Official Magic Box discussion thread

[lilotimz]

So, I put in the RMA request this morning.  Should get a new box in the next 3-5 days I guess. 

 

So, having my broken MB, it makes a WiFi signal called AU-WIFI.  I can connect to it, but cause my box never gets a cellular signal the wifi off the MB has no internet.  Is this wifi always there and can non-Sprint customers use it?

 

All Magic Boxes have a Qualcomm Wifi 2.4/5 GHz wifi module that can be turned on at will by Sprint if they want to. 

[jonathanm1978]

I'm staying around -115 with 3.5 to 4.1 CINR . Got out of the negative CINR finally...

Increased me from no signal at all... to having useable b41 with 7mbps down and 2mbps up

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[Paynefanbro]

Weirdly enough, my phone is recognizing my Magic Box as Band 41 but SignalCheck Pro is reporting it as Band 25.

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[jefbal99]

That's odd, you might want to post in the SCP thread and send some diags to mikejeep

 

Weirdly enough, my phone is recognizing my Magic Box as Band 41 but SignalCheck Pro is reporting it as Band 25.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[bigsnake49]

Possibly. But they may not have a signal in a portion of their house, or a basement. And if these are indeed due to an upcoming VoLTE play, Sprint may want these people to have them. But I don't disagree with your sentiments in general. Just wanted to add that caveat.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

People that are getting 60Mbits per second on the macro network should probably not get them. Just saying...

[dro1984]

I sort of agree that if you are getting that quality of signal and speed without, then you probably don't need one.  However,  I don't think it's anyone's business on this forum, to tell someone that and say "Send it back!".    Most of us who have requested a Magic Box have a specific issue with indoor data issues.  For me, it was I rarely get B41 in the house and am on the crowded end of B25.  Further, we are all Sprint paying customers and nobody is getting denied one because someone else has it.   Sprint goes through a process to determine if you are a candidate.  Let Sprint make the decision.    

[mnjeepmale]

I went to a Sprint Corportate store last night and they had a MB running as SCP was showing MB. Speeds weren't too bad. 

After visiting the store I went next do to get food and wanted to see if it was still connected to the MB but now SCP was showing B41 SC.

What does SC stand for?

[shaferz]

I went to a Sprint Corportate store last night and they had a MB running as SCP was showing MB. Speeds weren't too bad. 

After visiting the store I went next do to get food and wanted to see if it was still connected to the MB but now SCP was showing B41 SC.

What does SC stand for?

 

I'm an apple guy, but I would have to guess that SC = small cell?  @mikejeep ?

[ingenium]

Yes, SC means small cell. The store could have been running a small cell in addition to a MB, or there could be a small cell nearby. The MB will not use the small cell as a relay if it's not fiber backed (ie a relayed site can't be used as a donor for another relay).

 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[nexgencpu]

I went to a Sprint Corportate store last night and they had a MB running as SCP was showing MB. Speeds weren't too bad. 

After visiting the store I went next do to get food and wanted to see if it was still connected to the MB but now SCP was showing B41 SC.

What does SC stand for?

Yes SC is small cell. Look at the legend on SCP..

[red_dog007]

Got a new MB the next freaking day!  Dang Sprint!  Really want peeps to have these.

 

But... Same issue.  Times Out at 20%.  FML.

 

Edit:

The screen in now completely black, it appears unresponsive. AU-WiFi is broadcasting, I can connect but no internet.  Is this a sign that it is doing it's thing, or that it's more messed up than my last?

Edited September 7, 2017 by red_dog007

[ingenium]

I've never seen the AU-WiFi SSID. My guess is it appears when setup fails for some reason so that a technician can connect to it and manually configure. It's likely not designed to provide Internet.

 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[mnjeepmale]

Yes SC is small cell. Look at the legend on SCP..

Thanks.

Went back today and that area around the store shows connected to small cell. Where on the forum does it show pictures of these small cells?

 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

[red_dog007]

I've never seen the AU-WiFi SSID. My guess is it appears when setup fails for some reason so that a technician can connect to it and manually configure. It's likely not designed to provide Internet.

 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

Well, this is upsetting.  Could be right.  Port 22 is open, so a techs way in to check configs/logs.

 

Call tomorrow and ask for a third one?

 

It shouldn't have an issue connecting to a tower right?  I have tried two towers and both boxes just time out.  I tried my "old" MB today and it gave me an invalid SIM error so it was able to get deactivated.

[anthony.spina97]

Got a new MB the next freaking day!  Dang Sprint!  Really want peeps to have these.

 

But... Same issue.  Times Out at 20%.  FML.

