Cradle Antenna : These antennas are best for one user. The cradle is connected to a small amplifier and will direct all of the booster signal to the device on the cradle. This antenna will require the smartphone to sit in the cradle at all times. Low Profile Antenna image above : These antennas are the most commonly used for vehicle signal boosters. They are very easy to install; simply place the antenna vertically or horizontally on the dashboard or a seat usually Velcroed.
Low profile antennas are omni-directional, so it will send and receive in all directions. For a more in-depth description, check out our full article on the benefits of a signal booster , but in a nutshell:. The most common cellular signal boosters today are analog ones. These amplify all types of cellular signals across all bands, allowing them to work for all major cell phone service providers. These are also known as wideband cellular repeaters, cellular amplifiers, bi-directional amplifiers BDAs , and, of course, signal boosters.
Just know these are all referring to the same thing. These are a newer type of booster attuned to specific frequencies. These are programmable, and generally quite advanced. Some smart boosters can improve signal up to dB. Certain Wilson Pro signal boosters are considered "smart. For midsize homes and offices with a strong outside signal or small homes with weak outside signal. The weBoost Home MultiRoom is the most popular signal amplifier, and for good reason.
It lies at the sweet spot of price, aesthetics, and efficiency, with a coverage range that usually works for most people. It features a maximum uplink power of 21 dBm, meaning the booster can communicate with far distanced towers to provide you with superior cellular service, making it a good option for people in the city, as well as those who live in rural areas where tower distance is the biggest problem.
As its name suggests, you can expect multiple rooms of coverage or even whole-home coverage depending on your outside signal strength. Assuming you have excellent cellular signal outside your home, the Home MultiRoom can cover areas up to 5, sq ft, but most people will get between 2, — 3, sq ft of indoor coverage, areas with extremely poor cellular reception can expect much less coverage.
Whole-home coverage for large homes with strong outside signal or midsize homes with weak outside signal. The weBoost Installed Home Complete is the most powerful home booster you can get. And with its powerful uplink and downlink outputs, the Installed Home Complete can reach far distanced towers to provide you with superior service indoors.
Under perfect conditions, the Installed Home Complete can cover areas up to 7, sq ft. However, depending on your outside signal strength, most people will get between 4, — 6, sq ft, even with below average outside signal, fringe zones can expect a little less. The best part of the weBoost Installed Home Complete is that it includes a professional residential installation.
However, if you would rather install the booster yourself, we also offer a Do-It-Yourself version. The weBoost Home Studio is the newest and most affordable home signal booster designed to boost multiple cellular devices across all US carriers. Perfect for people on a budget wanting to improve their cellular reception in small areas. The kit include a Yagi antenna for more reach and an amplifier with an attached antenna. Its compact design allows for a quick and easy installation.
The amplifier can be placed on a desk, counter, bookshelf, or any flat surface. Under perfect conditions, they can enhance your cellular signal in areas up to 2, sq ft, ideal for a small home, apartment, dorm, or condo. However, coverage is determined by how strong or weak your outside signal is.
Weak signal areas will probably get around sq ft, enough to cover one large room, such as a living room, home office, master bedroom, or two small rooms. Great starter kit if you have decent outside signal but struggle with a reliable connection in the rooms where it matters. However, if you live in a weak signal area, you're very unlikely to see the results you want and should consider an upgrade to the weBoost Home MultiRoom.
The weBoost Drive Reach is the most powerful vehicle cell signal repeater, designed to boost up to 4 cellular devices across all carriers. A mini magnet mount outside antenna picks up the signals, and a low-profile interior antenna usually Velcroed to a seat broadcasts the signal inside your vehicle. For optimal results, your cellular device will have to be about an arm's length from the inside antenna to benefit from the boosted signal, so it's best for your typical sedan, truck, or SUV, but will work with any vehicle.
It features the highest uplink output power of any multi-carrier vehicle booster, allowing it to reach cell towers that are 2x further for twice the signal strength, making it much more powerful than its competitors and a great performer in the most rural of roads and highways. If you are looking for a signal booster best designed for big trucks and fleet vehicles, that also supports multiple users, consider the weBoost Drive Reach OTR.
