# Vodafone mobile internet



## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

We use this via a USB dongle. It has worked very well for over a year - reliable and fast enough. For the last week, however, it has been appalling - slow and dropping out of the web continually - it has now become practically unusable.

Questions: Does anybody else use Vodafone mobile broadband? How well does it work for you? Has service deteriorated lately?


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## scharlack (Nov 21, 2008)

jimenato said:


> We use this via a USB dongle. It has worked very well for over a year - reliable and fast enough. For the last week, however, it has been appalling - slow and dropping out of the web continually - it has now become practically unusable.
> 
> Questions: Does anybody else use Vodafone mobile broadband? How well does it work for you? Has service deteriorated lately?


I used to use it for work around the Madrid area and it was better than Movistar (Telefónica). 

You might want to go to a Vodafone shop and see if your USB 3G device has any defects. Perhaps it could be collapsing if it has some sort of software conflict which is trying to use the same ports.

There can be various reasons... cant help much without looking at it.

Much good luck!


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

scharlack said:


> I used to use it for work around the Madrid area and it was better than Movistar (Telefónica).
> 
> You might want to go to a Vodafone shop and see if your USB 3G device has any defects. Perhaps it could be collapsing if it has some sort of software conflict which is trying to use the same ports.
> 
> ...


Thanks scharlack I'll try that, but frankly finding anybody in a Vodafone shop around here who knows anything technical is going to be difficult.


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## remus (Nov 29, 2009)

I want to use a vodafone 3G payg sim which I bought in Palma but it just doesn't work. in the shop I asked for conversion to a data bono which I assume they activated but it simply doesn't connect. If i put it in my phone it works but when i put it in my vodafone dongle it does not.
Maybe the settings are wrong, does anyone know the settings in Spain

any thoughts?

Thanks David


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Just to let you know that I have given up my Vodafone Dongle completely because of crap service and have gone to Telefonica landline ADSL


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

jimenato said:


> Just to let you know that I have given up my Vodafone Dongle completely because of crap service and have gone to Telefonica landline ADSL


I used a Movistar dongle for the last two weeks. Had great speed in Madrid, Asturias and even for quite some time on the train when in the mountains.

In the UK I had used Vodafone but since they sold my morther-in-law in Madrid a mobile land line system I have cancelled it

In her case she had a landline service supported by a mobile so if she took it shopping she was still in touch. They tested the line before hand and said signal was excellent. However in reality when it was installed it acted as a mobile in most of her flat running up a huge bill. Also on the bill were premium rate services initiated prior to the phone being installed (my mother in law wouldn't know what a premium rate service was). They then of course re-tested and admitted the signal was only medium and would often charge mobile rates within her flat but that they were within their contract.

They then took money from her bank account and wanted 300 Euros to cancel the contract.

The fight goes on but now she has a Telefonica land line again which is great Just that she is several 100 Es out of pocket. 

Of course in the UK Vodafone say nothing to do with us and it wouldn't happen here, please don't leave us (mines a company account but only with 3 lines). I enjoyed cancelling the UK contract discussing the finer points of "ripping of old ladies" loudly in the Vodafone shop.

Sadly Spain's equivalent of Ofcom is sooooo slow and gutless I get the feeling the money will remain lost. And the stress caused to a lovely lady  I hope they are proud.

But at least I can give them some nice publicity .


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

remus said:


> I want to use a vodafone 3G payg sim which I bought in Palma but it just doesn't work. in the shop I asked for conversion to a data bono which I assume they activated but it simply doesn't connect. If i put it in my phone it works but when i put it in my vodafone dongle it does not.
> Maybe the settings are wrong, does anyone know the settings in Spain
> 
> any thoughts?
> ...


Remus sometimes these get blocked by the firewall. I remember in Edinburgh asking them to demonstrate on my portable and after an hour they phoned a guru who knew the problem immediately. Disabiling the firewall, installing the dongle, and then restarting the firewall. Not sure if this is the problem you have but it might be worth a try


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## Muddy (Jan 14, 2010)

remus said:


> I want to use a vodafone 3G payg sim which I bought in Palma but it just doesn't work. in the shop I asked for conversion to a data bono which I assume they activated but it simply doesn't connect. If i put it in my phone it works but when i put it in my vodafone dongle it does not.
> Maybe the settings are wrong, does anyone know the settings in Spain
> 
> any thoughts?
> ...


I installed the old Voda Dashboard software about 4 years ago on a couple of Desktops & Laptop, them all working but annoying software.

I no little about 3G, but does your phone support 3G! And if so is it telling you that it has a 3G connection where you need to use it and can you run a browser on your mobile so you can check the speed in real time?
If you can do the above then you might want to try a work around if it's possible that is!
You might be able to connect your phone to your PC/Laptop and you'll be connected at least until you get the sim working in the dongle, I assume this is a USB dongle?
I set one of these up in the UK last year, not the Voda Network. The first time just could not get it working, it looked ok tho! It turned out to be a faulty USB dongle but there were no errors and it was working in part, so a strange one.

