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Old 09-12-2018, 08:07 PM   #11
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I am sorry Larrie,but what I meant by event was that we were at a running race which took us out to an area (Loon Lake CA)which had very limited cell phone service.
Thanks

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Old 09-12-2018, 10:15 PM   #12
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No problem. In that case a booster would probably help a lot.
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Old 09-13-2018, 07:08 AM   #13
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We use a weBoost Drive 4G-M Cell Phone Signal Booster with the optional larger antenna. Like the others have said, no signal no boost. But at 1 bar it will boost to 3-4 and at 2 bars 4-5, enough for streaming without buffering. We have a fiberglass high top so I use a 16" square piece of galvanized to put the antenna on and just sit it on the roof, when parked of course. We use our cell phones as hot spots so once we have a good signal on one of them we have good connectivity for a tablet, laptop or smart tv/dvd player. I wasn't happy with the price, but since we stay mostly in areas off the beaten path the "emergency use" factor helped its justification. Overall, we found it to be a worthwhile investment.
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Old 09-13-2018, 01:25 PM   #14
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"Bars" are not a good indication of signal strength. Take a look at your network settings for signal strength in dbm. I also use a 4G signal booster and see dbm drop over 20 points from -108dbm to -80dbm when using the booster with no noticeable change in bars. An internet speed test shows a significant increase in download speeds when using the booster.

We can have 2 Netflix streams, Pandora and internet browsing w no interruption in service.
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Old 09-13-2018, 07:02 PM   #15
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I had the weboost for a few years with disappointing results, spoke to them who recommended a 4" Steel plate as ground and that did improve it a bit.

I'm using the antena that came with it, maybe 3" long and the plate that goes inside. I literally need to have the plate behind the cell to see maybe a few bar and use the iPhone as a hot spot.

Can you folk comment on what's the item no for the external antena and if there is something you use inside to get better coverage within the van.
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Old 09-14-2018, 11:11 AM   #16
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So I upgraded my antenna to 4' omni directional that does not require a ground plane. With the voyager top and aluminess roof rack, the stubby antenna didn't work. I also added a Rhino Rack tilting antenna base to keep it stowed when driving.Click image for larger version

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Old 10-17-2018, 08:15 PM   #17
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Oogs, can you share what booster you are using? With your set up, can more than one person use the booster? Would like to be able to work out the van and having somewhat reliable internet is key.
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Old 10-18-2018, 05:51 AM   #18
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I have the older style Wilson cradle signal booster where the phone must sit on the cradle w/out a case to work. Only a single phone can use it but with the Wi-Fi hot spot turned on my phone other devices benefit from the Wi-Fi signal.
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Old 10-18-2018, 07:38 AM   #19
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Thanks Oogs. Looking for a booster that we can hook the hotspot too instead of using the phone as a hotspot. Will have to search around to see what is available.
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Old 10-18-2018, 09:09 PM   #20
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Check this out and similar videos on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/7m_I9i0eTnM
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