# Cellular Booster for vehicle use **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 24, 2017, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellular-booster-for-vehicle-use/789762 "2017-06-24T16:25:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NadaHappyCamper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/278dde/32.png) [@NadaHappyCamper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NadaHappyCamper)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellular-booster-for-vehicle-use/789762/1 "2017-06-24T16:25:37Z")
I am looking for a signal booster for cellular and wi fi , for use in a vehicle. It seems we live in a bad reception area, and some of the outlying areas that we are called to work in are also poor reception areas. We use gps mapping to find some locations (Google Maps), and also the internet. i’ve seen some signal boosters on the market that were designed for indoor(stationary) installation these looked complicated and needed to be Hard wired and had large (antennae?), i need something that can be easily installed in a vehicle. Nadahappycamper ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellular-booster-for-vehicle-use/789762/2 "2017-06-24T19:44:31Z")
Verizon sells a device that is a cradle that your phone sits in. It has a small antenna that can be placed on the roof of your car and plugs into a lighter socket. We used it to boost a stationary MiFi unit. It did help. It wasn’t fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellular-booster-for-vehicle-use/789762/3 "2017-06-24T21:55:31Z")
Wilson Amplifiers is one of the major manufacturers (although pricy) > **[The Best Cell Phone Signal Boosters in 2023](https://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/blog/best-cell-phone-signal-booster)** > > Cell phone signal boosters are our specialty. Discover our top signal boosters for home, vehicle, office, & commercial spaces. Get rid of bad signal forever! I’ve seen suggestions to call their technical support people. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellular-booster-for-vehicle-use/789762/4 "2017-06-25T03:49:59Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Wilson Amplifiers is one of the major manufacturers (although pricy) > [Best Cell Phone Signal Boosters in 2024](https://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/cell-phone-signal-booster-guide/) > > I’ve seen suggestions to call their technical support people. Wilson is the brand of my device. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellular-booster-for-vehicle-use/789762/5 "2017-06-25T03:57:39Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Wilson Amplifiers is one of the major manufacturers (although pricy) > [Best Cell Phone Signal Boosters in 2024](https://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/cell-phone-signal-booster-guide/) It appears that website is for a distributor, but [this one](https://www.weboost.com/) is for the manufacturer itself. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellular-booster-for-vehicle-use/789762/6 "2017-06-25T05:41:02Z")
Actually if you wanted to buy a product Amazon, eBay, Walmart… could well be cheaper–as often a manufacturer doesn’t want to undercut his retailers on prices. You can check Amazon for customer reviews of various products. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellular-booster-for-vehicle-use/789762/7 "2017-06-25T06:41:04Z")
In Britain **[Solwise](https://www.solwise.co.uk/3g-antenna-outdoor.htm)** sell a lot of different appliances for all such things, and **[another](http://www.wifionboard.co.uk/product-category/motorhome-wifi/)** at random. They all seem highly expensive; but I’d imagine it might give you a few search terms to google in America, where in any case they would be cheaper. **[Poynting Outdoor Vehicle ‘Puck’ Roof Mount Antenna](https://www.solwise.co.uk/4g-outdoor-omni-232.htm)** That sounds vaguely amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellular-booster-for-vehicle-use/789762/8 "2017-06-25T18:28:07Z")
Do cell phones even have external antenna connections anymore? I didnt think they did? ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellular-booster-for-vehicle-use/789762/9 "2017-06-26T21:11:52Z")
Most cellular boosters nowadays simply repeat the transmission inside to outside and vice versa. I saw one discussed, and the phone company (who would rather sell us a multi-thousand dollar solution) suggested the problem was interfering with transmissions. Our application was for boosting the signal inside a concrete building basement. So if the signal is marginal, it may actually help. If there’s no signal, not going to make one. If you are too close to the tower, there may be issues?