connecting to 4g: have a sprint/clearwire tower right over me

[yungwunn911]

Hey all,

I recently have moved to Philadelphia. I live in museum area, and in my building I can barely connect to 4g. When it does connect, it disconnects within minutes. Venturing out side of my building, I get connection and going a little further out I get perfect connection. I found out a few days ago that there is a Sprint and clear wire tower on top.of my apt complex. I find it hard to believe that with that I can't get connection. Is it bc its just completely going over me bc j am In dead center?

I am running vaelpack Rom. Do different roms have different abilities to connect and stay connected to 4g?

Or is it the structure if the building itself blocking the signal?

Anyone have any tips for me?

 

[IAmSixNine]

IF the tower is on the roof of your buidling your are indeed in a dead spot under it. The antennas are pointed at a slight angle downward to not interfere with antennas line of sight with them, so your in a shadow area, however i am still suprised your not getting ANY signal. At that distance you shoul still get something due to signal bouncing off an adjacent building.
How certain are you that its a clear / sprint tower on your building?

 

[yungwunn911]

Def a Sprint/clear tower. Budget report for our building says so. In regards to the bouncing off buildings...my building is the tallest by a long shot in this area. Man...this sucks!!!

 

[milominderbinde]

Have you looked at the Sensorly maps? That app would show you down to the street level where the 4G is.

Go outside and let Sensory map your coverage around you as well. I have gone and checked at two area towers and got great service right under them.

One thing that can happen is that you can actually get too much signal. It's like the old analog TV's with the ghosted images. Those are reflected images, typically off of nearby buildings. It's like trying to listen to music in an hallway with bad echo.

Too much reflected signal can cause a low SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) and make it so that the phone cannot differentiate between the primary and reflected signals.

The Sensorly app will show you real-time your dBm and SNR. I bet your dBm in your building is -50 to -70 (very good) but I bet your SNR is as low as a 2 or 3.

 

[yungwunn911]

Have you looked at the Sensorly maps? That app would show you down to the street level where the 4G is.

Go outside and let Sensory map your coverage around you as well. I have gone and checked at two area towers and got great service right under them.

One thing that can happen is that you can actually get too much signal. It's like the old analog TV's with the ghosted images. Those are reflected images, typically off of nearby buildings. It's like trying to listen to music in an hallway with bad echo.

Too much reflected signal can cause a low SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) and make it so that the phone cannot differentiate between the primary and reflected signals.

The Sensorly app will show you real-time your dBm and SNR. I bet your dBm in your building is -50 to -70 (very good) but I bet your SNR is as low as a 2 or 3.

Thanks for the information. Its so frustrating cause if I go downstairs (i'm on the 12th floor) and litterally just sit on the sidewalk in front of my building i get 4g. If i cross the street im at full bars!

I'm running sensorly right now and it is giving me these numbers:

dbm: -88
snr: 5 (2)

EDIT: 5 minutes later the numbers changed to: -93, 2(1)

i'm not sure what those numbers mean.......

Is there ANY way to try to talk into 4g in my apt?!

 

[gabbott]

why not use wifi while on your apartment? Better speeds, the benefit of simultaneous voice/data, and easier on the battery. And when you leave the apartment, you'll have the 4g to use.

 

[truslide]

You get get aluminum foil and make an aluminum foil hat for your EVO... just kidding... is there anyway you can get on the roof and try to rig something to bounce the signal down towards you?

 

[yungwunn911]

why not use wifi while on your apartment? Better speeds, the benefit of simultaneous voice/data, and easier on the battery. And when you leave the apartment, you'll have the 4g to use.

I'm a poor student right now and am using my EVO as my wifi.

 

[gabbott]

I'm a poor student right now and am using my EVO as my wifi.

Ah gotcha. Sorry didn't mean to make the assumption it was available, but figured if that was an option I'd throw it out there.

 

[yungwunn911]

Ah gotcha. Sorry didn't mean to make the assumption it was available, but figured if that was an option I'd throw it out there.

yeah, i might just bite the bullet and get some cable. 3g is good, but when I really need speed (and to use my phone) it will make a huge diffeerence

 

[yungwunn911]

You get get aluminum foil and make an aluminum foil hat for your EVO... just kidding... is there anyway you can get on the roof and try to rig something to bounce the signal down towards you?

this might sound crazy and incredible geeky, but i actually just set up a foil lined folder and put my evo in front of it.

These are the numbers im getting now (not sure if these numbers are better but they are VERY different)

dbm:-70
snr: 5(3)

4g came in from a brief second but vanished.

 

[yungwunn911]

Edit again, going out on my balcony, phone straigh upright with the foil right behind got it to -55, 1(1). 4G actually connected and stayed connected. but speed test.netdid not break 1 mb/s