Cell phone booster questions

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by ReagentGrade

I think this is the first time I have reason to disagree with you. To me , it's kind of like saying if Reace & Tammy would just put their heads together, they could come up with the ideal trailer & options. We wouldn't have to worry about build sheets or trying to decide which trailer to get. Alas, we all have different needs, budgets, situations, and even "taste". I believe each of us have different cell phone and/or wifi booster needs.

Rich, I know I have researched the crap out of a lot of things, from the 1UP bike rack, to Dickinson products, and many others products and procedures that I shared the results of here, with lots of folks ended up going with them. Of course what I come up with for solutions will not be the ticket for everyone, but it does give them another option.

Originally Posted by garysd

Also, they are constantly monitoring the various cell carrier data plans, and know what to look for in the fine print as well as letting you know exactly what to say to get the best deals. This alone is worth the subscription price for me.

I was keen on it when I saw that, but deflated when I saw they don't cover any Canadian carriers.

[ReagentGrade]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Rich, I know I have researched the crap out of a lot of things, from the 1UP bike rack, to Dickinson products, and many others products and procedures that I shared the results of here, with lots of folks ended up going with them. Of course what I come up with for solutions will not be the ticket for everyone, but it does give them another option.



I was keen on it when I saw that, but deflated when I saw they don't cover any Canadian carriers.

Jim,

I agree with you totally! I truly appreciate what you've shared. Your posts are authentic and loaded with good information. I want to install a toe kick heater in my 5.0 TA and I bought a 1UpUSA bike rack on your recommendation as much as anyone elses.

I researched the crap out of wifi and mobile data solutions. I found so much good/bad/sh_ty information that it made my head spin. If I could have made sense of it, I'd be delighted to share my knowledge here. But I was so confused that I finally bit the bullet and paid my $60 to join RVMobileInternet.com.

That $60 investment led me to avoid a high cost solution because I didn't need that level of service. Instead of going for a $600-$1000 solution I learned that a $300 solution will fit my needs. So the $60 saved me a bunch of money!

Now, I'm conflicted; Chris & Cherie spend a LOT time and effort testing and publishing excellent information in a professional manner. They have if/then guidelines to help you narrow down on a solution for you. (i.e. If your situation is this, consider these solutions.) I'm happy to share the solution I decided on for myself, but I'm not willing to share their hard earned knowledge (dare I say intellectual property) wholesale with others.

Not for a minute am I saying you're asking me to do that! I was an IT guy and IP was my livelihood, so I'm very sensitive about this topic.

Now I'll get off my soapbox before I further offend you or anyone else.

Rich

[StanLewis]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

If you two can come up with the ideal setup via that site, and publish your findings here, you could possibly save a lot of folks $60, earn their undying gratitude, and possibly earn yourself a cocktail or two.

We like to be online, but we're both in that certain age group that grew up unconnected - I spent part of my youth living with a party line (kids, ask your grandparents what that is) - so if we are not connected for a few days it's no big deal. Plus our plans include plenty of time in areas where there is no cellular signal at all, and I'm not about to pay for a satellite connection. I also note that (apart from security) the main issue with wifi seems to be lack of bandwidth, and no antenna/booster system can fix that. We also almost never stream video, so our data needs are relatively modest. Given this, we're going to start with the following setup:

Wilson 4G Truck and RV Spring Mount Antenna PN 304415. This is the newest version of the trucker antenna that several others have used, primarily improved from earlier versions by now featuring good boost in all of the cellular frequencies currently important for Verizon customers like us. ETI mounted the antenna for us during our build. Unlike the mag mount antennas, it does not require a separate ground plane to function.

Wilson WeBoost Drive 4G-S Cell Phone Booster Kit PN 470107. This is the current generation of the cradle type booster that Jon reports using.

