Air Card Booster

[Evil_T0NY {CLR}]

Okay, my folks have the darndest luck with Air Card signal (G3), on their laptop.

When they read their signal when connected, they get either 20 or 30% , then they took it over to my neigbhors house, it gets incredtible signal

Someone suggested just getting an aircard BOOSTER....any idea how these works, if they're any good, and how they are installed into the Aircard?

[Sirex]

1 where is the wireless AP mast
2 whats line of sight like (objects, walls, esp sieves xD)

[Sirex]

Just so you know, something as simple as a house behind you being 1/2 inch taller, or even a telegraph pole can reduce signal quality, but not drastic.

Try this, walk from one door to the other slowly.
Look for the drop point, and have a look in the general area of the cell mast.
See if anything major like power lines etc are in the way.
A huge drop like that I'd expect its falling from 3g to edge connection.
So its likely enviromental interference, (something physical, metalic possibly)
but thats with out getting to assess the situation.
If you 'boosted' in that situation i doubt it would help, as much as you'd like.

edit: also if your card lets you keep an eye on quality and strengh (usually in dB of some form)
if quality is low and strengh is high its interfence
if strength low quality high its line of sight issues (things in the way)
not exactly presice, but rough guide

[Evil_T0NY {CLR}]

Sirex, dude...you're WAY over myhead. lol

"Cell Mast", Drop", "Edge connection" etc....all foreign to me.


I looked up a signal booster

Booster Antenna w/cables for Sierra Compass 597 w/cable [AT-BA-597] : 3Gstore.com


But, like you said, it might not even help? What do you mean by "cell mast"?

How do I even measure in terms of "strength" vs "quality"?

And "Telegraph" poles, didn't they exist before Alexander Graham Bell was born? lol

[Sirex]

your aircard will be using some cellular operator, the masts (cell towers like these) are in set locations

If you know the operator (tmob/at&t etc) look it up here
Cell Phone Towers - CellReception.com
type in your location, look for the mast on the operators site.

not the best i know but it helps locate direction

if you have the time and patence use
FCC Geographic Information Systems

never used it so no idea how to work it i'm afraid.

best bet i would say just now is to find out if its limited to the house the signal loss.

[Sirex]

If the drops just happening in the house, its possbile the booster will help,
but like i said it will not have the full effect you want, if somethings interfering.

For now test out where you are losing % on the signal.
walk around house, up down all around,
walk to doors, open, wait, close,
step outside, walk around a bit.
if your 'readings' are pretty well...
if its something inside you will notice the differnce the second you go near a window
if you get it close to the house but not away from it, its something uinside causing issues.
if you walk get a fall then rise i mean like 90 89 90 87 '30 31 36' 70 '40 30' 80
its a phyisical thing

-- bit more into it below--

If you have a program that runs for the aircard look on its status screen, (typically where you found the % before i assume)
see if there any other more detailed info in there.
be a bunch of numbers like in the 'status' page or something.

Keep an eye on those, esp ones marked strength
strength is how 'loud' the signal is, loud is good (lets say here)
quality is how it sounds

---/end#

think mall tanoy system hehe

there loud but you cant hear jack.
if you have a low quality thats bad.
louds not always good either but thats a but more detailed.

if you dont have anything else besides
Signal: 42%
work with it, look for it dipping fast.
it will generally 'wobble' before it falls if your quality is dropping.

[goldenfooler]

a telegraph pole

Heres your problem your using a telegraph pole...that was installed back around 120 years ago or more .
Also make sure your horse isn't blocking the signal as well. While your at it check the cow in the shed to see if she has kicked over the latern.


ok name the person in the song about the cow. (yes its part of an actual song)

[Sirex]

Neigh chance on the horse blocking it, it ran mooooooved away from the fire the cow started!
XD

We still use them here beleive it or not.
still install them too.
cheaper than under ground cables, faster to install.
although generally they only use them for harder to pass areas now
they are moving a lot to underground cables, most towns and that are underground,
but you still get the odd part of the network attached to the kaber!

[goldenfooler]

Neigh chance on the horse blocking it, it ran away from the fire the cow started!
XD

We still use them here beleive it or not.
still install them too.
cheaper than under ground cables, faster to install.
although generally they only use them for harder to pass areas now
they are moving a lot to underground cables, most towns and that are underground,
but you still get the odd part of the network attached to the kaber!

well call it telephone pole....it replaced the telegraph

[Sirex]

hehe guess that invention never really took off

But imo the issue ET has is somethings causing reception issues.
be it he uses the microwave too much,
or he has silver foil insulation under his roof...

if its like the insulation a booster would help,
if its something like is home phones or a near by wifi or something interfering,
it might not be worth it until he pins it down and fixes it.

hehe is one thing you could try...
DIY WIFI Antenna Reception Booster
see if using that helps XD
remember to use the aluminum foil on the back.
it would help, science says so XD

not kidding, it will help pinpoint where if anything you are losing signal.