Cell booster - what is there besides WeBoost/Wilson

[deltabravo]

Looking for more companies that make cell boosters - are there any?

I have a truck camper, and it's almost impossible to get the "minimum separation" required between the interior and exterior antennas of the WeBoost units I've researched, plus the outside antennas don't really lend themselves to permanent installation (at least the ones I've seen.) Correct me on that point if I'm mistaken.

I've also had two Wilson units fail for no apparent reason, which were a type that I could get the required separation between the antennas on.

As a result of two mysteriously failed units I'm not to keen on blowing $400+ on another one.

I don't travel enough to warrant another data plan for a "hotspot" like the Winegard Connect2 4g system. All I want to do is amplify the signal to/from my cell phone.

[deltabravo]

hawkeye-08 wrote:
My experience with Wilson/WeBoost is interesting.

Ditto.

I emailed them about sending my unit back for repair.

This was their response:

"Thank you for reaching out to us, unfortunately we don't offer any repairs on the booster however if you take it to a local computer repair shop sometimes they can look at the board and see if there are fuses or something internal that has gone bad."

That was by far the most lame email I have ever received about a product.

"take it to a local computer repair shop sometimes they can look at the board and see if there are fuses or something internal that has gone bad"

Not sure how they think a "computer repair shop" would have a clue how to troubleshoot something of this nature, especially without circuit diagrams.... and even if they had them, they wouldn't have a clue.

I received an automated email a few days later asking me to "rate their support"
My response back to them was this:

" Support was pretty lame in my opinion. A "computer repair shop" doesn't have schematics / diagrams, nor troubleshooting equipment to see if "fuse or something else internal has gone bad"

This is the poorest excuse for customer support I have ever encountered for a high cost product.
You are basically giving me the brush off."


They sent this as a response:

"I am very sorry that the shop you went to didn't have the right tools. In some cases they can fix the booster. At this point the only thing we can do is replace the booster if you bought the booster less than two years ago and had the proof of purchase."

I'm not sure where they concluded in my previous emails that I went to a "computer shop"

Anyway, their tech support / product support is laughable at best.

[hawkeye-08]

My experience with Wilson/WeBoost is interesting. I wanted a booster for home, we have -105db signal and I was hoping to get some improvement. Emailed to confirm details and right selection, response was my environment should work very well with abc (don't recall exact model) booster. I was ready to purchase and had one more question, so emailed again. Got a response that my signal was too weak to be boosted... I responded that I was told previously (attached previous email to my response) that it would work well. Engineers had it out, WeBoost decision was my signal would not benefit from their products.

I am not planning on buying anything now until I see what happens with 5G.

[trail-explorer]

Dutch_12078 wrote:
The best booster we've used (and still use) is the "Max Amp RV" from Maximum Signal.

Screwy website, talks about a SPRING SALE. Spring ended months ago.

And product photos with granite countertops and the living room carpet as the backdrop.... cheezy!!!

[ktmrfs]

Belgique wrote:
Hope this relates in part to the OP's question. Keep wanting to buy the weboost 4gx-RV but I've read that the indoor antenna only has a range of about 5 feet. That would mean that we could not use our phones sitting comfortably in our chairs in the living room due to where the antenna would normally be placed. Anyone that has one care to comment on this? Tnx.

the indoor antenna range is highly dependent on how strong the unboosted cell signal is as well as distance from the indoor antenna. The indoor antenna, like any antenna signal strength decreases with distance. In our trailer if the unboosted signal is near -110db the indoor antenna range is 10-15 ft. for good voice if the unboosted signal is near -120db or worse, antenna range is 5-10 ft. for voice, internet can be marginal with this low outside signal at 10ft from the antenna.

with a very low unboosted signal or for good internet the best solution is to use a cell cradle antenna rather than another indoor antenna. As an example with the cradle antenna and the phone in the cradle, with a -120db unboosted signal, my weboost will give a -70db signal level to the phone in the cradle, At the same time using the indoor antenna signal level will be 20db worse.

a signal level around -90db is a plenty strong signal. excellent voice, messaging and internet

-120db will usually give voice coverage but pretty poor internet.

