4G Booster kit

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › 4G Booster kit

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#232191 4-Apr-2018 08:52

Advice please. Client lives semi-rural Auckland, uses Spark 4G internet & the spectrum of mobile phone service providers.

2degrees & Vodafone give moderate reception (iPad shows 2 out of 4 bars right now), Spark 1 or sometimes 0. The Huawei 4G modem varies between 1 & 2 bars, with the feeble Speedtest result of 7Mb/s down.

So they need a booster kit, voice & 4G capable, that services both Spark & 2DM/Vodafone frequencies.

I’m sure someone here is a fountain of qualified knowledge, if that’s you, I need your recommendations please.

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#1987979 4-Apr-2018 08:59

External aerials for Spark Huawei Modem.

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#1987991 4-Apr-2018 09:15

Yeah, some further research indicates only 1 rather expensive option to boost the entire house. Looks like it’s booster aerials for the modem & hope that works.

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#1987998 4-Apr-2018 09:20

Bars mean nothing find out the RSSI

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#1987999 4-Apr-2018 09:20

Unless things have changed in recent months there is only one legal unit that can be used in NZ http://www.cel-fi.co.nz/

If you use anything non approved you do stand a fairly high chance of being caught if you are causing interference, and will be charged with breaking the radiocommunications act and fined.

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#1988032 4-Apr-2018 10:00

Yeah, I wasn’t aware of the legal aspect & have no desire to expose the client to risk. They’re not good with $1500 for cel-fi so it looks like $130 on 2 11db gain 4G antenna for the modem.

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#1988044 4-Apr-2018 10:24

i'd stick an antenna on the modem.

might be ideal to opt for 2 antennas for MIMO.

Just remember the modem itself needs to be set to internal + Antenna. By default it's configured on internal only thus they will seem to make no difference.

Always use the Internal + option as if for whatever reason external is detached or too noisy it can fallback nicely

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Mistenfuru

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#1988045 4-Apr-2018 10:29

Following intently as well.

I've just recently received Sparks 4G B315, currently I'm getting 10down 25up....

Keen for ideas on how to improve this (I've got a couple of older Motel AP Antennas floating around, would these benefit me at all?)

Sadly although I've got a stable DSL connection it's Exchange fed and gives me a miserable 2.6/0.8....

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#1988087 4-Apr-2018 10:47

Mistenfuru:

Following intently as well.

I've just recently received Sparks 4G B315, currently I'm getting 10down 25up....

Keen for ideas on how to improve this (I've got a couple of older Motel AP Antennas floating around, would these benefit me at all?)

Sadly although I've got a stable DSL connection it's Exchange fed and gives me a miserable 2.6/0.8....

Remember you can't just wack a dipole on and expect it to do well.

antennas are tuned for certain frequencies.

Those numbers do seem a tad on the low side though for downstream. I'd love to have a poke if you DM me details.

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#1988099 4-Apr-2018 10:56

The modem is set to Automatic, with the firmware recommendation to leave it there but still offering the combination of internal/external options.

Seems that the sensible purchase would be an ANT 205 like this http://www.acquire.co.nz/acquire/default.asp?PageID=ProductDetail&pf_id=3621110

Acquire have the best price I’ve found too.

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#1988109 4-Apr-2018 11:09

1024kb: The modem is set to Automatic, with the firmware recommendation to leave it there but still offering the combination of internal/external options.

Seems that the sensible purchase would be an ANT 205 like this http://www.acquire.co.nz/acquire/default.asp?PageID=ProductDetail&pf_id=3621110

Acquire have the best price I’ve found too.

Looks like they dropped below RRP.

otherwise they would be equal to gowifi.

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coffeebaron

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#1988437 4-Apr-2018 22:02

This is the antenna I install for rural broadband / Spark wireless etc: https://www.gowifi.co.nz/2.3-2.7ghz/ant-228.html

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#1988451 4-Apr-2018 22:25

Thanks for that, do you recall the performance improvement level?

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#1988461 4-Apr-2018 22:46

Performance is on par with 2X ANT-205s, but slightly better. I think less noise prone and proper MIMO configuration vs the hack of 45 degrees'ing the 205s. Also cleaner install.
Performance of course will vary as each install is different, but certainly in marginal signal areas, an external antenna will give a significant performance advantage.

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