PBP 15" and 3G USB Dongle

[antpix]

Strange problem which seems to beyond Apple and Orange Mobile Phones to solve.

Using Orange's 225 Icon 3G Dongle to get broadband speeds, http://www.business.orange.co.uk/servlet/Satellite?c=OUKDevice&pagename=Business&cid=1044137060039 has now half stopped working - it downloads fine - normal 3G speeds, however on the same connection, it's upload speed starts at 60kbs, but within 20 seconds slows down to around 2kbs. Total waste of time, as uploading is what I do, generally jpeg files of 1-2mbs to newspaper's servers.

What is so frustrating is that it used to work fine, just not now! I think it started to go slow after I upgraded to 10.5.6, however I've since tried the dongle on a 10.4 system and it still just as slow.

Orange say it's because Apple have changed the way their network preferences work, however they will NOT be offering an update to their own Mac specific software (seems strange to continue to offer software which won't work), as it was Apple who changed. Apple say that all the network preferences do is get the squigglies to the USB port correctly, once it's at the port it's just data which the dongle should transmit fine.

Orange have suggested lots of things which it's pretty obviously not - basically they don't know and don't seem to care. I have tried another 225 Icon, same problem, so it's not the hardware, different OS versions seem to be the same - two types of Orange software.

Friends who run the same Mac configuration using Vodaphone 3G dongles don't have any issues.

Thanks, just to recap my system, 15" PBP now running 10.5.5, was on 10.5.6, but as part of the possible solution was to do a clean install of the OS in case there was some badness that had crept in over a year of use. I have held off installing 10.5.7 cos of reported issues with it, especially on networks.

Using Business Everywhere as the connection software and three different types of FTP client and in different parts of the UK.

The problem is that I have a good download speeds but very poor uploads, so it's not the actual reception.

Any ideas, I have search the forums and not seen an answer.

 

[antpix]

Bump

 

[chandler99]

do you have access to another computer you can test your dongle on? That would be my first step.

Secondly, update your osx. I've got a 3 usb dongle that seems to perform better under 10.5.7 for some reason. although, i'm not complaining

 

[Andrew Henry]

It could be that Orange started limiting upload bandwidth and just are trying to keep it quiet by running you around and blaming anyone that they can besides themselves. Has anyone else you know have these same issues? Also is it possible that they limited your upload bandwidth because you're using an excessive amount?

 

[antpix]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Yes, I've tried on other machines, even on 10.4, still uploading like molasses - which is strange, as it did work fine before.

I did wonder if the upload was capped, however, it certainly is under the 3gig figure which is associated with contract for downloads, they don't mention upload limits

In addition, I've friends who upload a shed load more than me on windoze machines who are not experiencing problems. I do think it is an Orange/Mac problem.

I've since been given a new dongle with different software, still the same problem, good downloads bad uploads.

I haven't upgraded to 10.5.7 cos of the reported problems. I know some people are fine with it, however it does seem to be causing an inordinate amount of problems. I was going to wait another couple of weeks to see if there was a patch

Very confused