Any experience with weBoost 4g cell phone boosters?

T

TwoPlusLu

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Hello All,

We have looked through the threads available here and can find limited advice on cell phone boosters available on the market as of Jan 2017 and how well they have worked for people. Wilson seems to be recommended, but they are no longer in business, and have become weBoost, as far as I can tell.
There are a few models available, and they range from $175 up to $500 on amazon. Here are a couple of links. Does any have any experience with these? If so, how have they worked for you.

https://www.amazon.com/weBoost-Signal-Booster-Cradle-Holder/dp/B00RHMFPCW/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1484204623&sr=8-5&keywords=we+boost

https://www.amazon.com/weBoost-Drive-Phone-Signal-Booster/dp/B00RHMFPEU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1484204623&sr=8-4&keywords=we+boost

https://www.amazon.com/weBoost-Drive-Phone-Signal-Booster/dp/B00WMFXE5O/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1484204623&sr=8-8&keywords=we+boost

https://www.amazon.com/weBoost-Drive-Signal-Booster-Trucker/dp/B01GDZLUJ0/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1484204623&sr=8-11&keywords=we+boost

We will be travelling full time throughout the US and Canada over the next year or so, and work remotely, so internet is a must. We use an ATT hotspot and also have a Verizon phone hotspot as a backup (not looking to open a discussion on the best carrier). I am looking for the best system available to maintain 4g internet (within $$$ reason). More reliable phone and text are also a plus.

If anyone can recommend any other boosters, systems, or supplemental equipment we are not considering and is currently available for purchase, we are all ears for your suggestions.

Thank you much!
 
At a Google search use the following search term between the quotes
"site:wanderthewest.com wilson cellphone amplifier booster"

You should find several related threads. weboost is the new name for Wilson boosters

Paul
 
PaulT said:
At a Google search use the following search term between the quotes
"site:wanderthewest.com wilson cellphone amplifier booster"

You should find several related threads. weboost is the new name for Wilson boosters

Paul
Click to expand...
Thank you for the tip, Paul.

I have tried the google search technique and haven't found much / what I am looking for, beyond that Wilson is recommended.

Perhaps, I will rephrase my inquiry as, has anyone used any of the products in the links and had good or bad success worth sharing.

Also, if you were to buy a single system today for the best 4g boosting capability, what would it be?

Thanks again!
 
TwoPlusLu-- You may have already seen this if you've been searching the web but I thought it might be interesting for other readers of the thread.

All-
This video seems like a great intro to the subject. It includes how to get db readings on Android phones and iphone, antennas, metal plate considerations, etc. (Also- there's more info in the SHOW MORE dropdown to the video)


 
Another interesting video from RV Tito on weBoost units is on this web page. This one (and the page itself) compares the RV-4G to the Drive 4GX model.


Bottom line: The RV model is more powerful but comes at the cost of antenna positioning hassle and requires a 20-foot separation between external and internal antennas. It also can't be used while driving.
 
Old Crow said:
TwoPlusLu-- You may have already seen this if you've been searching the web but I thought it might be interesting for other readers of the thread.

All-
This video seems like a great intro to the subject. It includes how to get db readings on Android phones and iphone, antennas, metal plate considerations, etc. (Also- there's more info in the SHOW MORE dropdown to the video)


Click to expand...

Old Crow said:
Another interesting video from RV Tito on weBoost units is on this web page. This one (and the page itself) compares the RV-4G to the Drive 4GX model.


Bottom line: The RV model is more powerful but comes at the cost of antenna positioning hassle and requires a 20-foot separation between external and internal antennas. It also can't be used while driving.
Click to expand...
old crow,

thank you for the reference to RV with Tito, this is some good information on the weboost products.

Anyone else have experience with any of the weboost models?

thanks!
 
I tried the Drive 4G-X in 2015 and couldn't get it to work consistently. I talked to WeBoost support and they admitted to having problems with this model which had just come out. One problem was the wrong power adapter in the package, so they sent the correct one but that didn't help. They recommended returning the unit to the dealer which I did. I assume they have the bugs worked out by now, but it would be prudent to buy from an authorized dealer.
 
