External aerial for Neotel

[Robocop]

Hi there

Does anyone know if there is a external aerial or signal booster available that will work with the Neotel device ?

[francoislr]

Not sure if there is, but thanks for the heads up...Think I will go with the ADSL line instead then...;)

[Yotch]

I am under the impression that Neotel's CDMA service is operating in the 800MHz band. Maybe you could try a green band UHF TV aerial from Ellies which covers Channel 68 or one of their indoor types.
http://www.ellies.co.za/v2/index.php?id=595
http://www.ellies.co.za/v2/index.php?id=7
http://www.ellies.co.za/v2/index.php?id=589
http://www.ellies.co.za/v2/index.php?id=590
http://www.ellies.co.za/v2/index.php?id=591
TV channel frequencies
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/terrestrial/tuning/
Simple DIY aerial that might also be suitable ...
http://www.perite.com/vk7jj/NextGYagi.htm

[Robocop]

Edit

[Robocop]

If thats the case, I will first try my tv aerial that's still mounted and just sitting there , since I got DSTV.
It should cover the 800-1200Mhz range.

[thesones]

Thanks for the info Yotch,
I am in pta am on the fringes of the neotel coverage

I have a few questions though
1. is the cdma signal from the tower very directional sensitive?
2. how do u get the RF connector from the antenna on to your CDMA modem?

I would like to try and see if I could make an antenna, I think I'll learn someting in the process as well.

I suppose this is what I would be aiming for
http://wanlitong.manufacturer.globalsources.com/si/6008801161939/pdtl/Mobile-phone/1001272393/CDMA-Phone-Antenna.htm

[Robocop]

Thanks for the info Yotch,
I am in pta am on the fringes of the neotel coverage

I have a few questions though
1. is the cdma signal from the tower very directional sensitive?
2. how do u get the RF connector from the antenna on to your CDMA modem?



2. I got a connector from Poynting that you can use to terminate your coax.

[Yotch]

@thesones & Robocop: I think that the signal will be very directional but there might be several towers in range so you may need to experiment a bit. The antenna in the link that you posted would be perfect except that it's probably not easily available or possibly quite expensive. The usual CDMA 800 frequencies are 824~849 MHz (transmit) and 869~894 MHz (receive). This is why that antenna is designed for use between 824~894MHz.

The green band Ellies UHF TV antenna is designed for Channels 53~68 i.e. between 730~850MHz so it's not a perfect match but it should be very cheap. ZakSpeed for example have a green band UHF antenna listed on their website for R58. SpaceTV also sell similar UHF antennae (www.spacetv.co.za). This is incidentally the same antenna that is required to receive the new digital DVB-T transmissions.
http://www.zakspeed.co.za/ProdDetails.asp?MMid=1&SMid=2&ProdID=2311
http://www.khmcellular.co.za/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=ANT-101
If you wanted to change the direction regularly you could look at an antenna rotator ...
http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/7744000/Powtek_Controlled_Rotating_Antenna_UHF_VHF.html

Ellies supplies two types of green band antennae, the standard one and one with an "F" connector. The latter one would probably be more convenient as you can screw a pigtail onto the connector but it might be more expensive.
http://www.ellies.co.za/ellies/products/aerials/uhf.php
Maybe you could take your phone over to Ellies, ZakSpeed (very near Neotel Jhb HQ) or SpaceTV etc. together with a suitable pigtail to do a test in the shop before purchasing.

The DIY antenna that I posted previously is designed for 839.8MHz (transmit) and 884.8MHz (receive) frequencies so this should be a good match.

Here are a few other DIY ideas ...
http://273k.net/gsm/designing-and-building-a-gsm-antenna/yagi/
850MHz 6 element Yagi template
http://273k.net/gsm/designing-and-building-a-gsm-antenna/yagi/gsm-850_6element_yagi_template.pdf
Enhanced cellular Yagi
http://www.xyhd.tv/2008/03/how-to/do-it-yourself-ikea-enhanced-35db-cellular-yagi-antenna/

@Robocop: What TV antenna do you have currently?

[Fudzy]

Why were Neotel digging up roads and driveways if they are a wireless service? :confused:

[UnoPanelvan]

http://www.engadget.com/2005/11/15/how-to-build-a-wifi-biquad-dish-antenna/

http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html

http://text.dslreports.com/forum/r18681534-Owner-Wireless-Antenna-Pictures

http://text.broadbandreports.com/shownews/Product-Spotlight-EVDO-Showdown-Verizon-vs-Sprint-88563

[Robocop]

@Robocop: What TV antenna do you have currently?
I'm not to sure...looks like a normal UHF TV antenna. It came with the house, and everything is wired up, so I thought I'd give it a shot before rigging up a new system.

[IAMZAIN]

How do you expect them to Link their towers if they don't do it underground?...
the Service is Wireless to your HOUSE or BUSINESS...

They need to power the towers SOMEHOW...

[thesones]

@ Yotch & Robocop: I just spoke to the Neotel call center and they don't want to sell me a package if my area doesn't have "Excellent Coverage" , not good, not great, but Excellent!
I was then put through to one of the tech guys and I think I can convince him, he says he'll call me back later today and tell me where the closest tower is.

One more thing, Neotels service is not fully mobile, so u would be 'bound' (don't know the correct tech word) to one tower (maybe 2), so your antenna direction would stay pretty much fixed. It however should not be a problem for them to 'bind' you to another closer tower when it becomes operational?

Thanks again Yotch, your info is spot on!

[ShaunSA]

Seems like the TV antenna does work.


I proceeded to dury rig my tv antenna and once plugged in to my device the speeds did increase by about 200-300 kbps (this may help someone with signal issues).

http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showpost.php?p=1791904&postcount=21

[Robocop]

@ Yotch & Robocop: I just spoke to the Neotel call center and they don't want to sell me a package if my area doesn't have "Excellent Coverage" , not good, not great, but Excellent!
I was then put through to one of the tech guys and I think I can convince him, he says he'll call me back later today and tell me where the closest tower is.

One more thing, Neotels service is not fully mobile, so u would be 'bound' (don't know the correct tech word) to one tower (maybe 2), so your antenna direction would stay pretty much fixed. It however should not be a problem for them to 'bind' you to another closer tower when it becomes operational?

Thanks again Yotch, your info is spot on!
I got my device with the intention to use it at work in Sunninghill wich has excellent coverage, but I have taken my device home to Boksburg, and I have made in car calls all the way home from work. That tells me that the device is not linked to a specific tower. I do believe that is is bound by area code. You won't for example be able to use your 011 area code device in an 012....etc. area.

[alanjohnstone]

You are correct - it is geographically limited based on area codes.

[Newb-lite]

anymore infos , results , etc on this project?

[Robocop]

I'm actually battling to get the right spares to build the Yagi. Can't get 50 Ohm coax or 10mm aluminium tubing.
Have tried the green band UHF but there was no improvement.

[Yotch]

@Robocop: Sorry to hear that the green band TV aerial does not help.

You can get 9.5mm tubing with a 1.6mm wall thickness from Metal Centre in Selby (011-499-1527) for R6-50 per meter (you need <2m) or from Action Mica in Randburg (011-886-3102) (~R36 for 2.5m). Just call first to confirm availability. You should be able to find something suitable closer to your location though. Just try some of the aluminium suppliers nearby.

RG-58U coax should be suitable - probably available from most TV aerial equipment suppliers (Ellies, Zak Speed, SpaceTV etc.) or hardware stores - possibly even Pick n Pay?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaxial_cable

You should be able to use an old 3mm wire coathanger for that other 850MHz 6 element design if you can't find any 3mm brass rod but the design that you are already working on would probably work much better.

[RichardG]

You are correct - it is geographically limited based on area codes.

Good thing as I am always mobile, no more Vodacom 3G, I am going to cancel with immediate effect --- as I am more in JHB, but I think the device should work for internet in every other base station, but I'm very proud of such company to be out :) Well Done NeoTel :)

[dotnerd]

Why were Neotel digging up roads and driveways if they are a wireless service? :confused:

Kind of a unnecessary question :)

Backbone my friend backbone.

