We have really CRAP bdbnd yet my son can connect with his smart phone ?

flynnboy

I have just done a speed test, which doesn't mean much to me but might to you guys:

Download Speed = 0.09 Mbps
Upload Speed = 0.07

Turtle_Tommy

That speed test definitely shows you are using the 2g network. Can you try this? Change your settings back to "WCDMA only". Then click Tools - Options - Network - Registration mode - Manual search and register. Does the o2 network or any other network show up if you do this? If the o2 network does show up, click on it, press ok and then try to connect.

flynnboy

Turtle_Tommy wrote: »

That speed test definitely shows you are using the 2g network. Can you try this? Change your settings back to "WCDMA only". Then click Tools - Options - Network - Registration mode - Manual search and register. Does the o2 network or any other network show up if you do this? If the o2 network does show up, click on it, press ok and then try to connect.

What I get is this :

Meteor (3G)
3IRL (3G)
voda IE (3G)

Turtle_Tommy

flynnboy wrote: »

What I get is this :

Meteor (3G)
3IRL (3G)
voda IE (3G)

This means that o2 doesn't have 3g coverage in your area. If you change your provider to one of the networks above, you should have a much faster connection compared to your o2 2g connection. It's likely that your son is roaming using either Meteor, 3 or Vodaphone which is why his connection is so fast compared to yours.

flynnboy

Okay ! So, if I change to Vodaphone for example I might have a 3G ?

flynnboy

Just one thing..... my son's phone setting says that he is on o2 roaming... ? So, if they do not have 3G here how is he connecting so much faster on his smart phone ?

Turtle_Tommy

flynnboy wrote: »

Okay ! So, if I change to Vodaphone for example I might have a 3G ?

Yes, the search you did above shows that Vodafone, Meteor and Three have 3g coverage in your area. I'd suggest buying a Prepay broadband sim card from one of these networks first to test the speed before you enter a long contract in case the network also turns out to be very slow.

TheChizler

Try moving the dongle around a bit, above the computer, on a shelf, on it's side etc. Try with a USB extender if you have another one.

flynnboy

TheChizler wrote: »

Try moving the dongle around a bit, above the computer, on a shelf, on it's side etc. Try with a USB extender if you have another one.

Tried all of that Chizler !

Turtle_Tommy

flynnboy wrote: »

Just one thing..... my son's phone setting says that he is on o2 roaming... ? So, if they do not have 3G here how is he connecting so much faster on his smart phone ?

Can you check this mast locator from Comreg http://www.askcomreg.ie/mobile/siteviewer.273.LE.asp and check if the o2 mast nearest to you has 3g? This may take a long time to load considering you have such a slow connection.

flynnboy

Turtle_Tommy wrote: »

Yes, the search you did above shows that Vodafone, Meteor and Three have 3g coverage in your area. I'd suggest buying a Prepay broadband sim card from one of these networks first to test the speed before you enter a long contract in case the network also turns out to be very slow.

Thanks TT, I'll go into Donegal Town next week and speak to Vodaphone (perhaps this is why there is no 02 store there ....?) When we fist came here 4 1/2 yrs ago Voda just would not work at all, perhaps things have changed ?

Thanks very much for all of your help ! Very much appreciated.:)

flynnboy

Honest to God this is like living in the dark ages !

Turtle_Tommy

flynnboy wrote: »

Thanks TT, I'll go into Donegal Town next week and speak to Vodaphone (perhaps this is why there is no 02 store there ....?) When we fist came here 4 1/2 yrs ago Voda just would not work at all, perhaps things have changed ?

Thanks very much for all of your help ! Very much appreciated.:)

You're welcome! The mobile networks are always expanding their network coverage so it seems they now have coverage in your area. Remember to check the mast site locator at http://www.askcomreg.ie/mobile/siteviewer.273.LE.asp to firstly make sure o2 don't have a 3g mast in your area.

