Cellular signal boosters

[VerityZooms]

I'm curious whether anyone on here has installed a cellular signal-booster in a Model X, yet? (Or even if you have any experience with previous vehicles.)

Some questions:

1. How effective have you found it to be? Was it worth the money? (especially the 4G / LTE-compatible ones, running $US 350 and up!)
2. Do you think the more-powerful models (i.e. the WeBoost Drive 4G-X vs. the WeBoost Drive 4G-M, with a difference of $US 100) are worth it?
3. Where, inside the cabin, did you install the slim repeater antenna? I've heard from other locations that the signal-boost is negligible if the receiving device is more than a few inches from the booster-antenna … which is really terrible. I'm tentatively thinking of installing it on top of the steering-column, so it's close to where I mount my phone …
4. Relatedly, where, on the body of the car, did you mount the antenna? I saw Model S owner installed his ducky-antenna somewhere under the nose-cone; and I'm considering doing the same … but, I think I might install a third-party 12" antenna exterior to the car, despite that marring the clean lines, to improve the effectiveness of this investment …
5. and finally: does anybody know where my installer can draw switched 12V DC power? I don't want a cellular-booster draining the 12V system when my car's sitting in the garage -_-

(Since Teslas already have LTE antennas, I'm honestly a little surprised this isn't an included feature: large antenna built into the car for its' own use; optional upgrade to attach that antenna to a booster, and pipe it to an internal repeater in the cabin. “My phone always has five bars inside my Tesla!”)

 

[CHG-ON]

Hi,

Did you ever figure this out? I just got the LTE upgrade in the hopes that it would improve my performance and my reception is actually worse! I live in a mountainous area.

Thanks!

 

[VerityZooms]

Hi,

Did you ever figure this out? I just got the LTE upgrade in the hopes that it would improve my performance and my reception is actually worse! I live in a mountainous area.

Thanks!

I've got a signal-booster; but I actually opted to use a Wi-Fi hotspot on the same antenna, instead:

• A Browning BR-1024-UHF Adjustable NMO Trunk Mount,
• holding a Wilson Electronics 800/1900 MHz NMO Antenna - Retail Packaging - Black,
• connected with a Verizon Jetpack 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot AC791L NETGEAR AirCard 791S 791L External Antenna Adapter Cable Pigtail with FME Male connector,
• to a Jetpack® 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot—AC791L.

Adding the hotspot to my existing plan only cost me $10/mo. Shares data with my phone. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[madodel]

I've got a signal-booster; but I actually opted to use a Wi-Fi hotspot on the same antenna, instead:

• A Browning BR-1024-UHF Adjustable NMO Trunk Mount,
• holding a Wilson Electronics 800/1900 MHz NMO Antenna - Retail Packaging - Black,
• connected with a Verizon Jetpack 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot AC791L NETGEAR AirCard 791S 791L External Antenna Adapter Cable Pigtail with FME Male connector,
• to a Jetpack® 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot—AC791L.

Adding the hotspot to my existing plan only cost me $10/mo. Shares data with my phone. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So the antenna is just mounted to the rear hatch? Do you have a photo of what it looks like?

 

[CHG-ON]

I've got a signal-booster; but I actually opted to use a Wi-Fi hotspot on the same antenna, instead:

• A Browning BR-1024-UHF Adjustable NMO Trunk Mount,
• holding a Wilson Electronics 800/1900 MHz NMO Antenna - Retail Packaging - Black,
• connected with a Verizon Jetpack 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot AC791L NETGEAR AirCard 791S 791L External Antenna Adapter Cable Pigtail with FME Male connector,
• to a Jetpack® 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot—AC791L.

Adding the hotspot to my existing plan only cost me $10/mo. Shares data with my phone. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Thanks! Does it solve the reception issue? Where did you mount the antenna?

 

[sammyp99]

I've used this signal booster from HiBoost and it's pretty good. It's just a magnet antenna.

I paid a car stereo installation company to install it and hide the wires.

The only time it doesn't improve the signal is when there isn't any signal at all.

 

[sleepnclass]

Bump. I have a weboost in my Jeep and love it. Has anyone mounted one to their x? Pictures appreciated.

 

[alphainfinity]

Bump, I am curious about this as well. Our AT&T service here isn't the best. Wish we could switch the car over to verizon.

 

[ajdelange]

Given all the glass in a Model X I would be very surprised if a booster did much of anything. I would not, given that, invest in one but more to the point I wouldn't invest in one because I have never experienced the need for it.

 

[riles246]

Given all the glass in a Model X I would be very surprised if a booster did much of anything. I would not, given that, invest in one but more to the point I wouldn't invest in one because I have never experienced the need for it.

I have an S, not an X, but I have experienced exactly what you're describing with respect to the glass roof. My summary is as follows:

Booster with metal roof > booster with glass roof > no booster

I recently acquired my S and have been experimenting with antenna locations on the car, but have noticed a significant reduction in booster effectiveness as compared to my prior car, which was a typical metal-roofed SUV. However, it took me a few weeks to get around to installing the booster so I can confirm that the booster outperforms "no booster".

For reference, I live in an area that has no cell reception from any of the four carriers within a roughly 1 mile radius. However, with the booster, I'm able to reduce that radius to less than 1/4 mile, and can often find spots within the "no coverage" radius where I can stop and get a call to go through. It's funny- when I am on a call on my drive home, there is a spot that is about 400 feet from my house where I know I need to stop and finish the call before going all the way home as I will always drop after that point with the booster. Without the booster, I drop calls about 1/2 mile from my house.

I use a slightly older Wilson WeBoost 4g-S booster. It actually allowed me to buy my house- right before we made an offer we realized that the house was in a dead zone, but I bought the booster and installed it and confirmed that I could stay on the phone with my wife while driving around town before placing the offer on the house. Connectivity is essential to my job; I can survive in a small dead zone but not in a large one. I also have Wilson's booster for the house; WiFi Calling > Booster, but Booster > nothing (i.e. power/internet outage), so I keep it installed but unplugged until we need it.

Edit: after re-reading the earlier posts, I realize that some are asking about increasing the car's signal, rather than their phones. I think the glass roof would be even worse for this- the single-user boosters are less prone to feedback from the exterior antenna, but the area boosters would have to compete even more with feedback. I can only see it working if you can find some metal body parts to place between the external antenna and the internal antenna. This gave me lots of trouble in the home booster- the antennas really can't "see" each other at all or else you'll just make service even worse.

 

[jasonclarkeny]

I have installed the Fusion2go max in mine and it works great. I haven't had a dropped call since installation 2 months ago:
SureCall Fusion2Go Max Vehicle Cell Phone Signal Booster (US/Can)

 

[Landsail]

jasonclarkeny,

I also have the surecall fusion2go max and happy with it. However, I would like to get better reception by moving the antenna from inside to somewhere unobstructed in the outside of the car. Where did you mount the antenna?

 

[sleepnclass]

Anyone successfully install this on a model x? If so can you post pictures and links of the parts used?