Mobile Dock R101 Advanced Configuration Guide v0 17 1 PDF
Mobile Dock R101 Advanced Configuration Guide v0 17 1 PDF
Mobile Dock R101 Advanced Configuration Guide v0 17 1 PDF
Table of Contents
Welcome................................................................................................................................. 3
3. Troubleshooting ................................................................................................................32
3.1 Overview...................................................................................................................................... 33
3.2 The Box Diagnostics Screen ......................................................................................................... 34
3.3 Common Problems and Solutions................................................................................................ 35
3.3 Using the Master Reset Button..................................................................................................... 39
4. Glossary ............................................................................................................................40
Welcome
This Advanced Configuration Guide outlines the steps necessary to install and configure your Vodafone
Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock and how to use the browser interface.
Please save this Advanced Configuration Guide to your computers hard drive for
future reference.
Vodafone Group 2010, VODAFONE, the Vodafone logos and Vodafone Mobile Connect are trade marks of the
Vodafone Group. Microsoft and Windows are either registered trade marks or trade marks of Microsoft Corporation
in the United States and/or other countries. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the
trade marks of their respective owners.
Getting Started
The Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock is an accessory for your Vodafone Mobile Broadband USB
Stick that allows you to get more out of your USB Stick by sharing a secure Mobile Broadband internet
connection using WLAN. You can connect most WLAN-enabled devices to the Vodafone Mobile
Broadband Sharing Dock (for example PCs, mobile gaming devices, digital music players) to share a
secure mobile internet connection.
The Sharing Dock allows you to position your USB Stick for best mobile coverage, and then shares this
coverage between devices via WLAN. The Sharing Dock can be used with many Vodafone Mobile
Broadband USB Sticks. For an up-to-date list of the currently supported Vodafone Mobile Broadband USB
Sticks please visit the Vodafone global support site www.support.vodafone.com/sharingdock .
To use the Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock you need a device with WLAN capability
(supporting WLAN 802.11 b/g/n) and an internet browser.
Power Internet
WLAN traffic Mobile
connectivity Broadband
signal
strength
Power: On / Off
WLAN connectivity: Traffic between devices and Sharing Dock. The WLAN Connectivity LED on your
Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock will flash when the WLAN is on and users are connected. It will be solid
when WLAN is on but no users are connected. If it is not lit, then WLAN is off.
Mobile Broadband signal strength: Excellent (3 bars) / Very good / Good (1 bar)
The LEDs on the USB Stick provide valuable status information about the status of your Mobile
Broadband network connection. These are the generic LED colours used on Vodafone Mobile Broadband
USB Sticks, but some devices may have additional LED colours please refer to the Quick Start Guide for
the specific device used with the Sharing Dock.
The Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock comes pre-configured with the Access Point Number
(APN) and other Vodafone network settings to allow you to use this device on the Vodafone network
without complex configuration or set-up.
Before you start : Make a note of your WLAN security details which include a WPA2 Key and a WLAN
Network Name (SSID). The WPA2 Key and the SSID are unique to your device and can be found on a label
on the bottom of the Sharing Dock.
You have two connection options when doing the initial setup of the Vodafone Mobile Broadband
Sharing Dock.
In WLAN mode you use the Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock as an access point or hotspot. You
use your PCs WLAN capability to access the device.
Use your normal WLAN manager on your computer to locate the Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing
Dock wireless network.
Note: The steps to connect to a WLAN network vary depending on your operating system and whether
you use the native application or third-party software. Generally you click an icon (often in the System
Tray for Windows or choose System Preferences > Network on a Mac) where you can select View
Available Wireless Networks. If you are unfamiliar with wireless networking on your computer, consult
the computer help system.
Tip!
If multiple wireless networks are found, highlight the one named VodafoneSharingDock_xxxxyy . The
xxxxyy represent a randomly generated set of numbers and letters which will differ per device.
Click Connect.
In Ethernet Cable mode, you connect the Ethernet port on the back of the Vodafone Mobile Broadband
Sharing Dock directly to a computer Ethernet port using a LAN cable provided with the Sharing Dock. You
are using your PCs LAN capability over the Ethernet Cable to access the device, and it will automatically
establish a network connection.
WARNING ! It is highly recommended that you set up security for your Vodafone Mobile Broadband
Sharing Dock at this time. The device has WPA2 security enabled, but you may want to change the WPA2
network key and your device logon password with personalised settings.
Note: if you are connected to the device over WLAN and find the hotspot redirects to the WEB UI (i.e.
configuration page) instead of the page you expected when using the browser, this will be due to the fact
that the device cannot connect the user to a mobile broadband network.