Imagine this. If it would ALL be wireless you would prolly have a latency of 5000ms+, but with fiber optics the latency over 40 odd km wont exceed ~20ms.

So dropping cables to your signal masts is must, that is if you want to provide decent services. Plus they can easily connect bandwidth hungry businesses to to one of the now many underground access points.

[Robocop]

Good news .....I've build the Yagi http://www.perite.com/vk7jj/NextGYagi.htm, and it works like a charm.
Makes a HUGE differance...reception went up from 0-1 bars to 3 bars constant. Download speed went up from 3-6 kbps to 100-150 kBps. I'm really impressed.
Total cost about R150.

[Yotch]

@Robocop: Good to hear that you have been so successful. Any idea how far away you are from the nearest base station? What type of connector did you require to connect the antenna to the Neotel phone? Is the antenna mounted on your roof or just placed near the phone? Did you try to rotate the antenna by 90 degrees so the elements are vertical to check if there is any improvement in the signal - most of the cell phone Yagi's that are sold in SA are vertically polarised - see links. It would be interesting to compare the performance of your design with these two commercial models.
http://www.poynting.co.za/products/brochure/POYNTING%20-%20LPDA-A0021.pdf
http://www.poynting.co.za/products/brochure/POYNTING%20-%20YAGI-A0016.pdf

This link shows graphs of the performance of a variety of different C/D group (green band) TV antennas. For really marginal signals the XB16E is the best performer followed by the 18CD. These are both Yagi antennas - the XB16E is ~2.34m while the 18CD is around 1.72m. The Triboom 46 (see link) does not appear to perform as well as either of the standard Yagis while the log periodic designs have much lower gains. Clearly the length of the antenna is very important in resolving marginal signals.
http://www.aerialsandtv.com/atvstockaerialtests.html#CDgroup
http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/dat45.htm

[Robocop]

I've got no idea how far the nearest base station is. I've got the arial on a pole mounted on the roof, and rotated the pole trough 360 deg to get the best reception.
It's quite interesting to hear about the vertical orientation, I've got mine mounted horizontally, might even make a bigger differance I will try it out. Got some other stuff to do today, so probably later this week.
Lastly, the connector connecting to the phone is a N-type male.

[phenom]

why on earth doesn't Neotel begin selling antennas?

howmuch would the cost price be? R50/antenna, and sell them for R500, huge profit, plus we get away from telscum ASAP

[msmoorad]

Good news .....I've build the Yagi http://www.perite.com/vk7jj/NextGYagi.htm, and it works like a charm.
Makes a HUGE differance...reception went up from 0-1 bars to 3 bars constant. Download speed went up from 3-6 kbps to 100-150 kBps. I'm really impressed.
Total cost about R150.

hi

please tell us/me in simple words/terms what you did and where did you get the parts/components from
with pics if possible.
im sorry but when you guys explain things to someone like me, you need to use the simplest words/terms possible.

thanks

[Yotch]

It should be simple to construct that aerial. You need ~1.2m of 9.5mm aluminium tube from Metal Centre (see above). Cut the tube into 9 pieces using a Junior hacksaw (very small one) with the following lengths (in mm) - 168, 77, 77, 140, 136, 136, 130, 128, 126. If you cut the pieces 1-2mm longer than necessary you can file them down to the correct length with a sandpaper block so they have smooth square edges.

Next you need an ~1m boom to mount them on. The only purpose of the boom is to hold the small pieces of tube in place in the correct positions. You could use one of those square wooden stakes that they sell at the nurseries to support growing plants (~R5) or a wooden dowel stick from a hardware store. A nursery stake may be more durable when exposed to the rain etc. If you have a 1m piece of white plastic conduit available then this will also be suitable. You will probably need to purchase caps for both ends if you use a conduit to seal it to prevent it filling up with water when it rains. You can either drill 9.5mm holes through the centre of the boom and push the aluminium tubes through the holes or you can just glue the aluminium tubes onto the surface of the boom with epoxy or Q-bond (in this case a square wooden nursery stake would be preferable). You probably need to attach the boom to a TV aerial mast so you must leave some space on the boom for this purpose. Make a mark about 20cm from one end of the boom for the reflector (168mm piece of tube). From this point make markings at 74, 124, 202, 314, 428, 549 and 670mm. If you have done everything correctly the last mark should be 130mm away from the other end of the boom. These are the positions where you need to either drill holes or just glue the pieces of tube in place. All of the pieces must lie exactly parallel to each other as you can see in the photo of the aerial from your link. The driven element consists of two pieces of tube 77mm each in length. You need to find a small piece of wooden rod that you can squeeze inside both of the two tubes to keep them separated from one another by a distance of 1mm. The two wires of the coaxial cable need to be attached to the two pieces of the driven element. You can either use small screws with internal nuts or possibly very small fuel hose clips (jubilee clips) that you can tighten to hold the wires firmly against the aluminium tubes. Something like this would probably be suitable (the smaller the better and cut off any protruding strap) - http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/brmihocl7int.html

The screen and the central conductor wire must be kept very short. The cable will probably be the most expensive item. You can either purchase RG-58/U which is the cheapest option or LMR195 (slightly more expensive) or LMR400 (quite expensive) depending on your signal strength. The cheaper cables degrade the signal more than the more expensive ones. If your signal is very marginal then you may find that a better quality cable helps although I would recommend either the RG-58/U or the LMR195 at first. If you are using a wooden boom you should give it several coats of varnish after the glue has dried. Don't varnish the aluminium pipes, just the boom as this may affect the performance very slightly.

Here are links to suppliers for the different types of cables/connectors. You should first phone some of the electronic component suppliers in your area to enquire as the petrol charges could be higher than any component savings. You could ask the shop about attaching the N-connector to one side of the cable when you purchase it if you don't think that you will be able to attach this yourself. Make sure that you measure the amount of cable that you require very carefully before purchasing it using a piece of string as you can't join on additional pieces once it has been cut. It is also quite expensive so you don't want to purchase much more than is required.
N-type connectors and coaxial cables
http://www.mantech.co.za/Stock.aspx?Query=N-typeand
http://www.rfdesign.co.za/pages/5645456/Products/RF-Cables/RF-Cables.asp
http://www.rfdesign.co.za/pages/5645456/Products/RF-Connectors/N-TYPE-connectors.asp
Alternative sources for N-type connectors and coaxial cables (possibly more convenient - phone to enquire first)
www.mantech.co.za
www.spectron.co.za
www.spacetv.co.za
www.communica.co.za
www.ellies.co.za
www.zakspeed.co.za
www.miro.co.za

To summarise the costs - aluminium tube (~R14 for 2m), wooden boom or 1m piece of conduit (~R5), N-connector (~R25) and then RG158/U or LMR195 (~R5-R10 per metre).

[RichardG]

Can the mods please post this as sticky as this does work and will help many neotel users.. Going to try this

[hierts]

I built the arial but it made no difference. Still 2 bar signal and 20kb/s download. I cannot mount it high as I live in apartment complex on the ground floor..

[cyberarmy]

I have got no bar or max 1 bar and that's why I did not get Neotel, if the Aerial can improve my reception I will consider.

Would be nice if I can buy one of these aerials from some shop at a reasonable price.

[RichardG]

I have got no bar or max 1 bar and that's why I did not get Neotel, if the Aerial can improve my reception I will consider.

Would be nice if I can buy one of these aerials from some shop at a reasonable price.

I heard from Neotel, they sell these antenna at around R1300 with installation.

[cyberarmy]

I heard from Neotel, they sell these antenna at around R1300 with installation.

OMG :eek:
I have got a existing pole on my roof for the WIFI CPE already, mounting is not a problem.....

[Yotch]

I built the arial but it made no difference. Still 2 bar signal and 20kb/s download. I cannot mount it high as I live in apartment complex on the ground floor..

Have you tried positioning the antenna in both the vertical and horizontal positions? I think that it is actually supposed to be vertically polarised. Are your element lengths and positions quite accurate? An error of 1 or 2mm can degrade the performance. Have you tried to test whether or not the antenna helps outdoors by temporarily attaching it to a broomstick etc. and then raising it while slowly rotating it to find the best signal. If you post some photographs that may also help - in particular the region where the coaxial cable connects to the driven element.

