3G Signal Booster

MuddyDog

Not sure if this is the right forum but father in laws place is shocking for signal. Basically one place in the house (kitchen window) that gets 2-3 bars signal on our iphones. He wants to know if this:

https://www.huaptec.eu/en/catalog/consumer-boosters/repeaters-3g/3g/HiBoost-F13-3G-Mini

will improve things.
To me it just looks like a signal spreader. So we'd put the antenna at the window and then connect to the box and it'd just be like you're at the window using data wherever you are in the house. Am I right or does it somehow improve the signal as well?

ED E

Currently illegal. Fines of €10,000 could be applied.

If with Vodafone purchase a SureSignal. If not with Vodafone wait 1yr and COMREG will have finished the change in the law that will allow for them.

MuddyDog

ED E wrote: »

Currently illegal. Fines of €10,000 could be applied.

If with Vodafone purchase a SureSignal. If not with Vodafone wait 1yr and COMREG will have finished the change in the law that will allow for them.

But do they improve the signal or just spread the current signal further?

ED E

They can only use what they receive. So if signal was a 10 at the gable of the house and 3 inside the house the repeater might get you a 9 inside the house.

Theres a real argument for houses in a small dip as the roof will have a reasonable signal but not the living areas. But using a cheap repeater/one incorrectly configured can degrade neighbors in a large radius.


Suresignal is different in that it makes a new signal not repeat an existing one. Requires existing broadband but provides excellent 3G.

fennor72

I've the same problem. I was looking on a website called Ireland boosters who guarantee 5 bars inside the home. So are these boosters illegal if so why?
Our Wi-Fi is also very poor so the plan was get the 3g signal boosted and get rid of the Wi-Fi and just use the mobiles. We don't use a tablet or laptop but even then could we use 1 of the phones as a hotspot.
Sorry for all the questions.

ED E

fennor72 wrote: »

I've the same problem. I was looking on a website called Ireland boosters who guarantee 5 bars inside the home. So are these boosters illegal if so why?
Our Wi-Fi is also very poor so the plan was get the 3g signal boosted and get rid of the Wi-Fi and just use the mobiles. We don't use a tablet or laptop but even then could we use 1 of the phones as a hotspot.
Sorry for all the questions.

Yes, illegal if they are in fact "boosters". Telcos pay many millions for the licence to transmit, they dont want Joe Bloggs repeating and making a total mess of things.

You can do what you want legally and properly. Buy a 4G/3G router and an appropriate external antenna. The antenna goes on the gable/roof and the router inside which then broadcasts wifi for all your devices. Perfectly legal and in some cases very speedy (mainly if you can get a sight line to a 4G mast).

fennor72

ED E wrote:

You can do what you want legally and properly. Buy a 4G/3G router and an appropriate external antenna. The antenna goes on the gable/roof and the router inside which then broadcasts wifi for all your devices. Perfectly legal and in some cases very speedy (mainly if you can get a sight line to a 4G mast).

Apologies but my current setup is this. I was in the national broadband scheme, my coverage was so bad that 3 had to put an antenna on the gable end of the house and feed the signal to a repeater. This was done maybe 5 or 6 years ago and gave adequate internet. The added bonus was it boosted our mobile signal to 2 or 3 bars. Previously we couldn't make a call.
Our set up is still the same but I can't see why we are paying over 40 euros a month for 60g, when both our mobiles have unlimited data allowance. As it is now the mobile signal will drift in and out of
3g. If we could just increase the signal we could terminate the internet monthly plan and just use the phones.

ED E

If the three fitted repeater is standalone go right ahead and cancel the bill pay sim and just use AYCE data.

fennor72

ED E wrote:

If the three fitted repeater is standalone go right ahead and cancel the bill pay sim and just use AYCE data.

But the 3 repeater is not transmitting a strong enough signal to support 3g we can make some calls and use 3g but it can be slow and drop.
Last year we got a lad in who checked the signal outside he said with an improved setup, more recent equipment and a different direction to find the signal, we could get 3g in the house. But he was talking around 400 euros for such a set up.

ED E

If Three do it (they wont) then fine.

If you do it yourself you're totally liable for illegal transmission penalties. Go with my suggestion in post 6 which you can do yourself (€150 for a very good router, €50ish for the antenna, €20-50 for mounting).