New Member
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3 Messages
iPhone keeps disconnecting from Cell Booster
My iPhone 7 Plus keeps disconnecting from the new Cell Booster and sometimes does not reconnect to it when reentering the range of the Cell Booster. I am running iOS 15.4.1 currently. I do have Wi-Fi Calling is turned on. I initially had issues setting up the Cell Booster but talking to an AT&T Customer Representative fixed that issue and the device has been working normally, when I can actually connect to it. I have tried power cycling the unit too many times to count. I have also tried disconnecting it through the app, factory resetting the unit, and then reconnecting the Cell Booster through the app at least a couple of times. I have the Model SS2F11 Cell Booster.
So here are the biggest two issues I have. 1. Once I do connect to the Cell Booster it will randomly disconnect from the Cell Booster and connect to the regular AT&T cell towers at only 1 or 2 bars. Then because of the low signal it will eventually connect the Wi-Fi calling feature because the signal is so low. There doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason as to why this is happening, like it always happens at midnight or after I have been connected for X amount of hours. 2. Also sometimes when I leave home and come back, like going to the store or work, my phone will not connect to the Cell Booster once I get back home, this happens about 80%-90% of the time. Instead it will eventually connect the Wi-Fi calling feature because the signal is so low, 1 or 2 bars.
I have found I can put my phone into Airplane mode for 30 seconds, then disable Airplane mode and also disable Wi-Fi for about 20 seconds, or longer, and then my phone will connect to the Cell Booster. Once my phone has connected to the Cell Booster I then re-enable Wi-Fi on my phone. I will remain connected to the Cell Booster until it eventually decides to disconnect my phone from it, no warning or message, I just suddenly notice I have 1 or 2 bars of signal and Wi-Fi calling is turned on. This really is unacceptable to me as I did not have any issues like this with the old MicroCell unit. It always connected and worked just fine.
I also REALLY dislike the fact that I cannot control who can connect to the Cell Booster like I could with the MicroCell. This means anyone connected to my Cell Booster is also using up my bandwidth for my internet connection. But this is a completely different discussion.
Any help would be appreciated.
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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118.4K Messages
2 years ago
So your phone has three options. Either it didn't connect with the one to two bars to the local Cellular Tower, it can use your Wi-Fi for Wi-Fi calling, or it can connect to the femtocell.
That sounds like a great way to get a lousy phone call.
Pick one.
If cellular service inside your home is inadequate, either turn off Wi-Fi calling or turn off the femtocell.
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.9K Messages
2 years ago
@Fred_F I see that @formerlyknownas beat me to it but she's correct.
The Cell Booster, in a lot of cases, has difficulty in maintaining a connection to the phone if there is almost any kind of other signal available that the phone can connect to. Physical location of the Cell Booster and the interferences (walls, ducting, etc) between it and the target phone(s) are an issue.
The LTE signal produced is similar to the 2.4Ghz and 5GHz wifi signals. 2.4Ghz has very little interference but doesn't propagate as far. 5GHz has better propagation but is more subject to interference. The MicroCell's 3G signal and the Cell Booster's LTE signal apparently have similar properties.
If you want to use the Cell Booster, disable WiFi-C. If WiFi-C offers better connectivity and reliability, disable the Cell Booster (power it off).
The Cell Booster's open system is discussed in my Cell Booster Tech Guide, the link is in my sig line. The "openness" will not change. The Cell Booster Pro is supposed to allow the administrator to create a whitlelist, similar to the Approved Users List of the MicroCell but that hasn't been working correctly yet for a lot, if not all, current users.
The Cell Booster should use up very little bandwidth unless you are downloading a lot of data, which would go against your cellular account, not necessarily your backhaul service account. That's why you should always leave WiFi enabled (not to be confused with WiFi-C, which is different) so that any data thru your phone is via WiFi and cellular is only used for voice. Some phones can handle that better than others. I've asked for feedback from other users about this but so far haven't received any. When I was testing the Cell Booster I never noticed any overt increase in my backhaul account usage when downloading data on my phone.
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Fred_F
New Member
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3 Messages
2 years ago
@formerlyknownas and @OttoPylot
I was just wondering if this was a real issue or something I didn't have correctly configured with my phone. My girlfriend originally purchased the MicroCell because she was convinced that WiFi-C wasn't working and dropping calls and having poor quality voice service. To be honest I think the problem was on the other end of the line as I remember calls still being dropped after getting the MicroCell. But I'm not going to bring that point up with her. lol For me personally I didn't have, and still don't have, any issues using WiFi-C.
OttoPylot I already have downloaded your AT&T 4G-LTE Cell Booster™ Informational Document for Technical, Operational, and Troubleshooting Issues for the Model SS2F11 (Version 3.2 by Otto Pylot). It is a fantastic document!
Thank you to both of you for your fast response and taking the time to answer my post. Have a wonderful weekend ahead!
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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118.4K Messages
2 years ago
@Fred_F
Ottopylot is an underappreciated treasure. (at least by at&t).
I don't think those who have benefited from his MicroCell guide, his cellular booster guide, or his information on the new "cell booster" (misnomer) truly appreciate that he is not a paid employee of AT&T and that he wrote These technical guides up on his own time.
Indeed, fantastic.
🏆
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.9K Messages
2 years ago
@formerlyknownas Now you're gonna make me blush ☺️ but thanks for the compliment.
@Fred_F Thanks. Come back if you still have issues with the Cell Booster and we'll see what we can do.
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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118.4K Messages
2 years ago
Less than you deserve in my opinion @OttoPylot
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Fred_F
New Member
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3 Messages
2 years ago
I totally agree with @formerlyknownas. I can imagine the amount of hours/days you spent creating and updating that document @OttoPylot because I have written documents like that before, but at least I was being paid to do so. My hats off to you for your dedication to something that the owning company does not give you enough, if any, credit for.
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.9K Messages
2 years ago
@Fred_F Thanks. Much appreciated. And @formerlyknownas already knows how much I appreciate her and her support as well.
I sort of fell into the MicroCell/femtocell thing years ago and was lucky enough to get a lot of "insider" info that AT&T reluctantly allowed me to post, and some of the Forum Admins in the past snuck in 😉. It's sort of become my only venture into social platforms (I don't do Twitter, FB, TT, etc) so it has been interesting, and frustrating at times. The benefit is that I have made lots of good online "friends" which has been really cool.
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