Cell signal

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Cell signal

Postby Shadow Catcher » Fri Oct 06, 2017 9:06 pm

Got my first smart phone "Hello Moto", I have been using a flip phone (beam me up...) When out camping I use a laptop and have a Verizon Jetpack hotspot. Our final 2017 trip to Ludwig State Park in Michigan met with not enough signal to get anything. We have run into this with some regularity in areas that should be good. i.e. East Harbour State Park Ohio. The only factor I could think of is the aluminum frame of Compass Rose which might act as something of a farady cage.
I have obtained an external antenna that can be plugged into the Jetpack but fear I may need to add a signal booster.
This whole thing is a bit above my level of incompetence.Advice appreciated.
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Re: Cell signal

Postby tony.latham » Fri Oct 06, 2017 9:45 pm

The only factor I could think of is the aluminum frame of Compass Rose which might act as something of a farady cage.


Check the reception inside and check it outside. That should tell you what the trailer is doing for signal strength.

T
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Re: Cell signal

Postby working on it » Sat Oct 07, 2017 11:40 am

tony.latham wrote:
The only factor I could think of is the aluminum frame of Compass Rose which might act as something of a farady cage.


Check the reception inside and check it outside. That should tell you what the trailer is doing for signal strength.

T
I've got sorta the same problem, now that I'm temporarily living in my 20 ft TT, until my new DW house is delivered (for at least 3 more weeks).
We disconnected our landline phone, moved our AT&T router into our metal garage, and depend on our smartphones (mine is a Samsung S7, hers is a Samsung S6 Active) for our communications and internet (no room for my laptop & separate 22" viewscreen-my wife's laptop is for business use only). Problem is with connectivity thru the metal garage door, then thru the metal sides of the travel trailer. Our phones only get one bar whether inside or outside (we're going to get a AT&T Microcell to boost that, after the house comes).
Right now, we have to hold our phones near the windows facing the garage to get connected to our wi-fi, or raise the metal garage door. But, if it's raining, we can't, due to furniture being stored too near the door. Would a "router extender", that plugs in a wall outlet, help out in that situation, or will the wi-fi pose a problem for the duration (so far, even with only one bar showing on the phones, we've had no dropped calls).

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Re: Cell signal

Postby pchast » Sat Oct 07, 2017 8:40 pm

Can you run a wired access point to your location?
An old router can be made to work as one....
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Re: Cell signal

Postby working on it » Wed Oct 11, 2017 9:43 am

pchast wrote:Can you run a wired access point to your location?
An old router can be made to work as one....
Just now, I brought my laptop and a separate viewscreen (the one on my laptop quit working right) in from storage in my HHR Panel; I set it up on the dinette tabletop in the 20 ft TT. It connected immediately to the router in the garage, but it is sitting next to a window. If I have no problems with it today, while I have to do extensive work/search for the completion of our house replacement saga http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=69239, then I shouldn't need the hardwired router connection. Besides, my wife didn't want me to run any wiring into the trailer thru the wall, so hardwiring is out. Besides, we don't have an old router.
2013 HHRv "squareback/squaredrop", rugged, 4x8 TTT, 2225 lbs
  • *3500 lb Dexter EZ-Lube braked axle, 3000 lb.springs, active-progressive bumpstop suspension
  • *27 x 8.5-14LT AT tires (x 3) *Weight Distribution system for single-beam tongue
  • *100% LED's & GFCI outlets, 3x fans, AM/FM/CD/Aux. *A/C & heat, Optima AGM, inverter & charger(s)
  • *extended-run, on-board, 2500w generator *Coleman dual-fuel stove & lantern, Ikea grill, vintage skillet
  • *zinc/stainless front & side racks *98"L x 6" diameter rod & reel carrier tube on roof
173193172890148599
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Re: Cell signal

Postby NorthEGPhoto » Fri May 04, 2018 10:14 am

I often go up to visit the folks way up north, and they have transient signal at best. my solution was getting a wireless access point with an internal battery. I can surf all day without charging it - but, the benefit is I can stick it wherever within reason. I have a small waterproof box I stick it in and then strap it to the side of the tv antenna near the top. I can get 1-2 bars of LTE service that way, and the wireless signal is just strong enough to reach inside the cabin.

