For the right choice amplifier cellular communications(repeater) it is important to know in which of the ranges 890-960 MHz (GSM), 1710-1880 MHz (DCS) or 1885-2200 MHz (UMTS/3G) it operates mobile phone from the cellular operator's BS.

Reliable data on cellular signal levels can only be obtained using a measuring device or a telephone with a special engineering program by activating the "Net Monitor" function on your phone using special system commands

Net Monitor for iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5.

On iPhone models 5S and iPhone 5C GSM signal can be measured only in the complete absence of a 3G signal.

In dialing mode, dial the code *3001#12345#* then “Call”. Will open service mode Field Test.

Go to the tabs GSM Cell Environment -> GSM Cell info -> Neightboring Cell -> Select the 0th channel: ARFCN (Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number) – the channel number by which you can determine the carrier frequency.

1-124 , that is GSM 900.
If the channel number is in the range 512-885 , that is DCS 1800.

Let's go back -> Select the numbers of 6 neighboring channels -> Check the number and level.

How to measure GSM signal?

1. How to measure GSM signal on iPhone?

*3001#12345#*

Step 2 - numeric value -86 in the upper left corner shows the GSM signal strength in dBm (decibels per milliwatt)

Icon E(EDGE) or G(GPRS) - indicates that your phone is in GSM networks, not on a 3G network

Step 3. - click on the GSM Cell Environment menu -> GSM Cell info -> Neighboring Cell -> select channel 0. Write down or take a screenshot of the number next to ARFCN (this is the operating frequency number)

Frequencies from 1 to 124 GSM 900.

Frequencies from 512 to 885- this is the frequency range of the standard GSM 1800.

Frequencies from 974 to 1023- this is the frequency range of the standard E-GSM 900.

Return go back -> SelectWe eat the numbers of 6 neighboring channels -> we check the number and level.

*3001#12345#* .

2. How to measure GSM signal on Android?

Step 1. We fix the phone in the GSM network- go to the menu "Settings/Wireless Networks/ Mobile networks" and disable 3G support by selecting "Only 2G networks"

*#0011#

If your phone Samsung Galaxy

Step 3. Checking the GSM signal level- numeric value -94 in the RxPwr line shows the GSM signal level in dBm (decibels per milliwatt).

Step 4. Checking the GSM 900 or 1800 band- the GSM standard is indicated in the top line - in this case GSM1800. Opposite parameter T the number of the GSM operating frequency will be indicated - in this case 549 frequency

Frequencies from 1 to 124- this is the frequency range of the standard GSM 900.

Frequencies from 512 to 885- this is the frequency range of the standard GSM 1800.

Frequencies from 974 to 1023- this is the frequency range of the standard E-GSM 900.

How to measure 3G signal?

1. How to measure 3G signal on iPhone?

Step 1. Revealing the hidden engineering menu iPhone - dial phone number *3001#12345#*

Step 2. Checking the 3G signal level- numeric value -95 in the upper left corner shows the 3G signal strength in dBm (decibels per milliwatt)

3G (UMTS) or H (HSDPA) icon - indicates that your phone is on a 3G network and not on a GSM network

Step 3. - click the UMTS Cell Environment menu -> Neighbor Cells -> UMTS Set -> select channel 0. Write down or take a screenshot of the number next to Downlink Frequency (this is the operating frequency number)

Frequencies from 2937 to 3088- this is the frequency range of the standard 3G-UMTS 900.

Frequencies from 10562 to 10838- this is the frequency range of the standard 3G-UMTS 2100.

How to disable engineering menu mode on iPhone?

Re-dial the phone number *3001#12345#* .

Next, press your finger on the level numbers cellular signal in the upper left corner and switch to the standard display mode of the cellular signal level. Then click Home button and exit the engineering menu.

