Cellular signal quality explained
Cellular signal quality refers to the strength and reliability of the signal from a cellular network to the IX20. The quality of the signal is visually represented using LED bars on the front of the router: the more bars that are lit the better the signal quality. An algorithm is used to determine the signal quality, with each cellular network using a different algorithm.
2G algorithm
For the 2G cellular network, the algorithm is determined using one parameter to calculate signal strength: RSSI.
RSSI > -80, bars=5 -89 < RSSI <= -80, bars=4 -98 < RSSI <= -89, bars=3 -104 < RSSI <= -98, bars=2 RSSI <= -104, if we're connected to the cellular network, bars=1, if not bars=0
3G algorithm
For the 3G cellular network (including HSPA+), the algorithm is determined using one parameter to calculate signal strength: RSSI.
RSSI > -80, bars=5 -90 < RSSI <= -80, bars=4 -100 < RSSI <= -90, bars=3 -106 < RSSI <= -100, bars=2 RSSI <= -106, if we're connected to the cellular network, bars=1, if not bars=0
4G LTE algorithm
For the 4G LTE cellular network, the algorithm is determined using three parameters to calculate signal strength: RSSI, RSRP, and SNR.
RSRP > -85, rsrp_bars=5 -95 < RSRP <= -85, rsrp_bars=4 -105 < RSRP <= -95, rsrp_bars=3 -115 < RSRP <= -105, rsrp_bars=2 -199 < RSRP <= -115, if we're connected to the cellular network, rsrp_bars=1, if not rsrp_bars=0
If RSRP <= -199, the device uses the RSSI as the value with the same algorithm:
SNR >= 13, snr_bars=5 4.5 <= SNR < 13, snr_bars=4 1 <= SNR < 4, snr_bars=3 -3 < SNR < 1, snr_bars=2 -99 < SNR <= -3, if we're connected to the cellular network, snr_bars=1, if not snr_bars=0
Once the values are determined, the IX20 router uses the lesser of the two ranges, which is then visually represented by the signal bars.
5G algorithm
For the 5G cellular network, the algorithm is determined using three parameters to calculate signal strength: RSRP, RSRQ, and SINR.
RSRP >= -65, rsrp_bars=5 -80 <= RSRP < -65, rsrp_bars=4 -90 <= RSRP < -80, rsrp_bars=3 -110 <= RSRP < -90, rsrp_bars=2 -140 <= RSRP < -110, rsrp_bars=1 RSRP < -140, rsrp_bars=0
RSRQ >= 6, rsrq_bars=5
-7 <= RSRQ < 6, rsrq_bars=4
-19 <= RSRQ < -7, rsrq_bars=3
-31 <= RSRQ < -19, rsrq_bars=2
-43 <= RSRQ < -31, rsrq_bars=1
RSRQ < -43, rsrq_bars=0
SINR >= 30, sinr_bars=5
15 <= SINR < 30, sinr_bars=4
5 <= SINR < 15, sinr_bars=3
-5 <= SINR < 5, sinr_bars=2
-23 <= SINR < -5, sinr_bars=1
SINR < -23, sinr_bars=0
Once the sinr_bars, rsrq_bars, and rsrp_bars values are determined, the IX20 router uses the lesser of the three ranges, which is then visually represented by the signal bars.
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