In the past, we recommended NirSoft’s WifiInfoView to inspect Wi-Fi channels, and it also gets the nod for checking Wi-Fi strength.
Test wireless signal strength how to#
RELATED: How to Generate a Wi-Fi History or WLAN Report in Windows 10 Windows 10 and 11 don’t have a built-in way to view precise signal strength, although the netsh wlan show interface command gives you your signal strength as a percentage. Open the app and look for the networks found.
Test wireless signal strength android#
Decibels relative to milliwatt (dBm) avoids these problems, and many manufacturers convert RSSI to dBm anyway, so we’ll cover that measurement.įor Android users, Wi-Fi Analyzer is a step easier. Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) is another option, but Wi-Fi vendors handle it inconsistently and with varying scales. The most accurate measurement is milliwatts (mW), but it’s also the hardest to read due to the number of decimal places (0.0001 mW). You can measure a Wi-Fi signal in multiple ways. If you want to dig deeper into the strength of your Wi-Fi, you’ll need to use an app or program (like the AirPort Utility app or Wi-Fi Analyzer) to measure its decibels relative to a milliwatt (dBm). Looking at bars in a symbol will only tell you so much. The More Advanced (and Precise) Method to Check Wi-Fi Strength It’s a rudimentary check, but for most cases, it will suffice. Pay attention to when your Wi-Fi bars increase and decrease. Keep track of how far you are from the router, and how many walls there are between it and you. If you’ve determined your Wi-Fi connection is weak in a particular spot, the next thing to do is walk around and pay attention to the Wi-Fi bars on your smartphone or tablet. If you have similar results with both, you have an excellent baseline to use.
Compare internet performance on both devices and see what they display for Wi-Fi strength. If you checked a phone, consider testing a tablet, too. But it’s worth consulting a second, or even third device. Usually, four or five curved lines make up the Wi-Fi symbol, and the more that are filled, the stronger the connection.Įvery phone, tablet, and laptop is different and may indicate a different Wi-Fi strength. Whether it’s using an iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac, or Windows PC, you should have a Wi-Fi connection indicator. To check the strength of your Wi-Fi, the first thing to do is look at the device having issues.
Checking Wi-Fi Signal Strength the Easy Way If the ethernet connection is fine and a router reset didn’t help, then it’s time to check signal strength. If you still have issues, the network is the problem. Try using the internet with a device connected through ethernet. If the problem persists, the next step is to check if Wi-Fi is the problem.