Test your wifi signal

How to Measure Your Wi-Fi Signal Strength

An MIT graduate who brings years of technical experience to articles on SEO, computers, and wireless networking.

Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years’ experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.

In This Article

What to Know

• In Windows, go to Network and Internet >Network and Sharing Center. Select the blue Wi-Fi link to see the signal strength.
• On Mac, the Wi-Fi indicator is located in the upper-right corner of the screen in the menu bar.
• On Linux systems, use the following command: iwconfig wlan0 | grep -i —color signal.

This guide explains how to check Wi-Fi signal strength on a variety of platforms. These instructions apply to currently supported versions of Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.

How to Measure Your Wi-Fi Signal Strength

The performance of a Wi-Fi wireless network connection depends on the radio signal strength. On the path between the wireless access point and a connected device, the signal strength in each direction determines the data rate available on that link.

Use the following methods to determine the signal strength of your Wi-Fi connection and find ways to improve the Wi-Fi reception of your connected devices. Different tools may show different results. These variations are caused by differences in how the utilities collect samples and the timing used to report an overall rating.

Network bandwidth isn’t the same as signal strength. Network bandwidth is the speed you get from your internet service provider (ISP). Signal strength determines the functionality of the hardware connected to the network and the range a Wi-Fi network typically has throughout an area.

Use a Built-in Operating System Utility

Microsoft Windows and other operating systems contain a built-in utility to monitor wireless network connections. This is the quickest and easiest way to measure Wi-Fi strength.

In newer versions of Windows, select the network icon on the taskbar to see the wireless network you’re connected to. Five bars indicate the signal strength of the connection—one bar is the poorest connection, and five is the best.

To find the network connection in modern versions of Windows, open Control Panel and go to Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center, and select the blue Wi-Fi link to see the Wi-Fi strength.

On a Mac, the Wi-Fi indicator is located in the upper-right corner of the screen in the menu bar. One bar is the poorest connection, and three is the best.

On Linux systems, use the following command to display the signal level in the terminal window:

iwconfig wlan0 | grep -i —color signal

The output in terminal is displayed as a dB value. The more negative the value, the worse the signal strength. Anything from -50 dBm to -70 dBm is considered great to decent signal strength.

Use a Smartphone or Tablet

Any mobile device that is internet capable has a section in the settings that shows the strength of the Wi-Fi networks in range. For example, on an iPhone, open the Settings app and go to Wi-Fi to see the Wi-Fi strength of the network you’re on and the signal strength of any network that’s in range.

A similar method can be used on an Android phone or tablet. Look under a Settings, Wi-Fi, or Network menu. For example, in the settings on a Google Pixel with Android 10, select Network & internet, select the Wi-Fi you’re using, and then select the gear icon next to the network you’re connected to. There you can see the signal strength.

Another option is to download a free app such as Wifi Analyzer for Android, which shows the Wi-Fi strength visually in dBm compared to other nearby networks. Similar options are available for other platforms.

Open Your Wireless Adapter’s Utility Program

Some manufacturers of wireless network hardware or notebook computers provide software applications that monitor wireless signal strength. These applications report signal strength and quality based on a percentage from zero to 100 percent and additional detail tailored specifically to the hardware.

The operating system utility and the vendor hardware utility may display the same information in different formats. For example, a connection with an excellent 5-bar rating in Windows may show in the vendor software as excellent with a percentage rating anywhere between 80 and 100 percent. Vendor utilities can often tap into extra hardware instrumentation to precisely calculate radio signal levels as measured in decibels (dB).

Wi-Fi Locators Are Another Option

A Wi-Fi locator device scans radio frequencies in the local area and detects the signal strength of nearby wireless access points. Wi-Fi locators exist in the form of small hardware gadgets that fit on a keychain.

Most Wi-Fi locators use a set of between four and six LEDs to indicate signal strength in units of bars similar to the Windows utility. Unlike the above methods, however, Wi-Fi locator devices do not measure the strength of a connection but instead, only predict the strength of a connection.

To boost a Wi-Fi signal, try repositioning your router to avoid interference. You can also change the Wi-Fi channel numbers, update your router firmware, upgrade the antennas on your router, add a signal amplifier, use a wireless access point, or try a Wi-Fi extender.

