Cell Phone Signal Booster
Hi Team, Considering adding a Cell phone signal booster to our rv. Something like this one: Wilson Signal Booster - Small Area... Anyone have and opinions/experience with them? Thanks D...
Forum Discussion
I always worry that passing on a different opinion can be see as disrespectful to the one being disagreed with. I am not trying to do that at all. Just passing on a different opinion for consideration of those considering a cellular signal booster.
Until my recent change of jobs, I was a network architect for a wireless/cellular network. I often see where a designer has generalized wifi network concepts to cellular networks. The result is usually less than adequate performance. Cellular and WiFi networks are not the same, they have very different geometries, channel characteristics, modulation schemes, distances typically involved,etc. Hence they behave very differently.
Here is my opinion. Again I am speaking of cellular signals (not wifi as they behave differently and deserve another thread to themselves) here are my inputs:
1) Antenna placement. With a signal repeater the antenna is typically placed in a much better area for signal reception(on roof of rv). Allowing for much better reception and (typically) less blockages. This alone is significant. Think of having you TV antenna inside vice on the roof.
2) Type of antenna. One can use a higher gain or directional antenna with a repeater/booster. Again a significant contributor to signal strength and signal to noise. Think of "rabbit ears" vice a quality directional TV antenna.
3) The amplifier. With a quality $500 cell phone repeater you are getting a FAR better amplified/transceiver than is in you cellphone. This improved amplifier (with much lower signal to noise) goes a long way to reduce lost/corrupted packets. Especially in fringe areas we camp.
4) The return path. For voice calls this is critical. A cellular link is a very asymmetric link. The tower to cellphone has very different characteristics than the cell phone to tower. Think of the tower; big antennas, high quality and powerful transceivers. Then tink of you hand held device, avery small antenna and a amplifier/transceiver operating at a few tenths of a watt. For the channel from you handset to the tower, a signal booster/repeater takes this relatively weak signal, amplifies it, and send it over a better placed and better quality antenna.
I routinely see where better antenna placement, better antennas, and better/more powerful transceivers result is a very noticeable improvements in data throughput.
Don't take the differing opinions of two well meaning dudes on the internet (myself and Docj), try this for yourself. Next time you have a weak signal in your RV (and trouble connecting or low data rates), just go outside and climb up on the roof...signal and effective data throughput will, in all likelyhood, significantly improve. Now considering placing a better antenna and better amplifier up there and you can visualize the improvement you would get (in that situation) from a quality signal booster.
As many of us camp in remote areas, IMHO a properly installed and configured antenna and amplifier can result in improved data through put over a cellular network.
Until my recent change of jobs, I was a network architect for a wireless/cellular network. I often see where a designer has generalized wifi network concepts to cellular networks. The result is usually less than adequate performance. Cellular and WiFi networks are not the same, they have very different geometries, channel characteristics, modulation schemes, distances typically involved,etc. Hence they behave very differently.
Here is my opinion. Again I am speaking of cellular signals (not wifi as they behave differently and deserve another thread to themselves) here are my inputs:
1) Antenna placement. With a signal repeater the antenna is typically placed in a much better area for signal reception(on roof of rv). Allowing for much better reception and (typically) less blockages. This alone is significant. Think of having you TV antenna inside vice on the roof.
2) Type of antenna. One can use a higher gain or directional antenna with a repeater/booster. Again a significant contributor to signal strength and signal to noise. Think of "rabbit ears" vice a quality directional TV antenna.
3) The amplifier. With a quality $500 cell phone repeater you are getting a FAR better amplified/transceiver than is in you cellphone. This improved amplifier (with much lower signal to noise) goes a long way to reduce lost/corrupted packets. Especially in fringe areas we camp.
4) The return path. For voice calls this is critical. A cellular link is a very asymmetric link. The tower to cellphone has very different characteristics than the cell phone to tower. Think of the tower; big antennas, high quality and powerful transceivers. Then tink of you hand held device, avery small antenna and a amplifier/transceiver operating at a few tenths of a watt. For the channel from you handset to the tower, a signal booster/repeater takes this relatively weak signal, amplifies it, and send it over a better placed and better quality antenna.
I routinely see where better antenna placement, better antennas, and better/more powerful transceivers result is a very noticeable improvements in data throughput.
Don't take the differing opinions of two well meaning dudes on the internet (myself and Docj), try this for yourself. Next time you have a weak signal in your RV (and trouble connecting or low data rates), just go outside and climb up on the roof...signal and effective data throughput will, in all likelyhood, significantly improve. Now considering placing a better antenna and better amplifier up there and you can visualize the improvement you would get (in that situation) from a quality signal booster.
As many of us camp in remote areas, IMHO a properly installed and configured antenna and amplifier can result in improved data through put over a cellular network.
