BOOSTING VERIZON MIFI WITH ROOF ANTENNA,,HELP!

[Marco1503]

I'm looking for a way to boost my Verizon mifi's reception using the roof antenna.

i found one way which is using a Pringles can but it seems like this boosts the wifi on my laptop not the Verizon mifi.

any ideas.... Thanks

[Maineah]

Don't think there is any thing out there any more that has an external antenna port so you'er kind of screwed just trying to use better antennas. For the WiFi a bridge or client would work and they do make cell phone repeaters that have external antennas. How badly do you need this? And is money no object?

[zero]

i'm looking for a way to boost my verizon mifis reception using the roof antenna.

i found one way which is using a pringles can but it seems like this boosts the wifi on my laptop not the verizon mifi.

any ideas.... Thanks

I don't know what your system is. I have Verizon wireless for our home phone that we travel around the country with (called Home Phone Connect). Also have Verizon cell phones. For both systems we have roof mounted antennas and signal amps that make a huge different. The Verizon wireless home phone has a tiny port for hard-wiring a roof antenna. The cell phones don't and we use a cell phone "cradle" that does not require a hard-wire hookup. The cradle IS hardwired to our roof Yagi antenna.

[Marco1503]

i want to have a boost on my verizon mifi so i could get 4g most of the time

moneys not a problem long as i dont exceed $1,000 dollars on a antenna

[Maineah]

I set up a cell phone repeater system for the county EMA they lived in a 1950's underground bunker it was a simple plug and play. A small receiver system in the building and a high gain antenna out side no wires attached to the phone just RF. They are not cheap $150-$500+ I can tell you they do work well and in our case it was the only way they could use their cell phones inside. Just google cell phone boosters or repeaters. I would steer clear of passive units you get what you pay for.

[waiter]

Have you talked to Verizon? I know they have repeaters/boosters that they "install" in weak areas (they installed several in our factory so that our phones work in the factory)

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

[zero]

The phone cradle I mentioned works with the same electronics as a repeater. Both are intended for phones that do not have antenna ports for hard-wiring. The difference is - with a phone cradle you can only use one ;phone at a time with the amplified signal. With the repeater, any phone or computer near the repeater can be used. The Wilson dual band "Signal Boost" kit cost around $170 and works in a house and car/truck/RV. The main thing is to know what frequency the signal is one that you want to amplifiy. 3G is on a totally different frequency then 4G. Amp and antennas need to be matched.

[Derek up North]

These guys have all sorts of 'stuff'. No idea if they have the best selection, best prices or best info, but it might be a start!

http://www.solidsignal.com/

I just happen to get regular emails from them.

[zero]

These guys have all sorts of 'stuff'. No idea if they have the best selection, best prices or best info, but it might be a start!

http://www.solidsignal.com/

I just happen to get regular emails from them.

I have bought all my TV antenna supplies and wireless phone supplies from Solid Signal. They have always given me great service. My only complaint is when I ordered stuff from them when I was in Michigan, I got charged Michigan sales tax. Not big deal. I found out the hard way that they are a Michigan based company.

They have a real person who speaks English who answers the phone.

[Derek up North]

I live where there's often/usually no cell phone signal. Sometimes visitors can get 1 or (rarely) 2 bars. Most recently with an iPhone. Which of the fine products from Solid signal would you suggest that would allow visitors to get a decent, consistent signal. They tend to start twitching when they can't check their email for more than 15 minutes! Who knows, it might even let me hook up to 4G service?

[waiter]

I seen something advertised on TV, raises three or four bars, used by ambulances and law enforcemt, blah blah blah. wasn't to expensive. If I see the ad again, I'll write down (Anyone else see this.)

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

[Derek up North]

"As advertised on TV"? I usually read those with a huge chunk of rock salt!

[zero]

I live where there's often/usually no cell phone signal. Sometimes visitors can get 1 or (rarely) 2 bars. Most recently with an iPhone. Which of the fine products from Solid signal would you suggest that would allow visitors to get a decent, consistent signal. They tend to start twitching when they can't check their email for more than 15 minutes! Who knows, it might even let me hook up to 4G service?

