Professional antennae installler

lukin

I looked around on the forum for an answer for this but couldn't find one:has anyone here employed a professional installer to put up a 3G antennae?
I bought mine online and put it up myself like a lot of other people here have but I wasn't able to get great height on it as I didn't have the proper equipment (plus I'm not too good with heights). I have it at 25 feet off the ground and I am getting 7-8 Mbps download (it is an omni-directional antennae). Considering where I live is fairly remote that is pretty good but I have seen people put up pics of their antennas here and they have them up pretty high. They are getting higher speeds as a result.
I don't have clear line of sight to the nearest mast but it is about 3.5 kilometers away (measured in a direct line). If I could get it up really high would it improve my download? I live in a two storey house so if it could be bolted onto the chimney that would be fairly high. The cable to the modem would have to be longer though which would mean attenuation (signal loss) I suppose.Then again I am getting a decent enough d'load speed at the moment so maybe if it ain't broke don't fix it.

ED E

You need to determine if you speed is slow because of the network load OR because you're signal limited.

If your receive values are low now, its a great idea, if they're good it could be the exact same another 20ft up.

Also, if you're going to the effort it might be worth erecting a 4G antenna now vs moving your 3G antenna.

lukin

ED E wrote: »

You need to determine if you speed is slow because of the network load OR because you're signal limited.

I don't think it's network load as I am in a remote area and there aren't too many others using meteor mobile broadband (I think anyway). I looked into where I could get some free software that would measure the signal from my antennae but there isn't any that is specific for my modem (it's a Huawei E577). Hyperterminal might work though.

ED E wrote: »

Also, if you're going to the effort it might be worth erecting a 4G antenna now vs moving your 3G antenna.

The antennae is 4G enabled as well but my area won't get 4G for ages I would say.

editorsean

Are you using one or two coaxial leads with the antenna?

I am fairly all three networks use 3G diversity, which requires two antennas or a MIMO antenna with two coaxial connections. Like 4G, one antenna needs to be aimed vertically and the second one horizontally. The vertical antenna should be connected to antenna port #1 on the router/modem.

For example, with the Meteor 3G network, if I only connect one antenna lead to my router, I get roughly 5 to 6Mbps, but when I connect both antenna leads, I get 10 to 12Mbps.

lukin

editorsean wrote: »

Are you using one or two coaxial leads with the antenna?

I am fairly all three networks use 3G diversity, which requires two antennas or a MIMO antenna with two coaxial connections. Like 4G, one antenna needs to be aimed vertically and the second one horizontally. The vertical antenna should be connected to antenna port #1 on the router/modem.

For example, with the Meteor 3G network, if I only connect one antenna lead to my router, I get roughly 5 to 6Mbps, but when I connect both antenna leads, I get 10 to 12Mbps.

I am using two antenna leads.

editorsean

That's good - Try running a speed test with the following configurations:

1. Two antenna cables swapped
2. One cable attached to port #1 only
3. Second cable attached to port #1 only

The 3G uplink goes out on antenna port #1, so if you happen to have the two cables reversed, you can tell the correct order by which test gives the fastest upload speed. The download speed generally remains the same regardless of which way the cables are attached.

The second and third tests should give no more than 2/3 the download speed of both cables attached. If either test gives very close to the same download speed as having both cables attached, then the antenna needs to be rotated to aim its horizontal element.

With an omni-directional MIMO antenna, only the vertical element is truly omni-directional. The horizontal element has a small amount of directivity, just like an FM radio's telescopic antenna. When the antenna is aimed vertically, the radio/antenna can be turned around without any effect on its reception. However, when the antenna is positioned horizontally, there is a very noticeable change in the reception depending which way it's rotated even though it is an omni-directional antenna.

I'm not sure if elevating the height will offer much benefit, unless you are getting a weak to moderate signal.

lukin

editorsean wrote: »

That's good - Try running a speed test with the following configurations:

1. Two antenna cables swapped
2. One cable attached to port #1 only
3. Second cable attached to port #1 only

The 3G uplink goes out on antenna port #1, so if you happen to have the two cables reversed, you can tell the correct order by which test gives the fastest upload speed. The download speed generally remains the same regardless of which way the cables are attached.

The second and third tests should give no more than 2/3 the download speed of both cables attached. If either test gives very close to the same download speed as having both cables attached, then the antenna needs to be rotated to aim its horizontal element.

With an omni-directional MIMO antenna, only the vertical element is truly omni-directional. The horizontal element has a small amount of directivity, just like an FM radio's telescopic antenna. When the antenna is aimed vertically, the radio/antenna can be turned around without any effect on its reception. However, when the antenna is positioned horizontally, there is a very noticeable change in the reception depending which way it's rotated even though it is an omni-directional antenna.

I'm not sure if elevating the height will offer much benefit, unless you are getting a weak to moderate signal.

This is the antennae I amusing:http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Omni-Directional-4G-3G-LTE-MIMO-External-Outdoor-Antenna-Huawei-Cube-E5180-EE-/331831646250?hash=item4d42b5182a:g:NkkAAOSwP8hTxorE
I have it installed in the way it is shown in that pic.
The modem is a Huawei E5377. There aren't numbers or names on the antennae ports, in fact there is no information about them in the modem documentation.
I did what you said above (in fact I went a bit further and tried every possible combination). The results are below (I gave the antennae ports my own numbers and the antennas are called "top" and "bottom").
________________________________

Both cables plugged in:
Top cable plugged in to port one, bottom cable plugged in to port two:

Both cables plugged in:
Top cable plugged in to port two, bottom cable plugged in to port one

Just the bottom cable plugged in to port two:

Just the bottom cable plugged in to port one:

Just the top cable plugged in on to port one:

Just the top cable plugged in to port two:

editorsean

It looks like your current aiming of the antenna is fine and that the combination you used in the first speed test is correct.

The port you gave #1 appears to be the actual port #1. When you plugged a cable into just the other port, the upload speed was much lower and what I assume was a failed upload test in your last speed test. When a cable is only plugged in port #2, the modem uses its internal antenna for the upload (which explains the poor upload speed) and port #2 for the downlink diversity.

The top cable appears to be the vertical polarity antenna based on the higher upload speed in the tests where just port one was connected. The download speeds in both tests are within the range I expect when the omni-directional antenna is facing the right way for its horizontal element, when compared to your 9.3Mbps download test with both cables attached.

I am not sure why your second test gave a very low download speed with the cables swapped. Then again, based on the second last test with the 2.66Mbps upload, the cable combination used for the first test appears to be correct.

If your antenna is easily reached, you can try rotating the antenna 30 degrees either direction to see if your download speed improves with the first antenna combination (top cable in port one, bottom cable in port two). However, it already looks like you have it aimed right based on single cable tests with port one being within 1/2 to 2/3 the speed of both cables attached.

lukin

Thanks for the reply.

editorsean wrote: »

If your antenna is easily reached, you can try rotating the antenna 30 degrees either direction to see if your download speed improves with the first antenna combination (top cable in port one, bottom cable in port two). However, it already looks like you have it aimed right based on single cable tests with port one being within 1/2 to 2/3 the speed of both cables attached.

It isn't easily reached unfortunately . I went for an omni-directional antenna as from what I read about them it means you don't have to direct it that much; if it is facing to where the mast is it should work. I won't rotate it as if I fiddle with it or take it down I won't have any broadband during that time and it would take me a while to get it back up again.
What I could do is get another antenna (the same one) cheap, put it up somewhere else and rotate it and see if it gets better. I would still have my existing one working so I wouldn't be without broadband.