-110db gives good voice, marginal internet.

I use a 2 way splitter, which looses 3db connected to a dome ceiling antenna and a cradle antenna. I put the hotpsot in the cradle and phones use the ceiling antenna. That way we get decent voice along with a very good internet signal.

and put the indoor antenna as close to your "normal" use position as possible.

[Belgique]

Hope this relates in part to the OP's question. Keep wanting to buy the weboost 4gx-RV but I've read that the indoor antenna only has a range of about 5 feet. That would mean that we could not use our phones sitting comfortably in our chairs in the living room due to where the antenna would normally be placed. Anyone that has one care to comment on this? Tnx.

[GordonThree]

TMo was calling their 600mhz service 5g for a while, then stopped... Must have gotten their wrist slapped.
.

If you want newest technology booster look at MIMO... That's 2 or more inside and outside antennas. Most modern phones use MIMO to talk to the towers, and can suffer dramatically when run through a single channel booster.

[MrWizard]

mobile 5G
Is aways off, VZW is only deploying fixed location 5G at this time and only in a few limited markets
And that is in the 28 gig Hz freq, which IIRC is not used by cell phones currently in use
If you need a mobile booster, find the one you like and get it

[CA_Traveler]

My understanding is that 5G will require new hardware. I've also read that the architecture standard is not yet stabilized. Personally I would hold off on 5G phones and equipment until it stabilizes. I'd hope that there is one standard for all but that has not been the past experience with different vendors like Verizon, T Mobile, etc.

Just another WAG on my part.

[MrWizard]

I read something on this few weeks ago
IIRC vzw 5G is on the same bands as current XLTE

[Trackrig]

I have been thinking about a cell booster but have been hesitating. Will the currently available boosters for Verizon 4G, work with Verizon's 5G when they roll it out? Or is 5G on totally different frequencies, meaning I'll have to buy another one in a year or two?

Bill

[ktmrfs]

we have the weboost 4gx-RV and depending on use, the outside antenna is as close as 3ft horizontal and 6ft vertical to the inside antennas. Outside antenna is an omni on a 10ft fiberglass pole. And in both strong and weak signal areas, never had interference. In a weak signal area signal was -125db w/o booster and -70db with the booster and no feedback. In strong signal area signal was -100db w/o boost and as low as -60db with boost, again no interference. And my inside antennas are connected through a 3db splitter to a cradle and a 360 degree horizontal radiation oattern ceiling dome antenna. Trailer is a fiberglass wall.

I also have the weboost 4g-x booster in a smaller aluminum wall cargo trailer with less than 3ft seperation to the roof antenna with again a cradle and ceiling antenna with no interference.

How long these will last don't know. the previous units were wilson 3g units that also didn't seem to suffer from inteference between antennas

[CA_Traveler]

Antenna design can play a role in separation. My indoor antenna is a flat panel which is partially directional. Therefore pointed away from the outside antenna reduces the interference.

[MrWizard]

If you look up cellphone booster . On Amazon
You will see a variety

Like said above, antenna separation applies to all of them
The stronger the transmit signal the more separation needed
It is pure RF physics

Also proper mounting procedure
If you take a vertical mount antenna and put it on an angle or lay it down
You will get more feedback to the inside unit
That's part of the physics
Signal orientation
Two failures
Are you using the direct 12v connection?
To the truck or to the camper
What is the voltage on the connection ?
I would suspect high D.C. Voltage might be a problem

[GordonThree]

I've been using a Wilson Sleek 4G-V for a long time, and the indoor cradle and outdoor antenna are only 4 feet part. However, my TT has aluminum roof and siding, which should block the antennas line of sight.

I tossed the laughable tiny rubber duck antenna and installed a Wilson high gain marine antenna, it's a nice fiberglass unit and has held up very well over the years.

IMHO brand of booster isn't going to affect the need for antenna separation - that's physics. Any unit that claims you can use the two antennas close to each other is just pulling your chain.