Many users who have acquired 4G mobile communications have already noticed that the market doesn’t particularly pamper the buyer with accessories for LTE devices. Especially there is a lack of assortment in the antenna market to amplify the signal of a portable modem. However, a detailed study of products in the corporate segment reveals that the necessary devices are on sale, only their cost is several times higher than a decent 4G modem.
The focus of this article is a signal amplification system manufactured by Yota. The antenna is presented on the market by several modifications that are present in different price segments. The reader has the opportunity to get acquainted with interesting products, find out their technical characteristics, and also find out how you can create a portable system for signal amplification from available tools.
Market leader
Undoubtedly, among all products of the manufacturer there is a model that is awarded the title of “Best Buy”. Yota (antenna) Connect 2.0 is considered the leader in sales in the domestic market, because the manufacturer managed to combine many useful functions in one device. Firstly, it is about mobility - the portable antenna is not only small in size, but also has a folding design, allowing the user to transport the device in a backpack or bag with a laptop.
Ease of connection also did not go unnoticed by the owners. For the LTE modem, there is a special USB slot on the antenna body, to which you need to connect a mobile network device. But the modem is connected to a laptop or computer by means of an extension cord, which already comes from the signal amplification system.
You have to pay for everything
It would seem that a Yota antenna with a built-in modem has no flaws - buy a kit and enjoy broadband Internet. However, in their reviews, users complain that the signal amplifier only works with the device of the same name. That is, you cannot buy such a convenient and portable antenna for other modems (ZTE, MTC, etc.), since the gadget will not work at the hardware level.
There is, of course, a way out of this situation. The USB receiver on the antenna can be disassembled and the Yota controller can be carefully removed with a soldering iron. Then it is necessary to connect the wire going to the controller with the antenna body with a copper cable. True, the signal power will deteriorate after removing the chip, but this solution is still better than using a modem without an amplifier.
Directional system
Wireless Ethernet antennas have lost their relevance in the past decade, because for many providers it is easier to stretch the cable 30-60 kilometers away than to sell expensive directional equipment. But faced with poor LTE coverage, the manufacturer had to use forgotten technologies. The antenna for the Yota modem with the strange name Hite Grid copes with signal amplification perfectly, being from a tower at a distance of up to 20 kilometers.
Yes, such a device is considered to be stationary, since it is bulky and bulky, and the design is not suitable for transportation. But here it is up to the user to decide what is more important to him - a decent transmission speed or convenience. A feature of such an antenna is the fact that there is no binding to either the provider or the manufacturer of 4G modems.
Higher, faster, stronger
But parabolic systems did not take root well in the domestic market. The thing is that Russian-speaking customers are able to notice the difference between the satellite signal and the 4G network in which the Yota modem works. An external antenna, made in the form of a dish, undoubtedly attracts attention with its appearance, but when it comes to signal quality, the device has nothing to surprise the user with.
Directional antennas in the form of parabolic plates are offered by Baltic, Polish and Chinese manufacturers. Outwardly, they are almost identical and differ only in disk diameter and name. In the domestic market, from the entire similar assortment, only the Sky Flex brand can be recommended, which is able to demonstrate signal amplification. When buying, you need to pay attention to the fact that the company logo is not made in the form of a sticker, but is painted on a plate. On the serial number plate, Sky Flex Yota is duplicated with a print.
Mounting Features
All directional antennas have one unpleasant feature - the high-frequency cable from the receiver to the modem is very expensive. It is easy to guess that for all owners of the Yota gadget, connecting an antenna installed on the roof of the house will cost a lot. You can solve the problem by purchasing additional accessories to the signal amplification system.
If you use a pigtail communication cable to connect the modem, you can install the modem (securely and protected from moisture) directly on the antenna body. And connect to a mobile device or computer with an active USB extension cable (10-30 meters). Alternatively, many users use a television cable in the form of an extension cord.
Alternative from craftsmen
Many users claim in their reviews that they use a homemade antenna for Yota. With their own hands to create a device they were made by the manufacturer himself, who set an inflated price on his products. A conventional television antenna, popularly known as Polish, can play the role of a directional system. To do this, you need to disassemble the modem and, removing the wires from the built-in amplifier, connect them to the terminals of the television antenna.
In fact, you can replace the Yota accessory (antenna) with any improvised device that can amplify the signal. Even a regular piece of fittings or a copper cable is suitable as an antenna. The only thing the owner needs to know is the operating principle of the receiver and the circuit, which should not short circuit.
From improvised means
An ordinary tin can or colander will work well as an alternative to a Yota signal amplifier. A directional antenna can be assembled in several ways: using an active circuit and using the principle of line of sight. The simplest solution in extreme conditions for any owner of a mobile device and modem can be the use of ordinary aluminum containers from soda water or beer. The can is washed, its bottom is cut off with a knife and the modem connected via USB is fixed in the hole on the back side.
An advanced system using an active circuit requires the owner to disassemble the modem and output two wires from the built-in amplifier. Also, the designer will need an empty pack of cigarettes, a nail or a large copper wire . You need to pierce a cigarette pack with a nail and fix one end of the cable removed from the amplifier on a metal cap. The second cable connects to the can circuit. The pack must be inserted into the jar so that the metal does not come into contact with the outline of the jar. Such a simple mechanism can receive a 4G signal even at a distance of up to 20-30 kilometers.
Finally
As practice shows, there are many options to solve the problem with signal amplification for an LTE device. For people with unlimited financial resources, a solution from the manufacturer Yota is suitable. The antenna will cope with all the tasks and provide the owner with high-quality communication. Users with a limited budget should not be upset - it’s very easy to make a directional antenna from improvised means, only a little knowledge of electrical engineering and desire are needed.