Cell Booster install

**MooManChu** · 04-22-2020, 08:27 AM

Reaching out to other owners who installed a cell booster, particularly where the antenna mast is installed, how the cable runs were placed, where the internal antenna works best, etc. I just bought a WeBoost Connect RV 65 for use at a seasonal site for the summer where we're getting -110db from a single LTE tower 3 miles SE. We really do not want to drill in our new trailer, however I've read a key to booster performance is avoiding oscillation. Our "use case" requires coverage to the kitchen , garage, and outside patio. So, thinking we're going to need to position the mast near the front bedroom and run the booster to interior closet and antenna somewhere in kitchen. The cable runs external on the trailer are temporary since the concept is you pack up the antenna and mast and setup when needed. A permanent omnidirectional setup really does not help me since I can count on one finger the towers for AT&T in a 10 mile radius.

Any experience, recommendations are appreciated.

**boyscout** · 04-22-2020, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by MooManChu

Reaching out to other owners who installed a cell booster, particularly where the antenna mast is installed, how the cable runs were placed, where the internal antenna works best, etc. I just bought a WeBoost Connect RV 65 for use at a seasonal site for the summer where we're getting -110db from a single LTE tower 3 miles SE. We really do not want to drill in our new trailer, however I've read a key to booster performance is avoiding oscillation. Our "use case" requires coverage to the kitchen , garage, and outside patio. So, thinking we're going to need to position the mast near the front bedroom and run the booster to interior closet and antenna somewhere in kitchen. The cable runs external on the trailer are temporary since the concept is you pack up the antenna and mast and setup when needed. A permanent omnidirectional setup really does not help me since I can count on one finger the towers for AT&T in a 10 mile radius. Any experience, recommendations are appreciated.

Sucks that your signal is so poor when the tower is only three miles away... I guess it doesn't have antennas on your side of it. Move your trailer!

Wilson keeps fiddling with product names and capabilities but the more powerful of the two boosters we have - called IIRC the "Connect 4G" - is likely similar to yours with a directional yagi antenna for outside, a directional panel antenna for inside, and about 65db boost claim.

You should consider the following to be NON-expert advice, but I'll tell you what I do with it. Also be aware that the system is for occasional use for us, so not mounted permanently.

I've attached a couple of pieces of PVC to the ladder to act as a pocket for an extendable fiberglass painter's pole, on the end of which I add more PVC (stiffened with a broom handle) and finally the outside antenna. The assembly gets the outside antenna a bit more than 20 feet above the roof of the trailer.

Since it's temporary I just run its cable through the rear window which is likely unattractive for you.

Consider trying to overcome the trauma of drilling your new trailer... it's not so bad. Our other booster *is* permanently installed, and to install it on our current Solitude and our previous Reflection I drilled a 1" hole in the back wall behind the ladder, high up where it would emerge in the upper cabinets inside. Drilling it was REALLY easy with a hole saw, and I didn't hit anything important either time. Then I installed a marine cable pass-through fitting similar to the first one on this page:

https://www.westmarine.com/search?Nt...e+pass+through

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauke...9662/202327732

Again because our use is temporary I prop the inside panel antenna against the back wall inside, directly beneath the outside antenna. The outside yagi antenna should theoretically have very little signal coming out of its bottom edge, and the inside panel antenna should have very little signal coming out of its top edge. It seems to work out that way, though I have found improvement by putting tin foil across the top edge of the inside antenna to further isolate it from the outside antenna. The antennas are separated by 25+ feet, and the system seems to be happy, works well. We get good coverage throughout the trailer, and decent coverage outside the door on the patio.

Someone else has reported success mounting the inside antenna on the ceiling pointing down.

So, our needs are a bit different but I hope some of this gives you ideas for your own installation.

Good luck.

**MooManChu** · 04-22-2020, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by boyscout

Sucks that your signal is so poor when the tower is only three miles away... I guess it doesn't have antennas on your side of it. Move your trailer!

Wilson keeps fiddling with product names and capabilities but the more powerful of the two boosters we have - called IIRC the "Connect 4G" - is likely similar to yours with a directional yagi antenna for outside, a directional panel antenna for inside, and about 65db boost claim.

You should consider the following to be NON-expert advice, but I'll tell you what I do with it. Also be aware that the system is for occasional use for us, so not mounted permanently.

I've attached a couple of pieces of PVC to the ladder to act as a pocket for an extendable fiberglass painter's pole, on the end of which I add more PVC (stiffened with a broom handle) and finally the outside antenna. The assembly gets the outside antenna a bit more than 20 feet above the roof of the trailer.

Since it's temporary I just run its cable through the rear window which is likely unattractive for you.

