How do I reset my VirginMobile device?

October 13, 2010 1:10 PM

Does anyone use Virgin Mobile? I have a data card with them (a MiFi device), and I'm trying to replenish minutes with them but don't remember my PIN, also I can't get any of the security recovery questions right. Calling up was not helpful at all. Short of getting a new device, is there anyway to reset this? Ideally I'd like to just reset this device and setup a new account on it, but I can't figure out how.

This is incredibly frustrating as I have the PIN and security question written down, but apparently must have mistyped something. Their help line wasn't helpful at all.

Surely there must be a way to reset the device to factory default and just setup a new account? As it stands now it looks like I have to pay for another device to get going.

posted by geoff. to computers & internet (11 answers total)

That was a bit scatter-brained of me, but I think the problem is clearly outlined. It seems that their business model is "If you forget the PIN, buy a new device."
posted by geoff. at 1:24 PM on October 13, 2010

Can you give a more specific part number? It should be possible to reset the device and associate it with a new account - if it is a MiFi 2200 it should come with a .pdf manual that shows you how to nagivate to the Advanced Settings -> Reset Device screen.
posted by muddgirl at 1:31 PM on October 13, 2010

You may be calling them with questions that allow them an easy out. Call back and tell them that their system isn't taking your PIN, which is the correct PIN because you wrote it down at the time. The phone-monkey won't know your PIN either, so it's not like they're gonna check against what you have. Besides, you don't know that you wrote it down wrong.

Then you ask them how they plan to fix it, repeating if necessary. I'll bet resetting the PIN magically comes up as an option.
posted by rhizome at 1:32 PM on October 13, 2010

Can you log into the website? If so, maybe the 'I'm giving my phone to a friend' process will work? Of course, the friend will really be you, with a different email address.
posted by COD at 1:36 PM on October 13, 2010

It is the 2200

It should be possible to reset the device and associate it with a new account - if it is a MiFi 2200 it should come with a .pdf manual that shows you how to nagivate to the Advanced Settings -> Reset Device screen.

When I go through that it resets itself and launches a window for me to login to my Virgin Mobile account ... using my old account number. Virgin seems to associate the ESN of the device with the account with no way to change the ESN.

If so, maybe the 'I'm giving my phone to a friend' process will work?

I have to login to do this, which I can't do.

I should have been more clear. I can login to the MiFi device fine, I just can't log into my VirginMobile account which is tied to the device. Anytime I try to do something, like "I'm an old customer who'd like start using Virgin service again," will prompt me to enter my account number and PIN.
posted by geoff. at 1:57 PM on October 13, 2010

Don't know if this helps, but the default pin for Virgin Mobile is your six digit birthdate. Although if you purposely set it to something else, I don't know why it would still be that. Worth a try at least.
posted by klugarsh at 3:29 PM on October 13, 2010

Can you call Virgin Mobile, pretend that you're a completely new customer who bought this device used and doesn't know how to re-activate it? That's what I'd do at this point.
posted by muddgirl at 3:39 PM on October 13, 2010

This is what I do when I can't remember my virgin mobile pin: I search my gmail account for "Vkey" which is what they call your PIN. When I signed up, they sent it to me directly in the body of an email.
posted by Buffaload at 5:20 PM on October 13, 2010

Virgin Mobile customer support is beyond useless. The only way to get a real person to respond is to start hitting @virginmobileus on twitter.
When I set my account pin, it was an arbitrary number - there was no default. Searching your email for the vkey as Buffaload mentioned is your best bet.
posted by hey you over in the corner at 6:25 PM on October 13, 2010

Rather than using the Reset button on the System Status page, have you tried using the (physical) Master Reset Button on the back of the device (using for example a paperclip)? This is supposed to reset the device to the factory settings (original password shown on the case etc.), which sounds like what you would like to do. In case you need it, there is a link to the PDF user manual with instructions on Virgin Mobile's Mifi 2200 web page. Note that the device needs to be *on* in order to use the Master Reset Button.

I apologize if I've mis-read and you've already tried this. I haven't used the reset button myself, but recently got a mifi so have recently read the manual.
posted by hsieu at 7:31 PM on October 13, 2010

This is complete bullshit. I bought another card, went through all the screens ... printed out the MSDN/PIN/etc. and after it activated; it wouldn't log me in saying my PIN is invalid. I entered my secret question (which I also just wrote down) .... and it says that this is invalid.

I'm taking it back to RadioShack for a refund, obviously, but VirginMobile has some problems going on. Compounding the frustration is that entire process takes forever to complete. If anyone else stumbles upon this, stay away from VirginMobile datacards.
posted by geoff. at 1:45 PM on October 14, 2010