2. How to measure 3G signal on Android?

Step 1. We fix the phone in the 3G network- go to the menu "Settings/Other networks/Mobile networks/Network mode" and enable 3G support by selecting "WCDMA only"

Step 2. Open hidden engineering Android menu- dial the phone number *#0011#

If your phone Samsung Galaxy and can’t enter the menu - try these options: option 1 - *#32489# ; option 2 - *#*#7262626#*#* ; option 3 - *#*#4636#*#* .

Step 3. Checking the 3G signal level- numeric value -86 The R parameter shows the 3G signal level in dBm (decibels per milliwatt).

Step 4. Checking the 3G band 2100 or 900- opposite the Rx CH parameter the number of the 3G operating frequency will be indicated - in this case 10638 frequency, which indicates that this is a standard 3G-UMTS 2100

Frequencies from 2937 to 3088- this is the frequency range of the standard 3G-UMTS 900.

Frequencies from 10562 to 10838- this is the frequency range of the standard 3G-UMTS 2100.

Net Monitor for Motorola T2288, T180, T2288, V3688, CD930, etc.

On the menu "Eng Field Options"(engineering menu) 3 items:

"Active Cell" - ActCh working channel (channels from 000 to 124 are the 900 MHz range, and higher - 1800 MHz);

signal level - RxLev (at -105 the BS cuts you off, and the strongest I have seen is 039, 50 m from the BS) and a lot of other parameters.

"Adjacent Cells" - parameters of 6 adjacent channels (number, level,...).

"System Parameters" - parameters of the active cell (including its Cell ID).

1. Active Cell
The menu item displays information about the main (current) antenna.

Act Ch - Active Channel. Current channel number. From 1 to 124.
During a call in cities, the GSM Hopping mechanism works.
In this case, clicking on OK will display the list of channels,
through which the switch switches your phone in a circle,
so that in the conditions of urban reflections you can at least
hear something on at least one channel.

RxLev - Receive Level. received signal level, in dB.
-030 - under the antenna
-080 - normal signal
> 110 - signal failure

TimeAdvance - available only during a call.
If you multiply it by 547, you get the distance in meters
to the current antenna. The theoretical limit is about 35 km.

2.Adjacent Cells
Information about nearby antennas monitored by the phone
and when a stronger signal is detected from a neighboring antenna,
switches to it.
Up to 6 adjacent channels are displayed. Each of them has a menu,
similar to point 1.

3.System Parameters
System information.

Not everyone Motorola phones included test mode.

To check, click on normal mode key "#" and hold it for several seconds. If the word TEST appears on the screen, then everything is in order. To exit, dial 01#.

If the word TEST does not appear, this means that the test mode on your device is turned off. You can enable it either yourself, using a SIM emulator, or by contacting a specialist.

Many people are interested in the dependence of signal level on speed. From our work experience it is clear that the speed decreases and stability disappears only at a very low signal level. And at medium and high levels, the speed of Internet access practically does not change and directly depends on the load of the base station. Many companies that install 3G Internet “cheat” their clients out of money by offering to install a powerful antenna almost next to the base station, while promising more high speed and stability. In reality, this is just a scam for money. We are interested in a good reputation and installation integrity. Therefore, we will never offer you to install a powerful antenna when it is not necessary. Let's try to deal with different situations at different distances from the base station and decide what signal level is sufficient.

The signal level can be monitored in MDMA program. Its number is shown in the RSSI column. Also great importance has not only the signal level, but also the noise level. This is also worth paying attention to. Now let's look at the level scale. The worst signal is -113 dB (virtually none) and the best is -51 dB (and higher). Note that the numbers have a minus sign. The closer it is to zero (the lower its value), the better.

The noise level can also be tracked in the same program in the SNR column, the second value after the decimal point. It ranges from 0 (better) to -20 and below (worse). With a value of -5...-3, the noise level is very low, and this has an extremely positive effect on speed and stability. The value -8...-12 is the average level, the speed will be noticeably lower. And below -12...-15 the noise is high, there is a lot of interference, the base station is heavily loaded, breaks are possible, etc.