[Reptilian]

SO this R1300 antenna, does it make you more eligible for coverage?

[Reptilian]

they extend coverage by 50% so that should then hit my place.

what to do when you are just out of the coverage area? will Neotel compromise, do they first test the product at your home?

foreshore now covered, coverage has expanded, but not nearly enough

[hierts]

Are your element lengths and positions quite accurate? An error of 1 or 2mm can degrade the performance.

That might be it:) It was really just a experiment, I have nowhere to permanently put it up anyway!

Thanks for the offer to help!

[Telkom_Victim]

Hi all, a new Neotel user and so far so good :D

Just a short question about the aerial. Does anyone know the price range of various makes and models in JHB ?

[PeteGT]

Does anyone know if the Omni Directional Antenna from the iBurst Modem work in the same frequency range?

Would it be possible to just change the pigtail?

a quick google and I found it works in 1760 to 1810 MHz iBurst range, aaaawwww.

[SideWinder]

IMHO Neotel coverage maps is not an exact science, hence no matter if you at the bottom of a building, or a few km's out of "official" coverage, a decent homebuilt antenna should improve signals. Obviously, the more LOS you have, the better the antenna will perform.

Any case, one may need to re-test the direction your antenna is facing, as more and more towers are installed, even if you are still outside the coverage area.

Being in a valley like me sucks, as no amount of yagi's is going to help me :-(

[karele]

Hi guys not to trying to advertise but i found a company in Pretoria named radiant antennas maybe give them a call regarding an antenna and cable :D
personally I think R1300 is a bit expensive .. ;)

[MielieSpoor]

Poynting also sells proper antenna's. We installed one at my mom's place over the weekend because her Cellphone coverage is not goodenough for internet, but with the antenna, she has got fullstrenth signal.

This is the Yagi from them:
http://www.poynting.co.za/productdisplay.php?id=67&cat_id=2

[Style]

Poynting also sells proper antenna's. We installed one at my mom's place over the weekend because her Cellphone coverage is not goodenough for internet, but with the antenna, she has got fullstrenth signal.

This is the Yagi from them:
http://www.poynting.co.za/productdisplay.php?id=67&cat_id=2

Can we use it for Neotel? What connecter does it need to have to go into the phone???

[cbrunsdonza]

Does anyone know if the Omni Directional Antenna from the iBurst Modem work in the same frequency range?

Would it be possible to just change the pigtail?

a quick google and I found it works in 1760 to 1810 MHz iBurst range, aaaawwww.

Tried it and no improvment. Did not have a proper connector, but
Boer maak 'n plan"

PS: This was before somebody posted the magic number to get your signal strength on your device.

[Damour]

Quick question on Aerials for those in the know

If I do get a aerial attached to the device will it boost my DL speed / connection speed ?

[Kasbah]

Quick question on Aerials for those in the know

If I do get a aerial attached to the device will it boost my DL speed / connection speed ?

An added antenna will benefit you if you you are lacking in signal strength and clarity. Otherwise if you already have excellent signal strength and clarity your download speed should already be optimal. So all depends what your current bar strength on the device is and what quality of signal you are receiving before thinking about installing/building up an antenna.

[Damour]

ok thanks guys that answers my question

signal strength = full already so wont help anything

[matrixweb]

so which aerial should i buy? iv been reading this whole thread and dont know which 1 to get

[demon angel]

Thank you guys for your excellent input on this aerial.
Im 15m away from excellent coverage on the map.The funny thing is that my flat is in a white no coverage area.One of only 5 no coverage "spots" in my area.
I think its thumbsucking and lied to Neotel telling them i have coverage so they can get here with a test unit as they wont come to me unless i commit to them.
Im willing to bet my life i will have good coverage as all around my road,there is excellent prime coverage.
I have a Neotel pamphlet and it says that the prime unit includes an external antenna.
Is this the same thing?

[matrixweb]

Thank you guys for your excellent input on this aerial.
Im 15m away from excellent coverage on the map.The funny thing is that my flat is in a white no coverage area.One of only 5 no coverage "spots" in my area.
I think its thumbsucking and lied to Neotel telling them i have coverage so they can get here with a test unit as they wont come to me unless i commit to them.
Im willing to bet my life i will have good coverage as all around my road,there is excellent prime coverage.
I have a Neotel pamphlet and it says that the prime unit includes an external antenna.
Is this the same thing?

i dont think so , we are looking for something to replace the standard antenna so we get better signal i think , anyone know which 1 to get?

[cbrunsdonza]

Derailing but LOL on the signatures:

@demon_angel: For all the junk you buy,there is always a sucker to sell too!
@matrixweb: Packard Bell Latop For Sale

I guess if matrixweb gets to sell his Packard Bell he will prove demon_angel correct

[morfien]

i have seen some very good suggestions on this thread.

the way that it was explain to me by neotel is that their devices work off 2 different signal frequencies. im not sure if this is the case but would like to clarify before trying to atempt to build an antenna.

i currently have the neotel light device which works great except i have a issue with packet loss every now and again. im hoping if i can add the antenna then i should be able to boost the strength and erradicate that problem.

secondly if the antenna is able to function on both devices i should be able to upgrade to the prime device. when i had it at my house i have 2 bar constain signal but, with the packet loss the service was very poor as lag was a huge issue.

so my questions are as follows.

1) do both neoconnect light and prime both work off the same frequencies.

2) is the antenna the same design for both devices. (in regards that the Prime is allot faster than the light).

3) if so should the antenna reduce the packet loss over the transmission to and from the tower.

FYI,
i have setup the neoconnect Prime in JHB city deep where there is constain full signal. Amazing service. soon telkom will have no-one except the poor souls stuck in 5year contracts.... :(

[ting]

Can we use it for Neotel? What connecter does it need to have to go into the phone???

We do have an antenna kit, we sell it with the correct adapter cable.

They work very well. We stood outside our office with one and it took the signal from one bar to full.

You can contact a consultant at any of our branches. Where to find us: http://www.poyntingdirect.co.za/custom.aspx?id=4

[PeteGT]

We do have an antenna kit, we sell it with the correct adapter cable.

They work very well. We stood outside our office with one and it took the signal from one bar to full.

You can contact a consultant at any of our branches. Where to find us: http://www.poyntingdirect.co.za/custom.aspx?id=4

Could you tell us which product it is on the website?

[ting]

Poynting also sells proper antenna's. We installed one at my mom's place over the weekend because her Cellphone coverage is not goodenough for internet, but with the antenna, she has got fullstrenth signal.

This is the Yagi from them:
http://www.poynting.co.za/productdisplay.php?id=67&cat_id=2

Also have a look at this antenna on the Poynting on-line shop, it works in the 824 - 1000 MHz and 1700 - 2170 MHz frequency bands i.o.w boosting your GSM AND data signal. http://www.poyntingdirect.co.za/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=K-LPDA-A0044-7M - with the specific adapter for your phone or modem.
Will also make up the adapter cable that fits into the Neotel device. Just contact a consultant there to ask about it.

[ting]

Could you tell us which product it is on the website?

The option for Neotel is not on the bottom of the page (choosing adapter). Will be edited just now. Have a look here

http://www.poyntingdirect.co.za/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=K-LPDA-A0044-7M

[Kloon]

Wont http://www.poynting.co.za/productdisplay.php?id=151&cat_id=2 work for neotel device aswell?

[ting]

Wont http://www.poynting.co.za/productdisplay.php?id=151&cat_id=2 work for neotel device aswell?

Yes it will defenitely work, you will just need the correct adapter cable with it. LPDA-A0044 (my previous link) the antenna that replaced the LPDA-A0021 you mentioned.

[CellPoynt]

Neotel operates in the 824MHz to 896MHz band. The following Poynting products will work for Neotel:
YAGI-A0016
LPDA-A0020
LPDA-A0021
LPDA-A0044
The best options are the LPDA-A0044 or LPDA-A0021, but as already mentioned, they will require an adapter. All of these are available from Poynting Direct.

