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I tried looking all over the net and within the many forums and could not find any articles relating to repairing the bad reception on the universal units.
Here is my solution, 1) download the UNIVERSAL SERVICE MANUAL from the ftp site here on forum.xdadevelopers.com 2) Follow the instruction on disassembling the unit up to the point where it shows how to remove the antenna. 3) Remove the antenna and from the back of the antenna unit you will see two metal prongs on top and two metal prongs on the side.
4) There is a large metal plate on the front of antenna housing and a small metal strip off to the side of the plastic housing. 5) Take a small strip of aluminium foil (or cigarette pack foil) and roll it into a small roll that covers the back of the plastic housing and fits neatly into the grooves of the back of the white plastic antenna housing. 6) The two metal prongs that correspond to the large metal plate must be lifted gently to allow the foil to make contact with them and be placed underneath the prongs and not on top of the prongs. DO NOT PLACE THE FOIL IN CONTACT WITH THE TWO OTHER PRONGS OF THE SMALL METAL PLATE AS THIS WILL SHORT THE UNIT. 7)Reinstall the antenna.
You will notice once you have finished assembling the unit and have turned it back on that the reception indicator does not show full strenghth, however from my experience the call quality and reception is excellent even when there is only 1 or 2 bars showing and as of yet I have had no hang up or missed calls.
PLEASE NOTE THE ABOVE PROCEDURE VOIDS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES
how about some pictures mate ?
adolfotregosa said:
how about some pictures mate ?
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Click to collapse
You just download the Service manual from link:
ftp://ftp.xda-developers.com/Universal/UNniversalL_Service_Manual_CONFIDENTIAL.pdf
pictures of what he did
how do you get those littel rubber plugs out for the external antenna.
thanks!
Sky
the above link requires a password ... would u tell us about the theory behind this ???
Username and password: XDA
hell yeah! BUMP!! please tell us more about this! I'm having reception problems but I wish pictures before tearing this unit appart!
Has anyone (besides the poster of this topic) tried this.
And I know there are pictures in the manual, but we do want some more pictures of the procedure.
Like a picture of the two metal prongs on top and two metal prongs on the side
Thnx
any body heard of any sort of metal or steel type back for the evo? i really liked the back for the hd2 the solid cool feeling of the metal was awsome and would be a greta feature to add to the evo 4g. make it look and feel more bad ass Lol
As long as you don't want to use your compass... or apps that use it
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Sent via the XDA Tapatalk App
I am no electrical engineer but I decided to have some fun doing experiments. I took a sheet of aluminum foil and placed it behind the phone. The signal strength dropped from -73 to -87. So clearly having metal over antennas will block the signal.
I also recall hearing that is why they removed the aluminum back cover from the first iPhone.
This is just a warning in case you ever do find an after market metal cover. It might hurt your signal strength and in turn battery life.
Pops_G said:
I am no electrical engineer but I decided to have some fun doing experiments. I took a sheet of aluminum foil and placed it behind the phone. The signal strength dropped from -73 to -87. So clearly having metal over antennas will block the signal.
I also recall hearing that is why they removed the aluminum back cover from the first iPhone.
This is just a warning in case you ever do find an after market metal cover. It might hurt your signal strength and in turn battery life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The solution would be to do what Apple did for the iPhone 4. Use the outer metal rim as the antenna. Honestly, I think it's a stroke of genius.
liquidkernel said:
The solution would be to do what Apple did for the iPhone 4. Use the outer metal rim as the antenna. Honestly, I think it's a stroke of genius.
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Click to collapse
and i bet they panted it..
liquidkernel said:
The solution would be to do what Apple did for the iPhone 4. Use the outer metal rim as the antenna. Honestly, I think it's a stroke of genius.
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Click to collapse
We will see how it plays out. I am quite sure touching an antenna with your hands reduces its signal. So that design might not work out as well as it would seem.
In my testing I found holding the EVO at different points would increase/decrease the signal. It should be the same with the iPhone.
