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Old 06-23-2018, 07:58 AM   #1
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Lightbulb Weboost 4G-X - YES, it does work, and works well

It's only taken me a year to get this thing figured out and I've posted in this forum before pretty much citing the weboost as worthless! Well, I finally hit the sweet spot and my weboost is working very very well for me now! So I want to share my configuration and a little history of what I tried first.

History:

I'm a software biz owner, I'm a software developer, a techie, also dubbed geek. I love tech and I must have Internet to have a pulse. I got my RV because I used to be in the Air Force and miss the travels, as all I need is an Internet why not travel and work from the RV and get the best of both worlds. I have a AT&T Mobley Primary, Verizon MiFi 7730 secondary, Google Fi Android phone tertiary with iPhone X on Verizon on beyond unlimited as primary phone which is also a hotspot. I've tried all available indoor antennas, probably a half dozen external antennas. I ended up with the 50 OHM external antenna which was on the rear of the coach on the ladder (41 feet back) using 50 foot low loss RG 6 from weboost/wilson electronics (they are one in the same now). I moved the antenna to the front of the coach just forward of the front AC and that's where I am now - success.

My Configuration and what I ended up with:

External antenna is the 50 OHM with the silver top bottom ends. Weboost has two 50 OHM omni's, this one is a little more expensive but it has higher DB ratings. It is connected to the weboost amplifier using a 10 foot ultra low signal loss cable with N type connectors. It is just in front of the forward AC getting as much distance as possible from the internal antenna to avoid oscillation, it's probably 8 ft back due to the AC, no issues.

Internal antenna is the desktop antenna. Many reviewers give you the impression the internal antenna should be dang near touching your hotspot. NO! I did this for the longest time trying various internal antennas, finally I put some separation, weboost recommends 3 to 5 FEET! Mine is about 12-15 inches from the hotspots which are wall mounted on the left side of my over the driver's seat A/V compartment, the desktop antenna is mounted to the ceiling, upside down, at the opposite side of the compartment.

I used to go through a system of arriving at the campground, test without the weboost, disconnect the hotspot, connect the weboost, wait a few minutes, reconnect hotspot and test again. No more, the weboost is always on now, it has continually and significantly improved my connection. I was at a recent campground getting around 1-2 Mb/s download tests and then with weboost I was around 20 Mb/s. I'm seeing the trend of success predominately now.

So here are the components I have in use:

Weboost 4G-X RV - this comes with the antennas such as the desktop/indoor, but I'm using a different outdoor. All should be fine but if you want optimum consider getting just the Weboost 4G-X then get the antennas separately, or just get the additional outdoor antenna, up to you.

Indoor desktop antenna

50 OHM higher rated external/outdoor antenna

10 foot ultra low signal loss cable with N type connectors

N to F adapter to connect above cable to indoor unit.

Roof mount bracket which you really need to turn from a Z to L bracket but I made it work.
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Old 06-23-2018, 08:07 AM   #2
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What path did you use to get the cable from the external antenna to your indoor unit? Did you drill hole in roof or use some other existing entry?
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Old 06-23-2018, 08:10 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mricet1005 View Post
What path did you use to get the cable from the external antenna to your indoor unit? Did you drill hole in roof or use some other existing entry?
Drilled hole straight down into A/V compartment. Measure 50 times, drill once!
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Old 06-23-2018, 02:38 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NealC View Post
It's only taken me a year to get this thing figured out and I've posted in this forum before pretty much citing the weboost as worthless! Well, I finally hit the sweet spot and my weboost is working very very well for me now! So I want to share my configuration and a little history of what I tried first.

History:

I'm a software biz owner, I'm a software developer, a techie, also dubbed geek. I love tech and I must have Internet to have a pulse. I got my RV because I used to be in the Air Force and miss the travels, as all I need is an Internet why not travel and work from the RV and get the best of both worlds. I have a AT&T Mobley Primary, Verizon MiFi 7730 secondary, Google Fi Android phone tertiary with iPhone X on Verizon on beyond unlimited as primary phone which is also a hotspot. I've tried all available indoor antennas, probably a half dozen external antennas. I ended up with the 50 OHM external antenna which was on the rear of the coach on the ladder (41 feet back) using 50 foot low loss RG 6 from weboost/wilson electronics (they are one in the same now). I moved the antenna to the front of the coach just forward of the front AC and that's where I am now - success.

