The best antenna for a 3g modem with your own hands

In this article, we will look at how you can assemble an outdoor antenna for 3G Internet. There is little such information on the Internet, and all that I managed to find worthwhile is an antenna with a gain of up to 16.3 dB. Perhaps one of the readers will have an idea how to assemble an antenna with a gain of up to 24 dB or more according to this principle.

As for materials, such antennas are often assembled from aluminum, but here the author did not bother and assembled everything from steel. According to him, everything works great. All nodes are assembled by welding. The main thing is to observe accuracy, the quality of the antenna's operation greatly depends on this.

The antenna has the following parameters:
Rod diameter 18 mm
The diameter of the loop virbator is 4 mm
Reflector/deflector diameter is 4 mm
The reflector is placed from the beginning of the rod at a distance of 30 mm and has a length of 81 mm
Wavelength = MHz 139 mm
Design Frequency = Yagi 2150.00

Step one. Manufacturing and installation of a vibrator
The vibrator is made on the basis of the specified scheme. It must be installed at a distance of 58 mm from the beginning of the rod and 28 mm from the reflector.

Content:

The principle of operation of a 3G and 4G modem

For home craftsmen, amplifying the signal in modems has already become a real hobby. They experiment with various homemade antennas, their position and settings, but the main thing is that in most cases it is all quite effective.

The maximum data transfer rate in 3G networks is 14.4 Mbps, in 4G networks - 1 Gbps.

The speed is affected by the remoteness of the operator's base station from the subscriber, as well as its workload.

Modems are configured in such a way that they will work in the network mode in which there is the most stable and high-quality signal. It is important to understand that not all BSs have 3G and 4G modules, so there may be jumps between 2G/3G/4G networks. To rule it out - in the modem settings, you can select only one network mode which supports working with last generation Networks: WCDMA/WCDMA/HSDPA (3G) or LTE (4G) only.

If there is a need to improve the quality of the network, then it is necessary to monitor the network, on the basis of which it will be possible to act further.

Network monitoring will allow you to get more accurate information, based on which it will be easier, faster and more efficient to strengthen the signal. The signal level is displayed in the application from the operator, where you can also get information about the mode (standard) of your modem.

If the signal level is low enough, we find “our” BS, make the antenna and find its best position to receive the maximum possible signal from the operator.

We are interested in the signal level indicator in dBm, the lower it is, the better quality network, therefore, experimenting with the position of the antenna, we will focus on it.

Signal Improvement Methods

What should be done? - It is enough to direct the antenna or modem towards your BS, setting it by Cell ID, and the signal level indicator will help determine the best position.

Sometimes a fairly simple action will help improve the signal quality - moving the modem to another place, for example, installing it near a window. For a USB modem, you will need to purchase an appropriate extension cable, the length of which should be enough from a computer / laptop to the window. It is advisable to either hang the modem from the eaves, or raise it so that it is on the line of sight of the street. In some situations, it is possible to catch a signal in the apartment itself, and not near the window - here you need to look. According to the signal level indicator, select the best position for the device.

Simple antennas in 5 minutes

The most simple antenna- this is winding copper wire at the location of the antenna in the modem (as a rule, it is located at the end). The thickness of the copper cable, the number of turns and the length must be selected individually for each modem and location conditions.

Another simple antenna is made from a metal can of coffee. For the antenna, you will need a simple metal can of round diameter. A hole is made in the center of the jar into which the modem is inserted. The protrusion of the modem also needs to be selected for each model separately, as a rule, it is inserted into the jar up to half of its middle or slightly below half. Connect the modem to the computer via USB extension cable and by sampling we find a point with the best signal and the position of the modem protrusion.

In the case when the above methods did not help, as a rule, this happens in the countryside, then you will need external antenna. To get started, find out the position of your BS and its approximate distance from you, as well as the range in which the operator operates. Next you will need:

• External antenna with gain (for the corresponding band);


• Adapter for USB modem or repeater (depending on the type of amplifier);


• Cable.

We wish you to get a high-quality signal and high speed the Internet.

Many of us have long and enjoyed using such devices as modems from mobile operators, which allow you to access " world wide web". Unfortunately, unlike broadband wired internet, such devices have several significant drawbacks. The main one is the features of radio signal propagation in the surrounding space. Radio waves in the 3G, 4G and LTE bands have a bad property of being reflected from obstacles, scattered and attenuated, respectively, the speed and quality of the Internet connection deteriorates. What can be done in such a situation?

The easiest and cheapest way to amplify the signal coming from the provider's base station to your modem is a do-it-yourself homemade antenna made from improvised means. Let's take a look at the simplest and most popular options for manufacturing structures that amplify the radio signal coming to the modem from the BS together.

wire antenna

The simplest version of a homemade antenna is to use a piece of copper wire with a small section, which must be wound in several turns around the top of the modem. The remaining end of the wire 20-30 centimeters long is unfolded vertically. This primitive method, under certain conditions, can significantly increase the stability of the received radio signal.

Can

Probably, in any home you can, if you wish, find an empty used can of soft drinks or coffee. This simple item can become the basis of another homemade antenna. We remove the lid of the container, make a hole in the side wall, insert the modem there up to half of the case, use a USB extension cable to connect to a computer or laptop. Next, it remains to find the best location of the structure in space. amplification effect in this case can be very good.

Colander 4G

Most people have an ordinary aluminum colander. And this piece of utensil can be used to create another simple antenna for the modem. It is only necessary to fix the "whistle" in the bowl of dishes, for example, with adhesive tape. As they say, everything ingenious is simple.

Frame zigzag antenna of the famous Soviet radio amateur Kharchenko. For the manufacture of such an amplifier, you will need a copper wire with a cross section of 2.5 mm. We bend it in the form of two combined squares, place a modem connected via a USB cable to the computer at the connection point. From the back of the antenna we attach a thin sheet of metal as a reflector. You can make such a device quite quickly, and the gain under certain conditions can be very pleasing.

Converted satellite dish

Many of us use the services satellite television. And if you have an old satellite dish at your disposal, then it can be converted into an antenna for a 4G modem. It is very easy to do this. We remove the converter from the rod and attach the modem in its place. We direct the structure towards the provider's base station, slowly rotate it until the best result is achieved.

So, we examined several options for making an antenna for a 4G modem with our own hands from the available tools at hand. You can try to make any of the proposed models yourself and significantly amplify the signal received from the provider's base station. Good luck!

When not enough simple ways signal amplification, such as placing the modem inside a reflector, you should try to make an external antenna with your own hands.

It is much easier to buy a ready-made solution, though for seasonal use in the country or outside the city, it is unreasonable to buy it, it is better to do homemade antenna. Several options are possible:

1. Make an antenna from a piece of wire;
2. Make a directional external antenna from a tin can;
3. Make a loop antenna.

For the first antenna, take a piece of wire, make 3-4 turns around the end of the modem, where the built-in antenna of the device is located. The solution, although it seems very simple, requires an individual selection of the number of turns and the length of the end of the wire for each model of the Intertelecom 3G modem. When using such an antenna, the Internet speed will increase, but not by much.

Tin Can External Antenna

To make an external antenna out of a can, we need the can itself, high quality coaxial cable a pair of connectors to it, a mood and a soldering iron. First, drill a hole in the side of the can at a wavelength divided by 4 from the bottom.

For 3G waves 2100 MHz used by telecom operators, the distance will be 36 mm. Place the connector with a soldered copper wire of the same length inside the jar, in the center of the bottom. Attach the cable to the connector, jar, open part, point towards the nearest carrier base station for the example of Intertelecom.

Now attach the reverse end of the antenna cable to the 3G modem. Best of all, when it has a ready-made antenna connector output, it is enough to purchase the desired pigtail. If there is no connector, then you can try to solder it yourself, which should be done only at your own peril and risk. An option would be to wrap a copper core antenna wire, as in the previous example.

Kharchenko external directional loop antenna

The most complex, but effective external antenna will be the Kharchenko loop antenna. To make it, you need a copper wire 4 mm thick and 424 mm long, antenna cable the desired length (the shorter the wire to the modem, the better), the material for the reflector. It is necessary to bend a double square out of it, with a side of 53 mm.

Now we make rhombuses from squares, with an external angle of 120 ̊.

Solder the frame to the cable.

The reflector can be made from a copper plate or foil textolite. The size, in our case, will be 120 by 135 mm.

It must be placed at a distance of 36 mm from the antenna. A deodorant cap works well. You can fix the entire structure with hot glue.

In conclusion, we can say that even though a home-made external antenna for a 3G modem shows a good level of communication, it completely removes mobility if it is necessary. Without an external output for the antenna on the modem, the speed increase will not be so big. If the modem does not have a connector, you should contact service centers the store where the device was purchased.

Today, many people complain about poor internet connection and slow download speeds. In this regard, providers have developed a new connection - 4G. It outperforms 3G and LTE internet. To connect to 4G, you need to strengthen or create a new antenna.

4G antenna will not only increase the connection speed, but also improve the quality of its reception. The new generation Internet allows you to play games without lags Online Games. With a new connection, your fps will increase and your ping will decrease. This will allow you to get a better Internet connection even at the same speed.

Today people are trying to connect to a new high speed internet, but not everyone can get a quality connection. What is it connected with? In this, oddly enough, it is not the operator who is to blame, but the equipment. In small towns or villages there is no quality connection. In this case, only a 4G antenna will help, which you can make yourself. We will return to this. Let's look at what interferes with the Internet connection.

As a rule, this is a normal network congestion, but at the same time, there may be other reasons:

• Long distance from the station to your modem. This does not make it possible to get a high-quality connection in villages or small towns.
• Modem location. Everything is taken into account from the height at which it is located to the material used in the construction of the house.
• Modem location. In this case, forests, skyscrapers or power lines can act as an obstacle.

What can be done about it? How to solve a problem? As we have already found out, a 4G antenna will correct the shortcomings of signal transmission. It will strengthen the Internet connection and allow you to get high speed even in the most abandoned village.

Homemade antennas

The antenna is for the only way to improve your internet connection. Many people are concerned about the question: is it possible to make the necessary design yourself?

Of course, if you have the necessary knowledge of working with radio engineering, you can start manufacturing. 4G antenna is great way increase the level of working with equipment, learn to select the necessary elements and learn something new. You must understand that the antenna for a 4G modem can burn out if it is not made correctly. In order not to lose your money, you must follow all the recommendations for manufacturing.

If you live in a small town or village, then you can use an amplifier for a 4G modem. Now you can find many various schemes for the assembly of such a structure. Of course, if you don't have the necessary knowledge and you can't handle self-manufacturing, That the best option- branded antenna 4G MTS or Megafon.

Amplifier for 4G modem

To make an amplifier for a 4G modem, you need to take a can of peas or coffee. At the bottom you need to make one small hole. It will be needed for the sleeve, which is made of tin.

After that, the sleeve will need to be soldered. First, you can cut a hole in the body in the shape of the letter "H". It must be the size of the modem section.
It is necessary to insert a modem into the manufactured structure (the center of the can to the top of the modem). After that, you need to direct the amplifier to the side where the operator's tower is. It remains only to connect the Internet to the computer via a USB extension cable.

If you want to get a high speed Internet connection, then you need to use the cable that is used to connect the antenna with the modem, as short as possible. This has been proven experimentally.

Also, the modem should be installed near the ceiling so that nothing interferes with receiving the signal. If you use these recommendations, you can increase the speed of the Internet.

Kinds

DIY 4G antenna can be made different shapes. There are reflective or collective forms. As a rule, the collecting form is attached to the modem, and the reflective ones need to be connected only to the 4G output. Reflectors or reflectors come in different shapes, the main thing is the correct connection.

Application

Unfortunately, such designs can only be used for indoor use. They, like factory amplifiers, are not able to withstand moisture or temperature changes. Therefore, they are used only at home.

Unfortunately, a simple reflector is not able to qualitatively improve the signal. 4G is about 10 times more powerful than our homemade one. But this does not mean that the reflector is not able to improve the quality of the Internet connection.

DIY antenna

To amplify the signal to the 4G modem, you can make an antenna from a satellite dish. This method is quite effective, since the dish can be tuned to any station, and it receives the signal well. How to make this design? There is nothing complicated here, we need to take a modem and a satellite dish. A 4G antenna with your own hands will be quite primitive. In the focus of the dish, you need to install the modem and tune in to the desired station. So we get a pretty good receiver. This shouldn't be a problem. Another issue is the setting.

Setting

The setup method is similar to how a satellite dish is installed on a television satellite. The internet is a little different. You need to send the plate below. It may even have to point down. This is due to the curvature of the reflection. To maximize the quality of the satellite dish, you need to rotate it and use special program monitor how your internet connection changes. After you make sure you have received maximum value, the antenna must be fixed.

The external 4G antenna is fixed, now we can go to next step. Now it's worth experimenting with focus. For different models modems, you need to configure the converter holder differently. To do this, you need to change the position of the focus and watch the quality of signal reception.

In order to correctly set the focus, you need to know that the modem's antenna is on the opposite side of the USB. Of course, not all models work this way, so it's worth taking it apart to understand where the receiver is located.

If you have not achieved the condition of line of sight, then you should raise the structure. Increasing the mirror diameter can also help to increase the signal quality. 4G directional antenna is capable of catching a signal at a great distance. How is diameter related to reception quality? On average, a dish with a diameter of 1 m provides a fairly good Internet connection at a distance of 30 km from the station. To connect a modem to a computer, you need to buy USB cord. What should he be? Of course, you should use a high-quality cord, of a small section with shielding and ferite at the ends. You can also purchase several of these cords and connect, the quality is not lost from this.

It should be remembered that you will not be able to use a satellite dish for television and strengthen your Internet connection. Of course, you can attach a modem to satellite dish to slightly boost the signal. But it should be remembered that if the dish is tuned to TV, you do not need to turn it away from the satellite. A high-quality signal can be obtained if it is configured for a line-of-sight condition.

Protection

To protect the modem from precipitation, you can make a protective structure. To do this, you can use a regular bottle or bag. Of course, it is better to create a high-quality protective case from materials that can withstand temperature extremes and moisture.

Conclusion

That's all. If you live in a small town or in a village, you can use the advice and Of course, people who live in megacities will not need this. The quality and speed of the Internet connection depends on the range of the modem from the station, the height of the modem and the obstacles that may get in the way. Of course, if you do it right and connect the amplifier, then regardless of various obstacles, you can get high-speed Internet.