Hi: I'm getting some bad signals from my Uplink 2550UL to my central monitoring company and need an external antenna or some other method of increasing my cell bars. Any suggestions? I'm going to use the uplink as my main dial device so it has to be near the panel which is hidden away and gets bad cell service.
External antenna for Uplink 2550UL
- Thread starter Nolarola
- Start date
tmbrown97
Senior Member
I've done similar things a bunch of times, both from installing cell boosters and installing external antennas on 3G cards where using cellular routers. www.3gstore.com is a good resource.
Unfortunately the spec sheet for the 2500UL doesn't specify which connector is used, but they do have this reference guide which you can use to compare to yours: http://3gstore.com/page/77_connectors_reference_guide.html
When extending, cellular signals are VERY susceptible to signal loss due to cable quality and or cable length.
Once you find the right adapter, pick out an an antenna that works - hopefully you won't need to extend it terribly far - sometimes just getting up to a clear space in the attic is enough; if it's still a weak signal, then getting something that mounts outside with clear view of the direction of the tower you're trying to reach will be necessary in extreme situations.
This antenna was my standard go-to in most cases; carried it in my bag and it would fix most issues by getting closer to a window or up higher; if that didn't work, then I'd get more creative: http://3gstore.com/product/2291_wilson-301103-magnetic-mount-antenna.html
Unfortunately the spec sheet for the 2500UL doesn't specify which connector is used, but they do have this reference guide which you can use to compare to yours: http://3gstore.com/page/77_connectors_reference_guide.html
When extending, cellular signals are VERY susceptible to signal loss due to cable quality and or cable length.
Once you find the right adapter, pick out an an antenna that works - hopefully you won't need to extend it terribly far - sometimes just getting up to a clear space in the attic is enough; if it's still a weak signal, then getting something that mounts outside with clear view of the direction of the tower you're trying to reach will be necessary in extreme situations.
This antenna was my standard go-to in most cases; carried it in my bag and it would fix most issues by getting closer to a window or up higher; if that didn't work, then I'd get more creative: http://3gstore.com/product/2291_wilson-301103-magnetic-mount-antenna.html
If its an M1, is the Uplink connected via ethernet expander?
Elk makes a can+power board that fits the Uplink 2500 (maybe the 2550 too?) along with room for an XSP.
I have my Uplink unit 2 floors above my M1 panel. All I needed to run was 18/2 for power and a Cat5E for data to the XSP. All you need to do is stay within the max length of the databus, which is pretty far (i.e. NOT near the panel where you are getting a bad signal).
I havent activated my Uplink unit yet, but Im getting in the "good" range of signal (per reading the LEDs on the unit). Not the "best" range, but without it activated there is no way to tell exactly how high or low I am in the good range. Hopefully its on the high end, right now its just about as high as it can get in my house so I cant see getting a much better signal anywhere else. Granted sometimes highest isnt the best....does the 2550 flash the LEDs with signal strength? What I did was hook mine up to a 12V power supply and plugged it all in in various spots of my house to see where I ended up with bad/good/best. Never could find a spot for best, but "good" was all over my house.
Elk makes a can+power board that fits the Uplink 2500 (maybe the 2550 too?) along with room for an XSP.
I have my Uplink unit 2 floors above my M1 panel. All I needed to run was 18/2 for power and a Cat5E for data to the XSP. All you need to do is stay within the max length of the databus, which is pretty far (i.e. NOT near the panel where you are getting a bad signal).
I havent activated my Uplink unit yet, but Im getting in the "good" range of signal (per reading the LEDs on the unit). Not the "best" range, but without it activated there is no way to tell exactly how high or low I am in the good range. Hopefully its on the high end, right now its just about as high as it can get in my house so I cant see getting a much better signal anywhere else. Granted sometimes highest isnt the best....does the 2550 flash the LEDs with signal strength? What I did was hook mine up to a 12V power supply and plugged it all in in various spots of my house to see where I ended up with bad/good/best. Never could find a spot for best, but "good" was all over my house.
Relocate the unit first...if it's a 2550, it's not a big deal since it's a dialer capture unit. Run a Category cable and terminate using RJ45's and deal with power and supervisiory separately.
What people forget about, as alluded to in another post, is by adding X amount of cabling and YZ connectors, generally that is going to introduce more loss on the already marginal signal. Unless you use a Yagi instead of the omnidirectional antenna, the signal isn't going to be significantly better. Usually remote antennas are used to locate where signal is available, not improve it, such as if you were inside a steel building.
There's other ways to improve signal, but in the case of cellular or LRR, the cable that needs to be typically run is far more difficult to work with than the smaller ones that would be needed to relocate the unit first, then address if a different antenna or directional antenna would benefit the installation.
What people forget about, as alluded to in another post, is by adding X amount of cabling and YZ connectors, generally that is going to introduce more loss on the already marginal signal. Unless you use a Yagi instead of the omnidirectional antenna, the signal isn't going to be significantly better. Usually remote antennas are used to locate where signal is available, not improve it, such as if you were inside a steel building.
