CEL-FI GO X User manual

CEL-FI GO X
Installation Guide
26081 Merit Circle, Suite 118
Laguna Hills, CA 92653 [phone] www.repeaterstore.com
[e-mail]
Read This First

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Boosters can be nicky. And The Cel-Fi GO X is no exception. It will take a bit of work to get
your GO X unit set up correctly.
But there’s a reason that most people are willing to take the time to perform an installation,
even if it takes 4 to 5 hours. The GO X is the only device on the market that provides an
industry-leading 100 dB of gain. Once you get it set up and running properly, you should see
a signicant improvement in signal, right away.
We’ve written this guide based on our own experiences and those of dozens of customers
who we’ve helped. We promise you’ll be glad if you read this manual through thoroughly
before you get started. It’ll help you save time, avoid the most common pitfalls, and ensure
your system works as well as possible. If you get stuck, just call us at 800-761-3041.
Compatibility
First, a quick reminder. The Cel-Fi Go X is compatible with:
AT&T 3G and LTE signal
T-Mobile 3G and LTE signal
Verizon LTE signal
Verizon 2G/3G signal
The lack of Verizon 2G/3G compatibility isn’t a big a deal. Here’s why: as long as you have LTE
signal available in your area to boost, you should be ne.
Most phones released after 2014 support “HD Voice” – also known as “Voice over LTE”
(VoLTE). VoLTE is usually enabled by default. For example, all iPhones released since 2014,
including the iPhone 6, support VoLTE. If you’re worried about it, just give us a call.
Stuck?
We’re here to help. Or just to chat about how strong or weak your cell signal is. We get out of
bed in the morning to talk about this stuff - we’re not kidding.
Call us at 1-800-761-3041, 7am-5pm PT or visit repeaterstore.com/help
Install manuals, who needs ‘em?
AC Power Supply
* Quantity depends on whether you bought a kit that includes 1, 2 or 4 antennas.
** The single-antenna kit does not include a splitter or a 1 ft jumper
Lightning Surge
Protector
2-way or 4-way
splitter **
Dome Antenna Ultra-Flat Dome
Antenna
2x, 3x, or 5x
30 ft RS400 Cable*
1x 1 ft RS240 Cable**
Panel Antenna
1x, 2x, or 4x Indoor Antenna(s)*
(Type and quantity depends on kit purchased)
Coaxial Cable
Other Parts
(Quantity and type depends on kit purchased)
Outdoor AntennaCel-Fi GO X Amplier Antenna Mount
SMA to N-Type
Pigtails (2x)
What’s In The Box

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Isolation
01
Understanding “isolation” is critical to installing your GO X correctly.
Isolation is a measure of separation between the Indoor and Outdoor antennas.
The Cel-Fi GO X automatically throttles its gain (amplication) up or down to avoid
“oscillation.” Oscillation is a type of feedback that occurs if the gain of the amplier is higher
than the isolation.
The more isolation between the donor and server antenna you have, the more the GO X will
be able to amplify your signal, and the better your signal inside the building.
Isolation is increased when:
1 You increase the horizontal or vertical distance between the indoor and outdoor
antennas.
2 You position the antennas so there is more building materials separating them.
3 You point the indoor and outdoor antennas away from each other.
For best performance, we recommend at least 50 feet of separation between the indoor and
outdoor antennas, or at least 30 feet and two layers of building materials.
Please note that these are just guidelines. Often you’ll need to compromise isolation in
order to get the best signal quality or to cover the entire building with signal from the indoor
antennas.
Once your GO X is installed and operational, you can check isolation by looking at the “Echo
Gain” values in the Advanced tab of the Wave app. See the “Advanced Tab” section near the
end of this document for more information.
If you’re having any problems, please reach out to us, we’ll be happy to walk you through
optimizing the installation to make sure you’re getting the absolute best results.
Not enough vertical separation
between outdoor and indoor antenna.
Not enough horizontal separation
between outdoor and indoor antenna.
Not enough building materials
between indoor and outdoor antenna
Good vertical separation.
Outdoor antenna pointing away from
indoor antenna.
Multiple layers of building materials
etween antennas.
Outdoor antenna pointing away from
indoor antenna.
Example of Poor Isolation
Example of Good Isolation
If you have weak outdoor signal (1 bar, or less than -100 dBm RSRP signal), it’s best to install
the GO X as near to the donor antenna as possible and cut and crimp the cable to reduce
the cable length. Of course, you should make sure the donor antenna is outdoors and the
GO X is indoors.
Here’s why: If your signal is weak to begin with, it will become even weaker (attenuate) as
it passes through a longer length of cable. The signal may be unusable by the time it gets
to to the GO X. If the outdoor signal is strong, the GO X’s location doesn’t matter.
A shorter cable run will mean that the signal is strong enough for the GO X to recognize
and boost it.
Amplier Install Location
02

