VZW Samsung 4G LTE Network Extender 2 - Range and Whitelisting Configure by VZW Tech Support?

[SCOPUR20]

Received my VZW 4G network extender today with concerns and needs below. I was told by VZW a 2nd level rep two weeks ago that the range of the extender can be reduced from say 50 feet to say 30-35 feet and that VZW phone numbers can be whitelisted from the the VZW tech support end. Calling in this afternoon, different VZW tech rep says they have no information on that. I am in an apartment building, ground level, with foot traffic and a parking lot less than 50 feet away. For security reasons, I have a wired router (no Wifi) which using with the extender that has boosted my 4G dBm from 110-115 (1-2 signal bars) to around 75 dBm (5 bars). I have password protected the extender. Looking for the additional safeguards mentioned above to prevent unknown others from using the extender and my cable company's bandwidth for their calls, downloads, video, etc. Any advanced VZW tech or user insights into this?

[vzw_customer_support]

The security provided for the Samsung 4G LTE network extender would consist of the appropriate adminstrator password and security question. Please see link for details.

https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/knowledge-base-215978/

JoshuaC_VZW

[SCOPUR20]

So that as understand it prevents anyone from getting into the extender to get any of its status information or change its settings. So my phone works with the extender, but if have guests in my home with VZW mobiles, will they need my extender password to use the extender? If no, what would prevent any other VZW mobile from accessing it outside my apartment building as on the ground floor? That is sort of a rhetorical question, as found since I originally posted, this article https://www.samsung.com/global/business/networks/insights/news/verizon-and-samsung-unveil-4g-lte-net... which states 'the 4G LTE Network Extender is designed for self-installation, and uses Samsung's self-optimizing network technology to automatically learn its surroundings and adjust its coverage to improve user experience. ' p.s. Do not ask me to call VZW technical support as have been on the phone with them over 9 hours in over two weeks on this extender issue.

[vzw_customer_support]

Good question. To confirm, 4G Network Extenders are registered to your account directly. Therefore, in order for a VZW device to work in your home, they would need to be added to your account in order for the Network Extender to connect to any guest devices. Was this information helpful? You can get additional details clicking on the following link: http://spr.ly/6606Ekuxr

[SCOPUR20]

Figuring that Samsung has got to know about their 4G LTE Extender 2, I emailed them and got their helpful response below (its not in the 79 page online user manual) about the difficult question about the extender range. This seems to be my experience so far having had the extender for a week now. "Your mobile device must be within 15 feet* of the Network Extender to connect to it. Once connected, the mobile device can move up to 40 feet* away from the Network Extender and still be able to make a call or use data. Once you've connected to the Network Extender network, you can move within a broader coverage area (40 feet from the Network Extender or up to a 5,000 square foot area). You can make and receive calls as usual as long as you stay within the Network Extender coverage area. *The coverage area required to establish an initial connection and the broader coverage area of the Network Extender cannot be guaranteed and may vary due to environmental factors, such as physical structures and the strength of external tower coverage."

[SCOPUR20]

On same email response from Samsung tech support, got a response instruction about the whitelisting on this extender and awaiting further details on them about that if workable or not. One of moderators, please Private Message me for specifics.

[SCOPUR20]

In addition to taking the extender antenna and placed it with the provided 20-23 foot GPS cable on top of a door frame taped on bottom at other end of room from my windows facing the SW sky which did initially (clear instructions in the 79 page user manual), the answer to this is simple to limit the range of the extender in many situations, after talking with an engineering contact After log into the website interface of the extender as a user, go to Settings, Advanced, Transmit Power https://scache.vzw.com/dam/support/pdf/user_guide/samsung-network-extender-2-user-guide.pdf (this is on page 31 of 79 of the pdf or page 23 physical copy). When I first looked at the description 'You can use the slider to adjust the power transmitted by the 4G LTE Network Extender from full power (100 % = 20dBm) to lowest power (0 % = 10dBm). This is achieved by applying digital attenuation in 0.1 dB steps from 10dBm to 20dBm.' I thought, say what? What this does, is by reducing the power of the extender, it reduces the range, so in my case, I changed the setting from default of 100% to 75% (it can be adjusted in increments of 1%) and click Apply (done with a minute or two, no reboot needed), so this takes the extender range of around 48-50 feet and reduced that down to around 35 feet. It also reduces the initial connect range from the default 15-20 feet to say around 12 or so feet, putting it steps inside my *ground level* apartment door, and not transmitting it to outside my door, the apartment mailboxes, the sidewalk, etc. It also reduces the dBm strength so it still is 75-85 dBM (5 bars) say within 15 feet of the extender, but it can go to 90-95 dBm (3-4 bars) in the far room corner when get out to 30-35 feet from it, still very good, compared to weak 110-115 dBm (1-2 bars) inside before without the extender. Also have to experiment and tweak for your own environment if close by neighbors (never set close to or down to 0 as it makes the extender useless, reason they call it an Advanced setting) and of course building construction (wood, brick, etc.) inside and outside can affect the extender's signal range. After tweaking (first 80%, then 75%), I then confirmed for a few minutes by walking outside my apartment building from out of extender range and then to, no initial network connect could be made to the extender anywhere outside my apartment as could see. I have been monitoring it for five days now, and as far as can see so far, no unauthorized connections. Over the weeks, talked with at least several VZW tech support reps on the phone at all levels (1st, 2nd, and above), no one ever mentioned this in calls something the user can do had with them, which think in part the user manual description above of the Transmit Power setting is in very technical jargon which only the very most advanced technical minds can understand. This above will be helpful to some others, and the VZW tech team answering 1-800 user phone calls about the extender should know about this, pre-order sale and post-order sale. As far as the whitelisting, here is one issue with that thinking it through. If you call 911 to your home or business having the extender, if you done the whitelisting if that function was allowed, that would block first responders with VZW 4G LTE phones (police, fire, rescue) coming to save you i.e a medical emergency from using the cell signal inside, similar to the concept of a cellular jammer which is illegal in most cases. This could possibly create a legal liability issue, if such first responders cannot use their mobiles inside your premises to call the hospital or other first responders as needed. One solution to that, all first responders in all localities across the nation with Verizon Wireless phones, especially 4G as CDMA is being retired by around year, would need special software or hardware chips in their phones to allow automatic whitelisting. Also some updating of the software on the extender to allow this also. At best, expect this would take months to do if not longer. There may also be other reasons why whitelisting is not allowed.

