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Three WiFi / 3G Router: Crap

Started by Ewan · 8 months ago

I parted company with £69.99 today to purchase Three’s 3G / WiFi router, the Huawei D100.  I wish I hadn’t.

I’ve used it for an hour and decided it’s going back to the shop.  I may just throw it through the door and hurl abuse%2 ... Continue reading »

44 comments

  • David Carrington

    8 months ago

    Glad I didn't rush into buying this one then. Thanks Dan.
    reply
  • DanLane

    8 months ago

    Erm
    reply
  • David Carrington

    8 months ago

    Whoops...... "Thanks Ben"

    You two are like twins, easy mistake ;)
    reply
  • Ben Smith

    8 months ago

    You're welcome... Unless you call me Dan ;-)
    reply
  • DanLane

    8 months ago

    I take that as an insult! :P
    reply
  • DanLane

    8 months ago

    Cheers Ben! I was going to run to the local 3 store and grab one in the morning but I shan't bother now!

    The battery was the biggest selling point, what the fuck happened?!
    reply
  • Ben Smith

    8 months ago

    Just what I thought...
    reply
  • Stephen Wing

    8 months ago

    I think I know what happened, but I'll defer to 3UK to provide a formal answer on that (I'm still awaiting any form of statement from them).

    Although I can still see the device being useful with a mains power connection for many scenarios, I'm not sure I'm impressed with 3UK's handling of this.
    reply
  • Ben Smith

    8 months ago

    Are you expecting a response from 3UK? or I can fire up the PR channels...
    reply
  • Stephen Wing

    8 months ago

    I'm awaiting a response to my clarification request, but that was not via PR, so I'd be interested to hear their view too
    reply
  • Stephen Wing

    8 months ago

    3UK have now confirmed that it was a straight error, and have apologised.
    reply
  • Mark Roberts

    6 months ago

    You need a Cradlepoint Router see :- http://www.portablepowersolutions.com/routers.htm
    reply
  • jamesbody

    8 months ago

    Thanks for the update - you have saved me and a hundred other MIR readers from having to go through the disappointment of finding out that the D100 is less good than originally suspected.

    The search for a really good portable 3G<>WiFi AP continues.....
    reply
  • Mike42

    8 months ago

    One word: Joikuspot.
    reply
  • Kip Hakes

    8 months ago

    Whilst Joikuspot is great, it fucking eats the battery!
    reply
  • Ben Smith

    8 months ago

    Wot Kip said, plus it also maxes out at around 50kbps throughput. Good as an emergency tool, but not for regular use.
    reply
  • Mike42

    8 months ago

    2hrs on my N95. Good enough. Any longer than that and the devices you are using for WiFi access need charging too - like laptops in particular. The use case for mobile WiFi is snacking or plugged into mains.

    Plus if you are using a laptop, it's reeeally easy to charge your mobile running Joikuspot off the laptop's USB port. end result = WiFi lasts as long as laptop does, when laptop dies phone is fully charged to boot.
    reply
  • Kip Hakes

    8 months ago

    Strange.. very strange. I'm sat here using mine now - plenty fast enough, it even let my Wii connect to it, and I could play Mario Kart. It doesn't seem to be any different from using the dongle plugged into the computer.

    Whilst I must admint I was slightly narked the battery wasn't part of it, I'm still happy.

    Faulty unit perhaps?

    K
    reply
  • Ben Smith

    8 months ago

    Maybe.... With my dongle on my Mac I get 250kbps down and ~50kbps up. in teh same location using the router seconds later I get 50kbps each way tops.

    Obviously the numbers are meaningless if it works for you, but Flickr pages crawled down via the router... painful. Via the dongle they flew down.
    reply
  • Mike42

    8 months ago

    is someone else hogging your WiFi? WiFi interferance?
    reply
  • Mac Morrison

    8 months ago

    yep sounds like the wifi channel needs switching to a free one rather than auto.

    mac

    i love the angry post - you are acutaly ewan - i claim my £5.
    reply
  • Ben Smith

    8 months ago

    Possibly... but there really are only 2 channels worth using. In use they all overlap so the only way to prevent overlap is to set one at the highest channel and the other at the lowest. As soon as >2 networks are in use overlap and interference is inevitable so devices need to be able to cope with it gracefully.