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Indoor Antenna Types & Placement
03
When deciding the placement of your indoor antennas, you’ll need to consider the type of
antennas in your kit.
Panel antennas
A panel antenna has a narrower “spray” (technically called a“beamwidth”). This means that
it directs signal in one direction, and not in a circle, like a dome antenna. Panel antennas
should be installed near the perimeter of the coverage area for best results. For example,
you might use a panel at the end of the hallway or at one end of your house.
Standard and Ultraat Dome antennas
Dome antennas should be installed centrally to the area you are looking to cover. Some (but
less) signal will also radiate upwards to cover the oor above.
Finding the best location possible for the Outdoor Antenna is critical. There are two
things you need to consider:
1Isolation from the indoor antennas
2Signal quality
Signal quality is very important: the better the signal at the Outdoor Antenna location,
the better the signal that the amplier has to boost.
How To Measure Signal Quality
For some buildings, the location with the best signal may be on top of the roof. In
others, the best location is the side of the building. The best way to nd out is to test.
There are two ways you can measure signal quality:
1You can simply look at the number of bars on a phone connected to the carrier
that you’re boosting. This is a crude measure, but if you have 3 or more bars of
signal, you should be ne.
2You can use use Field Test Mode on Apple iOS devices or LTE Discovery on
Android phones to measure SINR, a measure of signal quality. You can read more
about these here: repeaterstore.com/eldtest
Note: You can also measure the SINR using the “Advanced” tab of the Cel-Fi Wave
Application, which is explained at the end of this document.
To nd the best Outdoor Antenna location: walk around the perimeter of your building
with your phone, and if you can, get up on the roof. You’re looking for a location with
good SINR (ideally above 5 dB) and good isolation from the indoor antenna locations.
Fine-Tuning and Aiming:
In the “Outdoor Antenna Positioning” section near the end of this guide we explain the
Wave application’s “Antenna Position Test.”
The Antenna Position Test can help you test and compare multiple Outdoor Antenna
locations, and will help you aim the antenna at the source of the best signal.
Outdoor Antenna Location & Aiming
04

