Re: Increasing reception in outlaying areas...
jav6
Champion - Level 3

John, on my iPad, I fire up Chrome and go to https://community.verizonwireless.com and Sign In with My Verizon account login.  My name shows below the My Verizon choice and the number to the left is the number of messages in the Inbox.  Tap that number and you'll go to the Inbox.  There should be a message, I think, to accept my request to 'Follow' you. Then you should be able to send me a private message, maybe.  I haven't done this with any other non-Verizon users yet.

...Just another VZW customer...trying to offer some assistance...
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Re: Increasing reception in outlaying areas...
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

The other user needs to send you a follow request too and you need to accept it before the Direct Message system will allow you to send a message to each other.

PS using the desktop view of the community helps to view the full features of the site.

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

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Re: Increasing reception in outlaying areas...
ADFAMCORP
Newbie

I hope I did everything correctly so we can email?

I will be gone all day on personal business.  Be back about 5 - 5:30 PM EST...

Thanks for everyone's help.  I don't feel so all alone now...

John

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Re: Increasing reception in outlaying areas...
John_Getzke
Champion - Level 1

There are a ton of posts to sift through so forgive me if I have overlooked something.

From what I can tell this user does not have access to a landline internet connection (coax,dsl,fiber).  He uses satellite for his TV at the moment and there may be a local Muni WiFi service provider in his area willing to broadcast a WiFi broadband signal to him, but that is unconfirmed.

That means all Verizon Network Extenders are out of the equation.  NEs are only going to help if there is a reliable broadband connection behind them providing a consistent connection.  Satellite and Muni WiFi isn't going to cut it in my experience.

That leaves him with the a 4G router that talks directly to his local tower(s?).  The best thing he can do is boost his reception with a booser/amplifier kit.  I cant tell if he already purchased one or not but it sounds like he has and also worked with a local tech at some point or another (for the GPS concern?).

Roof mounting the GPS antenna should not be necessary.  Satellites would be just as visible a window facing the equator with a clean line of sight as they would on the roof, although roofs will certainly perform better.  Having to mount a GPS antenna on the roof suggests the area is covered heavily by trees or other objects that are otherwise not present on the roof.  Users need a minimum of 4-5 good GPS satellites to get a lock.  There is not much of an advantage of viewing more than the minimum with these devices as they are stationary.  Once locked the GPS coordinates are not very important anymore.  GPS performance is not related to the throughput of the device itself.

So... If this were me I would spend my time playing with the booster kit to get the best VZW service that I could in this environment.  Sounds like he already has a roof mounted antenna to play with so I'd consider adding that to the solution to improve the results.  If the native signals in the area are too poor to begin with then the booster isn't going to make much of a difference and alternative service providers or setups should be considered.  Generally speaking placing the antenna higher in the air in addition to a higher powered antenna/booster kit will improve the results.

Re: Increasing reception in outlaying areas...
stef7
Master - Level 2

Your post was very good.

He claimed in an earlier response he was using Direct TV, but would move to DISH at the end of the month.

If he's using DirectTV, the only way I know for that service to get to a house is over wire coming into the house. A digital signal that supports a TV image is higher bandwidth than one for voice, right?

If this is the case, he might have the option to go with a bundle and add internet. Heck, he might ask them for a discount to bundle and stay with that service.

Alternatively, he calls AT&T (?) and asks for just high-speed internet and acquires TV via internet. I don't know what his or his wife's viewing habits are, but with the computer and phone equipment he's invested in,

          WI-Fi has 2 phones and 4 computers.  2 laptop pc's and 2 IPads...

seems he could stream news from CNN for example onto Phone ,computer, pad, .and depending on TV, to the TV. Smiley Happy

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Re: Increasing reception in outlaying areas...
stef7
Master - Level 2

John's post is good, but please do this simple experiment and report what you get.

When you are outside at your property, what is your signal strength and upload/download speed to that tower? When your almost at the intersection of those two roads, again, what is your signal strength and your upload/download speed?

What I'd hate for the OP to do is invest a good chunk of change in an Amplifier, just to amplify a poor signal, or a connection with a poor upload/download speed. You can't amplify your way out of that box.

Also, just call DirectTV, and price a bundle (TV + Internet), and call AT&T and price out just Internet.

Best of luck.

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Re: Increasing reception in outlaying areas...
John_Getzke
Champion - Level 1

There is a great guide here that can assist in determining if a amplifier kit is worth the investment or not:

https://3gstore.com/page/13_will_an_antenna_help_me.html

If you purchase anything be sure you are aware of the return, warranty and support policies.  Most of the vendors offering these devices have some leniency built in to help people test and try the equipment before they are locked into it.  Small fees may apply to restock the gear if its returned but that's better than being out the entire investment with a device that doesn't help.

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Re: Increasing reception in outlaying areas...
ADFAMCORP
Newbie

Thanks, John...

That's a good thing to know...

John

On Fri, Oct 6, 2017 at 4:05 PM, John_Getzke <forums@verizonwireless.com>

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