| Author |
Improving cell phone reception in house?
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| The cell phone reception in my house is not very reliable and I was
wondering if there is anything that I can do to improve it. If we go out on
the patio to use our phones we have a very good signal with no dropped calls
so it seems that it's the house structure itself that's the problem. Would
it be practical to put some kind of antenna outside and run a cable to a
repeater inside? Is there a reasonably inexpensive way to do something like
this? TIA
--
Gary Vocks
www.under-1-roof.com
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| Bruce D. Brown 2005-07-02, 10:55 pm |
| I had the same problem and found a solution that worked great. I went out
and bought a product by Wireless Extender. You have to mount a small
antenna outside and then run cable inside to a very small repeater. My
signal consistently is 2 to 3 bars outside. I used to get a signal of one
bar inside, if I was lucky. Now I get a signal of 3 bars (-75db to -85db)
all of the time. Now I get such a strong signal inside my home that my next
door neighbor even gets a greatly improved signal.
Note: The current unit only works with a 1900 mh signal. Additionally,
it is not cheap. The unit runs approximately $300, but it is the best
investment that I have made. I own a small business and my cellphone is my
link to new sales so spending money on an improved signal is not a question.
You can find the Wireless Extender at www.wireless extenders.com .
Bruce D. Brown
"pv" <pawneev@nonspamaol.com> wrote in message
news:6e856$42c71fbc$
c9c7841$8080@CTITECH
.COM...
quote:
> The cell phone reception in my house is not very reliable and I was
> wondering if there is anything that I can do to improve it. If we go out
> on the patio to use our phones we have a very good signal with no dropped
> calls so it seems that it's the house structure itself that's the problem.
> Would it be practical to put some kind of antenna outside and run a cable
> to a repeater inside? Is there a reasonably inexpensive way to do
> something like this? TIA
>
>
> --
> Gary Vocks
> www.under-1-roof.com
>
>
| |
| Bruce D. Brown 2005-07-02, 10:55 pm |
| Sorry, I made a mistake on the link to the web site. The correct link is:
www.wirelessextenders.com
Bruce D. Brown
"Bruce D. Brown" <bdbrown@socal.rr.com> wrote in message
news:UFFxe.1173$rF5.285@tornado.socal.rr.com...
quote:
>I had the same problem and found a solution that worked great. I went out
>and bought a product by Wireless Extender. You have to mount a small
>antenna outside and then run cable inside to a very small repeater. My
>signal consistently is 2 to 3 bars outside. I used to get a signal of one
>bar inside, if I was lucky. Now I get a signal of 3 bars (-75db to -85db)
>all of the time. Now I get such a strong signal inside my home that my
>next door neighbor even gets a greatly improved signal.
>
> Note: The current unit only works with a 1900 mh signal. Additionally,
> it is not cheap. The unit runs approximately $300, but it is the best
> investment that I have made. I own a small business and my cellphone is my
> link to new sales so spending money on an improved signal is not a
> question.
>
> You can find the Wireless Extender at www.wireless extenders.com .
>
> Bruce D. Brown
>
> "pv" <pawneev@nonspamaol.com> wrote in message
> news:6e856$42c71fbc$
c9c7841$8080@CTITECH
.COM...
>
>
| |
| Joseph 2005-07-02, 10:55 pm |
| On Sat, 2 Jul 2005 18:14:00 -0500, "pv" <pawneev@nonspamaol.com>
wrote:
quote:
>The cell phone reception in my house is not very reliable and I was
>wondering if there is anything that I can do to improve it. If we go out on
>the patio to use our phones we have a very good signal with no dropped calls
>so it seems that it's the house structure itself that's the problem. Would
>it be practical to put some kind of antenna outside and run a cable to a
>repeater inside? Is there a reasonably inexpensive way to do something like
>this? TIA
You could buy a repeater for your house but it will cost you upwards
of $700 (from companies such as Wilson Cellular.)
- -
| |
| Bruce D. Brown 2005-07-03, 6:55 am |
| It doesn't have to cost $700. I spent less than 1/2 and got the same
results.
Bruce D. Brown
"Joseph" <JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:ppcec15k9hkjiv2
t8t2id55e5cbd16tlcu@
4ax.com...
quote:
> On Sat, 2 Jul 2005 18:14:00 -0500, "pv" <pawneev@nonspamaol.com>
> wrote:
>
>
> You could buy a repeater for your house but it will cost you upwards
> of $700 (from companies such as Wilson Cellular.)
