With the world more connected than ever before, it has become vital to have a suitable internet connection to the outside world. A way to achieve this connectivity is by using a 4G antenna to boost your signal and performance. A signal can be particularly important if you are one of many Australians that suffer from bad mobile phone coverage.
A 4G antenna works with a technology referred to as MIMO. MIMO is the acronym for Multiple Input Multiple Output. This technology means that a modem can work with 2 distinct antennas. This feature can help with super-fast internet, particularly in rural areas.
If you are reading this, you are most likely fed up with the coverage dropouts and terrible speeds you get from NBN. Thankfully, there is a way to make it all better. This article will help you understand what a 4G antenna is, how it works and how it can help you enhance your signal strength.
To understand 4G antennas, you must understand that there are two frequencies: 700 and 2600 MHz. While 700 MHz is described as a wide overage network, it cannot provide high performance and internet speeds due to the number of users on that frequency band. This feature is why it is more advantageous to use multiband antennas.
Multiband antennas are designed to work within various frequency bands. For instance, every network, be it Telstra, Vodafone, or Optus, might have a ban preference set with 700 MHz at the low end and 2600 MHz at the high end, but you will still need a 4G antenna that has a bigger gain in the bands at the top.
Nevertheless, there are some disadvantages associated with using multiband antennas. One disadvantage is that when a network provider needs to increase the bandwidth available to customers, the antenna gain will be reduced. While this might not seem important, experts state that antennas need to have a gain of around 10 to 11 DBi, which represent the highest gains.
A way for network providers to get around losing high gains is to use high gain antennas. These 4G antennas can receive signals as far as 20 kilometres; however, the antennas are limited to just one frequency.
However, when choosing a 4G antenna, you have to be mindful of the fact that not all base stations in your area broadcast every 4G frequency. This means you will have to conduct a bit of research before installing a 4G antenna.
You can get 4G antennas in the following classifications:
You will need to select the antenna that best suits your requirements and situation.
When choosing your 4G antenna, you need to be extremely careful to select only the most suitable antenna available. The best 4G antenna is one that the RF subsystem doesn’t have a negative impact on.
Getting the wrong 4G antenna could negatively impact system performance, which means you are back to square one when it comes to trying to improve your 4G signal. Furthermore, you can also have issues with battery life, power consumption and communication.
Therefore, when choosing your 4G antenna, you need to think about the frequency range alongside other factors. Other essential factors to consider are where you place the antenna and the size of the 4G antenna. You will also have to think about the 4G antenna gain and the coverage pattern requirement.
You will also have to learn terms such as RSCP, RSRP, SNR, and more to understand the signal strength values. Factors such as the 4G antenna’s distance from the cellular tower, poor weather, network congestion, and more will have to be considered, particularly as they result in bad signal strength. These factors will have to be considered when improving your 4G signal.
Now that might seem like a lot of information to learn and tasks to fulfil. That might make you second guess that getting a 4G antenna improves your signal. Thankfully, some solutions don’t make you have to get a crash course in telecommunications just to improve your high speed.
For instance, the Cel-Fi Go does all the legwork for you. It has an external LTE antenna that is a lot more sensitive than the ones in your modem or mobile phone. You simply need to place it at a high point in your home, and you are good to go.
Such an LTE antenna ensures that you can get the best signal from outside your home into your home and ensures high performance. A 4G antenna can be particularly useful for those with dead spots in their home or who suffer from occasional NBN dropouts.
Installing a 4G signal booster might appear challenging, but it is quite easy, especially if you follow the steps highlighted below:
The first thing you do is to concentrate on finding the direction of the cell masts near your home. This process might mean taking a walk outside or driving in a couple of directions to identify the masts in your area.
Once you understand where the masts are, you need to begin preparing to mount the LTE antenna. It is recommended that you place your external 4G antenna where it won’t be obstructed. The higher you can place the LTE antenna, the better your signal.
Once your LTE antenna begins receiving a signal, you must make sure it is readable to your local network. This means if you use Telstra, the 4G antenna booster should read the signal sent by Telstra.
Want to learn more about achieving fast internet speeds for work and play? Contact us at CommuniVations today for more information on wireless data solutions.
