How Well Does a WeBoost Drive Reach Work?

Should you buy a cell phone booster?
We are testing out the all-new Drive Reach Overland from WeBoost on a 5th Gen 4Runner in areas with little to no cell signal! With the correct expectations, a cell phone booster is a great addition to your build regardless if you are camping or just driving.
Watch the install of this cell phone booster here: • How to Install a Cell ...
Do you run a cell phone booster on your overland build?
Buy a WeBoost Drive Reach Overland Kit here: amzn.to/3qRatUO
Just need the mount? amzn.to/3QMXUVn

[@FastGunner7]

I have one on my work truck. Certain canyons and hilly areas were dead zones and the booster is a life saver for signal. I agree though with certain conditions where I was over-landing where even with the booster was really far away from towers you still get no signal. I always carry a sat. phone on those adventures. Love your camera work by the way.

[@dabackdaboot9504]

This is EXACTLY the test I was looking for. Thanks for the clarity on what it actually brings to the table.

[@Jaypher]

This video has sold me on the product, will love it for camping.

[@project_poor_runner]

Another reminder for me keep on saving for an electric locker next.

[@lowrangeoverland9013]

I'm with ya.

[@bonniecreevy2642]

Thank you! You are so good at explaining in layman’s terms. 😊

[@dangerdoberman]

Communication is ALWAYS a necessity. You don't want comms down if you or someone else needs help.

[@dkdoesstuff7983]

One thing I would’ve liked to see on this video: when you say “I have x many bars of service”, please let us know, is that LTE service or 5G service. Thanks.

[@tacometalfabtacometalfab854]

Awesome thanks for the info I have been thinking about it for a little while that makes decisions much easier

[@tfunai8164]

If you want high speed data that’s great. If not you want iridium, I know everyone loves starlink but iridium is the best if you NEED communication.

[@loraguzman1107]

To get a better antenna i was thinking about useing the home version and plug it into my outlet in my chevy

[@callmeluci4501]

Finally a good test and review thanks!

[@wiked1_camptruck]

Cool video. What phone mount are you using? It a charger also?

[@rlenoxIII]

Thanks for the great review. I’m glad I found your video. Got yourself another subscriber 👍👍

[@AppleiOSGenius]

What panel button selector you have

[@HuskyFarva]

BEST video I've seen, thank you!!! You are mega cool, BTW!! I may now dump my rubi after seeing your ride!!

[@LoneStarSwirl]

We tested one for about a week back in March of 2022 in Merus Adventure Park, Palo Duro Canyon, Texas and were disappointed. We did not see any difference in signal most of the time and a few times there was only a very small difference. We ended up returning it. Have they improved the technology during the past year?

[@aldoamen]

You made sure the outside antenna and the inside antenna were at least 8 ft apart? Seems to be the one reason and they don't warn about that

[@copter1doc]

Great job, thank you for the info.👍

[@waddup177]

Does this allow you to connect to wifi from a far?

[@BadManWithAMadPlan]

I doordash surprisingly rural and face some of the most challenging cell signal I have ever encountered just to do my job. How far away can you walk from your car? Say as far as needed to confirm an order outside of the vehicle?

[@caspervsworld]

Looks very nice. however, it would be interesting to know, how difficult it is to build a solid one by yourself. a quick web search showed some good d.i.y.-instructions as a starting point and the 400-500 Dollar are a good motivation to try it yourself. also: when building things yourself, chance is higher that I am able to fix it by yourself when it breaks (epsecially in remote areas or travelling outside home country)

[@cablemedic207]

That’s a fantastic idea ( sarcasm) If you are in the US, these are regulated by the FCC. Anything you home build will not have type acceptance, and chances are you will shut down the system, and you better hope it’s not a first net system that oubkic safety is using.

[@Jimmy_Jamz]

Is there a subscription for it? Their website said buy it once and done. But when you look at the overland it says free 3 month subscription. ??

[@Swat32898]

Awsome vid, do you have a build breakdown of your 4runner?

