Wifi Siganl Stength Meter

[AC Question]

We use Luxul XAP-1500's, a XAP-1210 and wireless controllers. I have a Galaxy S5 Android phone. I use inSSIDer to find my signal strength when positioning my AP's. As most people we often glance at the wifi signal meter on the top of all devices. First question is, that meter icon on the top of the Galxy S5 or an iPhone 5, 6, is that a gauge of signal strength for the AP that you are connected to?? Next will different AP's show up different? At this project, where I can be connected to a XAP-1500, I will open inSSIDer and be getting strength in the 42 - 48dbm and the wifi meter shows all 4 bars, at the same time the signal meter on the top of the S5 shows 1 dot out of 5 bars. I can watch it go up to 3 and then down to none. Meanwhile the inSSIDer is still up at 48dbm. Also the customer tells me the iPhone does the same thing. It will go full bars and then drops off to nothing. Is this something that the controller is doing with the AP's, or is it something that the XAP-1500 themselves do to present the connection different to the devices where they don't see the signal the same way as other signals.
Thank You,
Frank

 

[Rukbat]

First question is, that meter icon on the top of the Galxy S5 or an iPhone 5, 6, is that a gauge of signal strength for the AP that you are connected to??

In a manner of speaking. It's a totally uncalibrated indication, good for that phone only. If one phone gets 5 bars and another one gets 3 bnars, the one getting 3 bars may actually be getting a higher strength signal.

Next will different AP's show up different? At this project, where I can be connected to a XAP-1500, I will open inSSIDer and be getting strength in the 42 - 48dbm and the wifi meter shows all 4 bars, at the same time the signal meter on the top of the S5 shows 1 dot out of 5 bars. I can watch it go up to 3 and then down to none. Meanwhile the inSSIDer is still up at 48dbm.

That's what counts - the actual signal level, not the bars.

Also the customer tells me the iPhone does the same thing. It will go full bars and then drops off to nothing. Is this something that the controller is doing with the AP's, or is it something that the XAP-1500 themselves do to present the connection different to the devices where they don't see the signal the same way as other signals.

Or there's interference, or any of a number of other things. Radio propagation isn't as simple as this or that. Someone walking near the AP antenna could be absorbing enough signal to change the bars (which react quickly) without changing the signal strength indication (which usually updates once every 5 seconds or more).