Wireless strength/connection speed ?

[wh666-666]

Hi everyone,

Probably a really simple question but how do i check what strength, well speed, my wireless pcmcia card is connected to my router in linux?

(For example in windows if you hover over the wireless icon in the tray it will say something like "connected at 11mb" or "connected at 54mb" but on linux i dont have a wireless icon on the tray so wondering if there is a simple way to find out?)

Im using a debian based distro running kernel version 2.6.18.1-kanotix-1 btw

Thanks in advance,
Will

[retsaw]

If you type "iwconfig" into a terminal it will output the info on your wireless connection. If you use KDE for your desktop, you could use KWifiManager or add the Wireless Network Information applet to your taskbar.

[je_fro]

if you use kde grab wlassistant...it's a must-have.

[wh666-666]

Ahhh thanks retsaw ... Duhh @ me, lol, ive used that command before at 5am when trying to get a previous card in a different lappie working but i forgot totally about it. Thanks for helping so quick because i couldnt find the answer in searching old threads.

And thanks alot for the suggestion je_fro. Im using xfce as my desktop manager on debian so would wlassistant still work or would i need to find something different?


Here is a cut and paste of my report:

ath0 IEEE 802.11g ESSID: ****
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.462 GHz
Bit Rate:36 Mb/s Tx-Power:18 dBm Sensitivity=0/3

So from this its connected at 36mb? Makes sense since another laptop is connected at 11mb to the same network. Not bad at all, better than 11mb which i was on before. The card is capable of 108mb but my routers only 54mb. Question is if i had a 108mb router what is the maximum speed i could get up to? Ive heard that linux is limited to a maximum speed of 54mb but i dont know if thats correct??

Another question on the report is the meaning behind tx power and sensitivity, does this indicate signal strength ?

[xrx]

iwlist ath0 scan
will give your the signal strength of each of the accessible access points.

[deathadder]

http://goodies.xfce.org/projects/panel-plugins/xfce4-wavelan-plugin ?

[wh666-666]

Mode:Master
Frequency:2.462 GHz (Channel 11)
Quality=37/94 Signal level=-58 dBm Noise level=-95 dBm
Encryption key
Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s
24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s; 9 Mb/s
12 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s
Extra:bcn_int=100


Thanks alot for that, so if im going on signal strength (quality in that report) on a like for like basis of 0-5 bars id get 2 bar quality which is on the poorer side? Is this an average quality or a poor one as far as wi-fi goes on a linux box? Could that explain why i have a speed of 36mb when im the only one connected to the router and my card is capable of 108mb and the router capable of 54mb+ ??

[wh666-666]

Thanks to all for the wi-fi manager suggestions btw, just on my linux lappie at the mo so im going to give them a try :D

[wh666-666]

Just a quick update, i was just thinking of how to improve the signal quality and remembered a brainwave i had over a year ago. Back then my partner was having problems with her lappie on the wi-fi, mini pci, 11mb with signal strength that was very poor. Back then we purchased clear stickers with gold aireal etching on and plastered 6 stickers on the inside. This boosted her strength right up to excellent and her connection speed although reporting 11mb, the maximum seemed to blister like a 24mb.

Managed to dig up the last 4 we had, and stuck three on the bottom and one on top of the pcmcia card. Now my signal reports "Quality=45/94" and the connection does reach 54mb and is now operating faster than my other lappie (different one to partners, high spec HP one).

Anyway im going to try those wi-fi managers (i always find the "make install" from archives confusing). But a big thanks to everyone for their help and those 10 pack of gold 4g cell phone boosters you can pick up off ebay for $2 do work well as a cheap option to boost anyones signal.

[ladoga]

If you want a fancy real time presentation of connection status, try wavemon.