Cell Phone Signal Boosters
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Forum Name: I need HELP!!!
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=13822
Printed Date: 29 Apr 2024 at 9:46am
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Topic: Cell Phone Signal Boosters
Posted By: lostagain
Subject: Cell Phone Signal Boosters
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2020 at 9:42am
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Has anyone had any experience using a cell phone signal booster? I am looking at the weBoost Drive 4G-X RV, but it is pretty expensive for something that may or may not work. We often camp in areas where there is often only 1 "bar" for LTE on Verizon. We need to be able to connect our computer via the phone to receive an online course my wife is taking and need adequate data transfer for streaming. If not weBoost, any other recommendations? ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Replies:
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2020 at 9:47am
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Wilson is the standard, but YMMV whether they will help you or not. My experience out here has been extremely mixed. It helps if you know where the nearest tower is, and can use a directional antenna to pick that up. The other issue is getting enough separation from the external and internal antennas. I was involved in a project where we installed a very high end repeater for a retreat center near here. I did not pick the system or install it. According to the tech installing it, it cost somewhere north of $15,000, and it didn't work for squat. ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2020 at 7:08pm
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LA, I have a weboost slim and a Wilson directional cellular antenna. If I actually have one bar, my experience is that my system will bring it in. If there is no signal then forget it. You will also need 50 ft of low impedance coax (I also got that from Wilson) and an adapter connector for the weboost which they can supply. I mounted my antenna on a 3 piece 21 ft extension pole for window cleaning I got on Amazon and clamp it to the flange of my slide. I rotate it slowly while my wife watches the signal strength. Takes a couple of minutes, if you know where the tower is its faster. I leave the little antenna that comes with the weboost on the TV and use the booster in the car when not towing, I think the slim has been replaced by the drive sleek. Should work the same, but probably uses a different connector to the coax. Whole thing is going to be about $300-350. You don't need the fancy RV version, just put a phone in the weboost cradle and use it as a wifi hotspot for any other devices you have. You can make wifi calls from a second phone so no need to swap them. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2020 at 7:16pm
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What? You mean the $7.99 phone boosting sticker with the zig-zag foil pattern wont work? I'm....I'm...I'm amazed! ------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2020 at 7:30pm
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Yah, I tried that first and nada. Tossed it in the box with my magnetic fuel savers.... ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2020 at 7:55pm
Copper bracelets work! I know cuz I saw them on a late night infomercial... ------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2020 at 8:20am
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Sounds like this stuff is still in the realm of sacrificing chickens to fix my computer. For the sake of simplicity, I was going to mount the omni-directional antenna on the upper side of the trailer above the roof line. I spoke to a someone at Wilson and they said that there must be a minimum of 2' separation between each of the 3 major components [exterior antenna, amplifier, and interior antenna]. The price difference between the RV version and putting one together from different components is about $100, making the simplicity of the kit more attractive. But I'm concerned that the antenna will not be high enough and I really don't want to mess with antenna poles or a permanent mounting that makes clearance an issue for the trailer. I think it's back to the drawing board time. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2020 at 9:10am
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Yah, there is a big difference between the little omni antenna and the directional one, usually 2-3 bars. Mounting the directional one is not hard, the pole just slides together and I lay it inside the trailer with the antenna attached. If you have a ladder on your new trailer you can clamp it to that. The cable stays in the outside storage compartment, one end coming up into the interior where the weboost is and the other coiled up ready to pull out and attach to the antenna. Setup is not very difficult really. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2020 at 9:21am
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OG, thanks for the suggestions. You describe the omn-direction antenna as "little." The one with the kit I was looking at is about 12" high. Is that the little antenna to which you were referring? I was hoping to make the mounting permanent so I wouldn't have to mess with setting it up for each trip. It would not be hard to mount the antenna on the ladder. I just don't want a bunch of loose or wall mounted cables all over the inside of the trailer, like the cable guy who slaps coax all over the side of your house. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2020 at 10:00am
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I think you would be better off not using an omni on the roof. The difference is a usable signal having to aim it, and a non-usable signal that you don't have to set up. ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2020 at 10:28am
