I have recently purchased the Winegard 4g rooftop antenna and booster. Got it wired and working but at a standstill as to how to get 4g working. Any help is greatly appreciated. I am lost.
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2019 Winnebago Adventurer 27N towing a 2015 Honda CRV
I can't help with the specifics, but in general you need a cell phone plan and a SIM card for the Winegard. If you already have a cell plan for your own phones, you can usually add a line for a little money. Call you cell provider and ask them to send you a SIM card.
If you don't have a cell plan (and who doesn't) or you want one specific for this device, I think Winegard has a deal with one of the carriers, ATT maybe that you can buy into.
Is this what you have? If so I think it is a hotspot that connects to your cell service provider, just like a jet pack or the hotspot on your phone does. Inside the RV your computers would connect via WiFi to the Winegard. https://winegard.com/products/cellul.../connect-2-4g2
Is Wineguard Connect 2.0 a Cell Phone Hot Spot Plus An Adapter Antenna?
The goal it to obtain internet access at the fastest possible speeds.
To address the CONNECTION part, we need a WiFi connection. So where can we get one:
Option 1) You can pay for WiFi like you use in your home... and then your router transmits 2.4G-5G signals, over 1-2-or more bands to your computer or phone. The low bands provide the longest distance, but the higher bands contain more data, which you may need if you are trying to stream a movie.
Ideally, you want strong signal strength and high band width.
Option #2) You pick-up a "public hot spot" for free; or you pay for Verizon, or ATT&T or T-Mobile Hot Spot service.
Option #3) You use your cell phone as a "hot spot" and pay for data down load thru your cell phone carrier. (And some are now offering unlimited data.)
When it comes to speed that part varies based on:
A) The data rate (or speed) paid for by the router sender as in 50Mbps - 500Mbps.
B) How many wireless standards (802.11ac, 802.11b/g/n) your router is capable of transmitting and receiving. And these days most routers will let you send up to 200Mbps, which is plenty.
C) How good your is your antenna gain is or is not... and this includes your router antenna..
D) A cell phone signal at 3G-4G-5G is just another data source, but you have to pay for that convenience and data rates are considerably slower than home WiFi; and your streaming speeds are lower; but you can connect almost everywhere these days. (...But finding cell phone service can still a challenge when you are boondocking. That's why RV owner have been going with a WeBOOST Device, but one day this will not be necessary.)
In addition, you if you phone as a "hotspot" for more than a few minutes you may find it gets hot and your battery power drops very fast. You can of course plug your phone into a power source, but that does not have any affect on how hot your phone will get, and I personally do not like it when my phone heats up!
*** Your antenna gain can determine if you receive a signal and how much data speed you will receive too!
This Wineguard looks like a antenna booster device that will allow you to pick-up a WiFi public or private hotspot/rougher, but I have to wonder it if does anything to boost your cell phone signal like a WeBOOST device?
Wineguard claims you will get "...4G LTE for reliable, uninterrupted, in-motion and stationary coverage while traveling." But I don't think it acts like a We-Boost cell phone transmitter? Does it?
With this Wineguard Connect 2.0, I assume your kids watch a streaming Ruku movie when you driving... without gaps in the video? ...But before I buy this device, someone would have to confirm this.
...And I wand to know if I will get better cell phone reception with the Wineguard... as in I can make a cell phone call in weak signal areas that I would otherwise not be able to make with a Wineguard Connect 2.0. (I'm skeptical this device will do that.)
However, being able to get stronger WiFi in a campground so my Ruku can connect better maybe a benefit to me. (I do not have kids and I don't need WiFi when I'm driving.)
All I need is a good computer connection to WiFi and for that I use this "poor mans" approach to picking up a weak signal or boosting a strong signal so I can receive the fastest data. Here's how...
I use a $19 AC1900 Adapter-Antenna I bought on Amazon; and I just plug it into my computer usb port... select a different antenna by clicking on my computer internet icon... and walla, I can boost my computer antenna by 3x-5x.
