OT: Home Cell Signal Booster

Jeffreauxdawg

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Dec 15, 2017
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Based on a quick search, I found a topic we may not have beaten to death.

My new house is in an area with good cell signal outside, but has a metal roof and 10" of closed cell insulation between the ceiling and roof deck. I can make calls okay, but I have only tried a couple (we are moving in this weekend.) I did run a speed test from my phone side and was only downloading at 5mps. After stepping outside it jumped to 45mps.

This seems like a perfect application for a booster (external mounted antenna with coax running inside to a wireless booster.) Anyone have experience? I just bought a weBoost 3 room kit. I don't want to install this sucker if it's a waste of money, but I have read closed cell foam and metal can really cut the signal inside a house.

Educate me pack.
 

jethreauxdawg

Heisman
Dec 20, 2010
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I have a similar problem but enabling WiFi calling has pretty much solved the issue. I still have issues in one room with poor WiFi signal.
 

Ralph Cramden

Redshirt
Jan 7, 2020
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I eill be looking for answers here also. My dad has a similar problem due to large oak trees and I have been pushing him to get a booster.
 

Jeffreauxdawg

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Dec 15, 2017
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IWiFi calling was the original plan. But it's new construction, and I found out today I may be going a few weeks before the cable company will connect me. It's worth the investment if it works though, we will convert it into a vacation property, short term rental after Christmas. I think most people that rent will want good cell signal without messing with wifi.
 
Nov 16, 2005
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We have a weBoost in our farm office. It’s a metal building in a poor cell area so you can imagine how terrible the signal is inside. I can stand in the middle of the office and have 5 bars. Be sure and use a cellphone tower map to point your antenna at the nearest tower.
 

GloryDawg

Heisman
Mar 3, 2005
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I have a similar problem but enabling WiFi calling has pretty much solved the issue. I still have issues in one room with poor WiFi signal.

I have a wi Fi booster. I have Cspire. Not sure the cost but it's like 4.00 a month. I can get Wi-Fi everywhere inside and out side.
 

grinningmule

Heisman
Jul 15, 2021
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They work great and if you have a decent line of sight to the cell tower then a yagi type antenna is best. If not then the panel types would probably work the best outside. Make sure you get a minimum of 25 feet between the outside antenna and your indoor antenna or you will experience loop feedback. If possible point the indoor antenna in the opposite direction of the outdoor antenna.
 

Jeffreauxdawg

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Dec 15, 2017
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I'm going to bolt a pole to the eve of the house and take it up about 6-8' from there...(we get a lot of snow.) Do you think the 25' is the length of coax or the actual distance from the two antenna?
 

grinningmule

Heisman
Jul 15, 2021
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It will be the actual distance between the antennas. I put one in my mom's house in MS with a metal roof and even though I was 25 ft apart I still got some feeback because the only place I could put the indoor antenna had it pointed toward the outdoor antenna.
 

Jeffreauxdawg

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Dec 15, 2017
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Thanks. I will put the pole/antenna on the oppo side of the house from the booster and make sure they are point away. Thanks a lot....

Do you think I can put a weather station on the same pole ad the antenna or would it interfere?
 

grinningmule

Heisman
Jul 15, 2021
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Shouldn't be an issue with a weather station. Just separate them as much as you possible. I live down the road in Mountain Home so we don't get as much snow as Boise. I think MS had more snow stay on the ground this year versus my house
 

Jeffreauxdawg

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Dec 15, 2017
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Oh damn. I'm guessing you are AF. I was certain there wasn't another dog in all of ID. We actually just bought a place in McCall. Will send you a PM.
 

o_Hot Rock

Senior
Jan 2, 2010
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Based on a quick search, I found a topic we may not have beaten to death.

My new house is in an area with good cell signal outside, but has a metal roof and 10" of closed cell insulation between the ceiling and roof deck. I can make calls okay, but I have only tried a couple (we are moving in this weekend.) I did run a speed test from my phone side and was only downloading at 5mps. After stepping outside it jumped to 45mps.

