Are there any cell phone boosters that really work?

[Eli]

So, we want to try and get signal at the campground we camp at. Isn't that like every geeks dream, wireless internet while camping?

Big antenna? Could I hook one of those huge 6' CB antennas up to my cell phone?



Dunno, though. I'm guessing

As you're comming to the campsite, signal slowly drops off, disappears.. and then reappears nearly full strength about a mile and a half before the campsite.. then dies suddenly again about a mile away. Don't know if that would help.. may give an indication of what exactly is happening to the signal or something.

The last couple of miles before the campsite is a steady, steep increase in elevation. I'd guess the signal is getting blocked out by .. earth. So does that mean antenna height above the Earth is going to be the most important thing?

I suppose I could climb a tree and mount an antenna. Wow, that'd be hardcore.

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: Eli


I suppose I could climb a tree and mount an antenna. Wow, that'd be hardcore.

remember to take pics!

 

[quakefiend420]

you are seriously a geek...wireless internet in your tent geez...lmfao

 

[yoda291]

cell repeater, install in tree.

 

[woowoo]

http://www.arcelect.com/High_g..._High_gain_antenna.htm
Something like this maybe?

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: woowoo
http://www.arcelect.com/High_g..._High_gain_antenna.htm
Something like this maybe?

Badass.........

 

[Eli]

More information from those in the know welcomed.

 

[DaWhim]

you should stay home with your fast speed internet instead.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: DaWhim
you should stay home with your fast speed internet instead.

But that's no fun ...

 

[quakefiend420]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: DaWhim
you should stay home with your fast speed internet instead.

But that's no fun ...

i dont really see the point of camping if you're going to be on the net the whole time...i dunno...it'd be kinda cool to say i'm posting from a tent in the middle of nowhere though, lol

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: quakefiend420

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: DaWhim
you should stay home with your fast speed internet instead.

But that's no fun ...

i dont really see the point of camping if you're going to be on the net the whole time...i dunno...it'd be kinda cool to say i'm posting from a tent in the middle of nowhere though, lol

Exactly!

It'd just be cool to be "connected" while out there. Not really to be on the net the whole time, but just to be... connected.

Talk to friends and sh!t... look at the local weather, etc...

 

[bapace]

My parents have Satellite internet on their RV. I can see it's uses...for a tent though, that may be TOO hardcore.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: bapace
My parents have Satellite internet on their RV. I can see it's uses...for a tent though, that may be TOO hardcore.

For satellite though, you need to have line of sight with some percentage of the horizon or whatever...

This is in a pretty wooded area.....

I think I am going to get an external antenna in the +5db range and see what happens.......

If that's a no-go, in all reality I'll probably just give up, since installing an antenna in a tree, while an awesome thought, is probably never going to happen.

Maybe there is some sort of extendable pole that I could mount one on or something, but I'll go there when/if I need to.....

 

[So]

I'd say it was destructive interference, but the size of the deadspots is way too big for microwave frequencies.

 

[quakefiend420]

i have a solution.....cat5....lots of cat5

EDIT: off topic, how far can you run that stuff?

 

[woowoo]

Check out your phone.
Is it 850mhz or 1900mhz?
More importantly, what is the service in the area 850 or 1900?
Find out then buy an antenna to match.
Then go to the rat shack for a pole and tripod. (>$40)
You can run about 200' of coax before the signal fades.

Mount the antenna at the highest point you can find.
Then rotate to find the best signal.

The little "Car" antennas need to be mounted on metal to complete the ground plane.
I would go with a YAGI myself

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: quakefiend420
i have a solution.....cat5....lots of cat5

EDIT: off topic, how far can you run that stuff?

320 meters or something like that?

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: woowoo
Check out your phone.
Is it 850mhz or 1900mhz?
More importantly, what is the service in the area 850 or 1900?
Find out then buy an antenna to match.
Then go to the rat shack for a pole and tripod. (>$40)
You can run about 200' of coax before the signal fades.

Mount the antenna at the highest point you can find.
Then rotate to find the best signal.

The little "Car" antennas need to be mounted on metal to complete the ground plane.
I would go with a YAGI myself

The phone says Tri-band GSM. I'd assume it's the same by the camping area, but I'll check next time we're there....

 

[marstaton]

330 feet or 100 meters, at least thats what they say...

 

[Calin]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: quakefiend420
i have a solution.....cat5....lots of cat5

EDIT: off topic, how far can you run that stuff?

320 meters or something like that?

Something like 200m (180, if I remember correctly). However, you could use (with repeaters) more than a kilometer of 10MBps ethernet (coaxial)

Calin