Cell Phone Boosters

[featherliteCT1]

The last time I was out boondocking, I had trouble getting a strong enough signal on my iphone to enable me to use my iphone as a hotspot so I could connect to the internet with my Mac Book laptop. I had the same problem using my Verizon Mifi hot spot.

I could only get one bar inside the trailer, which was not sufficient to get on the internet, but could get 2 bars outside the trailer. Two bars was enough to establish a connection to the web, albeit pretty slow.

The outdoor temperature was about 45 degrees. The charge cord on my phone was long enough so that I could put my phone outside the RV door, on the step, with the cord plugged into my invertor inside the trailer, with the RV door not fully closed so that the door would not cut the cord. At first, my phone kept shutting off because it was getting too cold for the battery to work. So I put my phone inside a winter glove, on the step, and the phone stayed warm enough to work. Not the best solution but at least it worked.

I have been researching cell phone external antennas, cell phone boosters and the like. However, I am still pretty ignorant.

I would like to purchase something but confused at this time.

I would appreciate it if you guys with cell phone boosters would share your advice and knowledge about these matters.

Thanks!

[onehoser]

image.png (635.53 KiB) Viewed 3918 times

i just bought one a month ago, it's my third one because the first two were the wrong frequency for my carrier, so i got a five band booster which covers most carriers. i've tested it in my trailer and it worked fine but i live in an area with a strong signal, but i did loan it to my ex who lives in a weak signal area and she said it worked great. this is my first cell booster so i know very little about them otherwise.

[featherliteCT1]

Thanks onehoser,

I did not realize that the frequency needs to match the carrier … now I know.

[onehoser]

Thanks onehoser,

I did not realize that the frequency needs to match the carrier … now I know.

https://www.stelladoradus.com/finding-m ... my-iphone/

this isn't the site i used but it's basically the same info, just flashier, lol

[featherliteCT1]

Onehoser, I will check out my frequency tomorrow when I can go outside and perform the test... thanks!

[bdosborn]

weBoost is the market standard that most boosters are compared with. They used to be called Wilson Electronics until they were bought out. I have a Wilson Sleek, which isn't made anymore and isn't 4G compatible, but it worked great in its day. I paid $120 for the Sleek but the prices have gone up dramatically since Wilson was bought. I'd buy the newest version but I just can't seem to crack my wallet open wide enough.

weBoost Drive Reach (470154) Cell Phone Signal Booster

To be fair, the FCC cracked down on boosters in 2010 and tightened up the frequency requirements dramatically, which is supposedly the reason for the high price tag. You want to be careful about buying cheap Chinese booster as they are known to cause interference on the cell network. Make sure you get one that is FCC licensed.

Unlicensed Signal Boosters Get a Boost From Amazon

Bruce

[flboy]

I am using the SureCall Fusion4Home Cell Phone Signal Booster( Boosts Voice, data for 4G, LTE, 3G) and can recommend it. If there is just one bar of 3G outside, I typically will pull in fullbars of 4G. These devices are not magic, so you have to have something to amplify. Many times I am in places with one bar outside on my cellphone with nothing inside. I turn this on and I can surf the web or watch Netflix at night. I have the Omni directional antenna when I am closer with better signals since I do not need the gain then, but when I am really on a fringe area, I will put on the directional Yagi and point it in the direction of the tower (do your research on tower locations before you loose service) and then I have great signal.

Data always seems to work. Sometimes the calls do not work and I have not figured that out yet. I think my phone does not make calls on 4G and that is what comes in and it does not appear to step it down. I guess I could always Skype.



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AW ... UTF8&psc=1

[jr9744]

I've been using WeBoost for several years now. It gets the job done. All carriers work with it and install is simple. The $500 dollar price point is rough, but worth it.

I've had several times where without it I just couldn't work. Gains of like 20 decibels are more.

But, my rv has a WifiRanger 4 that lets you put a sim card in it. This way you can get longer wifi and cell signal. I think it's much cheaper than weboost too.

So many options...

[RJ Howell]

Mine is a older out-dated unit, but when I did it, I was lucky enough to read a few very good articles on how to. So armed with the knowledge of what bands I need, I went internet shopping for parts. All in about $150 later, several returns due to wrong items sent, I have a working unit.

I ended up going Yagi antenna, which I see another has both omni and yagi and I can now see why. I would recommend doing the same. It worked okay, I think I expected more from it and I'm sure the newer units would do better than mine. Mine has a adjustable gain so I can tune it according to what I'm receiving. Tell ya, most times when it came out, it was turned up! I unlike another, didn't jump to 4G with a weak 3G signal, just a stronger 3G. Strong 3G would step me up 4G..

I no longer carry it around, yet I no longer work from the road. I found it was overall simpler to just drive to a great LTE signal and get my work done there. For my off-grid mapping, I download the maps and use my GPS antenna for a strong connection. I have USB sticks with music, movies and books on hand. I upload travel videos and download what ever we require now as I get to a great spot (not all that hard to find anymore).

Just our experience..