[HermanTheGerman]

Awesome!
After reading this thread I decided to give it a try and get me one of those antennae. A quick peek into Poyntings website showed me the next outlet is not very far from where I live, just 10 minutes by car. So I drove there instead of ordering online.
Much to my surprise, when I entered their office, I found myself talking to forum member Ting personally, who turned out to be a very nice young lady. So I ordered the LPDA-A0044 antenna for R 985.00 plus installation service for R 550.00 (excl. VAT). Who could say no to such an awesome lady? :D

So today a also very nice technician appeared at my door and installed the antenna. He even took the time to stay for some speed tests. Awesome service on this side as well.

Okay, let me bore you with some dry figures now:

Speedtest.net

down: 1606, up: 62, ping: 347 ms :eek: (which honestly is rather unacceptable, but not to blame on Poynting's antenna but lies in the nature of Neotels rather questionable decison to bring down the good line speed by covering the last mile with wireless connection)


Neotel came up with inconsistant results:

Test 1: down 1094, up 47 :sick:
Test 2: down 1606, up 67 :(
Test 3: down 1546, up 57 :mad:
They probably know why they don't show any ping results ... feckers ...


But as you all know the proof is in the pudding, so I went where it really matters and tested Stanford University in CA/USA:

TCP/Web100 Network Diagnostic Tool v5.4.12
click START to begin
Connected to: netspeed.stanford.edu -- Using IPv4 address
Checking for Middleboxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Done
checking for firewalls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Done
running 10s outbound test (client-to-server [C2S]) . . . . . 71.0kb/s
running 10s inbound test (server-to-client [S2C]) . . . . . . 416.86kb/s :eek:
Your PC is connected to a Cable/DSL modem
Information: Other network traffic is congesting the link
[S2C]: Packet queuing detected


Will the SAfrican ISPs ever learn that it's called Internet, not Afrinet? :confused:

Again, PoyntingDirect is not to blame for those bad results. The antenna does its job and brought the bars up from a wobbly 2 to consistent 4. And the results, although not really awesome, are way better than before. Awesome product, awesome job by the Poynting crew and the outsourced installation service as well!

Oh, did I already mention I had an awesome experience with them?:D

[ting]

so which aerial should i buy? iv been reading this whole thread and dont know which 1 to get

This is going to make things much simpler :D
Check out this Neotel Antenna Kit (http://www.poyntingdirect.co.za/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=K-YAGI-A0016-NEO)
This kit includes the antenna, cabling and the adapter to the phone.

If you all ready have a YAGI antenna in the Neotel frequency and just need the adapter, have a look here (http://www.poyntingdirect.co.za/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=CAB-NEO)

[PeteGT]

Whats the difference between these two?
Why such a big price difference?
http://www.poyntingdirect.co.za/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=K-YAGI-A0016-NEO
http://www.poyntingdirect.co.za/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=K-LPDA-A0044-7M

[PeteGT]

Silly question but do the calls and data work on the same frequency?
If it were different then it would warrant getting the LPDA-A0044-7M.

If they work on the same frequency then the Yagi should be perfect.

[ting]

Silly question but do the calls and data work on the same frequency?
If it were different then it would warrant getting the LPDA-A0044-7M.

If they work on the same frequency then the Yagi should be perfect.

Yes the calls and data work on the same frequency; so like you said the Yagi would be perfect for the job.

[PeteGT]

Yes the calls and data work on the same frequency; so like you said the Yagi would be perfect for the job.

Cool I'll swing by the Wynburg Branch one afternoon when its not raining and people are crazy.

[ting]

Cool I'll swing by the Wynburg Branch one afternoon when its not raining and people are crazy.

Is it raining in Joburg - hectic; good luck!

[PeteGT]

Just ordered the YAgi now, will collect this afternoon.
I'll take some pics of unpacking and installing and do some speed tests before and after.

[ting]

Just ordered the YAgi now, will collect this afternoon.
I'll take some pics of unpacking and installing and do some speed tests before and after.

Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI). The lower your RSSI the better your signal strength.

To check this type *#2368*#07# on your Neotel phone (gives you access to the devices settings, be careful not to reset your phone through this utility) page down to RSSI and press select to see the RSSI value and then press back. It is important to determine where your signal is coming from by checking Neotels coverage (https://salesportal.neotel.co.za/web/guest/home) in most cases it will be the base station closest to you but does not have to be the case. Zoom out till you see 3 dark orange sections closest to your current location, it looks like a 3 leave clover, this is the base station.

Try and position your antenna to face in that direction of the base station first by moving it 10 degrees as a time, move away from the antenna so to not interfere with the signal, wait a 1 minute (no less), then check your RSSI on the Neotel phone as mentioned above, repeat this process 'till you find the sweet spot with the lowest RSSI. Record the RSSI value and the direction of the antenna on a piece of paper to make it easier to place the antenna in this position if it is the lowest RSSI.

Once you tested the entire angles, place the antenna in the position that gave you the lowest RSSI. Do one final RSSI test on the phone to ensure you are still getting the lowest RSSI value as you might have moved the antenna while tightening the bolts. It will be beneficial to place the antenna where you have a full 360 degree range to determine the best possible angle and RSSI value.

After a few hours of testing your new RSSI, you can fine tune the antenna even further by turning the antenna 1 or 2 degrees at a time and by facing the antenna slightly vertically or horizontally to find an even better RSSI value. This process does take sometime but is very well worth the effort.

This antenna is excellent for Neotel phones as was seen from previous results and better if you are in the Neotel coverage zone.

Let me know how it went!

[PeteGT]

Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI). The lower your RSSI the better your signal strength.

To check this type *#2368*#07# on your Neotel phone (gives you access to the devices settings, be careful not to reset your phone through this utility) page down to RSSI and press select to see the RSSI value and then press back. It is important to determine where your signal is coming from by checking Neotels coverage (https://salesportal.neotel.co.za/web/guest/home) in most cases it will be the base station closest to you but does not have to be the case. Zoom out till you see 3 dark orange sections closest to your current location, it looks like a 3 leave clover, this is the base station.

Try and position your antenna to face in that direction of the base station first by moving it 10 degrees as a time, move away from the antenna so to not interfere with the signal, wait a 1 minute (no less), then check your RSSI on the Neotel phone as mentioned above, repeat this process 'till you find the sweet spot with the lowest RSSI. Record the RSSI value and the direction of the antenna on a piece of paper to make it easier to place the antenna in this position if it is the lowest RSSI.

Once you tested the entire angles, place the antenna in the position that gave you the lowest RSSI. Do one final RSSI test on the phone to ensure you are still getting the lowest RSSI value as you might have moved the antenna while tightening the bolts. It will be beneficial to place the antenna where you have a full 360 degree range to determine the best possible angle and RSSI value.

After a few hours of testing your new RSSI, you can fine tune the antenna even further by turning the antenna 1 or 2 degrees at a time and by facing the antenna slightly vertically or horizontally to find an even better RSSI value. This process does take sometime but is very well worth the effort.

This antenna is excellent for Neotel phones as was seen from previous results and better if you are in the Neotel coverage zone.

Let me know how it went!

Thanks, that was going to be my process, but now I have it in check list form :D

[minority]

Hi im getting my neoflex tomorrow, just two quick questions to make sure about things:

1. Does the neoflex data modem also support the yagi antennas, as it has two aerials ?
2. and in theory the neoflex should then support 2 antennas (if possible) and increase signal even better?

Im just on the edge of the coverage map though it shows im in excellent range i still wanna get the most from the router...thx

[Bodo]

Ting,

Looks to me like you should be getting commission from Neotel for all the antennas that you sell, because it means that they've sold more phones!!!

Now, if you can just get a USB to Ethernet converter.... :(

Hehehe

[PeteGT]

Installed the YAGI Antenna Yesterday, did a write up and pics.
Just positioning it perfectly before I post all tests.

[Neotel]

Hi im getting my neoflex tomorrow, just two quick questions to make sure about things:

1. Does the neoflex data modem also support the yagi antennas, as it has two aerials ?
2. and in theory the neoflex should then support 2 antennas (if possible) and increase signal even better?