I (we) have three places where we live off and on. Here in central NY 50 miles south of Albany. Also in northern Michigan 10 miles from Rogers City (Presque Isle County) not far from the Mac Bridge, and also in Indian Lake, Adirondacks NY (Hamilton County). With no amplifier and no house-mounted antenna - in Michigan and in the NY Adirondacks we get barely one bar, off an on and that's only when standing outside in the middle of the road. No signal in the house. This includes our AT&T cell phone, Verizon cell phone, Verizon wireless home phone (Home Phone Connect) and our wireless Internet service from Millenicom. When we added the Winegard amp and no external antenna - service was a consistant 3 bars inside the house. When I added a dual band yagi antenna to the roof - we get all bars, full signal, in the house all the time. Note that the popular two bands are for 3G cell phone and wi-fi only. 4G is on a frequency all its own and there is no 4G available anywhere I go anyway. If you have a 4G device it will revert to 3G is only a 3G signal exists.

We have two different brand amps. I've tested back and forth and both work equally as well with wi-fi or phone. Just happens we need two in order to get phone service AND wi-fi with our computers. I guess if you had a device that was a phone and computer all in one - only one amp would be needed.

One amp is the Cy-fire Dual Band Direct Connect CA-819. I got it for $130 from Amazon last year. Like this: http://www.maximumsignal.net/shop/CA-819-Dual-Band-800-and-1900-Mhz-Cell-Phone-Amplifier.html

The other is a Wilson Signal Boost amp is 811210 . Can be bought in a mobil kit that runs on 12 volts, 120 volts AC, and comes with phone cradle and a portable magnetic car antenna. Like shown here: http://www.solidsignal.com/cview.asp?mc=07&m=Wilson%20Electronics&utm_campaign=google_adwords_Cellular&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc

My roof antenna is a 9 element dual band Yagi that cost $55. Like this one: http://www.maximumsignal.net/shop/14-DB-9-Element-Dual-Band-Yagi-Antenna-YA9E14DB32i.html

Note that a phone cradle is a device to use one cell phone at a time. If you need to boost signals so anybody in the house can use their cell phones you need a repeater. It costs more that way. Our wi-fi uses a hard-wired amp and antenna that connects to a router so multiple computers can be used.

The amps and antennas I've mentioned are dual band (850 and 1900 MHz) and do not cover 4G (on 700, 2500 MHz).

Verizon operates on the 850 mhz and the 1900 mhz frequencies on the CDMA spectrum; on the Analog spectrum, 850 mhz is used. Analog is relatively universal, however decomissioned in most other nations (as well, Europe uses 900 mhz, even under analog networks); CDMA is not a universalized technology like GSM, that is not widely accepted as the communication standard.

AT&T voice – 850 /1900 and 3G, and 4G uses 700

Sprint is all on 1900 and 4G that is on 2500

T-Mobil has voice on 1900 and 3G/4G on AWS 1710–1755 and 2110–2155

Verizon has voice on 850/1900 , 3G on 850/1900, and 4G on 700

[Derek up North]

Thanks. Unfortunately, this side of the Border, we have a whole different set of providers, though I'm sure they use the same frequencies.

[zero]

Thanks. Unfortunately, this side of the Border, we have a whole different set of providers, though I'm sure they use the same frequencies.

From what I've read, Canada uses the dual bands of 850 and 1900, just like the USA for 3G phones and wi-fi. I've used my amp in Canada and it worked (before I was banned from entering Canada). Half our television stations come from Canada at our place in Michigan. Mostly from Sault Ste. Marie. Only difference with Canadian TV is they still have more analog channels going.

[Maineah]

Depending on the co. and the service types the freq. ranges from 698 to 2,690 MHZ. A lot of the stuff now is in the 700 MHZ range after the Gov. auctioned it off a few years ago.

