Solved! AT&T Hotspot Won't Work on 4G?

[Megunticook]

Have a Netgear Unite Express AT&T hotspot, which worked fine last summer. Put in a new SIM recently to reactivate it, now if the display shows just the "4G" when it connects to AT&T tower, I can't get online with any device (although the hotspot's admin. page says "internet access"). I can connect devices to the hotspot, just not the internet.

If the display reads "4G LTE" when it connects to AT&T then everything works as it should.

Why am I not able to get online with the plain old 4G? Is there a setting I need to tweak?

Thanks.

 

[helpstar]

update the firmware of the netgear

check if the hotspot is set to LTE only or similar and change to use 3G, 4G and LTE or test with each setting. (is available in the settings menu)

Which carrier are you using with the new sim card?
https://kb.netgear.com/23908/Why-is...ting-to-cellular-network-after-being-unlocked

 

[Megunticook]

Thanks for your reply.

I tried updating the firmware with the "Software Update" button in settings but since the hotspot can't get online it won't work. It did say that it "last checked" a week or so ago.

Under "Network Mode" in settings, the options are "Automatic," "LTE Only," and "3G Only." I've tried all three settings.

The carrier is AT&T. The hotspot appears to connect to the network. It's just that if it displays "4G" then it doesn't let any devices online, even though it says "connected to internet" in the admin. page for the hotspot. If it displays 4G LTE then it works fine. But 90% of the time I only get the "4G".

This is the Netgear Unite Express 779S. Right now it's showing three bars, and in the admin. page under "Network Status" it says it's connected with a signal strength of 3, current radio band WCDMA 1900(II), quality 14.

Is this thing obsolete and can't handle modern networks? I just got it last year, but it's been out for several years.

Are some AT&T networks 4G, while others are 4G LTE? And maybe this device doesn't work on 4G?

Appreciate the help. I need to figure this out.

 

[helpstar]

This device should work with the modern networks. In which country are you using it?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UMTS_frequency_bands

Maybe the connection to the carrier is not that good, even if the connection seems to be strong enough. Try it in another location or get it outside and try connecting to it.

Try using the device via USB (set it to Tethered Mode and install drivers on the PC connected to it)

Maybe resetting the netgear can help

 

[Megunticook]

This device should work with the modern networks. In which country are you using it?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UMTS_frequency_bands

Maybe the connection to the carrier is not that good, even if the connection seems to be strong enough. Try it in another location or get it outside and try connecting to it.

Try using the device via USB (set it to Tethered Mode and install drivers on the PC connected to it)

Maybe resetting the netgear can help

I'm using it in the U.S.

I've tried several different locations. Will try tethering.

Why does it sometimes say 4G but other times it says 4GLTE? Are those different AT&T networks, or is the device having an issue?

 

[helpstar]

4G is just the standard for LTE (4th gen), but I don´t know what meaning it has for the hotspot
https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-4g-and-vs-lte/

Maybe if only 4G is displayed, it tries to connect to the carrier network and only if LTE is displayed it succeded.

 

[Megunticook]

Hmmm, interesting...so it should always say "4G LTE" not just "4G"--from my limited Googling I thought 4G was distinct from 4G LTE, but I may have read something that was not accurate.

If I can manage to get a 4G LTE signal again somewhere, I'll see if I can do a firmware upgrade. I see the product is still on Netgear's website, but I think it's at least 4-5 years old so they may not be supporting it anymore.