user manual - phoneboosters.co.uk€¦ · instructions for mobile signal booster effective...

UserManual

Content 2

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Introduction... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Package Includes... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Getting Started to Install: Step 1: Preparation... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 2: Phone Signal .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 3: Finding the Best Place for Inside Antenna... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 4: Finding the best place for outside antenna... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Connections... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Status Check... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Installation... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Troubleshooting ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Safety Guidelines... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

www.phoneboosters.co.uk

Introduction This guide will give you a general overview of mobile

signal boosters to help you use it right away. It

provides you with all necessary information and

instructions for mobile signal booster effective

installation and use.

This guide includes written and visual information

(such as illustrations and diagrams) to assist the

user in completing the installation.

Please, read carefully the precautions with symbols,

to ensure that the device is used in best condition

and in complete safety.

Mobile signal boosters aim to strengthen and

improve weak mobile signal reception. The primary

functions of signal boosters are:

Enhancement of cell phone communication

quality

Maximization of wireless internet speed

The intelligence of boosters lies upon their capacity

of revealing the real signal strength around the area

as well as the correct output power.

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The device is designed for indoor use only with a temperature range of -250C to +550C.


Package Includes

If upon receiving your order, there are any missed components, please, contact us right away and we will take care of the issue.

This device may be operated ONLY

for use in an indoor, temperature controlled enviroment (<100 degrees Fahrenheit)

4

Booster

5 Meters Cable

Outside LPDA Antenna

15 Meters CableInsida DomeAntenna

Power Supply

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Getting Started to InstallIn order to complete an effective installation by yourself, you may need the following tools:

Drill

Adjustable wrench

Before installation, make sure that you are

allowed to install an outside antenna on the roof

of your building.

Make sure that you are allowed to make holes on

your inside and outside walls for cables.

Make sure that you are able to have optimal

distance of 10-15 meters and wall isolation

between inside and outside antennas.

5Step 1: Preparation

LadderScrewdriver

HammerRuler


Also note that you will need at least one hour for installation. Depending on your location and your apartment/home layout installation, it may take up to 4 hours.

Power Strip (if there is no electrical socket where you want to install the booster unit).

UserManual

Key requirments for favorable outsidesignal conditions are:

6Step 1: Preparation


The source of the signal must be stable.

Stability of the signal source refers to the state of

making and receiving a phone call without experiencing

sound interruptions and dropped calls.

Use a cell phone to find a spot where the signal

reception is the strongest and place the outdoor

antenna at the spot in a way that its direction points to

the base station.

The combination of the right spot and pointing

direction will result in a more stable and better mobile

signal.

In case of being surrounded by mountains or living in a

remote area, locate a higher altitude and /or set up a

high pole in order to receive stronger signal.

1

2

3

4

5

Step 2: Phone Signal Measurement

For all Other Phones

iPhone®

Dial *3001#12345#* then press Call.

Hold down power button until you see “Slide to

Power Off ” then release the power button

Hold the Home button until your main screen

appears. If you want to check 3G/1x but your

iPhone is picking up 4G/ LTE signal, go to

Settings>Cellular>Cellular Data Options>Enable

LTE>Select Off

Android™

Settings > About Phone > Status or Network > Signal

Strength or Network Type and Strength (exact

options/wording depends on phone model).

iPhone is a registered trademark of Apple Inc.

Android is a trademark of Google Inc.

Keep track of the network (2G, 3G or 4G) your

phone is connected to.

To get readings from other carriers you will need

phones from each carrier, or you will need to

contact them directly.

7


Step 3: Finding the Best Place for Inside Antenna

Turn off your cell phone’s WiFi to ensure you are

checking the cellular connection.

the weakest reception, or number farthest away

from zero. For example -100 is a weaker signal

than -80.

Place your Inside Antenna in this poor signal area

results, keep the inside antenna more than 10-15

meters from the booster.

Mount the inside antenna as shown on the picture

below according to option 1, if you have 1 internal

antenna and option 2 – in case you have kit with 2

(or more) internal antennas.

Having an accurate measurement of signal strength

in decibels (dBm) is crucial when installing your

system. Decibels accurately measure the signal

strength that you are receiving.

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Test both 3G and 4G signal for best results

by turning off the LTE in the carrier settings

strength table is given bellow.


UserManual

However, the signal strength indicators may be

different depending on your location and network

speed that is provided in your area.

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Signal Strength Excellent Poor Dead ZoneGood Fair

2G/3G(typically voice)

-70dBm -110dBm-71 to -85dBm

-91 to -105dBm

-86 to -100dBm -101 to -109dBm

-106 to -110dBm -111 to -119dBm-90dBm -120dBm4G/LTE(typically data)


UserManual

UserManual

UserManual

Step 4: Finding the best place for outside antenna

This is the most critical step of the installation

process because it will determine the overall

performance of the booster system.

