In a blog last summer titled We Got Boosted I wrote about testing the weBoost 4G RV Cell Phone Signal Booster Kit, and I said then that in our 17+ years of fulltime RVing we have seen a lot of cell phone and Internet technology come and go, and in my opinion, that unit was the best and easiest to use I’ve ever seen. I liked it then and I still like it today!
So when the same company contacted me recently to ask if I would be interested in testing a different unit, the HiBoost C27G-5S vehicle signal booster, I said I’d be happy to. As always, except for sending me the test unit, I receive no compensation for reviews, and I tell it like I see it, good or bad.
It’s a different type of system, geared to a smaller vehicle, such as a pickup camper or a B-van, or maybe a small Class C, or your tow vehicle. The Signal Boosters website says the system boosts weak 3G and 4G LTE signals for multiple users in a vehicle or boat to enhance talk, text, and high-speed 4G internet on all phones with all U.S. carriers while on the road. Besides phones, it also works with tablets, Kindle e-book readers, and other cellular devices.
Our house is located in a dead spot. We are a block from US Highway 1, and when we leave home and get to it we have three to four bars of 4G Verizon signal with no problem. But here at the house we are lucky to get a signal at all, and when we do it is very weak, resulting in dropped calls and terrible internet. Which means it was the perfect place to try out the HiBoost system.
Installation was quick and easy; it has a small magnet mount antenna that goes on the roof of the vehicle, a small patch antenna for inside the vehicle, a signal booster, and a 12 volt power supply.
Before I turned the system on, I wanted to see what I could get with just my smart phone. Inside our metal garage, with the garage door open, I went to SpeedTest.net and ran a test. The results were about what we’ve come to expect here, 1.24 mb download speed and .64 mb upload. Walking outside and standing in the driveway I did the test again with a little better result;, 3.6 mb download and 1.8 mb upload. That’s better, but not by much.
Then I got inside our Ford Explorer, closed the door and turned on the HiBoost. Almost immediately all of the indicator lights turned green, signifying that I had a good signal. As it turned out, it was amazingly good. How about 26.5 mb download speed and 12.5 mb upload? That’s a heck of a difference!
Just to be sure, I ran the test three times, and the results were all very similar. Then I turned the HiBoost system off, stayed in the Explorer, and ran another test. This time it was 2.9 mb download and .9 mb upload. Quite a drop. I turned the system back on and was once again seeing speeds in the mid-20s for download and between 10.6 and 13.1 mb upload.
My contact at Signal Boosters had told me the system wasn’t designed for a large RV, and the antenna inside the vehicle only reaches a short distance. Maybe five feet. To test that out, I left the system on, got out of the Explorer, and ran another speed test. Standing by the open driver’s door, I didn’t see any difference. The speeds were still good. But when I walked to the back of the Explorer I lost the signal and was down to about the same speeds I had without the system on.
So what’s my verdict? It does exactly what the company says it will do, it pulls in weak signals and makes them a lot stronger, and is perfect for small RVs like van campers or for tow vehicles, as stated above. Or, if you’re content to mount the inside equipment next to your desk or in your RV’s cockpit and stay there while you are using the phone or are online, it could work in a large motorhome. Just don’t expect to walk very far away from the inside antenna. Working within those limitations, or if you want to be able to boost the signal in your tow vehicle, the HiBoost does a great job. I give it two thumbs up. The retail price of the system is $349.99, but using this link you can save $20. If you need to get online when you are on the road, it’s a small price to pay for something that works.
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Thought For The Day – Quality is like buying oats. If you want nice, clean, fresh oats you must pay a fair price for them. However, if you can be satisfied with oats that have already been through the horse, they come a little cheaper.
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Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!