Boosting dongle signal strength - need help please

Hi peepz,

I've been using a E160G 3 dongle for my internet in my caravan for about a year or so, about 4 months ago I experienced problems with the signal strength so I brought an antenna to boost the signal.

This is the antenna I am currently using ... 11dbi boost

The last few weeks I have been experiencing a lot of signal dropping and also the strength isn't up to what it normally is ... e.g only 1 bar on hsdpa and not 2 or 3.

My question is, is there anything more I can buy to further boost my signal?

I've checked the cable and antenna and everything is in working order.

Just incase anyone wants to know ... I have dual boot on my laptop, and use vista and ubuntu jaunty ... and the signal is much better using ubuntu than with vista ... more consistant strength and less signal dropping, but still not what it was months ago.

Thanks in advance for any ideas and help anyone can offer.

Mike

Does the gain take into account the loss in the extension cable, if you can use a shorter lead it may help.

Is this in a static situation or differing sites?

If you are in a fixed caravan site a directional antenna would give a better solution you just point it at the nearest mast for your provider.

But things like trees can proivde a problem as well.

Also water may have entered the coax if mounted externaly on caravan roof or has the cable been squased in a window ?

Edited by adamtemp (Fri 07-Aug-09 12:57:45)

Hi,

It is in a fixed site, I am living on an orchard, where I also work, and I've tried various locations around the orchard and am situated where the best signal is.

I have thought about a directional antenna, I am over a mile and a half from the nearest mast so that would probably help. I also have a number of trees within a few metres of the caravan so that's probably not helping now that I think about it.

Water entering the coax isn't a problem as the antenna used has one long continuous cable from the antenna to the connector which is inside the van so doesn't suffer from that problem, and I am wary of a window squashing the cable so have sorted that out by putting the cable through a small bit of cork and then putting this in the window.

Perhaps I should think about getting a directional antenna then, just to see if that would actually help at all ... just don't want to fork out the money and it doesn't make a difference, heh!

Thanks

Mike

Hi,

Yeah I have thought about the length of the cable from the antenna to the laptop I use, but because of the shape of my caravan roof, I have to have the antenna on top of the roof at a distance from where I actually want to use the laptop, and therefore have to use a length of cable from the antenna connector to the laptop.

How long does the cable have to be for the signal to start being lost? ... at the moment I think the cable is about 2 metres in length, but it is in 2 seperate parts that I connect, so perhaps it would help if I had one long cable maybe?

Thanks

Mike

Mike

Is it a 3g site or a gprs / edge site.

If it is a 3g site a dedicated 3g directional antenna would be preferable rather than a multi band antenna. And at that distance preferd choice on a mast to try and avoid the trees.

Cable loss is an important factor at 3g frequencies so a heavy duty cable is better than a thin coax. Take allog at some of the site should say loss per meter. And yes better to have one piece of cable than joins as these can add to the loss of the cable.

Adam

Edited by adamtemp (Sat 08-Aug-09 11:38:19)

If the dongle is a USB one, putting it on a longer USB lead to remove one of the bits of cable may improve things

an antenna like this http://www.panorama.co.uk/shop/products/wm11-range.html should help as all the power is radiated in one direction so your signal back to the base will be stronger than a mag mount whip.

And if mounted higher up on a mast will help.

Also the use of a usb lead to the dongle would help in reducung coax length but would need to be secured to the dongle.

wicked!

I have looked at that antenna before, so to get confirmation that it is what I would need is great, thanks!

Looks like I will be boshing together a mast whilst waiting for it to arrive in the post soon.

I'll post again once it's up and running and let you know what's occuring!

Cheerz

Mike

Just put my postcode into three's coverage checker I am mostly in the very good area, but also very close to the good and variable areas too ... which might explain some of my problems!

So definately a directional antenna on a mast it is then....