My Configuration and what I ended up with:

External antenna is the 50 OHM with the silver top bottom ends. Weboost has two 50 OHM omni's, this one is a little more expensive but it has higher DB ratings. It is connected to the weboost amplifier using a 10 foot ultra low signal loss cable with N type connectors. It is just in front of the forward AC getting as much distance as possible from the internal antenna to avoid oscillation, it's probably 8 ft back due to the AC, no issues.

Internal antenna is the desktop antenna. Many reviewers give you the impression the internal antenna should be dang near touching your hotspot. NO! I did this for the longest time trying various internal antennas, finally I put some separation, weboost recommends 3 to 5 FEET! Mine is about 12-15 inches from the hotspots which are wall mounted on the left side of my over the driver's seat A/V compartment, the desktop antenna is mounted to the ceiling, upside down, at the opposite side of the compartment.

I used to go through a system of arriving at the campground, test without the weboost, disconnect the hotspot, connect the weboost, wait a few minutes, reconnect hotspot and test again. No more, the weboost is always on now, it has continually and significantly improved my connection. I was at a recent campground getting around 1-2 Mb/s download tests and then with weboost I was around 20 Mb/s. I'm seeing the trend of success predominately now.

So here are the components I have in use:

Weboost 4G-X RV - this comes with the antennas such as the desktop/indoor, but I'm using a different outdoor. All should be fine but if you want optimum consider getting just the Weboost 4G-X then get the antennas separately, or just get the additional outdoor antenna, up to you.

Indoor desktop antenna

50 OHM higher rated external/outdoor antenna

10 foot ultra low signal loss cable with N type connectors

N to F adapter to connect above cable to indoor unit.

Roof mount bracket which you really need to turn from a Z to L bracket but I made it work.

Thanks Neal for the detailed write up. Just 2questions.

Where did you mount the 2 boosters (cell and Wifi) relative to each other and relative to all the parts on top? What would you make sure to avoid.

Do you have a picture of how the outside ant is mounted to the brackets then to the roof. Picture if you have it for location and setup.

Thanks again from a rookie that wants to do this only once!
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Old 06-24-2018, 11:41 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Canuck53 View Post
Thanks Neal for the detailed write up. Just 2questions.

Where did you mount the 2 boosters (cell and Wifi) relative to each other and relative to all the parts on top? What would you make sure to avoid.

Do you have a picture of how the outside ant is mounted to the brackets then to the roof. Picture if you have it for location and setup.

Thanks again from a rookie that wants to do this only once!
Attached pics show the AV Box. Weboost is wall mounted on right side, WiFi ranger is back wall, hotspots left wall, internal/desktop antenna ceiling attached near right side.
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Old 06-24-2018, 12:18 PM   #6
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Neal,

Your the best. Thanks

Not sure from the picture how the cell booster is all attached and all the parts. I saw your list and it seems you bent a bracket so it attached to the roof, then attached the booster to the tube then....
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Old 06-24-2018, 12:25 PM   #7
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Weboost 4G-X - YES, it does work, and works well

Quote:
Originally Posted by Canuck53 View Post
Neal,



Your the best. Thanks



Not sure from the picture how the cell booster is all attached and all the parts. I saw your list and it seems you bent a bracket so it attached to the roof, then attached the booster to the tube then....


I should have bent the bracket and the mount tube would be vertical. Instead I used it as is and mounted the antenna to the tip of the tube. Not how I’d do it again but it works. Just wish weboost would provide a flat mount roof mount. I’d probably cut the tube in half too. Normally the mount tube would be vertical and the antenna is parallel to it. Hard to explain but you can figure it out.

The picture is misleading as it looks like the weboost antenna is attached to the AC. It’s not. It’s about a foot in front screwed down to the roof then dicor sealed.
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Old 06-24-2018, 12:35 PM   #8
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Neal, do you have any numbers on the Db gain with and without the Weboost? I'm parked in a poor reception area for the next 3 months and my Verizon USB stick is running at -89Db. My Weboost unit arrives next Wednesday. Just wondering what improvement I might expect.
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Old 06-24-2018, 02:26 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NealC View Post
I should have bent the bracket and the mount tube would be vertical. Instead I used it as is and mounted the antenna to the tip of the tube. Not how I’d do it again but it works. Just wish weboost would provide a flat mount roof mount. I’d probably cut the tube in half too. Normally the mount tube would be vertical and the antenna is parallel to it. Hard to explain but you can figure it out.