    No - it's definitely me... I was channeling Dan Lane though :-)
    reply
  • Ben Smith

    8 months ago

    Router interface confirmed only one (me) user - long WEP key set too to prevent accidental use by others.

    Only one other network visible during testing, but even so... if other networks cause such a problem it's still a fail. Distance between laptop and router was about 10cm - so it was definitely the strongest signal. At home I have >10 WiFi networks visible and the speed drop from a wired connection to a normal access point is minimal. This is supposed to be a device I can setup anywhere quickly and just use.
    reply
  • Mike42

    8 months ago

    My own tests at Mike42 towers this am have yielded the following results: Joikuspot running on an E71 is fundamentally no different in throughput to a dongle. I get around 400-500kbps on both. I did have a spike on the dongle of 1Mbps, but that took ages to end the test, so I suspect might have been an error in the Java machine running the D/L test.

    So I've never seen a speed limitation in Joikuspot. The processor load is minimal as JS works as an internal router. If you run a CPU monitor you'll be hard pressed to even tell JS is running.

    /m
    reply
  • Ben Smith

    8 months ago

    My N82 chews battery running Joikuspot and gets very hot!
    reply
  • Mike42

    8 months ago

    Yep - that's mostly the 3G radio there Ben. Use your handset as a Bluetooth or USB modem and you'll see the same temp issue. The WiFi adds surprisingly little.

    A trick is to set your WiFi power to the minimum using the phone's WiFi settings - you can go down to 4mW instead of 100. Does make a bit of difference, but not much as again, it's the 3G radio that's the power hog.

    /m
    reply
  • Kip Hakes

    8 months ago

    Ben - how did you test the speed? I'd like to see what mine is doing..

    K
    reply
  • Ben Smith

    8 months ago

    I used http://www.speedtest.net/ but also found real-world usage to broadly reflect the speeds it was reporting.
    reply
  • worldofnokia

    8 months ago

    interesting wording on the box... no landline.... no wires

    What do they call the lead that connects from a power socket in the wall into the back to power it when there is no battery like they said it had?
    reply
  • Ben Smith

    8 months ago

    Yes - it's wireless in the same way my car is fuel-less as long as I don't want to use it...
    reply
  • Kip Hakes

    8 months ago

    Oh - I've put up an 'Unboxing' video on my blog for those who like that sorta thing..

    http://kayceejayh.blogspot.com/2008/10/unboxing...

    K
    reply
  • TrevorBennett

    8 months ago

    Hi All,

    Is anyone else still waiting for their router to arrive? I ordered mine online and the usb modem arrived on Friday 17th but still no Router. Every time I call them they say they have none in stock ready for distribution, only shop stock around the UK????

    Has anyone got their router delivered that was ordered online?

    VERY FRUSTRATING !!!!!!!!!!
    PS - they were quick enough to take the money from my card.

    Trevor.
    reply
  • Jim Gilroy

    8 months ago

    I ordered and paid for mine online nearly two weeks ago and I still haven't received it!
    When I last spoke to them Saturday (25th Oct) they said I should get it Monday. ''It's been sent packet post.''
    I haven't, so Ive just called their web sales shop on 0870 333 1829 (option 2) cos 333 couldn't connect me and they are chasing it up and will call me later or tomorrow, 'cos ''I have been waiting a long time.'' Too right!
    And reading the above Im also a little dissapointed to read its not rechargeable battery powered.
    Oh well. At least I only forked out £34.99 for mine. :(
    reply
  • TrevorBennett

    8 months ago

    Hi Jim,

    Today I finally lost my temper with 3 sales. I too was told almost every day that it would be despacthed that day, only for it never to appear. Well today I spoke to someone who told me that she would call me back by 5pm with a straight answer. At 5.10pm I phoned back as no phone call was forthcoming, only to be told I was a liar! The lady changed her story to say she only said she would call back if there was any news to impart! What shit customer service.

    Needless to say I have asked for a cancellation of this modem/router contract within my 14 days allowance. They will also refund the £35 for the router that never appeared.