[stamar]

Im not using verizon Im going to be using clear.com

http://www.alternativewireless.com/cellular-antennas/mobile-signal-booster/clear/clear-4g-mobile-usb-series-s-signal-booster-antenna-adapter.html

that said I believe some of the celluar modems have a way to add an antenae and some dont.

So what youre using as wifi for verizion might have something similar. If it doesnt they do sell one that has something similar.

[stamar]

btw once you have an external antenae you could try connecting it to the toyhomes tv antenae.

[stamar]

you know its funny but since this posting I ihave actually gotten a job that installs among other things verizon fusion 4glte home services.

what we actually sell is a 120 volt ac cantenna, thats actually what its called, installed on their house like a sattelite dish.

a cellular amplifier to pick up 4g up to 3 miles from the verizon towers.

They are not for sale to the public obviously, but there are a lot of interesting things about them.

OFTEN subscribers are actually rvers who literally take them off their houses and put them on their rvs. Because the service is just unrolling now in many areas there are huge deals like free with phone service in newly opened areas.

the service itself is locked into the home modem but the cantena isnt and has a pretty generic usefulness. might even amplify other providers.

so while clear.com trys to expand the wimax tower system, verizon is actually going to do it by installing large cantennas on everyones house.

this is definitely definitely the future of rv internet. It just needs a certain amount of hacking.

[stamar]

heres some pictures of the cantenna

https://www.google.com/search?q=verizon+fusion+broadband+cantenna&hl=en&tbo=d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=RGAbUdODAcmwiQK-7YDgCQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1600&bih=775

[stamar]

the actual cantennas have a phenomenal doa rate. about 1 in 10 is bad. and when its bad, it underperforms a cell phone its kind of like a peice of crap.

Its my opinion that many many bad ones are actually being installed, its just that they are being put in a spot that gets such good cellular reception it doesnt matter.

[stamar]

can you direct link that to me?

You know years ago there was an announcement that google would provide free wifi over the city of san jose. Sponsored by ads.

Ok I gave them a few years headstart, and then i literally drove my new toyota rv to google headquarters right near san jose airport. That was where i took the pictures with the bmw vixen, sort of trying it out, and the free wifi over the whole city sounded apealling.

Years later, I mean years later, this free google wifi barely covers part of downtown. Its pitifully low range low tech bs. Just for covering san jose mind you, not a huge place.

somewhere in the middle of the project google bought motorolla cell phones so they literally want the whole concept to die.

between google, ebay apple seagate and several others you would think someone would have enough cash to just start putting store bought wifi repeaters ever 300 ft. somewhere, to cover some city near san jose.

like how about, cuppertino, where apple is? Impossible to get free wifi in cupertino its totally sewed up everywhere.

[zero]

This week the federal government declared the intent to have free public wifi throughout the USA, especially in rural locations.

That would certainly be very nice for traveling in RVs and for those RV travelers who are retired on a small fixed income.

I know this is not the place for heated debate so I'll be brief. The proposal is an inane and insane idea in my opinion. It could not be free since it requires even more tax dollars and/or more borrowing from China. It would also require seizing certain portions of privately owned airwaves via emminent domainj (legalized theft). In addition, it would never happen in the most remote areas, just as they lack cell phone coverage. And if it did - we'd have towers visible everywhere. It would raise everyone's taxes that actually have incomes and benefit metro and suburban areas. Low income to no earned income people who pay no taxes would get the most benefit.

I have a small farm in a very rural area in nothern Michigan. They've been installing underground fiberoptic cable for over a year with "Obama Bucks" stimulus money. Note this area already has a small private wireless company that sells wifi. This tax payer funded (if the USA ever pays its debt) boondoggle is likely to put the private company out of business. My small farm is about 1 mile from the new fiberoptic line and we will not be able to access it. So if anything, we will lose what coverage we have if that small company goes out. Luckily I've got a wi-fi roof antenna installed with an amp and can get a signal from a Verizon tower that is 7 miles away.

