WeBoost Drive 4G-X OTR Signal Booster

[JDCrow]

Good morn!

I have previously installed a more “stationary” WeBoost in my 5th wheel with good success. But it has a directional antenna and bigger components.

Anyone use the above OTR system?

 

thanks

 

Edited July 8, 2021 by JDCrow

[cbr046]

The WeBoost power supply is 6V DC, which means you'll need to have a 12V-6V converter or have 120 AC on the road.  Just sayin.

My issue is getting there and having decent signal until 900 others show up.  At that point it becomes unusable.  I'm counting on having a "stronger signal" to cut through the noise.  If that won't work let me know now. 

I'll be getting something in the next few weeks but my pockets aren't that deep for that brand.  Plus I only need one carrier (Verizon) so multi-band isn't an issue (unless I switch to another carrier ~or~ need to let others use the signal).  My primary use will be parked in remote areas so I'm inclined to go with the directional antenna and deal with pointing it.  There's an app for that (Open Signal).

I was thinking of using the TV mast for 1.) raising and 2.) pointing.  Hopefully I won't need to watch OTA TV and use the computer at the same time. 

Hopefully we can talk about 2 systems in JDCrow's thread. 

Best,

- bob

 

[JDCrow]

Bob, your set up is like the one I have in my 5th wheel. I had the same issues. I could get emails and limited surfing as soon as everyone went to bed so 11 pm till 4 am. Then the users were just too many and got nothing. 
 

That weboost worked, just enough to get emails and slow surfing anytime of day. 

[Ivan K]

If you get 900 users registered to the same single tower, get ready to wait a lot no matter how strong signal your booster can get you. Your signal strength has to be over a set threshold for the tower to accept your registration and that's where the booster helps but you will share the bandwidth with everyone else who qualifies, no matter whether your signal is stronger than theirs or not, as long as everyone is above the threshold. I used to support Verizon and other NA networks and there was a privclass setting per user but at that time it was only used for emergency services so they would have priority. Now, you may have more than a single site in reach. Typically your equipment/phone talks to multiple towers so directional antenna is not necessarily an advantage when in urban area. But you might try to point it to a more distant site that might have less users. Imagine supporting service for football game stadiums, it used to be a nightmare with overloads.

[cbr046]

Thanks for the insight IvanK.  And I was worried about competing with 900 users, not 50,000! 

It looks like boosters (actually the carriers fault) aren't much good for uploading - very slow - but might be the best first step.  If it works well enough end of story.  I'll be working in rural environments uploading data (race scores).  It's not like video so BW shouldn't be too high.  I don't think signals will be good / reliable enough for a MIMO router with external antennas.  It's very site dependent and ~ dozen different sites through the year.  The last time it worked great until everybody jammed the tower.

I like the secondary tower idea.  👍

The more I research the faster my head spins (and emptier my wallet gets). 

- bob

[Tom Wallis]

It is my understanding that most signal boosters are not MIMO. That means they may get you otherwise unavailable signal for phone, text, email and some slow browsing but they're not so good for data that requires more bandwidth. I have a WeBoost with an omnidirectional antenna on my TV antenna mast but I only use it if my phone or my hotspot can't get a signal on their own. A little weaker signal without the booster usually gives me better speeds than through the booster. Plus my phone has 5G now and my booster doesn't. Basically, I turn on the booster only when nothing else is available.

[cbr046]

7 hours ago, Tom Wallis said:

It is my understanding that most signal boosters are not MIMO.

Correct.  Boosters are NOT MIMO.  Hotspots are MIMO but most don't have external antenna connectors, and they don't amplify a poor signal.  Same for cellular routers, although those usually have external antenna connectors.  Both hotspots and cellular routers require their own account plan, although it can usually be added to the main monthly account for not a large cost.  Many routers have dual sim capability for multiple carriers and can automatically flip to the other when one isn't working. 

That's what I've learned so far, and none of the answers are a total solution.  I'm torn between the three.  Many times the signal will barely be there, always I'll be competing for access when I need it most.  Did I mention I might need to make it portable?  LOL

- bob

[Ivylog]

I’m currently on a We Boost Drive Sleek (cheapest we boost) that only increases signal strength by 1 bar but increases speed 5-10 fold. Only one user and phone has to be in a cradle.

