USB720 modem, CradlePoint CTR-350 router, Booster antenna

Doug Simpson

I received my USB720 modem, CradlePoint CTR-350 EVDO router, and Booster antenna and it met all my expectations. Installation was a snap - simply a matter of connecting the components and plugging in the power cord. I didn't load the software since I wasn't plugging the modem into my computer.

I have a 1 bar EVDO signal here at home (using my cell phone signal strength meter), so my download speeds varied from a little faster than dial-up to 500kbps. I put everything in the truck and drove a few blocks to where I had a 4 bar signal and download speeds were consistently 1000 to 1200 kbps. I am using internetfrog.com for my speed tests.

At home, the Booster antenna didn't seem to improved the download speed. I substituted my Wilson Trucker antenna and things didn't get any better. My modem was positioned next to a window during these tests. If I placed the modem in a chair away from the window, then I noticed a significant difference in download speeds with and without the antenna. This seems to suggest that the modem has a pretty good built-in antenna.