 

Edit:

The screen in now completely black, it appears unresponsive. AU-WiFi is broadcasting, I can connect but no internet.  Is this a sign that it is doing it's thing, or that it's more messed up than my last?

 

 

I've never seen the AU-WiFi SSID. My guess is it appears when setup fails for some reason so that a technician can connect to it and manually configure. It's likely not designed to provide Internet.

 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

I just checked and mine is doing the same thing. I've been having the time-out at 20% issue since I received my MB a week ago. It is also broadcasting this AU-WiFi SSID.

 

-Anthony

[nexgencpu]

Thanks.

Went back today and that area around the store shows connected to small cell. Where on the forum does it show pictures of these small cells?

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

If you can track where the signal is broadcasting from you can identify it here...

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/forum/45-equipment-spotting/

[red_dog007]

So, I hear there are more than 1 model out there?  Is there an easy way to tell? Power brick maybe?

 

My first MB has a 12V 5.5AMP power brick.  The replacement MB has a 12V 5AMP brick.  

[ingenium]

So, I hear there are more than 1 model out there? Is there an easy way to tell? Power brick maybe?

 

My first MB has a 12V 5.5AMP power brick. The replacement MB has a 12V 5AMP brick.

There's the 540 and 545. The 540s were sent out mostly to businesses, stores, and people with the right connections. It has a color LCD screen that's very bright. The 545 is what they're shipping out to customers now. It has a black and white e-ink screen that's not backlit. The screen is the easiest way to tell them apart.

 

The 540 uses a 12V 4.16A power supply. My 545 uses 12V 5A. A power supply that can provide more than 5A is fine, they probably just have multiple suppliers for them.

 

Edit: here is the 540 (powered off)

 

And this is the 545

[Hugo]

Got my Magic Box yesterday. On my last test I got a ping of 45 ms, download 12.77 Mbps, and upload 1.25 Mbps. No time to try other windows because I'm trying to get ready for Hurricane Irma.

[jefbal99]

Has anyone had a non-phone device successfully connect to a MB?

[jreuschl]

If you are waiting for approval for your Magic Box and want to check on status, you can email booster@sprint.com  I set my contact number as my business and possibly didn't get the call back because of that.

 

Magic Box was immediately shipped out by that contact.

[dro1984]

Got my Magic Box yesterday. On my last test I got a ping of 45 ms, download 12.77 Mbps, and upload 1.25 Mbps. No time to try other windows because I'm trying to get ready for Hurricane Irma.

My Magic Box took a day or two to completely provision/configure.  No sure what it is doing during that time, but my speeds slowly increased to more than reasonable speeds.   It started about like your speeds and within a day or two, I'm at...33.83 down and 5.46 up... .. it's much more consistent than I had before the box...   I was walking yesterday, and I can pick up a pretty good signal from it more than a block away.  It's pretty cool.   

Edited September 7, 2017 by dro1984

[bigsnake49]

I sort of agree that if you are getting that quality of signal and speed without, then you probably don't need one.  However,  I don't think it's anyone's business on this forum, to tell someone that and say "Send it back!".    Most of us who have requested a Magic Box have a specific issue with indoor data issues.  For me, it was I rarely get B41 in the house and am on the crowded end of B25.  Further, we are all Sprint paying customers and nobody is getting denied one because someone else has it.   Sprint goes through a process to determine if you are a candidate.  Let Sprint make the decision.    

 

If you are having signal or congestion problems, I have not problem. But if you are already getting 60Mbps from the macro network, I don't see how a single channel B41-relayed MB will improve your signal. 

[cyclone]

To anyone reporting failing at 20% during the initialization phase, think about what this unit is and how it works and you'll be better able to understand the problem and how they are most likely not defective units. This is a box that acquires all info from a signal broadcasted from a macrocell (think of it like a satellite box). If your box is unable to acquire that signal, it will not receive any information. Receiving that fail at 20% is a likely indicator that your unit is simply not able to get signal from a nearby tower to set up the unit. Anthony stated in a previous post that his unit even advised him to try another location  To anyone not able to get past that 20% milestone, you should try a new location. If you can't find a place for the unit where it acquires signal (or you're in a known lack of B41 or B25), then you might consider returning your unit.

[jefbal99]

Has anyone had a non-phone device successfully connect to a MB?

According to the Magic Box support page, the following devices are supported...

 

Smartphones:

• iPhone 6 and newer
• Galaxy S4 and newer
• HTC One A9 and newer
• LG G2 and newer

Tablets:

• Galaxy Tab S2 and newer
• iPad Mini
• iPad Air 2
• iPad Pro

Basically anything that supports B41 should work...