The weBoost Drive Sleek is the most economical vehicle cellular amplifier for a single device. The kit includes a magnet mount antenna that can be easily installed on the roof of any vehicle and an adjustable cradle vent mount designed to hold any size smartphone or small tablet. To benefit from the boosted signal, your cellular device has to be in the cradle. And when paired with a Bluetooth headset, it really shines for regular talk, text, and hands-free navigation. For those extreme cases of poor cellular reception, upgrade to the weBoost Drive Reach.
If you are looking for a signal user signal booster that is designed for big trucks and fleet vehicles, consider the weBoost Drive Sleek OTR. It can be used while driving and while stationary at a campsite, so it only requires one easy installation. If you need the best fleet solution for the best price, then the SureCall Fusion2Go Fleet booster is the solution for you.
The weBoost Drive Sleek signal booster is the best vehicle booster for a single device. If you're looking for an affordable solution to provide better cell signal to one device at a time, and you don't mind that the device has to sit in a cradle to receive boosted signal, then the Drive Sleek is the right solution for you.
It won't allow you to be as far from the cell towers as the SureCall Fusion2Go Max or the weBoost Drive Reach, but it should minimize or eliminate dead zones and dropped calls during your daily commute. See the weBoost Drive Sleek. Unlike the rest of the signal boosters that boost cell phones and mobile devices, M2M boosters are designed to be connected directly to a device that needs better cellular data.
They enable devices like ATMs, cellular modems, security systems, and more to connect to the outside world and work. The following cell phone booster solutions are the best options for providing better cell signal to a device or machine. The weBoost Signal 4G is the best solution for boosting cellular data directly to a device. It will work for any network on any of the major carriers and comes with everything you need to connect to a device and start boosting signal.
If you find that the included magnet mount external antenna is not sufficient or needs a better antenna mounted up or outside of a building, then an omni or yagi directional with better grade cable can be easily added to the system. The weBoost Signal 4G is the best solution for providing better cellular signal to IoT devices or cellular modems. See the Wilson Signal 4G. The closer you are to a tower, the stronger the cell signal is going to be.
The second cause of poor or erratic cell signal is the presence of obstacles between you and the nearest cell tower, like a mountain, hill, or building. Signal is not usually able to penetrate through large obstacles, so it's not able to reach you.
Brick, block, concrete, sheet metal, and wire mesh construction materials are some well-known and obvious blockers of cell service, but things like energy-efficient window coatings, tile or metal roofs, and water fixtures can also cause major signal issues.
If you find that you have a usable cell signal outside of the building or vehicle, but it drops significantly once you step inside, then construction materials are the most likely culprit. Unfortunately, these causes of bad cell signal frequently work in combination, so you'll find a rural warehouse with weak outside signal and sheet metal walls that completely block the signal from entering the building, or a house in a valley without a clear line of sight to the nearest cell tower, and no other nearby cell towers with which to receive a signal.
When we're looking at solutions to solve your cell phone signal issues, it's good to have an idea of what combination of causes is creating the problem that you're facing, so that the right solution can be put into place. Now that we have an idea of what causes bad cell signal, it's time to look at what we can do to fix it. First, we'll cover whether cell phone boosters really work , then discuss the basics of how a signal booster works , and finally go into more depth on the two main types of signal boosters:.
One of the biggest questions that we get, apart from "what is a signal booster repeater? This is a fair question, with all of the scammy products that have been released in the past claiming to give you better signal. Fortunately, you don't have to take our word on whether these solutions work. The FCC and the major cellular carriers have all independently tested every cell phone repeater signal booster that is sold on the market today, and have not only approved them for use, but recommend them as a preferred solution for getting better cell signal in your home, office or vehicle.
We'll cover how cell phone signal boosters work in the next section, so you'll see that it's not a magic solution, but rather a combination of high-grade cable, antennas, and a powerful signal amplifier that receives, boosts and distributes cell signal where you most need it. A cell phone signal booster also known as a cell phone repeater is a system made up of an outside antenna called a donor antenna , a cell phone signal amplifier, one or more inside antennas, and cable to connect them all together.
The outside antenna receives cellular signal from the nearby cell towers and passes it over a cable to the signal amplifier. The signal amplifier boosts the strength of the signal, and then passes it over another cable to the inside antenna or multiple antennas , which broadcasts the strong cell signal to the area that needs it.
The signal booster also works in reverse, so when a phone call is made or data is used by a mobile device, it passes through the system, is amplified, and then broadcast to the nearby cell towers.
