like a return to Amazon and a snotty review was required as the ZTE MF627 was supposed to be a supported device.
In desperation I borrowed a different dongle (a T-Mobile USB stick 120 which is also known as a ZTE MF626) and it was recognised.
I e-mailed the support address [ support.uk@tp-link.com ] but heard nothing back. I then found a UK telephone number(0)845 147 0017 and gave it a ring.
To my great surprise an extremely helpful person answered the phone and after listening to the problem e-mailed a set of instructions.
The problem seemed to be that the ZTE MF627 3G modem was in an autorun mode (so it can start the manager software) not a modem mode when plugged in.
The following sequence of instructions fixed this for me.
Step 1: Plug the 3G modem directly to your computer. Run the manager software (in my case "Globe Visibility Connection Manager") and from control panel find out what COM port the ZTE modem was on.
Step 2: (On Windows XP) click Start->go to All programs->Accessories->Communications->Hyper Terminal->choose the corresponding COM port for the 3G modem
Set the HyperTerminal connection parameters to:
Bits per Second: 115200
Data bits: 8
Parity: None
Stop bits: 1
Flow Control: None
Then, once connected, type the following command (this was "blind" as there was no echo) AT+ZCDRUN=8 then press "enter".
The modem responded
Close autorun state result(0:FAIL 1:SUCCESS):1
and I closed Hyper Terminal.
When I then connected the 3G modem to the router and restarted the router, the modem was recognised (as a MF626 which I think was a result of unlocking).
Using the "3" sim from my phone in the dongle works fine now in the TL-MR3220 and the connection can be shared around a few devices.
The ping (latency) is high (perhaps 200ms) and the data rate is perhaps 200kb/s download and less up but as a way of using WiFi and ethernet devices when away from home it's not bad for the money.
I'll try other SIMS as required but it all looks promising now.
Fantastic technical support TP-Link. It will now be a glowing review at Amazon !
Monday 21 March 2011
Mobile Data in Spain - After the event
I bought a Spanish SIM for the unlocked Android phone I have when I went to Spain at Christmas.
The best deal seemed to come from Carrefour.
The APN settings are:-
NAME=Carrefour, APN=carrefourinternet.
100 MB per day is the download cap.
Every day that you use the Internet, €1 will be deducted from your credit. This is €1 plus VAT (TVA) so works out at about €1.19 a day.
The minimum top-up seems to be €5, You buy the SIM for €5 and put credit on in €5 multiples.
Hence the cost works out at €1.19 per day plus the €5 for the SIM, but the minimum that you can initially buy is 4 days.
The SIM worked in my Zoom WE3G once I had sussed the PIN lock. The carrier for the SIM has the 4 digit PIN and the PUK printed on it (but strangely not the number).
I topped up in a Carrefour Express by another €5 using the reciept for the original Top Up which had the number.
I attempted online top up but that didn't like my non-Spanish credit card.
Speeds were good until more than 100MB was used, then it went slow (but still useful on a smartphone).
Sadly the SIM dies if you don't spend €3 a month so when I go next I'll have to buy another one but all in all I thought it was good.
I didn't try the other deals which are as follows:-
OR [translated from Spanish by that nice Mr Google]
Bonus 1 GB
Pay € 19, which lasts 30 calendar days from the sign up.
Once past the 30 days you have to resubscribe. If you do not, you automatically pass to the daily rate.
How to sign up
Make sure you have sufficient funds in your SIM card (at least 23 €).
From the Mobile Partner application (see below) send a free SMS with the text 22864 " ALTA BONO 1GB "
You will receive an SMS confirming to recruitment.
You then have the bonus that you can enjoy for 30 days.
You can check the consumption at any time by sending an SMS to 22864 with the text BONO 1GB (you have 5 free consumer inquiries each month.)
Get the USB modem + SIM or SIM only:
* In the online shop
* In Carrefour Hypermarkets
* Supermarket Carrefour Expres
Recharge based on your needs, just like a mobile phone.
You can make your charge:
*In Carrefour Hypermarkets
*In Supermarket Carrefour Express
*Online here
*In the ATM network 4B
*In kiosks and establishments
*By phone at 902 202 000
Instructions:
By introducing the first USB Modem on your computer, you install the Mobile Partner application. Download from here the user manual .
Once passed, the 1024 Mb (1 GB), The speed reduces to 128 kbps.
This rate is valid for domestic traffic.