Find the place with the strongest signal (number

closest to zero) on the outside of your home.

For outside antenna installation, it may be required

to climb up on the roof of your building/house.

Make sure you are equipped with safety shoes while

working on the roof.

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most eaves you can track the

the exterior wall

cable running to outside antenna

If needed, cable clips can be purchased at most hardware stores


To determine the best location for your Outside

Antenna, note the dBm reading in a variety of

locations.

Attach the outdoor antenna to a stick or a pipe.

Make sure that location of outside antenna is

isolated from inside antenna with a wall.

Point the outdoor antenna to the direction where

you know there is possibly the higher signal

strength from the base station.

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1

2

Note: The Outside Antenna must be at

least 10-15 meters away from the Inside

Antenna for its best performance. For

kits with Panel antenna it is important

to make sure the Inside and outside

antennas are facing away from each other


Connections 12

2


1

1

2

4

3

Connect the outdoor cable to the outdoor antenna first, then to the port of the boost-er. The port must be marked as “Outdoor”.

Check the signal amplification status first before attaching the indoor antenna to the indoor cable. The indoor antenna must be put over 2-meter away from the booster as well as pointed away from the booster and outdoor antenna.

Connect the indoor cable to the indoor antenna first, then to the port marked as “Indoor” on the booster.

Once the indoor and outdoor cables are securely connected to both the booster and antennas, you may turn the booster on with the power adapter.

StatusCheck

13


Check DL/P LEDs status to know output power state to cell phone of each band.Ensure that the Power LED light is GREEN when you power on the booster. In order to know the amplification status, check the color of the light of DL/P LEDs. Each frequency band has its corresponding color of the light to indicate the signal amplification status. For checking a specific band status, refer to the state of DL/P LED. Each DL/P LED displays its frequency band working status independently.

In case of encountering the state of no light on any of the DL/P LEDs while the Power LED is in green, use your cell phone to make sure whether the booster is in a working state or not. For that, power off the booster and note the signal bar(s) on your cell phone. Then, power on the booster back and check if there is any improvement of the signal bar(s) on your phone. If the signal increases, it means the booster works perfectly.

One of the most usual reasons that DL/P LED does not light up is the weakness of outside signal strength. Try to adjust the outdoor antenna in a way that its direction points towards the base station (BTS, Node B). Lift the outdoor antenna higher in an open space. You may as well try to seek another spot that has comparably better signal conditions to install the outdoor antenna. If DL/P LEDs light up, then, the outdoor antenna installation has been completed successfully. If not, change the type of antennas or version of the booster.

Check UL/P LEDs status to know system state. Once you completed taking the improvement steps for DL/P LEDs, proceed checking the state of UL/P LEDs. UL/P LEDs are responsible for the state of phone calls. If there is not any active phone call in the coverage, UL/P LED remains in a dark state. Each UL/P LED indicates the working status of its corresponding frequency band independently. UL/P LEDs also indicate the system running state. If any of the UL/P LEDs show solid red or is constantly on, it is in the SYSTEM WARNING state, implying that the booster is working in an abnormal state or it is self-oscillating. This is considered to be a serious issue, and demands to be solved immediately.

Signal amplificationstatus check

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When power LED lighting in Green (the booster must be powered on to work)

UL/P LED(s)a. single band booster has one UL/P LED,b. dual band booster has two UL/P LEDs,each stands for a frequency band independently.c. tri band booster has three UL/P LEDs, each stands for a frequency band inde-pendently.d. quad band booster has four UL/P LEDs, each stands for a frequency band inde-pendently.e. 5-band booster has five UL/P LEDs, each stands for a frequency band independently.

Any one , two, three, four or five of the UL/P LED(s) in constant or solid light state over 1 minute without flashing refers to system warn-ing state. The situation may happen frequently or per-manantly. When system warning condition(s) are removed, system recovers to normal work. In system warning state, user’s cell phone may indicate full signal but can not make phone call.

ALL UL/P LED(s) should be in dark state or occasionally lighting state when there is no phone call happening

System Warning state LED indications

1

2

3

4

15


Each band of the booster is designed with an independent DL/P LED to indicate its down link (from booster to cell phone) working states. Each DL/P LED tells the working status of corre-sponding frequency band seperately. Each DL/P LED may have different lighting state/color because of different signal conditions for each frequency band.When output power is in NOT GOOD state, users should adjust external antenna installation to get more signal from outside.

