WeBoost Drive 4G-X RV

[timjet]

I'm considering buying one to boost our AT&T data signal. We use the AT&T ZTE mobley hot spot. It works fairly well on it's own but sometimes is very slow and unable to connect in some spots.

My question is for those who have installed the WeBoost how have you installed the external antenna? I really, really don't want to drill a hole in the outside of the coach and feed the antenna cable to the WeBoost, so is there a way around this.

I would like to install the WeBoost in a way that makes it portable because I'm thinking of dropping my cable internet at the house and using the Mobley and WeBoost at the house when not on the coach.

[ThomB]

Originally Posted by timjet

I'm considering buying one to boost our AT&T data signal. We use the AT&T ZTE mobley hot spot. It works fairly well on it's own but sometimes is very slow and unable to connect in some spots.

My question is for those who have installed the WeBoost how have you installed the external antenna? I really, really don't want to drill a hole in the outside of the coach and feed the antenna cable to the WeBoost, so is there a way around this.

I would like to install the WeBoost in a way that makes it portable because I'm thinking of dropping my cable internet at the house and using the Mobley and WeBoost at the house when not on the coach.

Our coach already had a hole for a Sirius antenna so I ended up drilling a new hole near that for the WeBoost. I've had no issues with this. My hole went through the front fiberglass nose cone so was very clean and I have access to it from the inside as well. I just increased the size of our ground plane which you will need. My original ground plane was a 4x4 metal electrical box blanking cover. I ended up getting a sheet of metal from Lowes to make that bigger. Just painted it white, 2-part epoxied it to the top and dicor'd around it also putting more dicor on the places that there were holes drilled in the cap.

You may want to consider putting it through the slide if you have one convenient to where you are installing everything. That will save you from having to drill, but I think I'd put it in and out each time (to keep the cord from fraying over time) which would force you to get onto the roof every time you need to set it up.

[timjet]

Or maybe on a telescoping mast that would be set up and taken down each time. I could then run a permanent cable perhaps through the refrig access panel into the coach and connect the antenna and WeBoost as needed.

[Jim A]

The WeBoost Drive 4G-X RV has a different roof antenna than the standard 4G-X, and does not need the ground plane, unlike the standard magnetic mount antenna. It is designed for antenna or ladder mount without a ground plane. It is also connected with an RG6 coax.

When I installed my Trav'ler dish the unit included a sealing plate to use to run the coax and control cable through a hole in the roof. I used the satellite radio antenna mount hole to run my cables. I included a second unused coax at the time. I intent to use that spare coax with my new 4G-X RV roof antenna. (I have not installed it yet due to the current heat wave in southern CA.)

If you are not comfortable cutting a hole in your roof, you might be able to run the coax through the vent for the refrigerator. Due to potential signal losses in coax, you probably want to keep your RG6 coax run as short as possible. I think the included RG6 cable is 20'.

As for portability, I would buy a second roof mount antenna and leave the included antenna on the roof and disconnect the cable at the booster inside the coach. The magnetic mount antennas for use with a ground plane are cheap. Be aware that car (or RV) boosters are not recommended for home use due to power restrictions. Directional antennas are better suited for home use in place of omni antennas as well.

[gladu2]

I just finished installing our Weboost Drive 4G-X RV. We used the refrigerator roof vent to route the outdoor antenna cable into the RV and made no holes on the fiberglass skin. We used the 1/2" hole saw that came with the booster package to drill a hole in the side of the vent lip on the roof and in the RV used a long speedbor wood bit to drill into the vent where it was next to a existing wire channel. We used a small fish tape and pulled the cable through the vent up to the roof. We used a grommit and RTV sealant where the cable came through the vent on the roof. None of the screening on the refrigerator vent was damaged. We installed the external antenna on the roof ladder with the existing hardware that came with the package but had to add extra washers to get the nuts secured as the U-bolts ran out of threads before the nuts were tight.

[timjet]

Originally Posted by Jim A

T
Be aware that car (or RV) boosters are not recommended for home use due to power restrictions. Directional antennas are better suited for home use in place of omni antennas as well.

Thanks Jim, can you expand on that.

