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Cellular Phone Forum / Providers / T-Mobile / May 2008Nanocell or Repeater options?
In my home in Houston I get virtually no signal from TMo when indoors. At a window I get 5 bars and I can actually see the cell site from my front yard. The problem is that my house is built of stucco applied to a metal lath that covers all but the roof, doors and windows of the house making it a virtual Faraday cage. I have found several options for wireless repeaters that will receive the strong outdoor signal via an external antenna and then repeat the signal through an internal antenna. Prices range from about $250 up to $1000. Cost is a consideration but performance is most important. Anybody here have any experiences to share? >In my home in Houston I get virtually no signal from TMo when indoors. >At a window I get 5 bars and I can actually see the cell site from my >front yard. The problem is that my house is built of stucco applied to >a metal lath that covers all but the roof, doors and windows of the >house making it a virtual Faraday cage. >I have found several options for wireless repeaters that will receive >the strong outdoor signal via an external antenna and then repeat the >signal through an internal antenna. Prices range from about $250 up to >$1000. Cost is a consideration but performance is most important. >Anybody here have any experiences to share? Since you're using TMobile, an option to consider is "hot spot at home" T-mobile has phones which zig back and forth between the standard cellular network, AND will, where available, use an 802.11 ("wifi") base. If you've got high speed internet in Houston, it's worth looking into. You can use any standard wifi base or t-mobile's one.  Signature_____________________________________________________ Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key dannyb@panix.com [to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded] >> In my home in Houston I get virtually no signal from TMo when >> indoors. At a window I get 5 bars and I can actually see the cell [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > it's worth looking into. You can use any > standard wifi base or t-mobile's one. Thanks, I considered that but it would mean giving up my v6 Maxx which I prefer not to do. >> If you've got high speed internet in Houston, >> it's worth looking into. You can use any >> standard wifi base or t-mobile's one. >Thanks, I considered that but it would mean giving up my v6 Maxx which I >prefer not to do. Keep in mind that with t-mobile and SIMcards, you can swap the card into a dual-mode phone when you're home, and put it back into the V6 when you're out. Signature_____________________________________________________ Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key dannyb@panix.com [to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded] >>> If you've got high speed internet in Houston, >>> it's worth looking into. You can use any [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > can swap the card into a dual-mode phone when you're > home, and put it back into the V6 when you're out. Yes, I've considered that too but I'd still have to keep two phones sync'd and it's a PITA to have to keep swapping. Your points are good ones if I were trying to save money here but I'd rather make it as convenient and seemless as possible for both my wife and myself. There are a number of nanocell units for sale and I don't mind spending the money for one that will work. The big question for me is just how well they do work and if anybody has any recommendations. > The problem is that my house is built of stucco applied to > a metal lath that covers all but the roof, doors and windows of the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > $1000. Cost is a consideration but performance is most important. > Anybody here have any experiences to share? I suggest adding a "feedhorn" or "reflector" to your house. Take a careful look at skylights at the home store . and look at your attic insulation as well. The skylight would be up in the air and face the cell tower. Cell tower RF and reflect off the vapor barrier on the other side of the roof into the house. Most attic insulation has a foil vapor barrier but you *could* one or two bundles of insulation with paper backed insulation - same principle. Regards >> The problem is that my house is built of stucco applied to >> a metal lath that covers all but the roof, doors and windows of the [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > with paper backed insulation - same principle. > Regards Interesting idea. I do have foil insulation in the attic. The skylight is interesting but would be expesive since I'd have to modify a tile roof. BR> ... wireless repeaters ... range from about $250 up to BR> $1000. Cost is a consideration but performance is most important. BR>>> Anybody here have any experiences to share? GH> I suggest adding a "feedhorn" or "reflector" to your house. Take a GH> careful look at skylights at the home store . and look at your attic GH> insulation as well. The skylight would be up in the air and face the GH> cell tower. Cell tower RF would reflect off the vapor barrier on the GH> other side of the roof into the house. Most attic insulation has a GH> foil vapor barrier but you *could* replace one or two batts of insulation GH> with paper backed insulation - same principle. GH> Regards BR> Interesting idea. I do have foil insulation in the attic. The skylight BR> is interesting but would be expensive since I'd have to modify a tile BR> roof. I'm surprised no-one has suggested a passive repeater - like the kind of thing sold for automobiles - an outside antenna and a transmission line to an inside antenna. You can take down a few foil insulation batts as an experiment - replace with paper vapor barrier batts if it makes a difference. The $250 - $1000 you're talking about might pay for a skylight, even on a tile roof. You might like a skylight. Some of my windows have aluminized film to reduce heat gain - but the patio doors facing the cell tower do not. Take a window out and see if conductive glass adds to your problem. Regards >> ... wireless repeaters ... range from about $250 up to >> $1000. Cost is a consideration but performance is most important. [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > conductive glass adds to your problem. > Regards Thanks for the ideas. I may try a passive antenna but I don't have high hopes for it. The skylight idea isn't practical for my situation though.
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