Samsung Epix Hack Compliation and Findings

**RenoWirelessGuru** · 01-06-2009, 12:05 PM

My 850Mhz 3G signal is good all over town, but I find that my Epix will switch to a lesser signal E or G quite often. Anyone found a hack to lock the phone to 3G or nothing? I found a post on the AT&T Forums , but it appears the solutions are for HTC devices only. On phoneAlarm their is a setting for "Auto", "GSM/GPRS" or "UMTS (3G)", but even with the last setting ticked, the phone will still fallback to E or G quite often.

**pinoymutt** · 01-06-2009, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by empire29

Im running S2U2 1.40 as well - Its been pretty good with the exception of a couple random lock-ups after my phone's gone into sleep mode. (I had to pull the battery and restart).

Yeah, lock-ups are a big no-no for me, especially when I am on call...

I've still found that on my Epix 1.33 is the most stable. Not sure what got changed between 1.33 and 1.35+ that causes lock ups (had random lockups on every version after 1.33).

**RenegadeRick** · 01-06-2009, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by icingdeath88

any word on how this is going? i've noticed the same thing using tcpmp. any negative effects?

I did not notice any negatives, but I have since hard-reset my Epix, and everything is running just fine right now.

I just checked and DataKeeper is running again and I am not experiencing any of those irritating pauses any longer since the hard reset.

Maybe something else was responsible and maybe DataKeeper was a victim instead of a cause, but I just can't say for sure.

I was much more careful about what I installed after the hard reset, maybe something of the hundreds of apps I had installed and uninstalled was the culprit.

Here is what I have installed right now:
MySamsungEpix Appunlock
Sammy Email Patch
FTouchSL Trial
PHMRegEdit
TotalCommander
GoogleMaps
GPSed
Garmin Mobile XT
MySamsungEpix Clean Startup
Opera 9.5 beta
MS .NET CF 3.5
Skyfire
rlToday
MySamsungEpix OSX Leopard
Weather Watcher
Skype
MagicSS
KeySwop
vijay555 VJPhoneTools
MySamsungEpix ICS Hack

Oh, and my Anywall Compact rlToday screen derived from the aforementioned OSX Theme.

*WHEW* That's a lot!

**RenegadeRick** · 01-06-2009, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by RenoWirelessGuru

Anyone found a hack to lock the phone to 3G or nothing?

Sure.

a. run \Windows\Admin.exe
b. select 2 - Network-Call Setting
c. select 3 - Network Mode
d. select WCDMA
e. click Execute

Here is a lnk file you could stick in \Windows\Start Menu to make it easier to get to:
Admin.lnk

And the link code if that is easier for ya:

Code:

20#"\Windows\Admin.exe"

**RenoWirelessGuru** · 01-07-2009, 01:36 AM

^^ Thank You! I noticed that when that setting is made, Network order also gets changed from "Auto" to "WCDMA first".

At my house where even though I get full bars on 3G, it would often fall-back to E or G with 3 bars-or-less, and call quality would suffer. After I made the setting change I made a call, it stayed on 3G for the entire call and call quality was excellent! Can't wait to drive around tomorrow, and see if I notice an appreciable battery-life hit.

**BTwannabe** · 01-07-2009, 06:25 AM

switching back and forth between 3G/E is worse for the battery than sticking to 3G, i've found.

**toanv** · 01-07-2009, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by toanv

Running Wifi and 3G/GPSR DOES NOT cause my phone to crash. I cannot find a pattern as today it locked up when I took it out from my case trying to make a call. I might call AT&T to see if I can exchange for a different one as I had it for two months now and it probably locked up at least 10 times. Since you have the same problem without installing any thing, it might be the phone itself.

I received my Epix replacement from AT&T on New year eve and it's been working okay since without crashing. The software version is exactly the same. I had to install Samsung Notificaion patch as it did not work out of the box (I was hoping it does without the patch like someone here reported). I do not have a problem with the storage card got unmounted occasionally as I did with the old one. So far I only install: PHM Regedit, Appunlock, FTouchSL, Skyfire, Google search/ map, chgfingermouse, clean start up, weather panel, and perform a few register hacks posted here.

**RenoWirelessGuru** · 01-08-2009, 01:22 AM

Originally Posted by BTwannabe

switching back and forth between 3G/E is worse for the battery than sticking to 3G, i've found.

No noticeable hit on battery life today - I was on forced 3G most of the day. I found one rare spot on the northernmost area of town where for some reason they have 3G on the SW and SE sectors of a cell site - but not on the N sector.

With forced 3G it will not switch to E or G in non-3G areas - I just get no service. I just switched back to "Auto" while I was in that area, and EDGE (850Mhz here) and GRPS (1900Mhz here) worked just fine.

This is the best hack yet IMO.

**mwtx** · 01-09-2009, 10:17 AM

I have two questions:

1) Anyone have problems with ActiveSync via bluetooth? My Epix and laptop appear to be paired, but when I hit Refresh on the Epix, ActiveSync on the laptop starts to connect, but then stops after 5 secs. USB sync works fine.

2) 3G/E versus wifi data: how can I force the Epix to never use 3G/Edge, only wifi (if available)? I don't currently have the data plan, so naturally I don't want the phone trying to access cell data (GPRS,EDGE, or 3G). I'll subscribe to a data plan later, but not for now.

**RenegadeRick** · 01-09-2009, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by mwtx

1) Anyone have problems with ActiveSync via bluetooth? My Epix and laptop appear to be paired, but when I hit Refresh on the Epix, ActiveSync on the laptop starts to connect, but then stops after 5 secs. USB sync works fine.

I am using bluetooth with ActiveSync and it was a real PITA to get working, but mostly it was the fault of the Kensington BTDongle that I am using. I had thoughts that I could carry it from home to work PC, but it just doesn't work that way. I guess that having the same MAC addy with different settings behind it is the issue. So I left the BT at work and use the cable to sync at home.

If I can offer any advice it is to setup a BT Serial Port on COMx and then make sure that ActiveSync is setup to use the same COMx port. That is what worked for me.

Originally Posted by mwtx

2) 3G/E versus wifi data: how can I force the Epix to never use 3G/Edge, only wifi (if available)? I don't currently have the data plan, so naturally I don't want the phone trying to access cell data (GPRS,EDGE, or 3G). I'll subscribe to a data plan later, but not for now.

Search this thread for nodata. There is a program that can be used to disable data usage. I haven't used it myself but I understand that it does exactly what you want.

**mwtx** · 01-09-2009, 01:40 PM

Thanks for the reply Rick. I've got the com ports setup ok......it does connect initially for a few secs, but then ActiveSync stops. Guess I'll just have to continue playing with it. USB works perfect.

I'll search for nodata.

**fibrolan** · 01-11-2009, 10:21 AM

Hi,

Does anyone know how to increase the vibration on the Epix ? On my blackjack II it was strong and now with the Epix I do not feel it and miss calls.

Fibrolan

**fibrolan** · 01-11-2009, 10:22 AM

Hi,

Has anyone tried Fring. I loaded it but it will not connect. anyone have any luck with this program ? it keeps telling me it cannot establish connection.

Fibrolan

P.S. My GPRS is working.

**fibrolan** · 01-11-2009, 10:43 AM

Hi,

I want to use skype but with my bluetooth headset instead of speakerphone.
I have tried skype, Iskoot. I cannot get fring to even get a connection. Is there anyother program out there that can use skype with a bluetooth headset ?

Fibrolan

**longdong_silver** · 01-11-2009, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by aznxtacy

Anyone figure out how to get rid of the increasing ring volume even if I'm not setup to that feature? It seems like the first ring or so is always not as loud.

I am hoping someone has found a workaround for this, it is very annoying. I read this is a hard-coded feature from Samsung, if that is the case then the Epix is the last Samsung phone I will buy