We just got home with our trailer, so I haven't installed the booster yet. When I do that over the next couple of weeks, I'll test everything out using my cellphone as the hotspot. Once I have everything working, our plan is to add a mobile cellular hotspot to use in the cradle instead of the phone. Conveniently for us, Verizon has also just announced a new "unlimited" data plan which looks like it might work well for us.

I'll report back on how well this all works for us once I have data.

We may also choose to add a separate system for wifi at some point, but right now I don't see that as being worth the effort/cost.

People with greater needs to be online (as for work) or who want to stream lots of video, would need a more extensive (and much more expensive) arrangement.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by StanLewis

We like to be online, but we're both in that certain age group that grew up unconnected - I spent part of my youth living with a party line (kids, ask your grandparents what that is) - so if we are not connected for a few days it's no big deal.

I too grew up "unconnected", and we did have a party line phone when I was little. Nowadays, I'm connected 24/7 because of the nature of my work, and to be honest, I wish I wasn't. The trucker antenna and sleek cradle on our trailer is there because I intended to mix business with pleasure, and see if there might be some weeks when instead of working from my office at home, I could do so from a campsite. That hasn't happened as much as I'd like.

[Nrgtic4]

Thanks to all the members who posted here. Great information, but I'm still a bit (a lot?) confused... We chose the option to have our 21 TV/cable ready. We plan on just occasionally watching dvds with our TV and don't plan on ever using this option for hooking up to cable TV or a TV antenna. Can that coaxial wiring, that is part of that TV/cable ready option, (if my son is right that coaxial wiring is there) be used to hook up the antennas of the weBoost cell phone booster? This coaxial wiring to be used with additional parts, to connect an exterior antenna to an inside cradle for it located right by it ? (That nitestand area is where I would like to place our TV, our phone, and cradle. ) Or should I request ETI make an additional hole/port for me for this or what would you recommend?
Thanks for any help...

[rbryan4]

TV/Cable ready means Escape runs a cable and wall plates, both an inside plate (where you connect your TV) and an exterior covered plate (where you connect to the campground Cable tv). It doesn't have anything to do with WiFi or Internet access. The coax cable some have referred to is simply a connection between an interior power amplifier or cradle, and an exterior mounted antenna. That cable is usually provided when you buy an external antenna and cradle. Escape will do the install of those parts for you, but you must provide the parts.

[sclifrickson]

Also, TV coax might have different impedance than what a cell or wifi system would require. Otherwise I don't see why you couldn't use it for cell/wifi antenna coupling. Something to check.

[thoer]

Lisa and Pete, my understanding of your question, is the coax cable installed for the TV ready, acceptable for use with an external antenna and an internal booster for cellular reception? That is an excellent question, and one that I am also hoping to hear the answer to!

[Nrgtic4]

Originally Posted by thoer

Lisa and Pete, my understanding of your question, is the coax cable installed for the TV ready, acceptable for use with an external antenna and an internal booster for cellular reception? That is an excellent question, and one that I am also hoping to hear the answer to!

Yeah, that's exactly my question!
My son said it might need an additional part /connector to make it work...

[thoer]

Originally Posted by Nrgtic4

Yeah, that's exactly my question!
My son said it might need an additional part /connector to make it work...

I know that there are adapters for converting one type of coax connection to another, but I believe that the coax used for cell booster connections have a different impedance than that of TV/radio coax like used for the TV ready.

From my reading, the TV coax will result in signal strength loss from the antenna to the booster, but whether the loss is too serious a problem to overcome is something I am hoping we can find answers to.

