wireless/gnome

[Bob Goodwin]

Jonathan Underwood wrote:
> On 17/03/2008, Timothy Murphy <gayleard at eircom.net> wrote:
>   
>> John W. Linville wrote:
>>
>>  >>> > Well if I out my mouse pointer on the nm-applet icon I get the
>>  message:
>>  >> > Wireless Network Connection to ??? (98%)
>>  >> > I assume 98% is a measure of signal strength.
>>  >>
>>  >> I can't think of anything it could possibly be 98% of ...
>>  >
>>  > That's probably because you are intentionally obtuse, and apparently
>>  > on a jihad against NetworkManager...
>>
>>
>> I'm unintentionally obtuse.
>>  What is this signal strength 98% of?
>>
>>     
>
> I'd guess it means that 98% of the transmitted signal intensity is
> being received by the wireless card. Although I have to admit, I do
> wonder how that is calculated, and whether it takes into account the
> 1/r^2 fall off of signal emitted in the full sphere.


This explains it pretty well:

http://www.wildpackets.com/elements/whitepapers/Converting_Signal_Strength.pdf

It may be more than you want to know.