[featherliteCT1]

I went to the web page onehoser provided (thank you onehoser!) and went through the indicated procedures to determine the frequency of my iphone.
https://www.stelladoradus.com/finding-m ... my-iphone/

MY iphone shows “LTE” in the upper left corner. Per the above link, I think “LTE” means “4G”.

Outside of my house, I put my iphone into “field test” mode three different times and obtained UARF numbers of 5230, 2561, and 2350, respectively. After inputting those UARF numbers into the linked frequency calculator tool, the calculator outputted “download” frequency values of 751, 885, and 2150, respectively.
https://www.cellmapper.net/arfcn?net=LT ... 50&MCC=302

I think the UARF/freq numbers of 2350/2150 are outliers. Consequently, I am assuming that my iphone works at a frequency of 800Mhz (if anybody thinks otherwise, please let me know).

iphone uarf 5230 input.pdf

Here is a screen shot of my iPhone menu

(220.96 KiB) Downloaded 234 times

iphone 5230 results.pdf

Here is a shot of the frequency calculator output

(352.99 KiB) Downloaded 234 times

I tried to post these two pdf's above as jpeg photos but could not figure out how to do so.

Flboy’s SureCall Fusion4Home Cell Phone Signal Booster for Home … LTE, costs $298 (thank you Flboy!) (see link below).

https://www.amazon.com/SureCall-Fusion4 ... GY4TE?th=1

The Weboost referred to by bdosborn and jr9744 costs about $449 (thank you bdosborn and jr9744!). I notice that the Weeboost unit says for “Car and Truck”. See the link below.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WMFXE5O/re ... B07PDVTMM6


The SureCall unit says for “Home”. I do not know the practical difference between “Home” and “Car and Truck”.

I did not shop prices too much because at this point I have not taken the time to understand all the different features and what they mean.

RJ Howell, thanks for the info.

At this point I am inclined to go with Flboy’s SureCall because it works for him and because of the price point.

However, before I buy anything, I will wait to see what other comments people may provide.

So far, I have learned a lot from everybody’s input. Thank you!!

[flboy]

I am not sure of difference either, but I think it has to do with the distance needed from internal antenna and the outside transmitting antenna (antenna separation) so you do not get an rf loop like you can in the audio world with a microphone and amplifier( that nasty high pitch ringing). I believe the SureCall internal antenna has more gain to cover a phone in wide area of the house vs a car or RV setting.

In any event, worse case, you will need a longer coax and move the external antenna away from internal antenna more. The CTC is a good faraday cage so if you have a side with no windows or can get it high enough above so the roof shields direct path, put external antenna there.


At the time I bought mine the WeBoost and SureCall were almost same price. I went with the SureCall because of the individually adjustable channel gains which some folks may not like if they do not understand it well. I like to turn off all the other bands except the one of interest for my phone and it can help with antenna separation issues and the internal antenna gain allows me to be anywhere in the CTC and not right on top of the internal antenna like with some systems for automobiles.

In any case, my guess is you cannot go wrong with either...

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[featherliteCT1]

It is important for me that I can mount the external antenna and the internal antenna varying distances from the unit.

I noticed that the SureCall manual says:

(1) "Unauthorized antennas, cables, and/or coupling devices are prohibited by FCC new rules". I have no clue what that means.

(2) and that the unit uses "SC-174" cable. I googled SC-174 cable and it appears to be readily available coax cable.

I presume, but need confirmation, that I can buy coax cable and run a fair distance to the unit (say 15 or so feet, ideally more).

[flboy]

The reason for the FCC statement is most likely because the approved antennas and etc. have known gains and characteristics. It would not take too much off the known to start interfering with the cell tower since the booster itself is an RF repeater and folks get ideas of amplifying and etc. either by actual power amplification or a more concetrated beam via a Yagi. The FCC will find you in that case. Picture the CB guys running illegal power amplifiers with over modulated power mics splattering all over the spectrum. Lol

I believe SureCall wants at least 23ft. of separation, so I think 15 feet and more, assuming faraday CTC cage, will work. I can only speak for my experience and my setup. I am no expert at this.


BTW, coax is important as they may have different impedences at cell phone frequencies. The wrong coax may have alot of loss and therefore hurt system performance. The higher the frequency, typically the more loss per foot of coax. Also, not good for booster amplifier output if the wrong impedence is presented ( 75 ohms ideal if memory serves me).

Hopefully some others can chime in if they think otherwise on my comments. I just look at cell phones as fancy digital transciever radios because that is what they are. Same principles apply just keeping in mind it is a higher frequency band so antennas get smaller. A cell phone booster is just a full duplex repeater system.


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[rkanz]

I have a Weboost Drive Sleek in the TV. After it was purchased early this year I can’t live without it. It will allow calling and texting in some places without a signal on the phone.


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[Rainier70]

I stay for months in the mountains of Wyoming and Idaho and finding a signal to get smoke and fire information is vital for me. I need to check conditions fairly frequent at times and in the high mountains the available signal areas are few and far.

I too have the WeBoost. I use a 12" magnet mount antenna on my truck when I am driving around to find stray areas of signal in the area. Then I use either an Omni and a Yagi antenna for improving the signal when needed.