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Forum Discussion
Wi-Fi signal power
I've been using the Steren Wi-Fi display tester to measure the signal power of Wi-Fi routers/modems that this device can see inside my residence. My current router/modem, when I enable the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi at 100% power, on this tester, only register -40dBm. It appears that there are a number of wireless routers/modems near my home, that this tester shows upwards of -50dBm.
Is this expected? I ask because I am concerned with all these devices having such significant power levels within my home.
6 Replies
Try a different app to compare results between apps.
Lexie1960 wrote:I've been using the Steren Wi-Fi display tester to measure the signal power of Wi-Fi routers/modems that this device can see inside my residence. My current router/modem, when I enable the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi at 100% power, on this tester, only register -40dBm. It appears that there are a number of wireless routers/modems near my home, that this tester shows upwards of -50dBm.
Is this expected? I ask because I am concerned with all these devices having such significant power levels within my home.
You have your perspective upside down. The -50 dBm signal is a less powerful (weaker) signal than the -40 dBm signal. Often when standing right adjacent to a router, the measured signal power is in the -20 to -25 dBm range.
Check out appendix G of the reference document below.
https://www.duckware.com/tech/wifi-in-the-us.html
Thank you for your response. I do know that the larger the negative number, the less power is received.
My issue, which i may not have made clear, is that these signals, other than my own router/modem, seem to be very close to my values even though they are inside of another dwelling.
I will look at the appendix.
Lexie1960 wrote:Thank you for your response. I do know that the larger the negative number, the less power is received.
My issue, which i may not have made clear, is that these signals, other than my own router/modem, seem to be very close to my values even though they are inside of another dwelling.
I will look at the appendix.
That is the crowded radio frequency environment many of us live in today. Imagine if you lived in an apartment or condominium and were separated from your neighbors by a single wall on two sides and a ceiling/floor on the other two sides?
I live in a housing development with neighbor dwellings as close as 50 feet. In parts of my home, usually near a window, the Wi-Fi power level from my neighbors router is stronger than that from my own router in another part of the house.