If you have trouble connecting to the device ensure your WPA2 security key has been entered correctly.
Note: The WPA2 key is case sensitive - please ensure you input it with the correct upper and lower case
characters. An additional common cause of PC connection problems could be that your computers WLAN
adapter has become confused by working with multiple WLAN devices. The normal way to fix this on a PC
is to right click on the Wireless Network Connection icon in the Windows toolbar, then select Repair.
Please check the LED states and also the connected state in the web User Interface (UI) to confirm the
device is showing Connected, and if not refer to the Troubleshooting section later in this guide.
The web UI will always display certain information, regardless of whether you are logged in or not.
Vodafone : Links to the Vodafone global web site and allows re-direction to your local country site.
Add to Favourites : Creates a bookmark for the Sharing Dock.
Support : Links to the global Vodafone support web site.
Network signal strength : No white bars indicate no mobile network coverage, then the strength varies
from 1 bar (low signal strength) through to 5 bars (very high signal strength).
Network name : Name of network that the Mobile Broadband USB Stick is connected to.
Roaming indicator : White triangle indicates you are roaming.
Type of network connection : GPRS, EDGE, 3G, 3G+, HSUPA.
Connection status :Not connected, Connecting, Connected.
Login/Logout box.
The Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock comes pre-configured with the information required to
connect to the Vodafone mobile network. It will not normally require any additional configuration to the
basic settings unless you are using the device behind a corporate firewall, and this may require the
appropriate proxy server settings to be modified (see later section of this guide for how to do this).
The security of your wireless network is very important. We recommend that you configure the default
security settings immediately by following these procedures:
Enter the default password admin into the Login window in the upper right corner of the screen and
click Login.
From the left hand menu, select Administration > Password Settings.
This will be the new administration password that you use when you login to the browser interface.
Note: Please record the new password. You will have to reset the device
using the Master Reset button if you forget your new administration password.
NOTE:
You can use advanced router security options: WEP / WPA / WPA2 / WPA (PSK) / WPA (PSK2) / MAC
address filtering / NAT or WPS security.
IMPORTANT: Your Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock comes with a pre-set WPA2 key
that is unique to the device and is listed on the label that can be found on the bottom of the
Sharing Dock. If you want to change this key to something more memorable, you can change it
by following the steps below. Vodafone recommend changing the WPA2 key to a secure key
which can be easily remembered. Note: The WPA2 key is case sensitive - please ensure you input
it with the correct upper and lower case characters.
From the left hand menu, select WiFi.
In the SSID WLAN Parameters box, choose the security level you want (WPA2 is the default).
Select the type of key encryption algorithm you want to use from the drop-down box
Enter a memorable Network Key you want to use for the Sharing Dock WLAN access.
Click OK.
If your PC Operating system supports WPS (Wireless Protected Setup) Vista and Windows 7 you can
enable WPS security (See the following page of this guide for a detailed description of the three
options available, and how to set up each one).
IMPORTANT: Your wireless connection will be disabled at this point. You must reconnect with the new
network key you just established if you are currently using wireless access to do the initial security
configuration.
Wireless Protected Setup (WPS) allows a user to establish a WLAN connection easily between the
Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock and any device that supports WPS. Windows 7 and Windows
Vista offer support for WPS natively, with Windows XP only offering support for WPS if the Wireless
Provisioning Services Information Element (WPS IE) Update has been installed. WPS functionality is
enabled by default.
The Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock supports the following three methods for enabling WLAN-
Devices to obtain the Sharing Dock WLAN security details via WPS.
- Overview
- Service Status
- Configuring Applications Internet Access
- Router
- WLAN
- Mobile Broadband Settings
- System Administration
- Home Network
2.1 Overview
2.1.1 Access the Sharing Dock Home Page from your web browser
When you first connect to the Vodafone Mobile broadband Sharing Dock with your web browser, you see
the Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock Home Page which gives basic status information. You
will not be logged into the Sharing Dock at this stage.
To login to the Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock, enter your password (or if you have not
changed it, the default password admin) into the Login window in the upper right corner of the screen
and click Login. The Home Page will be displayed, and you will have access to the Sharing Dock
management menus.
The Service Status screen allows you to understand the overall status of the device, when used in
conjunction with the information on the Troubleshooting screen on the left hand menu bar. The screen is
divided into 2 parts :
The top part of the screen displays the status of the WLAN network provided by the Vodafone Mobile
Broadband Sharing Dock (enabled/disabled).
The lower part of the screen displays the status of the connection to the wireless network made by the
Vodafone Mobile Broadband USB Stick.
