[Pfunkallstar]

So I got my 8320 two weeks ago and could never get UMA to work. I would get UMA and then get kicked off. I would have to turn off WI-Fi on the phone and then turn it back on to get UMA. Very frustrating...

After endless calls to T-mobile that went nowhere, I was finally connected to someone who knew what the **** was going on.

Apparently, T-Mobile has opened a seperate division under the T-Mobile Hotpot tier called the PDA-UMA group. And they are tasked to specifically tackle this problem.

The solution to my problem was actually really simple. The technician at the PDA-UMA group named Michelle was no nonsense about it and told me first that we had to update the firmware on my linksys router..

Went to Linksys website, downloaded the update.
Then I went to my router's interface via my browser and clicked on "update firmware"... pointed it to the update file then it took about a minute to update itself.

it then rebooted itself and voila! UMA connected! I haven't had any problems connected to UMA and STAYING connected ever since.. (knocks on wood)..

So for any of you with the same problem I had and have a linksys router.. try this out before spending your cash on the t-mobile router!

Cheers!

[anon(153966)]

Before everyone jumps on the bandwagon, here. Please advise the model number of your LinkSys Router and the firmware version number...

Ps: I'm using

Model: WRT54GSV4
Firmware: v1.06.1

...and mine ha worked fine from day one.

[kasperapd]

I had the updated firmware on mine and it still didn't work right. Switched to the T-Mobile Linksys Router and have had better luck, but still having some issues.

[wolfscmb]

as cool as WiFi sounds on the phone ... i think that i shall hold off for a while longer while some more kinks are worked out ...

[Crazypete]

I use a WRT54G v1.1, an fairly old wireless router. After spending hours with tech support myself also, and after noticing I could connect to another Linksys properly, I decided to update the firmware on my router as well.

Prior to the update, the WiFi icon would light up, but UMA mode would not activate. After I updated it, UMA mode has worked perfect since. This was maybe a week or so ago and I have not had one problem.

as cool as WiFi sounds on the phone ... i think that i shall hold off for a while longer while some more kinks are worked out ...

With regards to this, WiFi offers much more then faster surfing. When UMA is active everything is transmitted over the internet (to my understanding). Free phone calls? Free messaging? Yep!

[mcj0422]

For those willing i would suggest checking out DD-WRT. It is a free open source firmware for many version of Linksys WRT54G versions. Right now they are working on making the firmware flashable on the linksys/Tmobile router (WRT54G-TM). This firmware is hands down better then anything linksys or tmobile will have. It also has a feature built in just for UMA, its a QOS for Multimedia devices. It prioritizes your phones network traffic so that if you are downloading lets say lots of porn your phone will be prioritized over your porn. I also read it has some kinda of power saving feature for the phone when its on UMA, how I do not know. The claim is this firmware changes your $60 buck router into a $600. The Tmobile version from linksys is paticularly good because of what it has on the inside...more space for firmware = more features.

So for those that know nothing about it is highly suggest reading up

hxxp://www.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/index.php
hxxp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dd-wrt
REPLACE xx with tt

[Monkeypaw]

For those willing i would suggest checking out DD-WRT. It is a free open source firmware for many version of Linksys WRT54G versions. Right now they are working on making the firmware flashable on the linksys/Tmobile router (WRT54G-TM). This firmware is hands down better then anything linksys or tmobile will have. It also has a feature built in just for UMA, its a QOS for Multimedia devices. It prioritizes your phones network traffic so that if you are downloading lets say lots of porn your phone will be prioritized over your porn. I also read it has some kinda of power saving feature for the phone when its on UMA, how I do not know. The claim is this firmware changes your $60 buck router into a $600. The Tmobile version from linksys is paticularly good because of what it has on the inside...more space for firmware = more features.

So for those that know nothing about it is highly suggest reading up

hxxp://www.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/index.php
hxxp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dd-wrt
REPLACE xx with tt

Thanks for the tip. My phone was working just fine with both my Verizon Fios wifi router and my Linksys WRT54GS v1.1, but I was only getting just over 2 days of battery life. So I was going to Ebay the Linksys and buy one from Tmobile to see if that would help.

But this firmware replacement seems to be working great. Not sure about the battery life yet but webpages are definitely loading much faster. Calls were good before so although they seem better now, that may be psycological.

Even calling on my VOIP phone to the Curve sounds very good both sides with both calls going through my network.

[bmc0718]

Just an FYI - last night, I did a firmware update on my Linksys WRT54GC last night, and, after carefully and meticulously following all directions, the firmware update proceeded to fry my router, literally. So please, be careful!

[BroadSword]

To make all this UMA/wifi/router stuff work...do you need to have the Hotspot@Home plan to make it work??? A little confused because I'm reading in other threads that some folks with no carriers at all are getting through with calls and internet. I've got the WRT54S is why I ask.

