Small variation in signal strength presented in Vistumbler

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blomic
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Small variation in signal strength presented in Vistumbler

Post by blomic »

Why is the variation of the signal strength presented in Vistumbler compared with Netstumbler very small?

Does the wireless card driver in Windows Vista only support 100 steps (from 0% to 100%)?

Netstumbler presents the information in dBm which is much more useful making site surveys and when determing the datarate at a specific place.

/Michael
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ACalcutt
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Re: Small variation in signal strength presented in Vistumbler

Post by ACalcutt »

netsh only outputs in percent (0-100%). I have no source of signal in db and netsh's refresh time seems to be really slow without the refresher on.

I am hoping one day to use the native api to get wireless information, but i am not familiar with the kind of programming it requires at the moment (see an older post here http://forum.techidiots.net/forum/membe ... ofile&u=20 )
Freebe
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Re: Small variation in signal strength presented in Vistumbler

Post by Freebe »

Hello Andrew
Not shure that i have put this in the right place but here goes.
I am running Vistumbler on one PC ( Notebook )
and Netstumbler on the other ( Notebook )
Now i have been running some test on the Same Antenne ( up in the roof ) using the same run of cable.
On the Netstumbler i get 18 signals
On the Vistumbler only 13.
Can it be that the ( notebook ) on one is not giving so much power over the USB, or is the Vistumbler set only to show signals over a certant signal level ?

Regards Freebe.
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ACalcutt
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Re: Small variation in signal strength presented in Vistumbler

Post by ACalcutt »

Vistumbler shows any network that is reported by vista(from netsh), there is no signal minimum

It is very possible that your notebook adapter is lower power than your usb one. Is it possible for you to try the usb adapter on the vistumbler computer?
Freebe
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Re: Small variation in signal strength presented in Vistumbler

Post by Freebe »

Sorry i have re formulated it.
Have a 15db Omni Antenne Stick ca. 1600mm in the roof, joined to this is a WiFi Dongle ( SMA to N )
3mtr of USB Cable and there after 3 times a 5mtr USB Repeater Cable = 5+5+5+3 = 18mtr of USB Cable.
This run of Cabel stays the same i only change the PC(s)
1 Notebook with Vista on it
1 Notebook with XP on it
Both have a form of Stumbler on them.
Both are puged into a USB outlet.
When i run the setup over 1 Notebook with Vistumbler i get 13 incomming signals.
When i run the setup over the 2cd Notebook with Netstumbler i get 18 incomming signals.
I do not run them at the same time ( one after the other ) and both when they are cold.

Question = Why the difference. ?
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