Wireless signal amplifiers ( also referred to as "repeaters" or "signal boosters") can be great solutions for many cell phone and mobile broadband users who experience signal strength issues. These weak signals can be caused by anything from the distance from a location’s cellular tower to topography issues or building materials. Designed to boost a wireless signal, a cellular repeater is a great way to improve signal strength in a localized area. While repeaters can be useful in certain scenarios, they are by far the cause of more confusion than any other product we sell at 5Gstore.

A signal booster may not be the best choice for every application. At 5Gstore, we want to make sure you find the right products for your needs. This page isn't meant to be an authoritative white paper, however, it should serve to help clear up many of the common questions about repeaters that we answer every day via phone, chat, and email. If you have questions that aren't answered here, we encourage you to contact us. We'll be happy to help answer any confusion you may have about signal boosters, ands well as guide you to the right products that will help you stay better connected in your home or business.

a small home repeater setup

What is a repeater and how does a repeater work?
A repeater is a small electronic device that takes a wireless signal and amplifies it across a local area. A cellular repeater does not require a direct connection to cellular devices like phones or modems do. For cellular devices that do not have an antenna port or for situations where the signal needs to be boosted to multiple devices, a 5G repeater or LTE repeater system is the best way to improve signal strength. (If you only need to boost a signal to one device and it does have and antenna port, a directly connected antenna — along with a direct connect amplifier if the signal is very poor — is your best choice.)

Use our Guide Me tool to help you narrow down the choices. It will provide you with options for your specific usage needs, connecting with one device or router or multiple devices.

What are the basic components of a repeater setup?
Most repeater systems (like those from Wilson, weBoost, and Surecall) involve three basic components: an amplifier and two antennas. One antenna (preferably mounted outdoors) draws the signal in and connects to the amplifier, boosting the signal. The second antenna, connected to the other side of the amplifier, then rebroadcasts the boosted signal. Cel-Fi boosters utilize a receiving and broadcasting units (no antennas or cables), but the concept is similar. In both cases, multiple modems/phones benefit from the boosted signal without being physically connected to antennas or wires.

When should I use a cellular repeater?
If your cellular device does not have an antenna port or if you need to boost the signal to multiple cellular devices at the same time, a repeater will be your best option to improve cell signal strength. Remember that repeaters work best when there IS an available signal available to boost. Repeaters cannot create the signal out of nothing, however. This means that if you are in a location that truly has NO signal at all, a repeater will not help you.

If you are hoping to use a repeater to improve signal in a stationary location (home, office, etc), we strongly encourage doing a site survey before investing in any signal-boosting equipment. A site survey you can confirm whether a better signal is available in your area AND will result in optimized results from that better signal. Our handy site survey page will walk you through the steps in this process and will help you analyze the results.

Who should NOT use a repeater?
A repeater is not appropriate in all usage scenarios. If any of the following conditions apply to you, a repeater is likely NOT your best option:

You have NO signal inside or nearby the building or vehicle (a repeater will not create a signal out of nothing; there needs to be at least some signal available at the location to boost).
You only need to boost the signal to ONE device and it DOES have an antenna port. In this case, a directly connected antenna and a direct connect amplifier may be your best choice.

What factors should I take into consideration before selecting a repeater system?
The following are questions we encourage potential customers to consider before selecting a repeater:

What networks/ and frequencies are your cell phones, aircards, or routers operating on? Different equipment may be necessary for 4G and LTE versus 5G, for example.
How many devices are you trying to boost the signal to?
If you're only trying to boost the signal to one device, does it have an antenna port?
Are you looking for an in-vehicle or stationary solution (or both?)
Are you willing to mount an antenna to the exterior of your vehicle or building?
Do you need a directional receiving antenna or an omnidirectional antenna?
How large of an area are you hoping to boost the signal to?
If this is for a stationary application, have you completed the site survey to confirm that a better signal is available in your area?
Do you have enough room to separate the receiving and transmitting antennas (for the repeaters that require separation)?

How many devices can a repeater boost the signal to at once?
The number of phones, aircards, or routers that can benefit from a repeater varies, depending on the model. Cradle signal boosters will only boost the signal to the device in the cradle. Vehicle repeater kits are typically best for one to three phones or modems, and larger amplifiers do not have a maximum and can boost the signal to as many devices as signal permits (the weaker the "starting" signal, the fewer phones can benefit).

Can a repeater boost the signal to devices operating on different networks simultaneously (such as an AT&T phone and a Verizon aircard)?
In most cases, yes, as long as the carriers in question all operate on frequencies supported by your cellular repeater (most amplifiers work within a variety of frequencies, but you need to double-check what frequencies your provider currently uses in your specific area). Keep in mind that different carriers are likely to be broadcasting from different towers, so you may not see the same signal increase on devices from different carriers. Ffor example, if you are trying to boost the signal to an AT&T phone and a Verizon phone, the repeater may provide a bigger boost to one simply because that carrier's tower is closer. Cel-Fi boosters are carrier-specific and will ONLY work for the designated carrier (this is because they have special carrier certifications in order to provide more power than traditional amplifiers).