What to do if you eat the bonus of 1 Gb within 30 days:
* You can continue browsing the remaining days at a speed of 128 kbps. Once past the 30 days return to the daily rate.
* You can terminate the bond, and return to the daily rate at any time.
To terminate the bond, send free SMS from the Mobile Partner to the number 22864 with text BAJA BONO 1GB.
The best deal seemed to come from Carrefour.
The APN settings are:-
NAME=Carrefour, APN=carrefourinternet.
100 MB per day is the download cap.
Every day that you use the Internet, €1 will be deducted from your credit. This is €1 plus VAT (TVA) so works out at about €1.19 a day.
The minimum top-up seems to be €5, You buy the SIM for €5 and put credit on in €5 multiples.
Hence the cost works out at €1.19 per day plus the €5 for the SIM, but the minimum that you can initially buy is 4 days.
The SIM worked in my Zoom WE3G once I had sussed the PIN lock. The carrier for the SIM has the 4 digit PIN and the PUK printed on it (but strangely not the number).
I topped up in a Carrefour Express by another €5 using the reciept for the original Top Up which had the number.
I attempted online top up but that didn't like my non-Spanish credit card.
Speeds were good until more than 100MB was used, then it went slow (but still useful on a smartphone).
Sadly the SIM dies if you don't spend €3 a month so when I go next I'll have to buy another one but all in all I thought it was good.
I didn't try the other deals which are as follows:-
OR [translated from Spanish by that nice Mr Google]
Bonus 1 GB
Pay € 19, which lasts 30 calendar days from the sign up.
Once past the 30 days you have to resubscribe. If you do not, you automatically pass to the daily rate.
How to sign up
Make sure you have sufficient funds in your SIM card (at least 23 €).
From the Mobile Partner application (see below) send a free SMS with the text 22864 " ALTA BONO 1GB "
You will receive an SMS confirming to recruitment.
You then have the bonus that you can enjoy for 30 days.
You can check the consumption at any time by sending an SMS to 22864 with the text BONO 1GB (you have 5 free consumer inquiries each month.)
Get the USB modem + SIM or SIM only:
* In the online shop
* In Carrefour Hypermarkets
* Supermarket Carrefour Expres
Recharge based on your needs, just like a mobile phone.
You can make your charge:
*In Carrefour Hypermarkets
*In Supermarket Carrefour Express
*Online here
*In the ATM network 4B
*In kiosks and establishments
*By phone at 902 202 000
Instructions:
By introducing the first USB Modem on your computer, you install the Mobile Partner application. Download from here the user manual .
Once passed, the 1024 Mb (1 GB), The speed reduces to 128 kbps.
This rate is valid for domestic traffic.
What to do if you eat the bonus of 1 Gb within 30 days:
* You can continue browsing the remaining days at a speed of 128 kbps. Once past the 30 days return to the daily rate.
* You can terminate the bond, and return to the daily rate at any time.
To terminate the bond, send free SMS from the Mobile Partner to the number 22864 with text BAJA BONO 1GB.
Thursday 10 March 2011
A collection of Malware checkers
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
Hitman Pro: Malware Scanner (very quick! no install needed)
http://www.surfright.nl/en/hitmanpro
Kapersky TDSSKiller (very quick! no install needed, for TDSS rootkit)
http://support.kaspersky.com/downloa...tdsskiller.exe
Dr Web CureIt!
https://www.freedrweb.com/download+cureit/gr/?lng=en (direct link)
Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool 32-bit
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/e...displaylang=en
Spybot: Search & Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/spybotsd/index.html
Norman Malware Cleaner (no install needed, takes time)
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Antivir...-Cleaner.shtml)
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
Hitman Pro: Malware Scanner (very quick! no install needed)
http://www.surfright.nl/en/hitmanpro
Kapersky TDSSKiller (very quick! no install needed, for TDSS rootkit)
http://support.kaspersky.com/downloa...tdsskiller.exe
Dr Web CureIt!
https://www.freedrweb.com/download+cureit/gr/?lng=en (direct link)
Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool 32-bit
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/e...displaylang=en
Spybot: Search & Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/spybotsd/index.html
Norman Malware Cleaner (no install needed, takes time)
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Antivir...-Cleaner.shtml)
Tuesday 1 March 2011
The Vodafone SMTP server
After trouble with very slow e-mails some while back it seems that the Vodafone SMTP server may be gone for good.
You can never tell with phone network SMTP servers as they are the least loved part of a mobile phone operators system (at least by the management and staff - possibly because people won't pay £5 a month extra for it !).
