MarthaG
moderated:
October 27th, @02:01PM
| franklin CDU550 connection help
I hope this is the correct forum but after many years with HughesNet I turned it off and now am using Alltel to connect my desktop to the Net. This is my 3rd day and I am very pleased with it so far. I have 14 days to return it but so far it looks like a keeper. I am connecting with a Franklin CDU550. No external antenna either just the little one that sticks out of the modem if that is what it's called. I have most times 3 to 4 bars and average between 61 and 70 percent signal strength. I have stayed connected for as long as 4 hours without needing to reconnect. I'd really like to hear how others that are using this device are doing. Thanks in advance.
(merged out of intro post, fixed title) |
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hdman
Flt Rider
Premium
join:2003-11-25
Appleton, WI
 ·Alltel Axess
| Martha, the CDU550 is a "data card" but you could call it a modem. I am curious what it is sticking out of, however. I am thinking you must have bought a router, and if so, which make/model is it? Is it a Kyocera KR1, or a LinkSys, which are the 2 most popular units.
Welcome to EVDO!!!
HDMan |
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hdman
Flt Rider
Premium
join:2003-11-25
Appleton, WI | reply to MarthaG
By the way, be sure to join BBR if you plan to stick around, and by all means, please post a review!!
HDMan |
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MarthaG
join:2007-10-28
Kimbolton, OH
·Alltel Axess
edit:
October 28th, @06:46PM
| Thank you hdman for the response. Here is a link to what I am using. I was on Hughesnet since 2001 and couldn't take it anymore and went back on dial up until I found that Alltel offered the Franklin Wireless CDU550 and I could plug it into a USB port and I have one on the front of my computer and it brings in a stronger signal in the front then in the back. It's been a couple more days and it hasn't done one thing wrong. I am not used to no trouble. I am using a 4 year old Windows XP that I thought was going to crash because of all the noise it made while on HughesNet but now it is running very quiet. The speed tests aren't big like I got on HughesNet but it is faster and I don't understand why but performance is what tells me how good something is not speed tests. I am now getting 3 and 4 bars and connecting at 70 to 78 was the highest but often 74. I can hold a connection for hours without disconnecting. This is very new in south east Ohio where I live and it really is wonderful so far. No Fap policy either. I asked everyone I talked to at Alltel about limited bandwidth and they said they have no such policy.
»wsf1.shopalltel.com/product/prod···=CDU-550 |
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hdman
Flt Rider
Premium
join:2003-11-25
Appleton, WI
·Alltel Axess
| OK, you have it plugged directly into your PC which is pretty normal. EVDO is simply one of those things that you either have access to, or not. You happy to one of the lucky ones who can get it. I was on WildBlue for 2 years, and I have been on Alltel's EVDO for a month now.
As far as the "unlimited" goes, I would not hold my breath on that one. My guess is that a few people will DL a few GB's per day and then we will see a policy. Also, on busy towers, Alltel is shutting down the data stream every 12 hours, so the data card hangs if it has been connected that long. No big deal.
I do like Alltel's service compared to satellite!
HDMan |
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MarthaG
join:2007-10-28
Kimbolton, OH
·Alltel Axess
| I liked Direcway and had only small problems but after it became HughesNet it started going down hill for me. I was only fapped one time and it was caused by a virus that I found after the fact and removed it. I minded the worry about getting slowed down to a crawl that I barely did anything but look at my usage page. I hope they don't do that on Alltel in the future because the Internet is only going to get bigger. I hope that they understand that as demand grows the need to expand will matter. I like being on Alltel so far. I am not a heavy bandwidth user. I just want to see a video or two and download a song now and then. Thank you for your response. |
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MarthaG
join:2007-10-28
Kimbolton, OH | reply to MarthaG
HDman I have one more question. If I want to get a new Vista computer in the future will the Franklin card work with Vista? Thanks for any advice. |
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F34R
| said by MarthaG  :HDman I have one more question. If I want to get a new Vista computer in the future will the Franklin card work with Vista? Thanks for any advice. Yes, the Franklin CDU550 will work just fine with Vista. I've had it for about a month now, with EVDO for the past week.
My speeds are averaging about 500-700 kb/s down and 120-150 kb/s upload.