It is very important to know the number of the base station (cell number) you have joined. One cell may be much less busy than another and vice versa. Accordingly, the speeds will also be different. Very often, a more distant cell turns out to be the best in terms of speed, despite the low signal strength. For example, a 3G modem without an external directional antenna connects to the first available cell, which is the best in signal strength, but not always the best in speed. A directional antenna helps connect the modem to the best cell in terms of speed. It also increases outgoing speed and improves stability.

Let's move on to the values ​​of the signal level and approximate speed (at a low noise level -5...-3):

-113...-110 dB. 0 sticks. The connection is unstable, the connection is constantly disconnected, the speed is around 1 Mbit/sec.

-109...-101 dB. 0 sticks. But the connection is still there and remains confident (with a directional antenna). Speed ​​1...3 Mbit/sec reception, 0.2...0.3 Mbit/sec transmission.

-100...-96 dB. 1 stick. Stable connection. Speed ​​3-5 Mbit/sec reception, 0.3...0.5 Mbit/sec transmission.

-95...-92 dB. 2 sticks. Speed ​​5-10 Mbit/sec reception, 0.7...1 Mbit/sec transmission.

-91...-87 dB. 3 sticks. Speed ​​10-15 Mbit/sec reception, 1-2 Mbit/sec transmission.

-86...-83 dB. 4 sticks. Speed ​​10-20 Mbit/sec reception, 2-3 Mbit/sec transmission.

-82...-50 dB. 5 sticks. Speed ​​10-25 Mbit/sec reception, 3-4 Mbit/sec transmission.

As you can see, with 2 “sticks” and higher, the incoming speed changes slightly. The signal level has a much greater effect on the outgoing speed. All results are approximate and obtained experimentally from real operating conditions. Those. If you manage to get a signal level higher than -95 dB, then you simply won’t notice any significant differences in speed. The speed very much depends on the load of the base station, and for 3G it is around 10 Mbit/sec. All results are given for 3G Internet. For 4G Internet, the signal level significantly affects the speed. And for its stable operation, a signal of -90 dB or higher is needed.

Also note that for some Megafon base stations, for stable 3G operation the signal level must be above -100 dB. There were cases when, when the signal level of Megafon was -102 dB, the outgoing speed was too low - around 0.02 Mbit/sec, and the connection was constantly disconnected. And for MTS, at a level of -107 dB, the incoming speed was 5-6 Mbit/sec, and the outgoing speed was 0.5 Mbit/sec. In practice, a lot depends on the load on the base station, as well as on the quality of the equipment at the base station.

How does distance from the base station affect signal strength? When removed from the base station by 5...10 km and with line of sight it is possible to get 3G Internet directly from a modem without external antenna when the signal level is above -100 dB. However, if there is no line of sight and the distance exceeds 10 km, then directional antennas will help you. If the signal level on your modem is -109 dB, then with a 14 dB directional antenna it will be equal to -109 + 14 = -95 dB, which is already quite enough for stable operation. And even if you live in the middle of nowhere and are 35 km away from the base station, you can still get high-speed Internet! Only in this case will you need a high mast (perhaps even higher than 10 meters) and a 0.9 m dish with an offset feed and honest gain in the region of 21...24 dB. We take on even the most difficult cases! A specialist will select the right set of equipment and antenna for you individually.

For preliminary signal measurement, we have a special quadcopter that allows you to quickly and efficiently measure signal levels without building mast structures and without calling a bucket truck (in difficult conditions). It is possible to rise to a height of up to 100 meters to assess the signal level, as well as to collect information about the terrain, etc. For this, a built-in video camera is used. This allows you to very accurately evaluate all the work on constructing mast structures and selecting a suitable antenna.

A prerequisite for its flight is a wind speed of no more than 2-3 m/s and the absence of rain or snowfall. If these conditions are absent, the signal is measured traditional way with the deployment of a temporary mast. The flight time is about 15 minutes - this time is quite enough to measure the signal and assess the terrain. Also, using a quadcopter allows you to throw a thin rope into hard-to-reach places. For example, on the roof of a house or on a tree. For subsequent pulling of thick rope and securing it for the purpose of performing high-altitude installation work network equipment. This allows you to save a lot on work and speeds it up. Now you can install the Internet in absolutely any wilderness. Please note that using a quadcopter to measure the signal is absolutely free and is already included in the installation price!