The picture is misleading as it looks like the weboost antenna is attached to the AC. It’s not. It’s about a foot in front screwed down to the roof then dicor sealed.
Your right it does look like it is attached to the AC. Thanks
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Old 06-25-2018, 06:13 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by bdickson View Post
Neal, do you have any numbers on the Db gain with and without the Weboost? I'm parked in a poor reception area for the next 3 months and my Verizon USB stick is running at -89Db. My Weboost unit arrives next Wednesday. Just wondering what improvement I might expect.
It's my understanding that today's "second generation" cellular amps are regulated by the FCC and do not provide a constant dB gain. The gain is inversely proportional to the incoming signal; the larger the existing signal, the less gain is needed.

The -89dB signal you are receiving is enormous and way above the minimums needed for good cellular reception. Most cell phones work fine with signals in the -100 to -110 dB range. I assume you realize that every addition 10dB in signal is a 10x change in signal strength?

In short, I would not expect to see a significant difference using your WeBoost and I surely wouldn't expect to see much, if any, performance improvement. A stronger signal doesn't always translate into improved performance if the existing signal is adequate to make a good connection.
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Old 06-25-2018, 06:32 AM   #11
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I don't really have the capability to measure dB gains as I use an iPhone which doesn't have the signal testing apps like Android. While I do have an Android phone for development use on Google Fi it wouldn't really tell me much.

At my current campground in Bar Harbor, ME the cellular across this whole area is very week. On my iPhone it shows 1 bar of Verizon and 3G. Yet with weboost I'm getting a good and very usable Internet connection off of my MiFi 7730 for use. Had I not had this Weboost optimized I would be in much worse shape, however, the campground has decent WiFi when not overloaded so my WiFi ranger is really helping out with all of this too making it very easy to switch Internet sources at the WiFi ranger from cellular to wifi etc. yet all my devices stay connected to the same WiFi connection. I have the EliteAC Pack FM from wifiranger. Great setup!
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Old 06-25-2018, 11:47 AM   #12
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Hey Neal - Thanks for sharing your journey!

We're still running with the Maximum Signal Amp, which at times has made the difference between some Internet vs no Internet! The last 18 months of travels, we've found that 85% + of the time, that our ATT Unite Explore with the Roof Top Magnetic Mounted Mobile Mark antenna - has been our champion on optimizing Download Speeds. (When in good signal area, will shift to Mobley, to spread our Data usage around.) I also have found that with the internal antenna from Maximum Signal, out best signal boost seems to be a range of 2 - 4 maybe 5'. Then we start losing gain. When Verizon is the faster Download Speed provider, I set my Samsung S6 (Rapidly aging out on me!) to HotSpot mode. And have it on a shelf with the above range from the inside antenna.

No matter what the Data source being used, I have this feeding the WiFiRanger GOac, either via tether of WiFi, depending upon data source. I think I've used the EliteAC Flat Mount feed of available Wifi - may four times in the last 18 months of travel. (But, use it very often when the RV is stored next door. Picking up my home Internet via ORBI. This is where I'll usually putter around updating all of our gears software, before heading out. Impressive signal collection and speeds via the EliteAC to GOac hook up.)

Now that I've said all that, back to you're right up. The amp you have is the one I'll be adding to our collection of electronic tools, in the months ahead. Best I can tell from other reviews from user's, the Maximum Signal will still be the champ on pulling in the most 'iffy' connections. But it seems like most report better results with the unit you have, in more moderate strength signal connections. (Keep looking for one for sell, missed one off of Craigslist recently!) Not in a rush, as due to our current travel mode, the MIMO Mobile Mark feed has been taking good care of us. But, we will be doing more boon docking in the next 24 months, so would like to have the WeBoost as another option to use. Still researching antennas, and will look your choices over carefully.

Appreciate you sharing your results!
Best to you, and all,
Smitty
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Old 06-25-2018, 08:22 PM   #13
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I'm shopping for a cell booster. Can you tell me the difference between the Weboost RV 4G (470201) and Weboost Drive 4G-X RV (470410) (other than about $100) without being too technical. I'm not that smart.
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Old 06-26-2018, 09:40 AM   #14
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Glad to hear your Weboost Drive 4G-X RV works well for you. I bought a SureCall system for my house that didn't seem to help at all. I may consider the WeBoost system in the future.
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