Product Features
- Cellular signal strength amplifier, plugs into computer USB port to draw power. Small and portable. Simple to install.Works with all cellular devices, and all carriers except Nextel. Does not require physical contact with cellular device. Optimum range 1 - 6 feet. Magnetic mount antenna and cable included. Hardmounted to unit.
Technical Details
- Up to 6 ft coverage area - enough to cover your home office desk
- Intelligent microprocessor: PORT contains the revolutionary Cell Ranger microprocessor, which monitors signal conditions and selects which signals need amplification to provide optimal call quality.
- Use Cell Ranger Port inside with our universal AC adapter accessory or Juice Ranger rechargable battery (sold separately)
- Easy installation: Simply place the antenna near a window or in an area with strong singal, then plug in Cell Ranger to a USB port and enjoy stronger signal
Who can resist the idea of more bars? Nobody. Unfortunately, the snake-oil salesmen know this and there are a lot of bogus products out there that boost the seller's bank balance but not your cell phone reception. I was really hoping someone would review this before I bought, but I took the plunge and I'm happy to report that the Cell Ranger does what it says it will do, for the most part. I deducted two stars for the need to really fuss with placement to enjoy its benefits.
If you are looking for a booster that will take a really weak signal and bathe your room in cell reception so you can wander around with the phone in your hand and talk away with no drops, this is not the right product for you. You will need to spend more and get a powerful booster that amplifies both up- and down-stream frequencies. Such devices are costly and not very portable.
But if you want a very portable device that you can take on vacation and use in the car and are willing to keep your phone within a foot or two of the "transmitter," the Cell Ranger turns a weak 1-2 bars into 4-5 with great call quality. I recommend getting the "PORT" model because you can power it with a huge variety of USB power supplies (not included) - basically you need 5 volts at a minimum of 250 ma.
I have tested it with a Gen 1 iPhone and a Moto Razr, both on AT&T. While I realize that "bars" are not accurate measures of actual signal strength, they can at least indicate improvement. With very careful placement of the antenna and transmitter, I saw improvement of 2-4 bars. This was the very first time I've seen maximum bars on both phones at my house. The best results came with the antenna outside my window and mounted on a cookie sheet (as a ground plane). The worst results (no added bars) were caused by having the antenna and transmitter too close and the antenna inside the window (they need 6-10 feet of separation) and/or moving the phone (especially the iPhone) more than a foot away from the transmitter. If you have a Bluetooth headphone, this will make the phone placement problem a non-issue.
Next week I plan to take the Cell Ranger to the Adirondacks, where cell reception is marginal at best, and give it a torture test. If there are dramatic differences in performance there, I'll edit this review.
Here's my edit: The Cell Ranger worked beautifully in the cabin where we stayed. If I prop my iPhone in the window I get one bar, maybe two, but it is not very convenient to talk that way. With the Cell Ranger and a BT headset (so I could leave the phone right next to the amplifier), I got minimum 3 bars and often 4 or 5, with no dropped calls or audio quality problems. With such weak signal, it was not possible to move the phone more than a few inches from the amp without dropping to 1 bar or dropping the call, so again, be aware that this is not a "whole room" solution.