Official Magic Box discussion thread

[dro1984]

Mine is connected too.   Took a couple of hours!!   At first the signal was unusable... now it is usable..... Speeds are low (2.95mps down...   45 up)..   Does this thing get faster the longer it's connected?       

[red_dog007]

So... Mine isn't working.

 

3 Windows, even outside this thing will not get past Device Initialization at 20%.  I get roughly -100dBm throughout my entire house on B25.  The WiFi stopped worked, I was able to get that back after several restarts, shutdowns and unplugging it.  Log in, no internet there.  Can't access the gateway.  I ran a port scan, and only port 22 is open.  Can't log in there either, tried a few basic standard default user/pass combos.  Nothing.

 

Under Other Information "SW Version" it does say "Waiting" and below that "60.6.35.0". Not sure if this is trying to pull an update or something. 

 

It's really disappointing that it isn't working.  Having to send it back sounds like a bear.  Another ideas before I have a very large and heavy paper weight?

Edited August 23, 2017 by red_dog007

[dro1984]

did you plug it in and then literally leave it alone for like 2 hours? It stayed at 20% for over 1 hour.. then another 45 minutes before it asked about window signal strength test. ...      Now Sprint's network is acting up because it lost the signal.. and I only have 1X at the house  right now.   I didn't pay anything for this, but the short time it was working, I got better on network speed without it.  .

Edited August 23, 2017 by dro1984

[lilotimz]

So... Mine isn't working.

 

3 Windows, even outside this thing will not get past Device Initialization at 20%.  I get roughly -100dBm throughout my entire house on B25.  The WiFi stopped worked, I was able to get that back after several restarts, shutdowns and unplugging it.  Log in, no internet there.  Can't access the gateway.  I ran a port scan, and only port 22 is open.  Can't log in there either, tried a few basic standard default user/pass combos.  Nothing.

 

Under Other Information "SW Version" it does say "Waiting" and below that "60.6.35.0". Not sure if this is trying to pull an update or something. 

 

It's really disappointing that it isn't working.  Having to send it back sounds like a bear.  Another ideas before I have a very large and heavy paper weight?

 

The 20% initialization thing seems to be an issue with new MBs. Think most people just let it sit and work things out or need a replacement.

 

Also what are you trying to access?

The MB has no public facing access available. If you're trying to get through into the IP address then it's a fools errand as you must have a sprint airspan management software suite and corporate access in order to utilize the small cell management tool. 

[itsrobert]

My speed is getting slower in the late afternoon/early evening. Probably because people coming home from work. The tower with B41 is along a heavily traveled commuting street. And maybe people around me are also connecting to the magic box from my home.

 

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[red_dog007]

The 20% initialization thing seems to be an issue with new MBs. Think most people just let it sit and work things out or need a replacement.

 

Also what are you trying to access?

The MB has no public facing access available. If you're trying to get through into the IP address then it's a fools errand as you must have a sprint airspan management software suite and corporate access in order to utilize the small cell management tool. 

I'm trying to access an interface beyond the display.  At the very least be able to read some logs. Doesn't require any fancy management tools with SSH open.  Just the right authentication...

 

Yesterday it was plugged in all night at the same window.  Today I have been able to move it to a few new locations.  It is at a new window doing the same thing for the night.

 

Are a lot of these having problems?

[lilotimz]

I'm trying to access an interface beyond the display.  At the very least be able to read some logs. Doesn't require any fancy management tools with SSH open.  Just the right authentication...

 

Yesterday it was plugged in all night at the same window.  Today I have been able to move it to a few new locations.  It is at a new window doing the same thing for the night.

 

Are a lot of these having problems?

 

That I know requires the airspan netspan software suite as I've worked with the MB teams who looked up the eNB logs. Again, I must reiterate there is nothing consumer facing accessible in these units. These, as are all modern eNB equipment, are purposely designed so that only the customer, be it Sprint, have any type of access to it. 

 

To your issue it seems it's a pretty common occurrence so far. I would suggest leaving it in place and contacting MB support since they have said tools that they can utilize to remote access the small cell. 

[mrjeff]

Mine doesn't seem to charge.  Every time I unplug the thing from power to try to test different area's it asks me to plug it back in for 30 minutes.

[red_dog007]

Mine's a paper weight

[jonathanm1978]

The 20% initialization thing seems to be an issue with new MBs. Think most people just let it sit and work things out or need a replacement.

 

Also what are you trying to access?

The MB has no public facing access available. If you're trying to get through into the IP address then it's a fools errand as you must have a sprint airspan management software suite and corporate access in order to utilize the small cell management tool.

