From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Sun Jun 24 21:38:19 2007 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [69.147.83.52]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9111416A400 for ; Sun, 24 Jun 2007 21:38:19 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from al@starfishzone.com) Received: from mail.starfishzone.com (mail.starfishzone.com [81.187.184.167]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id D9F5B13C4B8 for ; Sun, 24 Jun 2007 21:38:18 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from al@starfishzone.com) Received: (qmail 12104 invoked by uid 1013); 24 Jun 2007 21:38:17 -0000 Received: from 81.2.81.105 by linckia.starfishzone.com (envelope-from , uid 88) with qmail-scanner-1.25 (clamdscan: 0.90.3-exp/3507. Clear:RC:1(81.2.81.105):. Processed in 0.162101 secs); 24 Jun 2007 21:38:17 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO ?192.168.1.8?) (andrew.liles@starfishzone.com@81.2.81.105) by 0 with SMTP; 24 Jun 2007 21:38:17 -0000 Message-ID: <467EE448.2010301@starfishzone.com> Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2007 22:38:16 +0100 From: Andrew Liles User-Agent: Thunderbird 1.5.0.12 (Windows/20070509) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org References: <46797FE3.7030805@starfishzone.com> <4679877F.5040704@tundraware.com> In-Reply-To: <4679877F.5040704@tundraware.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.5 Subject: Re: What's the best diagnostic utility for wireless signal? X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2007 21:38:19 -0000 Tim Daneliuk wrote: > Andrew Liles wrote: > >> I use wireless on a FreeBSD 6.1 box in an area of low signal to my >> Access Point. >> I want to be able to inspect the signal strength/quality so that I may >> adjust the antenna to get best results. What is the best diagnostic to >> use? >> >> For instance: >> wicontrol wi0 >> produces: >> ... >> Comms quality/signal/noise: [ 28 47 1 ] >> dBm Coms Quality: [ 14 -85 -99 ] >> ... >> >> but what is "good" or which numbers should I be seeking maximise or >> minimise? >> > > Here's a less analytical way that may work if you have marginal signal strength: > > 1) Connect wirelessly > 2) Start pinging a site near you (to mimimize delay effects over the larger internet) > 3) Move the antenna around to see where ping delays minimize across > > Similarly, you can do the same thing with traceroute which is even better because it > shows delay at each step of the route. > > This is a quick-and-dirty scheme that may not always provide best results, but it's easy > and a good way to get started.... > For the use of others: By using a graphical meter on a Windows box, I tested different orientations of my Access Point. Empirically I have found: you get this when the Access Point is off: Comms quality/signal/noise: [ 0 0 1 ] dBm Coms Quality: [ 0 -100 -99 ] this is when the signal is poor: Comms quality/signal/noise: [ 14 27 1 ] dBm Coms Quality: [ 7 -91 -99 ] and this when signal is better: Comms quality/signal/noise: [ 52 83 1 ] dBm Coms Quality: [ 26 -73 -99 ] So, in the absence of anything better information, I'd recommend you maximise each of the numbers shown in the above categories shown by the command: wicontrol wi0 Doug points out that these numbers only appear with some drivers - mine is an "INTERSIL HFA384x" using the "wi" driver on FreeBSD 6.1