Huawei E3121 Data Card Review

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Download Speeds up to 14.4 Mbps can be the best data speeds for downloading heavy data,uninterrupted surfing,playing games,watching movies,streaming music and playing network intensity games.
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Upload speed up to 5.76Mbps
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Network type GSM,Any 3G/2G sim card support,Auto Apn detection and configuration.
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3G: HSPA, HSDPA, HSUPA, UMTS, WCDMA
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2G: GSM, GPRS, EDGE
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External Memory 32 GB Micro SD Supports
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2 GB Cloud Drive
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Soft Wi-Fi (Software Support)
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Supports and works on Windows: Windows XP, Vista, Win 7, Windows 8.MAC: Mac X 10.5, 10.6, 10.7 10.8 (with latest upgrades).Linux: Only Drivers Support.
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Voice Call, SMS, Data Usage Tracker, USSD,Phonebook.
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Free Huawei Zone offers worth Rs.6000/- accessed on landing page of Huawei zone.
Complete Specifications Huawei E3121:
Model | E3121 |
Form Factor | USB Dongle |
Inside the Box | Data Card, Warranty Card, Quick Start Guide |
HSPA, HSDPA (3G Download) | 14.4 Mbps |
HSUPA (3G Upload) | 5.76 Mbps |
UMTS (3G) | 384 kbps |
EDGE | 236.8 kbps |
GPRS | 85.6 kbps |
3G Network | HSPA/UMTS 2100 MHz |
2G Network | GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz |
Soft Wi-Fi | Managed Mode (Full Support) : Win 7 and Windows 8 Ad-hoc Mode : Windows XP, Vista Not Supported: MAC, Linux |
External Memory Memory Card Support microSD Card |
Memory Capacity 32 GB |
Voice Call Support | Yes |
SMS Support | Yes |
USSD Support | Yes |
Data Usage Statistics and Tracker | Yes |
Chipset | Balong |
Type 3i | Yes |
Rx Diversity | Yes |
Antenna | Internal |
Colors | White |
Weight | <50 gm |
Dimension (D X W X H) | 85.5 X 27 X 12.3 mm |
Data card LED Indication | Green : Connected to 2G Network Blue : Connected to 3G Network Cyan : Connected to 3G+ NetworkOff : The Data card is power Off Blinking blue/Green LED indicates that data card is powered but not connected to any data network.In this mode you can make and receive voice calls/messages. |
Warranty | One Year Domestic Warranty,Not Covered in Warranty Physical Damage. |
Mobile Partner Software: This is the software interface provided by huawei for its data cards. The interface is simple and ease of use loaded with features.Whether you want to make a voice call/send a message/check balance/ connect to internet.Everything is clear and straight forward.The mobile partner also has features to call/sms/email huawei support.Huawei E3121 data card automatically registers your data card warranty by sending an sms from your dongle when connect the data card for the first time.The huawei zone is loaded with a landing page which gives freebies worth Rs 6000/- includes 3 month kaspersky anti virus software download,AVG Internet security with license for 1 Year,nexGTv Iptv 60 free channels subscription for 3 months,Unlimited movies from BIGFLIX for one month,up to rs 200 OFF from homeshop18,5% off on carzeal on all deals,Freecharge recharge coupons etc..
I have read in some reviews on flipkart that these are not provided with data card,but that is not true, the landing page has links to all these freebies.We have even downloaded the Free 1 year AVG Internet security with valid license.
Testing:
We can say that it will fulfil your needs and it will be in your budget.The only feature we expect in this data card is the ability to use connected video device/web cam/mobile phone cam to make video calls.Hope Huawei will upgrade such features on its mobile partner software in the coming days.Just go for it,buy it.
Recommended Buying From Flipkart.com Just add to your cart right now.
Update: Huawei has recently added drivers and software patches in its download section,find the solution if you are facing any problems with dongle. New drivers support windows 8 also. Check Huawei E3121 Drivers and Mobile Partner bug fixes and set-up software here.