Mine did the 20% thing for nearly an hour. I actually went to my business location right after I picked it up from ups because the business has a -105 band 25 signal...so it should've been easily setup...but after an hour of trying at the business, I just decided to bring it home and see what transpired. Keep in mind, at home I don't have anything. I've seen band 25 up on my roof, and while riding my four wheeler...but only once place on the ground near my house - under the edge of my carport, right at the lattice, and only in one specific spot. I took this box all over my house. North side, south side, every place I could plug it in...finally I left it outside on the banister at the lattice...and later (hour or two)I noticed SCP said B41 MB...which I know means magic box. Sure enough I check and it's connected...barely.

 

I built a small platform and raised it up about 3 feet so rain won't blow in...and I'm still connected this morning. No drops, but speed is not the best either.

 

When I say barely connected...I mean barely. But it's holding...I'm not dropping any at all.

 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

[jonathanm1978]

Any idea as to how long it'll work on battery?

 

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[red_dog007]

Would the MB have issues with certain towers maybe?

[ingenium]

Would the MB have issues with certain towers maybe?

It does with mini macros sometimes. Unsure about non-minimacros outside of Samsung markets.

 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[dro1984]

Red Dog... have you called the Sprint Magic Box help line?   

 

Really disappointed for you!   Hope you find a solution.  Mine's ok... but I think my speeds are slower now than before I installed it!   I might just send it back... Not much improvement indoors for me.     I hope Sprint isn't hoping this will cure their network holes.    This is definitely no replacement for a better built network. 

[Jones]

It seems people are confusing an airrave for magic box.

Magic box isn't a solution for low outdoor signal and speeds won't dramatically increase if the feeder signal is marginal (or if the source is 5x5 b25).

If service is poor outside, the box won't create fiber fed service, u need an airrave

 

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

[jonathanm1978]

It seems people are confusing an airrave for magic box.

Magic box isn't a solution for low outdoor signal and speeds won't dramatically increase if the feeder signal is marginal (or if the source is 5x5 b25).

If service is poor outside, the box won't create fiber fed service, u need an airrave

 

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

 

 

No confusion here....as I already own an airave. You don't need an airave when you're supplied internet speed (more-so the upload) is sub-dialup speed..or comparable to dialup.

 

I have a 6meg down, 0.5 meg upload. The 0.5 meg upload equates to being about 420kbps in real-world. So for VOIP of any kind, it sucks.

 

And I'm in a 5x5 B25 market, with marginal outdoor signal as pictured above.

 

The magic box still gives me better signal and speeds than my DSL does on upload side...

 

However, I don't try to use my phone as an ISP either...so there's that.

[ingenium]

It really depends on where you're located. If you have barely any B25 signal (or B26 only) it won't really help you. In these cases an airave is more appropriate. The MB is designed more for places that are on the edge of B41 coverage; places where you can get B41 by a window, but no where else inside. For those locations, a magic box works beautifully. Many buildings and houses in cities fit this description.

 

My place is a good example. I get B41 on the second floor by the window facing the site. First floor is B25 or B26. With the MB I have 30+ Mbps B41 throughout now instead of sub megabit speeds on congested B26.

 

The fact that the MB supports B25 does not mean it should be used with a barely usable B25 signal. My take on it supporting B25 is that it may choose a strong B25 10x10 or 2xCA B25 signal over a very weak B41 signal if it performs better, but it really shouldn't be used normally. It's designed for B41 relaying.

 

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[jonathanm1978]

It really depends on where you're located. If you have barely any B25 signal (or B26 only) it won't really help you. In these cases an airave is more appropriate. The MB is designed more for places that are on the edge of B41 coverage; places where you can get B41 by a window, but no where else inside. For those locations, a magic box works beautifully. Many buildings and houses in cities fit this description.

 

My place is a good example. I get B41 on the second floor by the window facing the site. First floor is B25 or B26. With the MB I have 30+ Mbps B41 throughout now instead of sub megabit speeds on congested B26.

 

The fact that the MB supports B25 does not mean it should be used with a barely usable B25 signal. My take on it supporting B25 is that it may choose a strong B25 10x10 or 2xCA B25 signal over a very weak B41 signal if it performs better, but it really shouldn't be used normally. It's designed for B41 relaying.

 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

 

Again, there is NO B41 at all near me. This is not correct..it doesn't use b41 solely as it's backhaul.

