Three.ie + E156G + Dovado UMR problem accessing certain websites

iwantbroadband

Model: Dovado UMR
Firmware: 4.2.5
Modem: Huawei E169g (unlocked)
Network: Three.ie
APN: 3ireland.ie

I have a Dovado UMR router which has been working successfully with an unlocked Huawei E169g dongle on the Vodafone.ie network for over a year.

I've just recently switched the SIM to one from Three.ie, and whilst internet works for the most part, there are certain websites it won't access (most oddly, Three.ie's own MyThree portal, where you manage your own account). Microsoft Outlook also only has erratic access in connecting to a POP server, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

This is definitely not a ISP firewall issue as we can't access the official three.ie topup site, it's not a local firewall issue and it's not a https issue either.

I saw on three.ie's own site an issue with the E160g, where certain sites will display and certain sites wont, due to an issue with corrupt IP packets (http://www.three.ie/nbs/support.htm, bottom of page) and have provided a firmware update. Whilst my modem isn't this exact model, I believe the firmware is the same, so I've done this upgrade but it has made no difference.

I also tried the alternative public APN "3internet" to see if that made any difference, I couldn't access ANY websites on it, but could make skype calls and remote access sessions...weird.

It's really odd, as both O2 and Vodafone SIMs have worked fine in the modem. The only thing I've got left to try is a new E122 modem to see if that makes any difference.

Has anyone else had a similar problem? Would be grateful for any advice.

William Powell

Just a thought have you tried different DNS servers, like open DNS? Or perhaps have you preset the DNS servers to something when you first used the router and are still using those settings with the 3 SIM?

William Powell

Also try 3internet as the APN the one you are using 3ireland.ie is know to cause some issues.

iwantbroadband

William Powell wrote: »

Also try 3internet as the APN the one you are using 3ireland.ie is know to cause some issues.

Thanks for replying William.

I've tried the 3internet APN but couldn't access any websites through it at all, however I could still use Skype and a remote desktop client. Tried ipconfig /flushdns to see if that made any difference but it didn't.

I haven't ever changed any of the DNS settings on the router, but will try using OpenDNS to see if there is any difference.

William Powell

That does sound strange. Can you work out who is doing the DNS lookup? Flush DNS will only clear your local DNS cache afaik but in many cases the router will be doing the DNS lookups. ipconfig /all on the local PC will let you know what DNS servers you are using, if that points to the router as your DNS server then thats where you need to check the DNS server settings. I can't imagine they'd persist on the router after swapping over the SIM (guess you'd need to power on and off) but worth checking that the router is set to pick up its IP address and DNS settings dynamically.(using OpenDNS on the PC will just cut the router out as a middle man for doing the lookups so you can leave it alone if you want) An RDP session would normally be initiated to an IP address and not use DNS so one way or another I think this is DNS related Maybe someone can confirm how skype connections are made and if the skype server address is a URL or an IP address?

As a start I'd try OpenDNS on your PC and change the APN on the router to be 3internet.

iwantbroadband

William Powell wrote: »

That does sound strange. Can you work out who is doing the DNS lookup? Flush DNS will only clear your local DNS cache afaik but in many cases the router will be doing the DNS lookups. ipconfig /all on the local PC will let you know what DNS servers you are using, if that points to the router as your DNS server then thats where you need to check the DNS server settings. I can't imagine they'd persist on the router after swapping over the SIM (guess you'd need to power on and off) but worth checking that the router is set to pick up its IP address and DNS settings dynamically.(using OpenDNS on the PC will just cut the router out as a middle man for doing the lookups so you can leave it alone if you want) An RDP session would normally be initiated to an IP address and not use DNS so one way or another I think this is DNS related Maybe someone can confirm how skype connections are made and if the skype server address is a URL or an IP address?

As a start I'd try OpenDNS on your PC and change the APN on the router to be 3internet.

Have tried setting a custom DNS on the router (Google DNS 8.8.8.8) which works in general, but again NOT for https://my3.three.ie/ or for POP3 or IMAP. Firefox says connecting...then connected...then times out.

The 3internet APN also doesn't work, again it works for Skype and remote access connections, but doesn't load any webpages.

The 3netaccess APN just works like 3internet.ie, same problem.

William Powell

OK so it might be the dongle but I really don't want to beleive that so can you do some testing and see what IP you get issued to the router when you use the two different APN's? Then if you can also compare those IP's with what you get at www.whatismyip.com the IP address you get from using 3ireland.ie could be different (as its using NAT) but if you use the 3internet they should be the same (no NAT and you get a public routable IP address).