[Jeff H]

I just got A Pepwave  Max Transit Cat 18 LTE Cat 18 with a Ponyting omnidirectional antenna.  You can check it out at https://www.technorv.com/pepwave-cellular-routers/.  Played with it last night in the house with the antennas it comes with and it worked well.  Takes a bit of set up but Techno RV has lots of videos on that.  It has 4 cell and 2 wifi antennas and is able to monitor which band has the most room and switch to your best option base on priorities you specify.

Going to get it installed in the motorhome today hopefully

[JDCrow]

3 hours ago, Jeff H said:

I just got A Pepwave  Max Transit Cat 18 LTE Cat 18 with a Ponyting omnidirectional antenna.  You can check it out at https://www.technorv.com/pepwave-cellular-routers/.  Played with it last night in the house with the antennas it comes with and it worked well.  Takes a bit of set up but Techno RV has lots of videos on that.  It has 4 cell and 2 wifi antennas and is able to monitor which band has the most room and switch to your best option base on priorities you specify.

Going to get it installed in the motorhome today hopefully

Yeah, I’m holding out for Starlink on my data needs. The Weeboost is kinda a stop-gap that hopefully would gain me the ability to get calls/texts through, and data till Starlink 

[vanwill52]

On 7/10/2021 at 7:36 AM, Jeff H said:

I just got A Pepwave  Max Transit Cat 18 LTE Cat 18 with a Ponyting omnidirectional antenna.  You can check it out at https://www.technorv.com/pepwave-cellular-routers/.  Played with it last night in the house with the antennas it comes with and it worked well.  Takes a bit of set up but Techno RV has lots of videos on that.  It has 4 cell and 2 wifi antennas and is able to monitor which band has the most room and switch to your best option base on priorities you specify.

Going to get it installed in the motorhome today hopefully

Jeff, I'll be very interested in your results.  I installed a very expensive MIMO Cradlepoint router inside the coach and the Poynting omni-directional antenna on a large metal sub-plane about 6" above my roof.  I was hoping for an improvement over the Wilson (WeBoost) external antenna feeding a Wilson cradle amplifier holding a MiFi.  There was virtually no difference in the performance of the two systems.  I have tested it for many areas and not found the improvement I hoped for.  I hope your results are better.  Could you please compare the new system to using your phone as a hotspot?  I'm on Verizon.

[JDCrow]

47 minutes ago, vanwill52 said:

Jeff, I'll be very interested in your results.  I installed a very expensive MIMO Cradlepoint router inside the coach and the Poynting omni-directional antenna on a large metal sub-plane about 6" above my roof.  I was hoping for an improvement over the Wilson (WeBoost) external antenna feeding a Wilson cradle amplifier holding a MiFi.  There was virtually no difference in the performance of the two systems.  I have tested it for many areas and not found the improvement I hoped for.  I hope your results are better.  Could you please compare the new system to using your phone as a hotspot?  I'm on Verizon.

Follow a few people on YouTube getting away from MiFi to Insty 

 

[cbr046]

Update:  Ordered

Inseego 8800L Jetpack (Verizon hotspot) used from Amazon, about half price.

Two Wilson (WeBoost) directional antennas (MIMO setup)

Two 25 ft cables + 2 SMA-TS9 pigtails . . . . all for $285

There was a lot of shopping for reputable low loss cables.  The Wilson / WeBoost cables were ultra low loss and more than the antennas so I went with alternatives (Wlaniot, 25 ft) at 1/3 the price.  There's a wide variety in cable quality.  Some are loosely braided, some are aluminum foil shielded . . . . It's a crap-shoot whether these cables will be any good or not.  I may never really know (no testing equipment). 

Still need to that all important SIM card and to build a PVC mast for a temporary setup.  Got a trip to middle-of-nowhere PA in 10 days.  We'll see if there's any signal to work from. 

Ultimately I'll want to attach the two antennas to the TV mast without removing the batwing.  I don't think there will be much wind loading that low to the roof, but I'm very apprehensive about punching new holes and pulling cables inside the roof.  A few more videos should do it . . . .

"Film at 11"

- bob