Cell Booster Pro stuck in a reboot loop

I think you've posted about this before. Who is your ISP? Forgive me if you mentioned that in your other post.

How do you have it setup? Details please.

What is bothersome is that if you connect it directly to the modem, which we called the Alternate Setup for the MicroCell, that rules out the router settings and points to your ISP. If you are using their modem, it could be configured specifically for their network which may have a setting that is not compatible with the Cell Booster. We saw issues like this a lot with Spectrum (Charter) and the MicroCell.

Don't expect your ISP to help you because they will just point their finger at AT&T and don't expect much help from AT&T Support because all they can do is read from their scripts, which is the reason why I wrote the Tech Guide first for the MicroCell and now for the Cell Booster.

Do you also have a VoIP service thru your ISP?

There are many variables that will dictate success in getting the Cell Booster setup properly.

Tell us if you have a specific home/business broadband carrier.

Along with that, tell us if you have a carrier supplied gateway/router or one you picked off the shelf from somewhere else and is either custom or deviant from what is considered normal but compatible.

Some hardware/firmware and especially carrier info can tell us if you're compatible. There are some broadband ISP's and hardware combinations that simply aren't physically/logically compatible with your AT&T Microcell/Cell Booster device no matter how much we advise or you struggle through.

You mention @OttoPylot 's guide which is really, deadly spot on. His directions to set up a DMZ that's locked on your Booster's MAC address and a fixed (sticky DHCP) address almost always works reliably like 80% of the time straight out of the gates.

But if your home/business ISP is either fixed WISP service or a satellite service outside of Star-link...or supplied by a competing Telecom service (I.E. Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, etc) expect no support, compatibility, etc.

Physical proximity of the Booster to nearby Wi-Fi, DECT/Ooma and (not so much) Bluetooth gizmos can affect activation and coverage area. My booster works best if it is at least 2 ~ 6 feet distant from any other wireless device(s).

We also need to know what lights/colors/the booster displays as it "loops" & reboots. The great bit is that they are nearly self-configuring. But where it stalls possibly can lend the best clue where it's hanging up.

We assume your unit is already registered and activated with either a text or e-mail message that indicates that your Booster is already registered, activated and waiting for you to complete physical installation and powering up.

Thanks guys. My ISP is a local Fixed Wireless provider (I live out in the country). When I said I connected it directly to my uplink I'm connecting it to my ubiquiti radio and it's pulling an IP directly from my ISP. I've spoken with their network admin and they're not blocking any of the ports I've found in guides.  So I'm assuming the issue isn't on my home setup at least since I get the exact same results with my home network entirely out of the picture.

As far as lights, I get the power light white and blinking, then the GPS light comes on and blinks until going solid. The power and GPS light will stay on solid white for a bit and then all lights will flash orange/amber and the device will reboot. If I watch status in the app it will show it is finding GPS and then it will change to device is initializing until it reboots and then it says the device is unreachable until i get back to the finding GPS stage again.

Is there a way for me to test this elsewhere to find out if my ISP could be the issue? I could take it to my daughter's house and try on their Comcast connection, but I'm guessing the address changing will prevent that from working?

Quote:

"Thanks guys. My ISP is a local Fixed Wireless provider "

That's your problem. No Booster product or previous 3G Microcell is reliable over fixed WISP installations unless they were dead on balls solidly installed with guaranteed rates.

Unfortunately, you are not going to get reliable, full service from the booster via a wireless/fixed wireless connection. My apologies, but you're not a very good candidate to support network demands of the "Booster" device, let alone a "Pro" version of the booster.

:(

EDIT: @OttoPylot and myself both have Xfinity/Comcast service via cable. Neither of us have *any* issues with registration, activation and have enough bandwidth to let it ride to MAX capacity. You'll likely find that activation and use will be seamless on your daughter's landline based network and fully operational within 60 minutes of simply plugging it in.

AT&T severely discourages use of the booster in nearly any wireless based ISP networks. Likely there is absolutely no fault within your LAN. It's the Wireless <-> Wired LAN stuff that hobbles the Booster severely.

Ok, so that is definitely why it constantly reboots then? Because I'm using fixed wireless for my ISP it won't ever connect?

Address changing is immaterial, but the physical land address you register must jive with the GPS coordinates that are detected. It's a hassle, but you'll need to completely de-register the Booster device, move it, then install it at say, your daughter's place, and register it's address and activation all over again. So, expect 60 to 90 minutes to get it going and be able to function check.

Any wireless connection with very rare exceptions simply aren't supported well with the Booster. It expects a hard-wired link all the way through. I *suspect* that wireless based communications simply are too "jittery" to allow local cell tower and the Boster to sync properly and reconcile detected GPS time data.

If it can't pinpoint and predict local LTE activity via other "sensory" inputs atop of the Ethernet/WAN connection, it just loses it's marbles. (Pure conjecture on my behalf)

Got it, thanks. I'll give it a try at her place just to confirm it's my ISP then I'll give up. I understand the issues with some connections, just wanted to verify because my ISP is very solid with low latency and plenty of bandwidth

@3fingers 

Double check your test results. Click the upper far right Icon in Speedtest.Net to open your recent results. Click the latest test result to open it fully. As you look through the results, at the middle-top you'll see your "jitter" results. Though ping and speeds up and down may be absolutely gorgeous, it seriously affects telecommunications if your jitter spec is all over the map.... :/

So to double check, click the triple slider button on the far upper right. Double click recent test result, and look for the "Jitter" spec too in the top middle of the following detail screen.

@wolfox thanks. My jitter is typically very low as well. Of course I don't have near the download speed you do but I consistently test right around 100MB both ways.

Anyhow, just to verify if I want to test this at another location I should deactivate it but not delete my location from the app? Or does the location need to go too?

Thanks both of you for all your help. I'm guessing this device won't work for me which is disappointing. My android recently added an option to WiFi calling "Wi-Fi preferred" and with it turned on as long as I am on Wi-Fi it always uses Wi-Fi calling which has fixed my issue pretty much. The other two phones in my house however are iPhones and even with Wi-Fi calling turned on they typically don't use it.