RSSI, SINR, RSRP, RSRQ... What does it all mean when the signal keeps dropping out?
This guide will help you understand signal strength and quality for cellular modems.
The signal indicators found in mobile phones and industrial 3/4G modems remove the guesswork in a successful reliable connection. But the acronyms can be confusing, so this tech tip will help you remove the guess work when selecting antennas and understanding signal reception readings, this should be your first line of defence in troubleshooting cellular issues.
3G Terminology - (3G, CDMA/UMTS/EV-DO)
- Signal Quality - ECIO (Ec/Io) - Energy to Interference Ratio
- Signal Strength - RSSI - Received Signal Strength Indicator
4G Terminology – (4G LTE)
- Signal Quality - RSRQ - Reference Signal Received Quality
- Signal Strength - RSRP - Reference Signal Received Power
- Signal Throughput - SINR - Signal to Interference-plus-Noise Ratio
Ideally, all aspects need to be in the green category, however, there is a trend to just worry about signal strength which is very misleading to think high signal strength of poor-quality data will make a good reliable connection.
Both need consideration as poor quality may mean that you need to investigate the type, cable connection and placement of the antenna, while signal strength will require antenna sensitivity and cable length investigation. At the end of the day, the biggest and fanciest antenna will not solve all the problems.