Consider trying to overcome the trauma of drilling your new trailer... it's not so bad. Our other booster *is* permanently installed, and to install it on our current Solitude and our previous Reflection I drilled a 1" hole in the back wall behind the ladder, high up where it would emerge in the upper cabinets inside. Drilling it was REALLY easy with a hole saw, and I didn't hit anything important either time. Then I installed a marine cable pass-through fitting similar to the first one on this page:

https://www.westmarine.com/search?Nt...e+pass+through

Again because our use is temporary I prop the inside panel antenna against the back wall inside, directly beneath the outside antenna. The outside yagi antenna should theoretically have very little signal coming out of its bottom edge, and the inside panel antenna should have very little signal coming out of its top edge. It seems to work out that way, though I have found improvement by putting tin foil across the top edge of the inside antenna to further isolate it from the outside antenna. The antennas are separated by 25+ feet, and the system seems to be happy, works well. We get good coverage throughout the trailer, and decent coverage outside the door on the patio.

Someone else has reported success mounting the inside antenna on the ceiling pointing down.

So, our needs are a bit different but I hope some of this gives you ideas for your own installation.

Good luck.

Wow, thanks for all the info, please accept my virtual adult beverage

for taking the time to write this up!

Firstly, the trailer is where it is, grabbed the last seasonal at a really great campground that is only an hour away and rural enough to feel like we're "getting away". We usually do big trips either south or out west however or little friend c-19 has changed those ideas.

As far as drilling, I've installed camera systems, new fridges, and AC units so no fear of the holes, however I really want this to be a really temporary setup. Thanks for the link to the marine passthroughs. I'm confident those would be perfect if I permanent mounted this setup. We've been all over the northern half of the country out to as far as Idaho and never had a situation where we wished we had better coverage. Hence we bought the Connect 65 system which is like yours, except it comes with a directional antenna with the pole and everything. It is truly temporary. This seasonal setup has me thinkin' about working remote there a few days a week to change the scenery and keep me from losing what little mind i have left, so I need "real" coverage with at enough internet capabilities to at least have teleconferences. Just need a boost from the 1 bar and get some kind of throughput to keep the emails coming.

As far as running cable, the weboost setup has a flat intermediary cable between the outside antenna cable and booster cable input. It goes into the slide nicely. It is the distance requirement between the outside and inside antenna that is killing me right now. The 25-30 feet distancing seems easy, but once you throw in the angle (thank you pythagorean theorem) it's not so easy on a 32 foot trailer.

I'd like to know how your are getting 25 distance with the inside antenna mounted below the outside one. That would be the perfect setup to keep the antenna setup near the rear ladder, run the cable into the garage door, and setup the booster and antenna in the garage. I've got good access to plugs and the wall space is 50% occupied by the rear happijac bunk anyways so the dead space between the bed frame and the wall is perfect to hide the boxes. I'm guessing that's is where most of us will be hanging out when we're out there at the trailer.

At this point, I read the 25 foot telescoping antenna mast is a bit challenging to deal with once the antenna is attached, so to keep me from having to walk the trailer roof every time I set it up, I'm thinking right by the rear ladder is the way to go. Also, the kitchen slide is an attractive option to pull the line in in between the slide and broadcast at 70 degrees from the inside wall. Nothing is permanent on this system. The antenna mast supports are backed with 3M auto tape with the booster and antenna using 3m command strips. I guess I have to play with it.

BTW, the roof mount sounds attractive, however I've set up wireless networks in the past and that setup always seem to limit the range, maybe these antennas are different though.

**Maximus216** · 04-22-2020, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by MooManChu

Wow, thanks for all the info, please accept my virtual adult beverage

for taking the time to write this up!

Firstly, the trailer is where it is, grabbed the last seasonal at a really great campground that is only an hour away and rural enough to feel like we're "getting away". We usually do big trips either south or out west however or little friend c-19 has changed those ideas.

As far as drilling, I've installed camera systems, new fridges, and AC units so no fear of the holes, however I really want this to be a really temporary setup. Thanks for the link to the marine passthroughs. I'm confident those would be perfect if I permanent mounted this setup. We've been all over the northern half of the country out to as far as Idaho and never had a situation where we wished we had better coverage. Hence we bought the Connect 65 system which is like yours, except it comes with a directional antenna with the pole and everything. It is truly temporary. This seasonal setup has me thinkin' about working remote there a few days a week to change the scenery and keep me from losing what little mind i have left, so I need "real" coverage with at enough internet capabilities to at least have teleconferences. Just need a boost from the 1 bar and get some kind of throughput to keep the emails coming.