B25 is the supplied backhaul to REPRODUCE a b41 carrier that you connect to with your phone (in my case)

 

And Airaves aren't the solution for people who can't get a decent ISP (or if they can't get any type of broadband internet at all)

[greenbastard]

No confusion here....as I already own an airave. You don't need an airave when you're supplied internet speed (more-so the upload) is sub-dialup speed..or comparable to dialup.

 

I have a 6meg down, 0.5 meg upload. The 0.5 meg upload equates to being about 420kbps in real-world. So for VOIP of any kind, it sucks.

 

And I'm in a 5x5 B25 market, with marginal outdoor signal as pictured above.

 

The magic box still gives me better signal and speeds than my DSL does on upload side...

 

However, I don't try to use my phone as an ISP either...so there's that.

That upload is more than enough for VoIP. Latency is what matters on WiFi calling. Also, the MB is for data only (excluding Calling+ devices) so it won't help you with calls.

 

You probably didn't need the MB and just put unnecessary strains on Sprints supply chain. Why grab it if you knew it was not going to help with voice? If voice was your main concern, you should have just bought a repeater or switched carriers.

 

Sprint should have stuck to distributing MBs to businesses only. Consumers don't need these as most of us have WiFi. Even if VoLTE is launched, consumers can still use wifi calling and have their call handoff to VoLTE when they leave their premises.

[greenbastard]

And Airaves aren't the solution for people who can't get a decent ISP (or if they can't get any type of broadband internet at all)

And neither is a MagicBox. Your ISP speeds are more than enough for VoIP. I used to be able to place VoIP calls over slower DSL perfectly. If you have issues with calls lagging over wifi, then you should call your ISP to troubleshoot those issues.

[lilotimz]

Any idea as to how long it'll work on battery?

 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

60 minutes rating. 

[jonathanm1978]

That upload is more than enough for VoIP. Latency is what matters on WiFi calling. Also, the MB is for data only (excluding Calling+ devices) so it won't help you with calls.

 

You probably didn't need the MB and just put unnecessary strains on Sprints supply chain. Why grab it if you knew it was not going to help with voice? If voice was your main concern, you should have just bought a repeater or switched carriers.

 

Sprint should have stuck to distributing MBs to businesses only. Consumers don't need these as most of us have WiFi. Even if VoLTE is launched, consumers can still use wifi calling and have their call handoff to VoLTE when they leave their premises.

 

 

I've been dealing with Vonage + Airave and AT&T since 2008. Thanks for the advice, but I'm well aware of what works, and how it works. 

And as far as "uneccessary strains"...Sprint doesn't just send you a MB simply because you request it. Plenty of folks got denied..but according to Sprint coverage maps, I'm in a slim coverage area that looked to be beneficial for a MB to work properly.

 

I also ordered one for my business location (a gas station), I guess thats an added strain as well (even though it's fringe B25/B26).

 

And I never said voice was my main concern. And no, you can't use Vonage, Airave and Wi-Fi calling at the same time. It just don't work. Not even close...there's not enough upload to go around for them all.

 

In my airave post, I've posted screenshots of the upload/download activity in real-time of a call in action on Airave. 

I know exactly how much of the upload it takes to make a call. 

 

I should've just bought a repeater or switched carriers. Thanks...I'll keep that in mind when I consider my decade of service with Sprint...

And I rarely complain about Sprint..but I definitely could if I chose to...

[Steve Dean]

Yeah, and I'm told many would be happy to see the state of Georgia just go ahead and claim Auburn as part of their state anyway, but I digress.  

 

 

Good riddance to the redneck farmers on those god forsaken Plains.  Georgia can have 'em!

 

 

AJ

 

Hey now, Auburn may be a cow college but it is much nicer than UAT.... 

[PythonFanPA]

Hey now, Auburn may be a cow college but it is much nicer than UAT.... 

 

Using Phyllis as a litmus test, I'd have a hard time arguing that point.  In fairness every southern school SEC or otherwise has their guilty/shame points in that regard.

[Dkoellerwx]

I've been dealing with Vonage + Airave and AT&T since 2008. Thanks for the advice, but I'm well aware of what works, and how it works. 

And as far as "uneccessary strains"...Sprint doesn't just send you a MB simply because you request it. Plenty of folks got denied..but according to Sprint coverage maps, I'm in a slim coverage area that looked to be beneficial for a MB to work properly.

 

This is where I am really lost. I actually get a B25 signal in my neighborhood... and if I stand on the roof I get B41. Inside my house I fall to very slow B26 or useless 3G. But I got denied. 

 

(For the record, I have decent WiFi, but frequent power outages during storms because of the poor power grid and Mediacom likes to do maintenance right after I get home from work at midnight).