Using Your Device

43

If you click an icon or the text, a window opens with additional information, as shown in the

following screenshot

.

If you’re logged in, the window may also display configurable settings.

Note:

A more complete set of configurable settings is available in the

Advanced Settings

window. (See

“Advanced Settings” on page 53.)

Signal Information

No signal

Very weak signal

Excellent signal

Click the signal strength icon to display the Signal Quality window. The window displays:

●

The active network — the network that is currently being used for your data connection. For

example, “3G (EVDO Rev A).”

●

3G or 4G status:

±

Connection status. For example, “Connected.”

±

Tables that show the coverage type, RSSI, and Ec/Io (for 3G) or CINR (for 4G).

RSSI reflects the signal strength of the network.

44

Using Your Device

Ec/Io is a dimensionless ratio of the average power of a channel, typically the pilot channel, to

the total signal power.

CINR stands for Carrier to Interference-plus-Noise Ratio and is a measurement of signal

effectiveness.

The first table also shows the type(s) of 3G service you have: 1X, 1xEV-DO, or both. (To

determine whether you have EV-DO Rev. 0 or Rev. A service, use the text near the 3G icon; see

“Mobile Broadband Information and Settings” on page 44.)

●

Scan for 4G

button (available only if 4G is in power save mode — the LCD of the device displays

“Power Save Mode. 4G Network not found”). Click this button to search for and attempt to connect

to a 4G network. (Whether or not a connection to 4G occurs depends on the WAN Mode setting;

see “Setup Panel” on page 80.)

Tip:

If 4G is in power save mode, you can also scan for 4G from the “Network Status” LCD information

screen. (See “LCD Information Screens” on page 17.)

See also “Improving Signal Strength” on page 126.

Mobile Broadband Information and Settings

The 3G or 4G icon indicates the service and connection state. Note that only one icon is shown (the

active network).

or

You have no service. Try the suggestions in “Cannot Connect to the 3G or 4G

Network” on page 135.

or

You have service but are not connected.

or

You have service and are connected.

The text next to the icon displays the connection status, for example, “No service,” or “Connected.”

Click the icon to display the Mobile Broadband Information window. The window displays:

●

The active network — the network that is currently being used for your data connection. For

example, “4G” or “3G (EVDO Rev A).”

●

3G and 4G status. For example, “Connected.”

●

Connection Preferences

(if you’re logged in).

Using Your Device

45

Configuring the 3G/4G Connection Preferences

The value determines which network(s) to connect to, and in what order:

●

3G Preferred

— Connection can be established to either 3G or 4G; if both are available, 3G is

used.

●

4G Preferred

— Connection can be established to either 3G or 4G; if both are available, 4G is

used. This setting is recommended if your service provider has no data limit for 4G, but does

for 3G, or you want to take advantage of the faster data transfer speeds of 4G.

●

3G Only

— Connection can be established only to 3G.

●

4G Only

— Connection can be established only to 4G.

If you don’t have 4G coverage, you can save power by selecting

3G Only

.

To automatically connect to the network upon loss of connection or when the device powers on,

select

Connect Automatically

. To prevent this from happening when you’re roaming on 3G, also

select

Disable when roaming

.

Note:

Disable when roaming

does not prevent you from roaming; it only prevents a connection (that was

lost while roaming) from automatically being reestablished.

3G Roaming Information and Settings

The roaming indicator shows whether you are roaming. The text near the icon may indicate

additional details.

Not roaming

Roaming

[flashing]

Enhanced roaming indicator

Note:

Roaming on 4G is not supported.

Click the roaming indicator to display the 3G Roaming Information window. The window displays:

●

Roaming status.

●

Allow 3G roaming

field (if you’re logged in).

±

If you select this field, you can roam and connect when outside of Sprint coverage, but

additional charges may occur. (To roam outside of the United States and Puerto Rico, you

must also select

Allow international access

.)

±

If you do not select this field, you can connect only when you’re inside a Sprint coverage

area.

Note:

If you change the value of this field, the device restarts (after you click

Save

).

46

Using Your Device

●

Allow international access

field (if you’re logged in) — allows roaming outside of the United States

and Puerto Rico (for example, in Canada).

If this field is not displayed, select

Allow 3G roaming

.

Alert Information

The alerts icon indicates whether there are any alerts (situations that require your attention).

Note:

To view alert information, you must be logged in. New alerts are checked upon device power-up.

That is, if an event occurs, you won’t be notified until the device is restarted.

No alerts are available.

One or more alerts are available.

The text next to the icon indicates the number of alerts.

Click the icon to display the Alert window. (For more information, see “Alerts” on page 36.)

GPS Information and Settings

GPS is off (not enabled).

Before you can use GPS, you must accept the GPS privacy agreement and

enable GPS. (See “GPS Privacy Agreement” on page 37 and “Enabling

GPS” on page 59.)

GPS is on and available. (The GPS privacy agreement has been accepted,

and GPS is enabled.)

(flashing)

GPS is active (acquiring a location fix).

The text next to the icon displays the GPS status, for example, “GPS not enabled” or “GPS searching

for satellites.”

Click the icon to display the GPS Information and Settings window. The window shows the GPS status

and, if available, location information, including:

●

HEPE

— The Horizontal Estimated Position Error reflects accuracy (horizontal/vertical precision).

Note:

For best results, minimize the number of obstructions between your device and the GPS satellites.

●

Timestamp

— This indicates the time of the last fix.

Using Your Device

47

Configuring the Settings

When you’re logged in, the following settings are available.

View privacy agreement

(link displayed if you haven’t yet accepted the GPS privacy agreement).

You cannot enable and use GPS until you accept this agreement. Click the link to view and then

accept the agreement.

Enable GPS

— To use GPS and to configure other GPS settings, this check box must be selected.

GPS Mode

— This setting determines how often the device should obtain a fix.

●

One-time

— A single fix is used. Use this option if you’ll be using your device at the same

location.

●

Continuous

— Fixes are obtained on a regular basis; also known as auto-tracking. This is useful

for turn-by-turn (TBT) navigation applications, such as driving directions.

Get fix now

— This button starts a one-time fix (not displayed if

GPS Mode

is

Continuous

or a GPS

session is already in progress). If you change the value from

Continuous

to

One-time

, you must

click

Save

before your changes take effect and the fix becomes possible.

Mapping service

— This determines the mapping service (for example, Google Maps or

MapQuest) that displays the GPS results (in a separate browser window).

Metric units

— This setting specifies whether to use metric when displaying the GPS results (for

example, the altitude, speed, HEPE).

Note:

Additional settings are available at

Advanced settings > WAN > GPS

. (See “GPS Settings” on

page 97.)

Wi-Fi Users Information and Settings

The Wi-Fi users icon shows how many Wi-Fi users are connected to the device — for example,

shows that no (zero) users are connected.

The icon is on the left side of the home page.

Click the icon to display the Connected Users window.

Connected Users Information

When you’re logged in, the Connected Users window shows a table with information on

computers currently connected to the device.

A row may show one or both of these icons:

●

— The user of this computer is logged in as administrator.

●

— This computer is connected to the device through the micro-USB cable.

MAC Address

— Each wireless device has a unique MAC address (assigned by its manufacturer).

On Windows PCs, the MAC address is called the “physical address;” on a Mac computer, it is

called the “Ethernet ID.” (See “Finding the MAC Address” on page 128.)