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I fixed my slow internet

Started by Sixacresand, September 08, 2016, 06:37:44 PM

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Sixacresand

A little background:  Our land line DSL/phone service went out a couple years ago and company chose not to repair it, since we were rural.  We change over to a name brand wireless service, which also does our cell phones.  But the internet was very slow and sketchy and we had to go outside to use our phones.  This was because according to customer service, there are trees between us and the tower which is 3 miles away.   I check into the satellite internet services, but the reviews were terrible for the service and especially the customer service.  So That was not an option.   The only options were to continue to have poor internet or sell out and move.  but

Today I installed a wireless booster.  Right now it works as good as any DSL I every used and we have 4 to 5 bars on our cell phone.  Praise the Lord!   Now I can watch Forum youtube videos at home and not have to drive to a McDonalds to use their WIFI.  LOL.
"Sometimes you can make more hay with less equipment if you just use your head."  Tom, Forestry Forum.  Tenth year with a LT40 Woodmizer,

Magicman

Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Sixacresand

Quote from: Magicman on September 08, 2016, 06:49:56 PM
How about some specifics?

Windstream is the land line/internet provider that would not repair their lines. 

The wireless provider is Verizon, which we purchased a Jetpack.  The jetpack receives the Verizon Internet signal and broadcasts a wifi signal for the computer.   And with us being three miles from a tower, received a weak data or internet signal.

The two internet satellite providers that I read the bad reviews are HughesNet and Exide.

The booster is a WEboost Home 4G.  It comes with a outside antenna, 40 ft of coax, a inside amplifier/transmitter that sends out a signal that the computer jet pack and cell phones receive.   The WEboost unit cost $389 and ordered it online from Amazon. 

I hope it continues to work.  I'm keeping the box in case I have to return it. 
"Sometimes you can make more hay with less equipment if you just use your head."  Tom, Forestry Forum.  Tenth year with a LT40 Woodmizer,

gspren

   Would this help any cell-phone in your house or just Verizon?
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

Magicman

Quote from: Sixacresand on September 08, 2016, 09:11:55 PM
The booster is a WEboost Home 4G.
That answered my question.  We have a 4G Wilson booster at the Cabin and also in my truck which works very well with 4G cell phones.  Our problem is that both Pat and I now have 5G (LTE) phones and that particular booster no longer works for us.

The 5G boosters that I have found are in the $800-$900 range.   :-\
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Sixacresand

Quote from: gspren on September 08, 2016, 09:19:37 PM
   Would this help any cell-phone in your house or just Verizon?
I assume it will work with any cell phone provider.  Funny, but never did Verizon ever suggested a booster device, after all the many times I called to complain about my lousy service.   
"Sometimes you can make more hay with less equipment if you just use your head."  Tom, Forestry Forum.  Tenth year with a LT40 Woodmizer,

Ljohnsaw

Quote from: Magicman on September 08, 2016, 09:47:15 PM
Quote from: Sixacresand on September 08, 2016, 09:11:55 PM
The booster is a WEboost Home 4G.
That answered my question.  We have a 4G Wilson booster at the Cabin and also in my truck which works very well with 4G cell phones.  Our problem is that both Pat and I now have 5G (LTE) phones and that particular booster no longer works for us.

The 5G boosters that I have found are in the $800-$900 range.   :-\

Your phones don't see the 4G signal and step down to that?  Maybe there is a setting on the phone that is preventing that switch.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

clearcut

Cell phone boosters are specific to the radio frequency "bands" that the carriers transmit on.
Talk and text are separate from data, mostly.

Multiple and somewhat incompatible bands are used for data on  2G, 3G, 4G, and LTE. There is no 5G yet. LTE  is the most compatible between the carriers, having multiple bands in common.

Talk and text are carried over CDMA for Verizon and Sprint or GSM for AT&T and T-Mobile. There are multiple bands of these for each carrier. Older CDMA phones only work with their specific carrier. GSM phones are easier to switch between AT&T and T-Mobile and international carriers.

