This weBoost 4G-X is a workhorse that offers a massive range to accommodate large homes, outdoor boosting, or even an office. If you’re looking for something to support your small business, this could be the product for you. Similar to the smaller range units, it offers up to 32 times stronger cell signal for all major providers, and it apparently works well with all major cellular-connected devices, from phones to tablets to hot spots, or even data-connected notebooks. We put this machine to the test to see just how well weBoost’s claims hold up, and in short, we discovered that the company’s product offers quality and expansive reach for the high price point.
Design: Heavy-duty and utilitarian
The product comes with a booster—the Connect 4G-X—as well as an inside antenna, a directional outside antenna, two cables of 60-feet or more, a power supply, and several brackets for mounting. From an aesthetic perspective, it’s clear it was designed with durability in mind, in use cases like powering a small business or household. The booster is essentially a big hunk of metal—industrial-looking and robust. The inside antenna is almost identical to the outdoor antenna of the Home 4G, which may give you a sense of how much power this thing is gathering and redistributing.
Setup Process: Understandably fussier than others
Our setup process took less than 30 minutes, likely because we didn’t mount the outdoor antenna. However, weBoost’s User Manual suggests blocking out two to three hours for installation and having another person to help with antenna calibration. There are certainly more instructions and guidelines for this device than other, smaller cell boosters we tested. However, it’s understandable why this is the case, given that this is a professional-grade product that covers a lot of ground. In any case, the User Manual makes the process pretty straightforward. Following the user manual, we first measured signal strength for the inside antenna by checking cellular connection via standard field test—though, alas, the manual later told us that iOS 11 no longer displays the decibel (dBm) reading there and that tracking the bars on the cell phones being used can assist in finding the strongest signal. So, that’s what we did, and repeated the process to measure signal strength for the placement of the outside antenna. weBoost recommends keeping the indoor antenna more than 18 inches away from the booster for optimal performance. The company also says the outside antenna must be at least 20 feet vertical or 50 feet horizontal from the inside antenna (so specific, right?). The product connects the outdoor and indoor antennas through two coax cables. On one side of the Connect 4G-X, there is an opening labeled ‘Outside Antenna,’ and on the other side, one labeled ‘Inside Antenna.’ Once everything’s connected, all that’s left is to power up the booster by connecting it to an outlet. To protect the booster from surges, weBoost recommends connecting the device to a power strip instead of an outlet.
Performance and Coverage: Delivers top results
Performance is just as advertised. The hefty booster managed to juggle a number of cellular devices and distribute boosts, bringing products up to two, three, and four bars where they previously had zero. The 4G-X works well outside as well, so long as it’s within the appropriate area of the booster.
Price: Steep, but could be a good value, depending on need
Coming in at just under $900 MSRP, the 4G-X is a sizeable investment, but well-priced for the range and performance it reliably delivers. And if your reception is so bad at your home or place of work, and this product could eliminate the inconvenience—and inefficiency—of constantly waiting for items to load, it’s actually an excellent value.
weBoost Connect 4G-X Cell Phone Signal v. SureCall Fusion4Home
It’s difficult to compare these products in every sense, because we’re talking about a professional-grade product versus a smaller design that covers less than half the square footage of the weBoost Connect 4G-X. However, the SureCall Fusion4Home comes the closest in terms of the cell phone boosters that we’ve reviewed to this beast of a booster. The Fusion4Home is a little over one-third of the price of the Connect 4G-X, while the Connect 4G-X covers two and a half times the area of the SureCall’s 3,000 square feet. In terms of pure dollar-per-foot, the Connect 4G-X is reasonably priced. The weBoost Connect 4G-X Cell Phone Signal Booster is an excellent option for those seeking cell boosters for large spaces. This kit offers a whopping 7,500 square feet of coverage, outperforming many other boosters on the market. If you don’t need such a large area of cellular boosting coverage it may be overkill, but it’s a great solution for those in small businesses or large homes who are seeking boosted services in order to live a wait-free digital life.
