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Testing and Mapping a Cellular Data Network?

Posted by kdawson on from the circles-and-arrows-on-the-back-of-each-one dept.

bgsneeze writes "In order to resolve an ongoing issue with a vendor, I have been trying to find a way to test different 3G data devices empirically. I would like to be able to chart signal strength, latency, and bandwidth. I would also like to create a map of the coverage area. I have a test 3G card from three different providers. I would like to be able to travel with the setup to several different locations and run tests. What software or techniques would Slashdotters use to test the different devices? Are there any free or open source software packages that will do this?"

7 of 114 comments (clear)

  1. 3G by Ethanol-fueled · · Score: 1, Interesting
    TFS:

    ...I have a test 3G card from three different providers...

    Do you mean a 3G SIM for use in mobile devices?

    If you mean the USB/PC card 3G adapters for computers, I doubt you'll be able to run them on Linux without using WINE or a VM or whatever, which may interfere with latency readings. Those adapters require you to install software(ATT Connection manager in their case) that's only supported on Windows and Mac, and that software is required to "authenticate" your computer and use the network.

    Anecdote: I had ATT 3G in the metro San Diego area around 2007. Speeds and coverage were decent enough to browse the web, but too spotty for anything hardcore.

    I've also said this a million times, but ATT connection manager takes 10 minutes to install and spins the hard drive like a defrag...waaaay overkill given the reported footprint.

    Note: too lazy to dig up hacks and testamonials from Google.

    1. Re:3G by phantomfive · · Score: 3, Interesting

      If you mean the USB/PC card 3G adapters for computers, I doubt you'll be able to run them on Linux without using WINE or a VM or whatever, which may interfere with latency readings...........Note: too lazy to dig up hacks and testamonials from Google.

      Sigh.......this is the kind of misconception that happens when you are too lazy to use Google. Those USB/PC card 3G adapters for computers work quite well on Linux, here is one example tutorial. Try not to give advice if you are too lazy to verify it.

      --
      Qxe4
    2. Re:3G by Neil_Brown · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Those adapters require you to install software(ATT Connection manager in their case) that's only supported on Windows and Mac, and that software is required to "authenticate" your computer and use the network.

      (Disclaimer - I work for Vodafone, albeit as a lawyer)

      I have never tried with one of the PCMIA cards, but, most Huawei modems will work fine under Linux - you might need usb-modeswitch to flip it into modem mode (as opposed to mass storage mode), but, otherwise, it should not be a problem.

      If using Network Manager (works automatically under Linux Mint 7 and 8), or tinkering with ppp (this was not difficult using Xandros on an Asus EEE 701), is not your thing, Vodafone has also released a version of the Vodafone Mobile Connect client for Linux, which should work with any provider's SIM. More details at Betavine. It's gui-driven, and should be usable by those without a particular interest in how/why things work.

      We also do our best to support those in need of assistance, irrespective of provider, but, since it's just a few of the R&D team, and (very occasionally now) me, it really is a "best efforts" rather than a "guaranteed support" environment.

  2. Re:Don't waste your time by bughunter · · Score: 4, Interesting

    These are simply links to the coverage maps advertised by the providers, in which service quality is frequently exaggerated, if not blatantly false.

    For example, AT&T (my provider) claims "good" coverage in two neighborhoods in my home town, Pasadena, where I know for a fact that there is no coverage, or worse, sporadic one-bar-then-no-bar coverage that drains my cellphone battery in an hour. And even worse, they show "best" coverage throughout San Marino, a town in which I can never make or receive calls on AT&T.

    --
    I can see the fnords!
  3. Sensorly on Android by mykro76 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    http://www.sensorly.com/ Run it on your phone manually (or have it triggered intermittently). The 3G, EDGE and wifi coverage that your phone detects is uploaded to the central server and within a minute your phone receive the updated maps. You can only contribute to the maps for your phone's carrier, but you can view the maps for all carriers.

  4. Academic paper on that topic by DrCompE · · Score: 3, Interesting

    http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~suman/pubs/citywide.pdf
    ABSTRACT
    We describe our experiences in building a city-wide infrastructure for wide-area wireless experimentation. Our infrastructure has two components — (i) a vehicular testbed consisting of wireless nodes, each equipped with both cellular (EV-DO) and WiFi interfaces, and mounted on city buses plying in Madison, Wisconsin, and (ii) a software platform to utilize these testbed nodes to continuously monitor and characterize performance of large scale wireless networks, such as city-wide mesh networks, unplanned deployments of WiFi hotspots, and cellular networks. Beyond our initial eorts in building and deploying this infrastructure, we have also utilized it to gain some initial understanding of the diversity of user experience in large-scale wireless networks, especially under various mobility scenarios. Since our vehicle-mounted testbed nodes have fairly deterministic mobility patterns, they provide us with much needed performance data on parameters such as RF coverage and available bandwidth, as well as quantify the impact of mobility on performance. We use our initial measurements from this testbed to showcase its ability to provide an ecient, low-cost, and robust method to monitor our target wireless networks. These initial measurements also highlight the challenges we face as we continue to expand this infrastructure. We discuss what these challenges are and how we intend to address them.

  5. Get android handset and/or iphone; write an app by naturaverl · · Score: 2, Interesting

    one possible solution:

    Download the android SDK; write an app; run it in the emulator that comes with the SDK.
    I'm not sure how much work it'd be to tie your 3G card(s) into the emulator (that comes with the SDK), but it's possible.
    Linux would be my first choice, but the SDK also runs on windows or mac os.

    Bonus for getting a useful app included in the app store.