Where I live I can't get high speed internet or DSL. I have Verizon's broadband high speed internet but isn't really that high speed. I have a lot of trees around me and the tower isn't really close.

You guys helped me out with my channel master antenna and have great OTA picture quality now.

I bought a small antenna that Verizon sells but it didn't help at all. The USB modem has a small female port that you can put a small coax in. Is there anyway to mount an antenna externally on the house to help the modem get a better signal?

I didn't know where else to post this. Thanks for any help.

Jason

I found this. Would something like this work?
http://www.alternativewireless.com/audiovox/audiovox-pc5750-antenna-powerbooster.html

or this

http://www.alternativewireless.com/novatel/novatel-u720-external-antennas-power-boosters.html

first step, put your address in the interactive Verizon coverage map and see if you are within their EVDO footprint
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/CoverageLocatorController
click on "Broadband & V Cast" for digital data coverage
the high speed EVDO data coverage should show up as dark blue, their slower national service is dark green. Fill in your address in the boxes at the top of the map.

next step: Ask a Verizon store near you where the tower that services your area is in relation to your house. This will help you point your antenna.

1. Dirt cheap experimental antenna......get as long a USB extension cable (male and female USB connector at each end)...some of the longer ones may even have a built in line amplifier. This will allow you to get the USB cellular data modem away from the computer and into the nearest window that faces the cell tower that services your area with cellular data. Next, and this is the fun part where your loved ones send for the guys with the coats with the buckles in the back, get a cheap wok or a stir fry screen skimmer/lifter (large round open lattice scoop to lift stir fry veggies out of the wok) to use as a near-parabolic reflector for the USB device. Place it behind the USB modem like a parabolic antenna, you may need to move it back and forward to try to find the convergence point of the reflected signals. When done right, this odd but simple technique can boost your signal by 6db to 12db - a sizable gain in signal strength.

more expensive, but permanent technique. IF there is a cell tower within line of sight distance from your home, consider an external "yagi" 1900Mhz antenna. Wilson makes one http://www.amazon.com/Wilson-301124-1900MHz-Yagi-Antenna/dp/B000IBF5PG/ref=pd_cp_e_4 With this you will need a high grade 50 ohm coax connection cable with "N" connector, and you will need the appropriate Wilson "pigtail" cable which converts the large coaxial "N" connector to the appropriate tiny connector on your USB modem. I would not recommend spending this kind of money unless the cheapo "Wok-tenna" actually shows an inproved signal. One place that gives very good advice and puts together a suitable bundle for this type of external antenna is http://3gstore.com/
If the crazy wok-tenna works, give them a call and discuss your needs.

good luck

My understanding of the technology is that the data rate for cell phone wireless internet is not dependent on the signal strength. It either works at the available rate or it doesn't work. An antenna is only useful if it doesn't work. The actual data rate is dependent on the website and the number of cellphones using the service.

"txrose" your statement may be the propoganda from the cell companies, but in the "real world" data rate is VERY dependent on signal strength. I have confirmed this with my own laptop and may very first experiment with a Sprint data card to determine if it would work at my rural home. In the Sprint store and at my downtown office where the signal strength was very strong, the data rate was easily 1500 kbps down and about 500 kbps up. As I moved towards my rural home, I stoped a several places along the way and read decreased signal strength and decreased throughput. By the time I got home, I was still within an EVDO service area but had to find the window facing the tower to even get a consistant 800 kbps down and 300 kbps up....nothing had changed except location, distance from the tower and signal strength. It only makes sense that as signal strength drops, retries for lost or incorrect data packets would increase. So, while the theoretical data rate may be the same, the number of retries and resent packets effectively reduces the rate considerably.

"txrose" your statement may be the propoganda from the cell companies, but in the "real world" data rate is VERY dependent on signal strength. I have confirmed this with my own laptop and may very first experiment with a Sprint data card to determine if it would work at my rural home. In the Sprint store and at my downtown office where the signal strength was very strong, the data rate was easily 1500 kbps down and about 500 kbps up. As I moved towards my rural home, I stoped a several places along the way and read decreased signal strength and decreased throughput. By the time I got home, I was still within an EVDO service area but had to find the window facing the tower to even get a consistant 800 kbps down and 300 kbps up....nothing had changed except location, distance from the tower and signal strength. It only makes sense that as signal strength drops, retries for lost or incorrect data packets would increase. So, while the theoretical data rate may be the same, the number of retries and resent packets effectively reduces the rate considerably.

I have never used any Verizon services above about 100Kb and most was 14.4Kb. I can't find fault with your conclusions based on your testing methodology.