WeBoost

[1Louder]

Phil -

Watching the videos do you really have to have the phone right next to that antenna cradle?

I was hopeful I could mount it in the camper but still have better signal in the truck ?


Appreciate any insight on this...


Best,

John

Unless you have the indoor RV antenna it has to be right next to it. Even in the RV setups I have seen I think you have to pretty close to it. My plan was to tether to my phone and leave it in place next to the antenna but it just hasn't worked well.

 

[2Jeeps&PatriotX1]

I put my Verizon jetpack within a 1-2 feet of the inside antenna and thats works for me.


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[taugust]

Phil -

Watching the videos do you really have to have the phone right next to that antenna cradle?

I was hopeful I could mount it in the camper but still have better signal in the truck ?


Appreciate any insight on this...


Best,

John

The phone does need to be in very close proximity to the inside antenna. You can't boost between vehicles.

 

[jhmoore]

I put my Verizon jetpack within a 1-2 feet of the inside antenna and thats works for me.


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And how far away from your Verizon JetPack are you then working?

 

[jhmoore]

Just to add to my comment, I could care less if I have voice signal service, I bought the weBoost setup so wife and I can can work remotely during our trips. The fact we can set up camp on a cliffside overlooking Sedona and conduct zoom video calls with our colleagues is awesome. Turn the weBoost off in the same camp spot and trying to load a web browser page takes eternity or doesn’t load.


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Besides the one Sedona example, what is your experience with being able to stream video (Zoom, Webex, etc) from remote places? Is this consistently working with the booster in a variety of places, or is it less common that you can boost up to enough service to do remote screen-sharing meetings?

 

[jhmoore]

Looks like there's a whole lot of us trying to solve the same thing: working remotely from the wilderness. I just got off the phone with WeBoost support to ask about working from within a tent shade near the vehicle and they were emphatic that (a) your phone can't be that far from the inside-the-vehicle antenna, and (b) you can't move the whole setup to your tent because without the metal roof between the outside antenna and the inside-the-car antenna, they will interfere with each other. Has anyone solved how to use these things while working from someplace other than your car? I would like to set up a shade tent near the car with a table and chair to work from... but need internet at that table.

 

[takethetruck]

Our current setup works better than any other we've tried over the years, but it's not without limitations. It won't create a signal where there isn't any, but it makes finding at least usable-enough cell service a lot easier for working remotely. We used it extensively in remote wilderness throughout Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming on our last trip with excellent results.

The phone/hotspot definitely has to be directly on the interior broadcast antenna (puck) of the Weboost to have the best result. And as others have said, the taller OTR antenna is definitely worth the upgrade.

@jhmoore you could likely pickup a long extension for the interior broadcast antenna and run it out of the vehicle - though not sure how great of an impact a longer run would have on the signal strength

 

[BrittanyHighland]

We were fairly happy with the weBoost...until we tried a MIMO. A MIMO antenna is $30 on Amazon, versus the weBoost which sets you back hundreds. The key with the MIMO is that it only connects to certain hotspots. When we got ours in 2018, it was the latest Verizon Jetpack that was compatible, and that may still be the case. Fortunately, Verizon has the best nation-wide network in my experience (though I hear T-Mobile may be catching up). We've been traveling the U.S. for the past seven years, and Verizon Jetpack + MIMO has given us the best coverage in remote areas.

P.S. If you don't have the Coverage? app, then it's well worth the couple of dollars. It allows you to check coverage from the major carriers in the area you're hoping to camp. Of course, it's nice to go off-grid. But for those of us who work full-time, you gotta do what you gotta do.

P.P.S. This is not a new problem and we don't need to reinvent the wheel. Working-age RVers have been tackling this problem for years. Mobile Internet for RVers and Cruisers is the preeminent resource for U.S.-based travelers. (Not affiliated, though I'm friends with the owners.)

 

[Bravo30]

I just bought the drive reach and trucker antenna this week, heading up to sequoia nf next week and will take notes and report back with results.

I have the same set up but I added the flat panel directional antenna as well. The flat panel does not work as advertised at all! It’s better then the smaller antenna but you still have to be within 2’ of it and sometimes I have to sit the phone directionally on top of the antenna. I’m gonna look for a better Omni directional antenna and just mount that to my kitchenette in the center of the van