Is there any usbc antenna for smartphones?

[Lii]

Hello, I'm sorry if the sub isn't right.. 

And also I don't really know of what I'm talking about.. but the thing is that I do need something to attach to my phone to have a better mobile/internet connection since I'm in a place where there are no repeaters..

[Kisai]

8 minutes ago, Xvaster said:

Hello, I'm sorry if the sub isn't right.. 

And also I don't really know of what I'm talking about.. but the thing is that I do need something to attach to my phone to have a better mobile/internet connection since I'm in a place where there are no repeaters..

Not how it works. At best you can plug in phone into a USB-C docking station and use wired ethernet. That will let you use WiFi calling on the phone if it's supported, but it won't solve the problem.

 

If the signal is weak to begin with, you are just stuck. 

[Nine Tailed Fox]

Wifi calling if you don't have a motorola razr

[rokejulianlockhart]

On 8/10/2020 at 9:22 PM, Lii said:

Hello, I'm sorry if the sub isn't right.. 

And also I don't really know of what I'm talking about.. but the thing is that I do need something to attach to my phone to have a better mobile/internet connection since I'm in a place where there are no repeaters..

https://gnss.store/zed-f9p-gnss-modules/188-110-elt0156w.html#/50-helix_antenna-no_antenna might work.

[Norrels]

I reckon easiest would be to get directional antenna for anywhere beginning with 30-80€ up to couple hundreds with range capability of up to 15-30km for 4G LTE, place it fairly high and naturally be sure that there isn't something like mountain between your antenna and cell tower line of sight.

You can even make your own antenna or direct signal, it's not that difficult. It's about making pieces of metal of right size with right interval and placing reflector behind it.

Theorethically you could to such thing for your phone by placing wokpan behind it. Google is your friend and it all depends on frequencies used and so on.

 

To continue, standard connection of antennaes is usually SMA or simiar and most of even basic 4G modem/routers with WLAN have them which are couple dozen €/$ at least used. Connect your antenna to that and then to your endpoint device to that 4G router with antenna.

As mentioned above, current phone calls can be routed automatically this way also through WLAN so you will be able to make regular GSM calls automatically too.

 

But what two messages above fail to mention is that said WLAN connection naturally doesn't just magically appear to someones cabin, as clearly this is the case. Or even if there is local WLAN, so what if it's not connected to the world. The link above is for GNSS as it clearly states and while idea and point is correct, that antenna is for GNSS frequencies and has nothing to do with this.

 

While I'm sure you'll find or even make USB-C to SMA adapter the thing is I doubt any phone will receive it as modem antennaes are not expecting signal to be routed that way. Surely you could directly link your antenna to your phone's antenna or even modem but since let's get real, not happening if you have to ask and not very realistic anyway considering all the trouble vs simply using pretty inexpensive and more versatile stuff that is well available.

 

 

I think Linus even had one video about directional antennas with crazy range, it was WLAN if I remember correctly but concept isn't any different no matter signal.

Only thing that changes is antenna, i.e. what sizes pieces of metal are and their intervals.

Actually considering that there's 700MHz LTE while WLAN is traditionally 2.4GHz (I know, lower exists too) I bet you'll be able to get to full 40km (horizon) distance possibly with 700MHz in ideal situation.

But beware that radio signals are affected by weather too, and actually pretty severely so in extreme range cases your setup will be affected if you won't make repeaters.

 

The key thing in whole thing is that what you need is directional antenna so signal isn't wasted all around. And goes without saying that you'll need to point this antenna towards cell tower and keep it that way and yes, trees, mountais, weather, especially water will affect it.

 

And TL;DR - phones don't receive those signals from USB-C so no.

[rokejulianlockhart]

On 1/17/2023 at 3:38 PM, Norrels said:

I reckon easiest would be to get directional antenna for anywhere beginning with 30-80€ up to couple hundreds with range capability of up to 15-30km for 4G LTE, place it fairly high and naturally be sure that there isn't something like mountain between your antenna and cell tower line of sight.

You can even make your own antenna or direct signal, it's not that difficult. It's about making pieces of metal of right size with right interval and placing reflector behind it.

Theorethically you could to such thing for your phone by placing wokpan behind it. Google is your friend and it all depends on frequencies used and so on.

 

To continue, standard connection of antennaes is usually SMA or simiar and most of even basic 4G modem/routers with WLAN have them which are couple dozen €/$ at least used. Connect your antenna to that and then to your endpoint device to that 4G router with antenna.

As mentioned above, current phone calls can be routed automatically this way also through WLAN so you will be able to make regular GSM calls automatically too.

