Cellular aerial doesn't work

GDB2222

I bought an external aerial to boost the cellular signal our MIFI router gets. The aerial claims a 5dB gain in signal, but in practice there's no gain.

It's this item.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B095KCHW56

I'd like to return it, as it doesn't do what it claims. And, indeed, Amazon offers a 30 day returns window, and I've only had it a couple of days.

But, here's the snag. It's an external aerial, so I screwed it to the outside of the house. I then drilled a hole through the wall, passed the aerial cable through the hole, and filled the hole. It's impossible to remove the cable from the wall, and the cable is an integral part of the aerial assembly.

So, to return the item, I need to unscrew the aerial from the wall, then cut the cable where it enters the wall and again on the inside of the wall. I can then return the various bits (minus a few cms of cable left buried in the wall). Those bits are effectively scrap.

The aerial was only £15, and there seems to be scope to create quite a row. Any advice, folks?

visidigi

Tricky one, you didn't need to wire it through the wall to know if it worked or not. And what doesnt work for you may work for others so its not faulty (as its working, just not as much as claimed/hoped.

You could try opening a return with amazon and see if they offer you to keep it when refunded. I doubt its worth the argument over £15 if they don't though.

Aylesbury_Duck

I agree. They may just let you keep/destroy it.

flaneurs_lobster

Nah, not buying it.

No-one drills a hole through the wall of their house without testing that the £15 bit of kit off Amazon actually makes some sort of difference first

GDB2222

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82019307#Comment_82019307

You’re right. I could have tried it indoors first. Thanks for calling me a fool. It’s always appreciated.

ThumbRemote

How are you measuring the gain of the new aerial?

A 5dB gain refers only to the new antenna. It's possible that the old antenna also had a 5dB gain, so there would be no noticeable difference between them. It's even possible the old antenna had a 6dB or greater gain so you've fitted something worse. That would mean the new antenna isn't faulty and you have no right for a return.

However fitting it outside and high up should give you a better signal than inside, so for £15 you may as well just leave it installed, it's possibly the best signal you can get.

GDB2222

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82019425#Comment_82019425

The outside aerial is fitted fairly high up under the eaves.

I am comparing it to the signal received by the MR600 router using the antennae that came with it. The router is screwed to the inside of the window reveal near the top. So, there’s not much difference in the height from the ground, and the signal the router receives is mainly through the window glass rather than the wall.

So, you are clearly right about this. I hadn’t thought about what a 5db gain aerial means, and the aerial supplied with the router seems to have a similar gain. Indeed, with nothing screwed into the router's aerial sockets it can’t detect the cellular signal at all.

GDB2222

Sadly, Amazon do want the item back if I return it, so I will just have to swallow the £15 loss. Lessons about antennas learnt!

rach_k

It might be worth leaving an honest and well written review with just 1 star, just what you've written here. Sometimes sellers (assuming it was supplied by the seller I'm currently seeing on the listing, rather than Amazon) will contact you and offer a refund or some money back, which is better than the nothing you're getting now.

Ergates

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82019707#Comment_82019707

I think it's a lesson that covers more than just antennas: Don't permanently affix anything until you've tested it.

Okell

@GDB2222 - if you can prove that it does not "conform to contract" within the meaning of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 I;d just return as much of the dismembered aerial to amazon as you can remove, and claim a full refund by exercising the short-term right to reject.

Although I would have tested it before installing it myself, it seems fairly obvious to me that some goods that are "faulty" will only manifest those faults after they have been installed and cannot be removed without damaging or even destroying them. The legislation doesn't say that that would prevent a claim.

Can you prove that what you bought is not as advertised?