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Before you start
It’s critical that you have at least 1 bar of usable signal outside or on the roof of the building
you’re installing the GO X in. If you don’t have 1 bar, or if you’re not sure, give us a call.
What do we mean by usable?
Well, you need to be able to place a call, use data, etc. Cell boosters bring signal inside
from outdoors. If the signal outside your building at the “donor” location isn’t usable, the
GO X isn’t going to help.
If you don’t have 1 bar of usable signal, we’re sorry, but there’s not much point in
continuing. Visit repeaterstore.com/returns to set up a return. We’re happy to take your
Cel-Fi Go X back and get you a different booster.
Getting the parts set up
Refer to the diagram to the right as needed
1. Connect the two SMA Pigtail cable adaptors to the Cel-Fi GO X amplier.
2. Note the two icons by the Cel-Fi unit’s two SMA connectors:
This port should be plugged into the indoor antenna(s).
This port should be connected to the outdoor “donor” antenna.
3. Connect the RS400 cables to the SMA pigtail adaptors and hand-tighten the connectors.
4. Connect the splitters (if any), and Indoor Antenna (panel or dome) to the indoor end of the
Cel-Fi Go X and hand-tighten the connector(s).
5. Connect the Outdoor Directional Antenna to the RS400 cable (make sure you connect the
outdoor “donor” antenna to the side of the amplier that has a small icon of a cell tower).
6. Connect the Cel-Fi Go X power supply.
Assembling Your Kit Antenna Mount & Outdoor
Directional Antenna
30 ft RS400 Cable
SMA to N-type Pigtail Adapter
Lightning Surge Protector
SMA to N-type Pigtail Adapter
1 ft RS240 Cable
Splitter
30 ft RS400 Cable
Dome, Panel or Ultraat Antenna
Only included in kits with more than 1 indoor antenna
Should ideally be installed outdoors, just before cable enters building.
Connect to building’s ground with 10 AWG or higher grounding cable.
Only included in kits
with more than 1 indoor
antenna
One 30 ft cable included
in kit per indoor antenna
Quantity depends on kit purchased
Cel-Fi GO X
AC Power
Adapter

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1Download the “Cel-Fi Wave” app to your phone
or tablet from cel-.com/software or directly from
the iOS App Store or Google Play.
Ideally you’ll need Internet connectivity when setting
up the GO X, though it will also work ofine.
2Open the app while keeping your phone within
4 feet of the GO X to start pairing. This may take a
few minutes, the app will say “searching,” “syncing
data,” and nally “gathering data.”
3Register your device if prompted to do so.
4Check that your operator is shown in the bottom
left of the “Dashboard” screen.
Cel-Fi Wave App and Pairing Understand How The Go X Works
06
If it isn’t, go to “Settings” and then “Operator” to change it. Changing carriers takes a few
minutes - don’t turn off your booster or move your phone away during the process.
(Note: the carrier that the amplier is currently boosting will not be listed in the “Operator”
dropdown. For example if your GO X is boosting Verizon it will list AT&T and T-Mobile as options).
5Update the software for the Cel-Fi if the app prompts you to do so (this may take 10 to
20 minutes and requires a data connection).
Troubleshooting Wave App Pairing:
• Note: only one device (your phone or tablet) can connect to the Cel-Fi GO X at a time.
• If the Wave app is unable to connect to your device, rst try force-closing the application.
• In Android, this is done by going to your phone’s Settings, choosing the “Apps”
option, nding the Wave app, and then choosing the “Force Stop” option.
• For iOS, you can read here about how to force-close apps: RepeaterStore.com/fcios
• If force closing the app doesn’t help then restart your phone and power cycle the unit by
unplugging by the power adapter.
07
The GO X “Searches” For Signal
Unlike other boosters, the GO X doesn’t amplify the entire frequency spectrum. Instead, it
searches for and then amplies the best signal available from the carrier.
At any given time, the GO X can amplify up to two frequencies transmited by your carrier.
In the Wave mobile app, you can watch in the “Advanced” tab as it scans the frequencies on
different bands to nd the best signal to amplify.
Anytime you power-cycle the GO X or disconnect the outdoor antenna cable, it will restart
scanning to nd the best signal.
Anytime you unplug the cable from the outdoor antenna, power cycle the GO X by
unplugging its power. The GO X starts scanning as soon as you unplug the outdoor antenna
cable. To make sure it scans all frequencies, restart the unit after reconnecting the cable.
Activity Lights
A small light on the GO X ashes to indicate the current status.
Solid Green:
The GO X has found the best band is amplifying.
Blinking Green:
The GO X is scanning for networks to boost.
Blinking Red:
The unit is in an error condition. Check the app for more information.
Solid Red:
If the status light remains red, the device has a hardware issue. Call us for a
replacement.
Boot-up Sequence
On rst being plugged in, the GO X activity light will start solid red, then ash red, then
move on to blinking green as it starts scanning the cellular frequency bands.

