Yes, this item works well.But yes, it takes some RF and electronics knowledge to make it work right.For me, I have verizon cell phones operating in the 800MHZ cell band in my area.In my house we had zero to 1 bar and could make calls but they were frequently dropped or cut in and out.We could walk down the block and the signal was better.Our house sits in a depression and most of the cell signal was going over the top of our house.
To really make this thing work well I would recommend the following tips:
1)Get cell phone for which you know how to enable DEBUG mode and get an actual NUMBER for the signal strength it is receiving.
2)Go ahead and purchase the optional YAGI directional antenna for this unit.
3)Buy an approximately 4 x 8 ft. piece of radiant barrier ( a type of insulation available at home depot made of aluminum).
4)Mount YAGI antenna in rafters of house or outside on roof.
5)Mount cell extender about 3 feet from the floor in the top living level of your house in a center location of the house.
6)Place radiant barrier in attick directly between the 2 antennas.This will help improve the signal separation a lot and will make this thing work.
7)Power up cell extender.If when you power it up you get ANY flashing amber lights, then your signal isolation between the two antennas isn't good enough and you must do something about it (move antennas, get YAGI with higher gain, etc.)If you get no amber lights on startup then the device is operating at max or almost max amplification and power output (only 1/2 watt but plenty for a single house).
We now have 3-5 bars all over our house, deck, porch, and even garage!Calls are clear and there is no breaking up or dropping of calls.
We have 2700 sq ft. house with 2 stories plus a basement.I am using a 10dbi antenna from some guys out of New York I found on the internet.I paid $99 for this antenna because they told me it was a 17dbi antenna, but they lied.However, it works and I am happy with what works...
Running continously for 2 months now without a single glitch.Zero maintenance when installed correctly.
There are 2 different models for the 800MHZ and 1900MHZ cell bands.BE SURE TO BUY THE CORRECT ONE FOR THE PHONE CARRIER YOU HAVE.
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Wireless Extenders YX500-Cel zBoost Cell Phone Signal Booster up to 2500 Square Feet of Coverage for Home or Office (800 MHz Phones)Product Description: Designed as a whole-house/office solution for improving your cellular phone signal, the Wireless Extenders YX500/PCS zBoost zP Wireless Booster can extend cellular coverage up to 2500 square feet. This YX500/CEL model works with all phones on the 800 MHz frequency, including compatibility with AT&T and Verizon. The package includes everything you need: amplifier base unit, power supply, base unit antenna, low-loss SATV coaxial cable (RG6), signal antenna and mounting hardware. The omni-directional signal antenna receives signals from multiple cell towers.
Improve your cell signal with the YX500/CEL--perfect for boosting the signal of AT&T and Verizon frequencies up to 2500 square feet. Using a revolutionary, patent pending technology that protects the carrier network, the YX500/PCS improves indoor cell phone coverage by capturing and repeating the outside signal, bringing it into the building and enhancing it. This process creates a "Cell Zone" in your home or office. The Wireless Extenders zBoost system includes:
Outdoor antenna (repeats the signal) can be installed outdoors above the roofline or indoors in the attic or near a window
Coax cable (RG6- ultra low-loss, DBS satellite) connects from the outdoor antenna to the base unit
Base unit: Sleekly designed, it amplifies the signal and provides oscillation detection/correction which protects the carrier network using patent-pending technology.
Indoor antenna connects to the base unit to repeat the signal and create "Cell Zone"--no physical connection to the phone is needed.
Installation Choosing the best location for installation of the Signal Antenna provides the best performance and the largest area of improved signal. Determine the location that provides the strongest signal using the signal strength indicator on your cell phone. For the best reception, find the location that provides the most bars of signal strength and locate the Signal Antenna at that location.
Specifications
US Cellular 800/850 MHz band
Uplink: 824 - 849 MHz
Downlink: 869 - 894 MHz
Network formats: CDMA, GSM, TDMA, AMPS, GPRS, EDGE, 1xRTT, EVDO, HSDPA
Total Signal Gain: 60dB (adaptive)
Output Power: less than 0.5 Watt EiRP (w/ included antenna)
Unit weight: 1 pound
Unit size: 5 x 7 x 2 inches
Power input: 100-120 VAC 60 Hz
Power output: 5VDC, 1.5A
Signal antenna cable: Outdoor rated 75 ohm DBS satellite coaxial cable, Type-F male
Base unit antenna: 50 ohm, TNC male
Note: If you need coverage for a Sprint or T-Mobile phone (800 MHz spectrum), check out the YX500/PCS or the dual-band YX510--which covers both the 800 MHz and 1900 MHz spectrums.
Will the Wi-Ex YX500-PCS or the YX500-CEL unit work with any wireless service? The Wi-Ex YX500-PCS unit will work only in the PCS frequency range (1850 a€" 1990 MHz), and the Wi-Ex YX500-CEL will only work in the Cellular frequency range (824 a€" 896 MHz).
Cell phones from providers like Cricket, Metro PCS, Suncom, T-Mobile, and Sprint (excludes Nextel) normally work with our YX500-PCS model, and cell phones from providers like AT&T and Verizon will normally work with the YX500-CEL model. Most of the wireless phones in use today are in the PCS or the Cellular frequencies. Some wireless service providers are PCS only while others will operate in the Cellular and PCS frequencies. This varies from city to city. If your service provider shows both 800 and 1900 MHz the YX500-CEL will probably work. If your service provider shows only the 1900MHz, the YX500-PCS booster will work.
Buy cheap Wireless Extenders YX500-Cel zBoost Cell Phone Signal Booster up to 2500 Square Feet of Coverage for Home or Office (800 MHz Phones) now Get 35% OFF
I bought the amp because of needing signal boost inside a mobile home. It has definitely made a big difference in my phone signal in my home. Before receiving the amp my calls were constantly being dropped or I was not receiving calls or texts at all in my home. I am very please with my amp. The service was also great from Wilson Electronics.
