MIFI 8800L...Update?

Scousers

Scousers

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Thanks to Second Chance we got into the unlimited Verizon MIFI plan some years ago and have generally been really happy with the coverage Verizon provides in the areas we roam.

We just got new phones and found that the phones are giving us a full set of bars here in Colorado whereas the MIFI only gets 1 to 3. We connected an external antenna (Netgear) and saw a slight improvement.

The MIFI is some years old, replaced two batteries and I was wondering whether anyone has experience with a newer version of the MIFI getting a better signal capture?

Need to stick to 4G!

Thanks

Len
 
Scousers said:
Thanks to Second Chance we got into the unlimited Verizon MIFI plan some years ago and have generally been really happy with the coverage Verizon provides in the areas we roam.

We just got new phones and found that the phones are giving us a full set of bars here in Colorado whereas the MIFI only gets 1 to 3. We connected an external antenna (Netgear) and saw a slight improvement.

The MIFI is some years old, replaced two batteries and I was wondering whether anyone has experience with a newer version of the MIFI getting a better signal capture?

Need to stick to 4G!

Thanks

Len
Click to expand...
You might want to try an external antenna on it. There should be two little dots on the top side. They pry out and you plug in the TS9 connector from the external MIMO antenna. It should increase your signal strength. The internal antennas on those things suck.
 
Do you have a better suggestion? The Netgear SEEMED to have good reviews!
 
Scousers said:
Yes, I tried the Netgear with marginal improvement
Click to expand...

Here is some "light" reading on how MIMO antennas work: https://www.telcoantennas.com.au/site/how-does-mimo-work


Also, MobileMustHave lists this antenna as their least expensive antenna: Parsec Falcon 2x2 MIMO LTE Lightweight Antenna. Just make sure you get the one with TS9 connectors and remember that you get what you pay for.

Here is the link to the search for 2x2 MIMO antennas. They have 12 hits ranging from $65.00-$450.00.
 
Scousers said:
Do you have a better suggestion? The Netgear SEEMED to have good reviews!
Click to expand...
Honestly, without spending a good amount of money, most of the cheap ones are... Cheap.

You would be looking at an omnidirectional antenna that would mount high. Poynting has good reviews, but, you are looking at between $150.00 and $450.00 or more.
 
MoonShadow_1911 said:
Honestly, without spending a good amount of money, most of the cheap ones are... Cheap.

You would be looking at an omnidirectional antenna that would mount high. Poynting has good reviews, but, you are looking at between $150.00 and $450.00 or more.
Click to expand...

I was looking at the Waveform products....About $250
 
The 8800L is still the best 4G LTE hotspot on the market (by heads and shoulders on most of the cellular and connectivity sites). Bars are not everything. Signal strength is only one (and not the major) part of what kind of service you get with a hotspot. Signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) and the bandwidth on the tower are just as - if not more - important. If the 8800L is still serving you well, don't go chasing bars by throwing money at it. There a long story behind the quote, but a young British water engineer I knew in Africa would put on his best John Wayne impersonation (funny to watch) and say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

Rob

Edit/PS: are you using a timer on the charger so it's not charging 24/7? I just replace the battery for the first time after 3-1/2 years by reducing the charging time.
 
Another afterthought... there's a firmware update available for the 8800L - have you done that? (I just did within the past couple of weeks).

Rob
 
Second Chance said:
The 8800L is still the best 4G LTE hotspot on the market (by heads and shoulders on most of the cellular and connectivity sites). Bars are not everything. Signal strength is only one (and not the major) part of what kind of service you get with a hotspot. Signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) and the bandwidth on the tower are just as - if not more - important. If the 8800L is still serving you well, don't go chasing bars by throwing money at it. There a long story behind the quote, but a young British water engineer I knew in Africa would put on his best John Wayne impersonation (funny to watch) and say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

Rob

Edit/PS: are you using a timer on the charger so it's not charging 24/7? I just replace the battery for the first time after 3-1/2 years by reducing the charging time.
Click to expand...

Not using a timer, I know I should!

If the engineer was a Brit he must know what he is talking about!

The issue is mostly bandwidth.
 
Scousers said:
Not using a timer, I know I should!