Im just on the edge of the coverage map though it shows im in excellent range i still wanna get the most from the router...thx

In theory, it's possible to connect different antennas to the NeoFlex Data device, but it's really not recommended. The pair of antennas is there to provide antenna diversity, which improves the performance, particularly in urban areas where there may be reflections, and they are matched and spaced to do this properly.

If you are already in excellent coverage, you almost certainly don't need an external antenna. Adding antenna gain where the signal is good will typically just result in the your terminal reducing transmit power to bring the signal strength down to the level it should be at the basestation (this is an important characteristic of CDMA). In the other direction, you'd just be saturating the receiver.

The real edge of the coverage is typically well beyond the area we show excellent coverage. I suggest you see what you are getting (measure download/upload speed, not the number of bars) first. Note that the number of bars, whilst it is a measure of signal strength, is a poor indicator of actual performance in any CDMA system (including W-CDMA/UMTS, as well as CDMA2000), since you are looking at multiple (code-division) overlaid signals. Instead, measure the speed to check actual performance - this is really what you are after, anyway.

[matrixweb]

In theory, it's possible to connect different antennas to the NeoFlex Data device, but it's really not recommended. The pair of antennas is there to provide antenna diversity, which improves the performance, particularly in urban areas where there may be reflections, and they are matched and spaced to do this properly.

If you are already in excellent coverage, you almost certainly don't need an external antenna. Adding antenna gain where the signal is good will typically just result in the your terminal reducing transmit power to bring the signal strength down to the level it should be at the basestation (this is an important characteristic of CDMA). In the other direction, you'd just be saturating the receiver.

The real edge of the coverage is typically well beyond the area we show excellent coverage. I suggest you see what you are getting (measure download/upload speed, not the number of bars) first. Note that the number of bars, whilst it is a measure of signal strength, is a poor indicator of actual performance in any CDMA system (including W-CDMA/UMTS, as well as CDMA2000), since you are looking at multiple (code-division) overlaid signals. Instead, measure the speed to check actual performance - this is really what you are after, anyway.

the tech told me thats illegal to use a external antenna on neoconnect device and if they find anyone using 1 their contract will be terminated but you say that its allowed:confused:

[PeteGT]

What value should I be trying for in RSSI? Lowest I got playing around was 79.

[ting]

Hi im getting my neoflex tomorrow, just two quick questions to make sure about things:

1. Does the neoflex data modem also support the yagi antennas, as it has two aerials ?
2. and in theory the neoflex should then support 2 antennas (if possible) and increase signal even better?

Im just on the edge of the coverage map though it shows im in excellent range i still wanna get the most from the router...thx

What Neotel is saying is correct with regards to the antenna diversity and CDMA technology. You will not gain anything by just boosting one antenna and the antennas inside the neoflex are matched and spaced for optimal performance. But still the YAGI antenna will defenitely be beneficial for the phones with only one antenna, if they are in a 'bad' coverage area.

[minority]

Thanks Neotel and Ting for clearing that up for me..

[CellPoynt]

What value should I be trying for in RSSI? Lowest I got playing around was 79.

As far as I understand the RSSI is in true dBm, which means that the lower the better. To achieve successful data comms, signal strength should be better than receiver sensitivity (which may be different on various devices), so I would say (to be on the safe side) that better than -85dBm would be sufficient to do this.

[Ultra_Immortal]

I get about 69 on RSSI. ^^

[minority]

Got my neoflex data package just now, will go and do some test after work before posting...

[PeteGT]

I get about 69 on RSSI. ^^

How many Bars?
I achieved 4 once while moving around and best rssi I got was 79, but i dont know if that was when I had 4 bars briefly.

[CriticalConsumer]

tthe signal bars are just an indicator - use the RSSI that you have and as someone mentioned, the lower the value the better!

[Ultra_Immortal]

How many Bars?
I achieved 4 once while moving around and best rssi I got was 79, but i dont know if that was when I had 4 bars briefly.

I had 4 Bars.

[minority]

Hey guys where can i check the RSSI on the NEOFLEX Data????

[CriticalConsumer]

You cannot - unless you connect it soley via USB - then install AxessManager: this gives you an indication on the signal strength etc..

[MiShaDo]

So I take it if I have an RSSI of 94 :sick: the Antenna kit is a good Idea ??

[PeteGT]

guys I'll post everything up tonight including assembly of the antenna and my experiences and a speed test. I've gone from 88 RSSI to 65.

[MiShaDo]

Ah yes feedback..

Went from a 94-104 to 79-81. Still have to do some fine tuning..

[PeteGT]

Installing the YAGI Antenna

Before Installation:
2 bar signal
RSSI 84
Speedtest.net:
Ping 578ms
D 252kbps
U 65kbps

Yagi Antenna Contents:
Antenna, 10M cable, Neotel Pigtail.

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa34/PeteGTi/DSC00886.jpg


Simple to assemble, need the mental ability of a 4 year old and the physical ability of a 16 year old (some of those elements are tough to push in). :mad:

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa34/PeteGTi/DSC00887.jpg

Mounted it under my DSTV dish and pointed it in the same direction funnily enough.

After Installation and much aiming.
4 bar signal
RSSI 65
Speedtest.net:
Ping 262ms
D 1146kbps
U 59kbps


So Overall I'm really happy! :D

[cyberbyte]

Hi Everybody,

I would like to thank everybody on this forum for the comments posted (especially the part about the RSSI)

As everyone else.. I decided on Neotel as Telk@k was not in the area yet. After confirming that they have EXCELLENT coverage where I stay, the package was delivered... Plugged it in and nothing.. 1bar RSSI 92-98.. I was so disgusted...

I got the details for Radiant Antennas (Silverton, Pta) from this forum and not trying to make "advertising" here, but if you are looking for one mean 15dbi gain antenna, they are the people to speak to. PS: It comes assembled :)
It seems that they are professional antenna manufacturers and a quick chat with them sent me in the right direction.

Took me just over 2 hours to install (alone) and whola!!!

Speed Test: http://www.gam.co.za/index.php?class=page&objectID=4888add306302

Before Installation:
1-2 bar signal
RSSI 92-98
Gamco Speed Test
D 200-500kbps
U 65kbps

After Installation and a quick check of a compass (got the GPS co-ords :))
4 bar signal
RSSI 62
Gamco Speed Test
D 700-1400kbps
U 65-70kbps

Im soo happy now...
Got my setup as follows:
Neotel Phone plugged into old laptop with Wireless Access Point plugged in there with the connection shared :) Wireless Internet just got more wireless :)

Thanks All!
Jaco

[acdt]

Hi Guys,

I have the neoflex device, and installed axessmanager, which can connect to device over ethernet, so sometimes it does connect and show the rssi etc, and after about 5mins it says it needs a valid RUIM and quits the app, when I reconnect it asks shows this before the app even launches and exits immediately

any ideas? what is RUIM?

Thanks
Acdt

[erasma]

Hi Everybody,

I would like to thank everybody on this forum for the comments posted (especially the part about the RSSI)

As everyone else.. I decided on Neotel as Telk@k was not in the area yet. After confirming that they have EXCELLENT coverage where I stay, the package was delivered... Plugged it in and nothing.. 1bar RSSI 92-98.. I was so disgusted...

I got the details for Radiant Antennas (Silverton, Pta) from this forum and not trying to make "advertising" here, but if you are looking for one mean 15dbi gain antenna, they are the people to speak to. PS: It comes assembled :)
It seems that they are professional antenna manufacturers and a quick chat with them sent me in the right direction.

Took me just over 2 hours to install (alone) and whola!!!

Speed Test: http://www.gam.co.za/index.php?class=page&objectID=4888add306302

Before Installation:
1-2 bar signal
RSSI 92-98
Gamco Speed Test
D 200-500kbps
U 65kbps

After Installation and a quick check of a compass (got the GPS co-ords :))
4 bar signal
RSSI 62
Gamco Speed Test
D 700-1400kbps
U 65-70kbps

Im soo happy now...
Got my setup as follows:
Neotel Phone plugged into old laptop with Wireless Access Point plugged in there with the connection shared :) Wireless Internet just got more wireless :)

Thanks All!
Jaco

So which one did you buy? that always helps to know

thanks

[CriticalConsumer]

You need need the AxessManager only when you are connecting the device via USB!

