How to make 3g work on Android. How to set up mobile Internet on Android: instructions and life hacks

Already highly developed, and the communicator can be used as a 3G modem. Many users know that you can replace the slow Internet on your device with a faster one. Naturally, such an opportunity did not exist before, but the needs of users gradually grew, and accordingly, it was born new technology connections from mobile operators. EDGE replaced the slow GPRS Internet and is now the standard. In fact, the Internet has significantly expanded the possibilities for users, since along with the innovation it has increased. Today we decided to talk about how to enable 3G on Android, because many device owners do not even suspect that this is possible. However, the desire to get high Internet speed is always there.

New standard

Today, almost all new mobile devices have the ability to use third generation networks; this can happen both for Internet connections and for calls. If you are interested in the question of how to enable 3G, then now we will tell you.

Green robot

If you own a mobile device that runs on the Android platform, then it probably has a 3G option. When you want to access the Internet using this connection for the first time, most likely, you will see a message stating that the function is inactive or configured incorrectly. Don't panic because before you can access the internet on your device, you'll need to set it up. Accordingly, you have a question about how to connect 3G to Android.

Operator selection

In order to make settings on your mobile device, first you need to check whether you have Internet traffic in your tariff. You can do this in the appropriate sections, depending on the operator you are using. If you do not have the Internet, then we recommend that you connect it, because if you use the network without an active package, then you can spend a tidy sum. When you switched to a new tariff with data included in it, but your mobile device still refuses to open access, then you should find out how to enable 3G on Android. This is done very simply.

Setup process

On the desktop of your mobile device you need to find the settings section, this is where we will connect the Internet. Naturally, it all depends on your device firmware version, but you can find this menu. In order to enable 3G on Android, you will need to open the corresponding section in the settings, which is responsible for in most cases this item is equipped with a Wi-Fi icon. When you managed to get to the specified function, you should specify the APN settings; in most cases, this section can be hidden under the “additional” or “more” label. Now you will need to enter the access point. You need to do this based on the mobile operator you are using. If you regularly use the services of two companies, for example, if your device supports two SIM cards, then, accordingly, you will need to make settings for each of the numbers. However, when you connect to the Internet, you can choose one of them yourself. Before you go to the access point settings, you must check the box next to the settings, so you will allow your mobile device to transfer data using the mobile network. After completing these steps, you will need to enable the 3G feature on your mobile device. But first you need to fill in all the required items in the APN section. If you do not know what needs to be indicated there, then you can contact your mobile operator. As we wrote earlier, everyone has their own settings. You don't know how to enable 3G on Android? Then you can find all the necessary information from your mobile operator. The name that you will indicate in the new profile can be absolutely anything, since this data is not sent to the network and is used for quick and convenient connection to the desired access point.

How to enable 3G on Android: conclusion

You can create several profiles for each SIM card, here everything will depend only on your preferences. After you have set up the network and want to access the Internet, you need to enable 3G. One more fact should be mentioned, since in the material we focused on working with smartphones. Modern tablet computers running Android also allow you to access the Internet via Wi-Fi and 3G. In this case, the setup occurs according to instructions similar to the one we discussed in the example mobile phones. It should also be noted that modern tablet computers are capable of automatically activating the mobile Internet.

Today we can safely say that the 3G network in the territory Russian Federation took place. And the time has come to take advantage of this type of high-speed communication. And since 2015, the 4G network has also taken place, so it’s time to think about it too.

The first thing you need to make sure before connecting a 3G connection is that your phone supports this type of connection. This is not difficult to do by looking for the characteristics of the device in the instructions. You can find this information in your phone settings or on websites about mobile phones, of which there are many, but the most complete and honest is GSM Arena, available at www.gsmarena.com. For example, the technical data of the Alcatel OneTouch Pixi 3(4.5) states that it supports two types of SIM cards:

miniSIM – 3
microSIM – 4G.

If your phone supports 3G, then proceed to the next step. It can be done without your participation if the device supports automatic setup 3G network parameters. Some devices do not have this function, and you will have to configure them manually yourself. Remember if you have blocked the function of connecting your mobile device to the network using a SIM card. It must be activated.

Just below we see the network types. Many people don't know what this means. Let's move on to the settings.

Types of mobile networks

Here is a screenshot from a smartphone that can help you navigate how to set up a 3G network on your mobile phone.

LTE

Long-Term Evolution is one of the wireless communication standards. It is considered a descendant of GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA; the transmission protocol is similar, but the speed of information exchange is higher. Although pure LTE is presented by operators as a 4G technology, its specification does not satisfy this condition and is prescribed by the 3GPP consortium as an intermediate one.

