Cell signal boosters

[CottageFarm]

I need to do something about our cell reception here, and I've been looking at the signal boosters available. There's everything available from $20 - to $500 or more. I've pretty much ruled out anything much under a $100 as ineffective, and anything much over about $250 as a budget buster. Everything in between has my head spinning. (that doesn't take much, either) It's all waaay over my head as to what they're talking about. A techie I am not. I can figure out very basic stuff to function, but that's it.

We use our tablets as a hotspot for our laptops, it's the only internet service we have. Verizon is the provider, so I pretty much won't find anybody with better coverage in this area. 60% of the time I get 1-2 bars of 4G, which is good enough to use, but the rest of the time it's dropping to 1-2 bars 3G, which isn't enough to load most pages, much less actually stream a movie. I'm under contract for 10g month, (plus I get another 10g for free) so switching services isn't really a viable option.

Anyone know anything about this stuff? and how I go about figuring out what I need and will work best for us?
Use small words and try to make it idiot proof please??

 

[TexasBred]

Talking with a friend the other day from over in East Texas and he said he got his from Wilson Electronics. Said it was the best for the money...Checked with him and he said his was WA841262 if that helps.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wilson-841262-D ... 1318157417

 

[CottageFarm]

Thank you, TB. But it looks like that one says it doesn't work with 4G, and I need one that is compatible with 4G for the speed we need for streaming. Plus one of the tablets is 4G only.

 

[highgrit]

CottageFarm, Verizon sent us a Booster made by Samsung for free. I'd call and talk to a supervisor, it might take a hour or so but it might be worthwhile.

 

[CottageFarm]

I have looked at the booster from Verizon, and the reviews are pretty good. The price tag is steep if they're not willing to give you one, and I know they don't give one to everybody with a poor signal. I will talk to them and see what they have to say.

 

[greybeard]

We've been using one for about 2 years now, but we do not have 4g in our area, so the booster can't ampilfy what isn't there.

Are you using a Verizon card (jet pack) similar to this?

The jetpack itself should serve as the hotspot--it receives the amplified signal from the repeater/booster. When we travel, and are in an area with real 4g, the jetpack card streams video to or laptops just fine.
We began with a much cheaper one--do NOT try the kind with the little dinky antenna that stick to a window--a waste of $$$.
We are using this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/170662384413
But again, even tho we have the Verizon 4g plan, we don't have a tower with 4g coming off of it. (there's no difference in price for the 4g and 3g data plan) so this antenna and amp works fine since it is FOR 3G.

The 4g equivilent is one like this one:
http://picclick.com/Wilson-460101-DT4G- ... 22516.html
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201063222516?rmvSB=true
scroll down to read the specs and the 'how it works'.

No, they are not cheap, but DO understand, that if the 4g signal isn't actually there, no antenna/booster can change that. Just because Verizon's map says you have 4G--it doesn't mean it's actually available at your house. Took me a couple of trips to the Verizon Store for them to finally admit our tower wasn't putting out 4G.

If I had to do it again,I would get one with a yagi antenna.

 

[highgrit]

We have the one with the antenna that you put by the window. Our Internet access is slower from Verizon, than the Wi-Fi we get off the phone line.

 

[Brute 23]

You looking for a house or vehicle?

We run boosters in all our trucks and at all the field offices. It's a must have. Even have a spare under my back seat. I'll never own another vehicle with out one.

We run all Wilson products and have good luck. The truck ones are about $400 and home ones are $600-1200.

I'll look at the model number on some of the ones we have.

 

[1982vett]

I have looked at the booster from Verizon, and the reviews are pretty good. The price tag is steep if they're not willing to give you one, and I know they don't give one to everybody with a poor signal. I will talk to them and see what they have to say.

Try finding a corporate store....the resellers (kisok folks) aren't allowed or willing to do what can be done at the corporate owned stores

 

[CottageFarm]

We've been using one for about 2 years now, but we do not have 4g in our area, so the booster can't ampilfy what isn't there.

Are you using a Verizon card (jet pack) similar to this?

The jetpack itself should serve as the hotspot--it receives the amplified signal from the repeater/booster. When we travel, and are in an area with real 4g, the jetpack card streams video to or laptops just fine.
We began with a much cheaper one--do NOT try the kind with the little dinky antenna that stick to a window--a waste of $$$.
We are using this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/170662384413
But again, even tho we have the Verizon 4g plan, we don't have a tower with 4g coming off of it. (there's no difference in price for the 4g and 3g data plan) so this antenna and amp works fine since it is FOR 3G.

The 4g equivilent is one like this one:
http://picclick.com/Wilson-460101-DT4G- ... 22516.html
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201063222516?rmvSB=true
scroll down to read the specs and the 'how it works'.