What is the difference between all the different cellular repeaters?
There are a variety of cellular repeater systems available to accommodate the wide variety of needs of different users. The amplifiers themselves can vary in regards to power output, wattage (the power available to connect to the cell tower), and gain (the amount of range you'll get from the repeater). There are also a wide variety of options available for the receiving and rebroadcasting antennas (directional versus omnidirectional antennas, etc.). We recommend using our Guide Me tool to help you narrow down the choices to find the right cellular amplifier for you.

What is the difference between a "vehicle-class" and a "building-class" amplifier or repeater?
Under the regulations the FCC passed for cellular amplifiers on May 1, 2014, it is ILLEGAL to use a "building-class" amplifier or repeater in a mobile/vehicle application. A "vehicle-class" repeater is designed to provide a boost to a smaller area. By design, it doesn't require much antenna separation. Conversely, "building-class" repeaters have higher gain ratings that relate to how much indoor coverage range and area they will provide. By design, they require more antenna separation. A "vehicle-class" repeater is not likely to be your best choice if you're looking for something for a home, office or permanent location. Vehicle-class cell boosters are typically only recommended for in-vehicle use; however, some "building-class" repeater CAN be used in certain in-vehicle applications (for example, a large RV with enough space to allow for antenna separation).

What other regulations does the FCC have on cellular amplifiers?

Amplifiers manufactured PRIOR to May 1, 2014 may no longer be sold.
Amplifiers must be sold in complete kits that include cabling and antennas.
Amplifiers must be designed to limit interference and must automatically shut down if necessary.
The packaging must include a warning label to consumers.
Users must register their amplifiers with their cellular provider.
Amplifiers can only be a maximum of 1 watt (previous versions were 3 watts).
Cel-Fi boosters have certification/approval from a single carrier and are permitted to be more powerful than multi-band repeaters.

How big of an area can a repeater boost the signal to?
This is the most common question we receive and is often the hardest to answer. THis is because there are many factors that influence the size of an area that a repeater can cover. It is impossible to guarantee exactly how large an area a repeater will provide the boosted signal to. There are some factors that can ultimately affect a repeater's range:

Signal: The worse the "donor signal" (the un-amplified signal) is at the location, the smaller the boosted area.
Gain: The larger the gain rating is on the amplifier (you can view this in the specs), the more area it can cover. A 6dB increase in gain results in double the coverage area, so a 62dB amp could cover twice the area that a 55dB amp would cover.
Power: The power capabilities of the amplifier itself also affect the range: a lower-power amplifier won't be able to pull in as strong a signal as a higher-powered one.
Transmit Antenna: Some interior transmit antennas are capable of covering larger areas than others.
Layout or Floorplan: A repeater used in one large open room will boost the signal to a larger area than if it was used in an office building with walls between each room. Additionally, different construction materials will impact the repeater's signal differently (there is a big difference between a drywall wall and one made of metal).

The "Fast Facts" section at the top of each repeater's product description on 5Gstore includes an estimate of how much area the amplifier can cover. Keep in mond however, that these are just estimates (it's impossible to guarantee coverage area since so many factors affect it. This information will give you a good idea about what to expect from the cell booster product.

Why do most repeaters require separation between the two antennas?
Most repeater systems have a minimum distance requirement between the inside and outside antennas. This minimum distance is to prevent oscillation. The repeater will not work if the antennas are not separated far enough; therefore, it is very important to read the product details or the instruction manual before purchasing a repeater. If you will not have enough room in your application for the required separation, that signal amplifier kit is not going to work for you. Higher-powered amplifiers typically require more separation between the antennas. Separation can be either horizontal or vertical (in other words, if you mount the external antenna 20' in the air outside, that should be sufficient separation for a repeater that recommends 20' of separation between the antennas).

Will a repeater interfere with any of my other electronics (cordless phones, routers, etc.)?
No, a cell signal repeater will not cause any interference with other electronic devices.

What is a "Site Survey" and why does 5Gstore recommend that I do one?
A "site survey" involves comparing the signal strength and signal performance (data speeds or call quality) throughout different locations within your home or business. This is to determine a) if a better signal is available at your location, and b) if improving your signal will result in better performance. Performing a site survey is highly recommended for anyone considering a signal-boosting equipment investment for a stationary location. For travelers, a site survey is obviously not possible since you won't be able to run tests at every location you'll ever be going to.

Not every location is the same so it is important to determine whether there is enough usable signal available. If the signal is too poor (worse than -108dB RSSI) or too strong (typically better than -80dB RSSI), the repeater may not work properly. Performing a site survey does not take much time or effort and can save you a lot of time, energy, and money by helping you determine whether signal-boosting equipment will improve your signal and performance BEFORE making a purchase. Click here to read more about site surveys, and how to perform a site survey in your location.

Need more information about cell signal boosters/repeaters? We can help you get the information you need to make an informed choice about the type of repeater needed to help you optimize your signals.