Wireless: "Link Quality" vs "Signal Strength" question.

[ArmchairAthlete]

If your "Link Quality" is at 100% or very close to it, does "Signal Strength" even matter?

I'm asking because one PC on my wireless network I just set up only gets 50-70% Signal Strength, but always has 100% or like 98% Link Quality. I'm wondering if the low Signal Strength would slow it down even if it has 100% Link Quality.

Thanks!

 

[ktwebb]

Link quality = Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), or to break it down, how much noise or interference there is vs your point to point link. If your utility software will give you the strength in db's rather than a percentage it is much easier to decipher as far as strength goes. Your AP manual should give you a chart with what the signalling rate is at variant db levels. Then you factor in SNR, which if your running high SNR levels, or quality, it means you don't have much or any other 2.4 noise in your environment. It's gets a bit complex but if your quality (SNR) is good, your in pretty good shape. Different Mfg AP's will vary as to what the numbers mean in relationship to the overall performance of your link. In my experience with many many site surveys and 2.4 installations high SNR numbers are more important than the strength. Cisco AP's for instance will maintain an 11 Mb signalling rate with strength in the teens. Your actual throughput will suffer some but when your quality starts to drop, where noise is introduced, your total link quality is generally poor and you need to start looking at different placement options of the AP with dipoles or external antennas.

 

[ArmchairAthlete]

WHoa, think you may have lost me there . Yea where I have the two PCs that are wireless on my network one gets 85% Signal Strength, the other 70% and both 100% Link Quality (probably since we have no 2.4ghz phones or other junk). They browse the net at full speed for our connection as far as I can tell. Seem perfectly fine to me.