Anyone have any experience with wireless repeaters? Or perhaps some alternative device?

I'm moving to a new place that's pretty rural, especially relative to my NJ upbringing, and cell phone service is notoriously bad in the house. I'm looking into wireless repeaters, but the price ranges are all over the place.

This one has good reviews and is >$300: http://www.unwiredsignal.com/?c=209&cn=One+to+Two+Rooms

This one looks ghetto as hell, but it's only $70: http://www.cellphoneshop.net/850boos...FYFo4AodzhMAmg

It'd probably be cheaper to just add a landline since I won't be there for more than a year max.

If you guys can offer any insight or have other ideas, it'd be greatly appreciated.

 

Verizon sells something that can hook into your internet connection and provide you mobile service. You need to be a verizon subscriber.
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/wireless...news-3354.html

 

Who is your provider?

Sprint offers one for free if your signal sucks.

 

I do have Verizon for both internet and cell phone service. I wonder if this only works for the verizon network? My girlfriend has a different cell provider than me.

Ken - Thanks, I'll find out if Verizon offers anything similar... or complain until they do.

 

Wow, Verizon charging customers for that? Don't they want to attract customers? Oh wait, they're Big Red, my mistake.

 

That link was from three years ago...

 

just get cable in your house

 

As in get phone service through the cable provider? I was thinking of just adding a house line because it would solve all of this... Verizon has a cheap internet + phone package, but if I can get a network extender for free I'd prefer that.


FYI - I can't get cable at this house. You can only get satellite TV and the only internet options are satellite internet and Verizon DSL, virtually no options.

 

Strange that you can get DSL but not cable

 

^^ Yeah, maybe I'm close enough to Verizon for DSL... but no cable company has any infrastructure in the area?

I'm no expert on these things..

 

What you're looking for is called a femtocell: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Femtocell

You shouldn't expect to pay anything. If your carrier insists on charging, tell them you'll switch - from what I've read, many will cave in.

 

^^ Tanks

 

I have the same problem at the house.


You can always use your computer as a landline phone with Google Voice and Google Talk. Not sure if it's still free, but it is for me!

 

Soo the femtocell (Verizon calls theirs a Network Extender) is definitely the best option, but the gf and I have different service providers. The femtocell is provider-specific since it uses your internet connection to communicate with their network.

Just moved in yesterday, so we'll see how her service is. Might want to spend for the wireless repeater if it'll help us both out...