How To Get Better Cell Phone Reception In A Basement?

How To Get Better Cell Phone Reception In A Basement?
  • Author: Amanda Arnold
  • Posted On: December 2, 2021
  • Updated On: August 21, 2023

If you own a home with a basement, you’ve undoubtedly come up with a hundred brilliant ideas on how to make it more useful. It’s a room with many possibilities, appropriate not only for storing garbage but also for converting into a game room or a quiet space where you may set up a working office.

The plans will not get far if you don’t have any or have poor reception in the basement.

You can always switch off your electronics, leave them upstairs, or don’t worry about reception if your ideas for the cellar are to construct a man-cave or she-shack or a record room where you can get away from technology. It is not always necessary to spend much money to resolve your cell phone signal issues.

It might sometimes be a simple remedy from terrible conversations and slow data to a much better phone experience.

Add A Phone Call Booster

Cell phone boosters are one of the most efficient methods for combating poor reception in general, and the basement is no different.

No signal will reach you if there is a layer of concrete over your head. You might have a strong signal near the window or the stairwell, but you won’t be able to use the basement properly with that signal. A cell booster will undoubtedly save the day and improve your signal.

Are you certain the gadget hasn’t been tampered with? For receiving mobile signals, modern phones include inbuilt antennas.

However, just because an antenna is housed inside a gadget doesn’t mean it can’t be harmed. If you discover that the signal isn’t strong enough, not just in certain places but everywhere, it’s a clear indication that your internal antenna needs to be checked.

The Working Mechanism Of Phone Call Booster

On the other hand, a signal booster has an external antenna that is often mounted on the building’s roof or near a window.

It collects the external signal and sends it to the amplifier, which amplifies it. The new, stronger signal is then distributed over your basement by the indoor antenna. Depending on the overall layout of the space, the indoor antenna can be mounted on the wall or the ceiling.

Even with a low-power gadget, you won’t have any problems if your outside signal is strong enough. However, if you’re already in a remote location with a weak outside signal and want to improve the signal in the basement, you’ll need a very powerful booster.

How To Install Signal Booster?

If you’re going to install a cell phone signal booster yourself, it’s a good idea to play around with the component location.

Place the indoor antenna and amplifier in the center of the room, but don’t secure them yet. Then, with your cell phone in hand, go around the outside of your house to observe where you get the best signal—Mount the external antenna loosely near that location in a clear area.

Connect a coaxial cable to the external antenna and pass it through an open window or door to temporarily feed it inside the house. The cable should then be connected to the amplifier, and a cable should be extended from the amplifier to the indoor antenna. The signal amplifier should then be plugged in and turned on.

Fasten the components down and run the coaxial cable once you’ve established the ideal location for all of them. Use a special window entrance cable, which is flat and can be installed via a closed window, to fish the cable through a hole in an exterior wall.

Add A Network Extender

A network extender is a small cell phone tower that plugs into your home’s Internet modem. When you make a call, the extender picks up the signal from your phone and sends it over the Internet to your cell phone service. Provider-specific network extenders are cost-effective.

If you meet specific criteria, you may be eligible for a free extender. Explain your problem to your mobile provider’s tech support line.

Check with your carrier to see if it will evaluate your dropped-call data and send a technician out to test the signal strength outside your home.

If your signal is poor, you may be given a free network extender and learn how to improve cell phone coverage. If it’s strong, but the signal inside your house is weak, you’ll almost certainly have to pay for a network extender.

Upgrade Your Phone From 3G To 4G

Another alternative is to check with your phone carrier to see whether you can make calls through Wi-Fi. This may be sufficient, depending on the strength of your internet connection in the basement. Additionally, if you still have a 3G phone, upgrading to a 4G phone may fix the problem of poor basement reception.

Consider getting a 5G phone if you live in an area where 5G is now available. While this may not cure the problem, you will undoubtedly have better reception than you would somewhere else.

Final Verdict

You can start with the less expensive options and see what happens. However, if the property is newer and the basement has a thick layer of concrete, we’d recommend installing a signal booster. This ensures that your basement will be transformed into a completely functional living space that can be transformed into anything you want: a basement, studio and gym.

If your internet connection is different from your phone or you want to attempt making calls over Wi-Fi. You might want to look into getting a Wi-Fi extender if you plan on utilizing the internet in the basement.

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Author: Amanda Arnold

Amanda has been working with ConstructionHow since 2021. Her experience spans over 5 years in the creative niche such as home decor and trends, landscaping, renovations, and custom architectural values. As a home designer expert, she has a keen eye for the latest home improvement trends with accurate facts that readers find impossible to ignore. Being invested in home-building trends is how she has gained her lucrative expertise exploring more to bring a positive ambiance for all homeowners (and even tenants!). Currently, she lives in a beautiful beach home, a source of fascination for her.

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