DL/P LED states, indicating output mobile signal power state to cell phone

If the light is green, technically it means the amplified signal output power does reach the threshold.The repeater works sufficiently but still cannot reach to the state of maximum power output.

Simple meaning of green state: GOOD working state,all functions are normal, but not reach maximum performance.

Simple meaning of RED/ORANGE state: BEST working state, maximum performance

If the light is red or orange, technically it indicates the best amplification status of the booster where the output power supplies on its maximum.

The UL/P LED is dark, it signifies that either no phone call is happening around the area of the coverage at the moment or cell phone does not contact BTS.

If the light is flashing in RED. There is phone call happening in

If any of the UL/P LEDs light in solid RED or Orange over 1 minute without flashing, frequently or permanently, it signifies that the booster is in self-oscilatting state frequently or permanantly. It is SYSTEM WARNING state.

Simple meaning of dark state: NO CALL working state.

Simple meaning of flashing red state: CALLING working state.

Simple meaning of solid red or orange state: SYSTEM WARNING working state. When any one or more UL/P LEDs indicate system warning state, Users should take steps to solve the problem.

If the light does not turn on (dark), technically it means that the amplified signal output power does not reach the threshold (output_power≤10dBm). However, the issue is not related to the booster as the problem concerns the state of weak power output.

Simple meaning of dark state: NOT GOOD working state, outside signal is too weak, adjust external antenna to get more signal strength from outside.

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When SYSTEM WARNING happens, frequently or permanantly, the situation may cause broken calls or very slow data access rate and serious interruptions to BTS. Power off the booster immediately and re-do the installation steps.Possible reasons and sulotions

The indoor antenna is outputting high power but too near or point to the booster, thus interfere with booster’s work.

Take away the indoor antenna and put it far away (2-meter or more) from the booster and not pointing to the booster, system will recover to normal work.

Outdoor antenna and indoor antenna do not have enough isolation, too near or cover each other, thus interfere with each other’s work.

Re-position the two antennas to make sure there is enough distance between them, like 10-meter or more, and their pointing directions should not cover each other. The two antennas should not cover or be installed close to the booster as well.

Outdoor antenna and indoor antenna positions can not be adjusted any more due to installation space limits. It means isolation between the two antennas can not be improved any more, thus System Warning state still existing. In this situation, User needs a booster model with MGC (Manual Gain Control) function for further adjustments.Models without MGC do not support this adjustment.

Please switch related band’s ATT (or UL-ATT and DL-ATT) to cut down gain values to ensure enough isolation. For example, if UL/P LED for Band 1 in system warning state, users should adjust ATT (UL/ATT and DL/ATT) for Band 1. After above operations, all frequency bands UL/P LEDs should be in dark when there is no phone call in the coverage area.

1st step to switch corresponding ATT (UL/ATT) by Bit 1 ON and Bit 3 ON, all other bits OFF. It means cut down up link gain by 5dB. If system warning still not removed, continue to

2nd step to switch corresponding ATT (UL/ATT) by Bit 4 ON, all other bits OFF. It means cut down up link gain by 8dB. If system warning still not removed, continue to

[Reason]

[Solution]

[Solution]

[Solution]

1st step

2nd step

[Reason]

[Reason]

17


3rd step to switch corresponding ATT (UL/ATT) by Bit 4 ON, all other bits OFF. And in the meantime, switch corresponding DL/ATT (if have) by Bit 1 ON and Bit 2 ON, all other bits OFF. It means cut down up link gain by 8dB, cut down down-link gain by 3dB. Usually cut down down-link gain will affect the booster’s final output power and thus affect coverage size. Therefore adjusting DL/ATT is always taken as the last resort.

Extreme reason to cause System WarningThe booster is installed very close to BTS tower (Node B, Signal Tower). BTS signal and booster signal are interfering with each other.

This situation may cause serious disturbance to BTS and booster. Should be avoided immediately. Turn Off the booster, put a 10dB to 15dB attenuator on the booster’s “Outdoor” port, and then connect outdoor antenna. Cut down all UL/ATT by Bit 5 ON, others OFF.

Once you notice that all LEDs are in their right states, turn the booster off in order to fix the indoor antenna. Before attaching the indoor antenna to the ceiling, try to find a central site of the coverage.The spot must not be surrounded with big obstacles. After fixing the booster and all antennas as well as cables, check the working status of the booster once again by previous mentioned steps to be certain that it is in its perfect working condition.

4

Finishing the installation

3rd step

[Solution]

[Reason]

18


I can not make phone call even though my mobile phone signal is displayed to be good.

