cell phone reception in the country

[paul wheaton]

I got to my new place and it turns out that cell phone reception is spottier than a dalmation.

I got a contraption that attaches to a window where there was two or three bars and then you lay a special antenna thing on your desk. You're supposed to be within six feet of the special antenna, but I spent hours trying all sorts of things and finally decided it was junk.

So I shelled out the big bucks and got a full fledged "repeater". The outside antenna is mounted on the roof. There is a wire from that to a computer-ish contraption about the size of a linksys wireless router. And a wire from the contraption to an indoor antenna.

It works. I get three bars all over the house. My phone calls sound fine and they are no longer dropped.

I'm sure I'm not the only one trying to solve this, so I thought I would pass on my results.

[shoiji]

Wow, didn't realize you could use something like that where reception is poor. Can't help but wonder if it helps with tv reception?

[Josephhgoins]

Verizon has somethign that works with your internet connection that costs $100 that does this. It works as well.