The Applications screen allows you to configure the Sharing Dock to authorise network access to specific
applications (usually gaming applications) to allow them to work correctly. Many of the most popular
games and access methods are already included in the drop-down menus on this screen consult your
application user guide to see what options you should select on this screen.
If your application does not appear on the drop-down menu you can add it and configure it manually on
the NAT configuration page choose Router > NAT to access this manual configuration page.
After you have configured your applications they will appear in the authorised applications list at the
bottom of the screen. You can now delete or change the application authorisation using the Delete and
Change buttons on the right hand side of the screen.
2.4 Router
There are three sub-menus: LAN configuration, NAT/PAT management and DMZ setup.
Choose Router > LAN from the left hand menu bar.
The LAN screen gives you the following status information about your device:
Local IP Address
Subnet Mask
LAN domain name (default value is http://VodafoneMobileBroadband.SharingDock)
DHCP server enable/disable. DHCP Server allows the device to automatically assign a local IP
address to a new device joining your network (such as a wireless printer or additional laptop).
Without DHCP Server enabled, you will have to assign static IP addresses to all devices on your
network.
IP Address Range and Lease. IP Address Range used by the Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing
Dock DHCP server, and the time of each lease (default 1 day).
Reserved IP Addresses. Specific IP Addresses that are manually assigned to a specific device and
that should not be assigned by the DHCP server.
Choose Router > NAT from the left hand menu bar.
The NAT function allows you to enhance the security of your system by only allowing certain
applications to reach the Internet. In order to set up port filtering for a custom application, you will need
to know the source port numbers or source port ranges, and the protocol (TCP, UDP, or both) used by
outgoing traffic.
Incoming traffic from the Internet is normally prevented by the firewall from reaching devices on your
local wireless network. PAT uses the destination IP and destination port fields to allow Internet users to
reach any server you are running on your computer, such as an FTP server. Also some online games
require incoming access to work properly.
IMPORTANT: You will need to set up static IP addresses on your WLAN for each device that has an
application you want to forward to.
Choose Router > DMZ from the left hand menu bar.
The purpose of a DMZ is to add an additional layer of security to a LAN; an external attacker only has
access to equipment in the DMZ, rather than the whole of the network. Generally, any service that is
being provided to users in an external network could be placed in the DMZ. The most common of these
services are web servers, mail servers, ftp servers, VoIP servers and DNS servers.
If you enable the DMZ, you are prompted for the IP address of the computer to be exposed to the external
network.
2.5 WLAN
The general WiFi parameters screen allows you to enable/disable the WLAN functionality and to select
the WLAN Bandwidth and channels. If the devices accessing the Sharing Dock have IEEE 802.11n
capability you can select either 20MHz or 40MHz (2 bonded) channel bandwidth. You can select a
specific channel for the WLAN in order to prevent conflict or contention with other wireless devices which
are transmitting within the local area, or leave the setting at auto and the Sharing Dock will
automatically choose a free channel.
If your PC Operating system supports WPS (Wireless Protected Setup) Vista and Windows 7 you can
enable WPS security in the WPS box. The WPS set up methods are described in Section 1.4.4 WPS
Configuration above.
IMPORTANT: Your wireless connection will be disabled at this point. You must reconnect with the new
network key you just established if you are currently using wireless access to do the initial security
configuration.
The SSID WLAN parameters screen allows you to change the name of the WLAN network (the default
name is VodafoneSharingDock_xxxxyy where the xxxxyy represents a randomly generated set of numbers
and letters which will differ for each Sharing Dock).
You can also select whether the name of the network is broadcast (if it is not broadcast then other users
will not see it on their list of available networks, but you will need to specify the name on the WLAN
configuration for your PC in order to connect to the Sharing Dock).
Several levels of security are available the default is the highest level of generally available wireless
security encryption (WPA2-PSK). The Auto option means device will support both TKIP and AES
encryption algorithms in WPA or WPA2, and the algorithm that will actually be used will depend on the
wireless client.
To change the Network Key (Password), enter a memorable Network Key you want to use for the Sharing
Dock WLAN access and select OK.
The MAC Address Filter allows you to restrict access to your device by MAC address. The MAC address is
specific to a particular piece of hardware such as a network adapter. By using the MAC Address Filtering
you only allow certain devices access to your Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock device. If the list
is empty then any client with the correct security credentials can access the Sharing Dock.
IMPORTANT: Do not enable MAC Address Filtering unless you have added your own MAC address to the
MAC address list, otherwise you will be unable to access the Sharing Dock.
On a Windows computer, you can find the MAC address by running ipconfig /all from the cmd
window. The MAC address is referred to as the Physical Address.