The ranges of this communication group differ by country, so the phone must be multi-band. And this can only be judged by indirect data from the website www.gsmarena.com. However, it is also wrong to classify LTE as the previous generation, because significant improvements have occurred. In fact, the standards are met by the LTE-A (advanced) specification, and it is called True 4G, and is designated 4G+. From the information on www.gsmarena.com it is not entirely clear what exactly Alcatel OneTiuch supports. Thus, the data cannot be called exhaustive.

Throughput has been increased by reducing the waiting time between packets, changing processing methods and nuances of radio signal modulation. LTE operates on its own frequency because it is completely incompatible with previous versions of wireless communications from cellular operators. The real maximum download speed is 326.4 Mbps, which is almost three times lower than real 4G. Uplink is twice as slow.

The division of channels (in addition to the code one) occurs due to the separation of frequencies and time. Among the leaders cellular communication Kazakhstan is among the new generation, along with South Korea and Japan. The Russian Federation is somewhere in the middle of the list. The only consolation is that Kazakhstan has surpassed America in this regard. At long distances, the reception frequency decreases, and the actual speed can be 1 Mbit/s. In the Russian Federation, the bands mostly used are 2600 MHz, 1800 MHz (the most common, range up to 6.8 km) and 800 MHz. A number of useful frequencies in our country are still occupied by analogue television broadcasting.

LTE providers benefit from the fact that there are gradual upgrade algorithms from UMTS. But a cell phone will never give maximum performance. For this you need an external antenna. Then the speeds can become truly significant. And so LTE can be called solid 3G. Everything else is advertising gimmicks.

LTE-A

According to 3GPP rules, this protocol is described by the 10th version specification. LTE-A is one of the few officially recognized as the fourth generation of cellular communications. Improvements are achieved through purely quantitative methods. Not only does the channel bandwidth expand, but it also becomes possible to occupy separate pieces of the spectrum scattered across the range. In Russia, LTE-A was the first to occupy the Garden Ring. This happened on February 25, 2014. The network worked with maximum speed 300 Mbit/s, but for advertising purposes it was called 4G. Given the above, you need to clarify whether the phone supports LTE-A. If the answer is no, then there cannot be anything other than 3G Internet on the device.

UMTS

One of the most common 3G communication standards. Developed with the aim of introducing this concept into European everyday life. The theoretical speed threshold is 42 Mbit/s with HSPA+. Otherwise - half as much. Based on the GSM standard. Uses code channeling. On practice average speed is about a third of Mbit/s.

GSM

Second generation of mobile communications. It comes into operation when other protocols fail. On average, the channel carries a bitrate of 9.6 kbit/s. This is simply zero compared to modern 3G standards. One of the intermediate technologies is GPRS, which is often called 2.5G. The second generation includes:

HSCSD.

To the transitions between 2 and 3:

GPRS.
EDGE.
CDMA2000.

Setting up your phone manually

So, phones predominantly have only 3G family protocols, with a transition to 2G when communications with a higher bitrate fail. This means that access to the Internet is always carried out using third-generation protocols, if conditions allow. 4G can sometimes come into play if supported by the cellular operator. For example, on the MTS website, according to the classification, the intermediate generation of specification 9 is advertised, unless the moderators and designers made mistakes.

The settings are different and depend on the mobile operator, and the installation method is different for each device model. Therefore, to find out how to connect 3G on your phone, it is better to contact the operator directly. Information about connection can be found at the following links:

MTS – http://www.mts.ru/mobil_inet_and_tv/help/settings/settings_phone/inet_settings/
Beeline – http://moskva.beeline.ru/customers/help/mobile/mobilnyy-internet/nastroika-telefona/
Megafon – https://moscow.megafon.ru/help/faq/#nastroit-internet

If it is impossible to go to the information site of the mobile operator and rewrite the network access settings, then you can try the following data:

Name: Beeline
Username: beeline
APN: internet.beeline.ru
Password: beeline
APN type: default
APN protocol: IPv4
Authentication type: PAP

Name: MTS
Username: mts
APN: internet.mts.ru
Password: mts
MMS protocol: WAP 2.0
MSS: 250
MNC: 01
APN type: default

Name: megafon
Username: gdata
APN: internet
Password: gdata
APN type: default
MCC: 250
MNC: 02

Let's look at the setup procedure step by step using the Nokia Lumia 520 as an example.

Go to the menu and select SETTINGS.
In SETTINGS we find ACCESS POINT.
Click + (add).
In the window you need to fill in: name, username, APN, password.