Usually, a good signal indication on the mobile phone means that down link (from base

station to mobile phone) signal is strong. If you fail to make a phone call in such a case, it

implies that the up link (from mobile phone to base station) signal power ampli�cation is

not enough. Another reason for the failure may be due to the outdoor antenna as its

direction may not be pointed towards base station. Check if the ATT (UL/ATT) setup

provides too much attenuation to up link power. You can also attempt to reposition the

outdoor antenna or replace your current booster with a more powerful one. If the outdoor

antenna adopts panel antenna, make sure to adjust it with a proper angle. even though my

mobile phone signal is displayed to be good.

I can hear the person on my phone call but he/she does not hear me clearly and/or my

voice quality is poor.

The situation is somewhat similar to the one in the Question 1; the up link from booster to

the BTS is not good. The �rst reason for this cause is the insu�ciency of signal power

ampli�cation. Second, the outdoor antenna may not be pointed to base station. Check if

the ATT (UL/ATT) setup provides too much attenuation to up link power. You can attempt

to reposition the outdoor antenna or replace your current booster with a more powerful

one. If the outdoor antenna adopts panel antenna, make sure to adjust it with a proper

angle.

The signal appears to be strong in some areas while it is weak in others.

The issue occurs when there is an uneven signal power distribution which was caused due

to either a wrong allocation of the indoor antenna, or too many close allocations of indoor

antennas. Try to adjust the position of panel antenna (if use) carefully while taking into

account the horizontal and vertical signal angles of the antenna. After adjustments, the

service area will receive right amount of signal coverage.

The mobile signal is weak everywhere.

Make sure the outdoor and indoor antennas are positioned correctly. If the signal still

remains weak, it means your ordered booster is not powerful enough. Replace it with

another booster.

The mobile signal is weak everywhere.

Check the aimming direction of the outdoor antenna to avoid receving unstable signal

from BTS. Meanwhile, there may be two types of signals of the same frequency bands in

the service area – one directly from the base station and the other coming from the

booster ampli�cation. The two signals may cause mutual interference. This issue arises

when the base station signal is not weak enough and de�nitely holds no need for

ampli�cation.or with another frequency band booster.You can replace your current

booster either with a more powerful booster to suppress the base station signal or with

another frequency band booster.

FAQ

Question 1

Question 2

Troubleshooting

Answer

Answer

Question 3

Answer

Question 4

Answer

Question 5

Answer

19


I usually experience a serious signal disturbance

Outdoor and indoor antenans may be located too close to one another. Antennas may as

well be located too close to the booster. Try to reposition the outdoor antenna and place it

as far as possible from the indoor antenna. Be certain that the antennas donot cause a

coverage overlap. Each antenna must be situated over 5 meters away from the booster.

Additionally, the signal transmission direction of each antenna must not cover the booster.

The DL/P LED does not light but the booster seems working well.

The DL/P LED lights up only when the booster output power reaches a threshold in about

10dBm or over. When the booster works in a state of small power output, the DL/P LED

does not light up. Attempt to reposition the outdoor antenna or change installation site to

receive stronger signal from BTS.

The lights of both DL/P and UL/P are constantly on.

When the booster is in its normal working state, The UL/P LED may keep �ashing while the

light of DL/P LED is constantly on.However, if the lights of both LEDs are always on, the

system may enter into a self-oscilatting state which is a severe problem that demands

urgent solution. Check the section of System Warning state analysis & solutions.

The signal coverage appears to be not as large as I thought.

E�ective service coverage is connected to �nal DL output power. The actual output power

of the coverage area depends on the input signal strength that it gets, and the gain of the

booster. When the booster operates in its full power output state, it demands basic input

signal strength.

If the input signal strength is lower than the basic strength, the output power of the

booster will be reduced and automatically a�ect the coverage. Select a better site for the

incoming signal source as well as proper cable thickness and length which will result in

reaching a reliable and preferable installation.

Moreover, single internal antenna may have limited coverage ability, installing more

internal antennas is helpful for larger coverage.

Question 6

Question 7

Answer

Answer

Question 8

Answer

Question 9

Answer

Safety Guidelines

In order for the device to be in a perfect working

state, it MUST be connected to the BS and

MS ports through a cable FIRST, before being

powered on.

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1

In case of malfunction

Immediately stop using the device.

Try to identify or eliminate the cause using the

description in this document (section Setup

Instructions).

If it is not possible to identify or eliminate the

cause using this document, switch off the device

and contact us immediately.

Use 100-240v AC with a frequency of 50/60HZ.2

Any antenna used with this device must be located at least 0.5 meter from all persons.

3

This device is designed for indoor use, thus, keepthe booster away from water and wet areas.Favorable temperature rage is -5 °C - 45 °C.

4

This device is designed for indoor use, thus, keepthe booster away from water and wet areas.Favorable temperature rage is -5 °C - 45 °C.

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