The main purpose of a 3G/4G antenna is to increase the signal level, reduce interference, including from towers of other operators, which in turn leads to an increase in speed wireless internet. Based on how much you need to increase the signal level, you buy one or another antenna. In this article I would like to dwell in more detail on How to find out/measure 3G or 4G signal strength. There are several ways to do this:

Find out the 3G/4G signal level on the modem.

Information about the signal level can be obtained on almost any 3G/4G modem. To do this, just dig into its settings and find the “Signal Level” or “RSSI” item. Below is an example of where you can find out the signal level in a Beeline 3G modem. Connect the 3G/4G modem to your computer/laptop, launch the program for the modem, go to the “Settings” menu, select “Modem information”, in it you will see the line “Signal level”.

In Megafon modems, run the "Megafon | modem" program, click the "Help" - "Diagnostics" button.

Open the Network Status menu. In it you will see the modem signal level (RSSI).

Measure the signal level of the 3G/4G modem using third-party programs.

You can also measure the signal level of a 3G/4G modem third party programs, such as Mobile Data Monitoring Application (MDMA).

Attention!!! For the Mobile Data Monitoring Application (MDMA) program to work, you need to close the native 3G/4G modem program.

You should see a picture where the signal level will be indicated in the RSSI term.

If the program did not work correctly, look in task manager, which port your 3G/4G modem uses.

Then create a shortcut to the program.

In the shortcut properties, specify the COM port that the modem uses.

Now you can launch the program shortcut.

The downside of this program is that it is suitable for most 3G modems, but not 4G.

Find out the 3G/4G signal level using a tablet/smartphone.

You can also measure the signal level on a smartphone/tablet; here’s how to do it on gadgets with operating system Android.

Go to Play Market.

Using the search, find the program "Network signal Info" and install it.

Open it after installation, select the "Mobile" menu and on the graph or in the "Signal Level" line you can see the signal level values.

This way you can easily find out the quality of the 3G/4G (LTE) signal.

Conclusion.

Everything described below is not only theory, but also supported in practice, the installation of 3G/4G antennas, and is also based on customer reviews.

Once you have determined the 3G/4G signal level, I suggest assigning it to the appropriate group:

Group 1, from -50 dBm to -60 dBm - excellent signal level;

Group 2, from -60 dBm to -70 dBm - good level signal;

Group 3, from -70 dBm to -80 dBm - average signal level;

Group 4, from -80 dBm to - 90 dBm - poor signal level;

Group 5, from -90 dBm to - 100 dBm and less - disgusting signal level.

If your result falls into the first group, then you do not need a 3G/4G antenna, since there will be no significant increase in Internet speed. If your signal level is in the second or third group, you just need to purchase the simplest “weak” antenna, for 3G this is . If the measurement result falls into the penultimate or last group, you need to purchase a high-gain antenna for 3G it will be - , for 4G - .

If you don’t get a 3G signal at all, but you know that the operator’s tower is up to 30 km away. from you, it will help you, with its help you will be able to “catch” the 3G signal and you will be able to use high-speed Internet.

If you cannot “catch” a 4G signal, but you know that the operator’s tower is located at a distance of up to 5 km. (possibly more, I haven’t had to deal with) from you, you can purchase one that will allow you to strengthen the signal, connect to the long-awaited 4G (LTE) and enjoy the Internet.

Modern man actively takes advantage of mobile communications and the Internet. We are used to staying in touch around the clock and find it difficult to live without a mobile phone at hand. However, even in the center of Moscow there are still so-called “blind spots” of federal operators. The reasons for their existence are varied: from banal mechanical barriers to the signal path in the form of powerful ceilings and mirrors to peak load of base stations.

