Will Verizon network extenders provide 4g?

[greydarrah]

If you have a Verizon network extender and live in an area that has 4g, will the network extender give you 4g or does it only provide 3g signals?

 

[FrankXS]

If you have a Verizon network extender and live in an area that has 4g, will the network extender give you 4g or does it only provide 3g signals?

The NE will not provide 4G, as it is only a 3G capable device. However, remember, your phone will use native data signals simultaneously. So, if you have native 4G available, you will get 4G. But not from the Network Extender. I have a 3G NE (had a 1x NE before this one) and I get 4G data at my house. My native 4G is pretty weak though, so if I am as close as about 3 feet from the NE, the stronger 3G signal from the NE will override the weak 4G signal. Kinda interesting to watch it all work. Also makes a good test platform for evaluating 3G/4G switching of the Thunderbolt's radio switching (or any other 4G capable VZW phone).

-Frank

 

[lennyj17]

Why are you just using Wifi in the house? Nothing will be faster that dedicated Wifi...

 

[FrankXS]

Why are you just using Wifi in the house? Nothing will be faster that dedicated Wifi...

I'll assume you meant "aren't"...

The main reason I'm using RF as much as possible in my house is to monitor and evaluate the phone's data radios. Also to keep a tab on 4G coverage in my neighborhood (getting better/worse). Just for my informaiton. BTW, I've gotten up to 20+mbps down and 7mbps up on 4G. My home Internet service is 10mbps down, 0.889mbps up.

 

[johncihak]

Your 4G on the NE will be limited by your ISP and the proximity of the NE extender to the phone is much more of a factor than the phone's radio capability. So using a NE extender is not really a good test of your radio. Its a test of your ISP and your NE placement.

Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk

 

[FrankXS]

Your 4G on the NE will be limited by your ISP

There is no 4G on the Network Extender. Network Extenders can only do 1x and/or 3G, depending on what model you have (old or new). There is no 4G capable Network Extender at this time. Probably never will be.

And, I'm not evaluating speed, I'm evaluating how much dead time (no data signal at all) the phone has when switching from 3G to 4G and vice versa. Since I have both available to me it is easy to see the dead time when they switch when I walk around my house. This has been an issue with the Thunderbolt that the recent OTA updates have improved radically. Upcoming GB is said to improve it further.

Additionally, for anyone else who may have a TBolt... you can tell if you're on the NE 3G verses a native tower 3G with Menu | Settings | About | Network | Check the Network Type. If you see "eHRPD" it means you're on a native tower 3G (because the NE doesn't support nor have "eHRPD" 3G). If you see "EvDo Rev A" you are on the Network Extender's 3G.

-Frank

 

[barrycinti]

There is no 4G on the Network Extender. Network Extenders can only do 1x and/or 3G, depending on what model you have (old or new). There is no 4G capable Network Extender at this time. Probably never will be.

And, I'm not evaluating speed, I'm evaluating how much dead time (no data signal at all) the phone has when switching from 3G to 4G and vice versa. Since I have both available to me it is easy to see the dead time when they switch when I walk around my house. This has been an issue with the Thunderbolt that the recent OTA updates have improved radically. Upcoming GB is said to improve it further.

Additionally, for anyone else who may have a TBolt... you can tell if you're on the NE 3G verses a native tower 3G with Menu | Settings | About | Network | Check the Network Type. If you see "eHRPD" it means you're on a native tower 3G (because the NE doesn't support nor have "eHRPD" 3G). If you see "EvDo Rev A" you are on the Network Extender's 3G.

-Frank

Does this mean if you are using the ne it is using vz network, not the dsl service?

 

[FrankXS]

Does this mean if you are using the ne it is using vz network, not the dsl service?

You use both at the same time. If the NE voice signal is stronger than a native signal you use the NE for voice. If the native tower voice signal is stronger than the NE signal you use the native tower. Same goes for data. You may be on voice with the NE and on native tower for data. Or vice versa. It's not one for all. Since the NE does not have 4G, it would be pretty common to use native tower for 4G and NE for voice, simultaneously. In this last case, you'd be using VZW's network for data and your DSL via the NE for voice.

-Frank