NetGear AirCard 785S aka Telstra 4G My Pocket Wi-Fi Ultimate stuck at Detecting Service!

Written by James McDonald

June 3, 2015

Update: 23 Dec 2015 – Just logged into the web admin page and there was an update available. Clicked to download and install the update and now the issue mentioned below are fixed.

Note: This is one of those annoying “I have a problem without a solution” posts. No fix yet….

OK so due to a delay in my cable installation, at my new digs in Melbourne, I have had to purchase an interim service in the form of a Telstra 4G My Pocket Wi-Fi Ultimate pre-paid mobile device. Telstra is providing this on my account until the cable installation completes. Which I am very grateful to them for.

 

Incidentally if you are really serious about bandwidth in Australia, and can bear the cost then the Telstra network can provide you with high levels of both:

speedtest_telstra4g_kew_melbourne

In my view, the other competing carriers (Optus etc) can provide similar levels of service in the capital cities, but not nearly as consistently as Telstra does.

Anyway the modem works fine I can connect up to 10 devices, I have the option of two wireless network frequencies 2.4 and 5GHz and have found it creates a nice network, for my HP printer, Wifes iPad & iPhone, my Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Macbook Pro.

However there is an annoyance. The modem and it’s corresponding status webpage you can access at http://m.home both fail to display the expected data available and time remaining.

The display screen on the modem is stuck at “Detecting Service”

4g_display

This is what the box the modem comes in shows should be displayed

The admin webpage at http://m.home is missing the data too.

missing_information

Service Number, Usage, Time Remaining Missing

Interestingly the modem (I probably should call it a 4g wi-fi device to be more accurate, just replace modem with 4g wi-fi device) calls out to the Telstra servers using AJAX and it appears the call fails (not with a 404 but with a lack of data).

I’m hoping that the Telstra technician I called and spent ages (33m:35s) on the phone with (I’m not the only one, see the comments here) is right and that 24hrs might need to elapse before it works…. But I find that argument a bit illogical because at the moment you activate the service they have all the data needed to get the screen status working. I think he (the Telstra Tech) was doing a “Hey Buddy, I don’t know what the problem is, but wait 24hrs and we can both have a breather” thing.

javascript_call_out

 

So this is what I’ve found so far. No answers. I’m hoping knowing that I haven’t found a fix may help some other netizen who is having the same challenge.

 

4 Comments

  1. Ian Freeman

    I have a MacBook Pro and have great problems connecting to the net using a NetGear AirCard 785S. When it does connect it is very slow ie down to 24kps. It frequently disconnects. To reconnect you either succeed with restarting the computer, restarting the NetGear AirCard or removing and replacing the SIM in the Wi-Fi device or pressing the buttons on the control side of the NetGear device.
    TELSTRA shop (5 different staff in my 5 visits!! will not recognise that it is a compatibility problem. Said they had sent it off for checking and repair. Got it back 16 days later and was told it was a new replacement. Got home to find it had the same product ID as the one I left in the shop! That should be recognised as a modern miracle.

    Reply
  2. Nick

    I am having the same issue. Only started a few weeks ago, initially it worked fine however it now only displays this message. The service works fine I just cannot see how much data I have used.

    Reply
  3. Daniel

    Factory Reset fixes this problem.

    Reply
    • Steve

      Tried factory reset 4 times and no change………

      Reply

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