Put my Signal box too close to the router today and it just flashed red at me. Screwed the WiFi up as well.
This is why they give you a fairly long Ethernet cable I guess
The set up guide I had with mine told me to keep it at least 60cm away from a wifi router. When one transmits on 2.4ghz and the other on 2.1ghz you can kind of see why.
Personally though mine are about 10cm apart and I don't have any issues with either. Probably depends on how susceptible your wifi router is to having strong RF sprayed into it
Anyone wondering how slow your ADSL can be for the Signalbox to still work ok, I found out.
After my ADSL line was fixed it worked fine for a day at about the normal 1.8Meg and then for some reason Plusnet reduced my IP profile to 0.25Mbps, so about 22 Kilobytes download.
Turned out it was just a glitch and Plusnet's totally excellent CS sorted it in 5 minutes.
The point is my femto still worked fine at this speed!! I even tried to simultanious calls and that worked too.
So Lucan was right. Calls don't use hardly any bandwidth. Not that I thought he wasn't you understand
It would be fine as long as it was spaced apart. ie router in the middle, signal box one side as far as Ethernet cable allows, other side of the router Voda box as far as Ethernet cable allows. Wifi may get a bit slower during calls (due to interference from the 3G rather than the call itself using data)
Also if you still had problems you can always get much longer Ethernet cables or of course put the other Femto in another room completely via some homeplugs.
Update for people (like me!) trying to get one on Orange...
My extremely helpful contact in Orange CS thought last week she'd managed to order one for me, but called me back today to explain why the order hasn't been processed yet. Apparently they are not yet available to process via Orange's internal system (Merlin), whereas they are available on EE / T-Mob (Excalibur). She spent 30 mins talking to another department this evening and has been informed that they are being internally 'launched' this Thursday (i.e. Merlin will be updated to allow orders), after which time she is convinced the order will be possible.
Note that, just like with EE / T-Mob, most likely many CS folk will have no clue what to do even on Thursday, but she was very clear with me and I am quite confident that orders will at least be technically possible from that day. Will post an update on Thursday to see where I get...
Seems I was overly optimistic - the Thursday 'launch' on Orange has been delayed. No idea for how long. All quite a mess really, doubt it will be sorted before Christmas.
Maybe it's related to the earlier mention of a pallet of defective units, so they simply have nothing TO launch?!
If you think about it there's no reason why any MVNO wouldn't work on the Femto. It's just the same as a 30 metre Macro tower but a lot smaller and in your house. Any handset that connects still registerers with an EE BSC just the same.
Only difference is your call is going across your Internet connection to get there instead of traveling down a BTS cable and into a cabinet.
I spoke to Orange today about the signal box, they said not only was it not available but when it was - which they wouldn't confirm over the phone - it would only be available to people who have been affected by the network optimisation. I quizzed the what they classified as affected and they stated if you postcode was on the computer. I did make the point that in rural Wales a postcode covers a fairly big area and despite how my postcode hasn't been affected on their computer I had indeed had a number of signal woes since that time...the advisor basically said 'tough luck'.
Orange's website says it will be widely available in the first quarter of 2013.
Out of interest, I rang EE and they said it was temporarily unavailable until the first quarter of 2013.
So...If you do manage to get one on a new order let me know! :eek:
I spoke to Orange today about the signal box, they said not only was it not available but when it was - which they wouldn't confirm over the phone - it would only be available to people who have been affected by the network optimisation. I quizzed the what they classified as affected and they stated if you postcode was on the computer. I did make the point that in rural Wales a postcode covers a fairly big area and despite how my postcode hasn't been affected on their computer I had indeed had a number of signal woes since that time...the advisor basically said 'tough luck'.
Orange's website says it will be widely available in the first quarter of 2013.
Out of interest, I rang EE and they said it was temporarily unavailable until the first quarter of 2013.
So...If you do manage to get one on a new order let me know! :eek:
I seriously wouldn't take much notice what they say - there are so many inconsistencies and for sure it's not all about network optimisation. I'd say it's very positive that the Signal Box is now on the website and showing as 'widely available in 2013', so it will come soon enough...
I think the point may be they will supply a FREE box to those affected, but others will surely be able to buy one like those on EE etc... Assume the EE unavailability may be stock related.
Flippin eck, good job I got mine when I did.
