Frustrated with Network Extender
I'll be calling tech support on this, but I wanted to bounce this off the forum walls first. At home, I have 0-1 bars of 1x on average. I've had a Network Extender for several months and I get a full 4-5 bars with it.
Recently, the people I call (or who call me) complain of warbling, garbling or other voice issues. It sounds fine to me, but not to the other party. If I unplug the extender, the calls sound better (just lower signal strength) This impacts all of our phones.
Samsung Omnia II
Samsung Intensity
LG Dare
LG EnV 2
Does anyone have any tips/tricks or suggestions I may try before spending an afternoon with tech suport?
Recently, the people I call (or who call me) complain of warbling, garbling or other voice issues. It sounds fine to me, but not to the other party. If I unplug the extender, the calls sound better (just lower signal strength) This impacts all of our phones.
Samsung Omnia II
Samsung Intensity
LG Dare
LG EnV 2
Does anyone have any tips/tricks or suggestions I may try before spending an afternoon with tech suport?
...
Sounds like it's obviously something in the network extender end of things. Could be the extender itself or possibly your internet connection.
...
The Network Extender turns your cell calls into VOIP, but the actual router that the femtocell plugs into is responsible for the quality of the call in a lot of ways. Most Ethernet routers do not have any way of "classifying" types of data to ensure you get the best connection possible.
You need to obtain a "VOIP-optimized" router to placed in line between your high-speed modem and the Network Extender and make sure that ALL INTERNET TRAFFIC in your house passes through this same router. If someone else in your home starts streaming youtube in HD, it will still prioritize your cellular voice traffic, giving you the needed bandwidth and slowing down the Web users in your home whenever there is competition for resources. VOIP prece...
(continues)
You need to obtain a "VOIP-optimized" router to placed in line between your high-speed modem and the Network Extender and make sure that ALL INTERNET TRAFFIC in your house passes through this same router. If someone else in your home starts streaming youtube in HD, it will still prioritize your cellular voice traffic, giving you the needed bandwidth and slowing down the Web users in your home whenever there is competition for resources. VOIP prece...
(continues)
...
In addition to CellStudent's comment, I want to expand on something vzwinagent mentioned.
Your Internet connection needs to be a quality bandwidth transfer rate of no less than 1.5 mbps. Most older DSL connections offer slower speeds, and many people never bother to upgrade or pay more for the better transfer speed. Most newer broadband connections offer plans at 1.5 mbps or better, even on DSL, but I could still sign up for slower service tomorrow if I looked for it.
Your Internet connection needs to be a quality bandwidth transfer rate of no less than 1.5 mbps. Most older DSL connections offer slower speeds, and many people never bother to upgrade or pay more for the better transfer speed. Most newer broadband connections offer plans at 1.5 mbps or better, even on DSL, but I could still sign up for slower service tomorrow if I looked for it.
...
Thank you Epik and CellStudent and the other responders.
I have no land lines, so I have "dry loop" DSL through AT&T. I pay $45.00 per month for 6MB. In various speed tests, I average about 5.1MB on download and 0.6MB on upload.
I did purchase a voice optimized router and it seems to be helping.
Interesting test result -- If I do an upload test on a website while on the phone, the quality goes to complete garbage until the test is over. This is with the original router and the VOIP optimized router
I have no land lines, so I have "dry loop" DSL through AT&T. I pay $45.00 per month for 6MB. In various speed tests, I average about 5.1MB on download and 0.6MB on upload.
I did purchase a voice optimized router and it seems to be helping.
Interesting test result -- If I do an upload test on a website while on the phone, the quality goes to complete garbage until the test is over. This is with the original router and the VOIP optimized router
...
Not surprising, if your upload throughput is 614kbps (0.6mbps). You'd be much better with a 1.2 to 1.5 mbps upload connection. A lot of ISPs tend to brag about their download speeds, and quietly ignore their dismal upload speeds. I try to get a company that provides a good mix, if not the same for d/l and u/l, which is why my 15mbps fiber optic is 15 down AND up.
...
Great observation, epik.
Even with router optimization, you're not going to get great results out of an upload pipe that small unless VOIP is the only thing running on the upstream.
However, your internet speed tests will cramp your VOIP quality 100% of the time, regardless of your upstream pipe size. The very nature of a speed test is to push a ridiculously large amount of data out in as fast a time frame as possible, and those kinds of demands will overflow into your VOIP experience every time.
If it is working fine for you every time you're NOT running a huge upload, then that's just a service quality you're going to have to live with unless you purchase a better uplink from the DSL folks.
Glad to be of service.
Even with router optimization, you're not going to get great results out of an upload pipe that small unless VOIP is the only thing running on the upstream.
However, your internet speed tests will cramp your VOIP quality 100% of the time, regardless of your upstream pipe size. The very nature of a speed test is to push a ridiculously large amount of data out in as fast a time frame as possible, and those kinds of demands will overflow into your VOIP experience every time.
If it is working fine for you every time you're NOT running a huge upload, then that's just a service quality you're going to have to live with unless you purchase a better uplink from the DSL folks.
Glad to be of service.
...
epik said: which is why my 15mbps fiber optic is 15 down AND up.
damn, how much does that cost a month?
...