[@caffeinated8935]

You can look back at previous shoptalk videos for some of it, he often uses his own rig for stuff. Granted, it isn't a full build breakdown, nor are all the videos his vehicle, but some of it is there.

[@jordanmiller8720]

What phone mount is that?

[@mauquiros]

Thanks for the video! Is that a special antenna? I have the same kit but my antenna is way taller, and I like the low profile of yours, wondering if you cut the pole or there’s another version, thanks

[@Tanner_Johnson]

The sections can unscrew. This is their new Drive Reach “Overland” which comes with the nice folding mount but might have different lengths on the sections.

[@ChuckNorris01]

What didn’t you install the spring that was included in your kit?

[@cshader2488]

sound is off slightly from the video

[@floppinfish]

No it's not. Your phone is a potato.

[@MarkAllen-od5vr]

This video cuts from scene to scene. Hard to tell if it is in real-time.

[@andarooriordan5660]

Would you say, weboost requires at least one bar? The two tests you ran, had that in common. With zero bars, does it work? What if you used phone as hot spot with full service, does weboost increase up/ down speeds? I guess im looking for more on "known limitations" and "what to expect...." You said, it doesn't hurt.... and its potential... Thanks!

[@user-fg6mq3dg3d]

I think it's not bar based but distance based. It will greatly increase the reach of your phone and if you had 0 bars because you didn't reach the cell tower for x meters then the cell booster will make it reach

[@RobertsAdventure]

I have an earlier generation Weboost/Wilson Amplifiers cell booster that works the same way, its functionally like adding a better antenna to your cellphone, there's some signal amplification but a big part of it is just a better antenna and better placement of the antenna outside the vehicle and higher up vs your cellphone's built in antenna. re: zero bars - to really view difference in signal you need an app (there are free ones) that shows signal strength in dBm rather than just counting on the "bars" indicator in the phone. Your phone can have some signal but show zero bars, since the phone bars is really a general indicator to tell you what's usable and a very low/unstable signal won't be usable. To answer your questions, you can have "zero bars" on the phone and the booster can get you some signal if there is weak signal that your phone can't use with its built in antenna, depending on the location etc. If you are somewhere that signal is totally blocked like in the bottom of a deep canyon with no direct or reflected cell signals then the booster won't fix that. If you have decent signal (full bars) on your phone depending on the location to the cell tower it can get you a better connection and faster speeds. e.g. I have had full bars on the phone and hooked up the booster and still gotten a noticeable improvement in many cases, but if you are close enough to the cell tower that your phone is already receiving VERY good signal the booster won't change things much. If your phone plan allows you to run the phone as a wifi hotspot you can use your phone with the booster and turn on the hotspot to provide wifi to laptops etc. I do this a lot if I want to work remotely to extend a camping trip. Keep in mind the wifi hotspot shares a single connection and most devices do a fair bit of background communication even when not so the more devices you have connected to a hotspot the worse the speeds will be. In theory multiple cellphones could use the same booster without pulling it down because the throughput isn't limited in the same way for the cell signal, but I've never tested that.

[@TheGbortnick]

I have got information that these will not work with Apple 14 or 15 phones. Have you heard anything?

[@nicholasplumer2235]

Great video! I've been following Expedition Overland for a long time and wondered if y'all ever considered using this. I've had mine since February. It works amazing in the New Mexico desert and on the Louisiana coast. It's not as strong at home where there are more trees, but overall it has done great!

[@travisandmissydog]

What trail was that? I saw your phone had Bozeman weather. I am outside of Butte.

[@AppleiOSGenius]

How do you have it mounted share links

[@d.j.bradshaw5544]

Have you done any testing in Yellowstone?

[@jaypadulchick1355]

Do you know if it is carrier specific. I was in a state park where we didn't have service but someone on another carrier did. And of course we did have an emergency, luckily didn't need to call for outside help!

