Verizon Wireless Network Extender not working quite as well with Droid

[aaf709]

I have a crazy issue with my NE and Droid. I'm using the 2.1 Alarm and it displays Celsius, which is not a big deal, however, I live in eastern PA near Harrisburg. However, when I am under the NE at home, it says I'm in Washington, PA for the weather. I selected "Use My Location" in the setup. I am 250 miles from Washington, PA which is south of Pittsburgh. My area code is 724, which is a Pittsburgh area code, but does anyone know why the NE has me placed there and not where I really am located at? As soon as I leave my house it knows where I'm really at. This also affects Beautiful Widgets at home with the NE too.

This happened to me as well. It gave weather for a location 12 miles away, same with restaurant locations. I believe it's because the internet hub that the NE is connected to is located there. That's why there's a GPS on the NE, otherwise if you called 911 on your cell at home it would show you somewhere else. Once you leave home (and the NE) it goes back to normal.

 

[Vulcan1600]

I have a crazy issue with my NE and Droid. I'm using the 2.1 Alarm and it displays Celsius, which is not a big deal, however, I live in eastern PA near Harrisburg. However, when I am under the NE at home, it says I'm in Washington, PA for the weather. I selected "Use My Location" in the setup. I am 250 miles from Washington, PA which is south of Pittsburgh. My area code is 724, which is a Pittsburgh area code, but does anyone know why the NE has me placed there and not where I really am located at? As soon as I leave my house it knows where I'm really at. This also affects Beautiful Widgets at home with the NE too.

This happened to me as well. It gave weather for a location 12 miles away, same with restaurant locations. I believe it's because the internet hub that the NE is connected to is located there. That's why there's a GPS on the NE, otherwise if you called 911 on your cell at home it would show you somewhere else. Once you leave home (and the NE) it goes back to normal.

I will probably call tech support about it tonight, but mine is about 250 miles from my place to Washington, PA...really strange.

 

[Matth3w]

Well the NE has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with Data services. Only voice. The network extender uses VOIP to work. It does not in any way shape or form improve ANY data sending or receiving. My guess is, it's defaulting to Washington when it can't get a data signal inside your house. Does it have an option to set a physical backup location?

For example, the Beautiful Widgets app you pick a city to default to when you can't get a gps signal or something.

 

[brucin]

I have a crazy issue with my NE and Droid. I'm using the 2.1 Alarm and it displays Celsius, which is not a big deal, however, I live in eastern PA near Harrisburg. However, when I am under the NE at home, it says I'm in Washington, PA for the weather. I selected "Use My Location" in the setup. I am 250 miles from Washington, PA which is south of Pittsburgh. My area code is 724, which is a Pittsburgh area code, but does anyone know why the NE has me placed there and not where I really am located at? As soon as I leave my house it knows where I'm really at. This also affects Beautiful Widgets at home with the NE too.

This happened to me as well. It gave weather for a location 12 miles away, same with restaurant locations. I believe it's because the internet hub that the NE is connected to is located there. That's why there's a GPS on the NE, otherwise if you called 911 on your cell at home it would show you somewhere else. Once you leave home (and the NE) it goes back to normal.

I will probably call tech support about it tonight, but mine is about 250 miles from my place to Washington, PA...really strange.

Mine will list me in a town 7 miles away. Not really much of an issue.

 

[fLiP SiD3]

I think I have read that the network extender is not necessarily going to show more bars even though it is improving signal strength.

You would think..........more bars better signal ? How do they expect us to guauge that this is actually working , if you have the same number of bars after you have spent your 250 dollars and installed this thing ? If I see no increase in bars that tells me that the extender is worthless then.

 

[STIDRIVER]

^^ It doesn't show more bars when the phone is sitting idle. When you get on the phone, it goes to 4 bars. It works as advertised, not worthless.

 

[Matth3w]

I think I have read that the network extender is not necessarily going to show more bars even though it is improving signal strength.

You would think..........more bars better signal ? How do they expect us to guauge that this is actually working , if you have the same number of bars after you have spent your 250 dollars and installed this thing ? If I see no increase in bars that tells me that the extender is worthless then.

