# signal booster



## te12co2w (Jun 3, 2007)

I am wondering about some equipment the communication man installed at a customer's house. This is for a vacation home. Poor cell phone reception right there. They want a good signal so that they can monitor their security cameras from their real home. We pulled the wire (LMR400 50 ohm cable) to a Wilson 301201 stick antenna, and Wilson 301135 wall panel. Less than 300'. It took 2 of us 1-1/2 days to get that done. What a pain. I was going to stick around to see if it worked, but there were some problems, so we left. Later the customer said that the tech got a little improvement but not a lot. I know next to nothing about ordering and setting this kind of stuff up. All supplied by the communication company. Does this equipment have a good reputation? Is there anything else the customer could do? Not much info here, I know. Thanks, in advance.


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

look up a das system.

Also, many cell phone companies offer a home cell tower for poor reception areas. it works off of the internet


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## Semi-Ret Electrician (Nov 10, 2011)

I'm in a weak spot where I could only get one bar on my cellphone.

Instaled a Z Boost antenna in my attic (30' above grade) ran the co-ax to the booster.

Now get 2-3 bars. Works with all types of phones up to 50 ft away.

Cost about $190


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## FrunkSlammer (Aug 31, 2013)

Yeah Wilson is pretty good, I did their reseller course online, but haven't pursued it as a part of my business yet. We have really bad cell reception in my area, so I think it could be a real money maker. 

Where did you put the antenna (attic or roof)? And also a directional would be better than omnidirectional, so long as you point it at the right cell tower for the customer. Might need a booster as well.

I haven't got into it other than the course because like you experienced, I think it could take a few jobs to really become an expert on the installs and providing a quality product.


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## te12co2w (Jun 3, 2007)

*thanks*

Thanks for replying. I'm not sure that the homeowner will want to keep going on this, but at least I can give him some options. The das system looks like more than most homeowners would want to get involved in. The antenna we put about 10-12' above the deck. We could get it higher I guess, if we want to experiment. The comm guy told us where he got the best reception and that's where we put it.


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## Semi-Ret Electrician (Nov 10, 2011)

When I go a few miles south I only get one bar on my cell, I'm thinking of running a booster on my truck.


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## triden (Jun 13, 2012)

Go into the settings>About menu on your cellphone and post the current signal strength in that area. If the signal is too low the begin with, the cell booster is not going to help you at all. 
I'm not sure what Wilson's specs are, but I would imagine that anything below -100dBm cannot be boosted as the signal is already mostly hiding in the noise floor.

As for Wilson, they make nice equipment.


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## triden (Jun 13, 2012)

That's a really long run with LMR-400. I did a rough calculation and the cable alone drops 17dB for 300' at 1800mHz. The stick antenna give you 7dB boost, so the cable is dropping 10db more that your antenna can provide to begin with. I would re-think this system.

Where is your amplifier in this sytem?


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

I would start over. LMR 400 is cheap and about useless in the situation you described. Put a up a yagi and run LDF 5 to a Wilson 801212 and it will work. Get with Wilson and they can give you a parts list. Wilson makes great products and has decent tech support. If you can shoot the system with an Anritsu site master all the better. RF is not the same as running electrical wire, you really need to to have the specialized knowledge and equipment.


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## Semi-Ret Electrician (Nov 10, 2011)

On my Samsung S4, without a booster plugged in gets -107 dBm (3 ASU) to 111 dBm (1 ASU...or 1 bar) which is very unreliable

With my booster I get anywhere from -99 dBM (7 ASU) to -91 dBm (11 ASU ..3 bars) which is very reliable and crystal clear.

WiKi says the same as Triden signals below -100 dBm can't be boosted effectively, but google developers say Android based cell phones "have nothing to do with ASU numbers".

I appreciate Triden's input. I didn't know we could call up this info on a cell phone.:thumbsup:


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## Chris A. (Feb 15, 2014)

I have the Verizon signal booster and it works great. It operates through high speed internet. Coverage area is 5000 square feet and anywhere within that range I have full service. Good thing about them is it's a one purchase deal. The downfall is the monthly DSL charge, but I have to have internet either way. You can find deals on the internet on them. I bought mine off eBay for $75, new in the box.


