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Galaxy S3 & Airvana (not the Samsung version, the Airvana 2.0)


jonathanm1978

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So, after having my Gs3 for a couple months, and the wife has had her Gs3 since September as well, we're both seeing a few "quirks" with the GS3 working properly with the Airvana femtocell.

I finally broke down and called Sprint today, and after a 41 minute conversation with tech, they are going to send out the Airave 2.5 (the newest one that came out in ??June?? or so).

 

I just got this one last year around Feb 2011, when they introduced the 3G version...so maybe this will fix the problems I've been seeing lately (like the same text message being received like 10 times, or someone receiving the same text msg like 10 times...but you only hit send once).

 

The last straw was when I tried to make a call today, got the 3 beeps, and the person answered the phone but it sounded like a cell phone from 1998 in a bad roaming area. I could barely hear "he___ wh__ --- hu ---- th---- he---- bl---- "

and I just hung up.

 

Got mad and unplugged the thing, made same phone call again and (while roaming) I heard him fine. It wouldn't bother me much if the calls were just "hey how are ya" type things, but I run an at-home computer repair business, and this happened to be a business owner that I do thousands per year in computer work for....I need to hear what he's saying.

 

Anyone seen, or had any experience with the new Airave?

halcyoncmdr have you heard anything about them?? Hope they don't have the issues this one has seen. (the tech even pushed an update to it, but still decided to send one out anyway)...

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No, I should also mention that I live literally next door to the AT&T hut for my area, which houses the dslam. And a "friend"of mine who did dsl installs cut about 2000 ft of line off of me so I'm the first person coming off the dslam for dsl.

Plus all the speed tests I've ever ran show me with less than .05%. I just had a conversation with the Sprint tech on my Vonage line while speed testing, and she was pinging the airave too, still under the amount I listed for jitter.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

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I run an at-home computer repair business' date=' and this happened to be a business owner that I do thousands per year in computer work for....I need to hear what he's saying.

[/quote']

 

Why wouldn't you have a land line for a business?

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No, I should also mention that I live literally next door to the AT&T hut for my area, which houses the dslam. And a "friend"of mine who did dsl installs cut about 2000 ft of line off of me so I'm the first person coming off the dslam for dsl.

Plus all the speed tests I've ever ran show me with less than .05%. I just had a conversation with the Sprint tech on my Vonage line while speed testing, and she was pinging the airave too, still under the amount I listed for jitter.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

Next Door? 2000 feet? Do you live in Buckatunna MS or something?

 

Have you done any tests on the path to the server?

 

It is something with your setup as I have an Airvana and my wife talks on her S3 all the time with it and never complains. And trust me if it dropped one packet she would let me know.

 

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

 

 

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Why wouldn't you have a land line for a business?

Because AT&T couldn't, for 18 months straight, make my bill the $82 they said it would be...so after paying over $140 a month for 18 months for home phone + DSL, I got rid of them and stuck with DSL only. Now my bill is $47.95 like it should be. Plus, it's an at-home business, so I decide if I want to use cell or home phone..and I've used my cell for business...which is pretty common...why else would I need a landline? I'm not paying the ridiculous prices they want to charge for them.

Next Door? 2000 feet? Do you live in Buckatunna MS or something?

 

Have you done any tests on the path to the server?

 

It is something with your setup as I have an Airvana and my wife talks on her S3 all the time with it and never complains. And trust me if it dropped one packet she would let me know.

 

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

 

mlky09.jpg

 

That not 2000ft. More like 500 from DSLAM to the copper drop.

 

And there's nothing wrong with my line, as the 4 years of speed tests would show. The only time I ever had a problem was when I had water get into my line, and I promptly changed that, then got a new modem.

 

Downstream 8124 Upstream 511 (in kbps).

 

And given my experience, I know when I have a problem. There's nothing wrong on my end.

 

In fact, the Sprint tech admitted there is a problem with the Airvana 2.0 and said the 2.5 solves it (like the multiple texts).

 

Maybe I should give a list of what I have going on my connection, and still getting speed tests at 5meg per second....

 

3 routers wired together, 2 computers, one laptop, kindle iPod, 2 SGS3 phones, Dish Hopper, Dish joey, (yes, both are connected via cat5), a DDWRT router next door acting as a repeater (it's actually a linksys e4200 with DDWRT installed)

1 PS3, 2 PSPs, Kindle Fire, Vonage box, Sprint Airvana, Toshiba 55" LED 3D tv, and Samsung 46" LCD TV.

 

That's just off the top of my head, but I know the next thing will be "oh, you got too much stuff on your DSL for the Airave to work right"

 

Nope. Been using Airave since 2009,...Went from the Samsung Airave to the AIrvana they had, and now going to the new 2.5 version...up until I bought this 3G version, I never had the problem, especially since I got my Galaxy S3 it's really been bad. Before the GS3 was brought into the picture, the Airvana worked pretty well...nothing has changed, my connection is still the same is has been since 2008 when they put DSL in next door...

