Review - weBoost 4G-X OTR
We like to take our setup to remote spots and as many of you are aware, the more remote you go, the more limited cell service becomes. We were faced with this reality on one of our previous trips and we knew we needed to have a solution moving forward. We have our inReach for emergencies, but what happens when we're deep in the woods and need to tell the friends we're meeting up with that the GPS coordinates to our camp spot have changed? Fortunately, we found Weboost before we set out on one of our longest, most epic journeys yet - 5,000 miles of dirt roads, wooded highways and mountain climbs.
If you're looking for the tldr; skip to the bottom.
Installation
Out of all the things I've ever installed on our Land Rover, aside from lift rods, this is going up there as one of the easiest installs. WeBoost provides you with a ton of hardware options, which allows you to dial in your mounting configuration just the way you like it. For ours specifically, it made the most sense to attach the antenna to the ladder and run the wire through the rear hatch. We then wired in the main receiver to the rear cargo area and plugged into the 9 volt outlet there, and then fed the secondary output to the center console (more on this later). All in all, the entire install took maybe 30 minutes tops.
In the field
WeBoost has saved the day on many occassions, particularly in instances when we score a great camping spot, park, and realize we have barely any service to relay details to friends who are coming out to meet us. Since installing our WeBoost, we've been able to simply turn it on and have enough signal to send and receive texts. In terms of obstruction by objects, we decided to mount it just above the roof rack so that we would have the highest probability of connection.
Some gotchas
Something we quickly discovered was that, this (and similar products), are signal boosters, meaning, they're not going to magically create cell service out of thin air. That was a concept we hadn't fully grasped at the beginning, but, as we explored more and used the device more, it all made sense. We explain it to others as a multiplier - zero service times three, is still zero service. Where as, one bar times three, is three bars. Like I said, it doesn't make service appear out of nowhere, but it does boost existing service. Understanding this was particularly useful when we started checking download speeds. Something else worth noting is that you want to be close to the internal antenna. We noticed the further (at a very quick rate) we were from the antenna, the less powerful the boost was.
Departing thoughts
We knew from previous conversations with other owners that WeBoost would be a game changer as we take our rig on and off road, but Weboost really has exceeded our expectations and continues to deliver on improved network speeds while out on the trail exploring. While we enjoy unplugging, we do find solace in knowing we can "connect" with others if need be. The WeBoost has given us the ability to stay online while being offgrid.
Pros
1. Super easy install
2. Data speed and cell signal is consistently doubled and sometimes tripled
3. Doesn't matter what service you use
Cons
1. Bare metal on the mounting bar isn't the prettiest and has rusted a bit
2. Must have device close to internal antenna
Overall we're very happy and highly recommend everyone that needs connection while on the road to purchase. You can get the 4GX OTR LTE here.