External cell phone antennas

Joined
Jun 28, 2003
Messages
8,278
Location
Illinois
Who knows about external cell phone antennas. Currently using TMobile B12ac band or ~700 MHz. I have a Netgrear NightHawk MR1100 M1 wifi Internet router as the main device. It has two antenna inputs and two more hidden as I understand it.

I have a single antenna that is for Verizon that is around 850-900Mhz. When it is connected to one antenna input it actually degrades the signal. But I put a spliter on it so one antenna feeds two inputs. This gave me a -10 dbm increase in signal from ~-108 to -.98 per the router, 2 bar to 3.

I've heard that if you use more than one MIMO input antenna that they should be the same. So should I look for one more specific to the TMobile frequency and get a pair or just get another of what I got?

NIGHTHAWK® M1 Mobile Router (MR1100)

[Linked Image from netgear.com]


The antenna I have

4G LTE External Antenna&TS9 Adapter cable For Novatel Verizon Jetpack MiFi 6620L


[Linked Image from i.ebayimg.com]



Quote
11db Gain External Magnet Antenna: Model: 3A1-2158-F02SJ-110-300
700~2600MHz
GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900/2100
HSUPA/HSDPA/UMTS 2100MHz/900MHz
CDMA 1900 MHz
Gain: 11 dBi
VSWR: â¤2
Horizontal Beamwidth: 360°
Vertical Beamwidth: 42°
Max power: 50 W
Nominal Impedance: 50 Ω
Connector : FME female straight as default, SMA/SSMB/MCX/CRC9/BNC/TNC/and so on.,please give us notes if the connector is chosen !
Extended Cable :RG174 Cable
Cable length: 3M
Weight:0.180 KG
Polarization :Vertical
Radiation :Omni -directional
Size:60*400mm
Mount Magnetic antenna base
This antenna can be used indoor and outdoor,and can be put on the Metal place.
External Antenna Adapter Cable:
Cable Type: RG174
Cable Length: 8 inch (20cm)
Connector: FME Male to TS9 Male straight
Compatible with Novatel Wireless Verizon Jetpack MiFi 6620L


Here is a map of the cel tower cells and coverage. I am along the far south east last line of dots by the river in the blue area.

[Linked Image]
 
MIMO is likely irrelevant in your situation.

3 bars, what's the issue?

To really improve performance (if there's actually a performance issue), you'll probably need to improve directionality. If its truly a fixed antenna scenario.
 
I just got a "Bosuru" booster for Band 13 (Verizon 4G LTE). Came with a directional Yagi that's tuned for only its ~750MHz band. Made up a roof mount, up to a 25 dB improvement seen at ground level. Used that cellmapper website and "cell info lite" android utility, surprised to find that the tower I'm using isn't the closest one. Pointed antenna. Very happy.

By your map you have one tower, so I'd get one (good) antenna.
 
Originally the hotspot was on ATT and had a weaker signal. By mistake I bought a TMobile SIM and found the signal stronger. The tower is about two miles closer but not as tall. I can use either SIM.

But three bars is great and more than the phone sees or what I had with a Verizon hotspot.

So far it's been great but being this is BITOG can more be better?
smile.gif
It's only another $23 so I probably will get another matched antenna after the virus scare is played out.....

I just switched to Consumers Cellular from Verizon. The phone has a ATT SIM. Coverage sucks compared to Verizon. Getting TMobil SIM for the phone to see if they're any better in my travels.
 
Originally Posted by pitzel
MIMO is likely irrelevant in your situation.

3 bars, what's the issue?

To really improve performance (if there's actually a performance issue), you'll probably need to improve directionality. If its truly a fixed antenna scenario.


I found you had to use both inputs if you were using the external antenna or it actually cut the signal. Using a 1-2 splitter now. I'm lucky as the antenna is made for Verizon frequencies but the Tmobil tower is a close frequency.
 
MIMO may be ok with ext antenna if you go in a matching set, or you may end up going to single antenna mode instead. One more thing you can play with MIMO, keep the 2+ antenna as far apart as possible.

Why the closest one isn't the best? Because all cell power antennas are directional now and they aim a distance further away than right under them. I used to work in a building with cell tower right on top of us and we get no coverage until we move to another building.
 
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I got another one of those antennas and get solid three bars. Sometimes it drops to one but I think TMobile is having issue. Consumer Cellular who's SIM I'm on could only think of the SIM being bad so they are sending another. I'm about 6 miles from the tower clear line of sight and downhill slightly too.

And I found out that soon that router will be obsolete as all carriers are going full 4G/5G. What I have is 3G/4G.
frown.gif
 
Originally Posted by SHOZ
I got another one of those antennas and get solid three bars. Sometimes it drops to one but I think TMobile is having issue. Consumer Cellular who's SIM I'm on could only think of the SIM being bad so they are sending another. I'm about 6 miles from the tower clear line of sight and downhill slightly too.

And I found out that soon that router will be obsolete as all carriers are going full 4G/5G. What I have is 3G/4G.
frown.gif



It won't be obsolete too soon, 2G lived on for 20 years and 3G will be around for another few still, and as long as your area is not rolling out 5G yet (Unlikely) you can use it for a few more years.
 
I hope so. But that is what CC told me. They said it was all across the country. I did find it odd that I haven't heard that though.

When it works good it's the best internet set up in my rural setting I've ever had. I port the internet off with a hard cable to a wifi router and get download speeds of 25/35 Mbps.
 
Originally Posted by PandaBear
Originally Posted by SHOZ
I got another one of those antennas and get solid three bars. Sometimes it drops to one but I think TMobile is having issue. Consumer Cellular who's SIM I'm on could only think of the SIM being bad so they are sending another. I'm about 6 miles from the tower clear line of sight and downhill slightly too.

And I found out that soon that router will be obsolete as all carriers are going full 4G/5G. What I have is 3G/4G.
frown.gif



It won't be obsolete too soon, 2G lived on for 20 years and 3G will be around for another few still, and as long as your area is not rolling out 5G yet (Unlikely) you can use it for a few more years.
2G is almost gone, only T-Mobile still has it until the end of this year. 3G is also going away, all of the carriers except T-Mobile have announced that they will discontinue it by the end of 2021. 4G will live on until at least 2027.
Since you are using T-Mobile, you are safe for awhile.
 
I like Consumer Cellular. they use AT&T and T-Mobile. Had Verizon for years. This tower is a little further away. The AT&T one is another 2 miles further.

Consumer cellular is a great consumer oriented company. But their support seems to be technically lacking. They did make a point of telling me my specific device would be obsolete this year sometime, twice. They do not offer a specific hotspot. They use to. I feel they hold some negative feelings about them when you ask questions.

My phone is AT&T. I use it for the hotspot when the T-Mobile fails. But it is a pretty weak signal.
 
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