3 Home Repeater - How does it work?

chewed

I had a guy from 3 call out to the house as my signal was really bad (although it has to do with the atrocious contention rates in the evenings). Anyway, he left a home repeater in the utility room (It's made by SOLiD Technologies, Inc.
Model , S/N HR-3CHA-0202). I have the b683 router, but have tested out every inch of the house to see what the best location, and it seems to be the Kitchen. He left the router beside the repeater in the utility and didn't give me any information. He even left his notebook with all his speed test results!!!

I've since moved the router back into the kitchen (approx 4 metres from Repeater). Should the router be beside the repeater? Also, is the repeater supposed to increase the signal around the house? I haven't noticed any difference in speeds since the router arrived.

FanadMan

Just leave it where it gets the best signal. It will then boost the signal for the router. Well, supposedly anyway

chewed

But, should the router be beside or near the repeater?

FanadMan

Shouldn't really make a difference. The repeater boosts the signal in the house and unless your house is like mine (thick granite walls) the signal should reach the router no matter where it is.

Put the repeater where it shows the best reception and try the router where you'd like it to be. If the signal on the router is showing as high then great. If not, move the router.

Failing all that, try posting your question in the Talk To 3 forum here.....

http://www.boards.ie/ttforum/1367

chewed

FanadMan wrote: »

Shouldn't really make a difference. The repeater boosts the signal in the house and unless your house is like mine (thick granite walls) the signal should reach the router no matter where it is.

Put the repeater where it shows the best reception and try the router where you'd like it to be. If the signal on the router is showing as high then great. If not, move the router.

Failing all that, try posting your question in the Talk To 3 forum here.....

http://www.boards.ie/ttforum/1367

Thanks Fanad. The problem is I've no idea how to check the reception! How do I know what the best position is for the repeater?

FanadMan

There should be LEDs on the front of the repeater to show the signal level. I'm not sure which ones tho - I don't have that type of repeater. Obviously, the more bars showing lit on the repeater, the better

If you know where your nearest mast is, point the repeater at it. Then when you get the best signal on the repeater go to your computer and log on to the router through your browser.

(If you don't know how to do this, in the address bar type

http://192.168.1.1
and press enter.

You'll be asked for a password which by default is admin
You should then see how good of a connection there is between the router and repeater)

If you are still having problems then def go to the Talk To forum - not only are there 3 reps there, but the other users would be far better at explaining this than me

http://www.boards.ie/ttforum/1367

chewed

Thanks again Fanad. I'll definitely check on the 3 forum. I have the repeater upstairs and it's getting full bars lit up. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do though! How do I check to see the connection between router and repeater via 192.168.1.1 ?

FanadMan

chewed wrote: »

Thanks again Fanad. I'll definitely check on the 3 forum. I have the repeater upstairs and it's getting full bars lit up. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do though! How do I check to see the connection between router and repeater via 192.168.1.1 ?

If you logged onto the router like I said earlier, you should get a screen like this:
(This is only a googled screenshot by the way)

If you look at the top right-ish beside 65502 you'll see bars - this is the connection to the mast via your repeater. If that is showing low bars you might need to move the router closer to the repeater. If it is showing high bars, you have a good enough connection.

Have you run a Speedtest on the connection? Just as 3 will ask you to do at numerous times during the day
If you are getting faster speeds in the middle of the night (when everyone else is in bed) and almost non-existent speeds the rest of the time you are suffering from contention which 3 will basically say tough luck.

Fingers crossed you get a better connection than what I have

watty

chewed wrote: »

I had a guy from 3 call out to the house as my signal was really bad (although it has to do with the atrocious contention rates in the evenings). Anyway, he left a home repeater in the utility room (It's made by SOLiD Technologies, Inc.

Repeaters are for underground carparks, metal buildings, tunnels etc where there is a GOOD outside signal and no inside signal.

Inappropriate use. Comreg should ban them from installing Repeaters in Domestic situations.

A roof aerial with a Modem and Ethernet CAT5e to indoors, with a Ethernet only Router + Wifi Airpoint is the correct technical solution.

The cost isn't much different but means:
1) More expert and more install cost due to time and cable.
2) Only a sim needed in the Modem. Anything on the WiFi or Ethernet doesn't need a SIM.

Three's solution is to encourage also use of voice calls on phones etc (x10 more profit than Data), also they seem blind to fact that in many cases the repeater makes 3G in the immediate area worse, only has marginal improvement in house and is a rubbish solution compare to the correct solution.

EdmondShiels3

I have three and it is very slow, Can they do anything to improve the signal. Does the repeater work? I would think that they would not make any difference.

Calahonda52

watty wrote: »

Repeaters are for underground carparks, metal buildings, tunnels etc where there is a GOOD outside signal and no inside signal.

Inappropriate use. Comreg should ban them from installing Repeaters in Domestic situations.

A roof aerial with a Modem and Ethernet CAT5e to indoors, with a Ethernet only Router + Wifi Airpoint is the correct technical solution.

The cost isn't much different but means:
1) More expert and more install cost due to time and cable.
2) Only a sim needed in the Modem. Anything on the WiFi or Ethernet doesn't need a SIM.

Three's solution is to encourage also use of voice calls on phones etc (x10 more profit than Data), also they seem blind to fact that in many cases the repeater makes 3G in the immediate area worse, only has marginal improvement in house and is a rubbish solution compare to the correct solution.

Watty,
Could you expand a bit more on this solution please for poor Mobile fone reception?
A roof aerial with a Modem and Ethernet CAT5e to indoors, with a Ethernet only Router + Wifi Airpoint is the correct technical solution.
Thanks

my3cents

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Watty,
Could you expand a bit more on this solution please for poor Mobile fone reception?
A roof aerial with a Modem and Ethernet CAT5e to indoors, with a Ethernet only Router + Wifi Airpoint is the correct technical solution.
Thanks

That solution is for Mobile Broadband not voice calls.

Calahonda52

My3cents
thanks for that
Setting aside the legalities, is the repeater the only technical solution available for mobile voice?

my3cents

Calahonda52 wrote: »

My3cents
thanks for that
Setting aside the legalities, is the repeater the only technical solution available for mobile voice?

afaik it is. You could always change providers to one that has coverage in your area. If your in contract you can always use no coverage at home as leverage to get out of contract.

Calahonda52

Thanks, am looking at my coverage on this http://opensignal.com and its just pure crap for all of them where I am.
Don't know how reliable it is as the mast locations is not upto date/correct
In addition we are all with 3 who use 2100 Mhz where as the others use 900 Mhz

my3cents

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Thanks, am looking at my coverage on this http://opensignal.com and its just pure crap for all of them where I am.
Don't know how reliable it is as the mast locations is not upto date/correct
In addition we are all with 3 who use 2100 Mhz where as the others use 900 Mhz

siteviewer.ie is reasonably up to date on mast location.