I even use this in my home bedroom to receive, 3x the data rate speed from my home router. It works flawlessly and I highly recommend it for both home and RV use.
From the RV I can almost always connect to hot spots in the parking lot of HD or Lowe's or any McDonald's or even on the street if there is a hot spot to be found. Plus this is a $19 solution on Amazon so how can you beat that!!!
So... if you do not have kids, then chances are you just need a computer WIFI Adapter (Booster Antenna) so you can log onto free internet wherever you find a hot spot and or when you want to connect to your Verizon Hot Spot or ATT&T HotSpot or T-Mobile Hotspot you pay a subscription. These devices connect to cell phone towers too, but data speeds will vary with cell phone signal strength, and data rates are still kind of expensive. (And there are just a few carriers now that offer unlimited data rates, but that will change in 1-2 years.)
So I think of the Wineguard Connect 2.0 as a combination of their own cell phone hotspot that uses one of these carriers (Verizon, ATT&T or T-Mobile) plus a WiFi Adapter that uses one of these MI-MO standards. However, if this device offers more features than this please let us know!
Note: MIMO stands for 'Multiple Input Multiple Output'... and when they advertise a higher data rate that's a function of better data compression and decoding and a stronger antenna.
imnprsd, the Winegard Connect 2.0 is a combination Wifi Router, Cellular Modem and antennas for both.
You connect campground wifi to the router (via Wifi as WAN) and then it is broadcast to the RV. All that needs to happen then is to connect all of the wifi devices inside the RV to the Winegard Connect router's SSID.
Also as an FYI, it's a 2.4ghz Wifi device only and has built in MiMo antennas and is a 802.11b/g/n wifi device.
If you don't have campground or other internet wifi available you have a choice of putting a cellular SIM card into the Winegard Connect OR connecting a MiFi device or cell phone set up as a Hotspot to provide the internet access. Again, through Wifi as WAN.
It's not a booster of anything per se, It's roof mounted antennas for the built in WiFi Router and the built in Cellular Modem. The multiple antennas and the roof mounting optimizes reception for both Wifi and Cellular broadband.
The OP doesn't really "need" anything. There's nothing else to buy... that is unless he wants to put a SIM card with a generous data plan inside the built in cellular modem, which is what the device was designed for. But it's not required.
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2017 Winnebago Adventurer 37F
2016 Lincoln MKX Toad
Yes, the SIM card is installed in the device on the roof. There is nothing installed inside. The entire Connect 2.0 resides on the roof. So, if you are going with a SIM card it's not something you insert or remove frequently.
And, it's not a booster. The Weboost is a mini-cell tower. It picks up cellular signals via an antenna on the roof and delivers the signal to an amplifier inside the RV that boosts up to 40-50db of gain. Then the amplifier is wired to a small indoor antenna that rebroadcasts this boosted cell signal within the coach.
The Winegard simply places the cellular modem on the roof with hi-gain antennas (MiMo antennas) but there is no amplifier, nothing that's boosting. But rooftop mimo antennas are better at handling weak cellular signals.
It's difficult to compare the two because they are so fundamentally different. Suffice it to say they both work and in some ways the rooftop modem and mimo antenna is better at doing that one job. The Weboost booster boosts and rebroadcasts the signal for all cellular devices to utilitze.
The Winegard's cellular modem output is directly connected to the rooftop router inside the housing.
There is no WiFi boosting either - just higher multiple antennas. That in and of itself is an improvement over 2 or 4 internal antennas inside a cell phone or MiFi inside your RV.
The Winegard takes wifi from out of doors (campground, McDonalds, etc) AND cellular broadband internet and treats them like an Ethernet connected to your DSL/Cable/Fiber internet coming into your home. I keep saying it - Wifi as WAN. So, WAN is wide area network... the internet. At home you get the internet (WAN) delivered to your home via some kind of cable. This goes into your router at home which shares (routes) that WAN to all your devices. The genius of Wfi as WAN is that some other wifi or broadband signal without a wire is what brings the Internet into your router and that shares that internet to all your devices.