I have read on the web that you should see something like this to verify the connection;
_"A message will appear in the SMS box confirming the data tariff activation, which must be used within 3 months."_

Also if you don't like the USB dongle which are always begging to be broken off you should be able to use any sim with the correct PCMCIA card which will go straight into many Laptops (not all) and and you can get a PCI card to install them into a Laptop which I've done some years back.
Hope some of that helps!

Lastly try going on the vodafone site and search, you will find various settings posted up on there!


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

I was MASSIVELY impressed with Orange dongle on a recent 6 week trip through Spain / we covered some 3,000 kms and it was almost perfect coverage, I am not usually a huge Orange fan but praise where praise is due on this occasion, 

Don't get me going on Telefónica, Life is too short,


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## Weesy72 (Apr 22, 2009)

I have friends who use a vodafone dongle and their service has been dire these last couple of weeks, maybe vodafone are having issues, I just hope if they do have issues that they get resolved asap for you and our friends.


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## juande (Feb 12, 2010)

I arrive on the Costa Blanca on Mon 8 Feb. Went immediately to the Vodafone shop and spent 50 Euros recharging my dongle. I then expereinced the same problems as people in this thread. Slow down load, timing out, etc It was useless- I've had the device for a year and never has these problems before. Went to the shop to cmplain and was told there was a problem with the network. So I have paid the bono and am not getting a service. Will they refund me- NO!
In desperation I bought an Orange Internet Everywhere. The software would not load! Had to take my laptop to the shop where it took the girl 15 mins to sort it out. Autorun does not appear to function with Vista Business! This Orange device is working better than the VF one but it isn't great and it can take a while for pages from big sites such as bbc.co.uk a while to appear - a bit like the old dial up system. Very frustrating when we are all used to broadband these days.


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## scharlack (Nov 21, 2008)

juande said:


> I arrive on the Costa Blanca on Mon 8 Feb. Went immediately to the Vodafone shop and spent 50 Euros recharging my dongle. I then expereinced the same problems as people in this thread. Slow down load, timing out, etc It was useless- I've had the device for a year and never has these problems before. Went to the shop to cmplain and was told there was a problem with the network. So I have paid the bono and am not getting a service. Will they refund me- NO!
> In desperation I bought an Orange Internet Everywhere. The software would not load! Had to take my laptop to the shop where it took the girl 15 mins to sort it out. Autorun does not appear to function with Vista Business! This Orange device is working better than the VF one but it isn't great and it can take a while for pages from big sites such as bbc.co.uk a while to appear - a bit like the old dial up system. Very frustrating when we are all used to broadband these days.


Hi there,

I have read a few posts on slow mobile internet connections and there is an app that can improve the navigation speed. It's called OpenDNS and it improves speed by resolving your internet domain names in a quicker way. 
If you would like more info there is a turtorial on OpenDNS | Internet Navigation And Security .

Hope it helps!

Cheers


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

scharlack said:


> Hi there,
> 
> I have read a few posts on slow mobile internet connections and there is an app that can improve the navigation speed. It's called OpenDNS and it improves speed by resolving your internet domain names in a quicker way.
> If you would like more info there is a turtorial on OpenDNS | Internet Navigation And Security .
> ...


YAY!!! SCHARLACK!!!


Jo xxxxxxxxxxxxx


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## pladecalvo (Aug 11, 2010)

jimenato said:


> We use this via a USB dongle. It has worked very well for over a year - reliable and fast enough. For the last week, however, it has been appalling - slow and dropping out of the web continually - it has now become practically unusable.
> 
> Questions: Does anybody else use Vodafone mobile broadband? How well does it work for you? Has service deteriorated lately?


I have a Vodafone dongle. Since April it has been useless unless you get up at 4am to do your work. My current download speed is 0.02. There is hardly enough strength to send an e-mail. I can't wait for my contract to end so that I can get shot of it. Rubbish!!!


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

pladecalvo said:


> I have a Vodafone dongle. Since April it has been useless unless you get up at 4am to do your work. My current download speed is 0.02. There is hardly enough strength to send an e-mail. I can't wait for my contract to end so that I can get shot of it. Rubbish!!!


Sorry to hear that you are having a frustrating time with your dongle. I haven't used one in Spain for over a year now and I would have hoped that things had improved - obviously not. 

BTW we use a PAYG Vodafone dongle while in England and it's superb - fast, reliable and cheap - a £15 top up easily lasts 2 weeks of continuous use.


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## Expat_Family (Oct 1, 2009)

I used the Orange "Internet Everywhere" USB dongle (prepaid) for some time. Speed was getting worse every month. 
Some weeks ago I bought the wireless Huawei E5 Wifi/3G modem (sometimes called "Mi-Fi") on Amazon. Now I am using the same Internet SIM card from the dongle but in the Huawei device. Result: Speed is up 5-10 times!! On the negative side, you have to recharge the Huawei battery after surfing the Internet for 4-5 hours... Positve: You can connect up to 5 devices wireless at the same time. This way I am connecting with my Wifi-iPad to it too.


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