cgilmartin
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Good way to test home wifi signal continuity?
I am mostly using iPads and iPhones connected to an AirPort Extreme and some express extenders throughout my home. I know that there are many reasons a wifi internet signal can go bad or drop off but I am wondering if there is a piece of software or hardware I can attach to the network that would ping constantly that would show a report of when (and for how long) I am losing internet on a regular basis.
Because my mobile devices also have cellular data it's hard to know if my internet connection is being lost. I have tried turning off cell data but I am looking for a more quantitative approach to understanding if I have a major issue.
Thanks
Because my mobile devices also have cellular data it's hard to know if my internet connection is being lost. I have tried turning off cell data but I am looking for a more quantitative approach to understanding if I have a major issue.
Thanks
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masnrock makes a very good point. If this might be your issue, then to take it a step further:
If you were operating in open space with no walls, etc. then the ideal placement of an extender would be "half way" between the access point and the client.
The idea is this:
First, we assume that the signal out of all 3 devices is equal .. probably not true but fine for a working assumption.
Then, we place the extender at a point where the signal from the Access Point and the signal from the client are equal. That means it's placed where the signal from each is maximum. Move it closer to the client and the AP signal drops; move it closer to the AP and the client signal drops .. and so forth.
This isn't a "broadcast radio" situation where all that matters is the AP signal. It's 2-way communication and the client signal matters just as much.
All fine in principle and a good way to create a mental picture.
It doesn't make much sense to cut it too finely. Just apply the idea in your implementation.
In practice you probably won't know the signal level from the client so applying this method directly using measurements might be difficult to accomplish.
You might use something like inSSIDer Home in a laptop to measure the signal level of the AP.
Doing this, an alternate method would be to measure the Access Point signal level at the client location.
Let's say it's -85dB (which is too low for communication and thus the need for an extender).
The signal level at the AP might be around-55dB.
So the difference is 24dB.
You would be looking for a place where the signal level from the Access Point is:
-55 -(24/2) = -67dB.
(-70 is the minimum signal level that's "acceptable for design purposes" so -67 is good).
If we assume that the client output is less than the AP output then an example changes things just a bit:
-55 dB at Access Point >> 12dB loss to the extender >> -67dB received at extender
-55 dB out at the Extender >> 12 dB loss to the client >> -67dB received at the client.
And the return path:
-60 dB out at the client >> 12dB loss to the extender >> -72dB received at extender <<< too low
-55 dB out at the extender >> 12dB loss to the AP >> -67dB received at the AP/
This isn't a reliable design because the signal level received at the extender from the client is too low.
So, you might need to put the extender closer to the client. Then the numbers might be:
-55 dB at Access Point >> 14 dB loss to the extender >> -69dB received at extender
-55 dB out at the Extender >> 10 dB loss to the client >> -65dB received at the client.
And the return path:
-60 dB out at the client >> 10dB loss to the extender >> -70dB received at extender
-55 dB out at the extender >> 14dB loss to the AP >> -69 dB received at the AP.
"Putting the extender closer to the client" is just one way to fix this. Adding some antenna gain to the client is another and likely better way.
This is very well explained and there are some good pictures at:
http://www.connect802.com/client_cards.htm
If you were operating in open space with no walls, etc. then the ideal placement of an extender would be "half way" between the access point and the client.
The idea is this:
First, we assume that the signal out of all 3 devices is equal .. probably not true but fine for a working assumption.
Then, we place the extender at a point where the signal from the Access Point and the signal from the client are equal. That means it's placed where the signal from each is maximum. Move it closer to the client and the AP signal drops; move it closer to the AP and the client signal drops .. and so forth.
This isn't a "broadcast radio" situation where all that matters is the AP signal. It's 2-way communication and the client signal matters just as much.
All fine in principle and a good way to create a mental picture.
It doesn't make much sense to cut it too finely. Just apply the idea in your implementation.
In practice you probably won't know the signal level from the client so applying this method directly using measurements might be difficult to accomplish.
You might use something like inSSIDer Home in a laptop to measure the signal level of the AP.
Doing this, an alternate method would be to measure the Access Point signal level at the client location.
Let's say it's -85dB (which is too low for communication and thus the need for an extender).
The signal level at the AP might be around-55dB.
So the difference is 24dB.
You would be looking for a place where the signal level from the Access Point is:
-55 -(24/2) = -67dB.
(-70 is the minimum signal level that's "acceptable for design purposes" so -67 is good).
If we assume that the client output is less than the AP output then an example changes things just a bit:
-55 dB at Access Point >> 12dB loss to the extender >> -67dB received at extender
-55 dB out at the Extender >> 12 dB loss to the client >> -67dB received at the client.
And the return path:
-60 dB out at the client >> 12dB loss to the extender >> -72dB received at extender <<< too low
-55 dB out at the extender >> 12dB loss to the AP >> -67dB received at the AP/
This isn't a reliable design because the signal level received at the extender from the client is too low.
So, you might need to put the extender closer to the client. Then the numbers might be:
-55 dB at Access Point >> 14 dB loss to the extender >> -69dB received at extender
-55 dB out at the Extender >> 10 dB loss to the client >> -65dB received at the client.
And the return path:
-60 dB out at the client >> 10dB loss to the extender >> -70dB received at extender
-55 dB out at the extender >> 14dB loss to the AP >> -69 dB received at the AP.
"Putting the extender closer to the client" is just one way to fix this. Adding some antenna gain to the client is another and likely better way.
This is very well explained and there are some good pictures at:
http://www.connect802.com/client_cards.htm
http://www.pingplotter.com/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer