Verizon Jetpack (MiFi) External Antenna

[Jim Frame]

I'm awaiting delivery of a Verizon Jetpack so I can run my RTK base over cellular instead of UHF. I plan to enclose the Jetpack in a Pelican case, and was wondering if an external antenna would be a good idea. I don't know if the polyethylene Pelican case material will inhibit the signal, but I'm thinking that an external antenna might be of benefit in marginal areas anyway. Anyone have experience with these? a 5dB antenna is only about 30 bucks.

(I also posted this on the RPLS Today forum, so if it looks familiar...)

 

[Adam]

I use two mifi's Jim, I am curios about the external antenna and case. I don't have an external antenna for mine. Service is pretty good here, but up in the mountains it would be a lot of help I think. Let us know how much it helps. You are going to like communication with mifis.

 

[Wes Cole]

This is an item I've been contemplating. I'm normally impressed with the signal strength on the Jetpacks, but I'd like to hear a report too once you get it in action.

 

[Jim Frame]

I got the Jetpack today, but I'm going to have to dig into the archives here to see if I have enough information to set everything up. Do any of you recall whether there's a how-to here somewhere?

 

[Wes Cole]

I don't recall seeing a how to. Michael and Adam helped me get mine set up. I do remember on the T1M that it didn't like the name of the Jetpack having a number in it. We had them called Jetpack1 and Jetpack2, for the base and Rover and the T1M would never connect. Finally renamed it to plain Jetpack and worked instantly. Not sure if the T2 is as picky. Lots of different settings between the Jetpack/LS/base to get it working properly. A step by step guide would be helpful.

 

[Adam]

Jim, I have about an hour this morning before I have meetings in San Jose. Give me a call if you are up and I can help.

 

[Jim Frame]

Jim, I have about an hour this morning before I have meetings in San Jose. Give me a call if you are up and I can help.

I'm still waiting on my static IP address. I'm under the impression that until I get that I can't reliably use the Jetpack as a connection to the caster.

 

[Adam]

Yes you need the static address.

 

[Shawn Billings]

Caster? Are you setting up NTRIP or TCP. If NTRIP then you don't need static IP, you are sending data to a server that is then broadcasting data. TCP sends out directly from IP in the field, so this must be static.

 

[Jim Frame]

Yes, TCP -- I was confusing my terminology, in keeping with the as-yet nebulous concept I have as to how all the software and hardware bits fit together. I decided the only way I'm going to get this going is by getting my hands dirty, so I'm assembling the parts and preparing to delve into the details. Absent a comprehensive how-to, I expect I'll need some coaching from someone who knows how to put it all together!

 

[Shawn Billings]

I believe any one of the PLS team will be able to walk you through it. I helped someone this morning. You definitely need the static IP first. John is probably the most experienced of us all.

 

[Jim Frame]

I got my static IP address today, but when I try to ping it the requests time out. My limited understanding of ping is that it uses ICMP rather than TCP or UDP, so I don't think it's a port forwarding issue.

You guys with Jetpacks: what happens when you ping your static IP address from an outside connection?

 

[Adam]

Hi Jim, it should receive the ping. Also I use DMZ, not port forwarding. Port forwarding will work from what I am told but is more complicated to set up.

 

[Jim Frame]

I learned an important lesson about the Verizon (Netgear) AC791L Jetpack today: if you disable front panel access to the device settings, and simultaneously manage to hose the DHCP settings via a connected device, you lose the ability to manage the Jetpack. Apparently there's no paper-clip or button-combo reset feature.

I'm off to the Verizon store to swap it out as soon as they open...

 

[Jim Frame]

The Verizon tech concurs that I bricked it, and he was as surprised as I was that there's no hardware method of restoring factory settings.

I should have a new one in a few days at no charge.

 

[Adam]

Somebody at Verizon dropped the ball on that one. No reset, that's crazy.

 

[Nistorescu Sorin]

Polyethylene Pelican case material will not inhibit the signal. Here is an mounting example inside the case (12.08” x 10.09” x 6.38”). For “true” 4G speeds on LTE, or better 3G performance, use two external antennas.

Some routers have MIMO (multiple-input/multiple-output) capabilities (for LTE) and about 200 yards coverage, so a car mounting solution would help a lot.

 

[Shawn Billings]

I don't know about the MiFi devices but I do know that my cell phone gets pretty warm when I use it as a hotspot. I don't know if enclosing the device would be problematic on a warm day.

 

[Nistorescu Sorin]

Shawn, my thought was to propose a industrial grade router. Our receivers are also industrial grade.
https://cradlepoint.com/products-and-services/wireless_routers

 

[Jim Frame]

I'll have to experiment with the Jetpack to see what kind of heat it throws off. If it's bad enough I can install a small fan in the Pelican case.