Comments
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Hi,
I have bought E3121 modem one year back, it works superb for long time. But, recently i am unable to connect internet using this data card (working nice for calls and msgs). the problem is;
1.mobile partner is not displaying network signal and connection type, but displaying only SIM service provider name
2. Unable to change the network type in preferences (it freezed to WCDMA Preferred) and none of the option is working in “network”.
3. Getting connection error when tried to connect to the internet. Tried in both RAS and NDIS mode.
Tried to uninstall and installed mobile partner, no use. Refreshed the firmware of modem, no use. Tested with Huawei modem diagnostic tool, not showing any error.
So, kindly suggest me how can i rectify this issue.
Dear Tarun
i am using E3121 data cardMay i know the mobile partner version shown above in screenshots,as i have to restore the original version..plz help me
Hi Tarun,nearly I bought E303F datacard,but its soft wifi not working in my windows starter edition and in vista also. What will do?
Firmware Version: 21.158.13.01.910
Software Version: 23.009.09.02.910
i am using E3121 data card
May i know the mobile partner version shown above in screenshots,as i have to restore the original version..plz help me
Are you facing this problem with downloading the song files or everything else? Even mobile phones use different mirrors for songs downloads these days which are faster than desktop browser mirrors and user agents.If it is serious problem you should contact huawei support team and also make a thread in support forum there. I do not see any problem with data card as download mirrors are usually slow and speedtest.net speed testing is not so reliable. lot of ISP’s have work a rounds to show some fake speed results.
hi tarun,
thanks for reply, but i have checked the settings of Idm and also when i download the same file in my mobile the download speed is 400kbps. when i download using data card it is very slow, even browsing is slow. i don’t understand why the mobile partner is showing 496kbps, but its actually only 20kbps.
i also tried soft wifi hotspot using my mobile the speed is slow though mobile partner is actually showing 400kbps. i don’t understand what is the problem. please help
Thanks for the screenshot, if my guess is not wrong the problem is with the song mirror source or you may be downloading other files as well in background. As your connection download speed is showing 496kbps there is no problem with your mobile partner software,I hope you are also not experiencing any slow browsing.Try chnaging the mirror of songs source or try another website for downloads.Also please check your IDM settings for any download speed limit is enabled or not. Most of the file sharing hosts limit download speeds its common, do not worry. There is no problem with your data card. Hope this helps.
hi tarun,
speed capping is not the problem because when i check with speedtest.com it shows 400kbps but when i download a file like song etc. the download speed is only 20kbps. i have updated the driver and checked but problem is same. the image below will give an idea.please help
Aircel uses speed capping after the high speed data, see their terms FUP for unlimited plans.If it is not the reason let me know more details, i ll try to help you.Thx
hi tarun ,
i am using huawei e303f data card. though the connecting speed is 400kbps the download speed is only in 20kbps i dont know the reason i am using aircel 3g plan.please help
I have not tested it on windows 8,but it is compatible with windows8 as per huawei specification.The mobile partner software shown here comes with the dongle itself,it is plug and play.thanks for visiting Get life Tips.
Thank you for your feedback on review.Right now i cannot recommend any external wifi adapter as i am not using one.May be in future i will be reviewing external wifi adapters as well.Keep visiting Get Life Tips.
Hi Can you please tell me –
(1) Does it install on Windows 8 home edition?
(2) Can it RECEIVE voice calls ?
(3) The mobile connect software that you have shown in this page, with voice calling – does it get come with the card or do you have to download it from somewhere else?
Thanks
Dheeman
Hi
Recently bought this one based on the review and utility. working fantastically as a standalone. I probably missed the Wi-fi adapter. running it on xp. do i need a separate wifi adapter to enable hot-spot. if so which one should i buy???
i find the software provides with the e3121 is too slow in opening.and please guide me how to connect soft wifi using it.
Anupam soni, Jabalpur
sir, i’ve bought this product, its running but it wonders to search 3g signals most of the times and get very hot most of the time, pls tell what to do?