If you have a network port on your pc, why are you using the USB connection?

[cyberbyte]

So which one did you buy? that always helps to know

thanks

Not perfectly sure what you are asking.. but I have a NeoConnect Prime with the standard phone they give and the Antenna is a
Radiant Antennas
(RAY800/15 - 815-894MHz, 15dBi Yagi for the 800MHz Neotel network.)
http://www.radiant-antennas.com/commercial.php
The antenna is about R325.00 and it WORKS...

Upload speeds does not seem to be hugely affected as it seems that Neotel is just 75-100kb/s.

Jaco

[acdt]

Reading this thread im not quite clear on if I can use these aerials for NEOFLEX. It seems for the prime device it is no issue but there seems to some grey areas regarding the neoflex device. What would happen if I connect one aerial to the neoflex device?

Also the axxess manager bundled with the NEOFLEX device does connect via ethernet, you don't have to have device connected via usb. Im just not sure why it keeps asking for a valid RUIM

acdt

[ting]

Reading this thread im not quite clear on if I can use these aerials for NEOFLEX. It seems for the prime device it is no issue but there seems to some grey areas regarding the neoflex device. What would happen if I connect one aerial to the neoflex device?

Also the axxess manager bundled with the NEOFLEX device does connect via ethernet, you don't have to have device connected via usb. Im just not sure why it keeps asking for a valid RUIM

acdt

I can only answer you first question with confidence ... It will boost your signal, off course :p

[Neotel]

@ acdt:

If you are using the NeoFlex Data router via ethernet, please uninstall the AxxessManager - there is no need for it.

[gdiza]

Not perfectly sure what you are asking.. but I have a NeoConnect Prime with the standard phone they give and the Antenna is a
Radiant Antennas
(RAY800/15 - 815-894MHz, 15dBi Yagi for the 800MHz Neotel network.)
http://www.radiant-antennas.com/commercial.php
The antenna is about R325.00 and it WORKS...

Upload speeds does not seem to be hugely affected as it seems that Neotel is just 75-100kb/s.

Jaco

I'm wondering - if I was to get this, if this would improve my speeds that I'm currently getting which is really bad.

@ Neotel - comments?

[rph72]

To all that have aerials. What coverage areas are you in? Are you using it in excellent areas to boost your signal or are you on the fringe just outside good/fair coverage?

[PeteGT]

I was just on the edge good coverage. Then I got the antenna and have move more into excellent coverage since then but it still made a difference.

[Neotel]

Adding an antenna, to improve signal strength and quality is always an advantage and where signal strength / quality is poor an antenna is recommended.

As far as possible, where customers are on the fringe of the coverage boundaries, the customer is advised that should he wish to take on the service an antenna is required to experience the best service quality. Where the customer is not in a position to obtain an antenna, we advise the customer not take the service.

[HellTel]

[QUOTE=Neotel;2557592]Adding an antenna, to improve signal strength and quality is always an advantage and where signal strength / quality is poor an antenna is recommended.

As far as possible, where customers are on the fringe of the coverage boundaries, the customer is advised that should he wish to take on the service an antenna is required to experience the best service quality. Where the customer is not in a position to obtain an antenna, we advise the customer not take the service.


hahaha .... :sick:

[acdt]

@ acdt:

If you are using the NeoFlex Data router via ethernet, please uninstall the AxxessManager - there is no need for it.

@Neotel:

I disagree with you regarding the need for access manager, firstly it allows you to select EVDO only, so it forces the devices, secondly it gives you the RSSI for both aerials which is quite handy and the status of the device.

So I would like it to work thanks

acdt

[pope24]

I have to agree with @acdt I would like to have access to some sort of management software that will allow me to monitor the performace of the device. Especially the signal strength so that I can position the router to get the best possible performance.

[erasma]

[QUOTE=Neotel;2557592]Adding an antenna, to improve signal strength and quality is always an advantage and where signal strength / quality is poor an antenna is recommended.

As far as possible, where customers are on the fringe of the coverage boundaries, the customer is advised that should he wish to take on the service an antenna is required to experience the best service quality. Where the customer is not in a position to obtain an antenna, we advise the customer not take the service.


hahaha .... :sick:

I am confused about you even being on this thread you do not have Neotel services & run around being stupid!

You are making the real customers look like idiots!

Can the Admins please remove this persons rights to the forums as they have nothing to add.

Why not post on the forum section you have connectivity!

[gdiza]

I get 65 RSSI and I have 4 bars... good? bad?

[Neotel]

That is quite a good RSSI @ gdiza.

[JMRHOWES]

That is quite a good RSSI @ gdiza.

Yet he still gets slow speeds?

[Neotel]

@JMRHOWES:

As stated in the other threads related to the degradation of speed, it is a known problem and we are trying to reslove the problem.

[JMRHOWES]

Thanks, Lets see results

[Ice2Cool]

Hey all - jus thought id add my 2 cents here. I have the neoflex 10 gig package and bought the yagi antenna from Poynting as recommended by Ting - it works quite well. I had some problems trying to point it in the right direction but i think it worked out. I had to put the antenna up INSIDE my house since it was raining yesterday - but I had a speed improvement from about 200kb/s to 600-700kb/s. Ping has only improved slightly from around 280 to 180ms.

Im sure mounting properly outside will yield even better results. On a side note, just to make sure im not pointing to some other antenna far away, does anyone know the closest neotel broadcast antenna in wendywood - Bowling avenue? Is it possible to tell from the coverage map?

[gdiza]

ushir, zoom out on the coverage map, look for the centre of the 'clover leaf type pattern' and that should be the base station.

[Ice2Cool]

Thx gdiza! I tried what u sed but the coverage in my area looks a little offish. Can u help me out? Plug in 29 Bowling Avenue, Wendywood, johannesburg, 2148.

(Chill, that aint my address).

From the coverage, it looks like im already in the center of the coverage zone, so im ammused as to why my coverage isnt exccellent but only weak - avg without the antenna.

[gdiza]

I can't help you at present... Neotel site not working for me... I think it's our line, it's dead slow today.

[Ice2Cool]

Ok no worries. Do you think elevation is an issue?

The estate i stay on is someone lower then the surround area which may be the cause for my weaker signal? Plus being on an estate = mass of concrete everywhere... Hehe.

[cyberbyte]

To all that have aerials. What coverage areas are you in? Are you using it in excellent areas to boost your signal or are you on the fringe just outside good/fair coverage?

According to Neotels website Im suppose to be in an Excellent Coverage section, but I think because of some buildings/area being higher as the antenna and me being inside the house it caused a 98 RSSI with 1 bar reception.
The Radiant Antenna increased this to 61 RSSI and full reception.
It also benefited the download speed and caused a better/constant connection.

Regards,
Happy Customer with Antenna

[Ice2Cool]

hey cyberbyte,

What is a radiant antenna? Is it the one from Poynting ?

[gdiza]

So the general idea is that the Antenna helps. mmmmmmmmmm!

[cyberbyte]

hey cyberbyte,

What is a radiant antenna? Is it the one from Poynting ?

Hi...

Nope! the Poynting Antennas on offer for Neotel is pretty close cut/built for the Neotel frequency.
The one Im referring to is from Radiant Antennas
( http://www.radiant-antennas.com/commercial.php )
They are a professional Antenna manufacturer that has 2 antennas cut/built specifically for the Neotel network frequency. You cannot do better than that.

They will kit you out with everything you need and some awesome quality coax cable.

Have lots of fun installing and remember to earth your antenna if you are the new conductor in the area.

Jaco

[Ice2Cool]

Oh wow, so you have 2 sets of coax coming to ure modem?

That actually brings me to my next question.

On the neoflex modems - do both antennas serve to get the same signal or is one for 1x and the other for EV-DO?

BTW - mind if i ask how much ure antenna set u back? U can PM if you like.

[cyberbyte]

Oh wow, so you have 2 sets of coax coming to ure modem?

