Noticed something this evening..

[BradDroid]

Today I was in town and I was checking the dBm signal strength and noticed something strange.

First off, its my understanding that the higer the number the better, ie; -68 > -100.

So, in town I was getting a signal strength reading of -68 dBm and the status bar was showing full. Anyways, I have been having trouble with the bars reading at home. (see my previous thread) At home the reading is -101 to sometimes -104 but the bars show between 3 and 4 here at the house with little fluctuation.

If any of you understand that reading I'd love a better explanation that what I found on google. Also, could you guys post your readings? I'm wondering if theres something near my house disrupting my signal, because I'm way too close to a tower to be getting these readings.

Thanks.

 

[windstrings]

Today I was in town and I was checking the dBm signal strength and noticed something strange.

First off, its my understanding that the higer the number the better, ie; -68 > -100.

So, in town I was getting a signal strength reading of -68 dBm and the status bar was showing full. Anyways, I have been having trouble with the bars reading at home. (see my previous thread) At home the reading is -101 to sometimes -104 but the bars show between 3 and 4 here at the house with little fluctuation.

If any of you understand that reading I'd love a better explanation that what I found on google. Also, could you guys post your readings? I'm wondering if theres something near my house disrupting my signal, because I'm way too close to a tower to be getting these readings.

Thanks.

there is a cool app called "wifianalyzer"

You can see all frequencies and tell where the strongest signals prevail in a localized area as well as what frequencies are open should you want to set up a new network.

You can view graphs too... based on what that app shows.... anything in the -100db range is pretty weak. In fact -90 is pretty sucky.

 

[BradDroid]

...
You can view graphs too... based on what that app shows.... anything in the -100db range is pretty weak. In fact -90 is pretty sucky.

Interesting. Then why do my bars show 3 to full? Also, do these numbers reflect data speed or is only related to voice?

 

[Technoman]

...
You can view graphs too... based on what that app shows.... anything in the -100db range is pretty weak. In fact -90 is pretty sucky.

Interesting. Then why do my bars show 3 to full? Also, do these numbers reflect data speed or is only related to voice?

Remember, there is a sweet spot in the DB spectrum. You can get a signal that is too "HOT" and it will actually be just as bad as a weak signal.

I am not sure for the 3G/Verizon world what the "sweet spot" is, but I am showing a -92 at my house. I have 3 bars (not full) and on occasion I do drop to 1x. I looked out to see if I could find the optimal db levels, but was not able to find anything. I would take a guess that it would be somewhere between -45 to -69 db. If you were to get "HOTTER" than -45 (say -25db) you would begin to see issues with noise. Noise gets amplified as the signal gets better, and gets induced as signal gets worse.

 

[hacku]

Actually the higher the number would be weaker signal. So -100dBm is weaker than -68dBm.

 

[lemodular]

Actually the higher the number would be weaker signal. So -100dBm is weaker than -68dBm.

I think the posters are referring to the "negative" values.

 

[Technoman]

Actually the higher the number would be weaker signal. So -100dBm is weaker than -68dBm.

I think the posters are referring to the "negative" values.

UMMMM... if you read my post you will discover that is exactly what I said.

HOTTER signal is just that HOT = STRONG.... and DB needs to stay in the negative ranges to be usable. If you go into the positive range for db, it would not even be a usable signal.

 

[BradDroid]

....

I am not sure for the 3G/Verizon world what the "sweet spot" is, but I am showing a -92 at my house. I have 3 bars (not full) and on occasion I do drop to 1x. I looked out to see if I could find the optimal db levels, but was not able to find anything. I would take a guess that it would be somewhere between -45 to -69 db. If you were to get "HOTTER" than -45 (say -25db) you would begin to see issues with noise. Noise gets amplified as the signal gets better, and gets induced as signal gets worse.

Ahh...I do that on occasion. Not very often, but it does happen.

Let me ask you.. when a call comes in and say your phone is reading 3 to 4 bars do they gray out (go completely away) when you answer?

 

[Technoman]

....

I am not sure for the 3G/Verizon world what the "sweet spot" is, but I am showing a -92 at my house. I have 3 bars (not full) and on occasion I do drop to 1x. I looked out to see if I could find the optimal db levels, but was not able to find anything. I would take a guess that it would be somewhere between -45 to -69 db. If you were to get "HOTTER" than -45 (say -25db) you would begin to see issues with noise. Noise gets amplified as the signal gets better, and gets induced as signal gets worse.

Ahh...I do that on occasion. Not very often, but it does happen.

Let me ask you.. when a call comes in and say your phone is reading 3 to 4 bars do they gray out (go completely away) when you answer?

I haven't really looked or noticed that. I really don't have any call related issues with my phone, only slow data issues when it drops down to 1x.

 

[BradDroid]

Just a quick update here....I spoke with a very helpful vzw customer service Rep a little bit ago and she had to manually reset the prl on my Droid. After we disconnected a *228 opt. 2 changed my prl to a vz based prl. I'm hoping this solves my reception issues at my house.

 

[windstrings]

Just a quick update here....I spoke with a very helpful vzw customer service Rep a little bit ago and she had to manually reset the prl on my Droid. After we disconnected a *228 opt. 2 changed my prl to a vz based prl. I'm hoping this solves my reception issues at my house.

Which vocodec are you running?

 

[windstrings]

...
You can view graphs too... based on what that app shows.... anything in the -100db range is pretty weak. In fact -90 is pretty sucky.

Interesting. Then why do my bars show 3 to full? Also, do these numbers reflect data speed or is only related to voice?

Well there are two different icons.. one if for voice and it has vertical bars ||||

While the wifi has a beam pattern of horizontal lines starting small and getting longer as they go out.

When on wifi, I"m honestly not sure if voice is patched through that or not... I don't think so.

But Wifi is in large your internet interactions and I don't think affect voice.

In other words if you were in a "no call coverage" area but had good wifi from a house or store, I don't know if you you could make calls....

I'm sure someone can pipe in that knows.

But if your seeing readings -100 or so, as you can see from that app I mentioned, it goes off the scale at -100 "as in being too weak to bother with"

 

[BradDroid]

I just tried the ##program to change the vocodec but it asked for a spc password?

Is the password unique to the prl?
Is there another way to change the vocodec?

 

[Technoman]

Just a quick update here....I spoke with a very helpful vzw customer service Rep a little bit ago and she had to manually reset the prl on my Droid. After we disconnected a *228 opt. 2 changed my prl to a vz based prl. I'm hoping this solves my reception issues at my house.

Brad,
Did you keep the details on how to reset the prl? I think that would be good to post so that others can try it. I used to do a *228 whenever I was in a different area (even if they had good Verizon coverage). It supposedly allows the phone to find the towers.

Anytime I try a *228 with my Droid it doesn't go through.

 

[BradDroid]

Just a quick update here....I spoke with a very helpful vzw customer service Rep a little bit ago and she had to manually reset the prl on my Droid. After we disconnected a *228 opt. 2 changed my prl to a vz based prl. I'm hoping this solves my reception issues at my house.

Brad,
Did you keep the details on how to reset the prl? I think that would be good to post so that others can try it. I used to do a *228 whenever I was in a different area (even if they had good Verizon coverage). It supposedly allows the phone to find the towers.

Anytime I try a *228 with my Droid it doesn't go through.

Yeah. You have to call Verizon and speak to a tech. They gave me some website to go to, but it wouldn't work. So they just sent an update. The phone flickered 1x service a few times and then about 5 minutes later I did a *228 opt. 2. and was good to go. the prl reset to 51739. Previous it was 65085 a former alltell prl.

I went from -100- -104 at my house to -84- -90.