Pro Hoc Vice

flynnboy wrote: »

Thanks TT, I'll go into Donegal Town next week and speak to Vodaphone (perhaps this is why there is no 02 store there ....?) When we fist came here 4 1/2 yrs ago Voda just would not work at all, perhaps things have changed ?

Thanks very much for all of your help ! Very much appreciated.:)

A question, are you close to the border, if so it maybe that your son is actually on O2 UK hence why he is getting 3G.

flynnboy

Turtle_Tommy wrote: »

Can you check this mast locator from Comreg http://www.askcomreg.ie/mobile/siteviewer.273.LE.asp and check if the o2 mast nearest to you has 3g? This may take a long time to load considering you have such a slow connection.

I'm afraid I'm getting nowhere with this, I have the map and it gives me location numbers but when I type in the location # it tells me it does not exist!....... oohhhh I am in Donegal TT Sorry

flynnboy

Close to Donegal Town

Turtle_Tommy

flynnboy wrote: »

I'm afraid I'm getting nowhere with this, I have the map and it gives me location numbers but when I type in the location # it tells me it does not exist!....... oohhhh I am in Donegal TT Sorry

There seems to be many o2 3g masts around Donegal town. Instead of entering a location, can you zoom in on your location in Donegal and then look at the masts around you?

flynnboy

Thanks TT unfortunately I have been called away and must go but will be back in 1/2 hr or so. Thanks very much for your help !

flynnboy

OK TT this is what I get:

Site Id 563
GSM tick
3G X
LTE X
Operator o2

Does this help ? I hope so !

flynnboy

BTW I had a heart stopper when I came back to the computer as I could not connect with any of the networks from my manager, I had to shut down and re-start !

flynnboy

Looking at this further it would seem that there is a Vodaphone mast closer to us at Dunkineely with 3G.... on the face of it it looks like Vodaphone is the way to go, strange since when we came here Voda would not work at all ?

flynnboy

TT you have been a great help and it would seem that with your guidance I have discovered that o2 do not have any 3G coverage around here yet Voda do with x2 masts locally at Dunkineely ! The o2 mast in Mountcharles does not do 3G !

It seems obvious now that I must go into Donegal Town next week and take out a Vodaphone package.

This just leaves one question, how is it that my son has o2 roaming coverage on his smart phone when there is no 3G coverage with 02 locally yet his connection is way better than my computer connection ????

Turtle_Tommy

flynnboy wrote: »

OK TT this is what I get:

Site Id 563
GSM tick
3G X
LTE X
Operator o2

Does this help ? I hope so !

This definitely shows there is no o2 3g in your area. Changing to Vodaphone, Meteor or Three will give you much better speed.

flynnboy wrote: »

Looking at this further it would seem that there is a Vodaphone mast closer to us at Dunkineely with 3G.... on the face of it it looks like Vodaphone is the way to go, strange since when we came here Voda would not work at all ?

Vodaphone must have extended their coverage to your area since then. They may be the best provider to go with alright. However, Vodaphone give less data with their mobile broadband packages than Meteor or Three, so you should consider this before choosing who to go with.

TheChizler

flynnboy wrote: »

Looking at this further it would seem that there is a Vodaphone mast closer to us at Dunkineely with 3G.... on the face of it it looks like Vodaphone is the way to go, strange since when we came here Voda would not work at all ?

Must have been installed since so. O2 seem to have a 3G site at Killybegs, do you have a line of sight to there? As in no giant hills in the way?

Are you sure your son's was roaming on O2? Normally the phone will say their home network and then the roaming network in brackets or vice versa. Strange if he could pick it up.

Edit: On a side note, delighted comreg have upgraded to google maps! The old siteviewer was a pain.

Turtle_Tommy

flynnboy wrote: »

TT you have been a great help and it would seem that with your guidance I have discovered that o2 do not have any 3G coverage around here yet Voda do with x2 masts locally at Dunkineely ! The o2 mast in Mountcharles does not do 3G !

It seems obvious now that I must go into Donegal Town next week and take out a Vodaphone package.