There are many other devices that do this job. Some of them are all on the roof and others have antenna's on the roof and routers indoors. Some of them have Wifi as WAN only and some have both Wifi as WAN and integrated cellular modems. There are even some that have dual modems on the roof and you insert two SIM cards and the device switches between the two SIM cards, presumably on different carriers, to find the best and fastest signal.
The Winegard product is fairly basic. The better more robust products come from brands like Wifi Ranger, Pepwave and Cradelpoint.
This type of product is used on RVs and Boats, sure. But the BIG market is commercial trucking, emergency vehicles and mobile service trucks. These devices not only provide internet access to moving vehicles but they also transmit vehicle data and are used to track, pinpoint and schedule mobile assets and personnel.
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2017 Winnebago Adventurer 37F
2016 Lincoln MKX Toad
I'm interested in this subject, because I plan to visit Rocky Point, Mexico for 2 months and I need cell phone and WiFi coverage.
I will open a separate thread on this subject and I thank you in advance for sharing your wealth of knowledge.
* So Wineguard is offering an all-in-one solution for the road, and I can see value if they allow you to use a "unlimited" cell phone plan from AT&T or Verizon. Do they?
* Where is the Wineguard router? In the Wineguard "on the roof?" That doesn't sound optimal. Why don't they put the sim card in the router you put inside the RV?
It also sounds like they need a Wineguard Connect 3.0 to keep up with the market.
I'm interested in this subject, because I plan to visit Rocky Point, Mexico for 2 months and I need cell phone and WiFi coverage.
I have zero knowledge of cell coverage or data access in Mexico.
Quote:
Originally Posted by imnprsd
* So Wineguard is offering an all-in-one solution for the road, and I can see value if they allow you to use a "unlimited" cell phone plan from AT&T or Verizon. Do they?
No. They don’t and you’ll find it difficult to find truly unlimited data plans.
Quote:
Originally Posted by imnprsd
* Where is the Wineguard router? In the Wineguard "on the roof?" That doesn't sound optimal. Why don't they put the sim card in the router you put inside the RV?
Yep, it’s in the roof. It works fine there. I think they do this for ease of install. People don’t like having to cut a hole in the roof to bring cabling inside. But also maybe it’s cheaper and keeps the cost down.
Quote:
Originally Posted by imnprsd
It also sounds like they need a Wineguard Connect 3.0 to keep up with the market.
Connect 1 was pretty worthless. Connect 2 is better. But the competition is light years ahead. There are other better options.
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2017 Winnebago Adventurer 37F
2016 Lincoln MKX Toad
So I did some searching on the LTE Router / Nano Router /Gigabit Router subjects and found a few new toys to think about; but it seems all roads to find the best RV mobile solution led me to this NETGEAR - Nighthawk M1 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot Router. What do you think? Is this the best we can buy?
So from a terminology point of view, I found key words embedded in each topic which I will share with you below:
* The router part lets you connect your devices to the internet, which for me are my computer and Ruku stick, but it could also be your X-box and cell phone.
* WiFi dual band (2.4 & 5.0 GHz) gives you the highest band width for seamless downloads and the best/fastest speeds... if you have a good wireless connection, which is why you need a high-gain antenna.
* The LTE means you can use this "unlocked" Gigabit Router with AT&T, T-mobile, Cricket, Verizon, etc., but you initially order the router matched to your cell phone plan so you can get the right sim card. Then you pay a monthly fee based on the data plan you choose.
* Most carriers do not offer "unlimited data" but they do offer data plans in the 50-100 GB range that should far exceed your computer needs, and this includes streaming videos. (This is just a guess, but I think kids would need 50-75GB/month and parents about 25BGB/month.)
* The part I like best about using one of these Nighthawk in an RV is that you can connect a 2-wire external 11Dbi antenna to the Nighthawk; and I also think you can connect this antenna to your RV-Bat Wing-TV Antenna setup so you can raise and lower it at will.
Once you choose your carrier you then need a cell phone that supports the same technology used by the cell phone towers.