Pops_G said:
We will see how it plays out. I am quite sure touching an antenna with your hands reduces its signal. So that design might not work out as well as it would seem.
In my testing I found holding the EVO at different points would increase/decrease the signal. It should be the same with the iPhone.
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Click to collapse
iphone 4 metal frame is surrounded the top section is the main area where they have placed the antenna circuit the rest is the design flow. so it will work good enuf, I am not trying to compete with Evo or anything bad about evo just telling you something. evo for sprint is still the best .. the Ball is in sprin't court now its up to them how they continue with it such as by updating to 2.2 and how fast these things will count.
Pops_G said:
We will see how it plays out. I am quite sure touching an antenna with your hands reduces its signal. So that design might not work out as well as it would seem.
In my testing I found holding the EVO at different points would increase/decrease the signal. It should be the same with the iPhone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is in fact a warning in the documentation that came with the EVO, which states that placing your fingers on the portion of the phone left of the LED flashes, may interfere with your signal. I don't recall if it's in the Getting Started guide or the main user manual.
fazzy said:
iphone 4 metal frame is surrounded the top section is the main area where they have placed the antenna circuit the rest is the design flow. so it will work good enuf, I am not trying to compete with Evo or anything bad about evo just telling you something. evo for sprint is still the best .. the Ball is in sprin't court now its up to them how they continue with it such as by updating to 2.2 and how fast these things will count.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh I wasn't trying to make this an EVO vs iPhone debate. Just a general observation about antennas. It was also a problem I noticed on the EVO. Your hand/body will reduce the signal if placed in certain locations. I have seen this happen on TVs that are grabbing signal from the air, radios, and cordless phones.
So all I am saying it putting the iPhone's antennas on the outside might not be the stroke of genius people think it is. Not to mention it would be difficult to hold that phone without touching 2 different antennas at once. That might cause cross interference.
Hmm maybe I should start a thread specifically for antenna discussion, this title is a little misleading, and we went off into a tangent.
I mean, I'd be happy with a plastic back cover that FIT RIGHT
phinnaeus said:
I mean, I'd be happy with a plastic back cover that FIT RIGHT
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I heard this in another thread, but I am not seeing it. My back cover sits totally flush and looks great. Did I get lucky, or is there something else I'm missing?
phinnaeus said:
I mean, I'd be happy with a plastic back cover that FIT RIGHT
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Click to collapse
Someone else posted somewhere that they put a piece of paper (folded once?) between the battery and the cover, and that pushed the center out enough to bring the outer edges flush.... could try that.
Jye75 said:
Someone else posted somewhere that they put a piece of paper (folded once?) between the battery and the cover, and that pushed the center out enough to bring the outer edges flush.... could try that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That fix worked for me. Probably could be solved with a thin piece of foam glued to the inside of the cover too.
phinnaeus said:
I mean, I'd be happy with a plastic back cover that FIT RIGHT
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Click to collapse
i've modded my cover to fit perfectly, and solidly. i'll post a thread later tonight.
So what about the HTC Legend with the aluminum unibody? Do they use the whole body as a antenna?
Pops_G said:
I am no electrical engineer but I decided to have some fun doing experiments. I took a sheet of aluminum foil and placed it behind the phone. The signal strength dropped from -73 to -87. So clearly having metal over antennas will block the signal.
I also recall hearing that is why they removed the aluminum back cover from the first iPhone.
This is just a warning in case you ever do find an after market metal cover. It might hurt your signal strength and in turn battery life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm an electrical engineer, and I will confirm this. Perhaps someone could attach the metal back to the antenna somehow, though. That would be interesting.
Well, it's 6 am here and I decided to do a little experiment with my phone to boost my signal.
I simply placed aluminum foil over the signal connector thingy and it did happen to boost it up to 3 steady bars, when I would normally get about 1.
This may or may not work for you. Let me know if this actually worked for you.
Sent from my ADR6350 using XDA Premium App
Pictures would be great. There are two antenna connectors in the back cover, one near the bottom and one near the top.