To use my legacy POP3 account on my Orange San Francisco I needed a Vodafone SMTP server (network of the month before I go to T-Mobile).
I thank the excellent blog post at :-
http://blog.brightpointuk.co.uk/sending-email-smtp-vodafone-uk
for the following hint.
Sign up for a free Vodafone 360 account at www.vodafone360.com
The settings are then as follows:
SMTP (Outgoing) server - smtp.360.com
Username - username@360.com - where "username" is what you selected when you signed up for the 360 account
Password - your 360 password
Security - SSL / TLS
Port - 465
You should now be able to send email via SMTP.
You can never tell with phone network SMTP servers as they are the least loved part of a mobile phone operators system (at least by the management and staff - possibly because people won't pay £5 a month extra for it !).
To use my legacy POP3 account on my Orange San Francisco I needed a Vodafone SMTP server (network of the month before I go to T-Mobile).
I thank the excellent blog post at :-
http://blog.brightpointuk.co.uk/sending-email-smtp-vodafone-uk
for the following hint.
Sign up for a free Vodafone 360 account at www.vodafone360.com
The settings are then as follows:
SMTP (Outgoing) server - smtp.360.com
Username - username@360.com - where "username" is what you selected when you signed up for the 360 account
Password - your 360 password
Security - SSL / TLS
Port - 465
You should now be able to send email via SMTP.
Sunday 30 January 2011
Trouble with the Google Calendar on Android 2.1
Well, it was a quarter of the price of an iPhone but there are little niggles with Android 2.1 of the Orange San Francisco.
The Google Calendar applicaion is quite useful and I view one personal and one shared calendar on the phone. The shared calendar (owned by another Google account) can be updated but updates made to that calendar by other means didn't show up correctly on the Google Calendar app on the phone.
After a bit of a search it seems to be that the calendar data cache needs to be cleared on the phone.
On the phone go to Menu/Settings/Applications/Manage Applications/Calendar....then clear data.
I have a feeling this may need to be done regularly but we shall see...
UPDATE
This seems to be fixed if "Background Data" and "Auto-sync" are set on in "Accounts & sync settings".
The Google Calendar applicaion is quite useful and I view one personal and one shared calendar on the phone. The shared calendar (owned by another Google account) can be updated but updates made to that calendar by other means didn't show up correctly on the Google Calendar app on the phone.
After a bit of a search it seems to be that the calendar data cache needs to be cleared on the phone.
On the phone go to Menu/Settings/Applications/Manage Applications/Calendar....then clear data.
I have a feeling this may need to be done regularly but we shall see...
UPDATE
This seems to be fixed if "Background Data" and "Auto-sync" are set on in "Accounts & sync settings".
Tuesday 11 January 2011
Fixing a faulty Netgear DG834G
We seem to have problems with broadband routers.
I've had 3 break.
The Linksys broke with the "classic" wired port not working fault due to overstressed capacitors around the PSU area within the unit itself. I chucked that one as I saw little chance of replacing all the capacitors without breaking the board.
The 3Com that replaced it eventually had a failed "brick PSU" and had a number of other aspects I wasn't over pleased with so I bought a Netgear DG834G.
The Netgear has been generally fine but when moved it wouldn't start working again. A bit of a Google (combined with the number of online sellers of Netgear PSUs) suggested that it was the PSU.
A few pounds spent and the Netgear has a new PSU and is working fine.
So if you have come here by Googling "Netgear DG834 lights up but doesn't work" or similar. It is worth buying a replacement power supply, it is likely to be the fix you want.
I understand the original PSU goes a bit low output which is how the unit seems to work but just doesn't.
Best of luck !
I've had 3 break.
The Linksys broke with the "classic" wired port not working fault due to overstressed capacitors around the PSU area within the unit itself. I chucked that one as I saw little chance of replacing all the capacitors without breaking the board.
The 3Com that replaced it eventually had a failed "brick PSU" and had a number of other aspects I wasn't over pleased with so I bought a Netgear DG834G.
The Netgear has been generally fine but when moved it wouldn't start working again. A bit of a Google (combined with the number of online sellers of Netgear PSUs) suggested that it was the PSU.
A few pounds spent and the Netgear has a new PSU and is working fine.
So if you have come here by Googling "Netgear DG834 lights up but doesn't work" or similar. It is worth buying a replacement power supply, it is likely to be the fix you want.
I understand the original PSU goes a bit low output which is how the unit seems to work but just doesn't.
Best of luck !
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)