On Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:03:05 +0000, Gareth Magennis wrote:

Ok, I know the answer to this already, but just in case I don't:


My girlfriend has a mobile broadband USB dongle thing. Its on the "3"
network in the UK which we now know is the worst network to have chosen.
Never mind, its only an 18 month contract. Problem is the signal is very
weak.

Is there any way at all to boost reception? I know there are clip on
devices on Ebay that purport to increase mobile phone reception but
suspect its all snake oil baloney, and Googling backs this up. However, I
have Googled and found people that swear they get a couple of extra bars
using these (pretty cheap though) devices.
I also saw some TV program that built some kind of foil lined tub thing
that, with the phone placed within it, also apparently gave a couple of
extra bars of reception strength. Hardly a valid scientific experiment I
know. I guess these dongles are basically a mobile phone.

This dongle is only ever used in her home. The "3" network mobile phone
that came with the (very cheap) package also exhibits reception on the
verge of useless throughout the house.

I have investigated the possibility of a USB/CAT5 extension cable to
locate the dongle higher up in the house, but reception doesn't appear to
work anywhere in the house particularly well.

Any ideas, myth dispelling etc?



Cheer,


Gareth.

Sadly though it looks authentic the cell booster thinge is pure snake oil
that's why so many of the surplus sites were giving them away with an
order a while back.

It is possible to make a passive coupled antenna that would boost your
signal since the usb dongle is not able to be opened for adding a real
antenna to the unit.

A passive unit would condist of a tuned loop (on the frequency range of
your provider coupled to a whip antenna of the appropriate range. You
might want to look or a Ham Radio VHF handbook if you want to try and
build one. It would work something like the passive antennas that were
sold to go on cars through the glass not long ago. In fact one of those
located near or on your dongle might produce results but i would not
gurantee it.

Gnack