CONNECT TWO MOBILE HOTSPOT DEVICES FOR BETTER BANDWIDTH?

[BgTX]

I am moving onto a home in a rural Texas area. I just bought this mobile hotspot to test out ATT wireless service at that location. With no external antennas I am seeing 10-18 Mbps download speed; a little less up.

If I were to get a second, third of the same device and somehow combine/peer them, could I achieve better overall network performance? If so, what would I need to do that?

[BgTX · Accepted solution]

Ok, here is the 'interim' installation and results. The M1100 (attached to the antenna) and wireless router are currently in my attic while I complete the install of the antenna wire extensions into the house. I am very pleased with the results.

the mount is the:

Ubiquiti Universal Antenna Mount UB-AM (Original Version), link included here is from Amazon.

thanks again, @LlamaLarry 

[LlamaLarry]

I don't think it would work like that and you could probably try bonding two WAN links together, but it wouldn't improve your individual speeds.  Best bet would be to try an external antenna, even the cheap Netgear panel should help, but I use external proxicast panels.

[BgTX]

Thanks LlamaLarry. Could you suggest a model of proxicast panels?

[LlamaLarry]

I've been using these: 

http://shop.proxicast.com/shopping/proxicast-4g-lte-cross-polarized-10-dbi-mimo-high-gain-fixed-moun...

but I started with these:

https://www.amazon.com/Netgear-6000450-MIMO-Antenna-Connectors/dp/B00DN3J03O

I have not yet installed it, but my next project is this:

https://poynting.tech/antennas-accessories/antennas/farming-agricultural-antennas/xpol-2-5g/

These hotspots are my only internet where I live, so I am always tinkering and spending more money. sigh.  The Netgear panel isn't on their website that I could find so I don't know if it has been replaced with something new, but it is the lowest cost as the unit is very affordable and does not require any additional cables or pigtails to connect to the LBs.  

The others require cables AND pigtails to convert from the N connectors on the modems to end up with the TS9 connectors on the modems.  

[BgTX]

LlamaLarry. Thanks again for this info. I am facing a situation where there are wireless (cellular) providers in the (Hill Country region of Austin) area but the service is VERY expensive. The most recent provider who provided a positive survey can support 30-40Mbps down, 20-30 up.

Cost for 30Mbps is $300/month, 40...$400/mth. Coming from Gig service for $100/mth is a little difficult to take. The mobile hotspot alternative, using our current AT&T Wireless provider required only that I add a line to our current account. The charge for this is just another $10/mth.

So, you can see how this info then that you provided is invaluable! Much appreciated.

It sounds like I may end up with the xpol 2-5g antena eventually anyway. Other than applying the correct connectors to mate with teh TS-9 on teh modem end, do I think this would be a reasonable antenna for me to get in place at the start?

[LlamaLarry]

Yeah, I don't see why not if you're willing to put up a mast and engage in the time honored spectable of the antenna pointer yelling "NOW?" and the person watching the signal murmer "worse/better" until the pointer has a stroke yelling "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"  😉

I bought my coax cables from https://usacoax.com and had them craft what I needed.  FWIW, I used LMR600 just to try and cut as much signal loss as possible, but that comes with its own problems as the cable is thick and not super flexible.  

You need N Male on one end (for the antenna) and then SMA Male on the other (the end headed towards the modem).  You ALSO need female SMA to TS9 (like this https://usacoax.com/mpd100-nta100-305mm-ts9-r-a-male-plug-to-sma-female-jack-bulkhead.html) to finish the conversion to allow it to plug into the modem.  

The antenna is MIMO so you need TWO of each to connect to the Main and Div inputs on the modem.  All said and done I was right around $125 or so in cabling with a $200 antenna. 

[BgTX]

Awesome. Thanks *very much!

[LlamaLarry]

Just touching base to see if you were able to try out an antenna setup.  

[BgTX]

Thanks for checking in. Not quite yet. Have the antenna on order. Reviewing the other components needed and determining what I need to verify the solution and then to install the "final" solution.

[BgTX]

Update on this...

We have moved. I bought the Poynting XPOL-2-5G Antenna. I am going to mount this on my faux chimney. I spent some time with in on the roof of the house, pointing it at a cell tower that I can see from the roof, I estimate about 3-5 miles away. In that location, I was able to get db readings (per the Netgear app) of 83/9, with speeds of 66MB down/40MB up, using a 5ghz WiFi band on teh mobile hotpot connected to my iPhone and reading with Ookla Speedtest v1.18.

Currently, I have all of that on a pole in my living room. 🙂  And, it stays there until I receive a mount that I will attach to the chimney. The antenna give me a little bump but it needs to get outside.

I also need to order the extention cable from USACOAX.

BTW, the online ordering there does not provide the option for a SMA connector for LMR-600. So, I am ordering the LMR-400.

[BgTX · Accepted solution]

Ok, here is the 'interim' installation and results. The M1100 (attached to the antenna) and wireless router are currently in my attic while I complete the install of the antenna wire extensions into the house. I am very pleased with the results.

the mount is the:

Ubiquiti Universal Antenna Mount UB-AM (Original Version), link included here is from Amazon.

thanks again, @LlamaLarry 

[Blanco231]

Wi-Fi has two frequencies, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, that aim to improve both speed and coverage. The 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band ensures that you get better coverage from the router; however, it does so by reducing the speed of the internet.

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