4G LTE Puck antenna install

[ShaKen]

Hi all, I’ve just bought a Poynting Puck 4G LTE antenna to stick on the roof and connect to my Mifi device for onboard Wi-Fi.

I intend to install as surface mount and use an existing, factory fitted roof entry point for the cable (so no affect to water ingress warranty).

Q. Have you fitted one of these Puck antenna as surface mount (ie just stuck it using double sided tape or bonded with Silkaflex or similar) and had the cables enter roof via another entry point? How did you fix it, using adhesive or double-sided tape? Any top tips?

 

[Mikeco]

I used Sikaflex 512 to fix mine but it is a ribbed tin roof.

 

[sallylillian]

I do not use a puck, but 2 vertical antenna on motorised mounts, but the principles are the same to consider. I fabricated a base with studs which I glued to the roof with Sikaflex and then bolted the motorised mount to it. I can then remove the assembly to replace the motor for example by just releasing the 4 nuts. The cables ran in conduit to a multi access connection box and down through the roof. That is the light grey square box in the picture.

 

[TCG]

Hi Michael sallylillian that looks a tidy setup, any chance of the links for your antenna

 

[sallylillian]

The fat one is an Oscar 420, details in the attached data sheet. I uses its MIMO capability to give me dual antenna connections on my Netgear M1

The slim one is an 8dB omni 2.4 wifi antenna, https://www.solwise.co.uk/wireless-outdoorantenna-24-omni-8on.htm

The motor mount data sheet is attached.

All are available from various online suppliers just google the items.

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[Geo]

Hi all, I’ve just bought a Poynting Puck 4G LTE antenna to stick on the roof and connect to my Mifi device for onboard Wi-Fi.

I intend to install as surface mount and use an existing, factory fitted roof entry point for the cable (so no affect to water ingress warranty).

Q. Have you fitted one of these Puck antenna as surface mount (ie just stuck it using double sided tape or bonded with Silkaflex or similar) and had the cables enter roof via another entry point? How did you fix it, using adhesive or double-sided tape? Any top tips?

Just fitted mine looked atthe stick on and thought No through the roof as normal is was
It has been said that to glue it down with Sika or similar you need to remove the sticky pad, but the manf have put the sticky pad on there for a reason maybe stick it down with the pad then bead around it with sika

 

[Manic]

Just fitted mine looked atthe stick on and thought No through the roof as normal is was
It has been said that to glue it down with Sika or similar you need to remove the sticky pad, but the manf have put the sticky pad on there for a reason maybe stick it down with the pad then bead around it with sika

I fitted mine using the sticky pad and then a bead of sealant around it, mine came with the long spigot , so that clamps it. I did put a ring of sealant around the hole just in case.

 

[Gellyneck]

I just have ours "mounted" internally. It can be stuck up through the skylight, if required, but makes very little, if any, difference in the reception strength.

 

[Jev88]

Don't these benefit from a metal base? Ie don't stick straight to fiberglass roof?

 

[Phill D]

Don't these benefit from a metal base? Ie don't stick straight to fiberglass roof?

Yes they do, but they say it's not absolutely necessary.
We have one and I also stick it through one of the roof lights, only problem with that is when it rains the sleeving on the cable wicks water into the van.

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[Geo]

Don't these benefit from a metal base? Ie don't stick straight to fiberglass roof?

Built in ground plate

 

[Sasbo]

ShaKen coincidentally yesterday I fitted a Poynting A-MIMO 003-V2 to my Chausson 530.

I fabricated an aluminium 'top hat' bracket with a hole in the centre to allow the leads to be clear if the roof and bonded the bracket to the roof with Puraflex 40.

Used the Poynting supplied two sided self adhesive pad to fix the antenna to the bracket.

Utilised the factory fitted roof mounted solar junction box to get the two leads into the cupboard over the hob, by adding an extra cable gland to one side of the junction box, drilling out with a 20mm core drill. Once the leads were installed and the gland tightened up I sealed both ends of the gland with clear silicone.

Really straightforward job, hope this helps.

 

[olley]

I just have ours "mounted" internally. It can be stuck up through the skylight, if required, but makes very little, if any, difference in the reception strength.

I agree I put mine through the skylight it's got a magnetic base so sticks to roof, pity it makes bugger all difference to the signal.

 

[Lenny HB]

I agree I put mine through the skylight it's got a magnetic base so sticks to roof, pity it makes bugger all difference to the signal.

If its a Puck although the overall gain is 6 dB in the 800 mHz bandwidth the gain is -1.5db. The most inportant bandwidth in a Motorhome is the 800 mHz bandwidth as that is the one that's used in rual locations as the signal carries further.
The Puck will work fine around urban areas and towns where the mobile transmission are in the higher bandwidths.

For Motorhome use you need the larger MIMO Aerial which works well.

 

[ShaKen]

If its a Puck although the overall gain is 6 dB in the 800 mHz bandwidth the gain is -1.5db. The most inportant bandwidth in a Motorhome is the 800 mHz bandwidth as that is the one that's used in rual locations as the signal carries further.
The Puck will work fine around urban areas and towns where the mobile transmission are in the higher bandwidths.

For Motorhome use you need the larger MIMO Aerial which works well.

The puck I’ve ordered is spec’d with a 2x2 MIMO.

Hopefully it will do the job; certainly I’ll be testing it first before fitting and ditched if not up for the job.

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[Lenny HB]

The puck I’ve ordered is spec’d with a 2x2 MIMO.

Hopefully it will do the job; certainly I’ll be testing it first before fitting.

