If we use a linear model, then that would be equivalent to 60% signal strength, which would be considered not a very strong signal, but in reality it is. The problem with this approach is that is that RF signals propagate non-linearly! Consider for example a received signal value of -40 dBm. Percent = 100 x (1 – (P dBm_max – P dBm) / (P dBm_max – P dBm_min)) For example, if we assume a maximum signal strength of -20 dBm and a minimum signal strength of -85 dBm, then the percentage value can be calculated using linear interpolation as follows: We can even adjust the model to consider only the range of dBm values that we expect to see in practice. To see signal strengths as high as -20 dBm you must be located right next to the AP, but on the other hand, how weak of a signal can be “heard” by the receiver will depend on the receiver’s sensitivity and noise floor (the background noise).Īt this point, it seems natural to perform a simple one-to-one conversion to express dBm values as percentage, for example: 0 dBm = 100%, -1 dBm = 99%, -2 dBm = 98%, …, -98 dBm = 2%, -99 dBm = 1%, no signal = 0%. Also, in practice, typical dBm measurements range approximately from -20 to -95 dBm. By now you can conclude that the closer the dBm value is to 0, the stronger the signal is. In the context of 802.11 networks, a signal received at -40 dBm (0.0001 mW) would be considered a very strong signal, while a signal received at -80 dBm (0.00000001 mW) would be considered very weak. In an inverse manner, to convert dDm to milliwatts values you would use: You can convert milliwatts values to dBm using the formula: It makes it possible to express both very large and very small values in a short form: dBm is a unit of comparison and we use it to compare a signal to 1 milliwatt of power. In fact, this is the reason we use dBm instead. Unfortunately, it is not how it works.īecause of physics and Isaac Newton’s Inverse-Square Law, signals attenuate very rapidly within just a few meters away from the transmitter and they will always measure below 1 mW at the receiver, making it impractical to use percentage values this way. So, if the AP is transmitting at 100 mW for example, 90% would mean the transmitted signal is being received at 90 mW, 80% at 80 mW, and so on. It should also help clarify why percentage values in WiFi Explorer might look so different when we compare them to the values we see in other tools.īefore we start discussing how the conversion works, let’s ask ourselves the following question: when we say that a network has 75% signal strength, what does that mean? Let’s assume for a moment that such value represents the percentage of transmitted power at which the signal is being received. The purpose of this blog is to describe this conversion process in WiFi Explorer. Move your Wi-Fi transmission to a different, less-crowded channel.įor more details and other tips, see our article on boosting your Wi-Fi signal and improving your internet speed.WiFi Explorer, as well as other wireless scanning tools, provides an option to display signal strength in dBm or percentage values.Ensure the router's antennae are positioned optimally.Make sure your Wi-Fi router is positioned in a central place in your home or office.If your Wi-Fi signal is weak, there are a lot of possible causes, and your troubleshooting options are extensive. This is the lowest possible value that will make a connection between the router and computer, but it's too weak to be useful for any online service. This is the lowest value that will deliver acceptable results for most online services. Anything from -30 dBm to -50 dBm is excellent and is often about as high as you can get. This is the maximum signal strength you could achieve, and it probably means you are within a couple feet of the Wi-Fi router. Here are some guidelines for assessing your signal strength:
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