Didnt work for me
arent you supposed to put toothpaste in the foil and wrap it good?
jesand83 said:
Pictures would be great. There are two antenna connectors in the back cover, one near the bottom and one near the top.
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Click to collapse
Yeah, that's exactly were I placed them and closed the cover. It molds right in.
Sent from my ADR6350 using XDA Premium App
voxigenboy said:
arent you supposed to put toothpaste in the foil and wrap it good?
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Click to collapse
I don't know anything about that.
Sent from my ADR6350 using XDA Premium App
wouldn't that put both the ground and signal in contact with each other? possible to post a quick picture?
There are 4 contacts under the phone, and 4 on the back cover. 2 of them (next to the camera) are linked. I suspect the contacts next to the camera are the looped GPS antenna.
The other 2 contacts are separate radios. One is wifi and the other is mobile (they are not looped). These should not be bridged (this can cause problems, actually). I think the outer contact is mobile and the inner (has the longer yellow strip on stock back cover) is wifi.
I've been kinda studying the back cover antenna thing and I've come to a bit of a strange conclusion: I knew the yellow bit was conductive paint or ink, but I'm suspecting that the yellow bit is the entire antenna as I can't find any other connectivity, wires, etc.
I know I've been defending this device in terms of signal quality, but I'm thinking, now, that this can be improved a lot. I'm probably going to be destroying my back cover in the name of science this weekend. I know I can get a replacement back cover so no big deal!
nimdae said:
There are 4 contacts under the phone, and 4 on the back cover. 2 of them (next to the camera) are linked. I suspect the contacts next to the camera are the looped GPS antenna.
The other 2 contacts are separate radios. One is wifi and the other is mobile (they are not looped). These should not be bridged (this can cause problems, actually). I think the outer contact is mobile and the inner (has the longer yellow strip on stock back cover) is wifi.
I've been kinda studying the back cover antenna thing and I've come to a bit of a strange conclusion: I knew the yellow bit was conductive paint or ink, but I'm suspecting that the yellow bit is the entire antenna as I can't find any other connectivity, wires, etc.
I know I've been defending this device in terms of signal quality, but I'm thinking, now, that this can be improved a lot. I'm probably going to be destroying my back cover in the name of science this weekend. I know I can get a replacement back cover so no big deal!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a cover that's dented..if you need it for science...well..
sent from an under rated phone
nimdae said:
There are 4 contacts under the phone, and 4 on the back cover. 2 of them (next to the camera) are linked. I suspect the contacts next to the camera are the looped GPS antenna.
The other 2 contacts are separate radios. One is wifi and the other is mobile (they are not looped). These should not be bridged (this can cause problems, actually). I think the outer contact is mobile and the inner (has the longer yellow strip on stock back cover) is wifi.
I've been kinda studying the back cover antenna thing and I've come to a bit of a strange conclusion: I knew the yellow bit was conductive paint or ink, but I'm suspecting that the yellow bit is the entire antenna as I can't find any other connectivity, wires, etc.
I know I've been defending this device in terms of signal quality, but I'm thinking, now, that this can be improved a lot. I'm probably going to be destroying my back cover in the name of science this weekend. I know I can get a replacement back cover so no big deal!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
cool! haha. look forward to hear back any conclusions or findings from your experimenting.
nimdae said:
There are 4 contacts under the phone, and 4 on the back cover. 2 of them (next to the camera) are linked. I suspect the contacts next to the camera are the looped GPS antenna.
The other 2 contacts are separate radios. One is wifi and the other is mobile (they are not looped). These should not be bridged (this can cause problems, actually). I think the outer contact is mobile and the inner (has the longer yellow strip on stock back cover) is wifi.
I've been kinda studying the back cover antenna thing and I've come to a bit of a strange conclusion: I knew the yellow bit was conductive paint or ink, but I'm suspecting that the yellow bit is the entire antenna as I can't find any other connectivity, wires, etc.