A cell phone signal booster is designed to solve the three main causes of poor cell phone signal in the following ways:. As long as you have some usable cell signal outside, a cell phone signal booster should be able to solve your signal problems and provide you with much better service in your home, business, or vehicle. Vehicle signal boosters are engineered to be used in a car, truck, RV, or boat, and thus need to be able to handle the constantly changing signal environment outside.
Vehicle signal boosters typically have a small outside antenna, that is usually magnetic for cars and trucks, and permanent for RVs and boats. That antenna is connected by a cable to the vehicle signal amplifier, and then another cable is run to a small inside antenna, to broadcast the boosted signal to the mobile devices. The automatic gain control or ability to adjust the boosting power of the amplifier is designed to constantly adjust the strength of the amplifier based on the changing outside cell signal and maximize the amount of coverage that the booster can provide inside of the vehicle.
Multi-carrier vehicle signal boosters are limited to a maximum of 50 decibels of boosting power by the FCC, so the size of the coverage area that you'll receive from a vehicle signal booster is going to be much smaller than you would receive from a booster designed for a building, but every carrier will be boosted simultaneously. Single-carrier vehicle signal boosters have a higher limit of 65 decibels of boosting power, so you'll receive a larger coverage area inside, but will only work with the carrier that the equipment was designed for.
There is a class of vehicle signal boosters that are designed to boost the signal for a single mobile device at a time. They are lower powered and also lower cost, so they'll work well for situations where only you need your phone boosted and you have occasional dead zones outside, but are not going to be the best solution for extremely rural areas or if you need to boost multiple devices. A vehicle signal booster can make a huge difference in keeping you connected while traveling in areas with dead spots or weak cell signal, so if you spend any amount of time in a car, truck, RV or boat, and need fast data and voice calls, then a vehicle signal booster is going to be a great option.
We'll cover how to choose the best vehicle signal booster below. Signal boosters for use in buildings, like a home or business, are designed to be permanently installed in one location and provide coverage to the inside area of the building. A building signal booster works by mounting a powerful antenna outside on the roof of the building that receives the existing outside cell signal, and then passes it over a low loss cable to a signal amplifier located inside of the building.
The signal amplifier will boost the existing cell signal, and then pass it over a cable to one, or many, internal antennas that will broadcast the boosted signal to the inside area that needs the coverage.
The booster also works in reverse, receiving the signal coming from your phone, amplifying it, and then broadcast it to the nearby cell towers through the outside antenna. There are different levels of building boosters, from entry-level units that cover a few feet of space, to enterprise systems designed to cover vast areas with better cell phone signal.
As you move up from the entry-level to enterprise, the boosting power of the amplifier goes up and the quality of the components cables, antennas, connectors improves. The boosting power of a building signal booster can range from around 55 decibels for entry-level boosters, all the way up to the FCC maximum of 72 decibels for amplifiers designed to boost multiple carriers in a large building.
If the amplifier is designed to only boost a single carrier, then the FCC allows the maximum amplifier gain to be decibels. If you find that one signal booster kit cannot provide the necessary coverage for a large space, then multiple amplifiers and a network of antennas can be used to scale up the system and cover areas of , sq ft or more in size. We'll cover how to choose the best signal booster for your home or business below.
The most important thing to understand with cell phone signal boosters is that the strength of the outside signal has a major impact on how much coverage you're going to receive from a booster. If you have a weak existing outside signal, you're only going to receive a small amount of coverage from a signal booster, since the booster does not have much existing signal to actually boost.
If the outside signal becomes stronger, then the size of the coverage area inside of the home, business, or vehicle would also grow. If the outside cell signal remained at the same weak level, then the next best way to provide more coverage inside would be to purchase a signal booster with a more powerful amplifier.
If you're already at the maximum boosting power that the FCC allows, then the only option would be to install a second signal booster system. For this reason, it's very important to know what your existing outside cell signal is, since that will determine what size booster you should purchase to adequately cover your inside area with boosted signal, or whether you need to install multiple systems.
You've probably heard the terms 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE mentioned before and wonder how those fit in when improving your cell phone signal. With all modern phones supporting and prioritizing 4G LTE through the end of the decade, getting a 4G LTE capable booster is the best way to future-proof yourself and ensure that your booster will continue to work even as the carriers decommission their older 2G and 3G networks, and deploy 5G on those frequency bands instead.
