CradlePoint Releases Firmware 3.6.0

This firmware adds support for some Canadian modems along with some new features.  This firmware feature adds some new features for the higher end CradlePoint routers, but does not add any new features for the lower end (CTR35, MBR95).

The new features for the MBR1400, MBR1200B, CBA400, CBA450, IBR600, IBR650 include:

• Remote Admin Access Control (Network Settings / Firewall Configuration / Remote Administration Access Control). This feature allows the administrator to control the range of addresses the router will accept a remote administration session from (HTTP, HTTPS, SNMP, or SSH connection).
•     Added MAC address logging (Network Settings / MAC Filter / Logging). This feature logs the MAC addresses of all devices attached to the router. The admin can also set up an email alert if any unexpected MAC addresses are detected.
•     WiPipe Central Rollback. If a configuration change using WiPipe Central is made to a group of routers that make the routers unable to connect back to a WPC server, the routers will roll back to their previous configuration after a period of time.
•     Added an IP Passthrough Wizard for those products that support IP Passthrough (Getting Started / IP Passthrough Setup Wizard).
•     Added a page to the First Time Setup Wizard to help users configure simple Failure Check.
•     Added an estimator for the amount of data a ping can use during Failure Check (Connection manager / WAN Configuration Rule / General Settings / Failure Check / Active Ping). For example, an active ping every 45 seconds could use up to 6.2MB of data per month.
•     IBR650 will default to the Clearwire "clearwire-wmx.net" realm. Other products will continue to default to the Sprint "sprintpcs.com" realm.

• Fixed ability of Android devices to work with Administration UI. Android devices cannot view Statistics, but they can get to the rest of the UI.
• When using a specified subnet (172.16.41.197/27) and assign a DHCP Range, DHCP would previously fail.
• Sprint 250U getting /32 subnet mask - ipinfo={'netmask': '255.255.255.255', 'ip_address': '24.221.42.144', 'gateway': '10.42.53.46'. We can now route through this configuration.
• Modem Sierra Wireless 313U Rogers connected but user could not get out to the Internet.
• WiPipe Central client failed to stop and restart properly on WAN connection change.         

Wilson Sleek 4G-V  Makes Time Magazine

The upcoming Wilson Sleek 4G-V is starting to really gain some momentum.  It is currently trending as one of our biggest "Notify me when avaialble" item and it just got a mention in Time Magazine .

The sleek will be the first amplifier cradle that not only works with 2G/3G but with Verizon 4G LTE as well.  This means that it will improve signal on iPhones and Android phones, BUT also work with MiFi/JetPacks and improve Verizon LTE data.  The more signal you have with data, the faster things go.

Look for the Wilson Sleek 4G Kit to go on sale in the next few weeks for $129.99.  The kit includes the cradle, 12 volt power adapter and mag mount antenna.

The current Wilson Sleek has 61 Reviews and has a 4 1/2 star rating, is currently our #4 most popular product , so we expect the 4G version to do just as well

Related Links:

• Get your name on the Wilson Sleek 4G waiting list and be the first to get one 
• Wilson Sleek 4G Announcement
• Original Wilson Sleek - Youtube
  

EVDOinfo.com has long been your source for tips, tricks, hacks and suggestions for getting the most out of your EVDO service, and each week we will be highlighting a particularly interesting or popular topic in the "Tip of the Week" feature. To suggest future Tips of the Week, post your suggestions in the EVDO Forums.

Tether the Verizon MiFi 4620L Via USB

The latest hotspot available from Verizon, the 3G/4G Novatel MiFi 4620L Jetpack, is different than its predecessors: it DOES give you the option of tethering it via USB. This may not seem like a big deal for most users - after all, the beauty of the device is that it's a hotspot that provides an internet connection for multiple devices, right? But there are some advantages to tethering it directly to your computer instead of connecting via WiF, especially if you're only using the connection for one computeri:

• If you're only using it for one computer, no need to broadcast SSID and run the risk of others accessing the WiFi network
• MiFi will remain charged (since your computer will be supplying power to it via USB)
  
• The unit will auto connect
• Instead of doing a DUN-type connection, you'll have a USB/Ethernet DHCP type (unique to 4620L)
  

Unlike the MiFi 2200 (which was the only other hotspot that allowed tethering), the hotspot remains enabled when you're tethering it to one computer! This is a big advantage - with the MiFi 2200, you could tether it to one computer, but that would disable the WiFi signal, meaning you could ONLY connect the one computer you were tethered to.

Of course, there are a couple disadvantages to tethering, too: 

• If you're usinga a laptop, your battery will drain more quickly (because it will be charging/powering the MiFi)
• You need admin privileges to install the necessary drivers on Mac/Win, which may not be possible or convenient for some users (like if you're using a company-owned laptop, for example)

Tethering the MiFi 4620L to your Mac or Windows computer is fairly easy, but it's not plug-and-play. First, you need a charge and sync USB cable (the MiFi does not come with one). 3Gstore sells a 3' cable and a 6' cable, but if plan to supply your own, make sure it is capable of both charging and syncing (charge-only USB cables will not work for tethering). Once you've got the proper cable, you can follow the below steps to get your MiFi set up for tethering:

1) First, you need to enable tethering within the MiFi's web admin. While connected to the MiFi via WiFi, navigate to the web admin (http://192.168.1.1) and log in with your WiFi/admin password (the default password is printed on the white label on the bottom of your device, unless you've changed it). Navigate to the Advanced -> Settings section and check the "Enable USB tethered mode" box and save the changes:

2) Next, you need to install the drivers that will allow your computer to "see" the MiFi and use it as a modem (unlike USB modems or the MiFi 2200, you will not use VZAccess Manager to connect!).

