Mobile signal strength check

This link shows a good description of what signal quality is needed: [1]

4G (MC74xx) modem modules

Login to the camera system locally or remotely, in text console run the following commands.

Verbose receive signal print:

 root@XXXXXX:~# qmicli -d /dev/cdc-wdm1 --nas-get-signal-strength
 [/dev/cdc-wdm1] Successfully got signal strength
 Current:
       Network 'lte': '-68 dBm'
 RSSI:
       Network 'lte': '-68 dBm'
 ECIO:
       Network 'lte': '-2.5 dBm'
 IO: '-106 dBm'
 SINR: (8) '9.0 dB'
 RSRQ:
       Network 'lte': '-12 dB'
 SNR:
       Network 'lte': '1.0 dB'
 RSRP:
       Network 'lte': '-104 dBm'

Brief receive signal print:

 root@XXXXXX:~# qmicli -d /dev/cdc-wdm1 --nas-get-signal-info
 [/dev/cdc-wdm1] Successfully got signal info
 LTE:
       RSSI: '-68 dBm'
       RSRQ: '-12 dB'
       RSRP: '-104 dBm'
       SNR: '-4.4 dB'

Note: if device /dev/cdc-wdm1 was not working, try substitute 1 with 0 or 2. List devices available in your system with 'ls -l /dev/cdc-wdm*'.

 ls -l /dev/cdc-wdm*
 crw------- 1 root root 180, 0 Nov 26 11:53 /dev/cdc-wdm0
 crw------- 1 root root 180, 1 Nov 26 11:53 /dev/cdc-wdm1

3G modem modules (MC8705)

Login to the camera system, in text console run command 'minicom'. It should be preset to use the correct virtual serial port /dev/ttyS3. If not, run 'minicom -s' and select this port.

Rype following AT modem commands:

 at+csq
 at+csq
 +CSQ: 14,99
 
 OK
 at!gstatus?
 !GSTATUS: 
 Current Time:  7833862          Temperature: 61
 Bootup Time:   6442483          Mode:        ONLINE         
 System mode:   WCDMA            PS state:    Attached     
 WCDMA band:    WCDMA800         GSM band:    Unknown    
 WCDMA channel: 4436             GSM channel: 65535
 GMM (PS) state:REGISTERED       NORMAL SERVICE 
 MM (CS) state: IDLE             NORMAL SERVICE 
 
 WCDMA L1 State:L1M_DCH          RRC State:   CELL_DCH       
 RX level (dBm):-85
   
 OK

Signal strength (CSQ) >=5 is acceptable, although in country areas the internet may work even with lower signal quality as the masts are not too busy. In any case, the more the better. More than ~ 10 is very realiable connection.

To exit minicom, pres Ctrl+a q.