[JACMD]

Question: Is this to say that end-user whitelisting functionality is now (unlike with the original/first itteration 4G LTE extender model) an available and supported offering/option (configurable via MYMZW) on the current and latest version 4G LTE Network Extender "2"?

e.g. as was previously offered/available with the original 3G network extender model one can finally choose to enable and impliment use of a closed network, this is now a possibility?

thank you

Jimmy

[vzw_customer_support]

Hello, JACMD. We understand the importance of the end-user having the option to add Whitelisting functionality. We are here to help with your concern. The latest version of the 4G LTE Network Extender 2 does not have the Whitelist functionality at this moment. May we ask the reason why you would want to add this type of function?

ChristianP_VZW

[jav6]

@vzw_customer_support  ,  @christianp_vzw  Wasn't it clear in their text:

"I too have the same issue and concern with others connecting to my range extender."

S-E-C-U-R-I-T-Y,  S-E-C-U-R-I-T-Y,  S-E-C-U-R-I-T-Y

[lmigliacci]

I too have the same issue and concern with others connecting to my range extender.

I see reference to a link that details Whitelisting so I can restrict those that connect to just those I want to connect.  That link is dead.

Verizon Moderator - please provide the information necessary to do this.  Thanks!

[vzw_customer_support]

lmigliacci,

I understand your concern with having others connecting to your extender. Whitelise is not an option on the 4G LTE Network Extender. Instead of this option, you now have the ability to control the Transmit Power under Advanced in Settings. This will help you set the range at which someone can connect to the device. Here is a link to the user guide with more information. http://spr.ly/6601EvgvJ

DerekR_VZW

[lmigliacci]

Hello Verizon,

Thank you for the reposnse.

However, adjusting the range power is not a viable option.  Signal still goes through a wall, floor or ceiling to other residences that in reality are only 8' feet away, not to mention out the window.  Without the whitelisting feature Verizon cannot guarantee that my family will all be among the 14 users allowed to connect to the device.  In addition, allowing others to connect to a device inside my personal network is a huge security issue, as well as allowing others to use my personal broadband connection to stream being very unacceptable for a variety of reasons.  Verizon has the ability to enable a whitlisting feature or to provide an alternate device that has that feature.  I am asking for Verizon to do one or the other to deal with this issue.  I look forward to Verizon's response.  Thank you!

[vzw_customer_support]

Thanks for getting back to us. I apologize that the information provided was not helpful, but we are determined to continue looking for a resolution for you. I would be happy to review your account in more details, to see if there is a whitelisting option because we take the security and privacy of our customer's extremely serious and the last thing we would want is for any of your information to be compromised. What's the best time and a good contact number where I can reach you?   ChetonJ_VZW

[lmigliacci]

Thanks for being willing to look into the issue, much appreciated.  Not really looking to put my personal email or cell number in this message.  How can we make contact without doing that?  Do you have access to my Verizon account based upon my logon to this community to get my cell number and call me?  Thanks.

[jav6]

You should be able to pull up an agents profile and possibly send them a private message with private info.  Also, click on the mail icon upper right to initiate one. They might have to request a PM from you before you can send them one.

[wgmann03]

So wait, there is no security on my extender. So a neighbor could easily leech off the $250 I spent, plus the monthly internet connect I pay for and utilize my internet connection to conduct their searches that may or may not question legal complications?

Serisouly Verizon, a whitelist option should be top priority for this. The unit says ‘open mode’ put it in a closed state for better security. 

[jkxs]

I just got my network extender yesterday and found this thread after googling the transmit power option. I think it is hilarious that there is no whitelisting option. In my case, I live in a single house so there is very little chance people walking on the road will connect (I just tested the range and it ends at my driveway). My current transmit power is at 20%. 

[lmigliacci]

I too have the same issue and concern with others connecting to my range extender.I see reference to a link that details Whitelisting so I can restrict those that connect to just those I want to connect.  That link is dead.

Verizon Moderator - please provide the information necessary to do this.  Thanks!