There's other ways to improve signal, but in the case of cellular or LRR, the cable that needs to be typically run is far more difficult to work with than the smaller ones that would be needed to relocate the unit first, then address if a different antenna or directional antenna would benefit the installation.
tmbrown97
Senior Member
I spent many years on cellular projects working with hundreds of different buildings - many more than I could list - so this isn't just theory - it's experience. Yeah - if you're doing a whole-building amplifier, you're dealing with cabling that the average person wouldn't want to deal with (or wouldn't have the tools/experience to deal with) because, as I said, the cabling [and connectors] are prone to high loss. This however can be countered by getting an otherwise weak antenna slightly amplified and out of the way of building infrastructure (ie getting the antenna up, out of the metal can, into an area not as badly blocked by building construction, etc). Glass is much more penetrable by RF than wood/concrete/metal. When you're dealing with a single cellular device that has antenna connectors, there are simple things that one can do to increase signal by up to about 40%.
All that said, I think it's much better to relocate the Uplink, but the OP already said he really didn't want to - and I can understand some reasons why that might be the case, so I provided answers appropriate to the question as asked. While it's easier cabling-wise to put the uplink up high, it's harder to troubleshoot there; a simple omni up on the roofline or even in the attic cabled to an uplink down in the wiring closet is a whole lot easier to troubleshoot and maintain. I'd only use a Yagi in a repeater installation or when you are in a very troubled service area.
All that said, I think it's much better to relocate the Uplink, but the OP already said he really didn't want to - and I can understand some reasons why that might be the case, so I provided answers appropriate to the question as asked. While it's easier cabling-wise to put the uplink up high, it's harder to troubleshoot there; a simple omni up on the roofline or even in the attic cabled to an uplink down in the wiring closet is a whole lot easier to troubleshoot and maintain. I'd only use a Yagi in a repeater installation or when you are in a very troubled service area.
Unfortunately, same amount of line items for cell, WAP's, Firetide and LRR. 
May be slightly more difficult to view, however troubleshooting is no worse than installed next to the panel. If the unit is configured with the supervisiory contact, even easier to see if the unit's transmitting and then it's just viewing the LED's for the RSSI.
While it takes the "plug and play" of connecting a couple of RJ's and then running a small whip for power (assuming internal battery) it's no worse for troubleshooting or servicing.
May be slightly more difficult to view, however troubleshooting is no worse than installed next to the panel. If the unit is configured with the supervisiory contact, even easier to see if the unit's transmitting and then it's just viewing the LED's for the RSSI.
While it takes the "plug and play" of connecting a couple of RJ's and then running a small whip for power (assuming internal battery) it's no worse for troubleshooting or servicing.
tmbrown97
Senior Member
Along those same lines, my Attic was about 135 degrees yesterday - I imagine that can't be too great for the electronics either, but I haven't checked the specs. And even though I have a pretty decent attic to work in, I still hate going in there - so I'd probably try a remote antenna before relocating the unit as well for my specific situation; in my case, one of those simple magnet antennas with the included 10' lead would be all I'd need to get up into the free air in the attic.
A bad practice that a lot of people forget about is installing electronics in an attic. Seen way too many cellular or LRR comms units installed up there by others over the years. I haven't seen too many installs where installing an antenna in the attic vs. the unit within a closet on the second floor makes that huge of a difference of a go vs. no go. You can't fix marginal, bordering on zero, reception with only an antenna. Coverage should be investigated prior to installing a unit irregardless.
Yes, there are building practices that aren't condusive to RF signals (metal roofs, high mineral content shingles, metal lath/plaster, foil backed insulation/wall coverings, etc.) but installing electronics in the attic should never be an option.
Yes, there are building practices that aren't condusive to RF signals (metal roofs, high mineral content shingles, metal lath/plaster, foil backed insulation/wall coverings, etc.) but installing electronics in the attic should never be an option.
tmbrown97
Senior Member
We're taking this thread off topic, but I used to have a couple hundred mobile workers I supported too (in all my Verizon cell card account had about 600 devices on it - data cards, mobile routers, special cellular terminals for SCADA, etc)... and many times we found that people could get a noticeable increase in performance just by using one of the magnetic antennas mentioned above. Sometimes it really is as simple as getting closer to a window or getting out of some closed in walls - at least in my experience. It won't make a signal out of thin air, but it can take one from barely usable to adequate. I've also installed some of the smaller Wilson repeaters when trying to get service to a few people in a brick basement and they worked well too... for larger installs we contracted out for entire building systems, but I managed the contracts and vendors, so I'm familiar with those as well.
OP can take what he wants from this - there's a couple differing opinions here - but they're just that - opinions.
OP can take what he wants from this - there's a couple differing opinions here - but they're just that - opinions.