>
> - -
>
| |
|
| According to the web page, it only works on PCS phones for now. Does
this product work with Cingular GSM phones?
On Sat, 02 Jul 2005 23:44:52 GMT, "Bruce D. Brown"
<bdbrown@socal.rr.com> wrote:
quote:
>I had the same problem and found a solution that worked great. I went out
>and bought a product by Wireless Extender. You have to mount a small
>antenna outside and then run cable inside to a very small repeater. My
>signal consistently is 2 to 3 bars outside. I used to get a signal of one
>bar inside, if I was lucky. Now I get a signal of 3 bars (-75db to -85db)
>all of the time. Now I get such a strong signal inside my home that my next
>door neighbor even gets a greatly improved signal.
>
>Note: The current unit only works with a 1900 mh signal. Additionally,
>it is not cheap. The unit runs approximately $300, but it is the best
>investment that I have made. I own a small business and my cellphone is my
>link to new sales so spending money on an improved signal is not a question.
>
>You can find the Wireless Extender at www.wireless extenders.com .
>
>Bruce D. Brown
>
>"pv" <pawneev@nonspamaol.com> wrote in message
> news:6e856$42c71fbc$
c9c7841$8080@CTITECH
.COM...
>
| |
| Tropical Haven 2005-07-03, 6:55 am |
|
Scott wrote:
quote:
> According to the web page, it only works on PCS phones for now. Does
> this product work with Cingular GSM phones?
PCS is the frequency at 1900 mHz. If Cingular uses a GSM 1900 signal in your
area, it it will work, but if Cingular only uses a GSM 850 signal, it will have
no effect.
What city do you live in?
TH
| |
|
| GSM in the USA primarily uses the PCS spectrum... 1900 mhz... albeit
there is some 850 mhz now spreading around the USA.
Therefore it should work ????
SFB
Scott wrote:
quote:
> According to the web page, it only works on PCS phones for now. Does
> this product work with Cingular GSM phones?
>
>
>
> On Sat, 02 Jul 2005 23:44:52 GMT, "Bruce D. Brown"
> <bdbrown@socal.rr.com> wrote:
>
>
>
| |
| Tropical Haven 2005-07-03, 6:55 am |
|
"Bruce D. Brown" wrote:
quote:
> It doesn't have to cost $700. I spent less than 1/2 and got the same
> results.
>
> Bruce D. Brown
Depending on the area...there are hundreds of markets in which a cellular
carrier does not have PCS coverage, and roaming while in the home market is not
permitted.
TH
| |
| Bruce D. Brown 2005-07-03, 6:55 am |
| I have a Blackberry 7100G and use Cingular. At home (Orange County, CA)
Cingular uses 1900mh. It will work with any phone that uses 1900mh.
Additionally, there is a return period (I think it is 30 days) where if the
unit does not work for you, it can be returned.
Bruce D. Brown
"Scott" <refused@refused.com> wrote in message
news:32mec1d9m86jop5
vjm37pouqur7rle1v00@
4ax.com...
quote:
> According to the web page, it only works on PCS phones for now. Does
> this product work with Cingular GSM phones?
>
>
>
> On Sat, 02 Jul 2005 23:44:52 GMT, "Bruce D. Brown"
> <bdbrown@socal.rr.com> wrote:
>
>
| |
| Bruce D. Brown 2005-07-03, 6:55 am |
| I live in Fountain Valley, CA and the Wireless Extender works perfectly as
it should.
Bruce D. Brown
"Tropical Haven" <email@example.net> wrote in message
news:42C762D5.564E276@example.net...
quote:
>
>
> Scott wrote:
>
>
> PCS is the frequency at 1900 mHz. If Cingular uses a GSM 1900 signal in
> your
> area, it it will work, but if Cingular only uses a GSM 850 signal, it will
> have
> no effect.
>
> What city do you live in?
>
> TH
>
| |
| Bruce D. Brown 2005-07-03, 6:55 am |
| I agree with your statement but if your phone uses the 1900 mh band, the
Wireless Extender costs much less than 1/2 the cost of a repeater. If your
phone only works on the 850mh band, this will not work.
Bruce D. Brown
"Tropical Haven" <email@example.net> wrote in message
news:42C76329.C78D68A8@example.net...
quote:
>
>
> "Bruce D. Brown" wrote:
>
>
> Depending on the area...there are hundreds of markets in which a cellular
> carrier does not have PCS coverage, and roaming while in the home market
> is not
> permitted.
