Wi-Ex Booster w/Verizon MiFi & phones

JR Hill · EVDO Newbie Joined: 18 Nov 2008 Posts: 5

Folks,

Verizon recently expanded some towers and I can now get weak EVDO reception. I've used the Wi-Ex YX500-CEL for years with a rooftop antenna and it worked great to boost the phones/data. So now I have about the same 1x as EVDO available outside, but the old Wi-Ex doesn't boost the higher Mhz needed. So I bought the XL500-PCS. Pffttt.

The Verizon MiFi pulls 3 bars between the front window and screen, the phones have one bar at most. The Wi-Ex, even on the roof doesn't seem to get enough signal to boost. The MiFi must have one heck of an antenna. Weather couldn't be better.... I really can't complain about the Wi-Ex but it "should" be better as it's on the roof.

Anyone have some insight, opinion or similar experience? Anyway, at least for the broadband part, Wildblue is now history, TG.

Best,
JR

ev9591 · EVDO User Joined: 04 Mar 2010 Posts: 69

good riddance to Wildblue

LARRYG · Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 9:30 am Post subject:

just fyi - I bought a Wilson 801241 SignalBoost
Mobile Professional Dual
Band 800/ 1900 MHz
Wireless Amplifier Kit based on advice I've seen on this forum and either I'm pretty stupid or the dang thing is next to worthless.

It does not appear to add bars to my cell phone. I have the same one to two bars that I always had and when I turned off my phone and then turned it back on within about 18" of the amp.. it went to 4 bars and then immediately dropped back to the 2 bars - and sucked the battery big time.

it does even WORSE with the MiFi2200.. as it appears to me that it knocked it off line. and I had to reboot it to get it to come back up.

So, now I'm a skeptic after having relieved myself of $200 for something that appears to me that it not only does not work but could be harmful.

someone set me straight here.. how have I screwed up?

thanks.

ruralgirl · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 3:19 pm Post subject: signal boost

We have recently gotten a "rural kit" from JD Teck after previously trying out the Wi-Ex. The Wi-Ex didn't do anything at all, and we looked at the Wilson setups, but decided to go with JDTeck, and at first we thought it wouldn't do much either, but their tech support is amazing, and after some tweaking, it boosts our signal by several bars depending where you are standing. It needs a little more dialing in to get more consistency, but I am very impressed, since we are very rural, with virtually no cell signal prior. The system is more pricey, about $750, but from talking to others with similar environments, the higher end systems are the only ones worth it. We did this to get internet over the cell signal, which we are still researching. Only other options are dialup and satellite.

JR Hill · EVDO Newbie Joined: 18 Nov 2008 Posts: 5

Thx Ms Ruralgirl,

The JDTeck unit, is the reception antenna something that must be pointed? What was the tweaking?

Thx

ruralgirl · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:05 pm Post subject:

Tweaking involved moving the directional antenna higher up off of the roof, and further away horizontally from the pre-amp and booster inside, so we had to order a longer cable to do this. I don't think the antenna is pointed in the ideal direction quite yet, so need to work on that. Also, adjusting dipswitches on the pre-amp to get all green lights. They also offer an omni directional antenna, but it is supposedly not quite as strong, it just depends on your individual situation, and like I mentioned before, they are very helpful and willing to work with you to maximize your setup.

JR Hill · EVDO Newbie Joined: 18 Nov 2008 Posts: 5

The Wi-Ex has a unidirectional antenna out-of-the-box. Wi-Ex support (and they are pretty good too) wanted me to opt for the directional antenna. Nah.

When all considerations were weighed, 1) the Verizon MiFi has sufficient reception without a boost, 2) the 1x signal boost from the old Wi-Ex was great for conversations and phone data, 3) we're moving anyway.

Problem solved.