That actually brings me to my next question.

On the neoflex modems - do both antennas serve to get the same signal or is one for 1x and the other for EV-DO?

BTW - mind if i ask how much ure antenna set u back? U can PM if you like.

Hi Ushir,

Just to clear some confusion.. Im on a Neotel Prime...
Radiant Antennas have got two different atennas 12dbi Gain and 15dbi Gain.
I actually only have one coax to my Phone and not 2.

The neoflex modems as far as I understand does not work or was not built for external antennas? Well, that is what I picked up from this forum so far.

If you are on Neotel Prime, the antenna will definitely help if you dont have perfect connection. But speeds will differ from area to area and is weather dependant.

[Ice2Cool]

No it definately works on neoflex modems. I have the poynting yagi antenna. If i remove both the original antennas and conenct just the Yagi to one side I get a good connection. This morning I was getting about 700kbps constantly and a ping of about ~180ms. Im yet to get over that however - even burst speed doesnt go over 700.

[havvas]

Does any one know where the base station is in Ferndale as nobody seems to know at neotel where it is ?

[Neotel]

Unfortunately we are not able to disclose the location of our base stations however; if you provide your address I maybe able to assist with your query.

[PeteGT]

Does any one know where the base station is in Ferndale as nobody seems to know at neotel where it is ?

Looks like its near the Randburg Post Offic and Sanlam Centre by Sentrum road and Pretoria Ave. You can see them on the coverage map. If you look at the Orange Coverage, you can almost see where its being broadcasted from if you know what i mean.

[Ice2Cool]

Ive got another question. Those lights on the neoflex modem list the signal strength.

green = weak, orange = average and red = strong. But there are 2 bands of signals, 1x and EVDO, so my question is, what is the signal strength meter measuring? The stronger of the two or EV-DO when it is available?

[Ice2Cool]

oh oh, and one more question - are there indoor antenna's for the neoflex modems?

[cyberbyte]

:) Indoor Antenna :)
Don't you like the idea of being a Lightning Rod in the area.. Just joking.. But that is a good question...
On another note, outdoor antenna is really a lot better. The Frequency Neotel uses 800-900Mhz is affected (not hugely, but still, especially with data) by buildings, trees and steel structures. I think the more external and higher you can go the better.
My 5cents!

[Ice2Cool]

Do these outdoor yagi antennas emit any radiation at all?

[cyberbyte]

Do these outdoor yagi antennas emit any radiation at all?

Well, all antennas do as far as my science knowledge goes, it all depends on the wattage of the transmitter in the phone/device :)
But better to have it on the top of your roof than next to your coffee and snacks while surfing for 4hours in a row :)
Neotel work on the same principle as Vodacom/MTN phones, so the radiation is very little and should not have any affect.
I still would prefer a constant transmitting device (that can cover 4-7Km radius) to have an antenna on my roof.

[Ice2Cool]

Health vs. Speed :) That is the fundamental question!

[jacquess]

So which one did you buy? that always helps to know

thanks

Hi All

I'm new at this so please be patient with me....

I invested in a Neotel Connect Prime and requested Mac drivers! When I received my parcell it had XP drivers so I downloaded the mac driver from their website.

1.) Neotel keeps disconnecting every 5-10 minutes
2.) I can receive emails but can't send any after checking and double checking Neotel outgoing smtp server name.
3.) I then tested the phone on my old PC and it stays conneceted for 2-3 hours before disconnecting, I can also send emails using the same settings I used on the Mac. This is upsetting because my Vodacom 3G usb device works perfect on Mac & PC!
4.) I'm only connecting at 2.4Mbps and it takes atleast 10-15 seconds to open a simple page like google using Internet Explorer (I have 4 bars reception on my phone)
5.) When I ordered the phone the sales rep told me that the Neotel connection is faster than ADSL & Vodacom 3G ... If there's a way to connect and download at atleast 3.6Mbps I will be a happy camper!

Really bad technical support for Mac users at Neotel!!!!!!
- There's not even one person at the call centre that can assist me with email settings on my Mac!!!!

Question:
What can I do to boost my connection & download speed?
Will an external antenna make a difference seeing that I 4-bars reception?

Thanks all!!!!!

Jacques

[Andre123]

Hello

If you check the recent posts and hang around the forum a while you will see that there are a lot of problems with the speed and reliability with the network at the moment. Neotel even posted an article about this. Check the news section. There are a lot of frustrated people out there. I have NeoFlop and the throughput is horrible, 16 kb/s download speed according to speedtest. I eventually logged a call. They said they will get back to me in 24-48 hours. I'll see if that actually happens. Here are a few points to cheer you up, lol.

1. I have an IMAC. In the beginning I had to put up a big fight just to get installation instructions that worked. I now run a windows partition that I use most of the time.
2. From reading the forum you can see that there are numerous people with problems. I told the Neotel people that if they cannot resolve my call I want my money back. They say that realistically you can expect between 300 and 700 kb/s download speed with NeoFlop. I can manage only 16 kb/s. That is almost as bad as a normal dial-up connection. I cannot even browse normally. What I do is I go to a page and then I play a game of Majong. After I finished the game I go back to see if the page loaded. Really, I'm not even joking.
3. From what I've read the antenna from Poyinting direct seems to be popular. Look around at the beginning of this thread for their website.
4. Good luck.

[speed_seeker]

Hi All

I'm new at this so please be patient with me....

I invested in a Neotel Connect Prime and requested Mac drivers! When I received my parcell it had XP drivers so I downloaded the mac driver from their website.

1.) Neotel keeps disconnecting every 5-10 minutes
2.) I can receive emails but can't send any after checking and double checking Neotel outgoing smtp server name.
3.) I then tested the phone on my old PC and it stays conneceted for 2-3 hours before disconnecting, I can also send emails using the same settings I used on the Mac. This is upsetting because my Vodacom 3G usb device works perfect on Mac & PC!
4.) I'm only connecting at 2.4Mbps and it takes atleast 10-15 seconds to open a simple page like google using Internet Explorer (I have 4 bars reception on my phone)
5.) When I ordered the phone the sales rep told me that the Neotel connection is faster than ADSL & Vodacom 3G ... If there's a way to connect and download at atleast 3.6Mbps I will be a happy camper!

Really bad technical support for Mac users at Neotel!!!!!!
- There's not even one person at the call centre that can assist me with email settings on my Mac!!!!

Question:
What can I do to boost my connection & download speed?
Will an external antenna make a difference seeing that I 4-bars reception?

Thanks all!!!!!

Jacques

Hi Jacques,

I have just got the NeoConnect Prime Unlimited option and am using it with an iMac and am very happy with it.

1. To prevent the disconnecting after X minutes you need to do this:
System Preferences => Network => DuPont ModemPort => Advanced => PPP => Uncheck the "Disconnect if idle" checkbox and also untick the "Prompt to maintain connection" if it is checked.

2. The maximum speed the device is capable of is 2.4 Mbps (With my 4MB unshaped line from webafrica I only get true speeds of 1.5Mb) , but with my Neotel device(also unshaped by default) I get between 550 - 650 kbps which is good enough for the price. I bought myself a 4.8m USB extension cable and keep my device close to a window - if I have 3 bars I get the speeds I mentioned. (Tested with http://www.internetfrog.com and http://speedtest.net )

3. Neotel did tell me they are working on new hardware to achieve faster speeds, and you will be able to do an in-contract hardware upgrade. But for now 2.4 Mbps is the limit I'm afraid - I have had speeds occasionally of 1.1Mbps.

4. I also share my Internet connection on my iMac through airport , so my iPhone and netbook can access it when I am not at my desk.

I will look into the mail thing for you - let me know what settings you have made so far.

Cheers

[jacquess]

Speed Seeker & Andre123, I appreciate your advice and will revert shortly!

I just wanted to say thanks for the valued input.

Chat soon!!!!

Jacques

[Bluedevil678]

Update:

It’s been a while since my last post but thought this would be interesting for all those uncapped lite (good coverage users)

Im getting Neotel to install my antenna after my legal sent a breach of contract to them for not delivering the speeds promised on the contact.

