Using Winegard Air 360+ antennas for other cellular devices

[fire41108]

Awesome so I’ll get a splitter cause my 3/4g is one antenna. Thank you.

 

[mrb188]

Sorry, i misunderstood. If you only have one cellular antenna input on your hotspot then you only need one of the antennas. Simply choose either the yellow or green connection, both should work the same.

 

[Mulligan]

Thanks

Thanks for the information.
Any pictures of the installation?
How difficult was to run the wires to the coffee bar?

Many thanks
Coops

 

[Soundsailor]

Thanks for the information.
Any pictures of the installation?
How difficult was to run the wires to the coffee bar?

Many thanks
Coops

Try to use "Reply With Quote" when answering a post, that way everyone knows who you're referring to.

 

[Mulligan]

We just purchased a 2022 Reflection 280RS that has the Winegard Air 360+ pre-installed. Since I didn't like the pricing plans being offered and I already had a cellular modem (Sierra Wireless RV55) laying around I wanted to try tapping into the antenna lines and extending them to a location I could easily install the modem when needed. The process was fairly straight forward and simple. The preinstalled cables are color coded and easy to differentiate between the two LTE (green & yellow) for cellular and one WiFi (red) connection above the prep plate. These preinstalled cables use MCX male connectors. I purchased a MCX female to SMA female adapter and a SMA male to SMA male cable. This will allow connection to the cellular modem or if using a smaller hotspot type device that usually have the MCX connectors. Since we have the coffee bar I chose to drill a smaller hole above and pull the cables above the ceiling and drop down above the cabinet. Coincidentally there is switched 12V above the cabinet as well for the recessed led cabinet lighting that already had a Wago connector with a free port. The cell tower is extremely close to my home so testing with and without being connected to the Air360 + showed little difference. I currently have Verizon and AT&T sim cards installed and can manually switch between the two. Waiting to head out and try in a more "challenging" condition. Hopefully this may be useful to someone looking to do the same thing. Here is a link to the items purchased on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CWZFRTU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/DHT-Electronics-coaxial-adadpter-female/dp/B00CWZDCUQ/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1ZVOZCFK9RS7G&keywords=sma+female+to+mcx+male&qid=1678248015&s=electronics&sprefix=Sma+female+to+mcx+male%2Celectronics%2C173&sr=1-3

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07M9QTKFL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks for the information.
Any pictures of the installation?
How difficult was to run the wires to the coffee bar?

Many thanks
Coops

 

[mrb188]

Coops,

I think I have pics somewhere, I will look. Nothing really to see, when you drop the inside plate the wires are right there and color-coded. The hardest part was pushing through the ceiling. I used a hole saw and drilled a hole large enough to get my fingers into and have a decent target to hit with the fish tape. I was also able to stay inline with the ceiling speaker and pull it out temporarily to use as as a place to help guide the fish tape to its final destination. If you push the hole as far back as possible above the coffee bar it is basically invisible from the floor. I would definitely recommend a flat fish tape due to the rib structure and insulation in the ceiling. That was the hardest part but not terrible.

 

[BillandLisa]

Great information Matt. Would like to get your insight for my situation. Currently camping 1 weekend a month so paying for a dedicated data plan is not very economical. I invested and installed a WeBoost and currently use that to boost the cell phone signal available inside the camper and just use my cell phone as a hot spot. In the next year or two we will be taking some longer trips and am leaning towards adding the journeyXTR to allow several devices to connect at once with higher throughput. I believe I could take the boosted signal from the WeBoost and feed one of the antenna inputs on the Journey from my WeBoost amplifier. (Agree/disagree?).
I am assuming the journeyXTR allows encrypted wifi output to keep others from accessing my network but would you still recommend using a Beryl (GL-MT1300) router for increased security? Thanks in Advance.
Bill

 

[mrb188]

Great information Matt. Would like to get your insight for my situation. Currently camping 1 weekend a month so paying for a dedicated data plan is not very economical. I invested and installed a WeBoost and currently use that to boost the cell phone signal available inside the camper and just use my cell phone as a hot spot. In the next year or two we will be taking some longer trips and am leaning towards adding the journeyXTR to allow several devices to connect at once with higher throughput. I believe I could take the boosted signal from the WeBoost and feed one of the antenna inputs on the Journey from my WeBoost amplifier. (Agree/disagree?).
I am assuming the journeyXTR allows encrypted wifi output to keep others from accessing my network but would you still recommend using a Beryl (GL-MT1300) router for increased security? Thanks in Advance.
Bill

Bill,
I would use a device like the Beryl now with your phone. That would be the "router" for the cell data hotspot you are sharing and work just fine. You can use the USB charging cable and plug your phone directly into the Beryl (not sure if Android supports this however iPhone does) and act as the network cable passing the data directly to the Beryl (router) and all the devices in your camper would simply connect to the Beryl like they do any other wireless router. If you get a JourneyXTR you would only need it as it is the router and has all security protocols like any other wireless router with no need for additional devices. I wouldn't recommend connecting the JourneyXTR directly to the WeBoost if it is a direct connect. If you have the wireless WeBoost version it may work but my success with those has not been very successful. I use the WeBoost Drive Sleek in my truck which has a cradle your phone will sit in and they work well. Hope this helps and answers your questions.

 

[mrb188]

There has been a change to the JourneyXTR if you are considering purchasing. I originally posted that it used the 3 majors carriers Verizon, AT&T & T-Mobile. It actually uses US Cellular and not Verizon which may cause an issue for some people in different areas. For example we were in an area this weekend that only had Verizon and i had to use my cellphone hotspot since we have Verizon. TravelFi did tell me they are in talks with Verizon but nothing setup yet. Just FYI.

 

[BillandLisa]

Thanks Matt,
Makes sense to only use one router vice 2
I have an android phone which only has the single usb C connection point. I assume if connecting to the beryl router I would connect to the USB 3.0 port. Do you know if that connection would also charge my phone? (if not I could get a contact charger.
As far as the WeBoost I have the Drive RV package - https://www.amazon.com/weBoost-4703...15627&sprefix=weboost+drive+rv,aps,253&sr=8-3
The outside antenna is mounted on my ladder and runs into the rig through the seal on my mid bunk room. It is connected to a amplifier there and then transmits the boosted signal to a directional antenna. I was considering using that boosted cell signal to connect to one of the antenna inputs on the JourneyXTR.
While the Beryl is close to $100 less than the JourneyXTR and I need to have a subscription for the JourneyXTR, I would not have my phone tied to the rig to power connectivity (wife is recovering from cancer due to meds takes naps. I normally take the dogs for a walk to minimize noise and movement. taking my phone with me would take away her TV background noise or we make her cell phone the primary connectivity source.