Specialized organizations are involved in strengthening the cellular signal. Specialists from the company, whose main profile is strengthening communications, gave some tips on how to independently measure the level of a cellular signal using an iPhone to further improve the quality of communications.

By performing a series of simple actions with your smartphone, you can obtain data on the signal strength that comes from the base station, as well as find out what frequency range this operator uses in your area.

It will be necessary to make at least 8-10 measurements, since, firstly, the measurement results will vary slightly in time and at different points in space (this is a dynamic value), so it is necessary to make several measurements and calculate the average value. Secondly, the signal is measured only for the operator whose SIM card is in this moment installed in the slot. To assess the situation for Megafon, Beeline, MTS and Tele2 comprehensively, you will need to sequentially install SIM cards of these operators and repeat the algorithm.

And thirdly, measurements must be made for each frequency range separately, so in the settings of your phone, before selecting a range, you will need to set the appropriate mobile network parameter:

Settings > Cellular > Data Options > Voice & Data.

Thus, for a full analysis of the quality of mobile communications, it is necessary to record 12 readings in the form of a table (Beeline, Megafon, MTS and Tele2 in each of the 3 modes).

How to make changes

Now let's move on to the measurement itself. In order to record the readings, you will need to launch the device’s service menu and make several simple transitions. To start, in dialing mode, dial the code *3001#12345#*, then “Call”.

After this, the Field Test service mode will open.

In the upper left corner, the “E” icon means that the phone is in 2G mode, the number in the corner of the screen is the GSM signal level.

Let's go sequentially to the following points: GSM Cell Environment > GSM Cell Info > Neighboring Cells

Press 0 (Active channel)
The number “-…” is the signal level of the Active GSM channel in dB (decibels)
ARFCN - Active channel number.

In the upper left corner, the “3G” icon means that the phone is in 3G mode,
Number in the corner of the screen. – this is the 3G signal level.

Press 0 (Active channel)
Now in the upper corner the number is the signal level of the Active 3G channel.
Downlink Frequency - Active channel number.

That is, as you guessed, the 3G signal can travel both on the 900th and 2100th frequencies.

You can make sure that LTE mode is active ("4G" above the data icon, if this band is available at all in this area)

The phone displays information:

• Band number
• Signal strength (RSCP)

The image shows the following readings as an example: Frequency band number Band 7, signal level -78 dB.

• Band 3 (1800 MHz)
• Band 7 (2600 MHz)
• Band 20 (800 MHz)
• Band 38 (2600 MHz)

*Network parameters are dynamic and may change over time. For accurate measurements, you should record multiple 4G LTE signal strength values

Interpretation of measurement results

In conclusion, you will need to decipher the results of measuring the cellular signal on the iPhone. Concerning the numerical values, conclusions can also be drawn at the layman level. Good reliable reception without interference and interruptions is achieved if the results obtained are numerically greater than -80...-85 dB.

That is, for example, “-65 dB” is very good signal, and “-98 dB” for a GSM signal means almost complete absence. By at least The discomfort when communicating on the phone will already be noticeable.

However, if your iPhone produces a good signal over 2G, then do not rush to draw positive conclusions. The fact is that modern smartphones devices that support 3G mode usually support a protocol for automatically switching to a higher frequency if it is detected. At the same time, the smartphone does not always intelligently assess the strength of the incoming signal. As a result, voice communication may switch to a weak 3G signal even during a conversation on a mobile phone. And here you are again having trouble hearing your interlocutor.

Therefore, it is important to make sure that the 3G signal is either completely absent and not picked up by the smartphone, or is provided at a good level.

In order to select the optimal direction for a 3G antenna, the standard utility that comes with the modem is often not enough.

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It's more convenient to use special applications to test the signal level.

Here are some of them:

1) My Huawei Terminal
2) HLS (Huawei level signal)
3) Mobile Data Monitoring Application (MDMA)
4) WlanExprt UMTS

Before you start working with any of these programs, you need to close the native program from the 3G modem, if it was running.