[@Tanner_Johnson]

Nope. Works on all carriers

[@pnwrving9841]

I have been using the weBoost almost all the time when I'm camping or traveling. I have a T-Mobile 5G router. Did they give you at Tmobile for free it's $40 a month for me I said the router next to my inside antenna from the weboost and I have no issues I have Internet phone service all day long anywhere I go.

[@darrellmclemore3176]

I use the weboost with my T-Mobile WiFi router also.

[@media1newsriverside]

What light controller is that

[@jkthomp01]

SwitchPro ?

[@shadowsrwolf]

antenna gain is not power....

[@floppinfish]

Oh really whats the guys name that sent you the email?

[@J_Calvin_Hobbes]

The antenna seen is way over priced inferior product marketing hype for $120.00. It only offers up to +4.3db gain. The steel whip Wilson 12 Inch Magnet Mount (works with WeBoost) offers up to +6.1db gain for only $30.00

[@RobertsAdventure]

There's more to signal quality (and thus data transfer speed) than pure gain, how the antenna is tuned (the arrangement of the antenna elements) can impact its performance in different conditions, e.g. long distance with clear line of sight vs ability to pick up reflected noisy signals in terrain with limited line of sight etc. Increase in gain also increases signal noise so you can't just say more gain == better for all situations.

[@Philipmoore10]

Call someone next time.

[@user-po3mh4dy9r]

The Weboost octagonal antenna is subject to violent oscillations due to wind. It very much depends on how the air is moving over and around your vehicle. Weboost is aware of the problem, but I haven't seen any effort to address it. The housing needs to be round to prevent harmonic oscillations from developing. Keep the mast as short as possible, and be aware that using a spring base will make the issue worse. I've seen these things going down the road wagging back and forth a foot in both directions!. I've seen masts broken by stress fractures caused by this. This video shows a very short rigid mount, to avoid revealing the issue, but would you actually use that on a trail rig? Well, you wouldn't for very long before a branch takes it off. Given the issues and limited utility, I would wait for Elon to get his satellite cell system up and running.

[@boywonder2799]

T-Mobile and Starlink joined: All this will be over before the end of the year of 2024. T-Mobile and Starlink teamed up to use T-Mobile mid range bandwidth with all Starlinks new Version 2 satellites as of Jan 3 2024 launch. All Sats being launched from now on have this capability. The service is FREE for all top tier plans at T-Mobile. Text, send images,and able to do very short video Elon says. This will work anywhere in the world where there is dead zones. Announcement was made in Texas Elon and T-Mobile CEO KZbin for the video.

[@adampaul8749]

Sat phones & signal boosters are pretty much redundant now that starlink is available. Better off investing in that. Dual purpose too, when your not over landing can be used for internet at home

[@Tanner_Johnson]

Highly agree if the cost works for you. This is nice as a no monthly cost booster if your driving a lot. But for reliable internet, Starlink is a better option

[@coolbeyblade5]

Starlink cant be taken with you outside of the vehicle if you go hiking. Benefit to having a sat phone

[@adampaul8749]

@@coolbeyblade5 yep sat phone better for hiking for sure. But was more comparing in-vehicle options.

[@capitalK9]

Hey Tanner Thanks for the video! Have y’all used OME BP51 on your 4Runners?

[@calebjared75]

Can you use starlink while driving?

[@chrispap5939]

what about the radiation guys ??

[@tt4569]

It doesn’t , it’s a scam

[@MrDaanram]

It just tricks your phone into thinking there are more bars if there is a bit of reception. Kinda lke being close to the wifi. Problem is it’s still a sit signal. Spent weeks doing speed tests doing this. It makes no difference. Do 10 speedtests with it off and 10 speedtetsts with it on in the same location. The average will be the same. I contacted the manufacturer and they admitted as much and gave me a refund

[@sonsoflibertyoverland]

Can someone else verify this?

[@bonniecreevy2642]

@@sonsoflibertyoverlandI mean, he shows KZbin with and without in this video. Seems like it works to me

[@kathleenrutherford733]

Thank you