Your symptoms seem to indicate that you only have port 80 available when you connect as SSL port 443 needed for mythree (https) times out, you are also have problems with ports 25 and 143 (SMPT and IMAP). Yet you say its not an https issue either? Can you access some sites that use https?

breathn

iwantbroadband wrote: »

Model: Dovado UMR
Firmware: 4.2.5
Modem: Huawei E169g (unlocked)
Network: Three.ie
APN: 3ireland.ie

I have a Dovado UMR router which has been working successfully with an unlocked Huawei E169g dongle on the Vodafone.ie network for over a year.

I've just recently switched the SIM to one from Three.ie, and whilst internet works for the most part, there are certain websites it won't access (most oddly, Three.ie's own MyThree portal, where you manage your own account). Microsoft Outlook also only has erratic access in connecting to a POP server, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

This is definitely not a ISP firewall issue as we can't access the official three.ie topup site, it's not a local firewall issue and it's not a https issue either.

I saw on three.ie's own site an issue with the E160g, where certain sites will display and certain sites wont, due to an issue with corrupt IP packets (http://www.three.ie/nbs/support.htm, bottom of page) and have provided a firmware update. Whilst my modem isn't this exact model, I believe the firmware is the same, so I've done this upgrade but it has made no difference.

I also tried the alternative public APN "3internet" to see if that made any difference, I couldn't access ANY websites on it, but could make skype calls and remote access sessions...weird.

It's really odd, as both O2 and Vodafone SIMs have worked fine in the modem. The only thing I've got left to try is a new E122 modem to see if that makes any difference.

Has anyone else had a similar problem? Would be grateful for any advice.

Woah, this EXACT problem hit me with my 3GN + Dovado E1750 on Three NBS in the last fortnight.

When it's plugged into my 3GN hardly anything will load, and wireshark shows so much checksum failures, RSTs, etc

I thought it was just me where my device developed a fault.

I wonder what changed for both of us (if it's the same issue).

iwantbroadband

William Powell wrote: »

OK so it might be the dongle but I really don't want to beleive that so can you do some testing and see what IP you get issued to the router when you use the two different APN's? Then if you can also compare those IP's with what you get at www.whatismyip.com the IP address you get from using 3ireland.ie could be different (as its using NAT) but if you use the 3internet they should be the same (no NAT and you get a public routable IP address).

Your symptoms seem to indicate that you only have port 80 available when you connect as SSL port 443 needed for mythree (https) times out, you are also have problems with ports 25 and 143 (SMPT and IMAP). Yet you say its not an https issue either? Can you access some sites that use https?

Definitely not an SSL issue as I can access several https:// online banking sites with no problems. The odd thing too is that things will also work intermittently, i.e. maybe once a day Outlook will manage to take down the latest emails, but the next day it won't connect at all. I've never managed to connect to My Three yet.

I got the new Huawei E122 modem to try in the Dovado UMR, but the exact same problem happens with it too.

However when i plug the modem directly into the laptop (either E156G or E122) I CAN access these sites and email. Maybe it points to a problem with the Dovado UMR? However I could always access everything ok on Vodafone and O2. Unless by freak coincidence, a fault developed the moment I switched over, however I've no way now to go back check if Vodafone or O2 still work.

Interesting @breathn that you seem to be having the same problem also, does yours work correctly when plugged directly into the laptop?

breathn

iwantbroadband wrote: »

Interesting @breathn that you seem to be having the same problem also, does yours work correctly when plugged directly into the laptop?

Yeah, works perfectly fine on all my machines. It's how I'm on the internet at the moment.

Wonder if it's some sort of change on the 3 NBS network that the drivers in the Dovado firmware can't deal with, or if it's just a fluke that both our devices started acting up.

iwantbroadband

breathn wrote: »

Yeah, works perfectly fine on all my machines. It's how I'm on the internet at the moment.

Wonder if it's some sort of change on the 3 NBS network that the drivers in the Dovado firmware can't deal with, or if it's just a fluke that both our devices started acting up.

It's not specific to NBS as I'm not on NBS, just normal pay monthly contract.

However, I'm beginning to think that the combination of the router and the network must be the issue - I can't see why the router worked fine on O2 and Vodafone but it won't work properly with Three. Hoping Dovado will take note of this and investigate, I emailed them last week but haven't heard anything back yet. Their latest firmware doesn't make any difference either.