For example: AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM. Sprint, Verizon and U.S. Cellular use CDMA.
And then I found a $15/month cell phone from Mint Mobile or Tello that will offer me the same 4G LTE network data rates as I am paying $30/month for now from Pure Talk. So I will look into porting my phone number over soon.
Anyway, I think you can separate your thinking in to 3 parts:
1) Device choices
2) Carrier Data Rate Plans
3) Signal enhancing.
QUESTION: Do these LTE - Routers (which is a cell phone enabled WiFi router with a high gain antenna) take a different sim card or require a different data plan; or can you just buy a standard cell phone data plan?
The hardware is basically the same as the newer Nighthawk; including the antenna connections I'm very interested in; and internet data speeds are great!
Note: A number of carriers no long offer "unlimited" internet, but they have lowered their data plan prices for 50MB or more, which is plenty for the entire month for most of us.
However, I have also read the battery runs a bit hot. ...But maybe this went away in the newer Nighthawk version? (IDK)
And here's a video on hotspot data plans (9 months old):
Let me break this into two posts. First, the devices:
The Nightgear is a great device and I have had mine for over a year. It's a very capable cellular router. I bought an ATT specific model - though I bought it from Amazon and it may be unlocked. But I purchased it to use an ATT SIM card in it so I didn't pay much attention to that.
It's fast, convenient, has great range, dual TS-9 antenna ports and lets you connect up to 10 devices.
I do not believe it has Wifi as WAN - so, if you want to use it with campground wifi it won't be very convenient. You'd have to log devices back and forth.
Connected to a proper mobile router - such as a WiFi Ranger Spruce ($120) or Aspen ($160)- via USB or Ethernet you would have a complete system for your RV.
You set up a SSID on the Router - such as imnprsd-RV, then plug in the Nighthawk as described above. You tell the router what kind of connection you want to have priority, etc. Then you connect ALL wifi devices: phones, tablets, TVs, Streamers, etc to the "imnprsd-RV" network inside of your RV. This only has to be set up once.
Then when you get to any place with wifi internet you go into the router setup and enter the campground's SSID and Password. Boom. That's it.
Then you choose what works best for you. The campgrounds WiFi or your Nighthawk's cellular data.
Any other wifi that's available from a phone or additional location, walmart, starbucks, mcdonalds you just add it to the router the same as a campground.
The Nighhawk is usually good to go without an aux antenna or with a $40 Netgear MiMo antenna you put in your RV's front window. But if you wish you can also buy external antennas and mount them on your roof for even better reception.
This is what we do - but we also have a Verizon MiFi (7730L) Jetpack that we connect to the WiFi Ranger router via USB cable.
We have a completely unlimited ATT Sim in the Nighthawk and another completely unlimited Sim in the Jetpack. The Nighthawk is connected to the router via Ethernet and the Jetpack is connected via USB. So, we can just switch between these two cellular broad band choices as we wish. We also usually set up the router for what every RV park we're in and that gives us three choices for internet.
NOTE ABOUT ROUTERS. There are a handful of routers out there that will do this for you. I've looked at them all and while they all work they are not all easy and quick to administer. You'll set up your RV network once. And, you'll set up the MiFi/Jetpack devices once, too. So, that seem like "Administration" is not too important. But no, it is. You'll set up campgrounds and other wifi every time you go somewhere. And, many times you need to manage the allocation of services, etc frequently during a stay. So, how easy it is to manage is very important. Routers created for mobile network make this easy.
So, if you find a recommendation for a cheap $60 router that works but it's a real pain in the neck to administer over and over and over again as you move from campground to walmart to campground that's no bargain.
The Wifi Ranger product is a fairly basic router that you can buy as a router only for about 1/2 of what WiFi Ranger sells theirs for - but what you get with WiFi Ranger is really good capable software and firmware that make all this stuff a breeze. So, managing the system on the road is easy.