[stamar]

is it getting 4g lte?

because verizons own home equipment cant pick it up from 3 miles away.

It must be a 3g amplifier.

this 4g technology requires much more frequent towers. And the towers have blind spots all over. I can tell you it really cant make it 3 miles for the most part.

thats just the give it a shot mark.

I mean theres no real connection between cellular, and the term wifi. theres no wifi cominng from a verizon cell tower.

Sprints old system was called wimax. so in effect its kind of like wifi.... however its not called wifi its still under the blanket cell phone technology.

They have since abandoned it for the most part. clear.com also uses this technology. It is a actual radio frequency for the internet, or a seperate antennae different from the 3g for the cell and texts.

Dont bother googling it and explaining it to me lol Im a certified technician just trying to simplify no creating moot side tracks please.

This provides a speed reasonably like 3g to be honest but with a large coverage area from the towers.

Ok but 4g lte provides broadband speeds that can be similar to the cable company.

once you have the internet in your house you can broadcast it as wifi. thats normally something going around 100 feet from a wireless router.

[stamar]

I think I understand the set up as a wifi repeater.

What they do is put these things 500 feet from eachotther.

Normally it has nothing to do with cellular towers you want to repeat the wifi to a land line internet connection.

Verizon sells those set ups to businesses in the booonies, and private companies could make businesses out of them.

normally installed by the same contractors who sell something like sattelite internet .

but eventually about to be put out of business by what Im doing now for verizon, just putting cantennaes on everyones roof.

as im installing new cantennas to early adopters in southern washington northern oregon, the speed is faster than any cable connection. basicallly the fastest internet available anywhere at the moment for a private home

[zero]

I mean theres no real connection between cellular, and the term wifi. theres no wifi cominng from a verizon cell tower.

Wi-Fi has specific meaning since it is a registered trademark. Anything transmitting/receiving on the 801.11 standard is by legal definition - Wi-Fi. There are many "Verizon" towers with Wi-Fi. I put Verizon in quotes since many of those towers share services with other providers. I have a Verizon tower 2 miles from my house on a mountain top that has cell-phone voice service on 800 MHz, 3G Wi-fi also on 800 MHz, and 4G Wi-Fi on 700 MHz. Same tower also has AT&T service on it. That tower enables me to have a wireless Verizon home phone (not a cell phone). Also AT&T cell phones. Also Millenicom 3G and 4G Wi-Fi on 800 MHz and 700 MHz.

As to no connection between cellular and Wi-fi? Sure there is. Voice cell phone service is often on the same general radio frequency as 3G Wi-Fi; Uses same antenna, same amp, etc. Often - but not always - if you can get a cell phone signal in your area - you can also get Wi-Fi.

[stamar]

Someday ill link to verizons technical site on 4g lte, and 4g wifi or wimax.

This is relevant to me every single time I install a verizon cantena and ill try to explain why.

Believe it or not I work for direct tv home services and we are contracted to do verizions home installs while they are building that infastructure in oregon and washington. They are an east coast company.

Direct tvs phones and wireless internet is all on sprints network. Sprint doesn't have 4g lte in portland. This is doubly ridiculous as we have 4g lte phones not 4g wimax phones. In order to use wimax we actually are using virgin hot spots to connect our phones to sprints own 4g. Virgin being the cheap brand of sprint.

So I literally have to do the install and then drive to a spot where wimax reaches, your 4g wimax to type the serial numbers in and close the job. Sort of some kind of corporate retardedness but I'm not allowed to use the customers wifi believe it or not

There some pretty serious set up right away to prevent an rver from using this service, unless he she stays in the same area. I bet they will sell an even more expensive version of it someday that can travel.

[stamar]

You can call cellular technology wifi but the cell phone companies don't. Their bandwidth have specific names.

Those are subscriber bandwidths. It serves no purpose to call them wifi. Even in the case of wimax which is 802:11 n or some unadopted letter, it is not wifi its a subscriber service.

call it wimmax so you don't confuse yourself its a wifi for subscribers and it is also still expanding just not for sprint.