While every booster kit includes everything that you need to get started boosting signal, there are some accessories that can improve the effectiveness of your system or provide added protection against failure. In this chapter, we'll review the accessories that we recommend you take a look at, including:.
After purchasing a high-quality signal booster system, the last thing you want is anything to happen to the amplifier. This is where a lightning protector comes in. Contrary to its name, a lightning protector also known as a lightning surge suppressor or arrester does not protect specifically against a lightning strike, as that would physically destroy the building that the amplifier is in, but rather it prevents against the build-up of static electricity in the air caused by storms or other atmospheric conditions that can travel down the antenna cable and electrify the amplifier.
The lightning protector prevents this by connecting directly to the outside antenna cable between the outside antenna and the amplifier. The protector acts as a fuse, so if there is too much current running down the line, the fuse will blow and prevent the surge from reaching the amplifier. If your building signal booster did not come with a lightning protector, we highly recommend that you purchase one to protect your amplifier.
Electrical surges are not covered under any manufacturer's equipment warranty, so it's worth the investment to protect your signal booster. Cables are an important part of any signal booster system, as the quality and length of each cable determines how much signal will be lost between the amplifier and the antenna s. The less signal you lose in transit, the larger the inside coverage area will be, so it's good to understand the types of cable available.
In theory, you would want to use the lowest loss cable possible, but there are tradeoffs to consider. The lower the loss of the cable, the larger it is in diameter with extra insulation and shielding, making it less flexible and harder to work with.
Extremely low loss cable can be as thick as a garden hose and very difficult to run in anything but a straight line. In addition, the lower loss the cable, the more expensive it is, so long cable runs can dramatically increase the cost of a system.
Each cable type will lose a certain amount of signal over a distance, with lower loss cable obviously losing less signal. Depending on how much signal you have to begin with, a long cable run can result in all of your signal being lost, with none left when you get to the end of the cable. It's important then to use the shortest length cable possible, and use the highest grade lowest loss cable that you can afford and that you're able to run from the amplifier to the antenna s.
There are a few different types of cables that are used with signal booster systems. We'll cover them in-depth below:. The cables that are included in the signal booster that you purchase will usually be sufficient for your situation, but if you have a unique floor plan, very large area, or require professional installation, then it may be worth taking a look at other cable options. The performance, gain and distribution pattern of your antennas can greatly affect the performance of your booster system.
We'll cover the different building antenna and mobile antenna options available, and discuss the pros and cons of each. Building antennas are designed to be permanently mounted in one location and handle a signal environment that is fairly consistent unlike mobile antennas that are constantly in motion.
These antennas are typically larger and more powerful than their mobile equivalents. While most signal booster kits come with a single inside antenna, in many cases adding an additional antenna s can help to increase the inside coverage area, or to craft the way that the signal is distributed in uniquely shaped areas. If you have a medium to strong outside signal and aren't getting full coverage throughout your space, then an additional antenna could be a good option for you.
Please note: adding an additional antenna also requires a splitter or tapper and additional cable, so please feel free to contact us for assistance selecting the right components.
There are two main types of outside antennas for buildings : omnidirectional and yagi directional:. This type of antenna is designed to send and receive in all directions simultaneously, so cell towers from different carriers can be in opposite directions and the booster will still be able to communicate with them. An omni antenna is a great option for situations where you have a medium to strong outside signal and need to boost multiple carriers at the same time, or if you have fluctuating outside signal due to the signal bouncing off other objects and need to be able to receive the signal from any direction.
The downside of an omni antenna is that it is not as strong as a yagi directional antenna, because it's sending in all directions, and not focused on one direction. This type of antenna is designed to send and receive in one direction, so it is ideal for targeting distant cell towers in weak signal areas. If you have a weak outside signal and need to boost one carrier or multiple carriers with towers in the same general direction, then a yagi antenna is a great option.
They are not recommended if you have a fluctuating outside signal, as the bouncing signal will not be received by the yagi antenna if it's not coming from the direction in which it is aimed. There are three types of inside antennas for buildings : dome, panel and whip:. This type of antenna is designed to be mounted to a drop ceiling tile or a location where you can run a cable to the back of the antenna, and broadcast signal in all directions on the same floor. Dome antennas typically should not be mounted higher than 15 ft above though floor, though some dome designs may allow for up to 20 ft.