You need to match the bands that your carrier transmits, with the bands that the booster supports, and those that your phone can access. It's easy with a strong signal. When you get to the fringes having all the components talking on the same band becomes important.  Newer phones and more expensive phones support more bands and are easier to switch between carriers.

It's confusing.

Verizon used to offer whole house Internet with a big external antenna. It should be faster than a JetPack. I don't know if it also boosts cell reception.



Carbon sequestered upon request.

jdonovan

Quote from: MagicmanOur problem is that both Pat and I now have 5G (LTE) phones and that particular booster no longer works for us.

Really ?There is no 5G commercially deployed in any significance in the US at this time. Highly surprising that the phone is ahead of the network.

But there may be some confusion 5G != LTE.  What model phone do you have? I would fully expect a new phone to be 4G and LTE capable, but I've not seen a 5G handset outside of a lab yet.

Magicman

Yup, confusion and probably mine.  I have an Apple I5 and Pat has an I6.  They both indicate LTE signal.  The Wilson boosters that I have that worked so well with my flip phone and Pat's I4 now don't.  They are the "dual signal" boosters that are supposed to and did work with different carriers.  We have AT&T service.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

LeeB

I'll be doing a little more research on these boosters because our new house has even worse cell reception than the old place, which was almost none.  :P
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

jdonovan

Quote from: Magicman on September 09, 2016, 07:39:38 AM
Yup, confusion and probably mine.  I have an Apple I5 and Pat has an I6.  They both indicate LTE signal. 

I4 -was a quad band 800, 850, 900, 1,800, 1,900 MHz

The more common triband I5 (sprint/verizon) was a 2100, 1800, 850 only phone, so if the carrier serving the cabin was primarily using 800-900 then then, then new phone would work poorly there.

The ATT version was generally the 700/1700 bands

The booster should list what bands it supports.

Most of the time all this doesn't matter much, until you are in a weak signal area, then having compatible equipment with the local tower makes a very big difference.

There are some free/low-cost apps that will show you where the tower is you are talking to, and which frequency band it is using. That should be a big help to figure out what you might have to change to get better service.



Sixacresand

Quote from: Magicman on September 09, 2016, 07:39:38 AM
Yup, confusion and probably mine.  I have an Apple I5 and Pat has an I6.  They both indicate LTE signal.  The Wilson boosters that I have that worked so well with my flip phone and Pat's I4 now don't.  They are the "dual signal" boosters that are supposed to and did work with different carriers.  We have AT&T service.
If you didn't know about compatability issues, most likely your AT&T cell phone salesperson probably didn't know either.
"Sometimes you can make more hay with less equipment if you just use your head."  Tom, Forestry Forum.  Tenth year with a LT40 Woodmizer,

clearcut

Your older booster probably does not support LTE. You can switch it off on the phone:

     Settings / Cellular / Cellular Data Options/Enable LTE


Carbon sequestered upon request.

OlJarhead

Here's a secret (just for fun) from a guy who works in the industry:  there are no 4G pho0nes either! lol....they are really3g (more like 3.5G) but due to marketing they are calling them 4G.

The G stands for 'generation' and refers to the technology used (TDMA, CDMA, GSM)...CDMA and GSM are both considered 3G technology and are both still used today and though LTE is considered by many to be 4G it was, at least back a half dozen years, really just 3.5+G because the system, while using Ethernet backhaul vs TDM & SONET backhaul still utilized CDMA base station radios....

Anyway, I'm going down a rabbit hole here ;)  The bodies that try to regulate all of this gave up though as carriers wanted to call things '4G' for advertising purposes but in reality they were still based on improved 3G tech......

No true 5G exists and I'm unaware of any actual 5G radios (that is what the base station / tower uses -- and indeed your 'cell' phone is just a radio too)....as for 4G I think it was going to be a true GSM based system with full Ethernet backhaul but haven't really seen any 'official' change yet to make it so....

