TP Link MIFI problems

[Dave and Ginny]

Hi all

Have a bit of a curious one.

Use a MacBook Air and a TP Link Mifi on EE. My phone is also on EE and I can hotspot that. My plans give me 15gb of data on each (fair usage) here in Spain so I tend to use the MIFI up to 15 then over to phone.

Lately, the MIFI doesn't always want to connect. It's showing as connecting to Mac and the Network...but just doesn't work! Re-starting seems to kick it off (either Mac, MIFI or both), or swapping over to iPhone and then back to MIFI kicks it in. All a bit odd. I've done a full re-set on the MIFI but still the same symptoms.

Any thoughts anyone?
Dave

 

[SuperMike]

We have a tp-link mifi and would like to help, but sorry, your paragraph beginning “Lately” makes no sense to me. Perhaps I’m thick.

 

[Addie]

'Doesn't want to connect' is perhaps a bit vague, I'm not sure even TP Link MiFi's are able to exercise free will, but they are certainly more problematic (or perhaps less user-friendly) than Huawei.

TP Link will have a Smartphone app which will tell you what it's doing and allow you to do things like manual network selection, turn on roaming, see any network messages etc. That would be my first port of call.

 

[Dave and Ginny]

We have a tp-link mifi and would like to help, but sorry, your paragraph beginning “Lately” makes no sense to me. Perhaps I’m thick.

By lately I mean recently, been ok for over a year but started to 'play up' in the last month.

 

[Dave and Ginny]

'Doesn't want to connect' is perhaps a bit vague, I'm not sure even TP Link MiFi's are able to exercise free will, but they are certainly more problematic (or perhaps less user-friendly) than Huawei.

TP Link will have a Smartphone app which will tell you what it's doing and allow you to do things like manual network selection, turn on roaming, see any network messages etc. That would be my first port of call.

I'll try better. All the visual indicators look exactly as they should. On my laptop I have access to the TP Link direct and all the indictors are there showing that it's connected to network etc. But for some odd reason there is no transfer of data.

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[SuperMike]

Ok, has it worked before with that sim or is that a new sim in the mifi and if so has it been set up for roaming ?

 

[Dave and Ginny]

Ok, has it worked before with that sim or is that a new sim in the mifi and if so has it been set up for roaming ?

It's always worked OK. Had it a couple of years, used with '3' and EE. Current Sim has been in since about January. It's connecting with both my iPhone, laptop and other devices...just no connection to the Network, despite the displays indicating there is. On my iPhone, same network, working fine. I suspect it's the MIFI on it's way out. I have with me my old Samsung Galaxy 3 so I'll try the SIM in that and see if it will hotspot.

Failing that, I could use the Friends and family data transfer feature with EE, moving over data from my EE data sim to my iPhone account. But they might well clobber me extra charges for using more than 15gb on that number, despite it being shifted from my other account.

 

[Addie]

Keep in mind that all networks have 60 days abroad within 120 day period as a limitation, which you may or may not fall foul of. As suggested earlier, it's worth using the manual network selection to try and register to different mobile network.

 

[SuperMike]

It may have worked in the mifi before, but is this the first time this data sim has been used abroad ?

 

[Dave and Ginny]

Keep in mind that all networks have 60 days abroad within 120 day period as a limitation, which you may or may not fall foul of. As suggested earlier, it's worth using the manual network selection to try and register to different mobile network.

Not aware of this one with EE. It was the case with '3' I recall. My understating is that as long as I keep to within the terms of the 'Fair Usage' clause of 15 gb per month there was no other restriction?

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[Addie]

Not aware of this one with EE. It was the case with '3' I recall. My understating is that as long as I keep to within the terms of the 'Fair Usage' clause of 15 gb per month there was no other restriction?

I'm afraid EE have the same restriction of 2 months, as do all networks in principal.

"Please also note that these roaming benefits are available to UK based customers only and our plans are intended for customers and users with a stable link to the UK who travel abroad periodically." https://shop.ee.co.uk/international/travelling-abroad

To qualify the 'Stable Links':

Stable links: We will consider you have a stable link to the UK if you spend at least half of your time during any 4 month period within the UK.
https://ee.co.uk/content/dam/everything-everywhere/documents/roaming-for-paym-customers-20180202.pdf

That might not be the cause of your issue, but it might be.

 

[Vanman]

Not sure how much this will help but these mifi tend to form a small wireless network, so devices can happily connect to it, even though there may or may not be an onward connection to the Internet. Reception or other Mobile Netork provider issues can cause the OP symptoms.

 

[Dave and Ginny]

I'm afraid EE have the same restriction of 2 months, as do all networks in principal.

"Please also note that these roaming benefits are available to UK based customers only and our plans are intended for customers and users with a stable link to the UK who travel abroad periodically." https://shop.ee.co.uk/international/travelling-abroad

To qualify the 'Stable Links':

Stable links: We will consider you have a stable link to the UK if you spend at least half of your time during any 4 month period within the UK.
https://ee.co.uk/content/dam/everything-everywhere/documents/roaming-for-paym-customers-20180202.pdf

That might not be the cause of your issue, but it might be.

Thanks for that info, always best to be informed even if it’s not want you want to hear. Appreciate it.

 

[ukbill]

http://www.tplinkrepeater.net

 

[ukbill]

Did it work?

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[Dave and Ginny]

No

Did it work?

No, but I'm now sure it's a fault with my TP Link. I can still get it to work intermittently and will replace when home. I can hotspot with the phone so can get by ok.