# UDP: 3 different types of RSSI?

**URL:** <https://community.tempest.earth/t/udp-3-different-types-of-rssi/2959>\
**Category:** Tempest Owners\
**Tags:** rssi\
**Created:** [January 11, 2019, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/udp-3-different-types-of-rssi/2959 "2019-01-11T14:44:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![wpns](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tempest.earth/wpns/32/3992_2.png) [@wpns](https://community.tempest.earth/u/wpns)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/udp-3-different-types-of-rssi/2959/1 "2019-01-11T14:44:37Z")

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So there seem to be three different flavors of RSSI:

Hub RSSI as reported in hub\_status is the WiFi signal strength at the hub, that it uses to connect to the Internet.

Device RSSI as reported in device\_status is the signal strength of the wireless link between the device and the hub.

But device\_status also lists hub\_rssi, which is neither of the above, and varies between 0 for my AIR and -94 for my SKY

Can anyone confirm the above, and tell me what the third RSSI is?

Also, what’s reasonable numbers for these? My Hub (WiFi) RSSI is -79 which appears to be good. My AIR is -57, which appears to be OK, and my SKY is -87, which would explain the dropouts (it’s on the other side of a metal roof).

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![vinceskahan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tempest.earth/vinceskahan/32/2785_2.png) [@vinceskahan](https://community.tempest.earth/u/vinceskahan)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 3:17pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/udp-3-different-types-of-rssi/2959/2 "2019-01-11T15:17:35Z")

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This was discussed a few months back, but hub\_rssi was at one point going to be the signal strength between air/sky and hub, as measured by the air/sky on their side. One of them actually reports zero if I remember correctly, but David said neither of those actually adds any value it seems.

The RSSI values for air/sky are the signal strength of the sensors as detected by the hub  
The RSSI value for the hub is the wifi signal strength to the LAN as detected by the hub

Your values are super low for hub+sky, with the sky borderline not usable probably. You’d typically want to see values no worse than -60 or so, although there’s no hard value that I’m aware of.

I’d probably suggest starting with relocating your hub to get better wifi connection to your LAN, then see where the numbers are. You might also have 2.4GHz channel overlap with your neighbors etc. that is messing that up. (yet another reason many of us have asked for 5GHz or wired ethernet support, as the 2.4GHz channels so frequently get messed up by misconfigured neighbors).

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**Author:** ![GaryFunk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tempest.earth/garyfunk/32/5729_2.png) [@GaryFunk](https://community.tempest.earth/u/GaryFunk)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 4:25pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/udp-3-different-types-of-rssi/2959/3 "2019-01-11T16:25:43Z")

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Read this topic for a better understanding:

[https://community.tempest.earth/t/air-hub-rssi-reports-zero-edited-was-sky/2037?u=garyfunk](https://community.tempest.earth/t/air-hub-rssi-reports-zero-edited-was-sky/2037)

and

> [@Interim firmware update: v49](https://community.tempest.earth/t/interim-firmware-update-v49/1408/16):
>
> Ouch. The Air and Sky RSSI values should be higher than -80. Move the Hub to area and try to raise it to -70.

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**Author:** ![wpns](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tempest.earth/wpns/32/3992_2.png) [@wpns](https://community.tempest.earth/u/wpns)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 12:28pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/udp-3-different-types-of-rssi/2959/4 "2019-01-14T12:28:12Z")

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OK, I’ve moved my Hub, and now get:

hub\_status.rssi = -70

device\_status.AR-00000403.hub\_rssi = 0  
device\_status.AR-00000403.rssi = -59

device\_status.SK-00011976.hub\_rssi = -78  
device\_status.SK-00011976.rssi = -71

Concrete walls and a metal roof mean I’m probably not going to get much better without a weatherproof housing so I can put the Hub and maybe a WiFi AP on the roof, and then I’ll need a radiation shield so I can put my AIR up there too. #IfYouGiveAMouseACookie

Thanks!
