If you ever notice that phone calls drop when you move into certain rooms of your home or that you have trouble sending or receiving texts from your own desk, you may have a weakened cellular signal. Many homes in rural areas have weaker cell reception, or certain rooms in your home may contain obstructions like insulation that result in spotty signal strength. A common workaround is to install a signal booster to amplify your reception. Here are some helpful tips on how to install a signal booster in your home to get the most out of the investment.
1. Find the Weakest Area of Your Home
One of the first steps to help you get the most out of your signal booster is to locate the area in your home with the weakest signal. Cell boosters work by amplifying a lower signal, so it helps to figure out where signals are at their weakest. If you already know there’s a specific room in your home that needs help, you can probably set something up there. Then, you can activate your phone’s field test mode for a more detailed and accurate report to get precise data on where you most need an extra boost.
2. Separate the Two Antennas
When installing a signal booster in your home, your booster should have two antennas: an internal and an external. You want to set up the internal antenna near your main booster, in the area of your home where the signal is at its weakest. An important step in separating the antenna enough so that you don’t accidentally create a feedback loop. Typically, the external antenna should be 25 to 30 vertical feet apart whenever possible.
3. Connect Everything Together
After you have your antennas in place and your main unit ready to go, connect everything together with the cables, and your device should activate. Try making calls and sending texts to see if there’s a noticeable upgrade to your signal quality. Many boosters have fail-safes where they’ll stop working if they detect oscillation, so if you don’t notice any changes, you may need to make some adjustments.