On a Mac, open System Preferences > Network. Select Airport in the Show: drop down list. The
MAC address is the Airport ID that displays underneath.
The Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock will be automatically set up based on the settings in your
Vodafone SIM. This screen allows you to modify these settings if required for your own specific
circumstances. This screen also provides connectivity status and connection statistics.
Some networks require a SIM PIN to be entered before access to the network is allowed. If your network is
one of these you can store the SIM PIN here, and it will be sent to the network automatically when
required.
Standard Vodafone connectivity information will be automatically based on your SIM, but you can modify
the settings in this screen.
You can select the Mobile network or Vodafone Partner Network that you want to connect to (from a list
of enabled networks).
Choose Administration > Password Settings from the left hand menu bar.
This screen allows you to change the administration password that you need to enter on the Sharing
Dock Home Page (http://VodafoneMobileBroadband.SharingDock or http://192.168.0.1 from your
web browser) in order to login to the Sharing Dock. Please change it to something memorable. The
default password is admin.
Choose Administration > Time Settings from the left hand menu bar.
The screen allows you to set the local time, and to synchronize with an external public time server on the
internet to ensure accurate record-keeping.
2.7.3 Firmware Upgrade, Configuration backup and restore, Factory Default Reset
Choose Administration > Firmware Upgrade from the left hand menu bar.
If you have a firmware upgrade for your device, and have downloaded a new version of firmware to your
PC you can browse to the firmware file and select OK to instigate the upgrade.
The Backup and Restore screens allow you to keep a backup of your device configuration settings, and to
restore it if required.
Finally, the Restore to Factory Defaults option will reset your device to the standard settings that applied
when it first came out of the box.
Choose Connected Equipment from the left hand menu bar under Home Network. This will help
diagnosing any problems as it shows all devices (terminals and accessories) connected to the Sharing
Dock, and their status.
Choose Hard Disk from the left hand menu bar under Home Network. If Digital Living Network Alliance
(DLNA) is enabled, and you have a microSD card in your USB device, then the microSD card storage space
can be shared between devices accessing the Sharing Dock via WLAN.
Choose Media Server from the left hand menu bar under Home Network. If the media server button is
enabled (select Enabled then click OK) , and there is a Micro SD card in the USB Stick, then the Sharing
Dock can be used to configure the shared folder.
3. Troubleshooting
- Overview
- The Box Diagnostics Screen
- Common Problems and Solutions
- Using the Master Reset Button
3.1 Overview
The following tips will help solve many common problems encountered while using the Vodafone
Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock.
Make sure you are using the Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock in the correct
geographic region.
Ensure that the Vodafone network coverage extends to your current location.
When properly installed, the Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock is a highly reliable product.
Most problems are caused by one of these issues:
System resources required by the Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock are being
used by other devices.
Network coverage is unavailable due to coverage area, a network problem or an account
problem.
The following two items are referenced frequently in the solutions that follow. Please make note of
their differences.
Choose Troubleshooting from the left hand menu bar under Support.
The Diagnostics screen provides you with trouble-shooting information about each area of functionality
within the Sharing Dock.
All of the steps mentioned here are given in more detailed form elsewhere in the user guide.
I forgot my password.
You can reset the device to factory defaults using the master reset button which can be found on the
bottom of the device.
The USB Stick LED stays solid red or SIM not found is displayed in the Connected Status field
on the main web UI
The SIM card may be missing or inserted incorrectly. Pull out and re-insert the SIM card. Be careful not
to touch the contact points when handling the SIM card.
The LED is flashing red or PIN required is displayed on the main web UI.
The SIM card is locked. Enter your PIN code when prompted in the SIM PIN Management area of the
Mobile Broadband screen. If you enter the wrong PIN code 3 times, you will be prompted to enter
your PUK code. If you enter the wrong PUK code 10 times, your SIM card will be locked forever.
Please contact your Vodafone customer care team before this happens and ask them for your
PIN/PUK codes.
I see the network name but cannot connect to the Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock.
Check the user name, password, and access point name (APN) in your connection profile. If any of
these are wrong, you will not be able to connect to the network.
I get a message that Vodafone Mobile Connect software cannot be installed when I try to use my
Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock in USB mode.
You might not have administrative privileges. Contact your system administrator or log on to your
computer as an administrator and try plugging it in again.
Where can I find information about Internet connectivity and my WLAN setup?
Login to the Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock Home browser interface and select
Troubleshooting > Box Diagnostics
Can I use my Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock as a tethered modem with my computer?
No, but you can use the USB Stick directly in a USB port on your PC, and the Vodafone Mobile
Connect software and drivers will install and start automatically.
