4G mobile internet antenna ?

[Bruce]

We operate with an Optus netgear white box which picks up the 4G internet signal and sends out wifi to the computers.

 

The strange thing about this box is how the signal received varies over time and around the house. Sometimes it gets 4 bars and works ok. So I leave it there, and a few hours later, there is only 2 bars and it doesn't work. Well this laptop doesn't have any internet then, it needs 3 bars on the white box to work. Sometimes I can get 3 bars by finding another spot around the house. The sweet spot moves! Sometimes nowhere seems to work.

 

Maybe I should be putting up an external antenna? I live in a northern suburb of Adelaide when I'm not at the farm.

 

Are the supplier companies turning the signals up and down?

 

Does the signal go down when the schoolkids come home and turn on their facebook stuff ? I can't say that I have noticed this.

 

I googled up 4G antennas  and you can buy all sorts of things, boxes and pipes and miniature TV type antennas, costing from $200 up. I can imagine sending off for something that doesn't work.  Actually I have tried a Jaycar little indoor vertical-wire  antenna ( about $ 35 )  and it didn't help.

 

Any comments / experiences would be most welcome.