For Windows: production.4620.verizon.mifiupdates.com/Windows/MiFi4620LWin.zip

For Mac: production.4620.verizon.mifiupdates.com/Mac/MiFi4620LMac.zip

Download the appropriate file, unzip the folder and run the installer. Here's what it looks like on a Mac (obviously Windows users will see different prompts, but it is the same auto-install "wizard" you should be familiar with):

Once the installation is complete, connect the MiFi 4620L to your computer via USB and it should automatically connect to the internet (you can disable your WiFi to confirm that you are connected via USB and not to the hotspot)!

While connected via tethering, you'll see that the 4620L's screen will count your computer as a connected device, just as if you were connected via WiFi:

What about routers? Many people have asked whether the MiFi 4620L can be tethered to a router. For now, the answer is NO - we tested it and it does NOT work with any routers via tethering (you can of course use it with routers that support WiFi as WAN by connecting it via WiFi). However, since it is possible to tether the 4620L to a computer, it is certainly possible that router manufacturers like Cradlepoint could add support for the device in a future firmware release.

Wilson Signal Detector - 867501

LightSquared files Chapter 11 bankruptcy

• FCC to Reject LightSquared's LTE Bid
• GPS Industry says LightSquared Should be Barred
  

Wilson AG Pro Quint 5 Band Booster - 803570

Wilson Announced the AG Pro Quint (803570), which is a new cellular booster/amplifier from Wilson Electronics which covers 5 different signal bands.  It will bost signals on 800 MHz, 1900 MHz, AWS and both AT&T and Verizon 4G LTE (700 MHz Band A and 700 MHz Band B).  The only network that is not supported is Nextel, which is currently being phased out by Sprint.  The AG Pro Quint has a 75 dB gain and 630mw output power, allowing it to cover up to 80,000 square feet. This powerful repeater is suited for Office, Warehouses, hospitals, fire stations, government buildings along with any small to medium sized business.

The Wilson AG Pro Quint (five Band Amplifier) has the following features:

• Provides up to 80,000 square feet of boosted signal coverage
• Boosts signals on 800 MHz, 1900MHz, AWS and both AT&T and Verizon 700 MHz 4G LTE networks
• Verizon 4G (Band: Verizon's 700MHz LTE)
• AT&T 4G (Band: AT&T's 700MHz LTE)
• T-Mobile 3G/4G (Band: 1700MHz AWS Band)
• Standard 800/1900MHz (Covers voice and 3G on all US Networks)
• Supports CDMA, GSM, EVDO, LTE, HSPA+ and WCDMA technologies
• Most affordable five-band booster available
• Compact Design
• Weighs less than three pounds
• LCD display
• Push button controls
• Optimization for each of the five frequency bands
• Cell site protection technology

This amplifier is scheduled to ship QTR 3 2012.  For more info see:

Wilson 803570 AG Pro Quint

Verizon 4G Jetpack Showdown: MiFi 4510L vs 4620L

Whenever a new modem comes out, customers are eager to know whether the new model performs better than older devices. In most cases, there are no significant performance differences between different modems operating on the same network. For example, the old 3G-only Verizon Novatel USB727 performs identically to the newer USB760.

When Novatel released their latest 3G/4G MiFi, the 4620L, most users (3Gstore included) assumed that it would perform comparably to the model it replaced, the 4510L. Surprisingly, users on our forums have been reporting seeing wildly different results between the two hotspots, so we put them to the test!

We tested the 4510L and the 4620L one after the other, in identical conditions (same location, same time of day, same environmental factors, etc). First, we looked in the web admin for each MiFi to see what RSSI was being reported (RSSI a numeric representation of signal strength that is far more accurate than signal bars or percentages - click here for more info on how to find the RSSI for your device):

MiFi 4510L RSSI:

MiFi 4620L RSSI:

As you can see, the 4510L claims to be receiving a MUCH better signal than the 4620L (closer to zero is better for RSSI), even though they are in the exact same location. This was surprising as there is no obvious reason why the 4510L would receive a stronger signal than the 4620L.

After checking the RSSI, we ran speedtests while connected to each device. The results were shocking! Simply put, the 4620 blew the 4510 out of the water. Over 10 tests, the 4510L averaged download speeds of 14.67mbps and upload speeds of 7.28mbps. Those are GREAT speeds, but the 4620L did even better, averaging 18.00mbps down and 12.66mbps up over ten tests!

We can draw two conclusions from these experiments:

1. Obviously, either the 4510L or 4620L is mis-reporting the signal strength. After comparing the RSSI for other Verizon devices in our warehouse, we determined that the 4620L is reporting accurately and the 4510L is reporting far better signal than it is realistically receiving.
2. In identical conditions, the 4620L out-performs the 4510L (the 4510L worked great, but the 4620L gave us consistently better speeds in every test we ran).

The fact that two devices on the same network in the same location reported such wildly different signal readings also reinforces why we always recommend doing a site survey before buying an antenna or amplifier - simply looking at your signal strength in one location can be deceiving; to determine if an antenna will actually help you, you need to compare your signal and performance in and around the area to see if better signal and performance are available nearby.

If you’ve used the 4510L or 4620L (or both!), what are your results like? Have you compared them to another Verizon device at the same location? Have you seen any interesting discrepancies like we saw in our tests? Share your results in our forums: Novatel 4510L vs 4620L