This just leaves one question, how is it that my son has o2 roaming coverage on his smart phone when there is no 3G coverage with 02 locally yet his connection is way better than my computer connection ????

Glad I could help! I think that your son's phone must have actually been receiving coverage from one of the other networks or else he might have a stronger wireless antenna in his phone allowing him to pick up an o2 3g signal.

Turtle_Tommy

TheChizler wrote: »

Must have been installed since so. O2 seem to have a 3G site at Killybegs, do you have a line of sight to there? As in no giant hills in the way?

Are you sure your son's was roaming on O2? Normally the phone will say their home network and then the roaming network in brackets or vice versa. Strange if he could pick it up.

Edit: On a side note, delighted comreg have upgraded to google maps! The old siteviewer was a pain.

I'm also delighted they upgraded to google maps! It's also great they added LTE to the maps as it will be easy to know where 4g is available once it launches.

niallb

One tip about the dongle itself.
I have an old E220 as well, and I find it gives very good reception - I used it for a few weeks on the Aran Islands recently with a Three Sim in it.

There's a light on it which flashes until you get connected and then goes steady.
If it's green, the connection is 2G (EDGE), if it's dark blue it's 3G, and if it goes really pale blue, it's a faster 3G speed called HSDPA.

You could try holding the dongle vertically against the window in the middle of it. Lying on the windowsill is not always the best spot, and if you have an upstairs window it can be a lot better than a downstairs one.

If you could pick the window facing nearest to Killybegs (if that's where you think a 3G signal is coming from you might just get the light to go blue which could get you sorted tonight.

I've had similar experiences to others mentioned in this thread where moving the dongle within a few feet made a huge difference to connection speed.

flynnboy

Well, it seems, as far as I can ascertain by the info given, we are in between the masts at Mountcharles and Dunkineely, the o2 Mast in Mountcharles does not do 3G, there are x2 Voda masts in Dunkineely that do3G ! So we would be better advised to go Vodaphone. Odd that when we first came here Voda would not work at all so they have at least kept up and expanded their service whereas o2 have obviously fallen behind.

I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your advice guys, especially you TT ! without your help and guidance I would not have found out what I have found out, and this will make a huge difference to my life if my internet experience improves as a result! You should congratulate yourself that through this wonderful internet you have made a difference to the life of a total stranger !

Thanks again to you and all who have contributed ! :-) Go raibh mille maidh agut !

flynnboy

niallb wrote: »

One tip about the dongle itself.
I have an old E220 as well, and I find it gives very good reception - I used it for a few weeks on the Aran Islands recently with a Three Sim in it.

There's a light on it which flashes until you get connected and then goes steady.
If it's green, the connection is 2G (EDGE), if it's dark blue it's 3G, and if it goes really pale blue, it's a faster 3G speed called HSDPA.

You could try holding the dongle vertically against the window in the middle of it. Lying on the windowsill is not always the best spot, and if you have an upstairs window it can be a lot better than a downstairs one.

If you could pick the window facing nearest to Killybegs (if that's where you think a 3G signal is coming from you might just get the light to go blue which could get you sorted tonight.

I've had similar experiences to others mentioned in this thread where moving the dongle within a few feet made a huge difference to connection speed.

Thanks Niall, however I am severely restricted as to how far I can orient my Dongle, the cable is not that long. I have actually moved it around as much as I can and it never makes any difference. I think I have to abandon o2 and go Voda ! In fact if anything the dongle is pointing towards the masts at Dunkineely yet it does not seem to make any difference, I would actually say that it points directly at the masts in Dunkineely and Killybegs - Mountcharles is in the opposite direction to where the dongle is situated. Looking out of my window where the dongle is situated I am looking directly towards the mast at Dunkineely.

flynnboy

One more thing guys, now it seems I might be able to use a smart phone....... I have no idea about them nor what the costs are, can any of you give me an idea of what charges I might expect ? I don't mean the call charges as obviously that depends upon how many I make but what are the other charges and what is 'roaming' all about ?