Currently Im on the Uncapped Lite package, with a TRANSFER speed of about 6-16KBPS

Speedtest.net results (12/10/09, 12:51pm) :
Ping: 1411ms
Download: 0.07mbps
Upload: 0.04mbps

In an excellent coverage with 2 base stations (towers) within 1km from me.

I will report back tomorrow after the installation as to the difference made.

[toxicehc]

Greetings.

Just wanted to pop in and share an experience I had this weekend mounting an external antenna - non poynting.

My house is 3 stories high, so about 9 meters + 3m for the roof. Make it 12 meters in the air.

I live in the ruimsig area and I was allways under the impression that I was using a tower situated in a specific part of this area.

So this weekend I finally took the plunge, hired a ladder and climbed on my roof and mounted my antenna on a 2 meter pole. Properly grounded and now having direct line of sight of the transmitter and my entire surrounding area.
( Antenna now roughly elevated 14 meters in the air on an already elevated geographic area.

Now for the good stuff. Using the router in my living room on the middle floor I managed to get reasonable speeds from time to time (up to 1.4mbps) but I was not happy with the stability of the signal and I wanted to reduce my RSSI which was 79 at best.

Upon completion of the mounting of the antenna I found I now had an RSSI of 65 which indicated to me that all was 100's.

This was not the case, I could not get a download speed of more than 200/300kb's.

I moved the router back downstairs and true as bob once again I had up to 1.4mbps on a speedtest, whilst having an RSSI of 79.

I then resorted to using the "AxesstelPst EvDO" software via USB to my laptop to investigate this occurance.

Within a few minutes ( it was a long day ) I managed to establish that I was in fact using a different tower with the antenna mounted on my roof to the one I was receiving a signal from in my lounge.

I then realligned the antenna to point at the "other" tower in my area and whola, I managed to match the "PN" number to the one I had found in my lounge.

Now for the interesting thing, the router by the looks of things does a sort of handshake, I managed to observe this whilst using the software mentioned above and simulating traffic. Using the external antenna pointed at my now tower of preference I found that the router requests a speed of 1.295mbps, which is "granted". This "speed" is then maintained until another reading "ec/lo 4.2db" exceeds 11db at which time the router steps down to 968kbps.

Neotel was down most of the day today so despite having now done all my testing and being happy with my results I could not do a propper internet speed test.

Neotel came back online later this afternoon and the weather isn't so great now so I am only managing to get a 968kbps reading from the software with spikes to the 1.295mpbs "handshake".

Now for the good part, questions arrising from my experience this weekend:

Firstly, with my now 65 RSSI why (A) is the first tower only performing a handshake at about 300kbps? - Bandwidth testing graph on the EVDO tool is showing a solid line when doing this so at least it's a perfect signal right?

Secondly, why when the EVDO signal is testing 1.295mbps is my speed tests ranging anything between 495kbps to 1024kbps.

Thirdly, why on a 3mbps capeable device do I only manage to get a maximum of 1.295mbps on my initial handshake.

[toxicehc]

Quick Update:

02:03 AM - hopefully no one on this tower I am getting the following speeds:

Last Result:
Download Speed: 1092 kbps (136.5 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 1093 kbps (136.6 KB/sec transfer rate)

I am not 100% happy with the daytime performance so I am pointing it back to the original "faulty" tower and investigating further.

I did some extensive reading on EVDO this evening and actually figured out what the ""ec/lo 4.2db"" means, and it aint good.

I never noted the results from the closer tower so I will investigate in the morning and hopefully have some positive feedback!

[toxicehc]

And now for the confusing part, the test results posted above ( 1092kbps down and 1093kbps up) I was in fact using the tower which only gave me 300kbps during the day.

Reset my router and it is pointing back to the other tower, speeds now:
Download Speed: 1215 kbps (151.9 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 313 kbps (39.1 KB/sec transfer rate)

So based on this information, I definately want to be on the "faulty" tower.

Now if anyone can tell me why I was only getting the 300kbps during the day I might actually have a way forward...

[toxicehc]

So, after 2 days I can now say I am almost ready to give up.

The tower I found last night with the reasonable speed appears to be awol today.

The slow tower is almost non-existant this morning and old faithfull is still there and still performing at more or less the same speed:
RSSI: PER: EC/LO:
-64 0.0 -1.23

Download Speed: 1379 kbps (172.4 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 636 kbps (79.5 KB/sec transfer rate)

I managed to get the score above after about 3 tries.

So, with ADSL at 512kbps in my area, Screamer running WIFI with a 100ms latency, it would appear that my hopes of coming anywere close to the 3.1mbps transfer rate on the Neotel Router has been destroyed.

:-(

[ting]

Greetings.

Firstly, with my now 65 RSSI why (A) is the first tower only performing a handshake at about 300kbps? - Bandwidth testing graph on the EVDO tool is showing a solid line when doing this so at least it's a perfect signal right?

Secondly, why when the EVDO signal is testing 1.295mbps is my speed tests ranging anything between 495kbps to 1024kbps.

Thirdly, why on a 3mbps capeable device do I only manage to get a maximum of 1.295mbps on my initial handshake.

1. That base station is probably congested. The signal is perfect. Anything above -70 is good enough.

2. They use a fancy prioritization algorithm that still needs some fine tuning. It will get better and more constant with time.

3. The speed that you receive depends a lot on how many users there are on the base station at that specific time. You will notice faster speeds at 3:00 PM than 3:00 AM. Improving the signal strength does put you higher up on the priority list to a curtain threshold, the antenna also helps that once you received that “fast pipe connection” at the BS AP. Then it can be utilized to the max. But if the BS is maxed out, you will only receive as much as it can deliver.


PS. Next time use a Poynting. ;)

[toxicehc]

Quick Update: Speeds now dropped 60% with the external antenna down to +/- 500kbps down and +/- 200 - 400kbps up. Without the external antenna I now get 80kbps down.... Called Neotel, congested tower blamed, contract being cancelled at no cost to me as of the end of the month... Can anyone guess what service I am getting as a replacement... ?

[Blindwitness]

Ok so it seems theres no serious data on the effect of External Aerials and Neoflex. Has anyone tried an external aerial with Neoflex and connected both aerial jacks to the same antenna? Or 2 different antenna?! Its marked that one of the antenna on the device is for 1x RTT connectivity and the other is for EVDO. Is anyone happily running the neoflex system off external antennae only? I understand antennae diversity but it can hardly provide better signal than outdoor mounted high gain antennas. I get an RSSI of about 75 when its not raining but my speeds never cap more than 150KBps nowhere near 3mb.

Id like to see some test data from Neotel showing the results of external antennas attached to Neoflex devices. Dont just fob us off by saying "u need antenna diversity" show me that my RSSI will be higher and speeds will be lower with an external antenna and that it is not advisable with real numeric meaningful data.

[dts]

Anybody used the window mount internal antenna for Neotel? Did you see improvement?

[ting]

It makes a huge difference - for the weak Neotel signal.

[pinball wizard]

Ok, sorry to intrude, I appear to be in the minority, I get over 1mb/s up and down... 130+kb/s transfer rate... What aerial should I get?

[anim8]

I've just run the RSSI test on my NeoConnect Prime and I get RSSI - 91 (seems pretty high to me)
I used to get d/l speeds of 120-180+KB/s now I'm lucky if I get 40KB/s
After many months of 'we can't solve the problem' I've cancelled my Neotel and can't believe they never asked me to test the signal.
A year ago a technician suggested an external aerial, but no-one since suggested anything
Will this possibly solve the problem?

[za1]

an antenna will improve the quality of your calls and the connection but it probably won't improve the speed.

[donGuan_201]

That is soooo true, I got my antenna after the call center advised me to get one and test then....

I am pointing the aerial straight at the tower with soooo little improvement that I feel like claiming the moneys back from them... :D

[ting]

an antenna will improve the quality of your calls and the connection but it probably won't improve the speed.

The antenna does improve the connection speed, and it should increase the internet speed - IF the capacity on the tower allows it.
I've heard that Neotel is upgrading their access points though, so hopefully we'll all see an improvement soon...