Any Foneros out there?

kwikbreaks

A while back I found my Fonera+ was regularly hanging and contacted Fon support. At that time they told be the access remained active for 30 days from your last presence as a Fon hotspot. I put it on a timer that shut it off for a minute every day at around 1:00 am. We've got about three weeks left.

Richard_T_

Another thing is - my Fon spot that was displayed on the map has now vanished from that map http://maps.fon.com/

Gloomendoom

Richard_T_ wrote: »

Another thing is - my Fon spot that was displayed on the map has now vanished from that map http://maps.fon.com/

Mine is still shown

Richard_T_

New fonera has just come

First thoughts/impressions
Came with a UK/Euro plug adapter taped to the side of the box
Significantly smaller box and router than the fonera+
Was able to log it in and register it to my current fon account, can now log in to fon via the usual method with my normal username/password

Wifi SSIDs are MyPlace and Fon_Free_Internet with no BT branding (yet)

Registration was quick and easy - the mac and pin number are on a sticker on the top of the fonera

However when logging into the myplace ssid my P.C ( windows 7 ) asks for a pin number - this is not the same pin thats n the sticker, this needs to be changed to the security key on the bottom of the fonera.

The Antenna is fixed and non removable, this means i will be unable to use my external antenna

The rear of the device has
a reset button, black Ethernet port marked Computer ( with a removable blanking plug ) and an orange Ethernet port marked internet

Its power brick has a European end on it - hence the UK adaptor taped to the box, power input requirements are 5volt, 1amp

Got to go to work now so more later

Richard_T_

And a few more bits just before i go..
The Fon_Free_internet log in/splash page is also completely different again no bt branding, and no option to purchase wifi time, justa fon/facebook log in page it appears that the only way for aliens to join is to purchase a fonera themselves

This may change if the fonera has a fimrware update.

kwikbreaks

Mine's turned up now too. Had to use "Sticky Stuff Remover" to get the tape residue off the adapter.

I always change SSIDs to one of my liking and tried to do so through the router interface rather than via Fon. It asks for the admin password again when you select "WiFi" - it wouldn't accept the default password. Then followed lots of messing around (including hanging the router and having to restart it) trying the PIN, WiFi password (although that wouldn't make much sense), and "admin" again in case my sausage fingers had struck. Eventually after rebooting it I found I could get in to change the wireless settings if I selected WiFi from the drop down immediately on login.

My Fon account still shows the old Fonera+ and complains that I have a non-broadcasting Fon spot. I don't see any way to delete it and am lothe to ask Fon to in case they dump the wrong one.

So a buggy GUI, a tiny fixed antenna, not wall mountable plus I paid full price for the thing. Not impressed but at least I'm not going to lose Fon access in a week or so.

Richard_T_

Despite registering its still showing as Register now in the overview
and my Fon credit is still intact.
Its currently sat next to my old Fonera+ so a little test in a moment comparing signal strength.

The fon utility app seems to be next to useless at the moment

Gloomendoom

Richard_T_ wrote: »

The fon utility app seems to be next to useless at the moment

It's a pity the full Fon app isn't available in the UK. I may try downloading it abroad. I wonder if a proxy would work.

kwikbreaks

Ah - I managed to the original one from a phone I'd installed it on before it vanished from the Play store. Then it got updated. I'm currently using that one as it seems OK now contrary to what I said in http://www.digitalham.co.uk/fon-free-wifi-apk/ - you can download it from there. You'll need to alter settings - Security/Unknown sources to on to install it.

Let me know how you get on. Meanwhile I suppose I need to update that page with the latest annoyance.

Gloomendoom

Thanks for that. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a file behind the link.