[vsinc]

Yesterday I got the Blackberry Perl 8120 and the Hotspot@Home Talk Forever Mobile service. I use my good old Linksys WRT54G v2.0 with the latest original firmware and WPA2 (WPA2 Personal with TKIP&AES) encryption (it is really a good exercise to enter a 64 character alpha-numeric upper-lower case password on the tiny keyboard :-) but it worked even with such a long key!). I was able to register the Blackberry to the WiFi network, I was getting the WiFi black and white icon in the upper right corner of the screen and the connection was showing with a green check mark in the Manage Connections screen but not UMA icon in the upper right corner. I was seeing the regular cell tower coverage icon with the EDGE icon under it. After a few calls to 611 hearing that they have to do something on their end and still no luck I started asking for the settings that they have put on the T-Mobile branded Linksys router for sell in the stores. One of the reps started telling me they don't have access to this information. After some more time I started getting some answers. Here is the important part. To have UMA working you need to have IPSec enabled. Now I immediately knew I have this disabled on my router. IPSec is a good tunneling/transport protocol but I follow the rule - if you don't use it - disable it (for security/stability reasons). To get IPSec enabled on your router log in to the router (usually going to 192.168.1.1) with you password (default is "admin" but you have this changed, right!). Then navigate to Security in the top row then to VPN below it and enable IPSec Passthrough. Save the settings (no router restart required). Then either power cycle the Blackberry 8120 or disable then enable the WiFi connection in the Manage Connections menu. That was it for me.

I will try to find what are the best options for the Quality of Service (QoS) settings and the mysterious setting that saves the battery life. Will try to post later on these.

[Hamp]

BTW, the Linksys router that T-Mobile has is the same WRT54G sold at Circuit City, Best Buy, etc. I have this same router for my cable modem connected to my home network. I have had my BB for about a month and a half now and had no problems with UMA in my house. When I leave, my BB automatically switches over to TMO network and back again when I come home. I never have to switch networks on my phone.

Off subject, I also pair it with two Bluetooth devices automatically (not at the same time of course) but I use a Motorola Bluetooth H700 earpiece while walking around. When I get in my car, I turn that off and turn on my HF820 car kit and voila!, handsfree all the way. When I'm done with my calls, I use the BB as a MP3 player in my car! When a cal comes in, the music stops and I answer the call! I'm thinking of upgrading my car kit for a better one.

I LOVE MY BB!

[Reed McLay]

.... To have UMA working you need to have IPSec enabled. ...

I will try to find what are the best options for the Quality of Service (QoS) settings and the mysterious setting that saves the battery life. Will try to post later on these.

Good tip, I usually recommend starting troubleshooting with a Router reset to factory default settings and an Open connection. Adding security is simple, once you have it connected.

[Hamp]

Also, yes, update the firmware of the WRT54G.

[Pete6]

Found this over on the Stack of Pins.

8320 Tmo Linksys Router Setting: How to Improve Your UMA - PinStack.com

[Reed McLay]

Wireless>Advance Wireless Settings

Fragment Threshold : 2304 (256-2346)
RTS Threshold : 2304 (0-2347)
Beacon Interval : 50 (20-1024 ms)

I have updated my Router with these setting. The connection was no longer valid, I had to delete the old one and reconnect.

[Pete6]

Rats. That's the last time I Google them. Sorry.

I have an 8310

[vsinc]

OK, some more info coming out. Hope it does not get too technical.

First the WRT54G-TM is not quite like the "regular" WRT54G(L/S) - it seems to support some features (possibly found in the dd-wrt firmware as well) that in fact improve UMA talk time and its hardware specs are one of the best wrt54g out there especially for $30 with a $30 mail in rebate for t-mobile customers making it free.

I will be getting one to see if I can find if it is as good as they say.

The talk time of the handset is optimized by enabling WME, and the standby time by changing DTIM and beacon. Also for consistent voice quality a field strength of at least �70 dBm to the phone is recommended with higher (meaning lower numeral) values being better.

DTIM or Delivery Traffic Indicator MAP is something that wakes up the phone so it checks for broadcast or multicast traffic. What this is for does not really matter for this discussion, the important part is higher settings are better for the stand by. DTIM of more than 10 seems to be having no effect. Please note that having a higher DTIM is good for the phone but may cause problems on a busy network so play it safe with DTIM of 2~5 and see how it works for you.

The beacon value is a difficult one to get right. Having it too long risks the chance of the phone not "picking-up" the AP signal while it scans the channels, this is why they say use 50 ms beacon. But if the period is too small then the power consumption is higher since the device misses many beacons and so it stays awake to receive the next one. Wireless devices should be awake to hear every beacon. The power consumption goes down as the period increases as the device misses fewer beacons. But again if the beacon interval is too long the consumption would rise again as depending on the phone it may think it can't hear the AP and try to locate a new one. I would try something in the 100 - 200 ms range. Less then that would kill the battery much faster.

U-APSD or Unscheduled Automatic Power Save Delivery is part of the WME or Wireless Multimedia Extensions. ADSD or Asynchronous Power Save Delivery is yet another feature that is available to save power. In the stock linksys QoS page WME is called Wireless QoS or WMM. The question is whether their implementation of WME has all the power saving features available or are they present in the t-mobile version only. As I don't usually like the idea of changing the stock firmware of a router I have never got too involved in the dd-wrt or tomato firmwares so I have no idea to what extend they have implemented WME. Anyway, if you have a way to enable WME do so. This will prioritize the phone traffic too so it - in theory - would be redundant to specify other QoS settings to boost the phone's priority.

As for the Fragment and RTS Threshold - I am not sure if these should be changed at all as T-Mobile is using the same recommended settings on their router like all wrt54g.

EDIT: WRT54G-TM is a WRT54GS with a t-mobile sticker on top. Firmware version is v.5.00.33 stock and v5.00.38 latest available. It has a UAPSD switch in the Wireless QoS settings. Other then this no major visible difference.