May be your mobile partner software is corrupted in the system. I have never encountered such kind of problems till now,i use 8-10 hours daily without any interruption.There may be a problem with your sim provider or usb ports.Try changing to a different usb port,try uninstalling mobile partner from control panel and reinstall it.Remove sim and re insert it. Try these hope it will solve any problems.
If you only want it to connect to 3g network only,you can select WCDMA only in network preference settings. Thank you for visiting blog.
I recently buy this dongle, Some time s my n/w switches to 2g from 3g. Can I move this n/w to 3g back again manually.
i m using e3121 datacard.. i m not able to change my network mode from WCDMA to other network. Also my mobile partner in not showing the network bars from past 10 days but the internet shows connected.
I have tested this with Ubuntu and it worked perfectly the dongle comes with driver software and Linux setup guide.User guide states” The Linux OS referred to in this document is 2.6.18 kernel version or later, and this user guide use the FedoraCore 6.0 Linux distribution version.” So cross check your kernel version before you move forward.hope this helps you.Thank you.
There is no external antenna socket available with this data card.Thank you for reading review.If you found the review useful share it with your friends.
Hey Tarun thanx for reply
On Speed – You didnt mention about UCDMA . my current new data card shows me only this network to select. wher as the same mobile sim used in my friends datacard was giving me option of HSDPA to connect. well for the speed its no issue as giving me good speed when connected with new data card so no much worry. so just asked which is good speed connection UCDMA or the HSDPA?.
But the issues are with the new data card it takes me atleast 5-10 retries while connecting at start. it conects disconnects many times before it connects and then works good. this is one issue. this was not with the old data card.
seconf issue is with the soft wifi. the old datacard was used on same PC with a seperate wifi connected on my PC. the old datacard with same PC used to detect the wifi on PC to connect while this new Datacard is not able to detect the wifi or the internet not sure as it gives error “Internet connection sharing failed”. same setup with old datacard worked . so was my question ? something wrong with my setting setup i am missing or is with the the new datacard? just need to confirm from some expert before i get on the Huawei site people.
I’d be glad if you could please care enough to tell us whether the
datacard has an external antenna socket viz. CRC9, as is the case with
E3131.
As for the heating issue i’ve been told it’s usually due to laptop’s
usb port failing to provide the required current. It can easily be
overcome by plugging the card to the laptop through an Y-cable rather
than connecting it directly into the laptop usb port.
1)Hi is 3121 compatible with Linux( fedora 17,Linux mint)??
please reply.
2)what is driver support?
Hey Amol Patil Thank you for reading the review here on get life tips blog.First of all soft wifi is only meant to create a hotspot from the dongle to share internet as a resource with other wifi enabled devices like tablets,smartphones,laptops,pdas etc., your pc/laptop/tablet needs an internal wifi module in order to make the it work.Dongle does not have wifi module in built.That is why it is called soft wifi. Next about your friends data card that you have tested may be using some different network configuration. Regarding UMTS,HSDPA,HSPA configurations all belong to 3G category but with speed difference. For example UMTS is the starting 3g speed network ie 3.6 mbps where as HSDPA/HSUPA will be the high speed network 14.4 mbps. This network configuration will depend on the service provider and data plan which you are using.You have mentioned that your friends dongle worked with WiFi setting ,just make sure wifi is turned on and test your dongle again.Remember soft wifi is an experimental feature and it needs wifi module built in your device that you are using.For further assistance please contact huawei support or read the help files that will be available with the dongle.As long as it gives good speeds and reliable internet connection there is no need to worry about the dongle. If you are a person with some tech knowledge and have some ideas on using wifi for building hotspots and peer to peer networking. You can use your systems driver software to share any internet connection that is attached to your pc/laptop.thanks.
