John_Getzke's Posts

Checked with VZW support on the Network Extender side. The rep that I spoke with suggest that the VZW Network Extenders are not compatible with MVNO's at all.  This has to do with the nature of the device and how it VPN connects direct to VZW before allowing anyone to use the device.  I am under the impression that the Network Extender will only work with true VZW lines. Bummer, a single phone line at my level of usage is not cost justifyable with Verizons current offerings.  I'll keep searching for confirmation but I suspect what I want isnt going to work.

I checked with EcoMobile. The chat rep suggests that thier VZW/CDMA plans will be impacted by the CDMA retirement eventually, but the impact is still unknown.  All they know for sure is that they are no longer be able to activate 3G/CDMA only phones.   They are accepting 4G LTE phones and can activate them over LTE.  Service should continue to work with VZW as long as EcoMobile has a relationship with them.  They already offer 4G LTE data on thier "CDMA" plan, they may need to update thier terms.  I suppose if the relationship breaks down after CDMA goes away I can always try another 3rd party that has a relationship over LTE with VZW. I think I have what I need to confidently move forward now.  Atleast I know the Samsung S8 version G950U is the correct one to choose to be compatible with VZW.    

If I am following the unlocked post correctly then the model number for the S8 should be the G965U1.  But when I look up that model number on GSMArena it is tied to the S9.  Might be a formatting issue on the table. See the models/versions listed in the S9+ specs to confirm G965U: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s9+-8967.php See models/versions listed in the S8  specs to confirm G950U: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s8-8161.php Assuming there is a minor formatting issue with the table then this confirms I need the G950U1 model number for the "USA Unlocked" version of the S8 to be compatible with VZW.  Not sure what the "1" on the end of the model number is referring to but the G950U part matches up with my previous research.  Atleast I know that the S8 does support the bands that I need to communicate with the Network Extender where I work (13, 66 and 46) so there is a chance it will work on a VZW account. I'm not as concerned about HD voice or VoLTE at this time.  Getting any kind of voice or data reception will be an improvement from having to walk up the stairs to answer phone calls or check voicemails. You also mentioned that CDMA (3G) is going away at the end of 2019: https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/knowledge-base-218813/ This should only impact CDMA phone activations.  The Network Extender already offers LTE over band 13.  The S8 is GSM/HSPA/LTE and see band 13 so I would think I would be fine. Though, I might have a problem if I choose a 3rd party VZW carrier who caps me at 2GB of LTE then bumps me down to 3G/2G for any overages.  The Network Extender may not be able to provide the appropriate 3G/2G data connection after I get cut off from LTE.  All of the 3rd party VZW providers I have looked at list thier VZW network as CDMA right now.  That must be for 3G reasons.  I hope all that is important is that they are authorized VZW lines and that my extender will service them over whatever the phone supports at the time. Let me know if you can think of any other snags with my plan.  

Sounds like you found a limitation of the Network Extender.  Network Extenders are not full blown cellular towers like the ones outside your home.  They only provide the minimum number of the channels and frequencies necessary to operate your End User Devices.  Due to that limited functionality I'd guess that whatever is driving eSIM on your iPhone breaks/does not have the right communication to work.   See this document from Apple: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209044 Both of your phone numbers can make and receive voice calls and send and receive SMS and MMS.2 Your iPhone can use one cellular data network at a time.   It might be worth checking in with Apple to see if they have any limitations with this technology and home network extenders.  Id guess they have the same limitations with other Service Providers and home network extender devices too.

Dropped internet connections inside the home usually boil down to two common problems: - Distance - Interferance   You can minimize distance issues by placing the Jetpack as close to your local towers as you can.  That might be near a certain window on a certain side of the home on the top floor.  The range of the Jetpack's WiFi signal is very limited so you would need to look into alternatives to extend its connection to your devices. You can minimize interferance by eliminating cross talk and obstacles between the sender and the receiver.  Line of sight is best.  Obstacles like walls, bricks, water, metal, etc will all degrade the communication.  You can also experiment with switching WiFi Channels incase your current one is too crowded with chatter from other devices. If you find the Jetpack performs better when it is closer to the window then a Jetpack may not be the best device for your home.  VZW offers better devices that act more like a traditional modem such as the 4G LTE Home Router and USB Modem+Home Router combo devices.  Jetpacks are intended to be used on the road in short bursts and usually do not perform very well inside the home due to the limitations of its mobile technology and design.

If you have no service then you need to look into alternative ways to get service to your home.  Otherwise VZW will be of no benefit to you.   For example, if you have a cable broadband internet connection you can purchase a Network Extender.  The VZW Network Extender is essentially a mini cell phone tower that operates inside your home by connecting to VZW through your internet connection.  Considering you describe the area as a heavily populated suburb of DC I'd thinkt that high speed broadband service providers should be available to you.  Leverage those connections to extend to your VZW celllular devices.   Or you could chose to invest into a repeater and amplifyer system.  These go beyond the scope of the VZW community so you may need to talk to someone in your area for specifics.  The general idea is that you can setup and configure antennas in a place where there is reception, then pipe it down into your home where you plan to use it.  However, an antenna/amplifier combo can only work with the signal that is available, no signal means no amplification, which means you are out of luck.    

The Jetpack should have some way to display its IP Address from the control panel.     Type the IP Address of the Jetpack into a web browser after you connect a PC to it.  The IP Address will bring you to the Jetpack web admin page.  You can manage your Jetpack through the browser from there.  The password to the admin page should be somewhere on the control panel of the Jetpack too.

You will need to explore your environment and see if it is reception related to your home, neighborhood or the towers in that area.   Bring the Jetpack on the road for a trip and try it out somewhere else.  Compare the results.  If the problem follows you around to the next town then it may be somethign with the Jetpack.  If not then you know it has something to do with the reception near your home.