Then you need to find out what COM port number our modem received, for this you need: in the START menu, select COMPUTER, right-click, select PROPERTIES:

In the device manager we look at the COM and LPT ports, we need a COM port, remember the port number.

In this case, the port number is 16:

This is where the preparation ends, we begin to find the best direction for the antenna, it is better to turn the antenna 15 degrees, check the signal level and turn further.

And so programs for measuring 3G signal:

1) My Huawei Terminal:

Developer: Alexander S. Shokin

Settings this program does not require, it is launched by an exe file. After starting the program, in the top window you need to indicate the number of the COM port on which the modem is detected.

Click Connect, the program begins to display the network status and signal strength:

1) Signal level: -77dBm (the higher the indicator, the better, for example, -66dBm will be more powerful than -77dBm).

The first is -83: this is the RSCP level of the pilot signal (the first signal that the modem receives when connecting to the base station).

Second -5: this is Ec/Io - the ratio of the signal level to noise (the higher the indicator, the better). This indicator should not be neglected!

In addition to the signal level, in this program we can enter AT commands and set the required modem mode.

Conclusions:

pros this application in ease of installation and use, instant response to changes in antenna position.

Minus: there is no way to view this data in a large window like, for example, MDMA or HLS.

2) HLS (Huawei level signal):

We install the program, launch it, indicate the COM port number, connect the modem.

Designations:

1) Blue bar at the top - signal level in percentage

2)MCC, Mobile Country Code - the code of the country in which the BS is located. For Russia it is 250, Ukraine - 255, Belarus - 257

3)MNC, Mobile Network Code - cellular network code. For example, MTS has a code 01, MegaFon - 02, NSS - 03, SMARTS - 07, Beeline - 99

4) LAC, Local Area Code - local area code. A local zone is a collection of BSs that are served by one BSC - base station controller.

5) Cell ID, CID, CI - “cell identifier”. This is a parameter that is assigned by the operator to each sector of each BS, and serves to identify it.

6) level percentage - level in percentage

8) Save id button - will help you find out the approximate direction to base station, after clicking, save the connection data to an ini file.

The Open ID application is installed along with HLS. Using it, you can open a previously saved ini file by clicking the “OPEN ID” button. After that, press the “MAP” button - “Yandex maps” open, where you can find out the approximate location of the base station.

9) Full screen button - can display the signal level in dBm on the entire screen and pronounce the level by voice.

Conclusions:

The disadvantage of this application is that it reacts very slowly to changes in the antenna position; there is no Ec/Io signal-to-noise ratio level like My Huawei Terminal.

Pros: ease of installation and use, ability to view readings in a large window.

3) Mobile Data Monitoring Application (MDMA):

The program does not require installation, but before starting it it is better to do the following: Place the mdma.exe file in the root hard drive, then right-click on it and select: -> send -> desktop (create shortcut).

Next, right-click on the shortcut and select PROPERTIES. In the object field you need to enter the COM port /port: com* instead of an asterisk, the number of the COM port on which the modem is detected, it should turn out like this
C:\mdma.exe /port:COM16

Now you can run the program:

Here you can see the same parameters as in the previous program, plus the signal-to-noise ratio, as in My Huawei Terminal.

By additionally installing the Entropiy plugin (Developer: http://entropiy.ru/3g), we can get the signal level in a large window with the possibility of voice notification.

Conclusion:

The advantages are fast - response to changes in antenna position and high information content.

4) WlanExpert UMTS:

To run this program, you will need to remove the SIM card from the modem. Launch the program and select the COM port:

(Screenshot taken in Moscow)
IN running program we'll see:

PSC - BS code in the presence zone,

RSCP - signal level,

Ec/i0 - signal-to-noise ratio,

Freq MHz - frequency.

Rotate the antenna until you get the most optimal result.

P.S. New in measuring signal strength and determining frequency using Android.

GOOD SIGNAL TO YOU! GOOD LUCK!