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Thanks Glue Guy. The areas where we would likely be using the system are the Sierras, the coastal areas of CA north of SF, and N.E. CA. I guess the choice is either a system I have to mess with setting up, though it doesn't sound like an awful lot of work, or a system that gives us silence after investing an awful lot of money. As with all things electronic, delays in purchasing usually seem to yield better stuff at lower prices, so I'll keep looking slowly, but with a directional antenna in mind. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2020 at 10:47am
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LA, the omni antenna that I have is smaller than the RV one, but is designed to work via reflection from a metallic roof. I agree with GG and also doubt the RV omni one will be substantially better. I expect Wilson/weboost (same or closely affiliated companies) has a directional antenna for the fancy RV booster too if you wanted to spend even more $$$. The setup I'm talking about I just leave the coax tucked under the trailer, there is no permanently attached cable guy mess. You could run the coax permanently under the trailer to your ladder (assuming that's where you mount the directional antenna) and just leave enough slack to slide it up and rotate the antenna. This is the antenna I have if you want to see what it looks like. It just mounts to a vertical tube. https://www.amazon.com/Electronics-Wideband-Directional-700-2700-314411/dp/B00J14YEHQ/ref=asc_df_B00J14YEHQ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309750549985&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10605081110552919762&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9008704&hvtargid=pla-420823188399&psc=1 - https://www.amazon.com/Electronics-Wideband-Directional-700-2700-314411/dp/B00J14YEHQ/ref=asc_df_B00J14YEHQ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309750549985&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10605081110552919762&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9008704&hvtargid=pla-420823188399&psc=1 I wouldn't wait around expecting magically not to need a high gain directional antenna to get a cell signal in a remote location. It's not a likely place for a big tech breakthrough to occur. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2020 at 12:19pm
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Again, thanks for the helpful info, OG. It looks like the booster I was looking at on Amazon is being discontinued. It's not on the Wilson/weBoost site any more. Maybe they stopped selling it because it didn't work so well. Eventually, I'll figure out a way to do a well concealed installation. Sounds like some kind of a directional antenna is really the only way to go. I assume that there is feedback on the booster when you hit the sweet spot. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2020 at 1:26pm
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Some comments from and old (and I do mean old) radio engineer: I use a booster with a roof mounted omni antenna but I also have an all aluminum camper. The booster works if there is some signal but nothing can invent a signal if there is none is present. Technically the directional antenna should be the first choice. That helps transmit and receive signal levels much more than a booster amp but at the cost of setup fuss. Wilson equipment is good but won't overcome physics. The ultimate solution includes a directional antenna, extension mounting pole and booster. If that doesn't work the only thing left is the old real estate adage: location, location, location
. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2020 at 1:46pm
Nope, nada. Used to be on the iphone you could bring up the actual signal strength and do it that way but Apple deleted that actual feature I suppose in order to add in other non-features like more stupid emoticons or some such. So, the quickest way is to change antenna direction. hit the airplane mode switch, check the bars, stir and repeat. If you really want to dial things in you can use speedtest once you get close. Sounds complicated but its not hard unless you have only one person to do it. There are also several apps that use gps to tell you where the antennas are so you don't have to rotate through 360 degrees. I think signal strength can still be accessed on Android devices, not sure. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2020 at 3:58pm
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So, in effect, one really would want a signal strength meter to plug into the antenna until you get it pointed right. Yikes, yet another costly gadget. Thanks for the tip. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2020 at 4:21pm
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I don't have a signal strength meter and find it OK. I think you might be overthinking this just a wee bit. You point the antenna where you think the cell site is and start rotating it. Hit airplane mode on then off to recycle the connection, wait a few seconds, check the bars, then move the antenna again. If the signal starts going down then back up till it maxes out, unless you think there are two cell sites in range, which is rare in the boonies. Then do a speed test to see what you got. Its not that bad, much easier than putting up an rDome for example.  ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2021 at 5:20pm
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I now use a cellular modem for my home internet, it's the fastest thing I can get in the rural area where we live. I have a weak cell signal and have found that it's better to use a directional antenna rather than a booster to increase my connection speed. The booster amplifies the noise along with the signal and it's the signal to noise ratio thats important. I wound up with a dual MIMO antenna to get the best results. It increases the signal strength by about 6db and the speed from around 6 mbps to around 60 mbps. If you have an Android phone you can get an app that reports this information..If you have an Apple you're SOL. Bot even with the app it really helps if you know the bearing to the cell tower you're trying to access. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |