Running a GPS tracker on the 2degrees network

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Running a GPS tracker on the 2degrees network

rossmcm

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#195628 27-Apr-2016 13:46

In absence of a "GPS devices" forum, here's where I am. I have a 2degrees monthly plan which offers data, txt, calls, all rolling over. I have purchased a GPS module and a $5 SIM card from 2 degrees and set up data sharing with the phone account. After a bit of messing around - mostly because the GPS module seems to have a dud GSM indicator LED - I can send commands to the unit with SMS messages. The unit would normally respond to the SMS messages (and it does so successfully if I use my phone's SIM card instead) but because I didn't share SMS it can't send the replies. It does seem to action incoming commands via SMS however.

Now if I want the GPS unit to have a send SMS capability as well, 2Degrees want $25 per month. There are other options as well but all of them involve a monthly spend of some sort. Now I believe these units can use the web to send data also, but I can find precious little on how you set this up. Can anyone shed some light on this?

I would be interested in comments from anyone who has one of these units on the 2 degrees network.

davidcole

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#1542811 27-Apr-2016 14:34

I just use a normal $5 sim with some credit loaded for SMS. The sim was allocated as part of my wifes pay monthly plan as they gave her this new sim for "keep you device connected" with 300mb per month on it.

I don't send a lot of sms though, preferring it to connect via tcpip to my tracking server.

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rossmcm

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#1542820 27-Apr-2016 14:45

Exactly the kind of reply I was hoping for!

How do you track it? I found a program MyGPSDesk http://mygpsdesk.com/ which looks like it might be useful, but I'm not sure how to add the GPS tracker to it.

Thanks,

davidcole

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#1542831 27-Apr-2016 14:56

I use GPSgate. Windows based, free for up to 5 users.

I'd tried traccar which was another free java based one, but it couldn't do geo fence based alerts.

Normally the tracker will use IP to talk to a server.....but it will talk on a certain protocol. What you need to do it get it to connect to a server via IP when get the terminal output to determine what protocol it's using. The cheap chines trackers tend to use a tk-103 protocol. Which looks something like this:

imei:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,tracker,151120203015,,F,203016.000,A,4112.5183,S,17454.5236,E,24.42,14.53;

richms

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#1542848 27-Apr-2016 15:16

I gave up on 2degrees. The data kept dropping for a loooong time gong between their partial network and where they use Vodafone's. Sending the apn SMS thru to it would kick it into life again or wait 20 mins or so.

Vodafone casual data is $1 for 25 meg that doesn't seem to expire now so they are dirt cheap to run on prepay and the Vodafone app lets you load other connections to keep an eye on them instead of the log out and in hassle that 2degrees one had.

Richard rich.ms

davidcole

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#1542850 27-Apr-2016 15:18

richms: I gave up on 2degrees. The data kept dropping for a loooong time gong between their partial network and where they use Vodafone's. Sending the apn SMS thru to it would kick it into life again or wait 20 mins or so.

Vodafone casual data is $1 for 25 meg that doesn't seem to expire now so they are dirt cheap to run on prepay and the Vodafone app lets you load other connections to keep an eye on them instead of the log out and in hassle that 2degrees one had.

I've only had to send the apn a couple of times in the year I've been using it. And I had a couple of trips from wellington to napier with no issues. I did get one of those trackers with the external gps and cell antennas. Which works so much better than the obd connected one I had.