Cell phone access while traveling

[Greyghost]

This may belong in the technology corner but Full Timers will get the most benefit from this.

My wife and I have been part timing (6months out and 6 months in the S&B) for five and a half years. During that time we have used a first generation Verizon Mifi (Jetpak). We had fair to good coverage nationwide with the Mifi but we decided to upgrade our unit.

Two months ago we upgraded to the current Jetpak. Wow, what a difference in signal strength. I can now move around without losing the signal and the download speed appears to be much faster.

So, if you've been wondering if you should upgrade, I recommend that you do.

[GoPackGo]

The short answer is 'no'.

Wilson sells the Sleek as a 12v booster kit with a magnetic antenna to use in your truck/car. But they also sell a 'home and office kit'. This consists of a freestanding holder for the Sleek, an L bracket with suction cups and a 110v power pack. You use the suction cups to attach the bracket to the inside of a window and then just set the holder/Sleek nearby and plug in the 110v connection. You are expected to use the antenna, attached wiring and Sleek that comes as part of the original Sleek package, attaching the mag antenna to the L bracket. I believe the bracket functions as a ground plane.

Never plug in the power until the antenna is connected to the Sleek.

You will need to buy both products if you want to use a Sleek in your 5er/RV, but just the original Sleek if you want to use a Sleek only in your truck.

I also bought one of the taller Wilson magnetic antennas to replace the smaller 3 inch one that came with the original Sleek. And I also bought a separate antenna to use permanently in the Home and Office kit. They're only about a foot tall.

Note that the Sleek can also be used to boost your phone signal but that it will only work if the phone is actually in the cradle, meaning you'd have to use the phone speaker or, if in your vehicle, a Bluetooth system.

If you go to the Wilson site you will be able to see all the components.

All I can say is that this works well for me. I used it constantly all last year all over the Midwest and also the mountain states. And I'm using it now as well. I leave the Home kit set up permanently in my 5er and just move the Sleek from my truck to the 5er when I set up camp (I use the Sleek in my truck for my phone).

You can get everything on Amazon or Walmart, etc. But I suggest you spend some time on the Wilson site to figure out what you need first. Wilson sells several different Sleeks, depending on which carrier you use, although I had heard they were working on a universal model too. And I understand Wilson has good tech help too.

Let me know if this is not clear, or if you have other questions.

John Fox. Good/Bad ?

Tim B.

[C-Bears]

GoPackGo wrote:
I've been using a Sleek for my MiFi for over a year now and it helps a lot. I figure it gains me about 2 bars on average. As a bonus, you can set a phone on it if you want to boost it's signal.

Tim

I have looked at boosting my MiFi signal. Do you run the antenna to the outside? If so, how do you run it out there? Do you have to leave a window open with a screen off or what?

[GoPackGo]

I've been using a Sleek for my MiFi for over a year now and it helps a lot. I figure it gains me about 2 bars on average. As a bonus, you can set a phone on it if you want to boost it's signal.

Tim

[wcjeep]

Can't say enough good things about the Wilson Sleek. Be sure to get the 4g unit. It does carrier specific 4g, plus all 3g and all 1x.

[RoyB]

I too use the Verizon MIFI pack that looks like the JETPACK. I use the WILSON SLEEK Cradle to sit the Verizon MIFI unit into it which uses an outside antenna. This really helped out my MIFI unit big time.



You could sit your JETPACK into this WILSON SLEEK as well and the outside antenna will help your setup even more.


Roy Ken