This seems like a perfect application for a booster (external mounted antenna with coax running inside to a wireless booster.) Anyone have experience? I just bought a weBoost 3 room kit. I don't want to install this sucker if it's a waste of money, but I have read closed cell foam and metal can really cut the signal inside a house.

Educate me pack.

yes try weboost. It works .. not cheap though

thus had been said, but worth repeating
 

bullymcbullerson

Redshirt
Jul 5, 2013
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If you don’t want to drop the money on a booster, you could try a passive antenna. First, look up the cell tower that you’ll be using on cell mapper. Then, buy a couple antennas that match the frequency of the signal you’ll be using. Put one outside pointed toward the tower and one inside pointed to where you be using your cell with a short cable run in between. You’ll want to limit the length of your cable run with either the booster or passive antenna to reduce.noise and signal loss.

https://ltefix.com/product-category/antennas/
 

vhdawg

All-Conference
Sep 29, 2004
4,731
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I don't know anything about what cell boosters are good or bad, but if you are an AT&T customer and happen to wind up purchasing one, send me a DM with your location and I can try to help you figure out the best direction to point your donor antenna.
 

o_Hot Rock

Senior
Jan 2, 2010
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I just googled a Goboost on Amazon that is $150. Sounded like a cheaper version of the weboost but I can't endorse it. I have

Whatever you use, I would appreciate you posting your results and how much better your signal is with and without it. I may end up putting something at the lake. I use cell towers for TV & Internet along with my cell phones and it can get sketchy at times. I have changed system several times up there and settled on a Cspire hotspot for now but I have limited data but works since I am there only a few days a month. A booster may do the trick and if the $150 works, why spend the $600 on on Weboost.
 

West Tn Dawg

Redshirt
Mar 2, 2008
736
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I have used them for years in my construction office trailers. They work pretty good. They are not a complete fix but will definitely help if you have "some" signal at the site.
 

Jeffreauxdawg

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Dec 15, 2017
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I am actually going back to best buy today. Based on comments here and reading more stuff online. I am actually taking the WeBoost I purchased back to Best Buy and get the home studio lite version. It is $199 and is great for small areas (Our cabin is a 2/2). The lite only works on Verizon and AT&T, but that covers 75% of users including us. The home studio full version is a little more powerful and works on all carriers. From what I have read, I should be fine, because the outside signal is strong, but my little cabin is bomber as hell (Siding is a mix of a wood composite decking style siding and 20 gauge steel with R 28 insulation.) I only need something to bridge the gap service created by the structure.

I will install it this weekend hopefully and give everyone and update.
 

blacklistedbully

All-Conference
Sep 8, 2008
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First be sure you aren't confusing cellular signal vs Wi-Fi signal. Then carefully consider your use.

Since you mentioned download speeds it makes me think you are more concerned about moving and using large amounts of data and at speeds, such as streaming video, YouTube videos, etc.

If that is the case, then there is a great chance it's your Wi-Fi signal you should optimize, not your cellular. While some cellular devices and providers can provide the bandwidth and speed to do the above, it generally comes at a major expense as you will need a large data plan from your cellular provider. And the majority of those type plans, even if unlimited will "clamp down" on your available speed when you reach a certain monthly amount of data usage such as 10 gigs. Up to 10 it rocks, but if you use 10 gigs of a 10 GB plan 15 days into the month, then the next 2 weeks will be aggravatingly slow.

Wifi on the other hand doesn't care how much data you move...it cares about how fast you want it to be capable of based on your networking needs. For example, if you want to stream HD or 4K HD without buffering (when your video stops and you see that circling thingy), you'll need a certain minimum speed to do that.

If your wireless or ISP provider plan you pay for is capable of that speed you can stream to your heart's content without buffering, as much as you want.

Try that on cellular and you may be able to do that up to a point each month, but you are using up your total data "bucket" allowed at that speed for that month. Think of it as a well that holds a certain amount of water
A water truck comes by once a month to make sure your well is full
Your well also has a low level float in it that when engaged turns on a hose that dribbles in enough water to let you stay hydrated, but just barely and it never increases the water in the well.

