My SB3 wireless signal strength varies from 56% to 33%???

Captain Humble · « **on:** 14 Jan 2006, 02:37 pm »

My SB3 wireless signal strength varies from 56% to 33%.
Why?
What to do?
Thanks.
Jeff

Paul_Bui · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 Jan 2006, 03:44 pm »

I tried better antennas such as Hawking 6dbi or Linksys 7dbi, and the signal strength went up from low 80% to over 90%. After replacing stock with better antennas, I noticed a lower noise floor heard from speakers.

Better yet, I tried a Linksys Access Point used as a repeater, and the signal strength has been 99% to 100%. I've been happy ever since.

BRN · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Jan 2006, 03:00 am »

Paul_Bui,

Thanks for the information. My SB2 has been running with a signal strength of about 50% and was wondering what the effect was on my SB. I ordered a repeater and hopefully that will make a nice change to the sound.

Did you change the antenna on the router and SB or do you have the SB3 with the internal antenna?

Tweaker · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 Jan 2006, 03:43 am »

Improving from a 50% signal strength to 100% won't make any difference in sound quality. I think at 50% you might be slightly more prone to dropouts so adding a repeater is not a bad idea. I did the same thing when I realized my signal strength was not going to get much better than 50%. I now average 98% but there was not the slightest increase in sound quality as a result that I could detect.

Captain Humble · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 Jan 2006, 09:54 am »

Thanks guys.
I'll get a repeater.

Folsom · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Jan 2006, 10:58 am »

Closed metal shell doors will kill a signal. However I would not be concerned about 30-50% area changes, as I would be for having decent connection, hopefully MUCH higher then the 50%'s.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Jan 2006, 02:22 pm »

I have ceramic tile on much of my main floor, and knowing that is laid over thinset concrete... that was inhibiting the signal strength in to my basement... my repeater has solved the issue - went from 28-90% signal strength.

I would experiment with repeater placement - you might be surprised to find which places actually give you the best coverage - I figured that with the router on the 2nd floor, and the system in the basement, that my best bet would be with the repeater on the main floor. Nope, for me, it works best IN the basement, in line of sight to the SB3.

BRN · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 Jan 2006, 05:13 pm »

What is the signal srength between the router and repeater? Because having the repeater near the SB would show a high signal strength, but the signal strength between the repeater and router may be lower.

Paul_Bui · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 Jan 2006, 05:44 pm »

Good question!

mcgsxr · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 Jan 2006, 06:26 pm »

No way for me to tell, as the repeater does not inform me what the incoming signal would be - I assume that it would be the 33-50% I show without it.

Folsom · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 Jan 2006, 07:33 pm »

Quote from: mcgsxr

No way for me to tell, as the repeater does not inform me what the incoming signal would be - I assume that it would be the 33-50% I show without it.

Can you plug your squeeze box in where the repeater is at to guage it? (I know it will not be close enough for music but that is not the point)

BRN · « **Reply #11 on:** 15 Jan 2006, 08:20 pm »

The repeater should have some type of utility program that monitors the signal strength of the repeater. I know that D-Link repeater that I ordered does this and I would think that other brands would have something similar. Signal strength does not translate into the minimum needed for the SB. It also depends on signal quality. You could have a signal that is 100%, but has a lot of noise that degrades the data being transferred to the SB. The only problem I have had with dropout if when I'm burning CDs to my hard drive and the processor is being taxed to it max, but I'm a tweaker and have to make changes that I think benefit my system.

lcrim · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 Jan 2006, 11:05 pm »

Packet switched networks such as wireless ethernet do not operate like an FM tuner. There is no good, better, best. If connectivity is achieved, it is bit perfect or the packets could not be reasembled. It does not matter what the signal strength is, if you are connected then you receive all the data. Speculations about signal strength equating to better sound quality have no basis. This is not opinion, it is the way it is. This communication that I am typing will arrive at the server, bit perfect or the internet would not work.

BRN · « **Reply #13 on:** 16 Jan 2006, 12:29 am »

You have to remember that if your signal strength is low your transfer rate could be reduced to a level that does not support the required data rate for the medium being transferred, i.e. wav requires a higher transfer rate then flac and mp3 files.