Netgear AirCard 790S feedback after traveling for 3 months

I have been travling South-East Asia for the past three months using the 790S as my family's main Internet source which has worked quite well. Battery lasts a full day (2.4 Ghz, short WiFi range). Multiple devices (iOS, Android, Windows & Mac) can use the Internet at the same time. For example the device performs flawelessly when having 2 iPads stream videos, 2 phones browsing (1 iOS, 1 Android), 1 PC downloading updates, and 1 Mac browsing at the same time. Cannot say this about other brands I've tried.

However there are some issues that I have experienced that I was hoping could be fixed with updated firmware.

Currently, when checking for firmware updates via the device itself or the webinterface, it says no updates are available (elsewhere on these forums I have read about firmware version NTG9X35C_11.11.15.00)

The current firmware version installed on the device is NTG9X35C_11.11.13.00 (2016/08/23)

The main issue I have experienced is charging and displayed battery level which don' t seem to work that well. I try to keep the device plugged in whenever I have a power source available, but a lot of times it doesn't seem like the device is charging, is slow to show that it is charging, or showing that it is charging but the battery level doesn't increase.

I'm torn between thinking there is an issue with the USB connection on the device, or there being a software/firmware issue. I have tried several different USB chargers and cables with the same behaviour. What makes me believe it is a software/firmware issue is for example this morning after the device being plugged in all night the battery level showed 0%. I disconnected the device from the USB charger, then tried restarting and the device hung. I pulled the battery and then put it back in, started the device and battery then showed 100%.

So I'm leaning towards thinking the battery/connection issue is software(firmware) related.

Another thing that I find anoying is that the wifi password being show in clear text in several places (I have already turned off showing password on the home screen on the device) on the device's screen and in the webinterface. I would prefer having the password obfuscated unless I logon to the webinterface with a passsword and press a button to show the password. This way people looking over my shoulder in the bus etc. can't see the WiFi password when I navigate the menus on the device, or accessing the webinterface for that matter.

One thing that has happened a few times is that whilst having the device in my pocket, the total data usage has been reset by the time I take the device out. My guess is that while keeping the device in my pocket, I reveive an SMS turning the device on, and then the touchscreeen has been interacted with (touching my leg) and the password has been reset. Quite anoying then trying to keep track of how much data you have left.

It would be good to either have the option to not turn on the screen when receiving an SMS, or alternatively, to have a screen lock that needs to be bypassed before screen interaction is allowed.

An issue unrelated to my travel experiences is regarding "IP Passthrough Mode". When using the device at home (again as my main
Internet source), connected to my home router via USB, I put the device in "IP Passthrough Mode" using the webinterface. This in theory should disable the device's router functionality and allow my home router to handle the routing tasks. The problem I'm facing is that I cannot seem to be able to establish any connections from the Internet to devices behind the device (my router, server etc.). All incoming traffic from the Internet should be "forwarded" to my router, but they are not. Outgoing requests work fine. I'm not sure if this is an issue with the firmware, or if there are additional settings required for this functionality, or if I should keep the device's router functionality enabled and then forwarding all incoming traffic in the settings. Advice would be appreciated.

Also, it would be helpful if this setting ("IP Passthrough Mode") could be enabled/disabled from the device itself (via the touchinterface), to allow shifting between the device being used as a dedicated Internet connection at home (connected to an external router via USB, and WiFi disabled) and between being used as a travel device (utilising the device's routing and WiFi functionality). Without being able to enable/disable this setting from the device itself, I am required to first factory reset the device, connect to the device using a PC, and then restore the backed up settings that have the "IP Passthrough Mode" disabled every time I want to use the device as a travel device.

Alternatively perhaps the setting "Automatic (while docked on Smart Cradle)" could be extended so that it works with any USB connected router?

Thanks,

Eddie