As far as running cable, the weboost setup has a flat intermediary cable between the outside antenna cable and booster cable input. It goes into the slide nicely. It is the distance requirement between the outside and inside antenna that is killing me right now. The 25-30 feet distancing seems easy, but once you throw in the angle (thank you pythagorean theorem) it's not so easy on a 32 foot trailer.

I'd like to know how your are getting 25 distance with the inside antenna mounted below the outside one. That would be the perfect setup to keep the antenna setup near the rear ladder, run the cable into the garage door, and setup the booster and antenna in the garage. I've got good access to plugs and the wall space is 50% occupied by the rear happijac bunk anyways so the dead space between the bed frame and the wall is perfect to hide the boxes. I'm guessing that's is where most of us will be hanging out when we're out there at the trailer.

At this point, I read the 25 foot telescoping antenna mast is a bit challenging to deal with once the antenna is attached, so to keep me from having to walk the trailer roof every time I set it up, I'm thinking right by the rear ladder is the way to go. Also, the kitchen slide is an attractive option to pull the line in in between the slide and broadcast at 70 degrees from the inside wall. Nothing is permanent on this system. The antenna mast supports are backed with 3M auto tape with the booster and antenna using 3m command strips. I guess I have to play with it.

BTW, the roof mount sounds attractive, however I've set up wireless networks in the past and that setup always seem to limit the range, maybe these antennas are different though.

Here is my setup. Might give you some ideas. I'm very please with the outcome. I don't have a weboost anymore, i went with a ATT unlimited data plan that you can buy on ebay and it cost 35.00 a month. I have two directional antennas and a telescoping pole that are easy to put up. You can use a directional antenna with the weboost, the manufacture actually recommends it. Let me know if you have any questions.

https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/show...665#post276665

**cforman61** · 04-22-2020, 08:51 PM

I have this posted under wifi and cell boosters. You will find additional input from others there.
I purchased a Weboost cellular booster with a directional antenna and it works great. I didn't buy the one for RV's after reading multiple complaints from people about having to be within a foot of the inside antenna to get it to pick up well. I actually purchsed the home/office unit that is designed for a home up to 5000 sq. ft.. I installed the inside antenna in the ceiling next to the wall above the slide out for the recliners. I ran the wiring down the all by the trim and out the bottom of the slide out then I secured the wiring to the frame and came back up into the RV on the other end of the slide out next to the desk. The outside directional antenna wiring I ran up through the floor where the water heater is at to connect to the control box. I devised an extension setup using 2" and 1 1/2" pvc with a rubber cap. When I get to the park I can raise the antenna to approximately 15-20 feet up in the air and I try to locate a cell site and point the antenna in that direction.

**Maximus216** · 04-23-2020, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by MooManChu

Thanks for the post. You really thought this out and we all benefit from your research. I'm rethinking this now however your LTE router is available nowhere in the entire US right now. They do have a WE1026-5G. Did you look at this router or have recommendation?

You can still find them on Ebay. Might have to pay a little more for them. The we1026-5g looks like its designed to be used in mobile applications such as a RV. This must be new because i don't remember seeing this during my research last year. One reviewer bought it for a RV so it should work fine. It might be a better option than my router.

https://ltefix.com/shop/routers/lte-...outer/#reviews

**MooManChu** · 04-23-2020, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by Maximus216

Here is my setup. Might give you some ideas. I'm very please with the outcome. I don't have a weboost anymore, i went with a ATT unlimited data plan that you can buy on ebay and it cost 35.00 a month. I have two directional antennas and a telescoping pole that are easy to put up. You can use a directional antenna with the weboost, the manufacture actually recommends it. Let me know if you have any questions.

https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/show...665#post276665

Thanks for the info. Yeah, the RV Connect comes with a unidirectional antenna.

I like your setup. Easy to share. However, the modest gain on the antenna going to the router won't address our need to boost the signal. Let me know if I am looking at this wrong.

**Maximus216** · 04-23-2020, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by Maximus216

You can still find them on Ebay. Might have to pay a little more for them. The we1026-5g looks like its designed to be used in mobile applications such as a RV. This must be new because i don't remember seeing this during my research last year. One reviewer bought it for a RV so it should work fine. It might be a better option than my router.

https://ltefix.com/shop/routers/lte-...outer/#reviews

You can always go with Mofi4500. There are several videos on Youtube about it.

**MooManChu** · 04-23-2020, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by Maximus216

You can always go with Mofi4500. There are several videos on Youtube about it.

We posted at the same time.

Like i stated earlier, the LTE router to antenna without booster is probably going to be an issue for us. Having wireless coming off the sim is perfect for us, however without boosting the signal, not sure we're solving the original problem. We're pulling a signal on our phones at only -117db. The Yagi helps, but the gains are modest. Let me know if i am looking at this wrong. I'd love to make your setup work.