 

Not only that, I been a tech for QUITE a while. So I know if I have a problem, and actually I have the tools to test my line for noise.

I actually had to call AT&T once and tell them that I was on a noise profile and needed to be taken off -- it was when water got into my line and caused a lot of racket on the copper...there automated DSL scan tool sensed the noise and put me on a noise profile so that I would only connect on quiet channels..which caused me MAJOR problems once I got the new line installed. When I called them and had them remove the noise profile...problem solved and my connection went back up to normal.

 

I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but I know my sh*t...and I know when a device on my network has a problem.

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Reading forum posts must not be your strong point.

 

No harm, I am the same way sometimes with speed reading forums.

 

I never said anything was wrong with your line... As in last mile. One small piece of the TCP puzzle.

 

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

 

 

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If anyone would like, I'll do a comparison of the current Airave (Airvana) and the new 2.5 that I'm going to receive (probably tomorrow)...and will include pictures as well...but please let me know before I send the current one of it you want pics, as I have to get the one being replaced back to Sprint relatively quick.

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Sure... side by side pics would be nice to see. Curious to see if this really fixes your issue or not.

 

Agreed, I'd like to see pics. I got one for my parents house about a year ago and have no issues with it on multiple devices (E4GT, Galaxy Note 2, Transform, Photon Q LTE, E4G, EVO Shift, my sisters Blackberry)

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From what I've looked at online, there's very little difference in the appearance..but I'll see for myself -- maybe tomorrow -- when the 2.5 gets here.

 

I actually still have the box for this one I have currently..even though it's a year old. Guess I need to dig it out and put that internal GPS antenna back in the thing...since where I have to put the Airave, the internal antenna won't work. I'm interested in knowing if they've changed the antenna design..or made it easier to run it instead of having that huge piece of plastic on the end. For someone who likes to hide wires, that big, round plastic eye-sore in a window is annoying....and there's no subtle way to hide it.

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I have the Airave 2.0 like you and it is better than the 2.5 model. The 2.5 model can only do three calls per device where our old 2.0 model can do 6 plus the 2.5 does much less data connections (Sprint now says on their website that it does 6 too but Airave support and the manual still says 3). The 2.5 has the antenna module built-into the device. Its a big piece that fits into the device and it makes the small round window circle you have now look small. Other than the new GPS antenna module it looks almost the same. But it seems to have more issues with the software than ours! There is a ton of people posting about issues on the sprint and other forums. I've included some pics to show you what it looks like and to see what others are saying. But to answer you in a nutshell the new airave doesn't fix any of the old issues and it even adds new ones! I have the same issues as you with multiple text messages, sometimes garbled voice, orange lights and have to unplug and reset it all the time, etc... The last link is the manual and you can see images of how big the new GPS unit is.

 

I have two Airave's and one seems to work much better than the other. But sometimes lately when I wake up both will have orange lights flashing and both are on separate networks and houses so it has to be a Sprint related issue. I don't understand why Sprint just doesn't enable Wifi calling like T-Mobile?! It's really weird how one works so much better and the other one I sometimes unplug every time I have to send a text, arg!

 

http://www.pocketabl...rom-sprint.html

http://community.spr...aw/thread/98320

http://www.sprintuse...ad.php?t=229727

http://www.sprintuse...ad.php?t=230553

https://docs.google....-VG13C1TQSIEn5A

Edited by Fifth313ment
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I'll get the pictures today/tonight later on...I'm at my wife's family's home having dinner this evening, but I know for sure that the new 2.5 Airvana was delivered this evening after i left. I waited around as long as I could for UPS to come deliver it, but just couldn't wait any more. Hopefully I can activate it online, because it might be a bit late when I get back (But I'm sure Sprint will be open/available if I have to call up until 9/10pm CST.)

 

Does anyone know if you can activate this the same way you can do with a phone on the Sprint website?? I've changed out phones using the "Activate phone" part of the site...but never had to do it with the Airvana.

 

I'm hoping that folks that are reporting that the 2.5 doesn't solve the texting problems and voice garbling issues just have a problem on their end, in their modems or routers..because I really don't want to deal with having a worse-off service than I had with the 2.0 Airvana.

 

Really the only trouble-free Airave thing I've had was the Samsung version...but it wasn't 3G. It's hard to have Google+, Photobucket app, Fbook, and Picasa syncing pictures on a 1RXTT connection to data.