[rbryan4]

Most of the external antennas and booster kits for Internet use include an antenna cable, but also in most cases, it's a different kind of coax. It's usually thinner than RG6 (typical TV cable). But, if I'm understanding the question correctly, it wouldn't matter if it was the same kind of cable or not. TV ready wiring goes from an internal wall plate to an external covered wall plate. You'd still need an additional cable from your power amplifier/cradle to the cellular antenna. They're not the same system.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by StanLewis

We like to be online, but we're both in that certain age group that grew up unconnected - I spent part of my youth living with a party line (kids, ask your grandparents what that is) - so if we are not connected for a few days it's no big deal. Plus our plans include plenty of time in areas where there is no cellular signal at all, and I'm not about to pay for a satellite connection. I also note that (apart from security) the main issue with wifi seems to be lack of bandwidth, and no antenna/booster system can fix that. We also almost never stream video, so our data needs are relatively modest. Given this, we're going to start with the following setup:

Wilson 4G Truck and RV Spring Mount Antenna PN 304415. This is the newest version of the trucker antenna that several others have used, primarily improved from earlier versions by now featuring good boost in all of the cellular frequencies currently important for Verizon customers like us. ETI mounted the antenna for us during our build. Unlike the mag mount antennas, it does not require a separate ground plane to function.

Wilson WeBoost Drive 4G-S Cell Phone Booster Kit PN 470107. This is the current generation of the cradle type booster that Jon reports using.

We just got home with our trailer, so I haven't installed the booster yet. When I do that over the next couple of weeks, I'll test everything out using my cellphone as the hotspot. Once I have everything working, our plan is to add a mobile cellular hotspot to use in the cradle instead of the phone. Conveniently for us, Verizon has also just announced a new "unlimited" data plan which looks like it might work well for us.

I'll report back on how well this all works for us once I have data.

We may also choose to add a separate system for wifi at some point, but right now I don't see that as being worth the effort/cost.

People with greater needs to be online (as for work) or who want to stream lots of video, would need a more extensive (and much more expensive) arrangement.

Yep, I remember party lines well. We never had them living in town, but all my friends and relatives who lived on farms had them.

Your needs are not a lot different than ours. I would not do any streaming with the phone, that would be reserved for when we have WiFi, especially in the US where data is an additional cost to what plans we have in Canada.

Part of me likes the 4G-S for its simplicity and cost savings over the 4G-X, or possibly the RV 4G.

I never got an antenna installed, not being sure what I wanted to do. I am planning on using a mast for a TV antenna and Wife booster (some time in the future, I think), and could use it for the cell booster too.

I think once I am ready to set this up, I may give the weboost techie folk a call to go over my plan with them.

[float5]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Yep, I remember party lines well. We never had them living in town, but all my friends and relatives who lived on farms had them.

Your needs are not a lot different than ours. I would not do any streaming with the phone, that would be reserved for when we have WiFi, especially in the US where data is an additional cost to what plans we have in Canada.

Part of me likes the 4G-S for its simplicity and cost savings over the 4G-X, or possibly the RV 4G.

I never got an antenna installed, not being sure what I wanted to do. I am planning on using a mast for a TV antenna and Wife booster (some time in the future, I think), and could use it for the cell booster too.

I think once I am ready to set this up, I may give the weboost techie folk a call to go over my plan with them.

Uh, oh, it's another one of those conversations. "Wife" booster.

[Steve Clark]

Originally Posted by float5

Uh, oh, it's another one of those conversations. "Wife" booster.

Lawrence Welk used to advertise a product called 'Geritol'.......She'll dance the night away!

[Brian B-P]

My Wilson booster has a RG-174A/U cable from the mag-mount "outside" antenna to the amplifier/cradle. This very thin cable has a characteristic impedance of 50 ohms, like the larger and more common RG-58. I believe that this impedance is typical of antenna connections most radio systems (and many other applications including the computer networks that I used decades ago), but not for TV and FM radio.

RG-6 and RG-59 cable - those used for broadcast TV antennas and connection of satellite TV LNBs to receivers - have a characteristic impedance of 75 ohms. Cables types from this family would be used in the TV-ready provisions.

I would not connect parts of a mobile phone system booster with any "TV" cable, including RG-6 or RG-59.

