Community Forums

jeff0210 · 01-18-2021, 06:49 PM

Getting ready for the road. Need some opinions or expertise. Currently have wingard direct tv on roof of coach. Not planning on using it. Thinking about installing a boosters for wifi and cell inside dome for security and ease. Any thoughts on concerns or problems that might come up? Thanks in advance.

Fiesta48 · 01-18-2021, 06:56 PM

I put my cell phone outside booster antenna on my TV Wingard antenna that cracks up.
Protected down, higher than anything when up.

BOOZE TRAVEL · 01-20-2021, 12:37 PM

I mounted our we boost antenna on the ladder, brought the coax down the fridge vent into a cabinet where I mounted the module. Then I ran the other coax through the upper cabinets to where I sat the internal antenna. I then use a tablet next to the internal antenna as a Hotspot.
This setup has been great for 3 yrs.
As far as a wi-fi booster, most camps wi-fi is terrible, and will be the same with a booster. They don't have enough bandwidth to support the number of users, not to mention security issues.

ByeTheWay · 01-20-2021, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiesta48

I put my cell phone outside booster antenna on my TV Wingard antenna that cracks up.
Protected down, higher than anything when up.

Could you share the booster and antenna Manufacturer and Model, please.

jeff0210 · 01-20-2021, 04:09 PM

I have yet to purchased antenna or boost. Trying to determine if the dome would or would not be a good alternative location for the equipment.

tetranz · 01-20-2021, 04:33 PM

There's probably nothing wrong with putting the booster antenna in the dome but I think the main thing with boosters is to make sure the external and internal antennas are adequately separated. The installation instructions should tell you the minimum separation requirements.

If they're too close you can get oscillation which is kind of the radio equivalent of the audio feedback squeal that happens if a microphone hears its own speaker. I think some or maybe most boosters detect oscillation and automatically reduce the gain to prevent it but then the end result is that doesn't work so well.

Boosters seem to be a bit of a mixed bag. Some people obviously have good success with them but others not so much. Anything you buy needs to cover the bands you plan to use. For a mobile setup like an RV that probably means a multi-band booster to cover as much as possible.

I almost bought a booster when I was thinking of basing my RV internet on tethering to a phone or tablet instead of a modem/router but the whole internal / external antenna placement with possible oscillation problems and the challenge of more cabling put me off. The good ones seem to be quite expensive.

Camper25 · 01-20-2021, 07:14 PM

I bought the weBoost Drive Reach, the latest and strongest booster that weBoost has for a moving vehicle. I bought the refurbished one for $398 or whatever. I did upgrade the outside antenna.

One thing to mention, mine is useless if I have a good signal like three bars or more. But, if I'm in a real fringe area with one bar it will really boost the signal and let me connect.

https://www.amazon.com/weBoost-47015...tronics&sr=1-4

This MIMO panel antenna is my favorite though:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...f0d6ae5aac3278

Here's a good video on the antenna and some router info:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgbsePzYZTs

jeff0210 · 01-20-2021, 07:34 PM

Thanks. Been looking at a couple Proxicast. Might just go that way. Thanks

Mile Marker 42 · 01-20-2021, 07:44 PM

I wouldn't waste money on a wifi booster. Spend it on a cell booster. I have a WeBoost and mounted the antenna too on my crank up antenna. I wouldn't put it in the dome. It needs to be up high. As another said, if you already have a signal, it really isn't intended to help. It is for where you barely have anything. Then it will help. It has saved me at least twice where if I hadn't had it, I wouldn't have been able to get internet or a cell signal. If I had to do it over again. I would have added a 3-4 ft extension to the Weboost antenna to get even that much higher than the already high height of the winegard crank up. No complaints though. Great product.

mike625 · 01-22-2021, 07:56 AM

We have several LTE providers - so have not had to use out WeBoost that much "2 times in the last 2 or 3 years / as one provider will at least provide 5 to 10 mb download". For me, spending the $$$ on the best hotspot hardware with lte cell aggregation seems to work the best. With the way things change - I base my thinking that any setup has a 12 to 18 mts live life before something else comes along.

In the worst case, I keep a removal OTR antenna that I can attach directly to the hotspot ports or do the full WeBoost setup.

docj · 01-22-2021, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike625

We have several LTE providers - so have not had to use out WeBoost that much "2 times in the last 2 or 3 years / as one provider will at least provide 5 to 10 mb download". For me, spending the $$$ on the best hotspot hardware with lte cell aggregation seems to work the best. With the way things change - I base my thinking that any setup has a 12 to 18 mts live life before something else comes along.

I totally agree. I also have a WeBoost that I have only used occasionally. I currently have accounts with all three major cellular carriers that I access through a load balancing router. This approach pretty much assures that at least one of my connections will be able to support my internet needs.