Contributor
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2 Messages
Microcell cannot pick up GPS
I have a summer camp on an island with limited phone service inside but can get a signal about 50 feet from the camp. Since I just got internet through our phone company I hoped a microcell would work (I have one at my main home). It does not work at the router location on the ocean side with tree cover (no blue sky) so I think I need to move to the other side of the camp. To do this I either try a 50ft Ethernet cable to move it to our sunroom, but I won't be able to close the sunroom door to the camp when it gets cold. Should I purchase a pair of at&t microcell powerline adapters. Can you tell me where to get them? Thanks!
OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.2K Messages
7 years ago
@cbilodeau - Powerline adapters can work but we don't recommend them because there is just too much interference depending on how the electrical lines are run, how good of a condition they are in, etc. If you have the older, white MicroCell then you can connect an external antenna for that very reason. However, Cisco/AT&T did away with the external antenna port on the newer, black MicroCell.
You can try a network extender. I think that would work better, and be a bit more reliable than a power line adapter. If you want to try a PowerLine Adapter you can use any adapter that's on the market. There isn't a specific one made for the MicroCell.
Who is your internet provider and what kind of connection is it? If you have WiFi-C (WiFi Calling) capable phones, that would probably be your best bet because you wouldn't need the MicroCell and could use your existing WiFi to make/receive calls.
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cbilodeau
Contributor
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2 Messages
7 years ago
We tried the wifi setting on our iphones but that does not work on the island either. Maybe our metal roof stops it? As it turns out I do have an older microcell as well as the newer version so I could get an antennae and use the older microcell model if that is likely to work better than the powerline adapter or network extender. My internet carrier is Fairpoint, my landline provider who just last year added internet service to our island. I will try one of the options you mentioned. Thank you very much for your help!
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.2K Messages
7 years ago
@cbilodeau - We have a metal roof and there is no effect on our MicroCell and/or WiFi-C (WiFi Calling).
How does Fairpoint connect the island to their servers? Do they use a physical cable connection or do they depend upon a WiFi connection? The MicroCell requires a physical landline connection (DSL, cable, or fiber) to work properly. It is not designed for satellite or wireless broadband and that is mentioned in the literature.
To setup WiFi-C you need to disable the MicroCell first (disable power). The reason being is that the phone will preferentially attempt to connect to a cellular signal instead of the WiFi signal and you will have issues. Keep in mind that WiFi-C is subject to same issues that WiFi is in general so your WiFi connection needs to be robust. Your area also needs to be provisioned for VoLTE (HD Voice) for WiFi-C to work so you need to check with AT&T to see if your island is covered by VoLTE and your account is setup for WiFi-C. That's usually a very simple procedure (I had to replace the SIM in my phone).
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