[johnwarrensimpson]

Wow. The further along I get in this the more confusing it gets. Even as I am having conversations the Wilson and Uber Signal people. I am going to start simple and affordable and see where that takes me. I am inclined with others to not need to be connected continuously. If I need to upgrade I will cross that bridge when I get to it. Starting out with the weBoost Trucker antenna with spring mount #318433 which I will be sending to ETI for their install. Probably getting the cradle booster since it is just me with one device. And using that to create a hotspot for my laptop Internet access. One thing at a time. I am still looking for a truck....

[Tom and Gay]

Originally Posted by johnwarrensimpson

Wow. The further along I get in this the more confusing it gets. Even as I am having conversations the Wilson and Uber Signal people. I am going to start simple and affordable and see where that takes me. I am inclined with others to not need to be connected continuously. If I need to upgrade I will cross that bridge when I get to it. Starting out with the weBoost Trucker antenna with spring mount #318433 which I will be sending to ETI for their install. Probably getting the cradle booster since it is just me with one device. And using that to create a hotspot for my laptop Internet access. One thing at a time. I am still looking for a truck....

Hi John...that was exactly my thinking too. I sent ETI model 311119 and may wait and see how it goes on our 4 week trip home before buying anything else. We have an F150 being built next week so first things first.

[RF Paul]

Originally Posted by johnwarrensimpson

Wow. The further along I get in this the more confusing it gets....

I agree. The booster decisions were by far the most challenging ones for my build sheet. I ended up going with the Wilson 4G-X. ETI is going to install the RV/Trucker antenna (w/spring) on the drivers side at the very front of the trailer. The weboost unit will be in the overhead cabinet above the "nightstand." ETI is also going to run a coax from that cabinet to the overhead above the dinette. I'll install the Wilson interior panel antenna above the dinette (with enough extra coax to put it on the dinette table if I need to). I called Wilson and they said I needed at least 5-10 feet of separation between the interior and exterior antennas...this will give me more than that. I'm also getting a Ranger wifi booster. Unless I win the lottery, I've got about 5 years til retirement. If I can get connected at a campground, I can start my weekends early. And since I don't buy lottery tickets, I want to better my chances of campground connections.

[Nrgtic4]

After talking to my son and Joldie at Escape and the weBoost tech people (three phone calls made to them) :-) -this is what we decided to do concerning cell phone boosters. We are planning on buying the weBoost Drive 4G-X 470510 and the separate 4G OTR Trucker Spring Mount Antenna 304415


It's $80 more expensive than going with the standard kit (weBoost 4G-X OTR truck edition ) but this $80 buys you a spring mount antenna instead of a rigid mount one
and 6" less in total height-both of which may one day be important for tighter roof clearances.

I am sending the antenna and it's coaxial cable to ETI for their $100 charge to install it.

We are having the antenna installed on the passenger's side wall (or roof)
close to the trailer's rear. The antenna is 19" long and I was old that the cylinder part of it must extend over the roofline.

We put on our build sheet for the coaxial cable from that exterior antenna, to be run through the overhead cabinets at the back of the trailer -going around and through
the overhead cabinets on the driver's side and culminating at the full length cabinet that was added to our drawer stack by bed. (the nitestand area). (That's where we have a multitude of outlets arranged for-and where we plan on placing our weBoost booster unit, cellphones and where ETI will be mounting our TV on a TV mount. (The proximity of our cell phone station to our TV will allow easy connection via hdmi cables to get the free Netflix streaming to our iphones to watch on our TV) According to the customer service reps at weBoost, this will give us enough separation between the two antennas to avoid interference. (By the formula of A squared plus B squared equals C squared -that should give us approximately 12 feet of separation between the two antennas. )

It's a relief to get this figured out. Pete and I need the security of cellphone service for medical reasons. I really hope we did it right!

[Tin]

Hi Nrgtic4, We purchased the same, just a heads up the antenna is big and heavy. I will never forget the look on Reaces face when He open up the packaging and pulled the antenna out, that is until he handed it to me "My exact words,Dam this thing is like a bat". Needles to say we had ETI run a Wilson cable to an exterior port.