[wingnut60]

Currently in process of installing one in my Suites--since all electronics are in the slide, having problem going from ladder mount to slide, and 20' is bare minimum to do this.
Am going to run the antenna coax across the roof and down between the slide frame and the gasket. Down and over to where the power cords go up into the slide floor. Had to drill new hole in floor and fish coax thru. Have it done and in operation, but the coax is not firmly mounted yet. The tabs they provide are kind of cheap/small/weak but am going to use them til I see if they come loose.
Coax should flex enough across the space from slide wall to slide access hole and will wiretie it to the slide power cords.
Thats my situation so far, will have to see how it survives travel.
Joe

[gladu2]

Originally Posted by wingnut60

Currently in process of installing one in my Suites--since all electronics are in the slide, having problem going from ladder mount to slide, and 20' is bare minimum to do this.
Am going to run the antenna coax across the roof and down between the slide frame and the gasket. Down and over to where the power cords go up into the slide floor. Had to drill new hole in floor and fish coax thru. Have it done and in operation, but the coax is not firmly mounted yet. The tabs they provide are kind of cheap/small/weak but am going to use them til I see if they come loose.
Coax should flex enough across the space from slide wall to slide access hole and will wiretie it to the slide power cords.
Thats my situation so far, will have to see how it survives travel.
Joe

If the cable ziptie tabs start coming loose on ours I think I will secure the tabs better the way Tito does in this video with eternabond tape.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XSux3Wdghg

[wingnut60]

Mike,
Thank you. That will be Plan B when the tabs come loose.
Joe

[okmunky]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4XnkVvb40GY

I will be installing a Yagi direction antella on my Class C just for use when we're parked near Quartzsite in the winter. The plan is to go thru the side wall over my entry door. There is a small cabinet inside that has both AC and DC power. Being a side wall and using the grommet provided plus some silicone inside the grommet I'm not worried about leaking.

Everything on my roof has to be monkey proof. I'd like to put the Yagi on a 10' high, 1.5" PVC mast to increase reception and make it less accessible to Sena. The cable will run down the inside and I may have to add guy wires to keep it steady when the wind blows.

BTW, Wilson customer service is top notch.

[Jim A]

Originally Posted by timjet

Thanks Jim, can you expand on that.

I think I read that on rvmobileinternet.com while researching booster options. Mobile boosters are limited to 50dB gain, but home units are allowed 70dB gain.

Car/RV units can't control which direction it points in relation to the cell tower, so they must use an omni directional antenna to get the signal from any direction. Home units can take advantage of the local cell tower always being in the same direction, so a stronger directional antenna is better.

Oscillation can occur where the outside antenna picks up the signal from the inside antenna. Use of directional antennas helps to control this situation, especially with more high powered boosters. My home outside directional antenna points north, while the inside directional antenna points south. No interference/oscillation. The antennas are also mounted farther apart than the RV would allow.

[timjet]

I picked up a weboost 4G-X RV booster yesterday at the Hershey RV show from Techno RV. I also got two suction cup mounts that hold the non-directional outdoor antenna on a 10' PVC mast. The antenna will have to be taken down and put back up at each campground stop. The coax cable for the antenna is fed through a slide seal into the interior of the coach, no holes or drilling required.

I haven't set the weboost up yet and I may tire of setting up and taking down the outside antenna, and of course I can't use it while driving. But the advantage to this arrangement is the antenna is several feet higher than a permanent mount on the coach ladder and no holes are drilled and the antenna cable doesn't have to be fished into the coach.

I'm currently at a campground with good reception so won't set it up here. But soon I'll need to and will report back.

[okmunky]

Tim,

I made my own suction cup antenna mount after watching the TechnoRV video online. Instead of paying $52.70 with shipping, I went to Harbor Freight for their double suction cup glass lifter and Home Depot for 2 stainless steel hose clamps. Total cost -- $11.49. That's less than Techno RV's shipping cost.

My main objective was to protect the antenna and cable from little monkey hands and teeth so I drilled a hole on the side of the 1" PVC pipe and ran the cable thru the inside and added an end cap at the top and bottom and a Tee about 7' down from the top.

I did have to drill a hole thru the RV side wall for the cable. I brought the cable into a small cabinet above the door where it is secure. A marine clamshell vent with the opening down over the hole helps protect the entryway.

Since the cable must be disconnected for travel I use an ear plug to block the hole rather than caulking. The cable exits the mast pipe at the Tee. I added a short piece of pipe to the side of the Tee. This way there is only 3" of exposed cable at the top where it meets the Yagi antenna.

[sedaliaterry]

Check this LINK for another No-Drill option (through AC vent).