Reset your Wi-Fi by restarting your router and modem. Unplug the router and modem and wait about 30 seconds. Then, plug in the modem and power it on. Wait 60 seconds, plug in the router, and power it on. Wait about two minutes before testing or using the devices.

To find your Wi-Fi password in Windows 10, navigate to the Network and Sharing Center, select Connections, and your network. In Wireless Network Properties, go to Security, select Show characters, and view the Wi-Fi password. On a Mac, access the Keychain Access app and select System > Passwords; double-click the network > Show password.

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WiFi signal strength test: your guide to a better WiFi experience

If your WiFi has been an added source of frustration lately with longer load times or dropped Zoom calls, your WiFi signal strength is likely the issue. A weak WiFi signal— when left unfixed— can lead to the dropouts, slower speeds, and unreliable connection that we could all use a bit less of nowadays, especially if you’re working from home. To get a better idea as to where your WiFi is underperforming and how you can fix it, follow the steps below on how to both check and test your WiFi signal strength.

How to check your WiFi signal strength

You’ll want to look for the universal WiFi symbol in the upper right-hand corner of your device to gauge your current signal strength. Generally, this indicator appears as four to five curved bars stacked on top of each other- the more bars that are filled in, the stronger your connection.

Don’t just check your phone, either. You’ll want to see how other devices, like your laptop or tablet, are receiving signal as well:

• On a Mac, the WiFi indicator is still located in the upper-right corner of the screen in the menu bar, but you’ll need to hold down the option key to see the dBm measure in the RSSI entry field.
• In Windows, go to Network and Internet, and then Network and Sharing Center. Select the blue WiFi link to see the signal strength.
• On an Android phone or tablet. Look under Settings,WiFi, or Network, and search for a gear or WiFi icon next to the network you’re connected to.

How to test WiFi Signal strength

Now that you’ve found a baseline for where your signal strength lands, you can test your WiFi in one of two ways: manually, or with an app.

If you’re a do-it-yourself type of person — and don’t mind that your results will not be as precise — you can simply walk through your home holding each device to see where the signal increases or decreases (based on the number of bars that appear). This will give you a good idea about where in your space your WiFi signal is the strongest, and approximately how far you can travel away from your router before your connection takes a dive.

For a more comprehensive, specific look at your WiFi signal strength, you’ll want to use an online WiFi analyzer tool or leverage a mobile app like the Minim® app , which tracks your WiFi signal strength and gives you indicators per device:

Minim app users can then click into a certain device to track its WiFi signal strength performance in the past hour, day, and week:

Now, while tools like this will do most of the work for you, it may still be beneficial to understand a few of the basic WiFi signal measurements.

How is WiFi signal strength measured?

Signal strength can be measured in a variety of ways, the most common of which are decibel milliwatts (dBm) and Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI). Since many manufacturers convert RSSI to dBm anyway, we’ll focus our attention there.

The most important thing to understand about dBm is that it is displayed in negative values, so there will always be a minus sign in front. The scale runs from -30 (a perfect connection) to -90 (unable to connect at all).

What is a good WiFi signal strength?

The average home should be looking to fall within the -60 dBm to -50 dBm range . The minimum strength that you will want to maintain is -67 dBm, which will still allow you to enjoy most online activities with a reliable connection.

If your signal falls outside of the -67 dBm to -30dBm range, however, you’ll want to start exploring options for boosting your WiFi signal strength.

How to improve WiFi signal strength

Testing the strength of your WiFi signal is the first step towards a faster, more reliable connection. There are many things that you can do to improve your WiFi signal once you’ve measured it, including:

• Re-locating your router to a more central location in your home
• Updating your router firmware to the latest version
• Switching between the two WiFi frequency bands (2.4 GHz is ideal for coverage; 5 GHz is ideal for speed)
• Choosing a better WiFi channel (Here’s a guide on how to find the best WiFi channel)

If you’ve discovered that you can only travel a short distance from your router without losing signal strength, it may also be worth looking into a WiFi system for a mesh network setup to easily patch that range gap. Now that you understand how to test your WiFi signal strength, the opportunities for improvement are endless.

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