Methods used to capture that extra bar on the Mobile Dongle

P_Cash

Hi all,

I thought id start a thread for ideas on how people deal with that sim card which is either in a mobile stick or in a wifi unit to receive the 3G broadband.
And how to push this to the limit (basically break a leg to get that next bar)

I started out myself (o2 here) with a sim card in a wifi unit, which would be on the window and the wifi transmitted then in the house,

here were my findings:

1, The unit picked up a better signal upstairs in the window which faced the mast i was picking up (be sure to know where your mast is, go here http://www.askcomreg.ie/mobile/siteviewer.273.LE.asp to find your mast and be sure your aiming for that direction)

2, The wifi unit itself is crap, the signal in the house was weak, and ended up settling for less signal and speed and move it to a downstairs window.

3, i then decided to see could I increase this signal, so i bought an unlocked stick on ebay, and a tp-link 3G router, and placed the stick on bracket screwed high up on the downstairs window, and it worked a treat, was able to go from 2mb DL to about 4mb.

4, When i tried this upstairs i can get 5/6mb, so this is where i got thinking.


I seen somewhere on the internet where someone placed the dongle in a water proof box, and ordered a long USB on the net, placed the box outside on the roof or even under an eve, and ran the cable in to the 3G router. this would maximize the signal.

my questions on this are


water proof box? has anyone tried this?, the dongle heats up? is that an issue? moisture/damp could there be a problem there,

long USB, how long? could you lose speed on the cable if its long?


on another note, i seen a few people mention using a satellite dish, and the stick placed where the LNB would be, or the stick taped to the LNB, any feed back on this?

Tinfoil? same as the dish i guess, smaller scale. does it work?

Im thinking of the water proof box idea, running the cable (but as short as possible) to the 3G router, setting up another router from the 3g with cat5 to down stairs and using wifi from this one.


so, whats your set up,

how mad? even if the dongle is up a tree

P_Cash

just spotted this on another thread

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3G-Wireless-Broadband-35dBi-Yagi-Antenna-RP-SMA-Plug-Signal-Booster-Repeater-/111412897823?tfrom=121156227120&tpos=top&ttype=price&talgo=undefined


perhaps getting a 3gmodem/router which takes a simcard, and the above Ariel is a better option

ralphie

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056698625
Have a look at this.Pretty good information.

long_b

USB modem taped to inside of an upturned plastic drinks bottle that I had cut in half.
This is on a stick that's attached to the gutter.
3m USB lead in the window to TP Link 3G router.(1st gen TL-MR3420)

Very not fancy but no issues over the last year. Have spare USB modems so not worried if the one in the bottle gets fried at some stage.

Tip: Found I got better download speeds from the TP Link by disabling wifi in the router settings.