I too hope Orange don't go down the giving them away route.
Like with Three this will make them much less likely to let you have one in my opinion.
I still think EE in general is just being cautious. Still worried about Macro inteference.
Orange CS have confirmed they are going through training on theirs. WIll be able to order now, if anyone wants one.
Business or residential contracts. I have tried them so many times. My signal is so poor at home. I have 1 contract with orange and 2 with t-mobile. And cannot get any joy with either.. Also tried ee business.
Hi guys and especially devonbloke (i live in north devon). been interesting to read of your experiences. i've basically for the last few months, have been on to the CEO office in EE. Have had network engineers out to our property site, and have all had the masts reset and even some equipment been replaced.
After having this sorted, and was able to get perfect coverage outside, for all the troubles, the signal inside was still terrible. so they arranged for us to have a femtocell.
Now basically to cut a long story short, they ordered the box, Monday 24th. And it arrived at 7:15 this morning -_- nice to wake up to it!
I live on a very long line 9.5km to be exact, and get about a 2meg sync speed. And usually as BRAS of 1.75mb due to how BT WHolesale systems work.
DSL Details
Modem Type: Built in modem - ADSL
DSL Line (Wire Pair): Line 1 (inner pair)
Current DSL Connection:
Down Up
Rate: 1920 kbs 736 kbs
Max Rate: 1832 kbs 736 kbs
Noise Margin: 8.0 dB 6.0 dB
Attenuation: 61.4 dB 31.5 dB
Output Power: 16.6 dBm 11.9 dBm
Protocol: G.DMT Annex A
Channel: Interleaved
DSLAM Vendor Information Country: {3840} Vendor: {ALCB} Specific: {0 }
ATM PVC: 0/38
Rate Cap: 1832 kbs
Attenuation @ 300kHz: 61.4 dB
Uncanceled Echo: -22.7 dB Ok
VCXO Frequency Offset: -52.0 ppm Ok
Final Receive Gain: 29.9 dB Ok
Excessive Impulse Noise: 0 Ok
My current set up is. BT Business Hub Wireless G >>>> Repeater Wireless G
EE Signal Box, and its sitting up on one of our beams so it's about as central in the house as you can get it.
I always keep my contacts e-mail address for handy issues. I've never known a company to go out of it's way like EE has for me, to show me good customer service! And it proves you don't need a terribly fast connection to have a signal box that works. Just you basically need. Good bitloading, and the right MTU. I also think the wireless being G helps a lot, we seem to have so much interference in our house.
O2 have previously sent radio planners / an engineer and an optimiser to my house to sort signal. It's that type of customer service that is remembered. Glad EE did same for you!!!!
Business or residential contracts. I have tried them so many times. My signal is so poor at home. I have 1 contract with orange and 2 with t-mobile. And cannot get any joy with either.. Also tried ee business.
Residential, I have send you a pm with email address for person to contact.
Thank you. I have just sent a e-mail. I will let you know how I get on.
If you have any luck can you let me know?
I have spoken to orange numerous times in residential and business and got nowhere as the 3 orange phones we have in the family are on personal contracts. We used to just get a useable orange signal but that mast got turned off last month and with tmobile now have no signal at the house at all and it's really annoying!!
Any help on how to get my hands on one of these miracle boxes would be much appreciated?!
Been trying Orange again today, spoke to several people who said they've been told they can't sell them unless the network team have made a notepad item saying they have switched a mast off due to the intergration, and that it's impacted on the users signal.
Comments
The set up guide I had with mine told me to keep it at least 60cm away from a wifi router. When one transmits on 2.4ghz and the other on 2.1ghz you can kind of see why.
Personally though mine are about 10cm apart and I don't have any issues with either. Probably depends on how susceptible your wifi router is to having strong RF sprayed into it
After my ADSL line was fixed it worked fine for a day at about the normal 1.8Meg and then for some reason Plusnet reduced my IP profile to 0.25Mbps, so about 22 Kilobytes download.
Turned out it was just a glitch and Plusnet's totally excellent CS sorted it in 5 minutes.
The point is my femto still worked fine at this speed!! I even tried to simultanious calls and that worked too.
So Lucan was right. Calls don't use hardly any bandwidth. Not that I thought he wasn't you understand
They should be fine, as Vodafone are allocated a different part of the spectrum and so should not interfere with the Signal Box.
