Extends cellular coverage for single or multiple users in homes or offices--provides up to 2500 square feet of coverage
Dual-band device works with 800/1900 MHz frequencies from all major carriers--AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Alltel, Cricket, and more (not compatible with Nextel)
Omni-directional signal antenna receives signals from multiple cell towers
Antenna can be installed outdoors above the roofline or indoors in the attic or near a window
Extends phone battery life--uses less power when signal is stronger
Rating: - Work Great!!! WHEN INSTALLED CORRECTLY
I have a basement office in an area of town where cell signals (all carriers - there's simply a shortage of towers in the area) are weak. I typically would get 1 bar on my AT&T phone, and would as often as not lose calls, and would miss the majority of incoming calls. My Sprint Mobile Broadband card would do about 450K down and 60K up with very high latency.
When I received the unit I first tried it by putting the antenna by the window and the base unit on the opposite side of the office -- about 12 feet away. As the documentation predicted the system reduced its gain and I noticed no real difference in signal at the phone.
The building is a two story with a basement. I ran the cable out the window and up the wall. There was nowhere to mount the antenna so it would be above the gutter, so it is clamped at the top and mounted just below the gutter. According to my phone there are 4-5 bars of signal there.
Inside I ran above the drop ceiling to the interior wall and mounted the base there.
This gives me about 20' of vertical and 12' feet of horizontal separation. The base unit indicates zero gain reduction in the configuration. Depending were in the office I am I get 3-5 bars of signal, with one weak corner (actually closer to the base than other areas, so there's something odd at work there) with only 1-2 bars. Not only that, I have 3-5 bars in the hallway, the bathroom across the hall, and the tenants in the two adjacent offices report much better cell phone service "suddenly" (they don't know I put in the booster.)
Here's the kicker. My Sprint Mobile Broadband card now average 800K downloads and 180K uploads, with much less latency!
OVERALL: A VERY SUCCESSFUL INSTALL
I find no negatives, and the only caveat I can give is SEPARATE THE ANTENNA FROM THE BASE as directed in the instructions.
Rating: - Disappointing Performance
Installation and setup of the wireless extender was as easy as purported. However, I'm having a hard time determining whether I'm actually getting any improvement in cell reception while in my home. Voice quality during calls is still only fair to poor with lots of garbling. And I still have instances where someone tries to call me and the call goes straight to voice mail without ever ringing my cellphone. I had hoped the extender would overcome some of the inadequacies of cellular technology, but that seems not to be the case.
It's interesting how bimodal the reviews for this product are: folks either love it or hate it. Based on other reviews and my own experience, it would seem to be a good product in applications where there is a significant difference in the signal strength outside your home vs what you get inside. That is, if you get 4 bars outside and only 0 or 1 inside, then this may be worth a try. On the other hand, if you get a decent signal in your home and you're just trying to improve call quality (as was my case), then take a pass on these extenders.
Rating: - Wi-Ex Booster
This booster helped a lot but it is not perfect. Installation is indeed very critical!
Rating: - Works better than expected
I read a review in a magazine and some other customer input but I was still skeptical because the cell service is so bad where I live. The installation process is significant but the results are noticable. The boost only works very nearby. No where as far as advertised.
Wireless Extenders Cell Phone Signal Booster Dual Band YX510 PCS/CEL Reviews
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