If. You want to be confused you can call distinct things a general term but trust me sprint and verizon don't.

[stamar]

4g lte is a wireless signal though it is related, or a cantena would not pick it up and amplify it.

[zero]

Lucky me, I don't need to do anything to boost the signal where I am currently located as there are 4G antennas from both Verizon and Sprint right on top of the building. But maybe I ought to be wearing a tin foil hat?

I wish we had Sprint around here. No Sprint coverage in my part of NY or MI. My Internet access is with a Verizon towers via Millenicom and capped at 20 gigs per month. If Sprint was available, it would be unlimited.

[stamar]

Ya theres only one glitch in that karin in that sprint uses two different 4g technologies.

seattle might have sprint 4g lte but portland doesnt at all.

in general sprint is not a good buy up here.

likely your area has veriizon 4g lte but sprint wimax just like here. But I dont know that seattle is a pretty major city and it might have sprint 4g lte.

my personal phone is using cricket which uses sprint 3g.

[stamar]

sounds like 4g lte.

because seattle is covered with sprint 4g wimax already

so by logic its sprint 4g lte.

And portland probably has one or two also so sprint can say they have 4g lte and sell us 4g lte phones here in portland too.

Same deal. What good is a cell phone you need to stay in one area with?

[stamar]

by the way i want to get back to the orignal question, and then getting to the point of what wifi is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mifi

mifi is actually a brand name for a wifi repeater.

And yes increasing your wifi range will have nothing at all to do with increasing your cellular range. this is because wifi and cellular, whether its wireless or not, are not the same thing.

in fact wireless and cellular are something different but usage calls them all cell phones.

Dont get confused. Even wimax, it uses a different antenae. Wimax for instance is basically just wifi with something to make it private, a different antenae is required.

so nothing at all called wifi out there will help you get cellular internet inn your rv although many might be modified for use Im looking into this myself.. I didnt really know there was a common confusion about this.

I linked the only known verizon cantenae. Verizion at least sees this concept as something they want to make money off of.

The actual cantenae is a cell phone. and it will not increase your cell phones reception it is hard wired only to your modem. so specific to marcos question about verizon I think youre looking into an area that needs real technical hacking.

Other carriers using wimax require a cantenna so similar to a wifi cantenna i think it can be done easily.

But this 4g lte investment is billions and billions expect to pay for everythign. Verizon doesnt give away anything for free. You should see what I have to go through to get them to pay me 20$ for driving off into the boonies.

[stamar]

btw verizon home fusion is so expensive im embarrassed to tell you what it costs.

the cantena I install on peoples house costs 20$ a month and if you cancel they want it back. climb up on your roof take it off and mail it or pay something like 400$.

Im serious.

And the lowest charge is 60$ a month for 10gigs. Im serious. Im literally installing this thing in peoples trailers they rent for 150 a month and theyre paying 200$ for internet a month.

only when you bundle it with a cell phone does it even seem to make sense.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MiFi_4510L_from_Novatel_Wireless_for_Verizon_Wireless.jpg

so this is what he has.

now what we need to do is fabricate a coaxial cable outlet to it. The problem is verizon already tested this stuff as hacker resistant. But in theory you connect their cantenae to this mifi you have miles of 4glte. next figure out how to take it on the road.

Next figure out what banks to rob to cover the 150$ a month youre probably going to need.

[stamar]

I want to add something to this because I did not know this.

Verizon sprint and att all sell wireless or cellular range extenders for the home.

they all have to be registered to an address and registered with the fcc.

It is actually illegal to broadcast wireless signals unregistered. So this device we are wanting.... its illegal. Very seriously. Just a wifi repeater for cell phones.

Verizon is the first to do it with 4g lte, but sprint and att have 3g repeaters. NOTHING you can use for your rv legally.

It comes up half the time I install a cantenna. the purchaser wants to take it off and move it to work with them too. NO CAN DO.

I am at this point doubtful there will ever be such a device.