If you hear the tone and you never get a dropped call, when you did before, it's not worthless.

 

[mikl730]

^^ It doesn't show more bars when the phone is sitting idle. When you get on the phone, it goes to 4 bars. It works as advertised, not worthless.

You are actually seeing the EVDO signal strength when you are not in a call. When you are in a call you see the 1X signal strength.

 

[aaf709]

Well the NE has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with Data services. Only voice. The network extender uses VOIP to work. It does not in any way shape or form improve ANY data sending or receiving. My guess is, it's defaulting to Washington when it can't get a data signal inside your house. Does it have an option to set a physical backup location?

For example, the Beautiful Widgets app you pick a city to default to when you can't get a gps signal or something.

My default for BW is set to San Diego. I got the multimedia dock at the same time as the NE. With the NE working, it gave the weather for Miramar (12 miles away). When I used the restaurant finder for Chinese food, it gave the restaurants in Miramar. Now it's showing San Diego. My guess is that our cats are bored with the GPS antenna and are no longer knocking it off the window.

 

[fLiP SiD3]

^^ It doesn't show more bars when the phone is sitting idle. When you get on the phone, it goes to 4 bars. It works as advertised, not worthless.

STI , so you are backing this thing up 100% ?

 

[SofaKing]

I got an NE the first day it was released. It has been fantastic with my BB, Env2 Env3 and now the Droid. I couldnt live without it!

 

[STIDRIVER]

^^ It doesn't show more bars when the phone is sitting idle. When you get on the phone, it goes to 4 bars. It works as advertised, not worthless.

STI , so you are backing this thing up 100% ?

hmm.... Can't say 100%. First of all, I only paid $100 for the unit... So I'm judging it from that standpoint. I'm also still messing with it, so I'm reserving final call. I need to get the unit higher up and closer to the window (I live in a cave.. ). The VRZ rep. stated I 'should' get more of a signal while not on the phone, which only seems to happen sometimes. I don't like that it doesn't help picture messaging, but thats only mildly aggrevating. But, all in all, it DOES allow me to make calls in my apartment when I couldn't even come close before. So, if thats what you want it for... Yes, it works well.
The $250 price I think is excessive. I don't feel I should have to pay VRZ for something to make their phone work in my apt. If no carrier got service in my apt, I might feel different... but Evil Empire At&t gets full bars at my place...

 

[Vulcan1600]

It's been about a year since i've had this exact same problem with no solution.

Finally my extender started going crazy dropping calls as I left the house and causing the phone to have no network connectivity after leaving network extender range.

So after spending sometime troubleshooting with verizon they agreed to send me a new one.

Turns out they now have a new 3G version of the network extenders which they agreed to send since they were out of stock on the 1x version.

Anyways I got the new one today and I'm looking at my phone right now:

*** Full bars on 3G and can even use data through the extender (1.2mbps down even)****

The biggest advantage here is that my droid's battery won't be dead in a few hours when at home.

Looks like some (if not all) of my problems are fixed now, if given a choice get the 3G version of the extender!

Well, they got a tower issue resolved a few months ago and we were able to part with the NE, so we actually have one not being used. That's awesome they now have a 3G version. Glad it's working out for you!

 

[moneil1002]

Extender and Thunderbolt Issues

I just received my TB yesterday and I love it! However, it will not remain connected to my extender. It will hop on and off randomly even if I am sitting right next to it. Did not have these issues w/D 1 and my husband had DX and no issues there. I did notice not as many 3G bars where I had full bars on my D1, but bars don't mean as much. I would just like coverage at this point from my extender or this beauty has to to back. Did anyone else have extender connectivity issues?
I have an open ticket with engineering, but haven't heard yet....day 2.

 

[Backnblack]

I just received my TB yesterday and I love it! However, it will not remain connected to my extender. It will hop on and off randomly even if I am sitting right next to it. Did not have these issues w/D 1 and my husband had DX and no issues there. I did notice not as many 3G bars where I had full bars on my D1, but bars don't mean as much. I would just like coverage at this point from my extender or this beauty has to to back. Did anyone else have extender connectivity issues?
I have an open ticket with engineering, but haven't heard yet....day 2.

Do you have 4G switched off?