Until you hit that float you can drink as much water and as fast as you want from that well, but only until you drain the well. Then you're stuck with the hose only until the water truck comes back for it's monthly replenish of your well.

Wifi, on the other hand is a hose that can stay on and blast at whatever speed you want and are willing to pay for monthly through your provider. There's no well...just a steady supply that can provide just as much water at any time as your cellular "well" did at it's fullest. Again, you decide how fast you want to drink then choose the Wi-Fi speed necessary. The faster the more expensive, so choose your speed based on your needs.

Advantages of cellular are that your data plan travels with you wherever you go. Wifi is local to your home. But Wi-Fi is also available at Wi-Fi "hotspots". That's why so many businesses allow you access to their Wi-Fi, where you are limited to their speed, but are able to stay connected. They do this as a service to customers.

With Wi-Fi, most smart phones allow you to access your network and also allow you to make calls via Wi-Fi. When you use the Wi-Fi on your phone you are not using your cellular "well water", so it doesn't count as water you drank from the well.

Cellular tends to be far more expensive if you need large amounts of data at Wi-Fi equivalent speeds each month. But it also allows you to access it wherever your phone can reach a cellular tower and can seamlessly provide signal from tower to tower. But if you hit a "dead area" you lose your data access the same as you do when you can't make a phone call, or experience a call where you or the other person can't hear part or all of what you are saying.

So, if you are looking to optimize speed and amount of data with no "throttling down" after a set monthly amount and you need it for your set location, then Wi-Fi is what you are after.

If you don't have Wi-Fi at your home or really need the mobility then cellular is your only real option...but probably an expensive one, unless your monthly data use and speed needs are small.

Keep in mind, cellular signal boosters/extenders are very different animals from Wi-Fi boosters/extenders. Getting one won't help the other.

That said, 5g is changing a lot of things including the above dynamic. Of course you would then need 5g capable smart phones with a cellular provider offering adequate 5g in your area.

Long read, but I hope it helps. If you decide it's Wi-Fi you need to boost rather than cellular I could tell you more about what you need based on what you want. For instance extenders vs mesh networking. A lot of people go the wrong way on that.
 
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Jeffreauxdawg

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Dec 15, 2017
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I have always heard that anything that doesn't conduct electricity will impede a cell signal. I actually talked to the insulation contractor this morning. The roof assembly is standing seam metal over a foil faced poly iso sheathing to break any thermal bridging on the I-joists. Inside the joists is a 9" of closed cell eps and then it is all encapsulated with 3" of closed cell spray foam. He says its slightly over R 60 if you added it all up. R 30 in the walls. I am guessing the foil facing on the polyiso and the metal roof are the big contributors, but all that insulation isn't helping the signal.

View attachment 21169

Anecdotally when I walk in the house I go from 70% service to 10%. I will test it all out this weekend and report back. I'm certain the trees aren't helping either. Those ponderosa pines and firs are no joke.

View attachment 21170

View attachment 21171
 

Jeffreauxdawg

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Dec 15, 2017
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That's a lot of info. But I am certain its cellular 4G LTE data I am talking about. Wifi is the primary tool and we use about 800gb of data a month from our internet provider. We both work from home and watch tv via streaming devices. We need cell connectivity for times when internet is down for whatever reason (5-6 times a year lets say, for an hour or two.) Mrs Sock's can't afford to miss an important video call or meeting, so we switch to mobile hotspot and she can keep going.

As for the data, we get 25GB for each line per month unthrottled. After the 25 GB, it is only slowed down when the network is busy. We will be living and working in a resort town that has its population triple or more on the weekends and holidays. So during the week when we are working we would likely not have to worry about it.

We have worked from home for years and are pretty much tuned in on how to backup our residential internet needs with our phones. But even more critical, is the ability to actually talk on our phones. As of now, the signal is so weak in our house, I am actually concerned about using our phones for their primary purpose... Talking. So we will setup the WeBoost cell signal booster at Mrs Sock's desk as a backup/test. If it works well and is necessary, I will return it for the whole house system and write it off as a business expense.

The cabin is not very big, we will have no need for a mesh network to extend our wifi range.
 
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