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External Antenna 4510L

I have a MiFi 4510L which has an external antenna connection. I would like to install an external antenna on my motorhome. Is it a connection for 3G or 4G and does this antenna use 3G or 4G frequency? Can anyone recommend an external antenna to use?

Charlie

Comments

John_Getzke

Someone else asked the same question earlier, but we weren't able to get confirmation on the 4G antenna part.

I do not have access to a 4G external antenna but I will confirm for you that my 3G antenna does work. Here is a link to the Sierra wireless antenna that I am currently using with my MiFi 4510L:

https://www.sierrawireless.com/wheretobuy/onlinestore/default.aspx?SCID=6&ShowAccessories=yes&SKU=60...

The antenna that I am using suits my purposes. I can normally get a lower than -80 dB signal where I work and use my device the most with this antenna plugged in. Without the antenna I tend to hover between -80 and -90 dB. Depending on the signal that you are currently recieving and the ammount of money you want to spend there are many suitable options to choose from.

In general, anything that is powered is going to have a better improvement than something that is not powered. The high end antennas and repeaters sold by Wilson Electronics tend to be pretty popular when you can affix it to something permanent. There is also a great device called the Pepwave Surf which we have discussed on this forum that would be a good middle ground. Anything below $50.00 is generally going to be unpowered and a low end antenna with the least ammount of improvement.

Hope this helps. Feel free to post any other questions that you have.

gerrshel

The Sierrawireless link does not return any "find" on their site, how about a model #, etc.?

John_Getzke

Try this link:

https://www.sierrawireless.com/en/wheretobuy/onlinestore/default.aspx?SCID=6&ShowAccessories=yes&SKU=6000374&CID=6

"6 band Blade Antenna with TS9 Connector"

I purchased it for my old Sierra Wireless USB Modem. Thankfully the antenna ports on the MiFi were compatible.

gerrshel

Thanks, that one works. So, the TS9 connector will plug directly into the MiFi4510? Also,I am in a 3G only area, generally can get 2 bar signal, sometimes 3. I am not sure if I would benefit any with the addition of an external antenna. What would I be looking for in the internal settings in terms of signal stregnth, etc.?

I am new to using the MiFi, I've only had it about 2 weeks. I am hoping it will replace the WildBlue sattelite we've used for about 4+ years now (not any other good choices where I am located), but I haven't quit the WB service yet, want to be sure this will really work well. When the VZW MiFi works, it is definitely quicker than the satelite service, but it's had plenty of slow/stalled episodes so far. Don't want to give up on it yet, have been reading a fair amount in these forumns, I sure I have some more questions when I get time..... thanks

John_Getzke

gerrshel wrote:
So, the TS9 connector will plug directly into the MiFi4510?

Yup. There is a port on one of the sides where you can attach the external antenna directly to the device.

gerrshel wrote:
What would I be looking for in the internal settings in terms of signal stregnth, etc.?

A good 3G wireless signal is considered to be around -80 dB or better (poorer signals are -100 dB or higher). You can view your diagnostics log andmodem status with the steps below. The diagnostics are much more accurate than the "bars" of service displayed on the E-Ink.

Lookup Wireless Diagnostic Statistics

1. Sign into your MiFi

2. Navigate to Advanced > Diagnostics

3. Click the Modem Status button

4. Scroll down and review your 3G/CDMA signal

5. Click the Modem Status button repeatedly to get a good average

I will advise that you act quickly while you evaluate your MiFi. There are many users on this forum that find the service to be unacceptable when it comes to disconnections and other issues. You might have already gone past your 14 day return policy so the sooner you can make your decision the better off you will be.

gerrshel

Thanks, John... appears that I have a pretty good signal already without external antenna. I don't see exactly "3G/CDMA" line. Would the EVDO line be the only one that would mean anything to me, being that I am 3G service only? What do the other entries mean? I copied/ pasted what I see in the diagnostics that looked like signal information ....

FWIW, I have until Jan. 15 to bail out on the contract, holiday promotion of some sort. My knee jerk is that I'll keep it at this point, although I do have a few other questions to ask regarding router abilities and firmware.... Thinking I should start a new thread for that? thanks again

Gerry

Signal - EVDO: -80 dBm

Signal - 1X: -85 dBm

Signal - LTE: -80 dBm

SINR - LTE: 4 dB

Ec/Io : -7.00 dB

John_Getzke

Interesting.

