Wi-Fi Signal Boosters (1 Viewer)

[Eenansue]

Do they actually work? The strength of the signal being broadcast is not going to be increased by the receiver although it would be possible for the signal back to the base unit to be amplified.

 

[pappajohn]

The strength of the signal being broadcast is not going to be increased by the receiver

Yes it would in the same way a radio receiver amplifies a received RF signal.

The signal may be too weak to be of any use to a phone/laptop etc until the receiver/booster has amplified and retransmitted it.

 

[Eenansue]

Yes it would in the same way a radio receiver amplifies a received RF signal.

Yes, the received signal can be boosted, but first it has to be received. If the receiver is out of range of a transmitted signal it cannot receive it because it just ain't there to be received.

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[pappajohn]

It isn't supposed to boost a non existant signal, it boosts a very weak signal and makes it usable.
A dedicated booster has far more sensitive receiving circuitry than a run of the mill phone or laptop.

 

[peterc10]

Remember most of these are usually attached to an aerial, which helps pick up a better signal anyway.

Having said that with the removal of roaming charges I suspect a 4G roof aerial and mifi will be of more use in the future.

 

[Pausim]

I have Solwise kit and it is very effective. Because the aerial is directional it might take a few minutes to find the optimum position but once locked on is very stable. I am currently in the Yorkshire Dales with no wifi registering directly on phones, pads or computer. However, I spotted the roof of a house a quarter to half a mile away and have locked onto a BT Fon (free wifi to BT customers). Download steady at about 2.5 mbps which is plenty for Fun, browsing and emails. Solwise aerial is currently connected to an old Windows notebook on which I run Connectify which distributes a wifi signal to all devices. I also have a 12v Solwise router which does the same wifi distribution job when not on ehu.

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[DBK]

I have one and it will pick up a weak signal which a phone or tablet on its own can't even detect as present. However, since fitting an external broadband antenna on the roof and connecting it permanently to a MiFi I've not used WiFi since. Cost wise the two systems are very similar.

 

[Eenansue]

.....since fitting an external broadband antenna on the roof and connecting it permanently to a MiFi I've not used WiFi since. Cost wise the two systems are very similar.

Given the level of 4g coverage and the security of Wi-Fi that does appeal. I know that in some parts of Europe it is actually an offense to have an unsecured Wi-Fi net. Thanks DBK!

 

[Just smiffy]

I have an iboost from motorhomewifi and use it all over Europe, wouldn’t be without it....

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[Fulltiming Felines]

I have a MiFi, and would suggest getting that first before getting a Wi-Fi booster.

But the 3G/4G data plan from EE costs money, at least £1/GB if I recall correctly. Wi-Fi is potentially unlimited, which is great for uploading and downloading videos.

Has anyone compared iBoost vs Solwise?

 

[Abacist]

I have a MIFI and an iBoost and can honestly say that since getting the MIFI the iBoost stays in its case and I'm wondering if it will ever get an airing again!

 

[dalspa]

I have a MIFI and an iBoost and can honestly say that since getting the MIFI the iBoost stays in its case and I'm wondering if it will ever get an airing again!

Over the last two years I have never been successful in getting locked onto a WiFi signal with my iBoost, either in U.K. or France. Have tried many times but no joy. Signal strength always too weak, even though sometimes we are in line of sight to a dwelling with Fon, and not too far away. My wife’s old phone (Motorola Moto G) is brilliant at detecting signal so we often walk over to get locked on with phone. Have really given up with iBoost. Recently got a mifi and found it very good on our travels.

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[Mikeco]

Quite often use the iboost to pick up WiFi, notably when staying at Jim’s Jasmin to pick up the Caravan Club WiFi from the site next door.

 

[Ukracer]

I have one and it will pick up a weak signal which a phone or tablet on its own can't even detect as present. However, since fitting an external broadband antenna on the roof and connecting it permanently to a MiFi I've not used WiFi since. Cost wise the two systems are very similar.

I am guessing that non of these devices will assist a weak 4g signal on my Samsung S7 edge. I am on Vodafone and a 100gig tariff but it only ever has 1 bar and is not that stable where I need to use it in my caravan.

 

[DBK]

I am guessing that non of these devices will assist a weak 4g signal on my Samsung S7 edge. I am on Vodafone and a 100gig tariff but it only ever has 1 bar and is not that stable where I need to use it in my caravan.

No, neither a WiFi booster or a MiFi with external antenna will help with reception on your phone.

I suggest checking if another provider has a stronger signal at the location of your caravan. Either ask people around you if anyone is getting a good signal and with who or buy a couple of cheap PAYG summary cards and test them. I suggest trying EE and Three first. Some of the providers like Tesco don't have their own network but use another provider so you won't gain anything by trying them if the network they use is weak anyway.

Another option is to investigate mobile phone signal boosters. I don't have any experience of them and some of them off eBay might be illegal but this one looks OK but it probably needs 240 volts to work but that won't be a problem if the caravan is on the mains.

https://www.fullmobilesignal.co.uk/home-office.html

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[Korgrocker]

I have a MIFI and an iBoost and can honestly say that since getting the MIFI the iBoost stays in its case and I'm wondering if it will ever get an airing again!

I have an EE MiFi and generally find it is adequate for general web browsing and email. Mostly works fine for iPlayer with no buffering as well. But, belt and braces, my wife has an O2 phone and I have a Vodafone phone. I can tether to either phone should the EE signal be inadequate.
The only experience I have had with site WiFi's in the UK is that they are slow and can be expensive. But then I'm paying £12 per month for the EE device data plan. I went the MiFi route because I encountered too many sites without WiFi.
Never tried a WiFi booster ....

 

[laneside]

Over the last two years I have never been successful in getting locked onto a WiFi signal with my iBoost, either in U.K. or France. Have tried many times but no joy. Signal strength always too weak, even though sometimes we are in line of sight to a dwelling with Fon, and not too far away. My wife’s old phone (Motorola Moto G) is brilliant at detecting signal so we often walk over to get locked on with phone. Have really given up with iBoost. Recently got a mifi and found it very good on our travels.

This is interesting, we live in France and have a Fon thingy.
Often we can pick a Fon signal up with our I pads which is useful but we have never been able to use a Fon signal via our I boost.

 

[rod_vw]

I've never had a problem using my i-boost with FON in France, Belgium, Germany or even the UK for that matter.

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