    This is a very sad day indeed as I have 4 current contracts with three, one laptop one, a mobile, a usb modem one and a skypephone S2 - all on contract. (Used for work)
    So as a customer with 4 contracts trying to enter his 5th, what a shit way of treating me - I wont be leaving 3 as they are still the best for data based products, but what a sour ending to my router story.

    By the way - they have no routers currently sat here in the UK, thats the reason none of us got ours. Why oh why did they keep telling me that they were sending me one out every day?
    Answer - just bullshit the customer to get them off the phone.

    If I want any extra contracts, in future I will use a three shop.

    Trev.
    reply
  • DanLane

    8 months ago

    That's a shame :(

    As I keep telling people, mobile operator staff should be forced to "buy" their company handsets and contracts via the normal channels so they can see first-hand how crap their customer service experience can be. I don't actually know of any UK operators that do this :(
    reply
  • Jim Gilroy

    8 months ago

    Hi Trev.

    I spoke with Mike today on the 0870 270 0060 web sales shop number. I spoke with him last Friday on that number. (The other number I called yesterday has too many options.... and the woman didn't call me back. No surprise there!)

    He told me that the routers were now back in stock and they were emailing the 'department' dealing with it to despatch to customers who hadn't received theirs.

    They haven't a system in place to notify them and are relying on customers to call them or else they are assuming that people have received them!

    I don't know what to believe, but I am now expecting delivery of mine this Thursday.
    None of the people at Three seem to have any knowledge on their products either which concerns me; especially as I have spent a small fortune on calling 0870 numbers the past week to find out.

    But the reason I have switched to 3 (from Orange) is like you stated, that they are more competitive with their data plans and products. Time will tell if I make any savings!

    Jim
    reply
  • TrevorBennett

    8 months ago

    Hi Jim,

    I'm hopeful that your router will arrive for you on Thursday, however the comment "They haven't a system in place to notify them and are relying on customers to call them or else they are assuming that people have received them!" worries me greatly.

    What sort of shit way to run a company is that?

    Despite claiming my cancellation under the 14 day policy I'm sure that something else will go wrong for me, how about not refunding the £35 router cost without a fight???

    Best of luck again Jim,

    Trev.
    reply
  • andreas

    7 months ago

    Hi Ben
    I would be happy to buy it from you.
    my Brazilian friends all just love it!
    Greetings from Switzerland
    andreas
    reply
  • Ben Smith

    7 months ago

    Andreas, I'm afraid it went back. Can't recommend it - very poor.
    reply
  • Sam

    7 months ago

    If you didn't like that one, you'll like this one for sure. It's made by a company which specializes in these kinds of products, and doesn't cost you much either. Plus, you get excellent support. Sure, it doesn't have a battery, but you can always use it in a vehicle with a 12V cable. It supports over 30 different USB modems from brands like Huawei, Option, Novatel Wireless, ZTE, BandLuxe, etc......And, it also has cool features like automatic fail-over (backup), SMS mailbox, Connection Tracker, DynDNS, and what-have-you....

    Have a look: http://www.dovado.com

    Price-tag is like €99
    reply
  • Jonas

    7 months ago

    And the Dovado isn´t locked to 3 :)
    reply
  • Mark Roberts

    6 months ago

    You need to try a Cradlepoint Mobile router. there is a battery version available for true 'Mobile Broadband'.

    Regards
    Mark
    reply
  • MarkRoberts

    6 months ago

    You should try a Cradlepoint Router :-

    http://www.portablepowersolutions.com/routers.htm

    Mark
    reply
  • George

    4 months ago

    I purchased a D100 and within an hour it had locked me out(my fault, I do like to fiddle), took it back to PCWorld and they exchanged it without batting an eyelid. After getting this one home and firing it up I went onto the MCAfee website to check it's speed and it registered an impressive 500 KbPS, without the router it was 60 KbPS. I am not up to speed on how fast this is in real world terms, but the D100 operates faster than my hardwire broadband connection at work. In conclusion, like every bit of new kit that hits the market, there will be lovers, haters and people with vested interests!
    reply

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