 

But what two messages above fail to mention is that said WLAN connection naturally doesn't just magically appear to someones cabin, as clearly this is the case. Or even if there is local WLAN, so what if it's not connected to the world. The link above is for GNSS as it clearly states and while idea and point is correct, that antenna is for GNSS frequencies and has nothing to do with this.

 

While I'm sure you'll find or even make USB-C to SMA adapter the thing is I doubt any phone will receive it as modem antennaes are not expecting signal to be routed that way. Surely you could directly link your antenna to your phone's antenna or even modem but since let's get real, not happening if you have to ask and not very realistic anyway considering all the trouble vs simply using pretty inexpensive and more versatile stuff that is well available.

 

 

I think Linus even had one video about directional antennas with crazy range, it was WLAN if I remember correctly but concept isn't any different no matter signal.

Only thing that changes is antenna, i.e. what sizes pieces of metal are and their intervals.

Actually considering that there's 700MHz LTE while WLAN is traditionally 2.4GHz (I know, lower exists too) I bet you'll be able to get to full 40km (horizon) distance possibly with 700MHz in ideal situation.

But beware that radio signals are affected by weather too, and actually pretty severely so in extreme range cases your setup will be affected if you won't make repeaters.

 

The key thing in whole thing is that what you need is directional antenna so signal isn't wasted all around. And goes without saying that you'll need to point this antenna towards cell tower and keep it that way and yes, trees, mountais, weather, especially water will affect it.

 

And TL;DR - phones don't receive those signals from USB-C so no.

Why can't they receive such signal via USB-C? It is a standard data transfer port, as is its officially endorsed protocols (currently USB4 and TB4).

 

What you've stated previously appears to demonstrate that this is a driver issue (using non-standard equipment for a smartphone probably isn't what the driver developers expected indeed) rather than a hardware one, even if connected via USB-C, right?

 

I ask because the distinction is important, considering that there are people available who create and improve drivers on-demand for open-source smartphone software, such as PostmarketOS, who only need a menial payment (comparative to the incredible work that they do).

 

Consequently, if this technically possible, I've no issue paying for such, especially since I can probably upstream it to mainline Linux.

[Norrels]

2 hours ago, rokejulianlockhart said:

Why can't they receive such signal via USB-C? It is a standard data transfer port, as is its officially endorsed protocols (currently USB4 and TB4).

 

What you've stated previously appears to demonstrate that this is a driver issue (using non-standard equipment for a smartphone probably isn't what the driver developers expected indeed) rather than a hardware one, even if connected via USB-C, right?

 

I ask because the distinction is important, considering that there are people available who create and improve drivers on-demand for open-source smartphone software, such as PostmarketOS, who only need a menial payment (comparative to the incredible work that they do).

 

Consequently, if this technically possible, I've no issue paying for such, especially since I can probably upstream it to mainline Linux.

I'm getting into guesstimates, imho and gut feel but how do you route analog radio signals through USB to and whole thing to embedded modem? That signal has to go first to modem to get into digital form so computer understands it, that's the whole thing.

 

Yes, you could put analog-to-digital converter or actually whole model externally, think of those stick modems or what are they called.

In that case one you could possibly and probably use USB modem as drivers, just like in PCs and they would be probably pretty doable like you suggest.

It's just that since we're at point where there is already another modem and so on, why would you want to tie it by cable to phone? Just go on, have WLAN on it (after all, cost of WLAN chip is around one to couple $/€, same for antenna).

 

But routing analog signal through digital input through whole thing sounds a bit off. I'm not certain of that like I said, if someone knows for certain I'm glad to hear it. It's just for this use case I fail to see point of trying to route that signal to USB, tying up phone to certain location, occupying that USB slot and so on, even if we would imagine that it's possible at snap of fingers. I find using another modem/router w/wlan much more usable and buildable solution. Well, it's ready solution and cheap.

Only downfall is that it IS NOT mobile service repeater so if you need to make plain good old 2G GSM call your signal isn't any better.

 

There that LTT has video of exactly this topic, extending mobile service, it's in those videos about new house. There's ready product, whole mobile service repeater as I understood. I didn't mention it earlir and DIYing it since it is probably at least somewhat regulated operating transmitters on those frequencies in most countries, in some pretty stricly and it might not be cheap to buy and questionable to DIY because of juristictional reasons. And that you might actually mess up network in your vicinity.

 

Then again I'll return to whole basics of antenna. Does it actually has to be plugged in USB or for that matter any port? In many cases whole phone chassis or even body is at least extension of antenna, if memory serves at least in metallic ones like iPhone 4. And human can and usually is extension to that.

So you can place your phone between your reflector and antenna or run wires from it to conductive part of phone and try it.

Just DON'T put yourself head in front of reflector and antenna, at very least it is definetly not recommended even if we're not talking about serious immediate hazards.