Domes are most often used in professional installations. This type of antenna is shaped like a square and is directional, with the signal being broadcast in one direction from the front of the antenna. It can be used to penetrate and cover multiple floors with signal when mounted facing downwards or to cover a long, narrow space if mounted on a wall and facing across the space.
A panel antenna is most often found in signal booster kits designed for residential use, because it is so versatile and can handle many different situations. In some entry level kits, the panel antenna is used as a directional outside antenna, instead of the inside antenna.
Whip Antenna This type of antenna is designed to attach directly to the "inside antenna" port on an amplifier and broadcast signal in all directions, similar to a WiFi access point. While it is less powerful than other types of antennas, it compensates by having no signal loss between the amplifier and the whip antenna.
This type of antenna is typically found with entry-level signal booster systems. Mobile antennas are typically designed to be easy to install in a vehicle, like a car or truck, though they are sometimes more permanently installed, like with an RV, semi-truck or boat.
All need to be able to handle a constantly changing outside signal and to be able to efficiently deliver signal to the mobile devices in the vehicle. We'll cover the different types of antennas for outside and inside the vehicle. There are three main types of outside antennas for vehicles : magnet mount, spring or fixed, and marine:.
This type of antenna is designed to easily attached to the roof of a vehicle using a strong magnet as the base of the antenna, and then have a flexible cable run inside to the amplifier. Magnet mount antennas are typically either 4 inches tall for multi-band systems or 12 inches tall for dual band, and are omnidirectional, so they send and receive in all directions while you're on the move.
This type of antenna is more of a permanent mount and is designed for use on larger vehicles, like semi-trucks, RVs, delivery trucks, and more. It comes with either a spring mount , which can handle an impact with a low clearance object, or a fixed mount, which is not able to handle an impact. Each type comes with a 3-way mount to allow for flexible mounting options, and both types are omnidirectional antennas, so they send and receive in all directions at the same time.
This type of antenna is designed to be permanently installed on a boat in marine environments, and the included marine mount will attach to any standard marine fixture. The marine antenna is omnidirectional, so it sends and receives in all directions while you're on the water or at the dock, and can withstand the elements during any type of weather.
What type of weBoost product are you looking for? Boosters Accessories. US CAN. Check out this handy guide to see if a weBoost cell signal booster will work for you. You Want to Boost an Existing Outside Cellular Signal Inside Your Home, RV, or Vehicle If you have reliable cell coverage until you step into your house or if the signal is spotty in certain parts of your home, then a signal booster could be an excellent option.
A cell signal booster can enhance signal strength when these common signal-blocking materials are present: Brick Concrete Metal Steel Wood Fiberglass insulation Energy-efficient windows containing a coating of metal oxide A cell signal solves the problem by pulling in the available signal with an outside antenna.
You Can Create Enough Space Between the Indoor and Outdoor Antennas A signal booster has two antennas: One outside the building or vehicle to pull in the cell signal from a nearby tower. One inside the building or vehicle to send the signal to the areas you need coverage. When installing the signal booster in your home, you must mount: The outside antenna in a location that picks up the best signal.
The inside antenna where you need the greatest signal boost. The signal booster in a well-ventilated area with a power source, typically at least 24 inches away from the inside antenna. You can: Benefit from the booster even if you change carrier plans. Car and Truck Fleet. Usually, amplifiers come with a scope range from to sq ft. If you only struggle with a poor network in your room at home, then a booster with a coverage of up to should be enough. But if the problem is at your office or your house in general, other amplifiers should be considered.
This is the final step in showing how cell phone boosters work to improve quality in your communications. The inside antenna broadcasts the augmented signal towards your phone. They work just as outside antennas do, but instead of receiving the signal, they spread it across their scope. Most signal booster kits can use two different types of indoor antennas: the dome antenna and the panel antenna.
If you aim to cover just one specific area or room, you might want to consider a booster with a panel antenna included. However, if you seek to boost the signal on one floor of a building, then a dome antenna is a good option. Our support team at SignalBoosters. On top of the key elements that make a cell phone booster work, one last thing ensures correct operation.
There are also single-carrier boosters. Once again, the effective booster will be the one who suits your needs the most. Which brings us to our last consideration:.
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