@GavinAshford @MrDave
You were so helpful to me before I wonder if I could blitz you (and anyone else who wished to chip in) with another question.
I finally had a chance to get into my attic and try my B535 router there.
The improvement to the signal quality was considerable.
RSSI went from -80 (in upstairs bedroom) to -67 in the attic
RSRQ went from -9 to -7
RSRP went from -107 to -92
SINR went from -2 to 11
The B535 went from a 3 bar signal to a 5 bar. This is on Three network, using the HUACTRL app to remove channel B20, so locked to B3.
The improvement to download speed was modest: from a typical 10-15 Mbps when in the house to 20-30 Mbps when in the loft. A doubling, but nothing like to 40+ speeds I was hoping for.
My question:
Given that I'm already getting a 5 bar signal in the attic, would an external antenna mounted on a pole likely improve my download speed much? Do you think this indicates that adding more altitude and removing absorption in walls would improve the signal further and result in an increased average download speed?
What do your instincts say?
For comparison, I've also been trying a MiFi dongle with an EE PAYG SIM in it. The EE cell tower is closer than the Three one and I can get 20-30 Mbps download speeds. Oddly, it showed NO improvement when moved to the attic. I'd rather stick with Three because the cost of their unlimited broadband package is so competitive - I'm paying £17 a month (exiting customer discount) compared with £50 a month for 500GB/month with EE.