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zBoost

®

 Max ZB545M Manual

11

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect my cell phone signal range and strength to be inside my home?

The closer you are to the base, the stronger the signal. This will vary with different conditions. Some 

of the conditions that will affect the improved coverage area are signal strength outdoors, the type 

of building materials in the home, the placement of the unit and the antenna’s proximity to cellular 

towers.

You can expect that your indoor coverage will be improved. You will be able to make calls where 

you couldn’t before. The degree of improvement will depend upon many factors. The intent of 

zBoost products are to bring outside coverage inside. Just as the signal bars move up and down 

when outside, the boosted signal will fluctuate in a similar fashion. 

Is a cellular phone signal booster the same as a wireless router; will it help my WiFi signal? 

The zBoost 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 operates on a different frequency.

Why isn’t my cell phone indicating more signal with more bars?

You may not always observe more bars that gain on your signal meter because of the signal 

spreading out from the antenna. If your phone has a dB meter, 3 dB is a significant increase of 2x, 

6 dB is 4x, and 10 dB is 10x. On a four bar phone, one "bar" equals about 10 dB.  

The increase in signal you will see depends upon:

• 

The level of signal at the External Antenna (outdoor)

• 

The care of the antenna placement (two feet away from metal, adequate antenna 

separation [15 feet recommended])

• 

The signal already present inside (related to building losses)

• 

The distance of your phone/device from the Indoor Antenna (signal spreads or diminishes 

rapidly with distance.)

Also, if your phone uses LTE, it likely displays LTE signal level instead of 3G when a call is being 

placed.

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 Max is designed to cover multiple signals simultaneously and will allow multiple users 

to operate at the same time.

Does the zBoost work if you have no bars?

No, if no signal is present outdoors zBoost products will not work for you. Also, keep in mind if your 

best signal is 1 bar at the External Antenna, your coverage will be limited to a small room. You 

could improve that with an upgraded antenna. (See page v).

Summary of Contents for ZB545M

Page 1: ...0 day money back guarantee when purchased directly from zBoost If product is purchased from a reseller or third party the purchaser is subject to the policies of the third party 1 Year manufacturer wa...

Page 2: ......

Page 3: ...nsure contact your provider You MUST operate this device with approved antennas and cables as specified by the manufacturer Antennas MUST be installed at least 20 cm 8 inches from any person You MUST...

Page 4: ...ting in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter In accordance with FCC requirements of human exposure to radiofrequency fields the radiating element antenna shall be installed such that a mi...

Page 5: ...may not be copied photocopied reproduced translated or reduced to any electronic medium or machine readable form for distribution This manual whole or in part may not be modified without prior consent...

Page 6: ...make sure all of the following parts came with your zBoost Max ZB545M Contents Setup overview zBoost Base Unit Indoor Antenna Power Supply 15 feet of RG 6 Cable Window Entry Cable 35 feet of RG 6 Coa...

Page 7: ...irectional Panel CEL PCS 6 8 dBi CANT 0033 Outdoor External Antenna Small Omni CEL PCS 3 5 dBi CANT 0036 Outdoor External Antenna Omni with Industrial Casing CEL PCS 3 5 dBi CANT 0040 Outdoor External...

Page 8: ...et Up Your zBoost Product 3 Additional Cable Requirements 4 Grounding the External Antenna 4 Securing Cable with a Drip Loop 5 Power Requirements 5 Setting Up Your zBoost Signal Booster 5 FIRST Mount...

Page 9: ...t can contribute to the poor reception you receive in your home 1 Location of the Cell Phone Tower in Relation to Your Home While cell phone providers have tried to place cell phone towers to provide...

Page 10: ...plete the call If a weak signal is available at ground level check the signal strength in your attic or at roof level location where the signal will likely be stronger and where the External Antenna c...

Page 11: ...A longer cable is helpful only if it allows you to place the External Antenna in a location where you measure stronger signal Grounding the External Antenna If you decide to place the External Antenn...

Page 12: ...oaxial cable at the point where the cable enters the home through an outside wall This can be done by twisting and securing the cable into a loop no less than 4 across near the entry point This will h...

Page 13: ...nna that delivers signal in a circular pattern around the antenna The zBoost Max requires at least 15 feet of vertical separation between the Base Unit and the External Antenna Generally increasing th...

Page 14: ...nds a series of GREEN flashes will indicate the quality of your setup Following this a solid GREEN light indicates normal conditions If it is not solid GREEN follow the instructions in the Base Unit L...

Page 15: ...ate the External Antenna in order to capture a better signal higher is usually better and outside is better than inside Increase the distance between the Indoor Antenna and the External Antenna Purcha...

Page 16: ...itial Power Up Light Mode Status Solution SOLID GREEN zBoost is ready N A Flashing GREEN zBoost is in use N A SOLID ORANGE EXTERNAL ANTENNA and INDOOR ANTENNA are too close together 1 Unplug the BASE...

Page 17: ...Downlink 4 dBm General Power Consumption 3W standby 7W max signal 5 0VDC 2 0A Max Wall Supply Input Voltage 100 240VAC 50 60 Hz Input and Output Impedance TNC Connector 50 Ohm F Connector 75 Ohm Syst...

Page 18: ...gnal with more bars You may not always observe more bars that gain on your signal meter because of the signal spreading out from the antenna If your phone has a dB meter 3 dB is a significant increase...

Page 19: ...nly for the original warranty period When the warranty on the original product expires the warranty on the replacement product also expires What is Excluded Your warranty does NOT cover Labor charges...

Page 20: ...be provided by zBoost If you believe you need service for your unit contact zBoost at 1 800 871 1612 or support zBoost com A representative will go through a diagnostic checklist with you If it is de...

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