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Boost Signal to Your Sprint/Verizon MiFi 2200

The new Novatel MiFi 2200 has a lot going for it and is quickly becoming one of the hottest mobile broadband devices available for Sprint and Verizon. People love the convenience of being able to share their EVDO connection wirelessly with up to five computers without needing a separate aircard and router! There is a lot to love about the MiFi, but there's one thing it's missing: a port to connect an external antenna.

While all of the currently available aircards from Sprint and Verizon feature antenna ports, the MiFi does not. This is unfortunate, as many MiFi users either live in signal-weak areas or are travelers, meaning they may encounter weak signal spots. Both Verizon and Sprint have wide 3G coverage throughout the US, but neither has coverage "everywhere" and many customers could benefit from boosting their signal.

We've already told you the bad news - there's no antenna port on the MiFi. There's good news, too, though: it IS possible to boost your Sprint or Verizon signal for your MiFi wirelessly!

The concept is not new - many cellular users utilize wireless amplifiers ("repeaters") to boost the signal to their wireless devices. The basic concept of a repeater set-up includes one antenna to draw in the cellular signal, an amplifier to boost it, and a second antenna or transmitter to re-broadcast the boosted signal to the cellular device, plus the appropriate cables and connectors. Putting together a repeater setup can be a little confusing, but there are several easy-to-use kits available that include all of the necessary components! Below are our recommendations for boosting the signal to your Sprint or Verizon MiFi:

Option A: SignalBoost Mobile Pro

The SignalBoost MP is the most portable wireless signal boosting solution, requiring no permanent installation. The kit includes everything you need to boost the signal to your Sprint or Verizon MiFi on the road or at home: AC & DC adapters, USB cable (for power), dash & suction mounts, pouch and 12" magnetic mount external antenna. It is not the most powerful option, however, and the range is rather limited - your device must be very close to the amplifier to benefit from the boosted signal.

Pro's:

• Cost - the SignalBoost MP is just $199.95 from 3Gstore.com
• Portability - the MP comes with AC & DC adapters and requires NO permanent installation. You can move it from your car to your dorm and back again in the pouch it came in!
• Supports multiple devices - your cell phone(s) will also benefit from the boosted signal the SignalBoost MP provides (please note that while there is no technical "maximum" number of cellular devices that can benefit from the boosted signal, the effectiveness will be limited by the available signal. The better the signal, the more devices that can benefit. All cellular devices must be close to the amplifier to benefit).

Con's:

• Because it is powered by USB, the range is limited. Devices must be within a few feet of the amplifier to benefit.
  

Bottom line: Because of the limited range, the SignalBoost MP is best suited for folks who do not have the option of permanently mounting an amplifier in their vehicle or those living in a small apartment/dorm where installing an external antenna is not an option and range is not important.

Option B: Wilson SignalBoost DT

The SignalBoost DT is a great solution for the home or office and includes everything you need for a stationary setup: amplifier, antenna, mounting kit, 50 feet of cable and wireless antenna. The receiving antenna is a directional antenna, meaning you must know (or be willing to find out via research and/or trial and error) the general direction of the cellular tower serving you in order to properly install the antenna and obtain the best gain possible - this makes the DT an impractical solution for travelers but excellent for home or office use.

Pro's:

• Greater range (2-5x what you'll see with the MP) - your devices can be further from the amplifier and still benefit from the boost.
• Directional receiving antenna provides a higher gain than an omni-directional antenna, allowing you to grab signal from towers that are further away (but only if you know where the tower is or are willing to do a little testing to find out)
  
• Supports multiple devices - your cell phone(s) will also benefit from the boosted signal the SignalBoost DT provides (please note that while there is no technical "maximum" number of cellular devices that can benefit from the boosted signal, the effectiveness will be limited by the available signal. The better the signal, the more devices that can benefit).