There shouldnt be a need to delete anything from the Jetpack.  The Jetpack will connect to anything that enters the correct password.  There is no limit other than the number of current connections at a given point in time.  Most Jetpacks cannot handle more than 10 concurrent connections at once.

See page 2 of the User Guide: https://www.verizonwireless.com/dam/support/pdf/user_guide/verizon-jetpack-mhs815l-qrg.pdf press the Power button quickly, when the display is on, to cycle through the menu: • 1st press shows data usage information. • 2nd press shows Wi-Fi Name. • 3rd press shows Password. • 4th press shows Settings & Info http://my.jetpack • 5th press returns to the Home screen. Accessing Advanced Settings To access Advanced Settings and manage the Jetpack, sign in to the Jetpack Admin website by following the steps below. 1. Connect your Wi-Fi–capable device to the Jetpack using the steps outlined in the Connecting Devices to the Internet section. 2. Open a web browser on your connected device and enter http://My.JetPack or http://192.168.1.1. 3. Sign in with the admin password. The admin password is the same as your admin password is the same as your Jetpack’s Wi-Fi password.NOTE: You can change the admin password and Wi-Fi password on the Jetpack Admin website. Resetting Your Jetpack To power reset your jetpack, follow the steps below. 1. Open the SIM card slot cover. 2. Use one end of a small, unfolded paperclip to gently press the Power reset button until the Jetpack turns off and on again. NOTE: Only use this button when your Jetpack requires a power reset. The Power reset button is provided because your Jetpack battery is not removable. To reset your Jetpack software to the factory default settings, follow the steps in Accessing Advanced Settings and then go to Jetpack Settings > Jetpack > Factory > Reset   Perhaps you have a WiFi profile saved on whatever device you are attempting to connect to the Admin page from.  If the profile is incorrect the Jetpack might not let you connect.  You could connect with a different device temporarily or attempt to find and remove the old WiFi profile on the original device.  One way or another if you are correctly typing in the password from the Jetpack and match the password security mode (WEP, WPA, WPA2, etc.) then you should be able to connect.

When troubleshooting issues over wireless it is best to sit in the same room as the Access Point (your 4G LTE Router).  This minimizes issues with distance and interferance.   Then run a speedtest.net test to see what your speeds are.  Report your findings to us. If your numbers are within the expected range then the problem is something environmental with your WiFi. If the numbers are not within the expected range then you may have damaged hardware or a service issue.  There are many steps you can try to isolate this problem down further.    

There are two ways to work around the VZW NAT firewall: - Setup a VPN server and install a VPN client somewhere on your network.  Then forward all local camera traffic to the VPN server.  Log into the VPN server to see your remote cameras. - Purchase cameras with Cloud services.  Cloud services punch through the VZW NAT and talk to a centralized public server.  You then connect to that cloud service website to access your cameras instead of connecting directly into the cameras like you would if they were on your LAN.      

The typical resets are as follows: 1. Reboot the jetpack. 2. Reseat the SIM Card.  Power down, remove back cover, remove SIM, wait 5 minutes, reassemble and test 3. Reset the Jetpack. Power on, remove back cover, press teh reset button with a paper clip for 15-20 seconds, reassemble and test.   Try these options first to see if your problem is temporary or not.  If not then the next steps are to collect more information to figure out if your problem is isolated to your device or service area.  

If you need internet for remote access to security cameras then you have one big problem to solve first, the Verizon NAT firewall. Some cameras offer a cloud based monitoring system.  If so then great, problem solved as the cameras all report back to the centralized cloud service.   If your cameras do not offer a cloud monitor system and direct access to the camreas are required then the VZW NAT firewall will get in the way.  To work around the VZW NAT firewall you need to use a VPN or pay for a static IP Address from VZW. If you decide to pursue the VPN option then you need to figure out a way to add a VPN client into your remote camera environment.  Only devices that are on the VPN will be able to see other VPN devices.  You can purchase VPN routers that have built in VPN clients and auto connect to your VPN server.  

This is not something that the Verizon community can help you with. You need to contact Verizon directly via chat, phone call or in an official VZW store.  Settle your issues with a Verizon representative from there.

If you want to see network history then you need to setup some kind of monitor to capture that information.   There are 3rd party apps that you can install directly on devices for this task.  This is not a feature provided by a Jetpack or any other VZW device. Generating the usage report of the websites they visited would then be a feature of whatever 3rd party application you install to manage that task.

All Jetpacks are relatively the same in regards to thier primary function and niche market.  Minor differences between the models boil down to features like external antenna options, USB ports, USB modem, admin features and whatnot.   Most people get into trouble with Jetpacks when they inaccurately assume that they can be used as a 24/7 home internet replacement device.  They do a poor job at that role and VZW has devices that are better suited for that situation.  As long as all you need is temporary mobile hotspot access and use the device within its intended design parameters you should be fine.

We do not normally recommend Jetpacks as the device for primary home internet usage.  Verizon has devices that are better suited for that task.   If home internet replacement is the goal then look into the 4G LTE Home Routers, USB+Modem combinations or the Verizon 4G LTE Internet Installed package.  Any of these options will be more appropriate for the 24x7 demands of a home internet connection. Jetpacks and mobile hotspots are best utilized as a temporary internet connection.  Reboots and resets are a frequent requirment for prolonged usage.  You will be much happier with a different device in your home.

All you can do is turn off texting as a feature for your Jetpack. There is no effective way to block out all unwanted text messages.  White lists are not a feature for Jetpacks, if texting is on then its all fair game.