Help With My New 3G Router And Usb Aircard

[ThaiLife]

I am using CAT 3G " my '' unlimited account to connect to the internet , I have recently purchased a new 3G Router

( 1,500 Baht )

and I have my ZTE MF668A USB aircard ( Dongle ) plugged into the router , and every thing works well, now all my computers/tablets/mobile phones can see the routers WiFi signal all around my house and can connect to the internet.

My Cat 3G unlimited connection is throttled ( user limit ) once I reach 4GB . In the past when I just plugged my ZTE MF668A USB aircard directly into my one computer , I could see just how many GB I had used , so I could keep an eye on , when getting near to the CAT 3G throttling limit .

Now when any of my devices is using the WiFi connection from the router , I can type a ''http'' into a browser and see / check the routers information and the connection usage.

★ The USB modem shown above is my ZTE MF668A but for some reason its shown as a MF626i ★

Now my problem

With each device using the routers WiFi connection , I can see how much that single device has used when downloading / uploading, but as ive got many devices now using the CAT 3G ''my'' package via WiFi , the only way to determine my total CAT 3G usage , is by adding up all the separate amounts each device has actually used ( pain in the backside and very difficult to do ) .

When I turn off the router ( thunder storms and leaving the house ) the router re sets all its download / upload statistics and starts again from scratch , ive gone through all the routers settings , yes I can see the usage amounts , but only for each separate device , and its all cleared when the router is turned off .

One thing ive all so noticed now I use the router is that when in the past I just plugged my ZTE MF668A USB aircard directally into a single computer , I use to get disconnected after around 6 hours use. Now when using this router there's no CAT 3G disconnections at all .

So I am looking for some way to see my CAT 3G total usage with out having to check each device .

Any ideas , comments or suggestions most welcome

[lomatopo]

Can you do anything with System Tools --> Statistics? The User's Guide, pages 100-101, makes it look like you can do a lot with "Rules" but without the actual UI I can't determine what, if anything, might be possible?

[BB1950]

You might checkout NetWorx – Free Bandwidth Monitoring and Usage Reporting.

http://www.softperfe...oducts/networx/

It does have the capability to monitor a wireless router.

[JakeBKK]

upgrade the firmware. there is an update out, that fixes your modem problem. To get detailed statistics, change the firmware to openWRT. You should have an idea about linux before going down that road. It's shell only, so no nice gui around. You can park you statistics inside the nv-ram so they stay with you.

[whybother]

Is there any online register provided by CAT?

[ThaiLife]

Can you do anything with System Tools --> Statistics? The User's Guide, pages 100-101, makes it look like you can do a lot with "Rules" but without the actual UI I can't determine what, if anything, might be possible?

Thanks for the info, I'm going to check it out

[ThaiLife]

You might checkout NetWorx – Free Bandwidth Monitoring and Usage Reporting.

http://www.softperfe...oducts/networx/

It does have the capability to monitor a wireless router.

Thanks , ive just installed NetWorx on my PC , but it seems that my router is not SNMP compatible

Ive looked all through the router settings and can see no SNMP

[ThaiLife]

Is there any online register provided by CAT?

As far as Ive seen there's no way to see your CAT 3G usage on line , I know that with AIS 3G there's a desktop widget ( Chrome only ) that you can install to see your AIS 3G usage , but ive never found a way to see my CAT 3G usage

[ThaiLife]

upgrade the firmware. there is an update out, that fixes your modem problem. To get detailed statistics, change the firmware to openWRT. You should have an idea about linux before going down that road. It's shell only, so no nice gui around. You can park you statistics inside the nv-ram so they stay with you.

Thanks for the comment , ive had a quick look , and I think I will need a stiff drink and steady hands to attempt to go down the openWRT route

http://martybugs.net...enwrt/flash.cgi

[lomatopo]

I think your router is SNMP compliant, I'd be shocked if it wasn't. The problem is that the WAN interface is actually the ethernet uplink, i.e. the blue RJ-45 connector, rather than the USB modem. I'm wondering if there is anyway to tap into the USB modem to get stats? Probably not when inserted into the TP-Link unit.

[RKASA]

You should be able to check the balance of the sim card inside the aircard. That would be total use. The way to check may be via a web site logging into cat and your account.

[BB1950]

I think your router is SNMP compliant, I'd be shocked if it wasn't. The problem is that the WAN interface is actually the ethernet uplink, i.e. the blue RJ-45 connector, rather than the USB modem. I'm wondering if there is anyway to tap into the USB modem to get stats? Probably not when inserted into the TP-Link unit.

I think lomatopo is correct. I have an older ADSL TP-Link W8901G router. This is what I get displayed:

As you can see the WAN choices aren't empty.

I wonder if you are entering the IP address for the TP-Link router since you have blanked it out?

[JakeBKK]

Thailife: anyhow goto TPLINK and update to TL-MR3420_V1_120523

The update adds more modem types and reduces the detection time radically.

[lomatopo]

I think your router is SNMP compliant, I'd be shocked if it wasn't. The problem is that the WAN interface is actually the ethernet uplink, i.e. the blue RJ-45 connector, rather than the USB modem. I'm wondering if there is anyway to tap into the USB modem to get stats? Probably not when inserted into the TP-Link unit.

