External antenna to boost internet signal?

[SulphurDave]

Unfortunately I am right smack dab in the middle of 3g coverage between Houston and New Orleans. So I'm stuck in 1x. I had to go to Houston last week and noticed my phone switched from 1x to Ev automatically for the first time after wondering if it even worked. I want to use my phone as a modem for my laptop. I've tried it and it works great and all however... 120 kbps is lacking for wanting to use my laptop for web browsing, streaming videos, video messaging etc.

So my question is shouldn't there be some sort of external power booster antenna that I can hook up to my phone and laptop to receive an evdo signal a hundred miles away?

[talon95]

These guys sell several different ones.

http://www.repeaterstore.com/products/repeaterkits/

Although as big as that gap is in the 3G coverage down there, I really doubt any of them will work.

[rihavens]

Wait, so these work with a wire to your phone, or is it all wireless. I am interested in something like this.

[hotspace]

They work wirelessly. Basically they are repeaters.

Scenario...Say you work in a concrete, rebar lined building and the cellular coverage is not that good. Place a few of these through out the building and you are in business.

For your situation...there is nothing you can do. I've been there. You just have to wait until there is coverage.

Are you with sprint?? Are you with Verizon??

There may be a hack that would allow you to force roaming onto the Verizon netowrk...or vice versa. Just my .02

[grandmasterlarry]

if you’re in between 3g and 1x there is ways you can force evdo... there’s a couple of ways but I found this one really quick...
But your said your phone is only in 1x where you’re at I would use this if it constantly jumps between 1x and evdo, you can try it and see what happens thou...

I don't know why they hide this option, but for people living on fringe areas as I do, it is nice to be able to force 1X or EV-DO on or off.

To do so:

1) Obtain a registry editor (I just use total commander)
2) Navigate to \\\registry\HKLM\SOFTWARE\OEM\PhoneSetting\
3) Change the value of 'HiddenModeOperationPage' from 1 to 0
4) Save
5) Soft reset

It didn't seem to want to remember the value of 0 for me the first couple times, and I'm not sure why.

What this does:

-Adds an item to the list at 'Phone - Menu - Options - Services (Tab on bottom)' that is named "Mode of Operation". The default value of this is Hybrid, which will prefer EVDO, but will use 1X when not available. I seem to get better reception at home if I change the option to 1X Only.

As a side note, there are a couple other 'Hidden...' pages in this registry directory that I don't have time to play with right now. Maybe someone else will figure out what they do.

http://pdaphonehome.com/forums/ppc-6...-1x-ev-do.html

[ou2mame]

if you disable 1x, you won't receive text messages.... just so you know. so you can put the phone in evdo only, but you won't be able to text until you switch it back.

[SulphurDave]

Originally Posted by hotspace

For your situation...there is nothing you can do. I've been there. You just have to wait until there is coverage.

I was afraid of that. They're not in too much of a hurry to expand their coverage apparently because it's been this way for a long time.

Originally Posted by hotspace

Are you with sprint?? Are you with Verizon??

There may be a hack that would allow you to force roaming onto the Verizon netowrk...or vice versa. Just my .02

I am with Sprint and have been for 4 years but not until this phone have I had a phone that was able to do the things this HTC Touch Pro can do. I also just bought a laptop that I will be bringing to another city an hour from here for a job I'm taking. There's no broadband coverage over there either from Sprint. So I bought a Verizon wireless card for the laptop because they have 3g coverage here where I am at and also where I'm gonna be staying an hour from here. That's great and all but Verizon has a 5gb cap a month and I use well over that so I called them to cancel it. Why pay for my data plan with Sprint and can use it as a modem for my laptop and also have another $60 plan from Verizon just to use capped internet service. So now you see why I'm wanting to boost my signal from my phone to receive a faster internet speed for my laptop. That would be great if I could rob Verizon's coverage over there lol.

Originally Posted by grandmasterlarry

if you’re in between 3g and 1x there is ways you can force evdo... there’s a couple of ways but I found this one really quick...
But your said your phone is only in 1x where you’re at I would use this if it constantly jumps between 1x and evdo, you can try it and see what happens thou...

I don't know why they hide this option, but for people living on fringe areas as I do, it is nice to be able to force 1X or EV-DO on or off.

To do so:

1) Obtain a registry editor (I just use total commander)
2) Navigate to \\\registry\HKLM\SOFTWARE\OEM\PhoneSetting\
3) Change the value of 'HiddenModeOperationPage' from 1 to 0
4) Save
5) Soft reset

It didn't seem to want to remember the value of 0 for me the first couple times, and I'm not sure why.

What this does:

-Adds an item to the list at 'Phone - Menu - Options - Services (Tab on bottom)' that is named "Mode of Operation". The default value of this is Hybrid, which will prefer EVDO, but will use 1X when not available. I seem to get better reception at home if I change the option to 1X Only.

As a side note, there are a couple other 'Hidden...' pages in this registry directory that I don't have time to play with right now. Maybe someone else will figure out what they do.

http://pdaphonehome.com/forums/ppc-6...-1x-ev-do.html

Where I live currently it is constantly 1x all the time. I have to travel almost 2 hours away (in the opposite direction from where I'll be at this other job) to get a EVDO signal which is where I was a week ago on a business trip and saw a EV signal for the first time.

Originally Posted by ou2mame

if you disable 1x, you won't receive text messages.... just so you know. so you can put the phone in evdo only, but you won't be able to text until you switch it back.

The only time I really need EVDO or 3g is when I'm using my phone as a modem for the laptop which would primarily be at night when I'm off and maybe one day out of the weekend. Other than that I use my phone for calls and texts.

[ou2mame]

i was just saying that because i remember i got really confused a long time ago when i enabled evdo only on a sanyo phone, and quit receiving texts... took me a few days to figure it out lol

[SulphurDave]

So am I SOL or what?

[SulphurDave]

Guess so