Will this work?

[benlc]

Hello,

I've been planning my internet setup for a few days and have been wandering if what I have in mind would work. As many of you, I'll be living off the grid, often in the mountains and the need for a somewhat reliable way to go online in most places. In order to do this, I've been looking into receiving wifi signals from far away and boosting my 3g/4g signal for our 2 accounts: sprint and t-mobile. 

Options seem pretty underwhelming but I was eyeing this antenna which claims to support 3G / 4G / LTE / xLTE / Wi-Fi. I was hoping I would be able to use this antenna with both a 4g range extender (or this) and a wifi booster (without antenna) using a coax splitter. The idea of having only 1 antenna mounted is pretty attractive. I'm ok with having only one on at a time but I was wondering if this would even be possible? Otherwise any recommendation to achieve something similar? Price isn't too much of a concern (to a point) as this is what will generate my revenue.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[highdesertranger]

I don't know what part of the country you are talking about but out west in the mountains wifi will be a no go. also T-Mobile and Sprint are not the best choices unless you are close to a city. not a town but a city or interstate. highdesertranger

 

[benlc]

Thank you highdesertstranger. I experienced TMobile underperforming many times, I might complement with the $5/month unlimited Verizon if the setup end up being not good enough but I'm also aware no setup will bring me internet everywhere (aside from satellite which I'm not considering)

 

[highdesertranger]

out west Verizon is your best bet. but with mountains and valleys you still have issues in a lot of areas. highdesertranger

 

[MrNoodly]

That antenna and booster are excellent, but they're for cellular signals only, not wifi. The booster takes the cell signal and broadcasts it in your vehicle as wifi.

 

[benlc]

MrNoodly are you sure? The product description for the antenna says:
- Also compatible with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and 900 MHz radio systems

 

[MrNoodly]

I could be wrong.

 

[tx2sturgis]

The cell booster and the wifi 'boosters' are 2 different things, and even though some of the frequencies are similar, and that directional antenna is compatible with either, you still need a way to send the proper signals to the correct booster if you use only one antenna. BTW that antenna has an N connector, so you will likely need an adapter (or proper cable with different ends) to hook it up to the booster of your choice.

It's also possible that the RF transmit power from one booster will 'desense' or possibly damage the input to the other booster's pre-amp stage. The wifi 'booster' by Jefatech actually functions as a wifi repeater.

The best solution is to use separate antennas, and preferably at opposite ends of the vehicle (for signal isolation).

OR use an antenna switch to send the signal to the correct booster depending on whether you are using a distant public wifi point in an urban area, or a distant cellular tower when parked out in the boonies. If you do that, you have to be sure to turn OFF the booster or repeater you are not using.

It is possible to 'duplex' different transmitters onto the same antennas, and keep the signals isolated from each other, but the components needed to do this will exceed the cost of a separate antenna and mount.

 

[wagoneer]

Stopped wasting money on wifi antennas years ago, line of sight you have a chance.

 

[jimindenver]

Listen, Verizon sucks in a lot of places. Having multiple carriers is the best way to go. People complain about Sprint and T-mobile but I would have been without a usable signal in a number of places had I not had them. AT&T has near the same footprint as Verizon, just with half the users to congest the towers. I love my little 3G hotspot but it gets used less often than the rest. I am not talking the big city, I'm talking in the middle of no where that Verizon was getting its butt whooped.

 

[DLTooley]

3g from a line of sight connection can be surprising. This works best in areas that you spend time in regularly, so you know what to sight to.