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ZBOOST® YX500/510 SERIES USER GUIDE
Where is the best place to put my Wi-Ex Signal Antenna?
The Wi-Ex signal antenna should be placed at the highest point in or on your house in order to
receive the strongest signal. This location could be in the attic or on the roof. The placement of
the Signal Antenna is very important. It is best to place this in an un-obstructed area. If you
position it outside, place it above the roofline vertically, or, any other area round your home
that has the greatest signal strength.
Note: if you place the Signal Antenna too close to the Base Unit, the system will shut down
(both the Install ( ) and Signal ( ) lights will blink red). This is a normal condition for this
scenario. It means that you need to ensure that you have proper distance/separation between
the two antennas; otherwise, it will detect feedback or noise and will automatically shut down.
Is a cellular phone signal booster the same as a wireless router; will it help my WiFi signal?
The Wi-Ex unit will not help your WiFi service. This unit is designed to work with wireless PCS
and Cellular phones and devices. The WIFI in your home or office operates on a different
frequency.
Is your product available for international use?
Our devices currently operate in the in the 800 and 1900MHz frequencies. Some countries
outside the US use the same frequencies and the current models are compatible with these
networks. Check the frequencies for a particular country for compatibility. We are currently
developing zBoost® products for international frequencies. Check our website
www.Wi-Ex.com
for product availability.
Why isn’t my cell phone indicating more signal with more bars?
You will not observe that gain on your signal meter because of the signal spreading out from
the antenna. If your phone has a dB meter, 3dB is a significant increase of 2x, 6dB is 4x, and
10dB is 10x. On a four bar phone, one "bar" equals about 10dB.
The increase in signal you will see depends upon:
•
The level of signal at the Signal antenna (outdoor)
•
The care of the antenna placement (few feet away from metal, adequate antenna
separation [15-20 feet vertical recommended])
•
The signal already present inside (related to building losses)
•
The distance of your phone/device from the Base Unit (signal spreads or diminishes
rapidly with distance.)
Easiest Set-Up:
Place the Signal Antenna
inside, by a window
Better Performance
:
Place the Signal Antenna
outside of a window
Best Performance:
Place the Signal Antenna in attic
or on roof
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ZBOOST® YX500/510 SERIES USER GUIDE
How do I know if I need a grounding kit and how do I install it?
Generally, we recommend the use of grounding kits in areas where the antenna is placed
outdoors at a high point above ground.
The recommended method of grounding your antenna is by attaching the grounding wire
(provided with the grounding kit) to a cold water pipe or a ground rod (
see page viii)
for
grounding kit
)
.
My Signal light is continually blinking
This is completely normal and indicates that your unit is functioning within normal parameters.
In order for the Signal light (
) to flash, the Base Unit has to receive a signal from any phone.
Phones will periodically communicate with the network. The Base Unit is detecting that signal.
The frequency and duration of the update will vary from phone to phone. If this occurs when all
cellular phones are off, make sure your unit is at least 3 ft away from other wireless devices
(i.e. portable home phones, wireless routers, etc.). If the Signal light ( ) continues to blink, call
Wi-Ex technical support.
Can I use my existing RG-59 cable to set up my unit?
Most likely, the cable that is currently in the wall is the type that has been commonly used in
cable TV applications for the last 30 years. zBoost® products use RG-6 because it provides lower
signal loss. RG-59 Coax has a higher signal loss and will significantly reduce the performance of
your zBoost® product. In all cases, the RG-6 coax must be a dedicated run between the antenna
and the Base Unit and may not be shared with another device.
There are usually several cell phones in use at one time in my home, will your product boost
all of our signals simultaneously?
The zBoost® YX500/510 Series is designed to cover multiple signals simultaneously and will
allow multiple users to operate at the same time.