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2017 Winnebago Adventurer 37F
2016 Lincoln MKX Toad
The issue is if you want to stream TV with your data plan - and if that's how you watch TV you'll want to - it takes a lot of gigs of data. We typically use ~115 gbs of data a week in the RV. It can be as low as 80 gb but also as much as 140 gb. Depends on the weather mostly. Cold and rainy, we spend more time indoors.
There was a time when Verizon and ATT offered totally unlimited data. It was not limited by gigabytes per month or network speeds. Those plans have all been discontinued. But most were grandfathered to existing users and there are a lot of lucky people that picked these up years ago and still have them. So, you'll hear of people, like me, that have ATT and Verizon totally unlimited plans and pay next to nothing. I pay a total of $60 on my two services COMBINED and I have zero limits. I just got lucky. So, I think nothing of using 300 to 400 gigs a month in data.
But what about NOW? Well, the current plans change constantly. Monthly, sometimes weekly. Generally, if you see a great one talked about on YouTube if the video is not 2-weeks old or less the plan has a good chance of being discontinued.
There is one source that tracks dataplans constantly and gives the straight dope about their use for mobile internet in RVs and Boats and that's www.rvmobileinternet.com.
Be aware, they offer free info but only in very limited form. To get up to the minute info and tests and reviews you have to pay a yearly membership fee. I think it's $60 or so a year. I've been a member for 3 years and it's absolutely worth every cent.
Remember those two totally unlimited plan I have for $60 a month total? I get them because of the info from the RV Mobile Internet website. So, yeah, my membership cost has been a no brainer for me.
ALSO - they buy, test and rank every good mobile router, MiFi device, Antenna and associated item. Not just once but over and over again as things are updated or changed.
It's really the place to start.
You will find that Chris and Cherie have lots of free YouTube content on all this stuff but the most complete info is on their website. And the Forum on their site is full of experienced folks to answer questions. And, I don't think I've ever posted there that either Chris or Cherie or both haven't responded. There is really no place else to go to get all this info.
That's a never ending search. But here are some options;
1. Visible. This is a Verizon owned subsidiary and they offer unlimited data for $40 a month for use on a phone. You can join a group of other RVers and get a discount to as low as $25 a month. It's unlimited in gigabytes but limited in speed to 5 mbs. But that speed is enough for 720p Video Streaming. And many times it's faster than that.
It's intended to only be used in a phone set up as a hotspot. Many buy a cheap Android phone and dedicate it for RV Data use only. They connect the phone to a Wifi Ranger router and that's their cellular broadband. However, recently they have stopped enforcing that and you can move the SIM card from the phone to a MiFi device and use it that way.
It's a pre-paid plan, meaning you have to pay for it monthly in advance. Some try to pay only when they're going camping. Other's just pay for it every month so it's always available.
2. Resellers. The big carriers have a big business selling data plan SIM cards to businesses to use in tablets and sales terminals and corporate cell phones. They are generally unlimited and sold by the thousands to big companies. But when these companies close, merge or go out of business they sell all their cell service lines to brokers that then RESELL them to the public.
A business can typically pay $10-$20 a month per line of unlimited data from ATT or Verizon. They sell these to data brokers that Resell them to you for 2X or 3X that cost. A few short years ago you could pick these up from a Reseller for $60 a month any day of the week. But the carriers clamped down, deleted a bunch of contracts and the remaining resellers charge $100 to $160 a month. But it is totally unlimited.
There are some restrictions - if you routinely use 500gb or more per month they can cancel your account without notice. And, the carriers routine go through their accounts and cancel plans and contracts so they can cancel your account without notice too. Generally, it just means you have to find a replacement. You generally are not out a lot of cash just out of luck.
There are at any given time 2 to 3 dozen of the resellers online or on eBay. Just be careful on eBay with overseas sellers they can offer to deal that's too good to be true because it's not.
3. Other Options. Some folks use their phone plugged into a TV and watch free content that their carrier provides for on-phone use only. But it's low quality and not ideal
Some get multiple accounts with limits and then use one until the limit kicks in and then they use another until that limit kicks in. Obviously, not convenient or cheap.
