Grps - Internet (though Laptop) Now Is Useless

[uk_falang]

I bought a Nokia 6230 about a year ago. It used to work well when I connect with my laptop. I have used it with DTAC and AIS - in the past the service was great. I could connect for hours (sometimes days) without getting disconnected.

Now when I try to use it - is good for about 2 mins. I have tried both with nokia data cable and aslo with blutooth. The same story for Dtac, Ais and Orange. Someone told me that now the GPRS networks are overladed due to very chap GPRS charges (500 hours for 500B pre pay for example). Is this true?

I have also bought an AIS "Net Sim" but its just the same problem

I am considering possibly my phone is broken, but someo other people told me they have had similar problems with their phones. I am considering buying a data card from thailandedge.com.

I have read some postings about HUTCH - I dont really know much about it. I like in a small villiage in chaing mai provine, is it going to work here?

I would like to hear from anyone who could help or advice

Thanks

[billd766]

Try going into network connections and right click on your connection and then click properties.

Under general, select only the modem you are using whether data cable or Bluetooth.

Under dialing options do NOT select windows log on domain.

Under redial attempts = 3, time between 5 seconds, idle time before hanging up = never

Under Security use typical and allow unsecured password.

Networking

PPP: windows 95/98/2000/NT4 Internet

Tick Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and Qos packet scheduler

Advanced

Windows firewall or your own.

This works for me but you may have to fiddle around to get it how you want it.

I hope this helps.

[uk_falang]

Thanks I will try this when I get home.

Does any here actually manage a GPRS (internet) connection to their computer from their phone or data card? If so please advise what hardware and telco you are using.

Thanks again

[Crushdepth]

Thanks I will try this when I get home.

Does any here actually manage a GPRS (internet) connection to their computer from their phone or data card? If so please advise what hardware and telco you are using.

Thanks again

I am using a Nokia 6230 and it works very well connecting to DTAC GPRS/EDGE but I live in Bangkok. It might be a local problem - I suggest trying to connect somewhere else before you buy another phone or switch providers!

My previous (long past) experience with AIS was similiar to what you describe, though.

[Totster]

AIS is acceptable when it works properly... and in my experience it can be unreliable..

I have experienced weeks of intermittant signal and connection and then weeks of almost perfect connection and signal.. it can be quite frustrating... but in my experience, just when you loose hope of ever getting a decent service again, it picks up and works fine.. TiT

totster

[bdenner]

AIS is acceptable when it works properly... and in my experience it can be unreliable..

I have experienced weeks of intermittant signal and connection and then weeks of almost perfect connection and signal.. it can be quite frustrating... but in my experience, just when you loose hope of ever getting a decent service again, it picks up and works fine.. TiT

totster

I'm in an AIS cell where I know I'm the only full time GPRS user (middle of an Isaan rice paddy) and have not had a serious problem since the teething problems in the new repeater were sorted 12 month ago. Not much of a GPRS load here! A friend down the road in the Ban Dung AIS cell (our nearest city) has no end of outages even with good connections. That indicates to me that most GPRS problems are localized but in saying that I have no idea how the technology works.

[Khutan]

I had the same problem with my Nokia 6230i. It was so frustrating as the phone would close the GPRS connection after a few minutes. After a few days, I discovered a few things.

1. Go to a Nokia Authorized Service Centre and get them to upgrade the firmware in your phone.

2. Bluetooth may not always work properly, the Bluetooth that phones and other devices use is not the same set as what a computer will use.

Now with the upgraded firmware and a data cable, the connection is good. In BKK I am getting speeds better than 120K, upcountry I can measure it around 44k.

One problem I had when I was on holiday is my wife's house has a number of thick cement walls so the phone goes searching for a cell. The problem being so close to the Cambodia boarder is the phone negotiates a cell in Cambodia, not Thailand, then of course the GPRS connection dies.

I fixed this by changing my network selection from Auto to Manual.

Hope that is some help.

[tjo o tjim]

I'll echo the "local issues" comment. With DTAC, I seem to have problems at the microwave repeater level, because at the times there should not be much in the way of other competition on the cell site. Also the growing pains for areas with new GPRS service are pretty harsh.

Also, the range of a cell tower drops as user load increases. This can be voice or GPRS as I understand it. If you don't get good signal strength to start with, this can often be the problem. (Even 4 of 5 bars isn't enough in some places.)

BTW, Does anybody know how to get the actual dBm reading for signal strength off a Nokia or Motorola phone?