Bigfoot said:
I tried the Drive 4G-X in 2015 and couldn't get it to work consistently. I talked to WeBoost support and they admitted to having problems with this model which had just come out. One problem was the wrong power adapter in the package, so they sent the correct one but that didn't help. They recommended returning the unit to the dealer which I did. I assume they have the bugs worked out by now, but it would be prudent to buy from an authorized dealer.
Click to expand...
Bigfoot,
thanks for the feedback about your experience. I plan to purchase direct from the manufacturer (through amazon) if/when I pull the trigger, so hopefully that will minimize any issues with potential problems that arise.
 
I have been using Wilson cell boosters since 2010. I highly recommend them. (I have nothing to do with the company - just a happy customer).

I own a 4g unit from when the company was still Wilson. The model is a mobile 4G, SmarTech III, model no 460008. Weboost is just a new name for the company. I also have a 3G unit from before the 4g units came out. Without question they work great. I have verizon cell service. I spend a lot of time camping and hunting in remote areas of the southwest and Rockies. Countless times I have gone from no signal/connection to streaming video with an LTE connection. Or from no connection to enough signal to send/receive text messages and make calls. It is not unusual to have boosted cell service 50 miles or more from the nearest unboosted cell service.

One thing with the 4g unit is sometimes it loses the LTE signal so I have to toggle in and out of airplane mode on the phone to get LTE to come back on.

The technical and general customer service has always been great when it was Wilson and remained great when the name changed to weboost.
 
IMG_1028.JPG
 
abqbw said:
. . .

It is not unusual to have boosted cell service 50 miles or more from the nearest unboosted cell service.

One thing with the 4g unit is sometimes it loses the LTE signal so I have to toggle in and out of airplane mode on the phone to get LTE to come back on.
Click to expand...
I'm surprised that you can use signals from that far away. I can get great signal from 40 - 50 miles on occasion but the tower will usually drop my call because of transmission delay.

jim
 
Thank you both for the feedback. Ended up purchasing the weboost (wilson) drive 4g-x otr (truck edition). Was an expensive investment, but after more reading and research and comments here decided to pull the trigger. Our jobs depend on Internet connectivity, so we wanted to give ourselves a good chance of having Internet whenever possible. Technomadia (rv mobile Internet. Com) was a good resource as well mentioned in this thread. Will have a chance to test out next week and over the next year or more on the road and will report back to the thread. Will also post pictures of the install of the large antenna up top and hardware inside the camper soon.
 
TwoPlusLu,

I am curious how you ended up installing the booster? I have the same unit sitting on a shelf right now, and am thinking about the install. My questions are mostly about the antennas - where did you mount the (large) out side antenna, and will it work well with the top up and down? Secondly, what did you do with the smaller inside antenna? Ideally I would like this to work both while driving (so antenna in the truck cab between the front seats) and while camped (antenna in the camper). My thought was to buy a second inside antenna and mount it in the camper with a two way coaxial switch so I can switch between the truck cab antenna and camper antenna. Any thoughts?
 
Looks like the inside antenna could be installed on the front camper window in order to have the signal available for use inside the cab and inside the camper. Unless your truck rear window has a metal film coating, it should pass through both window panes with sufficient strength to work well.

For the outside antenna, follow the installation instructions especially with respect to any discussion of ground plane requirements and outside antennas nearby.

Paul
 
The issue I foresee is that the inside antenna needs to be "within 36 inches of where the cellular device will be used" and the suggested location is the side of the passenger or drivers seat. If I mount it on the rear window (we have a 4 door tacoma) it will not be within the 36" of either the driving position or the rear dinette in the camper. It may be close enough - I guess the easiest option would be to try it and see how it works out.
 
PS I specifically bought the 'OTR Trucker' antenna as it is ground plane independent. With the camper cab over it makes it impractical to use the little ground plane required magnetic antenna with the regular booster as it would be under the cab over. My plan at the moment is to mount the antenna on the rear wall of the camper, maybe with some sort of extension to raise it when we pop the top. Hopefully this would get us the necessary separation between the inside and outside antennas.
 
I have a side dinette and there is a small 'cabinet' above the window and I mounted the inside antenna on the side of it over the table, I use mine only when I'm in the camper and parket. I used silicone to attach a galvanized plate to the top rear of my camper above the door and mount my outside antenna there and my booster is mounted next to the door on the inside left.
 
So here is what I came up with for the weeboost OTR antenna -

Deployed:
IMG_0016.jpg

And stowed:
IMG_0015.jpg

The 80/20 cross bars on the back are super useful for trying out stuff like this.

I am still wiring up the inside antenna - I will try putting it on the rear window of the truck cab and see if that will work for both the cab and camper.
 
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