How to Install a Signal Booster for a Holiday Home
- News
- 06 Dec, 2021
Who doesn't love a break away after a hard year of work at their holiday home in a beautiful yet secluded part of the country? Taking a break from your daily routine, in your home away from home, may seem like a dream, but staying in remote areas can be a signal nightmare. What if there's an emergency and you can't contact anyone for help, or you want to check in on family during the festive season? Not to worry, we have the solution for you.
How to Install a Signal Booster At Your Holiday Home.
One of the most frequent concerns our clients have is whether or not their signal booster will be complicated to install.
While installation may require multiple steps, each of these steps are simple on their own. The Signal Booster manual included in your kit, provides a nice starting point for your self installation. Correct installation can significantly increase the coverage area of your amplifier, so it's worth taking the time to ensure that the system is installed properly.
There are five main steps to installing a holiday home signal booster system:
- Find the strongest Outside Signal
- Install the Outdoor Antenna.
- Connect to the Cell Phone Signal Booster
- Install the Inside Antenna
- Power on the system
The most challenging part is installing the outside antenna, whether a Yagi directional antenna or an omni antenna. This requires physically getting onto your roof, mounting the antenna, weatherproofing, and running cable into your home.
You also need some tools, but nothing unusual. A ladder, your cell phone, a Phillips-head screwdriver, an adjustable wrench, and a little bit of elbow grease - and you’ll be enjoying better cellular signal in no time!
01. Find the Strongest Outside Signal
Begin by locating the strongest signal outside your home. Finding the side of your home with the best signal is a vital step of the installation process. This is done by walking around the perimeter of your house and either using the number of bars on your phone (ok method), smartphone apps (good method), or Field Test Mode (great method).
Check out our video on Will a signal booster work for me where we discuss some useful apps.
02. Install the Outside Antenna
Mount the outdoor antenna in the area on your roof with the best signal. Place the antenna as high up as you can - ideally on the roof with a mounting pole if possible. It’s important that the outside antenna should not be near any obstructions. If it's a yagi antenna, it should be pointing away from the house toward your nearest cell tower.
See our guide on How to Find Your Nearest Cell Tower in South Africa in Five Minutes or Less: 2021 Edition for the optimal way to point your antenna.
03. Connect to Signal Amplifier
Once the outside process is complete, connect a coaxial cable (one will be included in your kit) to the outside antenna and run it into your home where you keep your Booster. Ensure that your Booster is mounted in a well-ventilated area.
04. Install Inside Antenna
Determine where in your home you need signal the most, and place the indoor antenna either on the wall (if a panel antenna) or on the ceiling (if a dome antenna) in that area. Run the other included cable to the amplifier (also called booster).
Make sure there is at least 6 meters vertical or 15 meters horizontal distance between the outside and inside antennas to prevent oscillation, which will cause your cell signal booster to automatically shut down.
05. Power On the System
Plug in the power supply to the signal booster and to the wall outlet. The Signal Booster will sync up and if you see all green lights, you’re go to go. Check near the inside antenna how much amplified signal you’re receiving.
Any adjustments will require rebooting the amplifier - simply unplug the power supply for 5-10 seconds and plug it back in to reboot the system.
And that’s it! Enjoy your boosted mobile signal!