How do I check the model number and firmware versions of my Vodafone Mobile Broadband
Sharing Dock?
Login to the Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock Home browser interface and select
Troubleshooting > Box Diagnostics
How can I find out the network technology and provider currently in use?
Open the Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock Home page
http://VodafoneMobileBroadband.SharingDock. The network information is displayed in the
menu bar.
How do I ensure my WiFi enabled devices can find the Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock?
When attempting to use the Sharing Dock with a WiFi enabled handheld device such as a phone, MP3
Player etc you may experience problems locating your Sharing Dock on the available WiFi networks
(SSIDs). This may be due to the WiFi enabled devices inability to handle long SSID names. This can be
easily corrected by amending the SSID name of the Sharing Dock within the WiFi settings page of the
web UI to a smaller length of characters. See section 2.5.3 SSID parameters and MAC filtering. For
example, you could change it from VodafoneSharingDock_XXXXYY to VF.
Why does my PC Wi-Fi not connect to the Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock?
There is a problem that appears when a computer that is running Windows XP SP3 cannot
authenticate a wireless router that uses the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) when the router is
configured to use Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). This problem occurs because Windows XP SP3
mistakenly tries to authenticate a WEP-configured device by using 802.1x authentication, and
therefore the authentication fails.
You will not experience this problem if you have all the Windows XP operating system updated
automatically. If you experience this problem there is a hotfix (971455) available from Microsoft that
should be applied to your PC. Please search for hotfix 971455on www.microsoft.com to access
information, download and update instructions.
In the wireless connection manager on your PC you will see the message Validating Identity
and the network icon state is searching for network if you have this problem. The solution is to
disable 802.x authentication in your wireless connection manager. The process varies under different
operating systems, but the approach is similar to below.
The Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock comes with a master reset button that allows you to
return it to its factory default state.
The master reset button is recessed in a hole on the bottom of the device. You will need a paperclip
or similar object to push the button.
Make sure the Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock is powered on.
Locate the master reset button on the back of the device next to the label.
Insert a paperclip into the hole and hold the button down for 5 seconds until the LED goes off
this will power cycle the device. Holding the button down for 10 seconds will return the
device to its factory default settings.
Your list of wireless networks will now show the original default network when you first
configured your device.
Connect to the Vodafone Mobile Broadband Sharing Dock again.
4. Glossary
802.11 (b, g, n) A set of WLAN communication standards in the 2.4, 3.6 and 5 GHz frequency
bands.
Access Point A device that allows wireless communication devices to connect to a wireless
network using a standard such as WLAN.
DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. A network application protocol used to obtain
configuration information for an Internet Protocol network.
DHCP Server A server that uses DHCP to obtain configuration information for operation in an
Internet Protocol network.
DNS Domain Name System. A system for converting host names and domain names into IP
addresses on the Internet or on local networks that use the TCP/IP protocol.
Firmware A program that internally controls an electronic device.
Gateway A network point that acts as an entrance to another network that uses a different
protocol.
Host Name The unique name by which a network-attached device is known on a network.
HTTP Hypertext Transfer Protocol. An application-level protocol for accessing the World Wide
Web over the Internet.
IP Type The type of service provided over a network.
IP address Internet Protocol address. The address of a device attached to an IP network (TCP/IP
network).
LAN Local Area Network. A type of network that lets a group of computers, all in close proximity
(such as inside an office building), communicate with one another.
MAC Address A number that uniquely identifies a given network adapter on a LAN. MAC
addresses are 12-digit hexadecimal numbers.
Network Mask A number that allows IP networks to be subdivided for security and performance.
Port A virtual data connection used by programs to exchange data.
Port Number A number assigned to a user session and server application in an IP network.
Router A device that connects two networks.
SSID Service Set Identifier. The name assigned to a WLAN network.
TCP Transmission Control Protocol. A core protocol for transmitting and receiving information
over the Internet.
TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. A communications protocol developed
under contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to internetwork dissimilar systems.
VPN Virtual Private Network. A secure private network that runs over the public Internet.
WAN Wide Area Network. A public network that extends beyond architectural, geographical, or
political boundaries (unlike a LAN, which is usually a private network located within a room, building,
or other limited area).
WEP Wired Equivalent Privacy. An IEEE standard security protocol for 802.11 networks.
Superseded by WPA and WPA2.
WLAN Client A wireless device that connects to the Internet via WLAN.
WLAN Wireless Local Area Network. A typically low-power network that transmits a wireless
signal over a span of a few hundred feet and usually only to stationary devices.
WPA/WPA2 WLAN Protected Access. A security protocol for wireless 802.11 networks from the
WLAN Alliance.