Need some IT help

[Mike Cutler]

Folks

I have a problem that I need to resolve concerning 3G/4G reception. This is the problem statement;

I need a 3G/4G "Booster", for lack of a better term.
The booster will need to work with Verizon's Network.
The booster needs to facilitate being able to utilize the cell phone in an all metal barn, that is acting like a Faraday Cage, shielding reception and transmission. I can use the cell phone outside the building, but not inside.
I would like the unit to be "portable", if possible. If need be though a more permanent solution can be effected.
This is not a solution just for "convenience", or we'd just step out of the barn to use the phone. This solution is required for someone that has a medical condition that actually needs to be able to receive the signal in the barn, or give up visiting their horse, for possibly the next year.

Personally, I consider a phone a gross invasion go privacy and detest them, but this is one of the few instances that I've heard of that is a legitimate reason for the need to "be connected".

Thank you for the help.

Mike

[Myk Rian]

I believe Verizon can furnish a repeater. Call them.

[Matt Meiser]

The unit Verizon would furnish requires a broadband connection. If this is life and death, how reliable that is who knows.

There are few old threads on this. The good repeater units are several hundred bucks. The cheap ones don't work reliably if at all. Wilson seems to be the go-to brand.

[Mike Cutler]

The unit Verizon would furnish requires a broadband connection. If this is life and death, how reliable that is who knows.

There are few old threads on this. The good repeater units are several hundred bucks. The cheap ones don't work reliably if at all. Wilson seems to be the go-to brand.

Myk
I'm not certain a repeater is what I need, but it could be. I'll google repeaters and see why I get.

Matt
Nothing as serious as life or death, just trying to aid in maintaining a quality of life type issue.
I went to Wilson's page and they have quite a bit to wade through. Thanks for that direction.

[Justin Ludwig]

I purchased this one in 2011: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001JT1E5G/ref=wms_ohs_product_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My shop is a 40x80x16 steel building with NO service inside. I poked a hole in the tin and ran the antenna outside. The booster sits on my radio and my phone stays by it because I stream Pandora all day while working. I've had signal up to 10ft away and was able to talk clearly.

The unit can get a bit warm in the summer, but I haven't had any problems with it. Whenever it fails, I'll buy another one.

Hope this helps and is what you're looking for.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

If a long-term solution isn't his desire, and the location's secure, (and the barn isn't huge) could Mike do something with the phone outside? I'm just imagining if the phone gets reception on one side of the barn just outside the wall, what about putting the phone on a shelf outside the barn where it gets bars, and then plug the phone into speakers (or a cel/landline adaptor - I feel like that was a thing I had seen in the past?) or something inside the barn, to let you know (loudly) that it's ringing, so whoever needs to get it can run over to it? Just wondering if it's doable, and possibly cheaper that way for a short term solution, since it sounds like Mike doesn't need/desire something for the long term, or particularly need cel phone reception in the building other than the notification that this individual needs.

I could be totally off base, just thinking out loud, I suppose.

[Matt Meiser]

Or: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Straight-Talk-Wireless-Home-Phone/22084643

Mount it outside in a rainproof shelter and run the phone cord inside to a regular house phone. Could even be a cordless.

I've got the Verizon version. We used it as a home phone for close to a year before transferring that number to our daughter's cell phone. Then we activated it on a new number and it lives in my shop with a loud ringer so I can be reached out there and have a phone in case of emergency for about $20 a month.

[Mike Cutler]

Thank you all for your help and ideas.
The Wilson Electronics advice was excellent, so thank you all for that.
I contacted them by phone and explained the problem, and need, and I should have a DB pro kit in the mail today to install in the barn.
I went a little above what may have met the minimum requirement, but it's pretty important that it work.

One again, Thank you for the help

[Matt Meiser]

I think that's about the minimum. The line below that I bought and returned--totally useless unless you stood within 10' of the antenna. Looks like what you got has their good antennas with a less expensive amplifier and I'd guess the antennas are the key.

I forgot to mention earlier that I saw something recently that you are required to register those with the carriers now. Might want to look into it.

[Mike Cutler]

I think that's about the minimum. The line below that I bought and returned--totally useless unless you stood within 10' of the antenna. Looks like what you got has their good antennas with a less expensive amplifier and I'd guess the antennas are the key.

I forgot to mention earlier that I saw something recently that you are required to register those with the carriers now. Might want to look into it.

Matt
This particular setup gave me an increase of about 55dB throughout the barn, which is about a 75' x 50', pre fab metal building.
Their website uses the term "dB gain", but I think it really is a linear increase in signal strength, a 55-60dB gain would be huge. The barn went from -110dB to -65dB, or basically from no bars to 5 bars on my iPhone. (There is a way to measure signal strength in dB on my iPhone).
I saw the info about registering with carriers, but the website articles I found were a few years old. About that same time frame there was a movement to ban signal boosters, but it fell through. My position is that I'm not retransmitting the signal for profit, so I would hope it would be okay. I'll look more at it to make sure I'm not breaking any laws though.
I know in talking to Verizon they have no such device, signal amplifier, for their customers. They have a "repeater/network extender" but it works in concert with the computer cable line input, CatV ethernet cable, which I don't have in this barn. Basically using the Wi-FI to carrier load the 3G signal on top of. The nearest house with a computer connection would be over 1000' away.

Should anyone ever need to do the same thing, this is a drop dead easy solution. Connect the two antennas to the amp, plug in the power and you're done.

Update
Just checked the registering issue and you are correct. Verizon requires the booster to meet FCC standards and be a consumer end use device only.
Thank you.

[Matt Meiser]

Glad to hear its working out for you. If we ever get around to residing my shop it will be in steel and I'll need one.

[Matt Meiser]

Mike, how is this working out after a few months? LOML said she wants to go ahead and get my shop resided this summer, replacing the vinyl siding and wood trim with typical steel barn siding so I'm probably looking at having to do something as well.