William Powell

iwantbroadband wrote: »

It's not specific to NBS as I'm not on NBS, just normal pay monthly contract.

However, I'm beginning to think that the combination of the router and the network must be the issue - I can't see why the router worked fine on O2 and Vodafone but it won't work properly with Three. Hoping Dovado will take note of this and investigate, I emailed them last week but haven't heard anything back yet. Their latest firmware doesn't make any difference either.

Can't see any reason why this would work but can you borrow a different 3 SIM from someone say a 3Pay SIM (no topup required) and see if you can connect and get to MyThree to activate a topup? Edit> Only want to see if you can get to the https topup webpage so no need to do any toping up or spend any money.

iwantbroadband

Afraid that makes no difference. We got a new Huawei E122 modem with a completely new number and the issue remains.

William Powell

Only other thing I'd try then is an old E220 modem, loads around and every router modem compatability list I've read includes them.

William Powell

btw reason I said to try a 3PAY SIM with NO topup on it was that will connect you to a Private Network that only connects to MyThree. The connection uses https to allow you to buy or activate a topup so if you could get that page that would be really strange.

breathn

My E1750 had been working near perfectly with my 3GN for months, until around the first week in September

breathn

Do you still experience this issue?

Dovado stopped replying to my support ticket, haven't heard from them in 2 weeks

iwantbroadband

breathn wrote: »

Do you still experience this issue?

Dovado stopped replying to my support ticket, haven't heard from them in 2 weeks

Yes I am still experiencing this problem. Dovado havent even responded to my first support ticket, that was weeks ago. If anyone could shed any light, it would be much appreciated.

Jackattack

Hi,
Iwantbroadband, did you ever resolve your issue, just curious as i have had the exact same problem and Dovado is blaming 3's APN (3internet)?
I have E180 modem
Dovado router latest firmware
Tried : 3internet = no access at all
3Ireland.ie= kind of works but no online gaming (PSN) etc, some sites not loading
3netaccess= same as 3ireland.ie
I also tried changing the dns to the opendns addresses on the router settings, no good either im afraid.

iwantbroadband

Jackattack wrote: »

Hi,
Iwantbroadband, did you ever resolve your issue, just curious as i have had the exact same problem and Dovado is blaming 3's APN (3internet)?
I have E180 modem
Dovado router latest firmware
Tried : 3internet = no access at all
3Ireland.ie= kind of works but no online gaming (PSN) etc, some sites not loading
3netaccess= same as 3ireland.ie
I also tried changing the dns to the opendns addresses on the router settings, no good either im afraid.

Hi Jack,
No, the issue of accessing My3 and IMAP was never resolved. I emailed a support query to Dovado about it but never got a response. It's a bizzare problem as it only happens with the 3 sim (all ok on Vodafone and O2), and if the modem is plugged in directly to the computer, it works fine.

skar

Same problem here.
My client using E122 with 3GN and can't reach some https sites from his workstation(win7. before was WinVista with the same problem). However if I stick-in E122 straight into his machine or using his backup laptop (WinXP) then everything is working just fine.
He never had that problem with the laptop (which sits on the same network as workstation).
The site he can't reach is: AIB's personal log-in (the page just times-out. never tried three.ie site), however I can use AIB's business log-in with no problems.
I've tried to play with "port forwarding" feature in 3GN and that seems to solve the problem for time being (use <netstat -n> in cmd to see what ports are in use) I think DOVADO support should look more seriously into this(I believe problem is in between E122 and workstation where DOVADO router sits and routes traffic. If I remove router then problem disappears).
If there is workaround for this problem report here, please.
Thanks,
Remi

jor el

skar, you should check the SSL Issues on 3 thread.

skar

jor el wrote: »

skar, you should check the SSL Issues on 3 thread.

I'll take a look, thanks jor el

skar

skar wrote: »

Same problem here.
My client using E122 with 3GN and can't reach some https sites from his workstation(win7. before was WinVista with the same problem). However if I stick-in E122 straight into his machine or using his backup laptop (WinXP) then everything is working just fine.
He never had that problem with the laptop (which sits on the same network as workstation).
The site he can't reach is: AIB's personal log-in (the page just times-out. never tried three.ie site), however I can use AIB's business log-in with no problems.
Thanks,
Remi

SOLVED
Changed APN to 3ireland.ie in the DOVADO config (modem settings) and problem disappeared.
Thanks to 3: Patrick