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## FrunkSlammer (Aug 31, 2013)

I haven't heard of that before, so when you get home it turns into a VoIP connection with your internet?


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## Chris A. (Feb 15, 2014)

It's my understanding that the Verizon signal booster, or network extender as they call it, communicates directly through Verizon and it's computers to boost the signal. It will only work with Verizon phones.


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## Wpgshocker (Jan 25, 2013)

Chris A. said:


> It's my understanding that the Verizon signal booster, or network extender as they call it, communicates directly through Verizon and it's computers to boost the signal. It will only work with Verizon phones.


 It is more likely that the the signal booster and antenna are designed to work with Verizon specific frequencies. That would prevent it from working with other carriers and their frequencies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_frequencies


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## Chris A. (Feb 15, 2014)

That makes sense too, lol.


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## 8V71 (Dec 23, 2011)

What was it again? settings > about.....I can't find signal strength on my phone. Come to think of it, I haven't heard it ring in a while.


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## Chris A. (Feb 15, 2014)

8V71 said:


> What was it again? settings > about.....I can't find signal strength on my phone. Come to think of it, I haven't heard it ring in a while.


Man back in the day those things were the ****e that killed Elvis. They would pick up in a cave in West Virginia, lol.


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## FrunkSlammer (Aug 31, 2013)

Wilson has some good documentation for switching phones from bars to actual signal strength. I did it on my iphone and now can easily see the actual db. I'll dig it up later and post it, unless someone else does it first.


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## FrunkSlammer (Aug 31, 2013)

Here's how to change it for the iPhone:

http://lifehacker.com/5929546/see-the-actual-signal-strength-on-your-iphone-with-this-quick-tweak


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## Wpgshocker (Jan 25, 2013)

FrunkSlammer said:


> Wilson has some good documentation for switching phones from bars to actual signal strength. I did it on my iphone and now can easily see the actual db. I'll dig it up later and post it, unless someone else does it first.


Iphone *3001#12345#* send

Android *#4636#*


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## te12co2w (Jun 3, 2007)

triden said:


> That's a really long run with LMR-400. I did a rough calculation and the cable alone drops 17dB for 300' at 1800mHz. The stick antenna give you 7dB boost, so the cable is dropping 10db more that your antenna can provide to begin with. I would re-think this system.
> 
> Where is your amplifier in this sytem?


 You are way ahead of me in this field. The 300' is broken into 2 runs. One about 78' and the other about 222'. We pulled the wire the techie supplied. The short run goes to the wall panel 301135. The longer one goes to the antenna. He installed 1 cell phone signal booster AG-SOHO60 # 801245 at the home computer location. Later he added a pre-booster. That's what he called it. Don't have a # for that, but it was also Wilson. Both of those were installed at the same location. Thanks to everyone for the ideas.


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## crazyboy (Nov 8, 2008)

Definitely should've used hardline instead of LMr.


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## te12co2w (Jun 3, 2007)

crazyboy said:


> Definitely should've used hardline instead of LMr.


What is that?


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## 8V71 (Dec 23, 2011)

te12co2w said:


> What is that?


Do a search on LDF 5 cable which is hardline/heliax. Instead of the shield being braided wire it's either solid copper or aluminum.


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## 8V71 (Dec 23, 2011)

*Hardline/Heliax*

The black cable on the left is 1/4" and the bigger one with the connector taken apart is 1 3/4. Coax is like electrical wire. The bigger it is, the less loss it has.


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## FrunkSlammer (Aug 31, 2013)

RIP Cleetus.


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## bduerler (Oct 2, 2009)

FrunkSlammer said:


> RIP Cleetus.


That doesn't look right... He passed ?


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## 8V71 (Dec 23, 2011)

bduerler said:


> That doesn't look right... He passed ?


No....still kickin. :thumbup:


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## bduerler (Oct 2, 2009)

8V71 said:


> No....still kickin. :thumbup:


Thank god. This place would suck without you


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## 8V71 (Dec 23, 2011)

bduerler said:


> Thank god. This place would suck without him


:blink: fify


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## bduerler (Oct 2, 2009)

8V71 said:


> :blink: fify


Lol long long long long day.


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