Vodafone sure signal device issues

[dysonco]

Hi All,

Having great fun with those lovely people at Vodafone about a 3g signal boosting device and I wondered what your thoughts were?

Basically the sure signal device plugs into your broadband connection apparently makes a VPN connection to vodafone's servers and suddenly you have a mobile phone signal booster, great idea isn't it?  Shame it's a buggy pile of cr*p...

Anyway, the overiding response from vodafone is the devices only support PPOA connections which as far I can tell means typically only ADSL and not FTTC/ VDSL.  As far as I can tell (and I'm no network expert here) it's an issue where the sure signal device (SS) requires an mtu of 1500, but PPOE doesn't support an MTU above 1492 which results in fragmented and therefore lost data.

Have a look https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=34387.0 at an interesting forum entry discussing this.

There's lots of very knowledgeable people out there scratching their heads as to why this can't be a simple fix for vodafone to change settings on the SS servers to allow a lower mtu.

Anyway, I was hoping some of the IDNET network gurus would wade in with their thoughts on this.

Thanks!

Mike

[nowster]

PPPoA had a much lower MTU size in the past, too. This is a limitation of the ATM frame size.

Any manufacturer assuming an IP frame of 1500 bytes will always work is setting themselves up for a fail. For instance, I have to set my OpenVPN max frame size to something in the 1300s for it to work reliably.

[Steve]

PPPoE does support an MTU of 1500 provided your modem and ISP do as well

http://aa.net.uk/kb-broadband-mtu.html

A BT FTTC connection with say a Draytek Vigor 130 will support baby jumbo frames.

[dysonco]

Thanks for the response guys, apologies for not getting back in touch until now.

So, whatever the issues, given repeated queries to Vodafone all they respond with is:

As mentioned above, the Sure Signal is designed for PPPoA.

The bridge setting on the router should work to allow PPPoA devices to run, but you'd need to check this with your ISP directly.

Can anyone clarify what exactly they mean by bridge setting and if my router (Tplink WD9980) can actually do this?  It does appear to have bridge functionality, I just don't know if it this is what is required and what if any settings it needs to get around the PPOE/ PPOA.

Many thanks,

Mike

[pctech]

Mike

Are you looking to buy one or do you have one that you are experiencing issues with?

[sparky]

I can't believe that with so many FTTC connections that must now be out there and so many Sure Signal boxes that must have been sold, that they just don't work at all with FTTC lines??

There must be a way around this. Could it be that only some modem routers are compatible? I have a SS3 and it works fine on my ADSL line with my Netgear router. I've been thinking about going FTTC, but now have TWO problems, one is my cabinet is full and reports "waiting list" the other is now, will I loose my working Sure Signal? 

[Gary]

Lots of mobile makes now have wifi calling built in, I know some Samsungs do, which only works with some networks including Vodafone I believe, on EE for example my iPhone 6s has native wifi calling meaning I don't need a sure signal or any app, I just flip the switch in the menu and calls are made over my router, when Volte is let loose (slowly being rolled out) you will be able to move from wifi calling straight to LTE without dropping the call.

http://www.vodafone.co.uk/explore/network/network-improvements/wi-fi-calling/

[sparky]

Lots of mobile makes now have wifi calling built in

Not strictly true......

Vodafone support only the new iphones and the Samsung 6 and 6s, which you have to buy through Vodafone 
You also have to have specific calling plans.

So that is a very limited option. My sure signal has all my family members that use Vodafone registered on it so that they get signal when visiting me no matter what phone they have.

[Gary]

Not strictly true......

Vodafone support only the new iphones and the Samsung 6 and 6s, which you have to buy through Vodafone 
You also have to have specific calling plans.

So that is a very limited option. My sure signal has all my family members that use Vodafone registered on it so that they get signal when visiting me no matter what phone they have.

I got my iPhone 6s though Apple and wifi calling works on both Vodafone and EE its not a Vodafone or EE specific firmware its built into the operating system. I would have thought that's the same for the S7/S7  If you have such a pants signal at your home on Vodafone why not try a different network? Or are you in a blackspot.

[sparky]

The Vodafone website says that the Samsung S6 has to have their software on it for it to work. No mention of the S7. Any how, I want neither an iphone or a Samsung.

Yes, I live in a black spot. EE is non existent, O2 is no better than Vodafone. (I personally think the laws should be changed making mobile companies go to 98% coverage of the geography of the UK, not population, before they can get their hands on 5G  ) It's not as if I live in the back of beyond, its a very large village only 7 miles from a major conurbation. 

[Gary]

The Vodafone website says that the Samsung S6 has to have their software on it for it to work. No mention of the S7. Any how, I want neither an iphone or a Samsung.

Yes, I live in a black spot. EE is non existent, O2 is no better than Vodafone. (I personally think the laws should be changed making mobile companies go to 98% coverage of the geography of the UK, not population, before they can get their hands on 5G  ) It's not as if I live in the back of beyond, its a very large village only 7 miles from a major conurbation. 

Vodafone and O2 are very behind the times, EE and 3 seem to be pushing harder. EE are meant to be starting broadcasting on 800Mhz soon in rural areas which will penetrate much further. Its insane that you live that close and have no coverage, I was reading earlier that Vodafone is now the most complained about company which surprised me. Hopefully coverage from another network will come to you area or you can sort out the sure signal, in this day and ages its just wrong. I left O2 because it had horrendous coverage in my area, great 4G and 2G but no 3G. Calls dropped on 2g as it was patchy. EE give great coverage for me on 2,3 and 4G where I live and if a mast goes down I have wifi calling, and I can hand the call to my iMac if I need which is great. I hope you get yours sorted out, good luck. 

[Tacitus]

I'm late to this thread but still.

Did the question of SureSignal on a VDSL connection get sorted or is, 'it's OK if you fiddle with the MTU settings' still the default option?  The reason I ask is that I'm in a similar situation to Sparky and was looking at moving from O2 to Vodafone mainly because of the SureSignal.  O2 do have an app - O2 TuGo - but in practice some txts arrive via mobile and others via mobile; not a problem but irritating nonetheless. 

Has anyone any experience of using the 3 Mobile equivalent of the SureSignal?  Can't remember what they call it but I believe they will supply one if you ask.  FoC if you're on a contract, but possibly a deposit required.

I've used 3 for data on an iPad and they seem pretty reasonable although their coverage isn't as good as the larger operators.  That may change if they merge with O2.

[Glenn]

The Three Home Signal box works fine on VDSL, you do have to go through Customer Services (now a lot better than a couple of years ago) they will perform some checks and hopefully send you out a box for free already configured to the sim numbers you use.

[sparky]

Did the question of SureSignal on a VDSL connection get sorted or is, 'it's OK if you fiddle with the MTU settings' still the default option?

Don't know about the OP, but I'm no wiser.

[Tacitus]

Don't know about the OP, but I'm no wiser.

 
I'm currently looking at 3 and trialling a data sim on an iPad.  So far it seems pretty reasonable but the iPad doesn't get the same use as the phone.  As some have said upthread, 3 (and possibly EE) are moving to WiFi calling with a seamless handover on the phone.  Not sure if that works with my iPhone 5s, but I'm pretty sure it would work with the 6s and almost certainly the 7 which should be out later this year.  Since I tend to keep my phones for 3-4 years, I'm not in the market for another one so WiFi calling will have to wait unless I use a separate app.