TP-Link 3G/3.75G Router :: MR3040 Compatibility With MA180?

Region : UnitedKingdom
Model : TL-MR3040
Hardware Version : V1
Firmware Version : 3.14.2 Build 120822 Rel 40902n
ISP : Three UK

I purchased a TPLink MA180 dongle to go with my TPLink MR3040 mobile router in the hope that by buying both components from the same manufacturer would avoid any compatibility issues; however despite many hours of trying I've not been able to get these two devices to work together. When I attach the MA180 dongle to the router, the status says that its "connecting", but it never connects (also the light on the dongle flashes to indicate its connecting, and doesn't stay green). Each of the components works independantly, for example if I plug the MA180 dongle into my laptop it connects to the 3G network ok, and if I connect the MR3040 to an ethernet it operates as a wireless router ok - but they don't seem to work together.I've upgraded the MR3040 firmware to the latest release, and reset everything back to the default settings to no avail. When running the quick setup wizard, the router correctly discovers that my mobile ISP is 3 UK, and automatically sets the dial number and APN for this network. I've also tried it with SIM card from a different mobile ISP (Virgin Mobile) and got exactly the same problem.