I think lomatopo is correct. I have an older ADSL TP-Link W8901G router. This is what I get displayed:

As you can see the WAN choices aren't empty.

I wonder if you are entering the IP address for the TP-Link router since you have blanked it out?

Are any of those choices the USB aircard, i.e. 3G, interface? Maybe PPPoE?

[ThaiLife]

I think your router is SNMP compliant, I'd be shocked if it wasn't. The problem is that the WAN interface is actually the ethernet uplink, i.e. the blue RJ-45 connector, rather than the USB modem. I'm wondering if there is anyway to tap into the USB modem to get stats? Probably not when inserted into the TP-Link unit.

Just looking at the routers specifications

It shows - SNMP , but there's no option / settings adjustment shown in the menu .

[ThaiLife]

I think your router is SNMP compliant, I'd be shocked if it wasn't. The problem is that the WAN interface is actually the ethernet uplink, i.e. the blue RJ-45 connector, rather than the USB modem. I'm wondering if there is anyway to tap into the USB modem to get stats? Probably not when inserted into the TP-Link unit.

I think lomatopo is correct. I have an older ADSL TP-Link W8901G router. This is what I get displayed:

As you can see the WAN choices aren't empty.

I wonder if you are entering the IP address for the TP-Link router since you have blanked it out?

Thanks for the screen shot , My IP address is the same as your screen shot , but on my PC ( running Windows XP ) the WAN choices box is empty.

Ive just tried a different set up , With 2 Mac computers wired and the PC ( with the NetWorx installed ) using WiFI

The PC is getting a good WiFi signal , but still theres a blank NetWorxWAN box .

[ThaiLife]

Thailife: anyhow goto TPLINK and update to TL-MR3420_V1_120523

The update adds more modem types and reduces the detection time radically.

Thanks for that , ive just updated and things are running fine

[ThaiLife]

You should be able to check the balance of the sim card inside the aircard. That would be total use. The way to check may be via a web site logging into cat and your account.

Ive never been able to find a way to check the total use , by using the sim card . On the CAT 3G web site there does not seem to be an option to in any way check your 3G account statistics , or may be I'm missing some thing

[lomatopo]

It shows - SNMP , but there's no option / settings adjustment shown in the menu .

SNMP is a protocol, a sort of language if you will, that NetWorx and your router can communicate with, rather than an option.

My sense is that perhaps the TP-Link does not capture the USB statistics (packets/bytes), and/or make them available to the unit's network management software. Again, this is just a guess. It does probably keep track of the WAN statistics, but the WAN port is really the ethernet uplink (blue port). The unit should be able to track packets/bytes using the USB port, but the UI needs to offer a way to track/retrieve those. Did System Tools, Statistics offer any sort of way to create a rule to track the USB port?

[ThaiLife]

It shows - SNMP , but there's no option / settings adjustment shown in the menu .

SNMP is a protocol, a sort of language if you will, that NetWorx and your router can communicate with, rather than an option.

My sense is that perhaps the TP-Link does not capture the USB statistics (packets/bytes), and/or make them available to the unit's network management software. Again, this is just a guess. It does probably keep track of the WAN statistics, but the WAN port is really the ethernet uplink (blue port). The unit should be able to track packets/bytes using the USB port, but the UI needs to offer a way to track/retrieve those. Did System Tools, Statistics offer any sort of way to create a rule to track the USB port?

sadly no luck yet with SystemTools / Statistics

[lomatopo]

Maybe grind through some related user's forums?

Google, for example: tp link tl-mr3420 site:forums.whirlpool.net.au

[ThaiLife]

Maybe grind through some related user's forums?

Google, for example: tp link tl-mr3420 site:forums.whirlpool.net.au

Thnaks , I will post a help request there

I sent the manufactures of the router an email on the subject of ... SNMP

and here's there reply that's just arrived -

Thank you very much for your email requesting information about our product.

Sorry about that, our 3420 does not support SNMP

Stefanie Zhang

Technical Support Engineer

TP-LINK TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

So that's that

[JSixpack]

Why don't you just pull the info from the router page into Excel ?

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/pull-data-into-microsoft-excel-with-web-queries/6115870

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/get-external-data-from-a-web-page-HA010218472.aspx

http://www.windmill.co.uk/excel/excelweb.html

Easy to keep running totals this way.

[ThaiLife]

Why don't you just pull the info from the router page into Excel ?

http://www.techrepub...queries/6115870

http://office.micros...A010218472.aspx

http://www.windmill....l/excelweb.html

Easy to keep running totals this way.

Thanks for the suggestion , I'm going to check it all out , but in the meantime ive had another email from the manufactures--

On the router, it does not show the total usage of the cumulative flow, but you can see the current usage on the router page

Please follow the FAQ to log into the page - http://www.tplink.co.../article/?id=87

Then please find the following page

When you surf internet, you can check the usage on the above page, once you reboot the router, it will be back to 0, and then it will calculate again.

So I found the same page on my web browser --

But I'm not sure what each seperate box ( Red arrows ) is showing , could it be my individual devices using the routers WiFi connection ?

[JSixpack]

But I'm not sure what each seperate box ( Red arrows ) is showing , could it be my individual devices using the routers WiFi connection ?

Of course.