My Wilson Sleek makes data download speed WORSE

[Jbird]

Im hoping some tech experts can help me with this puzzle: I have a Verizon MiFi for wifi. Cradled in my Sleek,signal jumps from 2 bars to 4--and signal with Sleek is at -44db. Heres the issue: Without the Sleek my download speed in this area is around 7Mbps, with the Sleek ( and better signal strength) it drops to about .8Mbps. MiFi is set for LGE. That's point eight Mbps!

[mikestock]

This thread kind of helps me understand what might be going on with my JetPack. I happened to currently be located in a very strong Verizon signal area. With no antenna connected my download speeds go as high as the upper 20's Mb/s and my upload speeds are around 15 Mb/s.

When I attach a single omnidirectional antenna on my car roof my download speeds go near 50 Mb/s but the upload speeds drop below 0.5 Mb/s. Maybe I'm beginning to get a handle on what MIMO is about. I don't happened to have another antenna with me, to connect to the second JetPack antenna port but look forward to seeing if that will increase the upload speed.

My ultimate goal is to use the JetPack to cut the cord with Charter, my home IP.

[Jbird]

Thanks all. I will see what happens when I get to an area with low signal strength. Sounds to me from several posts that there's nothing wrong with my Sleek.

[Aridon]

-61db you don't need an amplifier, not even close. That in itself could be your problem.

Try again when your phone is on marginal signal, say -108db or worse and I'd bet your results will be different.

[magic43]

I have to switch the LTE off on my phone to get the boosted 4G signal.

[Clay_L]

This came up at least once before. One of the answers was that the amp reduced it's transmit power in strong signal areas and that could cause speed issues because more packets were re-transmitted. That seemed to be true for me. In some areas the speed was higher without the amp than with it.

[lexi51]

Reason you sometimes get slower speed with a booster is you lose MIMO capabilities of your device, as most booster don't support MIMO, still in a weak signal area non mimo speeds are still better than the latter.

Mimo stand for muliple in muliple out

Without mimo on your booster you are getting 1 better signal but just one, the device only got one copy of the data so if its degraded it must ask to resend thus slowing your speed, of course this all happens in milliseconds.

With mimo you are always getting two copies of the data, so even if the signal is more degraded your hotspot has two copies to look at, if one copy is missing a piece it can pull from the other and vice versa, only if both copies are bad does it have to ask to resend.

This is also why most hotspots have 2 antenna ports, so you don't disable mimo. This is a feature in almost all modern cellular devices, even the ZTE Mobley has MIMO as it has 2 internal antennas.

I learned about all this on the hofo forum.

[wcjeep]

7mb/sec with no Sleek means the Sleek is not necessary at that time. I think Verizon states 4g signal at -58db or better (ex. -52db/-40db/-32db) is preferred. At -65db is not quite perfect. Still not necessary for the Jetpack/Sleek combo.

Per Verizon, -96db on 4g LTE is considered no signal.

[Jbird]

wa8yxm wrote:
I agree it may be dropping from 4g to 3g or even 2g Check the indicators on the phone or.... If it is an Android.. Download the app"Network Signal Info" this is free and it will tell you the type of connection when you go to the Mobile Tab.. NOTE. if you are connected by Wi-Fi as I am now the info there is.. Defective.
(But the info on the Wi-Fi page is good)

I don't think 3g,2g is the issue----MIfi is set to lte only and modem diagnostic shows 0s on anything but lte

[Jbird]

YC 1 wrote:
The front end of the receiver is getting overloaded and creating electrical noise. Or, the thing has become self quieting due to the location of the external antenna on the Sleek. That is, much like a howling PA system when the mic gets too close to a speaker. Can't hear the person at the mic when this happens.

I am trying to not be too technical here. I'm a telecommunications person with 40 yrs in the field.

Those signal levels are enormous in the RF world. You system will work with 1/3 of those.

Hey! Moving my antenna just might help. Ill give it a try. Thanks!

[JiminDenver]

2oldman wrote:
Sleek is an old product, perhaps not suited for today's technology. Get a WeBoost.

The weBoost is just a repackaged Sleek. It covers the exact same frequencies as it did before.

[wa8yxm]

I agree it may be dropping from 4g to 3g or even 2g Check the indicators on the phone or.... If it is an Android.. Download the app"Network Signal Info" this is free and it will tell you the type of connection when you go to the Mobile Tab.. NOTE. if you are connected by Wi-Fi as I am now the info there is.. Defective.
(But the info on the Wi-Fi page is good)

[YC_1]

The front end of the receiver is getting overloaded and creating electrical noise. Or, the thing has become self quieting due to the location of the external antenna on the Sleek. That is, much like a howling PA system when the mic gets too close to a speaker. Can't hear the person at the mic when this happens.

I am trying to not be too technical here. I'm a telecommunications person with 40 yrs in the field.

Those signal levels are enormous in the RF world. You system will work with 1/3 of those.

[GordonThree]

Using my Moto X Pure as a hotspot or a Ellipsis Jetpack, my 4G Sleek also slows downloads (Verizon version). I ONLY use it when I'm in a fringe area and the device cannot achieve a stable 4G connection on its own. Even 1 bar of signal is enough to work fine by itself. I have not experienced the level of slowdown you're seeing, but...

-61 is a lot of signal for LTE, why are you using the booster? Typically my device is fine by itself down to -95 or so.

[Jbird]

Mr Wizard: I show -44db signal with Sleek on, -61db with it off so Sleek is clearly amplifying. One other weird fact: I can get .53 Mbps download and 13mps upload with Sleek engaged,but normal download vs upload differences with Sleek off.