The range of the towers of cellular operators, transmitting LTE-signal, can reach 100 km. However, in most cases, this figure is much more modest. Mobile operators often build not too high towers with a range of about 5 km. If, for example, the dacha is located further away, its owners often use a special device to amplify the signal - an LTE antenna.
There are many types of such antennas on sale today. LTE amplifiers can differ in design, reception frequency, installation method.
Common MIMO Models and Devices
Conventional antennas in most cases cannot provide mobile Internet speeds higher than 50 Mbps. When using a MIMO amplifier, this figure can reach 100 Mbit / s. Devices of this type differ from the usual ones in that two antennas are included in their design at once. The latter are located at some distance from each other, usually in the same body. They receive the signal independently and separately and transmit it to the modem at the same time. Due to this, the MIMO antenna increases the signal very qualitatively.
Several stations or one?
On this basis, all LTE antennas are classified into directional, sector and omnidirectional. Models of the first type are installed strictly in the direction of one, usually the nearest, station. Their advantage is that they practically do not catch interference. The disadvantages of such antennas include the complexity of tuning and some unreliability. After all, if the station suddenly stops working for some reason, there will be no Internet in the house.
Sector models are capable of receiving a signal from several towers at once. At the same time, they automatically catch the highest quality network. If any tower suddenly stops giving a signal, the sector model will immediately switch to another. Some disadvantage of such LTE antennas is considered only their rather high cost.
The principle of operation of the omnidirectional model is similar to the principle of operation of the sector one. But in this case, the LTE antenna is capable of picking up a signal from all directions - 360 degrees. Such models provide a stable Internet, but at the same time they do not amplify the signal very well. Therefore, it is recommended to use them mainly only in cities with a large number of obstacles to the signal.
Varieties by design
Directional external LTE antenna, in turn, can be parabolic, "Yagi" or panel. In the models of the latest variety, the reflector is a solid element capable of "sailing" in the wind (panel). In Yaga models, the reflector is a long metal rod with crossbars (like a ladder). Parabolic antennas are equipped with a matching mesh reflector. These amplifiers receive the signal best, but they are also quite expensive. The cheapest types are Yagi LTE antennas. Their advantage is that they do not "sail" and therefore can be installed at very high heights. Panel models receive a signal slightly better than the Yagi. They can be mounted not even on a mast, but simply on brackets - on the wall of a house.
Varieties on the received signal
On this basis, LTE antennas are classified into broadband and narrowband. Stations of cellular operators often transmit a signal not on one frequency, but on several at once. The good thing about the wide-banded model is that it can accept almost any of them. If, for example, there is no 4G signal, the model will switch to 3G or 2G.
Narrowband antennas are cheaper. But before buying them, you need to look at what frequency they receive the signal and make sure that the nearest station works with this.
3G and 4G models
These two types of antennas differ primarily in the frequency of the received signal. 3G is transmitted by stations usually at frequencies of 2100 Hz or 900 Hz, 4G - 2600 Hz, 800 Hz or 1800 Hz. Also, 4G LTE antenna is often a form of MIMO. That is, manufacturers include two antennas in the design of such amplifiers. But sometimes a similar solution is used for 3G devices.
Mobile and stationary devices
According to the installation method, all LTE amplifiers are classified into outdoor and indoor. In the latter case, the LTE antenna is installed on a windowsill or, for example, in the attic of a private house. Such models are able to amplify the signal, but not too high quality. They are usually used only when the Internet speed needs to be increased only a little. With a sufficiently close distance to the tower, antennas of this type can improve reception, for example, from 2G to 3G.
If the dacha is located very far from the station, it is worth buying, of course, an outdoor antenna. Such models are more expensive than mobile ones, but at the same time they amplify the signal much better.
Receiver connection
Some home LTE antennas can connect directly to a laptop. In this case, the modem is not inserted into the USB connector of the device, but into the connector of the antenna itself. But many amplifier models, on the contrary, are connected to a modem. Older models do not have connectors for an amplifier. In this case, you will have to buy a new modem to connect.
Antenna cables
The quality of the station signal amplification depends not only on the design of the antenna itself. When using a cheap cable, even with the best amplifier, it will not work much to increase the speed of the Internet. The signal in the cable will simply be lost. Therefore, to choose to improve cellular communication is only high-quality products of this type from trusted manufacturers. Also, when buying, it is worth looking at such an indicator as the resistance of the cable, which can be 50 or 75 ohms. This parameter must match the corresponding indicator of the LTE antenna itself.