Hii
I recently bought a new Huawei E3121 Data Card
Working great for speed
Few queries
I had tested the datacard from my friend which was a bit older one same series. That stich used to detect my current reliamce mobile card as HSPA,or sometimes, UMTS. But my new datacard is detecting the same sim card as 3G. as the network setting has only UCDMA to select
What is better – UCDMA or HSPA/HSDPA/UMTS
2nd the soft wifi on new datacard is not working error (Internet connection sharing Failed. Make sure that data connection is available and reytry after some time). wher as i did test the same wifi setting with the friends older datacard and it had worked
Any Help?
Thanx in advance
I have not tested this yet on windows 8 PC,thanks for making me know about this,i will test this on windows8 as soon as possible and update this review.Meanwhile if your location have a store that sells this data card,get to the store and test whether it works on windows 8 with their demo dongle.This will solve your query soon and you can always purchase it later from flipkart if your local store is offering a higher price.Thanks for visiting the blog.
Hi Tarun, though it is specified that this data card works with Windows 8, but there are many comments on the flipkart review page that say it isn’t compatible with windows 8. I really like this card but these reviews make me think over and over again..what do you think?
Your Query is not framed correctly, what i understood from your comment is that after completion of high speed data you are experiencing speed problems.If this is the comment meaning there is nothing to worry about,most of the unlimited 3g plans come with speed limitation after some data usage.There is no problem with your dongle.Your elaborated and well versed query can let me dig better into your problem and provide a solution.Thank you for visiting our blog.
I’ve bought hawaei 3121 im using Tata docomo sim..
After 3g plan the speed is .75kb 3kb 4kb 10kb what m i missing??
I’ve Tata photon it gives 2.5 to 3.5mbps…
Did you followed the Linux installation guide supplied with the data card. You should find it in your removable storage Linux folder. By the way which Linux are you using.I have tested it in Ubuntu LTS stable latest version without any problems.
Hi, I am trying to install E3121 on Linux machine, however, it gives error below
nstall NDIS driver failed.
The compiling environment is not all ready.
Please check gcc, make and kernel buid(/lib/modules/2.6.32-358.11.1.el6.x86_64/build) to be all installed?
Now please enter any key to finish other installations.
NDIS is disabled, and only Modem can be used.
USBSERIAL_TARGET_PATH =
ACM_TARGET_PATH =
Can anyone help installation of device on Linux
If you have autorun disabled on your computer for security purpose,you can find the software on the removable drive of data card eg: i:/mobile partner/setup.exe for windows and it also have Linux version of software. the drive letter will differ on your system. Hope using the setup.exe solves your problem,assuming that you are using windows based os.
auto run.exe does not work when i use it for the first time . How do i install mobile partner software now ?
Make sure your are in a 3g covered area,call airtel customer care to know which areas in your city gets airtel 3g signals.No need to buy 3g sim card,all 2g sims can be activated with 3g networks by following the procedure specified by operator.Make sure your sim is converted to support 3g.Contact customer care to know procedure/to activate 3g on your sim.
The dongle itself is an unlocked version.Just make sure that your sim is 3g enabled.If you have a 3G compatible mobile make sure that signal is available at your place.There are no specific settings.Just connect from dashboard and launch browser to enjoy internet.If you want the modem to connect only to 3g signals just use WCDMA only in network settings.For activating 3G on airtel contact their customer care 121
One more question..i forgot to put it up in my previous message to you, that do i have to buy a 3G SIM explicitly ? I stay in IIT Kharagpur and here it seems even after registering with 3G, airtel provides only 2G networks..i also have left the otehr settings untouched like WCDMA[UMTS] as it is i.e. in enabled state. All help appreciated sir..
Well i have this card, bought from flipkart and even though i have enabled 3G in my SIM, the dongle will not detect 3G..It even successfully registered to the Airtel (2G)(3G) Network…What am i missing ? Is there any specific settings ? Or do i have to unlock this dongle ?
If your tablet has usb port or an usb extension it may work,depending on Android version.I tested on data wind tablet running on android version ice cream sandwich(4.0.3) It worked flawlessly.
Hi,
Does Huawei datacards supports android tablets?