No, they are not cheap, but DO understand, that if the 4g signal isn't actually there, no antenna/booster can change that. Just because Verizon's map says you have 4G--it doesn't mean it's actually available at your house. Took me a couple of trips to the Verizon Store for them to finally admit our tower wasn't putting out 4G.

If I had to do it again,I would get one with a yagi antenna.

Hey GB, no I didn't get the jetpack because we're able to use our tablets as a hotspot/receiver. I was tickled pink when I figured that part out! We do have 4G service here, it's just really weak, and occasionally not there at all, and that's it's showing a 3G signal, but when it's (my tablet) showing 3G, I can't use the internet on any devices.
I had already ruled out those little antenna thingy's that suction cup to the window. I couldn't find a single review that said it worked for them. The booster that Verizon has for $250, has generally gotten great reviews on effectiveness, most negatives were that you had to spend that extra money to actually be able to utilize a service that you're already paying for.

 

[CottageFarm]

You looking for a house or vehicle?

We run boosters in all our trucks and at all the field offices. It's a must have. Even have a spare under my back seat. I'll never own another vehicle with out one.

We run all Wilson products and have good luck. The truck ones are about $400 and home ones are $600-1200.

I'll look at the model number on some of the ones we have.

It is for the house Brute. We're not actually in the house yet, we're staying in our 5th wheel while getting the house in shape. (it's a rehab)
Really can't get any signal inside the house. I can get a signal outside, and I can get a just useable signal in the camper if I sit by the window to talk or put my tablet in the window to use the internet. We're going to be putting this house back on the market in about 3 months, so at this point I really didn't want to have to drop $1000 into a booster, since I will likely leave it with the house as a selling feature.

 

[CottageFarm]

I have looked at the booster from Verizon, and the reviews are pretty good. The price tag is steep if they're not willing to give you one, and I know they don't give one to everybody with a poor signal. I will talk to them and see what they have to say.

Try finding a corporate store....the resellers (kisok folks) aren't allowed or willing to do what can be done at the corporate owned stores

Thanks Vette. I was going to call, but I think you're right that I may have better luck going into the store. We have to go into Corsicana pretty regularly, and will need to go into either Waco or Waxahachie soon, anyway.

 

[1982vett]

Your welcome CottageFarm. I have a story about my wife's recent ATT experiences and the corporate store did for us something the kiosk folks said couldn't be done.

 

[M-5]

I don't have any problems getting a signal

 

[greybeard]

Yep, definitely go to the Verizon Store, and make them bring up the current map of your service area--IOW--where your house sits. The map should show what is available at your location--4g, 3g etc and the signal strength, where the different towers are and which direction from your house and distance from your house. Your goal is to convince them that you are paying for something that is not there. Be adamant! I do know in the past, Verizon has supplied customers in that predicament a free amplifier and antenna or in some cases, at reduced price. I did not know about that when we bought our antenna. (we bought the Wilson ant/amp kit at BestBuy and they were familiar with our area and told us if it didn't solve the problem, return it within 30 days for a full refund)
A little history.
Originally, using any of the carriers, we got no cell ph service inside the house (metal roof and on a fringe area down in a low spot surrounded by National Forest) --had to go running out on the porch to answer the phones. Once we switched from a desktop and it's 56k dialup to wife's laptop and went Verizon wireless, we still couldn't connect with a stable connection--and had terribly slow up/down speeds no better than dialup-- even with the jetpack we still could't watch even the shortest Youtube video without a lot of pauses in play as it had to load. With the antenna, all that changed. Still can't stream netflix, but connections are stable and relatively fast compared to before.
If my camera hadn't crapped out last week, I would post a picture of my antenna and mount.
Good luck.

 

[TexasBred]

Thanks Vette. I was going to call, but I think you're right that I may have better luck going into the store. We have to go into Corsicana pretty regularly, and will need to go into either Waco or Waxahachie soon, anyway.

Verizon in Waco is there in the Central Texas Marketplace on Hwy 6...easy to get to.

 

[CottageFarm]

Thanks, TB. I remember now that I could see it from the hospital room.

 

[LazyARanch]

We have Verizon and ended up buying a zBoost Soho ZB545. Works great in the house. No more dropped calls!! :nod:

 

[greybeard]

We have Verizon and ended up buying a zBoost Soho ZB545. Works great in the house. No more dropped calls!! :nod:

Sounds similar to the starter unit we tried, and I don't think it will help CF much for the following reasons:
>Ideal for small homes that have reliable outside signal
>Reduces dropped and missed calls and provides faster 3G data performance for multiple simultaneous users.

She doesn't have much signal strength outside to begin with and she is looking for something with 4g capability. I'm not saying it won't help with her cellphone calls, but voice call losses and slow data downloads (especially video) are 2 completely different problems.

 

[ntd red]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HWX16GU/?tag=cattletoday00-20

This is what we use, went from 1 bar to 5 with a down load rate of 15 meg.