Over the recent years, cell phone signal boosters have become popular as they are one of the most effective ways to boost cell phone signals to homes. Rural areas and places with tall buildings rely on boosters as the network towers do not work effectively in such locations. However, the cell phone signal boosters sold currently may not be affordable to some people. This is where the homemade cell phone signal booster comes in, a great and cheap yet risky alternative that can be an effective way to boost cell phone signal on your cellular devices.
A homemade cell phone signal booster may be a cheap or expensive option if you don’t know the right procedure or equipment to use. There are also things to consider like the network band, type of service provider you are using, network technology, and much more factors that revolve around building a cell phone signal booster. Despite building a signal booster seeming a cool thing to do, there is the risky part of it if integrity is not implemented.
This article aims to dive in on the whole process of making a cell phone signal booster. We will touch on the requirements, comparison between homemade and purchased signal boosters, the risks that come with building a homemade signal booster, and much more. Read along!
What are the components that build a homemade cell phone signal booster?
There are several components that are required to build a homemade cell phone signal booster. These components include:
1. Outdoor antenna
The outdoor antenna is also referred to as the donor antenna. It is placed in an open space like the rooftop or near a window. By placing it in an open space, it communicates with the nearest cell phone tower.
Most outdoor antennas used on signal boosters are directional antennas. This is because it is more efficient in improving the signal-to-noise ratio during the signal transfer from a cell phone tower hence you get better signal quality on your phones. These outdoor signal antennas range from $20-80
2. Indoor antenna
Indoor antenna is useful in rebroadcasting the cell phone signals from the outdoor antenna. The indoor antenna is mounted on a high point inside your house. It also directly interacts with the amplifier to provide better signal quality. The indoor antenna may vary on range coverage within your house or homestead. Ensure to choose an indoor antenna that can work effectively based on the size of your home
3. Signal amplifier
The amplifier works by improving the power of signals receipted from the indoor antenna. The amplifier should also match with the network band of your service provider. This avoids any signal interruption and aids in providing better cellular services within the network.
Ensure to buy an authentic cell phone signal amplifier to avoid any issues with your service provider.
4. Cables
The cables are essential for connecting the outdoor, indoor antenna and the signal amplifier. An outdoor antenna may come with its own cable with no extra purchase while others may not. Also, ensure that the cable is long and will not wear out based on any issues like weather conditions.
Ensure to buy these components from an authorized dealer to avoid getting counterfeit products. You can visit your local technical shop or contact your service provider to know the type or model of each component as it is crucial to have that information to avoid issues like network interruptions.
Some of the best places you can buy these equipment’s include:
- Amazon- Amazon is a top tier online marketplace. It also offers perks like fast shipping; refund policy and all their goods are original.
- Walmart- Walmart has a wide range of signal booster components. You can visit their physical shop or shop online.
- Best Buy- Best Buy can be a good spot to buy the tools at an affordable price. They offer fast shipping and have dedicated customer services.
These are the top 3 spots ton get your booster equipment.
Building vs buying a signal booster: which is better?
Building a cell phone signal booster has its advantages and disadvantage. If you know what you are doing from start to finish when building the homemade booster, then it can be the cheapest option.
However, if you are doing it with no technical expertise or help from any manual, the process may be cumbersome and may result you to hire a technical expert to help you with the whole process. If you don’t have any clue on what you are doing, its best to buy a pre-build cell phone signal booster and simply install it by using a manual.
Building may also be a bad option if you use counterfeit products. This is because fake products tend to create network interference which might lead to issues between you, your service provider, or the FCC if the issue is serous. So, consider building if you know how to outsource original products to be used in the process.
Buying a booster which is compatible with all the service providers is easier than constructing a homemade booster. This is because you are sure of the network type, and it is compatible with the service provider. However, when making a homemade cell phone signal booster, it may take some sense of skills to find the right booster that will work with your service provider.
How to verify your homemade signal booster?
Once you have your booster in place, you need to verify it with your service provider. The process is very simple and takes a day to complete it.
First, you should contact the service provider notifying them you have a signal booster in place. They will then ask the details of the booster like the model number, network band it accommodates and any other relevant information.
You service provider will check to see if the booster is causing any network interruptions. If there are nay issues, you will be requested to switch off your booster. If there are no issues, you may continue using the booster.
Which network can a homemade cell phone booster work with?
Most pre-built cell phone signal boosters may work with several service providers since they can accommodate various network bands without causing network interruption. However, with homemade boosters, it may only work with one service provider or simple not work at all which could cause network interruptions.
To avoid such scenarios, consider purchasing equipment that will work with all the standard service providers. Some of the service providers that you may consider getting from may include:
- Verizon wireless
- T-Mobile
- AT&T wireless
These are the standard service providers that your booster should work with. If the booster can work with them without causing any network interruptions, then it may also work with the Mobile virtual network operators under the standard service providers.
What are the risks of making a homemade signal booster?
When building a homemade cell phone signal booster, some risks that may come about include:
i) Network interruption
The booster may interrupt the network which would lead to other users not getting cellular coverage. Ensure that the booster matches with the network band that you intend to use. Feel free to consult your service provider on the right network band before purchasing the tools required to construct the booster.
ii) Counterfeit products
Counterfeit products may cause network interruptions and may sometimes fail to work. Ensure you get the products from a certified dealer or from the stores we mentioned earlier. The counterfeit products may also work but for a short time you will start experiencing low cellular reception.
iii) Explosion/destruction
The signal booster, if not well connected may be bound for destruction by weather, animals, or any other conditions. Also, if the components are not well interconnected, it may lead to an explosion that may not be big but detrimental to your home.
Ensure to get the technical expertise before getting started with constructing a booster. If you are looking on how to boost signal in rural area, it is best to gather all the research and knowledge in order to design the best Signal booster. Do they ever worry about some animals being in danger?
Bottom line
The process to makes a homemade signal booster can be quite complex. If you are filled with enthusiasm to build and have the technical expertise, then making a homemade cell phone signal booster is a great option. In some cases, it may be an affordable option but that depends on the type of equipment used.
Remember to verify the signal booster with your service provider to avoid any issues with the FCC or top cause a network interruption. If you follow everything written in this article, then building a homemade booster might be the cheapest way to boost cell phone signal.