I know I've been defending this device in terms of signal quality, but I'm thinking, now, that this can be improved a lot. I'm probably going to be destroying my back cover in the name of science this weekend. I know I can get a replacement back cover so no big deal!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting. I will have to do some science as well, with FOIL!
anyone know where I can get conductive paint from? Maybe thickening the pre painted paint will make a better connection with the signal thingies?
And about the pics, sorry I can't post any, my phone is the only camera I have at the moment.
Sent from my ADR6350 using XDA Premium App
you could still take pictures with the battery cover off, no? isn't the foil on the battery door?
Avelnan said:
Interesting. I will have to do some science as well, with FOIL!
anyone know where I can get conductive paint from? Maybe thickening the pre painted paint will make a better connection with the signal thingies?
And about the pics, sorry I can't post any, my phone is the only camera I have at the moment.
Sent from my ADR6350 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Conductive ink is generally composed of a conductive polymer or contains metallic dust for conductivity. It's generally used as a cheaper method of bridge contacts between conductors. I've never seen it used this way before.
One thing I know about wireless signaling is length of antenna wire is important. I don't know the exact math for determining optimal length by frequency, but I do know the longer the better, preferably long enough to receive a full wavelength.
To be honest I'd be quite surprised if the conductive ink is being used as the antenna. However, I really can't find evidence to state otherwise.
nimdae said:
To be honest I'd be quite surprised if the conductive ink is being used as the antenna. However, I really can't find evidence to state otherwise.
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Click to collapse
I have to agree..since it only gets signal with cover on.
sent from an under rated phone
The inner contact is actually the mobile radio. I'm getting signal with bus wire but it's not a marked improvement. This is connected to the full 400' spool, though.
I've already damaged my back cover so I'm pretty much committed to this experiment. Going to do a little more testing before I commit to modification.
nimdae said:
The inner contact is actually the mobile radio. I'm getting signal with bus wire but it's not a marked improvement. This is connected to the full 400' spool, though.
I've already damaged my back cover so I'm pretty much committed to this experiment. Going to do a little more testing before I commit to modification.
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Click to collapse
I have an extra. Where you live
sent from an under rated phone
knipp21 said:
I have an extra. Where you live
sent from an under rated phone
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Click to collapse
Eh, don't worry about it It's not gonna bother me to have to buy a new one.
After a bit of testing using a 1' length of wire (used solder to build a flat contact on the end and pressed it in, feeding the wire through the tiny hold...for testing) I've found the signal strength marginally improves, but the data speeds improve quite a bit. In one of my rooms I tend to get poor signal/speed (pipes? not sure) but was able to double my speeds. However, the connection was still pretty unstable.
The end with my homemade flat contact broke and I don't feel like making another one right now. I have a temporary solution that works, but is a bit fragile.
nimdae said:
Eh, don't worry about it It's not gonna bother me to have to buy a new one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok btw I got hulu plus to work
sent from an under rated phone
Very interested to hear your results, nimdae. I was almost going to play around with this the other day.
I do have a suspicion though that some of the antenna may actually be "hidden" in the cover. I managed to carve off and expose some metallic looking material where you open the case at. Not sure if it is indeed since I didn't go any further.
Foil worked for me!!! My signal just went from -125 dbm to 98 dbm!!
Sent from my Incredible 2 using XDA App
My Dinc2, like everyone else's, has terrible reception. (relatively speaking). About a week ago, it went from tolerable to dropping calls like crazy. The db use to be in the 90's, but it has since pegged at 105 and stays there no matter what - indoors or outdoors, unless I'm downtown where a tower is almost in sight. WHY did this degradation happen? I flashed from the 320 radio to the 312, no change at all. I am running the Magnolia ROM, after having tried the others. The reception was doing fine up until a week ago....
Yesterday, I put my flashlight in my pocket, which has a magnetic base. When I used it later, I noticed something stuck to the magnet... it was a "U" shaped piece of metal. It was very defined, then it occurred to me it wasnt a U, it was a C. The "C" from the "HTC" on the back cover. The H and the T were already gone. So I wonder... if these being metal had anything to do with the antenna being in the back cover? Could these tiny pieces of metal be contributing to the reception? Or their loss being a determent?
