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4 Messages
AT&T 4g femtocell issues
Earlier this year, i received the 4g version of the Microcell AT&T had before they shutdown their 3g service. It has been working awesome until about one month ago, it stopped. On the device was random blinking status lights. Some days only one, some many. Other days different blinking lights. I followed the steps to try to pin point the issue, but was unable to. I also disconnected it, and re-connected it, and that did not fix the issue either. I have been on the phone several different times with multiple AT&T tech support people, and kindly explained what i have done. Each time they wanted me to disconnect it, and re-connect it then wait for it to completely re-register. I re-registered it two weeks, ago then left for a vacation for one week. When i came up: blinking lights. I even receive the email saying cell booster is registered, but no further emails saying it's ready to use.
I also went as far as trying to plug the network cable into a different port on the fiber modem as well as a different port on my wifi router. Not to mention i am currently trying a different cable. I have downloaded the Status pic that @OttoPylot has along with their troubleshooting guide. No Avil.
I can get it to where it will show four solid white lights, but the LTE light is off. Then the next day, it will show blinking lights on power and blinking status, etc.
I am at my wits end, because i have also contacted AT&T and they have verified my address is right between two towers, and in my house, i only get one bar. And i really do not want to spend the $229 for a replacement when my original 3g Microcell was free, and the 4g replacement just showed up on my doorstep without my knowledge.
Any suggestions\solutions\guidance would be greatly appreciate.
Thanks.
Seth
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Official Solution
OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.9K Messages
2 years ago
@sbrammer I tested the MicroCell for AT&T and then used it exclusively for years until we had phones that were WiFi-C capable. The MicroCell just worked and was almost as reliable as WiFi-C in call quality and performance. I then started to test the Cell Booster for AT&T and disabled WiFi-C. The Cell Booster does work but it's reliability and connect-ability, at least in our environment, was no where near as good as the MicroCell and certainly not WiFi-C. I periodically re-enable the Cell Booster to keep my account current and to get any updates that may be pushed but that's it. I keep WiFi-C enabled so we can continue to have trouble-free cell phone reception in-home. After a couple of weeks, I power off the Cell Booster and put it back on the shelf for a few months and continue with WiFi-C.
The Cell Booster appears to work best in a single story home with the unit elevated above table height, ideally on a high shelf with the incoming cellular signal strength a consistent one bar, maybe two bars max. It does work in two-story homes depending on the construction materials and as centrally located as is possible/reasonable. Basically like a router or satellite (AP).
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.9K Messages
2 years ago
Have you Reset the device? Have you power cycled your router? Do you still have GPS lock?
Who is your ISP? Any updates to your router or gateway?
The macrocells (towers) have nothing really to do with the Cell Booster other than location if the GPS check fails and handing off. Have you tried WiFi-C (WiFi Calling)? That really is a more reliable connection for improving in-home coverage.
Is your phone set to LTE only?
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sbrammer
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4 Messages
2 years ago
@OttoPylot , i have reset the device recently, but it's been about three weeks since a complete reset of the booster. I have also power cycled my router. When i started this reply, i did have a GPS lock, as the GPS light was solid white, but now it's flashing white along with flashing power.
I have not tried Wifi-C, and i thought my iPhone 8 was set to LTE but i am unable to find that setting now as it's no longer listed under Cellular.
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.9K Messages
2 years ago
@sbrammer The iPhone 8 is not 5G compatible, so after the 3G shutdown the only option you will have is LTE, so the phone will always connect to an LTE signal when present.
To access WiFi-C, your account should be provisioned for HD Voice (which is AT&T's version of VoLTE). You can always check with AT&T to see if your account is provisioned for HD Voice. It should be but it doesn't hurt to check. Just enable Wi-Fi Calling on your phone. It should ask for your physical address, with is an FCC requirement for E911. If you don't get an error message (can't find address or something like that) then you are set to go. Power cycle your iPhone and once you connect to your WiFi, you should see AT&T WiFi on your phone's Home Screen. It may not be immediate so you may have to make or receive a call first. WiFi-C is totally dependent on the quality of your WiFi connection. After testing the Cell Booster for AT&T, I put it back on the shelf and went back to WiFi-C because I found it more reliable than the Cell Booster.
Is the GPS antenna firmly locked into place on the Cell Booster and do you have the receiver end of the antenna on a window or window sill? I've found that this is important for initial GPS lock but in my testing, I just kept the antenna curled up behind the Cell Booster once lock was achieved and it was fine, even after power outages or cycling. I never had to put the receiver end on the window sill again but I made sure that the Cell Booster had an unobstructed view of the sky, which for us was a north-west facing window.
Have you looked thru my Cell Booster Tech Guide? The link is in my sig line.
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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118.4K Messages
2 years ago
I have to say when AT&T first started using Wi-Fi calling and I was using a Samsung Galaxy S7 that was AT&T branded, Wi-Fi calling was not great. It was still not great with an S9. With a Google pixel 3 Wi-Fi calling was fantastic. I think the technology has definitely improved.
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73blazer
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77 Messages
2 years ago
I had a tmobile brick phone back in the early 2000's, because their network was really bad wifi-c was on every device they sold, and it worked great for me way back when.
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.9K Messages
2 years ago
Guess I'm a newbie of sorts to WiFi-C because I didn't start using it till around 2017 or so when I upgraded my iPhone to a model that supported it. Up till then, I was using the MicroCell. WiFi-C has always had excellent call quality and reliability, much better than the MicroCell or the Cell Booster.
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sbrammer
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4 Messages
2 years ago
I have the antenna on a window sill (West facing) and my booster is on the floor next to my router. So it sounds like I may need to move my booster and try that as a solution. But in the past, it’s never been a issue on the location
the concern I have with WiFi-C is it did ask for my home address, but since we do some travel to see family and use their WiFi, or am in another location and use their wifi, how will that effect the actual location of the phone and need to call 911 if it shows my home address and not my current address ?
that’s why I haven’t enabled wifi-c on my phone.
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.9K Messages
2 years ago
@sbrammer The address verification is just for E911 at your home. Once your address is accepted, WiFi-C is activated and you're good to go. I just leave WiFi-C enabled at all times (along with WiFi) and my phone will switch to cellular when needed, and when we go visit friends whose WiFi we have access to, WiFi-C works just fine for calls if their in-home cellular signal is weak. WiFi-C should work most of the time wherever you can get a solid WiFi signal if it is stronger than the local cellular signal and the ISP service used allows it or has the capacity for it.
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sbrammer
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4 Messages
2 years ago
It sounds like wifi-C is our best answer, and don’t even mess with the cell booster.
When I found out my 3g Microcell was going to no longer work, I started to look into Wifi-C. Then out of the blue, the 4g\LTE version showed up at our house.
im totally game to try out Wifi-C. Plus it’s one less piece of equipment to deal with.
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