As soon as access is available, 3G will automatically be picked up. We continue to configure:

Go to the SETTINGS menu.
Click on the item CELLULAR COMMUNICATIONS + SIM.
Set the data transfer lever to the OFF position.
Below, under the inscription “fastest connection”, set the 3G mode.
Click on SIM CARD SETTINGS.
In the menu, set SEARCH FOR NETWORKS.
After a few seconds of searching, select the operator you need.
Go back and set the data transfer lever to the ON position.

The 3G connection icon should appear on the display, it can be: 3G, H+, H, triangle. The absence of an icon indicates that an error has crept into the settings or you are outside the 3G network area. You can try restarting your mobile phone.

If you are using a device with two SIM cards, please note that only one of the two cards will work in 3G. As a rule, the first slot is provided for 3G cards. Some phones indicate the supported connection type next to the slot.

Usually, when the 3G signal is lost, the device automatically switches to 2G mode and back. But in some cases, phones do this incorrectly and may not detect the network at all. In this case, make sure you have automatic network search set. If not, then turn it on.

Real 3G speed

The speed supported by the 3G connection reaches 42.2 Mbit/s, provided that the smartphone supports the HSDPA+ standard. If the phone only supports HSDPA, then the speed will be half as much – 22.1 Mbit/s. The actual speed is usually much less.

Connection speed can be measured using the Speedtest service. This application can be downloaded for iOS, Android, Windows Phone. The program is easy to use and has only one “Start” button, located under the animated speedometer.

After measurement, the results: traffic speed and connection speed can be sent by email, for example, to the network operator. The Results tab stores data about previous measurements.

It should be noted that the speed may vary and depends on the region, signal strength and speed of movement. At a driving speed of 100 km/h, the speed of data transmission and reception drops several times.

One last piece of advice. Practical measurements have shown that a smartphone in 3G mode consumes 20-30% more electricity. Therefore, if you do not need to use 3G communications all the time, then work in 2G (Settings menu), and the high-speed mode is turned on as needed. If it's convenient, of course. The technical information can be viewed very simply using the example of an MTS 3G modem that was sold several years ago.

A 3G connection is the most common type of data transmission today using the Android OS. And, if there are no problems using this communication standard, then correct configuration sometimes takes time. For the most part, the necessary settings are already programmed into the phone for a specific regional operator, but there are often situations when the owner of this device is forced to enter data for each APN point independently.

In most cases, users do not need to configure anything

What to do if 3G does not turn on

The first step is to check your SIM card balance. Then make sure that the 3G service is connected and included in the tariff price. Just call your operator's call center and find out whether the tariff plan you are using actually includes 3G Internet services.

After making sure that the 3G service is connected and there is money in your account, go to the “Settings” menu on your smartphone. Next, select the “Data Transfer” section. Then you need to press the “Mobile network” button and turn it on if it is turned off. On different models of smartphones with the Android OS, the names of the sections in the settings may differ slightly, but the principle is the same and intuitive.

ATTENTION. Remember that 3G Internet will only work if data transfer from the SIM card is enabled.

Setting up an access point (APN)

Having completed the previous three steps, you are already close to solving the problem. Now all that remains is to configure the APN according to your communication service provider and enable it. The setting is hidden somewhere in “Data Transfer”, usually hidden under the “Advanced” or “More” buttons on Android.

By going to the menu dedicated to APN data settings, select “New access point”. You will need to include data, of which you will only fill in “Access Point (APN)”, “Username” and “Password”. The remaining fields can be left blank.

MTS: access point - internet.mts.ru, username - mts, password - mts;
Megafon: access point - megafon, username - megafon, password - megafon;
Beeline: access point - internet.beeline.ru, username - beeline, password - beeline;
TELE2: access point - internet.teleru, do not enter username and password.

Now the smartphone is ready for web surfing and downloading files. If you still couldn’t set up 3G Internet on Android, check whether the SIM card is working and whether it is located correctly in the smartphone. There are often cases when the problem of connecting to the network was a poorly installed SIM card.

If you cannot connect to the Internet on Android, try visiting the website of your mobile operator and find answers to your concerns there. Often these sites already have a FAQ section where you can find a solution for your specific situation.

Conclusion

Don't forget to turn off Data when you are not using 3G. This advice is useful for all situations, unless you have unlimited 3G Internet. Android with 3G connected to it loves to update installed programs and download new ones, and this invariably affects traffic. And if the traffic on the tariff has its own limit, this constant flow of updates and downloadable software can leave you without the Internet until the end of the day or slightly reduce your account balance.

Still used in many banking systems and is highly resistant to hacking and data leakage. Unfortunately, in Russia it is very expensive, but this does not negate its degree of demand for a certain circle of people.