You say you are in a 3G only area but your device is recieving a 4G signal. When I review my MiFi the LTE signal displays as "Not Available". Perhaps something has changed in your enviornment or Verizon is testing a new tower in the area. You might want to try restricting your device to 3G only to eliminate the hand-off scenarios that so many are having problems with.

There is not CDMA signal statistic, but you can use the EVDO statistics to measure your 3G. The other entries are for 2G (1x) and 4G (LTE). SINR is signal strength to interferance ratio, not sure if that statistic is supposed to be high or low. My SINR LTE is 30 dB. Not sure what Ec/lo is, but mine is also -7 dB.

New threads for new questions and issues is always best. Otherwise the forum threads get cluttered and confusing for future readers who are trying to find answers to thier questions.

techismylife

Go with a 9.5" Full Band Outdoor Omni Antenna it is intended for 3G and 4G LTE even comes with 2-20 foot cables, you can use 20 feet or daisy chain for 40 feet,

http://3gstore.com/product/3047_3g4g-full-band-outdoor-omni-antenna.html

Read reviews about it:

http://3gstore.com/product/3047_3g4g-full-band-outdoor-omni-antenna.html#Tab2

gerrshel

John_Getzke wrote:
Interesting.

You say you are in a 3G only area but your device is recieving a 4G signal. When I review my MiFi the LTE signal displays as "Not Available". Perhaps something has changed in your enviornment or Verizon is testing a new tower in the area. You might want to try restricting your device to 3G only to eliminate the hand-off scenarios that so many are having problems with.

The next day(15th) there is an article in the local paper touting the fact that VZW will have 4G running in all of it's current markets in Northern Idaho/Spokane/Eastern Washinton by December 31st. .I am in Sandpoint, Idaho. Assume that has something to do with showing a LTE value.

Meanwhile I have restricted my 4510 to "CDMA/EVDO only"... when it works it works reasonably well, when it stops, might as well go do something else. Since you've educted me about signal data, I've learned that when it gets really slow, the Evdo sigal changes from -75 /-80 range to something more like -100 or higher. Moving the unit around doesn't really help when this happens. A restart does sem to help....My wife is ready to give it back(or toss it out the window), I think it is much faster than WildBlue when it is working good, but certainly not very consistent... maybe an antenna would help, there is a good read on the above referenced website about deciding if an antenna will help. I haven't had the time to research it more yet ,... Also hoping 4G doesn't just mean more problems like so many others report.

run2it2

My 4510 is junk, can'y update tech wrote up a "ticket" and got an email with a ticket number and that was the 12th ov Nov, when I inquired about it the reply was to contact tech support ... hmmmmm that's what I did already. I have an external antenna on my motorhome and got service everywhere even in Death Valley at Dumont dunes, with my prior device, 770 expresscard wireless modem. The antenna is 1 of the ones that the truckers use by wilson, http://www.wilsonelectronics.com/ProductDetails.aspx?Product=31&title=Trucker+Mirror+Mount+Antennas+(301101%2f301701)&Category=26

gerrshel

Just an update ... 4G LTE did indeed become available ... a few days after my last post. I am not sure exactly when since I had restricted MiFi4510 to "CDMA/EVDO only"... finally occurred to me to change it ... So now I've had it set to CDMA/LTE and the diagnostic section does not even show any signal except for LTE - about-80 Db+/- ... has been pretty much consistant and it has worked fairly well, there have been a few freeze-ups but not for about a week now, usually would amount to a restart on the MiFi. Don't know about the claim of 10x faster, but beats the satellite speeds bigtime.... Not sure that I will need an antenna at this point. Guessing I will ditch the WildBlue by the end of Jan.

I would like to figure out how to replace the satellite feed into my existing home wireless network with the VZW signal. As it stands now I am jumping back and forth between 2 wifi(1 the MiFi, 1 my existing wireless network with the WB modem feeding it) signals in order to use wireless printers and network to a desktop the does not have a wireless adapter ... Happy New Year

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