>
> TH
>
| |
| Tropical Haven 2005-07-03, 6:55 am |
| You'll probably have 1900 in California. If you take the Wireless Extender to
some other areas, rural Florida or Rural Minnesota or North Dakota, where GSM is
only present in 850 mHz, it'll be a pretty "metal vine".
TH
"Bruce D. Brown" wrote:
[vbcol=darkred]
> I live in Fountain Valley, CA and the Wireless Extender works perfectly as
> it should.
>
> Bruce D. Brown
>
> "Tropical Haven" <email@example.net> wrote in message
> news:42C762D5.564E276@example.net...
| |
| momcat_one@yahoo.com 2005-07-07, 6:55 am |
| How can you tell if your area is covered by 850 or 1900?
| |
| Tropical Haven 2005-07-07, 6:55 am |
| > How can you tell if your area is covered by 850 or 1900?
If you are really technically oriented, you can take a handset with Test
Mode and read/interpret the data from screen.
If you are not, there are a couple of other things you can try:
- Take two phones, one with 850 and 1900 capability (at least), and
another that does NOT have 850. If both phones function in your market,
you at least have 1900 mHz (however, in most areas where Cingular 850
mHz is present, 1900 is also present, but there are many markets where
Cingular 1900 is present and 850 is not).
- There are some websites that publish what carriers are *using* what
frequencies in what markets, and what markets the carriers hold licenses
which are not being used. I do not recall any URLs.
- Post your location, and other users will be able to tell you.
There are other options, but these are the easiest three that I could
think of.
TH
| |
| Steven de Mena 2005-07-07, 6:55 am |
|
"Tropical Haven" <email@example.net> wrote in message
news:42C76329.C78D68A8@example.net...
quote:
>
>
> "Bruce D. Brown" wrote:
>
>
> Depending on the area...there are hundreds of markets in which a cellular
> carrier does not have PCS coverage, and roaming while in the home market
> is not
> permitted.
>
> TH
And what does that have to do with this subject??
Steve
| |
| (PeteCresswell) 2005-07-07, 4:55 pm |
| Per Tropical Haven:
quote:
>If you are really technically oriented, you can take a handset with Test
>Mode and read/interpret the data from screen.
Dunno how technically-competant I am, but I'm technically-oriented.
Can this be done with GSM phones too? Specifically Moto v180.
--
PeteCresswell
| |
| Tropical Haven 2005-07-07, 10:55 pm |
| > Per Tropical Haven:
quote:
>
> Dunno how technically-competant I am, but I'm technically-oriented.
> Can this be done with GSM phones too? Specifically Moto v180.
> --
> PeteCresswell
I don't know too much about the Motorola handsets, but I know the Nokia ones
are easy to use.
TH
| |
| Tropical Haven 2005-07-07, 10:55 pm |
| > >> It doesn't have to cost $700. I spent less than 1/2 and got the same
quote:
> And what does that have to do with this subject??
>
> Steve
This means that if you buy a PCS antenna, and you are in a cellular market and
you don't have access, to, for example, T-Mobile's network, the antenna will do
you no good, because the antenna will only work with 1900 mHz and your service
will only work 850 mHz.
TH
| |
| rfzenyen 2005-07-12, 4:55 pm |
|
momcat_one@yahoo.com Wrote:
quote:
> How can you tell if your area is covered by 850 or 1900?
If you can tell me the service provider and the zip code, city and
state you live in, I can tell you whether you have 850 or 1900 service
:)
--
rfzenyen
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cell Phone Forums: http://cellphoneforums.net
View this thread: http://cellphoneforums.net/t180336.html
| |
| Steven de Mena 2005-07-18, 10:55 pm |
|
"rfzenyen" <rfzenyen.1s29by@nospam.cellphoneforums.net> wrote in message
news:rfzenyen.1s29by@nospam.cellphoneforums.net...
quote:
>
> momcat_one@yahoo.com Wrote:
>
> If you can tell me the service provider and the zip code, city and
> state you live in, I can tell you whether you have 850 or 1900 service
> :)
>
>
> --
> rfzenyen
Provider: Cingular
City: Los Angeles
State: California
Zip: 90020 (near Western and 6th Street)
Thanks.
Steve
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| momcat_one@yahoo.com 2005-07-25, 11:48 pm |
| Provider: Cingular (but much of the area by the house roams on Dobson
Cell One)
City: Hopewell Junction
State: NY
Zip: 12590 (I know they don't match) this zip is for Wappingers Falls,
but I don't live in that town. USPS can't get ti straight
Thanks!
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