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I'll get the pictures today/tonight later on...I'm at my wife's family's home having dinner this evening, but I know for sure that the new 2.5 Airvana was delivered this evening after i left. I waited around as long as I could for UPS to come deliver it, but just couldn't wait any more. Hopefully I can activate it online, because it might be a bit late when I get back (But I'm sure Sprint will be open/available if I have to call up until 9/10pm CST.)

 

Does anyone know if you can activate this the same way you can do with a phone on the Sprint website?? I've changed out phones using the "Activate phone" part of the site...but never had to do it with the Airvana.

 

I'm hoping that folks that are reporting that the 2.5 doesn't solve the texting problems and voice garbling issues just have a problem on their end, in their modems or routers..because I really don't want to deal with having a worse-off service than I had with the 2.0 Airvana.

 

Really the only trouble-free Airave thing I've had was the Samsung version...but it wasn't 3G. It's hard to have Google+, Photobucket app, Fbook, and Picasa syncing pictures on a 1RXTT connection to data.

 

Why not just use wifi for your data? It's much faster than a EVDO connection anyways. I have the 3G version and never use the data, its just too flaky for me anyways. My phone shows 1X a lot of the times anyways. The only reason I upgraded from the very reliable Samsung version was the EVO LTE was getting hung up every night after I left in the morning. I had to reboot every time I left the house. It doesn't do it on the 3G version, but I never use the 3G anyways.

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I do use Wi-Fi, but sometimes have a need for 3g so it's good. Like if someone comes over and I don't want to take the time to punch in my Wi-Fi key for them or share my key, they hit 3g anyway so it doesn't matter.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

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Also doesn't picture messaging and video messages go over 3G network if of course no iMessage. Or can it go over WiFi?

 

MMS on the Galaxy S3 will actually offload to wifi. It's wonderful to have in bad 3G area's or indoor area's with very poor signal. iPhone 5 and GS3 offload MMS to LTE but not wifi for iP5.

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Photos / Side-by-side comparison of Airave 2.0 and Airave 2.5 (Airvana):

(pics taken with my SGS3 - Airave 2.5 is the one hooked up to wires, and I just noticed that not only was my TV a magnet for dust - which sits below this Airave, so was the Airave itself, looking at the ventilation fins)

 

30dh000.jpg

 

 

29m1svs.jpg

 

 

 

10or05l.jpg

Edited by jonathanm1978
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My home-made entertainment center had to be manipulated to house all the junk I now have sitting on it...routers, airave, TV, Ps3..plus baby-proofed...so instead of using the bottom of the thing, I had to move everything to the top and tear out / add some extra wood at the top...so to keep little hands off of important, high $$$ devices.

 

My son at age 2 messed up my DVD-RAM drive in my Toshiba laptop that was 3 months old...and since that happened, I had been very cautious in allowing my kids near ANYTHING I own that costs more than $15 and runs off of electricity.

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Just spend a day of the weekend and hide it all. When I moved into the house I'm in now, I instantly made claim to the area 3 feet or so down from the ceiling in the linen closet in the middle of the house. Sprayed some miracle grow up there and overnight it grew 2 shelves, 20A circuit, heat exhaust fan dumping air into a walk-in closet, 16 port switch, NAS, router, UPS, dual QAM tuner, Airave and cable modem.

 

Now if only I had planned for the future as it has grown to a 2nd UPS, 8 CH camera power supply, 8 CH camera DVR, Zwave home automation hub, and VOIP box. On a side note since I had so many power hungry wall warts I ended up building a custom power supply that powers all the components out of a old PC power supply. Even dropped power consumption. Kind of like this article has except I didn't use binding posts: http://www.wikihow.com/Convert-a-Computer-ATX-Power-Supply-to-a-Lab-Power-Supply

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How has it been working? Everyone who I have talked to either has more problems or just the same ones. No one has had their problems go away but maybe for you it will. The Airaves are a waste of time and Wifi calling would be so much better but Sprint is lazy. These devices don't work well and they know it but they need something to keep customers from leaving. The best part is that if you unplug it for more than a few days Sprint will call you and force you to return it or pay $140 bucks! LOL

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Seems to be doing fine so far. Two days nearly and no repeat texts or bad phone calls. Texts are nearly immediate. We will see how long it lasts.

Up until recently, I never had problems with any airave. They worked well for me until the problem started.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

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How has it been working? Everyone who I have talked to either has more problems or just the same ones. No one has had their problems go away but maybe for you it will. The Airaves are a waste of time and Wifi calling would be so much better but Sprint is lazy. These devices don't work well and they know it but they need something to keep customers from leaving. The best part is that if you unplug it for more than a few days Sprint will call you and force you to return it or pay $140 bucks! LOL

 

Mine was unplugged for a week and they never called.

 

Sent from the EVO 4G sometimes-LTE

 

 

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