How can I connect an antenna to my cell phone?

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Every day we depend on our phones in a million different ways. Yet, we’ve gotten used to the fact that our phones don’t get great reception. We wish they did, but instead of taking action we hold them up to the sky, walk from room to room, or go outside in the elements.

If only there were a way to fix this problem.

The problem with your cell phone is generally that it has a tiny antenna which is covered by your hand, your body, the walls of the room you’re in, and the outside of your home or office. That’s one of its biggest limitations, other than its battery life. We all want sleek, pocketable cell phones. That’s pretty clear. Sometimes we also want great reception and we don’t know what to do about it.

One thing you could do is attach a bigger antenna to your phone. Or can you? It was very common in the years before the iPhone to have some sort of antenna connector hidden somewhere on the phone. Most folks didn’t use it. It disappeared, a casualty of people’s desires for small stylish phones. Today it’s practically impossible to find a phone with an antenna connector.

What can you do? There is simply no way to attach an antenna to your cell phone. I talked about this subject in another article. And yet, people still buy cellular antennas in record numbers, somehow thinking they will give their phones better reception. They won’t, but there are some options.

Use a cradle booster

While it’s designed for a car, weBoost’s Drive Sleek is the most compact way to get a better signal. Most universal power supplies can be set to deliver the right voltage to power it, meaning that it could work quite well in the home or office as well. Past versions of this booster did actually have an official option for indoor installation. As of this writing, this version does not.

A cradle booster is the next best thing to a physically connected antenna. The phone sits in a stand which is actually an antenna. It broadcasts a strong signal within millimeters of the phone and that’s as good as you’ll get with today’s phones. Its relatively large antenna, meant to be roof mounted, is capable of pulling in those distant signals much better than the one in your phone.

Or just do it right

If you’re living with poor signal in your home or office, consider a signal booster solution like this weBoost Home Multiroom. A cellular signal booster acts like a miniature cell tower. It pulls in a strong signal outside with a large antenna and rebroadcasts it inside. It does this so well you don’t even notice the difference. There’s no lag or change in sound quality.

This is really the best option for someone looking to improve cell signal in the home or office — and who isn’t?  Up to 90% of people have problems with a cell service on a daily basis and this is the solution to those problems. Luckily for you cellular signal boosters are easy to install and easy to get at solidsignal.com. Our experts will even give you a free recommendation for the best booster to buy. Just call us at 888-233-7563 or fill out the form below. We’re happy to help!

About the Author

Stuart Sweet
Stuart Sweet is the editor-in-chief of The Solid Signal Blog and a "master plumber" at Signal Group, LLC. He is the author of over 10,000 articles and longform tutorials including many posted here. Reach him by clicking on "Contact the Editor" at the bottom of this page.