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The Wave app comes with an Antenna Position Test that can
help you achieve the ideal balance between isolation and
signal quality.
1. Make sure that your indoor antenna(s) are located
approximately where they will be installed.
2. In the Wave app, go to the “Settings” tab, and under the
“Antenna Settings” tab select the “Antenna Position Test”
option.
3. The app will guide you through taking multiple
measurements. Try both different antenna locations and
directions. Consider isolation and signal quality when
choosing antenna locations.
4. The higher the number, the better your signal will be.
5. Once you’re done, the Wave app will calculate the best
location for your outdoor antenna.
If you’re having issues nding the best antenna location, don’t
hesitate to contact our support team. We’ll gladly walk you
through nding the best location for best results.
Using the Antenna Position Test
08 The “Advanced” Tab 09
One of the best features of the GO X is that it actively listens and decodes the cellular
signals before amplifying. You can nd out more about the signal the booster is seeing in
the “Advanced” tab.
This area shows the bands currently being amplied. When the
device is scanning, the frequencies will change.
The “Send Log” button allows you send a diagnostic log from
your device to either the RepeaterStore or Cel-Fi support
teams.
The “Super Channels” section lists the two bands being
amplied. Select a band to expand the details (as shown).
The “Donor RSSI” value shows the signal strength being
received from the outdoor antenna.
The “Donor SINR” is a measure of signal quality. Ideally, you
want a number higher than 5 dB here. The higher the SINR, the
more bars you’ll see. Aiming the antenna better towards the
tower, or trying other locations can increase this number.
The “Downlink TX Power” shows how much signal is being
rebroadcast. The bigger this number, the greater the coverage
area.
The “Echo Gain” numbers show how much isolation you have
between the outdoor and indoor antennas. If either number is
at or near 10 dB, you need more isolation between antennas.
The Uplink and Downlink System Gain show the current
uplink and downlink amplication of the system. Uplink may
sometimes show 0 dB when phones aren’t in use. That’s
normal.

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Under the settings tab of the app, there is an option to
change the booster mode from “Stationary” to “Mobile.”
The Mobile setting should only be used if you are using
the booster on the go in a vehicle or RV. It reduces the
gain of the unit from 100 dB to 65 dB.
The “Bands” option allows you to control which bands are
scanned and amplied by the GO X.
The carrier networks will try to hand you off to the highest
band automatically, even if it isn’t the best quality signal.
Lower frequency bands also propogate further. So in
some cases it can help to lock the Cel-Fi to just the 700
MHz frequency band (12, 13 or 17).
For your reference: Band 12/13/17 = 700 MHz; Band 2 =
1900 MHz; Band 4 = 2100 MHz; and Band 5 = 850 MHz.
Booster Mode and Bands
10
If you unplug the cable from the outdoor antenna, make sure to reset the GO X. The
GO X will start scanning as soon as you unplug the cable to the outdoor antenna. To
make sure it scans all the frequencies, restart the unit after you reconnect the cable.
If you have extra cable, don’t coil it tightly. Ideally, you should cut and crimp any longer
lengths of extra cable. If you can’t do that, make sure to keep any cable loops as large as
possible to minimize negative side-effects (4 ft or wider loops are best).
Antenna locations and signal quality matter more than anything. Review the “Signal
Quality and Isolation” section (#4) carefully. Getting these two things right is the key to
getting great coverage.
Still having problems? Give us a call and we can help!
Final Tips and Notes
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26081 Merit Circle, Suite 118
Laguna Hills, CA 92653 [phone] www.repeaterstore.com
[e-mail]
Need help? We’re ready and waiting.
Signal boosters aren’t always easy to install. In fact, getting
everything up and running can sometimes be a pain. But the
end result is worth it.
One of the benets of buying from RepeaterStore is our lifetime
technical support on every system we sell. We’ve installed
hundreds of these devices ourselves, and can walk you through
troubleshooting and ne-tuning your installation for best results.
Simply give us a call, start a livechat on our website, or send us
an email. We love helping solve tricky install problems.