IF you've got a Faraday cage situation going on (you're inside a big metal box) you'd probably have to use something like a wireless to Ethernet converter, with the box outside - similarly waterproofed and a standard Ethernet cable run inside under a door or something, then just plug it in to your network port on your laptop.
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Re: Cell signal

Postby working on it » Fri May 04, 2018 11:43 am

  • On my last outing, to Beaver's Bend in Oklahoma, only AT&T users could get a cell signal, as far as I know. My phone (an AT&T branded Samsung Galaxy S7 SM-G930A) became quite popular with Verizon users that couldn't call out (there's an AT&T GSM tower inside the park!); other AT&T users shared their phones, too.
  • Since then, I have considered getting a second back-up phone (I already carry a Samsung Rugby 2 flip phone, fully charged, with a sim card adapter, inside my go-to equipment bag, JIC) on the Verizon CDMA network (or by a MVNO on the same), in case I am faced with the opposite situation, where my phone was signal-less. I'm currently looking for a very inexpensive plan, and a throwaway "burner" phone, for that predicament. If I continue camping for awhile, and/or go on an extended trip, maybe I might get a signal booster and antenna for my TV or TTT, but they're a bit expensive for my intermittent, short travels.
2013 HHRv "squareback/squaredrop", rugged, 4x8 TTT, 2225 lbs
  • *3500 lb Dexter EZ-Lube braked axle, 3000 lb.springs, active-progressive bumpstop suspension
  • *27 x 8.5-14LT AT tires (x 3) *Weight Distribution system for single-beam tongue
  • *100% LED's & GFCI outlets, 3x fans, AM/FM/CD/Aux. *A/C & heat, Optima AGM, inverter & charger(s)
  • *extended-run, on-board, 2500w generator *Coleman dual-fuel stove & lantern, Ikea grill, vintage skillet
  • *zinc/stainless front & side racks *98"L x 6" diameter rod & reel carrier tube on roof
173193172890148599
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Re: Cell signal

Postby Shadow Catcher » Fri May 04, 2018 5:31 pm

I should update what I am doing and I should write it up.
We headed to Florida in January and Disney World for five days. Let me put it this way the temps did not get above 19F till we hit the Georgia border.
I had installed a N female connector through the side of the trailer and bought a cell antenna which is mounted on a painter pole that gets the antenna and the TV antenna about 8' above the tear. Cables and adapters allow it to be plugged into the Verizon Mifi. All played well together and worked well.
Phase two, I purchased a Weboost Drive Sleek signal booster designed to use in a vehicle and has a cradle to hold a single cell phone, which will also hold a Mifi. Why a some what lower boost booster, one of the problems in short distance between antenna and booster is a feed back if it is too strong. Adapters/cables allow me to hook up better antennas than that which come with the Weeboost.
https://www.weboost.com/products/drive-sleek
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Re: Cell signal

Postby daveesl77 » Fri May 04, 2018 7:03 pm

We moved to a great location in West Virginia in March. I am no fan of the cost associated with cell coverage, so when we realized that in this area there is essentially no cell service for many, many miles (it is the National Radio Quiet Zone - yes that is a real thing) we knew we needed to set up some other means. We knew we would have internet, so before the move, for about 3 months, we tested using Google Voice (GV) with the Obitalk 200 device and an old cordless phone I had. It is freaking amazing! No cost, no limits. Picked our own number, GV rings all phones, if wanted.

I have a Tracfone, which works on ATT network and we do have some hit or miss coverage here with that one. It costs me $100 per year. I have google hangouts installed on it, so the GV rings my house phone through the Obitalk device (which plugs into my router) and also rings the tracfone hangouts through wifi. If I am somewhere that I have actual cell coverage, then the same GV number also rings the tracfone through it's own number.

The call quality is phenomenal. My kids and I will talk for a very, very long time and it costs nothing. A single number that rings a house phone, computers, smart phones and cell phones, not too shabby.

So, check out Google Voice, the Obitalk 200 device. The Obitalk cost about $80 one time charge, amazon.

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Re: Cell signal

Postby Dano-Mich » Fri May 04, 2018 7:48 pm

I can vouch for ObiTalk and Google Voice as well. A few months ago I cancelled my home line and switched over to Google Voice like daveesl77. My home internet is dismal at 4.5MB DSL but works fine.
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Re: Cell signal

Postby pchast » Fri May 04, 2018 8:49 pm

How does your 911 call system work with that system?
Have you asked? :thinking:
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Re: Cell signal

Postby daveesl77 » Thu May 10, 2018 10:25 am

For 911 you sign up for an e911 service. Costs range from about $15-$30/year, depending on the service. There are multiple providers. In our case, our tracfone does sort of work and we have an e911 service on it, so we did not sign up for one on the GV system.

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Re: Cell signal

Postby Zomby Woof » Thu May 10, 2018 5:23 pm

We're oldschool and still have a home phone but use OOMA which is similar. It cost $4/month and includes 911 service.
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