Con's:

• Directional receiving antenna requires additional effort and testing and makes this inappropriate for mobile use
• Higher cost - the SignalBoost DT is $329.95 from 3Gstore.com
  

Bottom Line: For stationary use, the SignaBoost DT is an excellent choice. It's FAR more powerful than the MobilePro and you'll have quite a bit more range. If you aren't comfortable doing a little extra work to make install the directional receiving antenna (remember, if it's not pointed properly it won't do anything!), this setup is not for you, but the results are definitely worth the effort!

Option C: Wilson SignalBoost with Cradle

The Signalboost with Cradle is a powerful all-in-one kit that is typically suited for mobile users but can be used at home with an optional AC adapter.  It's more powerful than the MobilePro and doesn't require permanent installation. The kit includes an amplifier, magnetic mount antenna, DC car charger, and cradle for your MiFi (or cell phone).

Pro's:

• More powerful than SignalBoost MP
• No installation required
  
• Cradle expands to fit MiFi or your cell phone (click here to see the MiFi in the cradle!) 
• Can be used at home with optional AC adapter 
• Cost: at $249.95 from 3Gstore.com, the SignaBoost with Cradle is a nice mid-priced option between the MobilePro and DT.

Con's:

• Boosts signal to only one device at a time (device must be in the cradle)
• If you want to use the SignalBoost with Cradle at home, you must purchase the AC adapter and note that the cable connecting the magnetic mount antenna to the amplifier is only 10' (that is plenty of length for mobile use, but may not be ideal for home use).
  

Bottom Line: Mobile users looking for a more powerful option than the MobilePro will love the SignalBoost with Cradle, and the option of adding the AC adapter makes using it at home a possibility too. Unlike most repeaters, though, this kit can only provide a boost to ONE device at a time (whichever device is in the cradle), so if you're hoping to boost the signal to your MiFi and cell phones at the same time, this would not be the best option.

What if NONE of these options fits your needs? These kits do not represent the entire spectrum of available repeater setups - as we mentioned earlier, another option would be to build your own setup by selecting the repeater, antennas, and cables separately. If you decide to go that route, we highly recommend contacting 3Gstore to discuss your goals and ensure that you select components that are compatible with each other and your equipment.

Not sure if you even NEED to boost your signal?  To see the MiFi's signal bars, connect to web admin at http://192.168.1.1 while attached to your MiFi via WiFi. The signal strength appears right at the top of the page:

VERIZON MiFi Signal Strength: Signal bars alone don't give the most accurate assessment of your signal. Luckily, the Verizon MiFi web admin also shows your RSSI (click here to read more about RSSI and how to do a site survey) if you navigate to the go to Advanced > Diagnostics section and then click on the "Modem Status" button in middle of the page:

SPRINT MiFi Signal Strength: Unfortunately, the Sprint web admin doesn't show RSSI... but 3Gstore has decided to let the Sprint MiFi community in on a "secret" that we discovered. Once you are successfully logged in to Sprint MiFi web admin, use this web admin URL: <http://192.168.1.1/modemstatus.html> and you should be presented with your MiFi's true RSSI info and other useful information, as shown below:

MDN: 847xxxxxxx
ESN (decimal): 0911xxxxxxx
ESN (hex): 3GSTORE
Channel: 325
P_REV Indicator: 6
PRL ID: 60752
Band Class Type: 1
ERI Version: 3
Dormancy: TRUE
Signal - EVDO: -88 dBm
Signal - 1X: -91 dBm
Battery Level: 4
Battery Charging: 0

Related links:

• Discuss this tip on the EVDO Forums
  
• Buy the SignalBoost MP for $199.95 from 3Gstore
• Buy the SignalBoost DT for $329.95 from 3Gstore
• Buy the SignalBoost with Cradle for $249.95 from 3Gstore
• View all amplifiers/repeaters on 3Gstore.com
  
• Read more about the Novatel MiFi 2200 for Sprint and Verizon