If you have the metal HTC letters on your back cover, could you check your db rating then pop them out, and check it again? Strange request I know... but all in the name of science!
I would give anything for the Dinc2 to have Motorola like reception.... it's almost perfect, except for that.
I know it is a long shot, it was just a thought. The metal loading of the cover may or may not have anything to do with the reception... from what I've read the aftermarket covers do not receive as well as OEM's, so who knows.
if i took off back cover and dial *#4636#*#* i found the "db" became 105 and i put it back it goes normal,that means the antenna was integrated in back cover,so you can try do to it to find if the problem cause by back cover and order a new cover over the Amazon.
I have had this phone since May of 2011 and I never noticed that the HTC on the back cover had the metal inlays!!!!! Wow!!!! Anyway, I don't want to pop mine out but I did the same by removing the back cover and the db's also jumped to 105 for me when I did that.
Pop off your back cover and grab some tweezers or a small flat head screw driver. You'll see 4 gold prongs on the back of your phone. 2 near the camera and 2 in the bottom left corner. Gently bend those up a little bit, being careful not to break them off. Now grab a pencil with a good eraser. Look at the inside of your back cover and you will see yellow/goldish lines that line up with the prongs you just bent. Rub these lines with the eraser. Personally I would do this with my phone turned off, but that probably doesn't really matter. I suspect your reception will return to normal.
The metal letters have nothing to do with the antennas. They're located near the middle of the thinnest section of the back cover. The plastic would be thicker there if any metal or wires were running close enough for them to do anything.
Sent from my ICS Dinc2
I wasn't even having trouble with mine and did this and worked great. Thanks for the tip!!!
I bent the tabs, I tried the foil trick, I tried up and down grading the radio, and with the cover on at my house, I'm looking at 105db. I borrowed a Verizon Samsung network extender which plugs in the wall and internet router, and when I'm within 10 feet of it, my phone registers about 70db. However, it makes my GPS location about 75 miles away!
So I'm a loss... I'm grasping at straws here trying to not give up on the Dinc2.
My guess would be that a new back cover is in order then. Do you know anyone that has a Dinc2 that you could try swapping covers with?
If that doesn't work then maybe the magnet damaged your phone. Magnets can do some weird things to electronics.
Sent from my ICS Dinc2
So i bought a metal bumper case(the ones which only cover the side of your phone) from the company called luphia(?)
Very nice case but i found out it keeps decreasing my signal range for my wifi which really sucks because my wifi is on the other end of my house and my room is on the opposite end. The moment i put the case on, the signal gets unstable where it keeps disconnecting and reconnecting from the wifi, which is really annoying.
Anyways, is there any way to at least decrease the signal interference without abandoning the case? I thought about drilling it but its aluminum and I don't have the necessary tools for it.
If i should drill it, where should I? Im pretty sure the wifi module is located somewhere on the top of the phone but idk if the antenna itself is on the sides or wut.
ZeeSmilez said:
So i bought a metal bumper case(the ones which only cover the side of your phone) from the company called luphia(?)
Very nice case but i found out it keeps decreasing my signal range for my wifi which really sucks because my wifi is on the other end of my house and my room is on the opposite end. The moment i put the case on, the signal gets unstable where it keeps disconnecting and reconnecting from the wifi, which is really annoying.
Anyways, is there any way to at least decrease the signal interference without abandoning the case? I thought about drilling it but its aluminum and I don't have the necessary tools for it.
If i should drill it, where should I? Im pretty sure the wifi module is located somewhere on the top of the phone but idk if the antenna itself is on the sides or wut.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's one of the reasons I had to ditch mine: reduces signal by 4-5db. I doubt drilling would help, but I were to do it, it would be on 4 edges. You can remove screws and try with bottom and upper parts off to see which one reduces signal more (while watching signal in 'about phone' or 'test' menu.