There was a time when folks sold older "grandfathered" plans via a data broker and you paid some guy on eBay $600 to set you up on the old "legacy" plan. But I think those have completely disappeared now.
4. Tablet plans. Many carriers sell an unlimited data plan for your iPad or Tablet for not much money and folks take the SIM card out of the tablet and use it in a hotspot. To not get caught they change the firmware of the SIM to not show the hotspot info to the carrier.
That's about all I have on this. Since I've got my two plans and don't need to know more about this topic I only watch it as a back up just in case something happens and I lose my current plans. Shudder!
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2017 Winnebago Adventurer 37F
2016 Lincoln MKX Toad
Generally, cell boosters are amplifiers that pickup distant signals and add decibels of gain which is rebroadcast inside.
The plus is it can pick up a weak signal and make it more usable. The minus is sometimes the signal is too weak or noisy and all you're doing is boosting the noise. And when there is no signal... there's nothing to boost.
WiFi Bosters - are generally not really boosters just higher gain antennas (or directional antennas) that can offer more usable wifi signal to your router or devices.
I have both: A WeBoost Drive 4g-X and a Wifi Ranger Elite package.
The Weboost has an antenna on the roof, a main amplifier and a small indoor antenna to rebroadcast the signal. It boosts upto 40db of gain. Terrific you'd think except that good cell signal is easy to come by these days and I find I use it less than 10% of the time. If you boondock a lot it would be more helpful but even then only to a point.
WiFi Ranger Elite - It is a rooftop antenna with a built in router that interfaces with the WiFi ranger router inside my RV via Ethernet (PoE at that). It's an older 2.4ghz model that I've not updated to dual band (2.4 and 5 ghz) because frankly I don't use it much at all. I can only document two times in 5 years that this device has really helped provide needed connections.
You'll hear of folks using tall masts with directional antennas picking up "free wifi" from 4-miles away. But those are kind of bogus stories. These days nearly every place that offers Free Wifi also has a password you have to use to sign on. I can turn on my Wifi Ranger Elite antenna and pickup 20-SSIDs but all of them will have a password setup so they will be of no help to me at all.
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2017 Winnebago Adventurer 37F
2016 Lincoln MKX Toad
Creativepart: Thank you for laying out how these things work.
I took your advice and subscribed to MIRC YouTube channel and found lots of historical wireless information that explains how we got to where we are now, and were wireless cell phone and WiFi data will go in the future. (Not that I understand it all.)
I also found these charts helpful when it comes to understanding how a Booter antenna is different from a MIMO antenna. (See below.) Note: I will be paying some attention to the frequency band chart when I consider traveling in Mexico, but this will be a topic for another day.
DEVICE QUESTIONS
* I have an old Verizon jet pack. Will this thing connect to LTE in todays 4G or 5G market?
* I have an old T-Mobile hot spot too. Same question?
* If I buy a Nighthawk Mobile M1, does that mean I no longer need a Verizon jet pack or T-Mobile hot spot, because I can use either sim card in my Nighthawk so long as the data plan says it is for cell phone + hot spot use?
==> It also appears to me... these "unlocked" Nighthawk M1 devices are like having a cell phone hot spot, WiFi hot spot, + router, and some MiMO antenna gain in one device, and have the option to add more antenna gain.
* And just so I am clear, this Nighthawk M1 router, has nothing to do with cell phone signal boost for the purpose of talking to someone, right? I.e., we don't want to confuse a "cell phone hotspot for WiFi" with cell phone taking person-to-person, right?
* When I add a high gain antenna to the Nighthawk M1, does the antenna both boost my cell phone signal, so I can download more data/minute, and at the same time will this antenna allow me to connect to a WiFi hot farther away? ...In the case of a WiFi hot spot connection, how far away are we taking about? ...With an external MiMo antenna and without one?
* I have an old Verizon jet pack. Will this thing connect to LTE in todays 4G or 5G market?
* I have an old T-Mobile hot spot too. Same question?
