Vodafone Always Connected

dam099

Anyone got this yet? Seems to be a 4G backup for fixed line broadband.

https://n.vodafone.ie/shop/broadband/alwaysconnected.html

I believe I could get this for free for 18 months as I also have my mobile with them.

They say you need the Gigabox router to use it and will upgrade you to it if you don't already have one. I have the HG659 but its in a box as I am using my own router direct to the ONT (Siro). From their videos it looks like a standard enough USB dongle and as my own router supports USB 3G/4G connections and can do failover etc I am wondering if I could use it with my own router?

KildareP

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058226224/vodafone-always-connected

All you can do is try! There appears to be no minimum term as such so at most you'll be out of pocket €5 for the month.

The failover bit is pretty straightforward and most routers can do it nowadays.

However Vodafone are great for using loads of different APN's for specific purposes - if they've configured the Gigabox to use a specific APN for the 4G element and they've set the supplied 4G SIM card up to only allow traffic through that specific APN, then it may not work for you in anything other than the Gigabox modem. You'll be instantly shot down if you call up looking for support on getting it to work in a non-Gigabox modem.

user1842

Any update on this? would love to know if the Vodafone 4G usb stick would work with a Fritzbox.

macchoille

I’m also wondering if this would work with third party routers ? I replaced our HG659 with an ASUS mesh system.

I WFH as a consultant, so a reliable connection is really important to me.

ED E

You can set something like this up yourself without too much effort.

dam099

I still haven't got around to doing this and as my contract is up in a few months will probably leave it until I know I am staying with Vodafone before I bother requesting it. Will update with results then if I go ahead.

dam099

Decided to go ahead and order it anyway as its only a month to month commitment and if it works would be a factor in whether to stay with them. Will update once I have the device and get to try it out.

One annoying thing is the "free" offer for dual Broadband & Mobile customers is not really free. They consider if you already get the converged €5 discount (surely most already do) for having both then this benefit replaces that. Given I already pay €20 every so often to keep my 3 SIM alive for my backup it's still worth a punt but its a bit sneaky the way its advertised.

macchoille

So I got it but looks like I don’t have all the settings needed for the mesh. :( it shows as “cold standby”

other than UTMS for the connection and live.vodafone.ie for APN; I don’t have anything else. I’m guessing all I need is something simple like the “usb mtu” setting.

It does work fine 100% with the new Vodafone gigabox they sent me and I could probably set the mesh as a client (with gigabox WiFi off) but it’s a whole lot of messing and there’s a whole lot of other devices like cctv that will need tweaked.

I removed completely the old HG659 over a year ago so I do have a bit of an idea what I’m doing .

I couldn’t find any settings on the new gigabox that I could use either.

dam099

My Synology router won't recognise the stick as even being plugged in at all so can't use it directly as a USB modem on that.

It works on the Gigabox so for now I am going to turn off WiFi and DHCP on it and connect it as a second WAN device to my Synology Router (the other being the direct connection to the ONT). It seems to work but is not as tidy as connecting the dongle directly.

jos22

we switched to Vodafone and the guy on the phone said this was included as part of the 35 euro per month offer, first few days with out the always connected stick no issues.

received the stick Monday and set it up with the router and broadband kept cutting out saying connected no internet, and wifi kept dropping out too. till I restarted the router, it would work for bit and the dropped back to no internet. this cycle repeat a few times, till I restarted the router again with the always connected stick removed and the connection issue went away.

sdug79

@jos22 I have the same issue, when the always connected device plugged into the back of the home Broadband router my internet drops. Vodafone have not been helpful on this, everytime I call them and try to explain they just tell me that the always connected device only works when home Broadband goes down. They just don't seem to listen. I know have it unplugged (again). Think I'll send it back.

jos22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118634594#Comment_118634594

I didn't contact them about it just left it unplugged, wouldn't have bother with it only for the fact the sales agent on the phone said it was all included as part of the 35. you might get a better response if you contact them via Facebook messenger, always found that best option these days for contacting these providers that they no longer have the talk to option on this forum.

user1842

Anyone tried the stick on a third party modem (i.e. a Fritzbox).

Also does the stick have a removable SIM card? so you could used it with a UTMS stick that works on any compatible modem.