Ways to increase Last Mile broadband reception?

myironlung

We've been with Last Mile broadband for a few years now. It's a terrible service but without any other options where we live we have to stick with it.

There is a wireless receiver on the side of our house which is pointed at a transmitter about a mile a way, not very far at all (see pictures attached, transmitter is on the roof of the tall building in the distance, behind the trees(IMG_0020.JPG)). I think the technology is Wimax but I may be wrong about that, someone here will probably know.

Anyway, the service is Line of Sight which becomes a problem every summer when our neighbours trees grow leaves again. Sometimes its not too bad but it seems to get worse in rain. The combination of rain and leaves cuts the internet to nothing at all or a crawl.

I've tried many times to get Last Mile to do something about it but they don't seem too bothered. They know that we have no other choice so do nothing.

So as I see it I have 2 options:
1. Move the receiver very far down the garden, in order to get a clear line of sight.
2. Get a better way of receiving the signal.

The first option I really don't want to do as it would involve creating a wireless bridge to the garage and then digging a long trench down the garden and placing the wire in it in something to protect it. And then having to attach the receiver to an old stone wall. (On top of it all it would look really ugly in the garden)

So if I can I'll do the second option. Does anybody know of a receiver I could upgrade to to get a better signal? Perhaps a dish of some sort? And how do I go about installing it?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

myironlung

I'm pretty sure this is what the receiver is: http://www.airspan.com/products/micromax-micro-cell-wimax/

http://site.airspan.com/products/end-user-devices/prost-and-prost-wifi/

bigpaddy2004

That cpe has the antenna built into it, you can not get a dish to suit them.
Can the antenna not go up on a pole on the chimney to give you the extra height that 'might' help the signal?

myironlung

No, it's not high enough, the trees still block it just as much.

matt-dublin

cut the trees down?

that cable that plugs into the back og the antenna / plug is also limited to 90 metres if you decide to repeat it.

bigpaddy2004

matt-dublin wrote: »

cut the trees down?

that cable that plugs into the back og the antenna / plug is also limited to 90 metres if you decide to repeat it.

There not his trees!

jor el

myironlung wrote: »

The combination of rain and leaves cuts the internet to nothing at all or a crawl.

I've tried many times to get Last Mile to do something about it but they don't seem too bothered.

I don't see how Lastmile can do anything about the weather, or the trees on someone else's property. Interference is always a problem with a wireless technology, and especially where line of sight is a must, and clearing the path between you and the high-site is not something the operator can or should do.

If you can't move the receiver, or cut down the trees, then there's not a lot you can do. Any change to the receiver at your house would have to be done by Lastmile, as you can't just install a receiver of your own and expect it to work, or even be supported by the operator.

myironlung

jor el wrote: »

I don't see how Lastmile can do anything about the weather, or the trees on someone else's property....

That's just a stupid response, I never said that they could. If you can't say something constructive don't say anything at all!

jor el wrote: »

Any change to the receiver at your house would have to be done by Lastmile....

They could move the reciever down the garden, but they won't do that. Surely they should be trying to get the sevice to work for their customers, thats what we're paying them for.