1. Choosing the right cell phone antenna can
make a substantial difference in your cell
phone's signal reception. In fact, some
antennas can provide up to a 13 dBi gain.
Understanding how the antenna will
connect to your phone, the difference
between directional and omni-directional
antennas, and how to choose one that
works with your service provider will make
all the difference when purchasing a cell
phone antenna.
diploe antenna
2. 1) How the external antenna will connect to your phone: Many
phones have an external antenna port on the back that can either
plug into a car kit with an external antenna connection or can be
used with an external antenna adapter When these options are
available, any external antenna tuned to the frequencies the phone
uses are an option (limited only by where the antenna will be used as
discussed below) The current trend with cell phone manufacturers
is to not add the external antenna port as they are moving away from
car kits due to Bluetooth technology
3. When the phone does not have an external antenna port, the only
option is a wireless amplified repeater kit Over the past diploe
antenna few years there have been a number of products advertised
as working on phones without an external antenna port One of the
most recent examples was a signal boosting sticker you attach to the
back of the phone
4. Regrettably, none of these products have proven to provide any
signal benefit at all As a result, there is not an inexpensive way on
the market at the moment to increase signal strength in these cell
phones 2) Omni-directional and directional antennas:
Omni-directional antennas pick up the signal in a full 360 degree
radius, and so should be installed in a vertical position in the area of
strongest signal
5. Directional antennas, however, pick up the signal in only one
direction This type of antenna is designed for use on stationary
objects such as buildings It should be mounted above tree lines and
pointed directly toward the nearest cell tower
6. The main benefit of a directional antenna is its ability to focus its
signal in one direction If the antenna is not aimed correctly it will
lose its effectiveness 3) Choosing an antenna that works with your
service provider: When purchasing a new antenna, be sure it is
compatible with your provider's phone frequency
7. For instance, while the same model of phone may be offered by
Verizon and AT&T, and therefore the same antenna provided,
each service provider has its own frequency Even though the
Verizon antenna may fit in the AT&T phone (and vice versa), it
will not provide any signal due to its tuning to a different set of
frequencies Almost all service providers use frequencies
compatible with Dual Band/Tri-Mode antennas; the exception is
Nextel
8. Dual-band antennas work with two frequencies, and while one of the
frequencies usually supports Nextel phones, it is best to purchase an
antenna that is made to support just Nextel phones This will assure
more consistent, quality signal reception
9. Knowing how the antenna will connect to your phone, the difference
between omni-directional and directional antennas, and how to
choose one that works with your service provider is essential when
purchasing an external antenna Having the right antenna can result
in a gain of up to13 dBi
10. Understanding how antennas work will allow you to purchase the
correct antenna and therefore optimize your phone's ability to
receive signals