GPRS technology is a “packet” technology, it collects all information into conventional units (packets) and transmits them at a speed of 56 before 114 Kbps This allows you to access the Internet, download melodies, pictures, games, send short multimedia messages (MMS), communicate via ICQ or email.

EDGE transfers data approximately three times faster than GPRS - EDGE is theoretically capable of supporting file transfer speeds of up to 474 kbit/s, while the peak value for GPRS is 171,2 kbit/s The numbers speak for themselves, although in practice the speed figures are much more modest.

(from the English third generation - third generation) - third generation mobile GSM communication technology, which combines both voice communication capabilities and high-speed mobile access to the Internet. Third generation radio communication is different from previous versions increased operating speed, transferring data at speeds up to 3,6 Mbps. This allows you to enjoy all the benefits on your mobile device. high speed internet: watch movies and TV programs on-line, organize mobile video telephony, download large amounts of data, etc.

Step 1. Connect the GPRS/EDGE/3G service

All operators have GPRS / EDGE / Internet service connected initially. But in some cases, you need to activate the service yourself. The speed of Internet access depends on the device that the user is using at a certain moment and on the coverage area in which he is located. The coverage is much inferior to GPRS / EDGE, but at the same time it gives a huge gain in network connection speed.

A tablet is usually purchased in order to be constantly connected to the Internet. Connecting to the Internet via 3G is one of the most advanced technologies today, while 4G networks have not yet become widespread. This connection allows you to obtain a speed sufficient for work and, unlike Wi-Fi, works almost everywhere where there is coverage from mobile operators.

Setting up the 3G module

How to set up 3G on a tablet if such a module is already included in the tablet computer? To do this, you need to insert a microSIM card from one of the cellular operators into the tablet.

At the same time, the 3G adapter on the tablet must be compatible with domestic operators. After turning on the tablet, the connection should work immediately. You may need to go to “settings>mobile network settings>account” to configure the connection by entering the APN username, your username and password (the names may differ for different models). Data for setting up different operators can be found on the Internet.

Example for setting up a connection on an iPad:

1) Go to settings and click “cellular data”

2) Click on “APN settings”

3) In the APN section, enter the required data. In this case, the name and password fields can be left blank

After this, the settings are completed.

Connecting a 3G modem

How to set up 3G on a tablet without a 3G module? To do this, you need to purchase a USB modem to connect to the 3G network. You just need to select a modem model compatible with your tablet. It is also necessary for the tablet to support USB modems, but this depends on the firmware and not all devices yet have this support. And through the hyperterminal (the program is HyperTerminal, available on the Internet) you need to remove CD-image support from the modem and switch it to “modem only” mode. Install HyperTerminal on a desktop computer (in Windows XP it may already be pre-installed and located in the “Standard>Communications” section) and connect the modem for configuration. First, through the software installed from the modem, remove the PIN code check in the settings. Then, through HyperTerminal, switch to “modem only” mode.

Then on the tablet, go to the Settings>Wireless networks>Mobile network menu and check the “Data transfer” checkbox. Insert the modem and wait for the tablet to detect it and the network icon to appear (up to 30 seconds). To add a new connection point, go to “APN access point” and “menu”. When creating a new connection point, you must enter your operator's details. If the modem was purchased tied to a specific operator, then some data will already be entered. After returning to the “APN Access Point” window, the configured access point should be selected and after a few seconds the “3G” icon will appear. After this, the setup is considered complete.

An example of setting up an Android tablet when connecting a 3G modem:

1) Go to Settings>Wireless Networks and check “3G”, then go to “Mobile Network”

2) Check “Data transfer” and connect the modem to the tablet. After that, click “APN Access Point”.

3) Press “Menu” and “New access point”. Enter operator details.

5) Go to the “APN Access Point” window and wait for your access point to become active.

If the APN is not saved, then check that SIM card PIN code entry has been disabled or the tablet needs to be rebooted. If the modem does not work correctly, carefully check the compatibility of the modem and the tablet. Do not forget to switch the modem to “modem only” mode before setting it up. It is advisable to insert the modem into the same socket, otherwise on some models problems arise when working with different sockets.

3G settings menu

If there is a “3G settings” item in the menu (available in some tablet models), then enter this menu, connect the modem and select “Add 3G network”. Here you need to enter your operator data and click Connect, after which “3G” should appear at the top. The connection has occurred and everything should work.

If the described menu items are not available on the tablet, you may need to install Quick Settings downloaded from the market.

Do not forget that there must be good 3G coverage and the signal is not weak, otherwise the connection will be interrupted.