[kismac] Re: Signal strength
- From: Robin L Darroch <robin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: kismac@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 2 Mar 2006 00:05:05 +0800
At 6:46 AM +0800 2006-03-01, Robin L Darroch wrote:
I agree that it should be optional, but the problem you're describing
shouldn't be an issue unless you've *never* picked up any network other
than your weak target network since installing that adapter in KisMAC.
Otherwise, the weak network will still give you very low scaled
numbers compared with the strong network that you picked up
once-upon-a-time.
If you're trying to help someone debug their wireless network
problems and you're using their computer as part of that process,
then this situation is actually quite likely.
True - and that's a very good reason to make it optional. :)
Of course, even with auto-scaling, it may be completely
inappropriate to use that for comparison between cards -- I know
that on my TiBook, an Apple Airport card does quite badly, because
of how and where Apple situated the antenna, and the fact that the
case is now all metal.
Another reason to make it optional... but it really doesn't matter
how each card does in different computers: if KisMAC just auto-ranges
based on the strongest and weakest signals recieved by that adapter
on that computer, then each user gets their own appropriate 1-100
scale, where 100="strongest I've ever seen" and 1="weakest I've ever
seen while still seeing something".
I won't get into what kinds of signal strength differences I
see with all the other types of cards I have -- I've got way, way,
way too many different types of cards for that.
Yep - and each one will develop its own range. That's not to say
that a given network will result in exactly the same auto-scaled
strength for all adapters: there will still be the case of individual
adapter receiver thresholds, not to mention the significantly higher
threshold required for an active scan to pick up a network... but at
least you can get a quick idea of which networks you're picking up
strongly and which ones are weak without having to remember that on
this particular adapter "40" is strong, whereas on another adapter
"40" is very weak.
--
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Robin L. Darroch - PO Box 2715, South Hedland WA 6722 - +61 421 503 966
robin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx - robin@xxxxxxxxxxx - robin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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