[Plus]

Sony Ericsson Dtac aircard in my notebook works ok, Edge is a bit slower than before though. Just last week I tried it in Hua Hin and Pattaya (regular speed GPRS). Connection didn't drop even once.

Your problems might be local and/or phone's firmware. Call Dtac service - they have a way of checking GPRS quality in your area.

Hutch was highly recommended by some users - search the forum, and ask if the service is available where you live.

[autonomous_unit]

I use a Motorola phone with DTAC in Nonthaburi and can leave it connected for several days to a week at one stretch. Sometimes individual connections to a remote server will drop, but the computer is still online. I think the NAT system eventually expires the really old connections...

With my Motorola v360, every few weeks it stops connecting and I have to turn the phone off and back on to make it happy again. It is connected via a USB cable and still charges off the computer but just won't connect the computer to GPRS anymore, even though the phone display still shows GPRS service.

With my older Motorola v66, the least reliable part was the damaged cable which would fall out of the phone sometimes. I used that one in Bangkoknoi with AIS for several months and had similarly steady performance. I usually disconnected that one several times a day, since it was also my voice phone.

As other say, it might be a local contention issue if there are lots of phone users on the same tower (voice takes precedence over GPRS). Also, you might look for new intereference-causing equipment nearby... a broken microwave oven, a radio transmitter, etc.

[gregchambers]

On my Siemens C55 I actually had to take the battery out to get it to reset itself and then work via USB cable. Lots of fun but I even managed to get it to work in Vietienne a couple of times - high floor in hotel pointing towards Thailand on DTAC.

Anyone know what the best deal for unlimited download is for GPRS is these deals, all the mobile sites seem to be in Thai these days.

I can do postpay via thai friend if necessary but prefer prepaid if possible.

[autonomous_unit]

DTAC has a post-paid 999 THB/month unlimited GPRS package, which comes out to closer to 1500 THB/month all told if you have to get a new voice plan for it, etc. This includes EDGE service in the areas w/ coverage in BKK.

I think the AIS unlimited post-paid package is a limited duration promotion and then lapses back to some other per minute rate for the rest of the contract period. I don't think they have any EDGE coverage yet.

[mitebbots]

I had the same problem with my Nokia 6230i. It was so frustrating as the phone would close the GPRS connection after a few minutes. After a few days, I discovered a few things.

1. Go to a Nokia Authorized Service Centre and get them to upgrade the firmware in your phone.

2. Bluetooth may not always work properly, the Bluetooth that phones and other devices use is not the same set as what a computer will use.

Now with the upgraded firmware and a data cable, the connection is good. In BKK I am getting speeds better than 120K, upcountry I can measure it around 44k.

One problem I had when I was on holiday is my wife's house has a number of thick cement walls so the phone goes searching for a cell. The problem being so close to the Cambodia boarder is the phone negotiates a cell in Cambodia, not Thailand, then of course the GPRS connection dies.

I fixed this by changing my network selection from Auto to Manual.

Hope that is some help.

Can you tell me where I would go in Bangkok that will actually update the firmware on my phone? No help at MBK that is for sure. I use an 6610 w/CA-42 and AIS for email while visiting sometimes. I thought it was 1 Baht a minute on the pre pay SIM card. if there is a better pre-pay option I'd like to know. thx.

[ZZZ]

AIS GPRS used to be fine in Pattaya but is now crap, BKK is ok, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia is also good but expensive.

[Para]

I have been using EDGE/GPRS (Acer TM, Nokia 6630, AIS 1 2 Call) for my internet connection in Pattaya for 2 years now.

Apart from the last week it runs at an 'acceptable' speed and offers the luxury of being totally portable.

I would suggest borrowing a friends phone, insert your SIM and try that so as to eliminate it.

If you are going to be using GPRS a lot I would think about upgrading your phone to one that supports EDGE. There is no increase in your on line costs and your transfers will be *cough* greatly increased.

[uk_falang]

Great

Finally managed to get my GPRS running with Nokia 6230. I sent my Nokia to the service centre for upgrade firmware. It took about a week but when I finally got it back it connected to the net using an AIS Net sim. I get a contstant connection that never drops. I connect to my laptop using a D-Link brand Bluetooth donlge. I just signed up to Onspeed ,it is a service that compresses graphics before you download making regular web browsing a lot faster he alternative to this is to set Inernet Explorer / Firefox so that it wony download any images, however this makes many web sites confusing and unusable.

[shadscat]

since when does DTAC offer edge in Pattaya ?

I'm getting download speeds on torrents of 12 k on regular gprs.