The Signal Box will still monitor the RF environment and try to select the best frequency / code which is available to it.
I wouldn't go as far as to say that. They will interfere with each other. If they are sufficiently spaced they will not.
Even Phones on different networks can interfere with each other if put close together.
Maybe it's related to the earlier mention of a pallet of defective units, so they simply have nothing TO launch?!
Also works if you are a Virgin Mobile customer.
If you think about it there's no reason why any MVNO wouldn't work on the Femto. It's just the same as a 30 metre Macro tower but a lot smaller and in your house. Any handset that connects still registerers with an EE BSC just the same.
Only difference is your call is going across your Internet connection to get there instead of traveling down a BTS cable and into a cabinet.
Orange's website says it will be widely available in the first quarter of 2013.
Out of interest, I rang EE and they said it was temporarily unavailable until the first quarter of 2013.
So...If you do manage to get one on a new order let me know! :eek:
I think the point may be they will supply a FREE box to those affected, but others will surely be able to buy one like those on EE etc... Assume the EE unavailability may be stock related.
I too hope Orange don't go down the giving them away route.
Like with Three this will make them much less likely to let you have one in my opinion.
I still think EE in general is just being cautious. Still worried about Macro inteference.
Business or residential contracts. I have tried them so many times. My signal is so poor at home. I have 1 contract with orange and 2 with t-mobile. And cannot get any joy with either.. Also tried ee business.
After having this sorted, and was able to get perfect coverage outside, for all the troubles, the signal inside was still terrible. so they arranged for us to have a femtocell.
Now basically to cut a long story short, they ordered the box, Monday 24th. And it arrived at 7:15 this morning -_- nice to wake up to it!
Look at my current signal coverage outside:
Half way down drive: http://imageshack.us/f/560/img0087u.jpg/
Bottom of drive: http://imageshack.us/f/593/img0088lq.jpg/
Outside of house: http://imageshack.us/f/706/img0089ycv.jpg/
And now with EE signal box inside house! http://imageshack.us/f/198/img0130om.jpg/
Along with speedtest of home wifi: http://imageshack.us/f/811/screenshot20121228at232.png/
I live on a very long line 9.5km to be exact, and get about a 2meg sync speed. And usually as BRAS of 1.75mb due to how BT WHolesale systems work.
DSL Details
Modem Type: Built in modem - ADSL
DSL Line (Wire Pair): Line 1 (inner pair)
Current DSL Connection:
Down Up
Rate: 1920 kbs 736 kbs
Max Rate: 1832 kbs 736 kbs
Noise Margin: 8.0 dB 6.0 dB
Attenuation: 61.4 dB 31.5 dB
Output Power: 16.6 dBm 11.9 dBm
Protocol: G.DMT Annex A
Channel: Interleaved
DSLAM Vendor Information Country: {3840} Vendor: {ALCB} Specific: {0 }
ATM PVC: 0/38
Rate Cap: 1832 kbs
Attenuation @ 300kHz: 61.4 dB
Uncanceled Echo: -22.7 dB Ok
VCXO Frequency Offset: -52.0 ppm Ok
Final Receive Gain: 29.9 dB Ok
Excessive Impulse Noise: 0 Ok
My current set up is. BT Business Hub Wireless G >>>> Repeater Wireless G
EE Signal Box, and its sitting up on one of our beams so it's about as central in the house as you can get it.
I always keep my contacts e-mail address for handy issues. I've never known a company to go out of it's way like EE has for me, to show me good customer service! And it proves you don't need a terribly fast connection to have a signal box that works. Just you basically need. Good bitloading, and the right MTU. I also think the wireless being G helps a lot, we seem to have so much interference in our house.
Residential, I have send you a pm with email address for person to contact.
Thank you. I have just sent a e-mail. I will let you know how I get on.
is this for ee or o2? can you pm me the details too please. thank you
If you have any luck can you let me know?
I have spoken to orange numerous times in residential and business and got nowhere as the 3 orange phones we have in the family are on personal contracts. We used to just get a useable orange signal but that mast got turned off last month and with tmobile now have no signal at the house at all and it's really annoying!!
Any help on how to get my hands on one of these miracle boxes would be much appreciated?!