I just bought a Virgin mobile broadband USB dongle to use w/ laptop incase of disconnection or outage on my main trading 'puter.
To be honest, I wasn't expecting lightning speeds - but I can't even load Betfair.com. I check coverage for my area before I purchased, and it gave a 'High/Medium' signal strength. As a lot of you guys use the technology in same way, i was just wondering if this is normal with 3g dongles - and if there is a fix?
Also, the dongle installed its own drivers and rather clumsy bit of Virgin software - which monitors your data transfer, etc' but ALSO requires that you manually click the 'connect' and 'disconnect' on there in order to use access the 3g network. My original plan had been to have the 3g connection automatically kick-in if my main, home broadband connection fails - so I can swiftly take care of any open trades. Can't see anything to do with automatic connection mode/network connection priorities in Windows XP 'My Network Places'/'Network Connections'/Virgin UK.
I have tried googling but as I don't know the proper terms it's just bringing back loads of rubbish. ANY help from you dudes would be greatly appreciated. Ta!
*TECHNICAL* How to improve signal strength of 3g Dongle?
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andyfuller
- Posts: 4619
- Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 12:23 pm
I have mine right next to the window or I get no signal and I have it connected all the time but with BA not refreshing - if the Sh1t hits the fan I don't want to be sat waiting for it to connect, I want to turn to it turn on the refresh on BA and get out. Mine on 3 also has the connection software you mention.
If you have BA not refreshing you use virtually nothing, just be careful of windows updating etc.
If you have BA not refreshing you use virtually nothing, just be careful of windows updating etc.
Check out these links:
http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/blog/2009/03 ... 3g-signal/
and
http://www.taranfx.com/boost-3g-signal
I'm not vouching for the second one, but worth a try for free
.
http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/blog/2009/03 ... 3g-signal/
and
http://www.taranfx.com/boost-3g-signal
I'm not vouching for the second one, but worth a try for free
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lilgreenback
- Posts: 211
- Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2009 11:28 am
Hi Spikey and all techno buffs,
Don't try the sieve idea with boiling pasta it did not help and the dongle was still on the underdone side.
On a practical note I had to try it out as I have naff broardband and even getting 8Mb/s would not make a blind bit of difference as where I live you will not get the speed increase.
I have a 3 dongle which does not work downstairs only up and on one side of the house.
Right drum roll without sieve Ping test 130ms, download speed 0.93Mb/s, upload speed 0.30Mbs.
With sieve Ping tesr 121ms, Dload 2.05MBs, Upload 0.28
So folks this myth is well and truely busted. I don't want to look like a prize t*ss*r walking round with the latest collection from Le Creuset whilst in Costa Coffee though any ideas!!!
It seems to work; Maybe this will be the giveaway for who the anxious travelling trader a laptop the Racing Post and optional cook ware
How good would the reception be with a bin lid.
It is one of the real issues that p****s me off with this country we should have a Law that states OK you want to give Phone licences and broardband to people charge and tax them WELL you have to start with the outlying areas first hook them up with the best kit and work inwards. You will then have the tech problems etc ironed out by the time you get to the inner cities and it will work as it should.
Soz off tangent there off my soapbox now.
Cheers Folks
LilGB
Don't try the sieve idea with boiling pasta it did not help and the dongle was still on the underdone side.
On a practical note I had to try it out as I have naff broardband and even getting 8Mb/s would not make a blind bit of difference as where I live you will not get the speed increase.
I have a 3 dongle which does not work downstairs only up and on one side of the house.
Right drum roll without sieve Ping test 130ms, download speed 0.93Mb/s, upload speed 0.30Mbs.
With sieve Ping tesr 121ms, Dload 2.05MBs, Upload 0.28
So folks this myth is well and truely busted. I don't want to look like a prize t*ss*r walking round with the latest collection from Le Creuset whilst in Costa Coffee though any ideas!!!
It seems to work; Maybe this will be the giveaway for who the anxious travelling trader a laptop the Racing Post and optional cook ware
How good would the reception be with a bin lid.It is one of the real issues that p****s me off with this country we should have a Law that states OK you want to give Phone licences and broardband to people charge and tax them WELL you have to start with the outlying areas first hook them up with the best kit and work inwards. You will then have the tech problems etc ironed out by the time you get to the inner cities and it will work as it should.
Soz off tangent there off my soapbox now.
Cheers Folks
LilGB
I have a dongle also used strictly for emergencies.andyfuller wrote:If you have BA not refreshing you use virtually nothing, just be careful of windows updating etc.
The problem is that despite turning refresh off BA still sends and receives data. I know the amounts are small but its enough to exceed my download limit.
Is there any way to have BA open and completely dormant?
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lilgreenback
- Posts: 211
- Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2009 11:28 am
Hi,
Just a thought; I'm no major player/trader as it's evenings or weekends due to work. But what I have done is to load in the same markets on my laptop/via dongle and save them into Guardian. I then leave the laptop and dongle running with BA turned off as I then use BA on my other computer.
Should there be a problem all I need to do is press log in as the user name and pword are ready. I can then access the relevant market fairly quickly and hopefully close out it has happened a couple of times and it's been OK.
It's not ideal I know and you probably already do a similar thing but it was just a thought. Back to reality and better do some work Hi Ho.
Regards
LilGB
Just a thought; I'm no major player/trader as it's evenings or weekends due to work. But what I have done is to load in the same markets on my laptop/via dongle and save them into Guardian. I then leave the laptop and dongle running with BA turned off as I then use BA on my other computer.
Should there be a problem all I need to do is press log in as the user name and pword are ready. I can then access the relevant market fairly quickly and hopefully close out it has happened a couple of times and it's been OK.
It's not ideal I know and you probably already do a similar thing but it was just a thought. Back to reality and better do some work Hi Ho.
Regards
LilGB