Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)In a nutshell:
The YX510 is the cheapest dual-band cellular signal repeater I found. It's easy to set up, easy to use, uses standard RG-6 cable and connectors, and it works very well out-of-the-box. Definitely recommended.
Long version:
At my parents' suburban CT home, the location, the terrain, and the aluminum siding all add up to zero indoor cellular reception. Even outdoors, my dual-band Cingular GSM service gives me at most 1 bar...all attempts to place a call immediately fail. My siblings' Verizon service is a bit better, but still not enough for them to place calls. Up on the roof, though, I found I would get 3 bars (up to 4, if I held the phone over my head), quite sufficient for a reliable phone call. Enter the YX510. It's easy to install, though their recommended pre-installation test procedure didn't leave me optimistic--I couldn't get the base unit's "signal" light to flash green when placing a call from nearby it on the roof (which the manual said would represent a successful test). The error code I was getting from it indicated either the signal was too strong or the interior/exterior antennas were interfering with each other. Undeterred, I installed the main signal antenna (zip-tied to the top of a length of PVC pipe strapped to our old TV antenna pole, to keep it away from metallic objects, as the manual recommends). I tried another test with the base unit placed at ground level about 35 feet away, seperated by a good chunk of the house, but I still had trouble getting a reliable signal. When I finished the installation and moved the base station indoors (about 20-25 feet almost directly below the exterior signal antenna, with the roof and two floors in between), that's when its performance started really shining. Installed in the basement, the YX510 base station gives solid reception for most of the dual-level, 2600 sqft house. My cell phone shows a full five bars most of the time, for anywhere within about about 15-20 feet of the interior antenna (the signal strength slowly drops with additional distance). Once I start a call, my phone's signal strength meter immediately drops to the strength of the signal at the roof (usually 3 bars), so it's apparent that the included omnidirectional antenna cannot "amplify" the received signal. Thus, make sure you at least have a usable signal level at the point where you plan to install the exterior signal antenna, or otherwise consider getting the directional antenna upgrade for the YX510. My siblings and I now have reliable cellular service for more than half of the house, and we can all use our phones simultaneously with no problem. Very satisfied! (Note: I installed the exterior antenna using the YX012 grounding kit, but one could easily use store-bought outdoor RG-6 cable and a grounded female-to-female RG-6 connector instead of that kit.)
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zBoost YX-510 Cell Phone Signal Booster Dual-Band Unit for Home or OfficeSatisfy all your cellular phone needs with the Wireless Extenders YX510-PCS/CEL zBoost zP Wireless Booster, which works with both cellular frequencies (800 and 1900 MHz) and can extend cellular coverage up to 2500 square feet. This unit can handle signals from all the major U.S. cellular carriers.* The package includes everything you need: amplifier base unit, power supply, base unit antenna, low-loss SATV coaxial cable (RG6), signal antenna and mounting hardware. The omni-directional signal antenna receives signals from multiple cell towers.Using a revolutionary, patent pending technology that protects the carrier network, the YX510 improves indoor cell phone coverage by capturing and repeating the outside signal, bringing it into the building and enhancing it. This process creates a "Cell Zone" in your home or office.
Click here to see a PDF overview of setting up the Wireless Booster.
The Wireless Extenders zBoost system includes:
Outdoor antenna (repeats the signal) can be installed outdoors above the roofline or indoors in the attic or near a window
Coax cable (RG6- ultra low-loss, DBS satellite) connects from the outdoor antenna to the base unit
Base unit: Sleekly designed, it amplifies the signal and provides oscillation detection/correction which protects the carrier network using patent-pending technology.
Indoor antenna connects to the base unit to repeat the signal and create "Cell Zone"--no physical connection to the phone is needed.
*The use of radio distribution equipment that enhances, extends or amplifies a wireless signal may be prohibited without the consent of the wireless carrier upon whose network such equipment will be used. You should consult with your carrier before purchasing such equipment to use with that carrier's service.
Installation Choosing the best location for installation of the Signal Antenna provides the best performance and the largest area of improved signal. Determine the location that provides the strongest signal using the signal strength indicator on your cell phone. For the best reception, find the location that provides the most bars of signal strength and locate the Signal Antenna at that location.
Specifications
US PCS 1900 MHz band
Uplink: 1850 - 1910 MHz
Downlink: 1930 - 1990 MHz
US Cellular 800/850 MHz band
Uplink: 824 - 849 MHz
Downlink: 869 - 894 MHz
Network formats: CDMA, GSM, TDMA, AMPS, GPRS, EDGE, 1xRTT, EVDO, HSDPA
Total Signal Gain: 60dB (adaptive)
Output Power: less than 0.5 Watt EiRP (w/ included antenna)
Unit weight: 1 pound
Unit size: 5 x 7 x 2 inches
Power input: 100-120 VAC 60 Hz
Power output: 5VDC, 1.5A
Signal antenna cable: Outdoor rated 75 ohm DBS satellite coaxial cable, Type-F male
Base unit antenna: 50 ohm, TNC male
Note: If you need coverage for only one cellular carrier, check out the YX500/PCS (1900 MHz) or the YX500/CEL (800 MHz).
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