Anyway...that was just a 'for fun' post ;) 
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

Magicman

Quote from: clearcut on September 09, 2016, 10:17:56 AM
You can switch it off on the phone:  Settings / Cellular / Cellular Data Options/Enable LTE
I will do that next week and see what happens.   ???
QuoteYour older booster probably does not support LTE.
Those DanG boosters are expensive.   :o
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

POSTON WIDEHEAD

Magic, miss your old Flip Phone yet?  ;D
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Magicman

I do when this one won't talk.   :-\
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Brad_bb

I just ordered one of those boosters because of this post.  At least it's one recommendation from someone I know is a real person.  Installing at a build site I'm working at that you only get one bar and sometimes no service. 
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

Sixacresand

I hope it works for you, Brad-BB
"Sometimes you can make more hay with less equipment if you just use your head."  Tom, Forestry Forum.  Tenth year with a LT40 Woodmizer,

jdonovan

couple of notes.
outdoor = antenna pointed at cell site
indoor= where you want better signal


Pay attention to antenna separation.  The amp can sense the boosted signal from the indoor antenna, and if it receives too much on the outdoor antenna it will reduce power until its at an acceptable level. The manual will tell you the minimum recommended distances. Remember that is a MINIMUM. More separation is better!

You have to start with something to boost. Get a signal strength app, 'bars' of signal are useless for doing meaningful debugging of the repeater system. You are going to need to speak Dbm. This is a negative number in this application. Less negative is better. The extremes are... -50 = super duper right next to the cell tower signal level down to -120 = can't make a call. A change of 3db is doubling, or halving of power so the change of a few DB is a big deal. Depending on obsticals, line of site etc... you may need to try several indoor, and outdoor antenna placements for the best results. Start with the outdoor placement first. You need to capture as much signal as possible.

If your outdoor non-boosted signal is -105, -110, don't expect the booster to work magic. It will be better near the indoor antenna, but it isn't going to be at blow you away levels.

If you don't have great outdoor reception, and if your kit comes with an outdoor unit that looks like a stick (omi-directional), you can upgrade to a directional antenna (looks more like the letter V" to gain 8-15Dbm of gain.

Magicman

Yea!!!  I disabled LTE which allowed my phone to receive 4G from my booster and my signal went to the top.  Thanks Guys!
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

ellmoe

Quote from: Magicman on September 14, 2016, 03:51:34 PM
Yea!!!  I disabled LTE which allowed my phone to receive 4G from my booster and my signal went to the top.  Thanks Guys!



There are some remarkably knowledgeable people ( and willing to help ) on this Forum!
Thirty plus years in the sawmill/millwork business. A sore back and arthritic fingers to prove it!

Magicman

Quote from: clearcut on September 09, 2016, 10:17:56 AM
Your older booster probably does not support LTE. You can switch it off on the phone:

     Settings / Cellular / Cellular Data Options/Enable LTE
Yup, this tip was what I needed.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Hilltop366

All great info for me, I have read about this stuff on several websites but you guys make it make sense.

I bought a 50% share of a small off grid cottage last fall that does not get cell reception and have tried two different boosters one was a home based system that I tried on a battery and inverter it was not very expensive but had a yagi directional antenna, I could get a signal with the antenna on a 20' pole but could not make a call my phone (Vergin/Bell network) the phone would say "not registered on network" also tried a different phone that uses another network (Rogers network) with no luck.

The other booster was a car "cradle" booster with a omni directional antenna on the truck roof it worked once with my phone then I was not able to get a signal again unless I went to a place 5 miles up the road where it will work without the booster , it works sometimes in the cottage yard with the rogers network and always works ½ mile out the cottage road.

I suspect the cradle booster would work better at the cottage if we were to put the antenna up at the tree tops but I have yet to try but I did try putting the antenna on the 20' poll with no luck on my phone.

Any help would be grateful.

Bell network tower 12 miles away is 1900 and 2100 mhz

Rogers network tower 22 miles away 700, 850 and 2100 mhz

My phone is a samsung galaxy core lte.

The other phone is also a samsung galaxy but not sure what model.

 

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