Yes they are a MIMO but the performance at the 800mHz bandwidth is very poor compared with the larger A-MIMO 003-V2.
Personally I don't think a Puck is worth fitting unless you are only going to camp in towns.

To test it you will need to find a cell tower that only transmits at 800 mHz as the higher bandwidths it will be fine.

 

[Mark30]

Yes they are a MIMO but the performance at the 800mHz bandwidth is very poor compared with the larger A-MIMO 003-V2.
Personally I don't think a Puck is worth fitting unless you are only going to camp in towns.

To test it you will need to find a cell tower that only transmits at 800 mHz as the higher bandwidths it will be fine.

I have purchased the Poynting Mimo 3-17, which will hopefully cover all frequencies sufficiently.


It has not been dry enough to fit outside, but from testing, inside and out of the skylight the results look promising.

MIMO-3-17

7-in-1 Transportation & Automotive Antenna

poynting.tech

 

[Robert Clark]

Yes they are a MIMO but the performance at the 800mHz bandwidth is very poor compared with the larger A-MIMO 003-V2.
Personally I don't think a Puck is worth fitting unless you are only going to camp in towns.

To test it you will need to find a cell tower that only transmits at 800 mHz as the higher bandwidths it will be fine.

Lenny

In simple terms if a smart phone has 1 bar of 4G signal inside a motorhome, how many more bars will a roof top MIMO give us in terms of broadband and streaming TV.

Seems everywhere we’ve been recently has poor phone reception and using the internet is a pain

wondering if it’s worth investing in a MIMO

 

[Manic]

Lenny

In simple terms if a smart phone has 1 bar of 4G signal inside a motorhome, how many more bars will a roof top MIMO give us in terms of broadband and streaming TV.

Seems everywhere we’ve been recently has poor phone reception and using the internet is a pain

wondering if it’s worth investing in a MIMO

Sometimes it’s worth switching from 4g to 3g in poor signal areas.

 

[Lenny HB]

Lenny

In simple terms if a smart phone has 1 bar of 4G signal inside a motorhome, how many more bars will a roof top MIMO give us in terms of broadband and streaming TV.

Seems everywhere we’ve been recently has poor phone reception and using the internet is a pain

wondering if it’s worth investing in a MIMO

I've found if the phone only has a 3G signal the Mifi with the MIMO will often pull in a 4G.
In mountain areas with no phone signals on the phone I got a 3G on the Mifi.

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[Robert Clark]

Sometimes it’s worth switching from 4g to 3g in poor signal areas.

Looking at my IPhone settings there is only the option to turn off 5G, no option for turning off 3G

 

[Manic]

Looking at my IPhone settings there is only the option to turn off 5G, no option for turning off 3G

I was mainly saying about switch from 4G to 3G on a mifi but on my iPhone I can choose between the 2 and some times if the signal for 4 g is weak the the 3G is better.

 

[jongood]

I was mainly saying about switch from 4G to 3G on a mifi but on my iPhone I can choose between the 2 and some times if the signal for 4 g is weak the the 3G is better.

manually selecting the network when roaming on a mifi can also help.

 

[Off da Grid]

I bought the poynting x pole 1 mimo aerial to go with my netgear m2 mifi unit, makes next to no difference.
Taken it down to my Dads place in Dorset where I’m using it now where the signal on EE is virtually non existent to give it a test.
Will probably send it back as the netgear m2 seems to pull In enough signal to use the Internet and watch you tube.
Currently got 7.9mb down and 0.45 up on the M2. 0.71 down and 0.24 up on my iPhone 7 Plus a great improvement

 

[sallylillian]

I bought the poynting x pole 1 mimo aerial to go with my netgear m2 mifi unit, makes next to no difference.
Taken it down to my Dads place in Dorset where I’m using it now where the signal on EE is virtually non existent to give it a test.
Will probably send it back as the netgear m2 seems to pull In enough signal to use the Internet and watch you tube.

If you are only using one antenna connection you have referred to the manual and plugged it into the primary connector? If you plug only one antenna into the secondary connection it will make no improvement.

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[Manic]

I bought the poynting x pole 1 mimo aerial to go with my netgear m2 mifi unit, makes next to no difference.
Taken it down to my Dads place in Dorset where I’m using it now where the signal on EE is virtually non existent to give it a test.
Will probably send it back as the netgear m2 seems to pull In enough signal to use the Internet and watch you tube.

Do you have to tell the netgear m2 that your using an external antenna, I have to with my Huawei B535

 

[Lenny HB]

I bought the poynting x pole 1 mimo aerial to go with my netgear m2 mifi unit, makes next to no difference.

What is the model number of the Poynting aerial?

 

[sallylillian]

Do you have to tell the netgear m2 that your using an external antenna, I have to with my Huawei B535

I have the M1 and it knows you have an external antenna, however as I referred above you need to connect to the correct port (Port 1) if it is a single antenna.

 

[Lenny HB]

Lenny

In simple terms if a smart phone has 1 bar of 4G signal inside a motorhome, how many more bars will a roof top MIMO give us in terms of broadband and streaming TV.

Seems everywhere we’ve been recently has poor phone reception and using the internet is a pain

wondering if it’s worth investing in a MIMO

An update for you Robert Clark currently at BIL in Lydd Kent a poor signal area.
Mifi on its own 4G 1 bar showing on signal strength, with MIMO connected 4 bars.

 

[Robert Clark]

An update for you Robert Clark currently at BIL in Lydd Kent a poor signal area.
Mifi on its own 4G 1 bar showing on signal strength, with MIMO connected 4 bars.

Which carrier do you use for the MiFi Lenny?

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