Who knows. Generally, this stuff changes every 12 to 18 months. Newer devices have more capable cellular modems (more bands) and more antennas. One of the main pluses of new devices is LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation - that means they can simultaneously combine multiple signals from multiple cell towers at the same time vastly boosting performance. Older devices can't do any of that. It's also quite possible that your older devices cannot be connected to a mobile router via a USB port.
Quote:
Originally Posted by imnprsd
* If I buy a Nighthawk Mobile M1, does that mean I no longer need a Verizon jet pack or T-Mobile hot spot, because I can use either sim card in my Nighthawk so long as the data plan says it is for cell phone + hot spot use?
It's not very convenient changing out SIM cards. Best practice is to have one of each - though they do not both need to be Nighthawlks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by imnprsd
It also appears to me... these "unlocked" Nighthawk M1 devices are like having a cell phone hot spot, WiFi hot spot, + router, and some MiMO antenna gain in one device, and have the option to add more antenna gain.
Sort of yes. But the Nighthawk is much faster than a phone, more capable and has an Ethernet connection.
Quote:
Originally Posted by imnprsd
* And just so I am clear, this Nighthawk M1 router, has nothing to do with cell phone signal boost for the purpose of talking to someone, right? I.e., we don't want to confuse a "cell phone hotspot for WiFi" with cell phone taking person-to-person, right?
Yes, the Nighthawk is totally separate from your phone service. A Weboost cellular booster can help both cell phones and MiFi devices at the same time. But the reality is you need to be on top of the booster's indoor antenna to get much benefit. It's easier to put your MiFi on top of that indoor antenna than it is to put your phone there and also talk on it at the same time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by imnprsd
When I add a high gain antenna to the Nighthawk M1, does the antenna both boost my cell phone signal, so I can download more data/minute, and at the same time will this antenna allow me to connect to a WiFi hot farther away? ...In the case of a WiFi hot spot connection, how far away are we taking about? ...With an external MiMo antenna and without one?
An external MiMo antenna on your roof will help you send and receive more gigs of CELLULAR data faster between you and the nearest cell tower. The Wifi radio is inside the Nighthawk and not effected by the aux antenna. However, the WiFi signal (send and receive) in the Nighthawk is excellent.
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2017 Winnebago Adventurer 37F
2016 Lincoln MKX Toad
Thanks... With your help I'm getting the picture. Before, I felt I was in a dentist chair.
For my needs, I'm more concerned about data I can download to my computer and streaming devices. And thanks for saying I will need more like 100-120GB/month if I am a typical user.
Creativepart: What type of data user are you? (Average or above average or business class/user? ...No kids playing games either I expect? ...Do you watch TV over the WiFi?)
So data plans determine the cost per GB vs. device types which determine if you can connect.
For example:
* Your home router device needs to be plugged in to a modem to work; and you pay Spectrum or Verizon or AT&T for cable TV + internet.
==> And the limitations in a home are weak signal strength due to range, wall obstructions, and band width. And the cheapest solution is to get a WiFi Extender/Repeater; or do as I do and use $19 AC1900 USB Adapter Antenna connected to your computer.
* Your mobile LTE-4G-Router uses Mu-MiMo technology to receive & transmit both cell phone hotspot signals and WiFi Hot Spot signals; and the number of MiMo antennas determines the range, number of bands used, and maximum data rate to your computer or your streaming device.
Note: It still think if you have a $19 AC1900 USB Adapter Antenna connected to your computer you will get even faster speeds!!! ...And I bet most of you out there don't use one. So give yourself a late Christmas gift and buy this one if you want to very cheaply and reliably increase the data download and upload speed to your computer:
C) The Nighthawk M1 4x4 LTE-4G-router with the option to put a 2x2 Mimo high gain (-11dbi) antenna on the RV roof?
I'm guessing, higher band width (higher frequencies) does not transmit over greater distances? Is this true?
If so, then the 2-wire, 2x2 MiMo Antenna with high gain is going to give you the greater range. ...But does this mean all that 4x an 6x antenna stuff is useless to us RVers except if we have 3 or 4 bars of signal strength?
Linear Mode