If the engineer was a Brit he must know what he is talking about!

The issue is mostly bandwidth.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, bandwidth is the tower - not the hotspot. I spent sales tax on a little experiment a few weeks ago and ordered a T-Mobile 5G hotspot (100GB plan for $50/month). The coverage map showed we were in the ultra-capacity area for T-Mobile... NOT. The speeds I got with the 5G hotspot were the same as I'm getting the 4G LTE 8800L. T-Mobile has a "buyer's remorse" period, so I returned it and cancelled the plan.

Rob
 
Second Chance said:
Unfortunately, bandwidth is the tower - not the hotspot. I spent sales tax on a little experiment a few weeks ago and ordered a T-Mobile 5G hotspot (100GB plan for $50/month). The coverage map showed we were in the ultra-capacity area for T-Mobile... NOT. The speeds I got with the 5G hotspot were the same as I'm getting the 4G LTE 8800L. T-Mobile has a "buyer's remorse" period, so I returned it and cancelled the plan.

Rob
Click to expand...

We tried Tmobile once and had a PIA experience trying to cancel our contract with them. Had to get a lawyer involved in order to cancel a 3 day old contract because Tmobile refused to do so even after we had negotiated a cancel (if it did not work) with them about their great access claim in our area prior to signing. The reason for legal involvement was, after canceling, they sent a negative report to each credit bureau and claimed the contract was never canceled and was unpaid for several months after..... what a screwed up unwarranted mess!!! Could only imagine how many other dissatisfied customers they did that too.... Buyers remorse? You better believe it!

Never would we ever recommend them as a cell service provider even if they were the last and only cell tower based provider, or, had a terabyte download speed in our area..... would pay more for a sat phone before ever going with them!
 
trailrydr said:
We tried Tmobile once and had a PIA experience trying to cancel our contract with them. Had to get a lawyer involved in order to cancel a 3 day old contract because Tmobile refused to do so even after we had negotiated a cancel (if it did not work) with them about their great access claim in our area prior to signing. The reason for legal involvement was, after canceling, they sent a negative report to each credit bureau and claimed the contract was never canceled and was unpaid for several months after..... what a screwed up unwarranted mess!!! Could only imagine how many other dissatisfied customers they did that too.... Buyers remorse? You better believe it!

Never would we ever recommend them as a cell service provider even if they were the last and only cell tower based provider, or, had a terabyte download speed in our area..... would pay more for a sat phone before ever going with them!
Click to expand...

I sure hope my cancellation turns out better than that!!!

Rob
 
Second Chance said:
Another afterthought... there's a firmware update available for the 8800L - have you done that? (I just did within the past couple of weeks).

Rob
Click to expand...

I have done the update, will see if it makes a difference.

Although we still carry around the satellite dish on the roof we have dumped DirecTV at home and on the road and now use YouTube TV for half the price and more content as well as a better picture. The buffering can be annoying at times but it seems to be mainly when watching mainstream programs like on Paramount Plus.

We also found a way round the HOME locality on YouTube so we can watch our home stations while in Colorado.

Thanks for the info everyone

Len
 
trailrydr said:
Never would we ever recommend them as a cell service provider even if they were the last and only cell tower based provider, or, had a terabyte download speed in our area..... would pay more for a sat phone before ever going with them!
Click to expand...

Different carrier just as frustrated. Forget data - can't make/receive phone calls, SMS texts fail, MMS texts don't go to entire distro, incoming calls go straight to voicemail and phone never rings, neighbor gets free extender which blocks all calls from half my house (not even a 911 call could go out but that at least got me an extender to overpower the neighbors extender after a PUC complaint - legal would have been next). Been with them 25 years and before that Bell Atlantic mobile, Nynex mobile, etc.

Now we find out many of our friends and family are having same issues and per tier 2, it's a network issue with phones not properly authenticating which keeps recurring and they don't know why. Pretty basic when you can't use your phone as a phone. Oh, and for 5 years we've been on a plan that cost us $60/month more than we should have been paying but we should still buy new phones. Yeah.

So we signed up with T-Mobile over 55 in March for 70/month both of us including taxes and two new phones. Best coverage from New England to South Dakota with only Southern IL exception.
 
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