In your QuickLink Mobile window, go to HELP, and ABOUT Quicklink Mobile. Check your RSSI. The lower that number is, the better. Don't trust the signal bars, and percentage it gives you. |
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DanDavis
join:2007-11-04
Jacksonville, AR | HDman, there are NO data limits on alltel's network, and yes the CDU-550 does work with the 32 bit version of windows vista |
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DanDavis
join:2007-11-04
Jacksonville, AR | also, we do not shut down any data at any time unless there's maintenance going on |
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hdman
Flt Rider
Premium
join:2003-11-25
Appleton, WI
·Alltel Axess
| reply to DanDavis
I am very much aware that Alltel has unlimited data usage...now. As my post stated, I am waiting for a few bad apples to DL GB's of data, abuse the system, and for Alltel to put in some sort of limits.
As far as shutting down data, that is an incorrect statement. There are KNOWN areas where people who are connected for 12 hours are "kicked off" Alltel's network. This does not happen in my area, but there are tons of known areas discussed at evdoforums.com, which I no longer frequent...
HDMan |
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hdman
Flt Rider
Premium
join:2003-11-25
Appleton, WI | reply to MarthaG
I'm sure that if there are not drivers now, there will be for that card and Vista.... |
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MarthaG
join:2007-10-28
Kimbolton, OH
·Alltel Axess
| reply to MarthaG
Thank you all for the comments. I am so gun shy after this last year on HughesNet since FAP that I guess I worry too much. I had a problem recently and I thought I knew it was too good to be true. Something went down in a big area in Ohio and I couldn't figure out what was wrong. I called tec support and they are only in during working hours so I was off line for a long time. When I got in touch with tec during business hours they told me about the problem and they were working on it and then it came back on. I really like the people I talked to at Alltel. I must be online for my volunteer work so I added an isp connection in case it happens again. Now I won't worry so much. I really like Alltel Access and am so glad I was able to get it. Thanks again. |
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DanDavis
join:2007-11-04
Jacksonville, AR | reply to MarthaG
if you know of someone being disconnected every 12 hours then they need to call in and have the issue looked into, we do not forcefully disconnect anyone(unless something is broke) |
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aRebel
Premium
join:2003-01-01
Alltel
 ·HughesNet Satellit..
·Alltel Axess
| said by DanDavis :if you know of someone being disconnected every 12 hours then they need to call in and have the issue looked into, we do not forcefully disconnect anyone(unless something is broke) I did call-in on 3 occasions and yes Alltel does disconnect
(according to Alltel Data Tech Support)
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Alltel Data PC5750|PP-G16 1230 99 W|HN7000S Suspended| Vista| |
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KB
| reply to hdman
I have purchased a Kyocera KR1 and have not been able to connect through the CDU550 any suggestions? |
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hdman
Flt Rider
Premium
join:2003-11-25
Appleton, WI
·Alltel Axess
| Oh boy, this is a tough one. I am NOT a fan of the KR1 router for many reasons when it comes to Alltel. For one, the only truly supported card that Alltel sells that is known to work with the KR1 is the KPC650. The 680 SHOULD work, but it requires THEIR adapter which is not available. Some have had luck with that combo, I did not. When the 550 was released, the KR1 firmware did NOT support the 550. I don not know if the latest firmware does, and I will do some digging.
Can you tell me which version of firmware you have on your KR1? Also, if you were able to return the card or the router, which would it be, or would you be able to return BOTH of them?
HDMan |
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hdman
Flt Rider
Premium
join:2003-11-25
Appleton, WI
·Alltel Axess
| reply to KB
OK, I have found no data to show that Kyocera's firmware releases, since the 550 was released, support the CDU-550. So I think you may be in trouble. I also did not find that the LinkSys router supports the 550 either.
One glimmer of hope is that Kyocera has announced the KR2 router, but it is not available yet. You best option would be to get a 5750 card and the Linksys 3G router.
HDMan |
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KB
| reply to MarthaG
Thanks for the information. I will try the 5750 card and Linksys system |
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TomB1
@charter.com
| reply to MarthaG
Thought I would chime in... I signed up for the Alltel National Unlimited Data Bundle ($60.00/month) in early October. I had them ship the CDU550 card to our timeshare in California. I received it and installed it on an XP and a Vista laptop. It worked pretty good! I did have to call Alltel support a couple of times to get the settings adjusted. My wife and I drove from California to Missouri via Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Arkansas using the card the entire trip. There were quite a few places where we were were disconnected while driving. Most of the time we could just reconnect. As you can imagine there were some sections in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas where there was no signal.
Overall we are quite pleased with the service and can recommend it.
If I can figure out how to use the CDU550 with my linksys wifi router I'll drop my Charter service. |
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