USB Modem Tips
USB Modem Tips
37
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USB Modem Heating During Operation
USB modems have a tendency to heat up during operation. Some modems have an
internal mechanism to turn off or disconnect the modem when it gets too hot. When
this happens, Wi-REACH Classic will try to turn on the modem and reconnect it to the
cellular network, but in some cases, you may need to power off Wi-REACH Classic,
let the modem cool a while, and then turn the unit back on.
The modem usually heats up when larger amounts of data are routed through it,
and/or the reception in your area is not very good.
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SIM Card Insertion
Each modem has a slot to insert a SIM card. It is fairly easy to incorrectly insert the
SIM card into the modem (i.e. upside down, or backwards), so care should be taken
to insert the SIM card correctly. You should revert to your modem documentation if
you are having difficulties with this.
If the SIM card is not inserted correctly into the modem, the Wi-REACH Classic will
not go online, and the NET LED will usually stay a solid BLUE.
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Cellular Provider APN, username and password
Before a 3G USB modem can connect to the cellular provider, it must be configured
with the correct APN (Access Point Name) of that cellular provider.
For 3G service, most providers have a specific APN that needs to be used.
The best place to get this APN information is from your cellular provider.
The APN info may also be found within the configuration area of the modem driver
you may have installed on a computer.
The internet is also a good place to look for the APN for your cellular provider – you
may search by entering your provider's name and the text "APN".
To make this configuration easier, Wi-REACH Classic contains a Country/Provider
selector in the Cellular configuration screen of its embedded configuration web site
(accessed by browsing to
http://192.168.0.1
). This Country/Provider selector can
be used a guide to filling in the cellular parameters.
In most cases, this selector will fill in the correct parameters. If the parameters
have recently been changed by the provider, you may still fill them in manually.
For many cellular providers, only the APN needs to be configured to the modem to
connect correctly. Some cellular providers, however, require a "username" and
"password" to be configured as well.
Again, the best place to get this information is from your cellular provider.
The APN, username and password can be configured in Wi-REACH Classic in the
"Cellular" configuration screen after browsing to the Wi-REACH Classic configuration
website (see the Getting Started section in this manual).
CDMA service does not require an APN.
It will require a username and password specific to the cellular provider's
requirements.
