View Full Version : Strange RSSI's
Bossman
02-27-2006, 07:18 PM
We have a link that we have been fighting with that just doesn't want to work for us. It's 11 miles, so no big deal for Star-VX and we are using the V2 with cloaking until V3 is ready. The entire network of 8 or 10 links was bench tested before the radios went out.
My path studies say I should be getting a -79 dBm signal, but the link just will not come up. On the AP side, the association list which only shows the local card reads an RSSI of -28. The other unused (for now) cards on this WAR board both read about -87 to -89 and my working 15 mile link is at -86. I've gone back over the work of our guys at one end and everything looks good.
Any feedback on why this could be happening? All the links are in the 5 GHz range.
lonnie
02-27-2006, 09:09 PM
This sounds like an antenna issue. What type of antenna is it?
Bossman
02-27-2006, 09:33 PM
Both sides have Hyperlink Grids. 27 dBi with Frequency ranges from 5725 - 5850. Link is set to operate at 5805 with 2x cloaking.
Bossman
03-02-2006, 08:56 PM
Went up there again today and checked all the connections back to the box as well as swapped the antenna to test that. Still the same result.
Then I noticed that my guy had cross threaded a connector slightly on the backhaul going INTO that site, so I fixed that. Funny thing is that the link INTO that site is slightly down on performance and the RSSI that WAS -28 is now -44 on the link that is not working. I confirmed that the right cards were assigned to the right links.
I also removed the pigtail from the card entirely and it showed no change.
Saw mention of a potential power issue in another post. Should I try that next and a different CM9?
With a wind chill today of -35*C up there I don't want to spend more time than I have to.
lonnie
03-03-2006, 01:14 AM
Are you saying that you removed the pigtail and the signal did not change?
The cross threaded connectot that has lost 16 dB has a mashed pin or something as a result of the cross threading. Time to replace it, and time for some show and tell about connectors not requiring a pipe wrench to twist them on with.
Bossman
03-03-2006, 12:16 PM
Are you saying that you removed the pigtail and the signal did not change?
Correct, the signal did not change on the radio with the odd RSSI when the pigtail was removed.... This according to someone watching it via the windows GUI remotely.
The other pigtail was only slightly cross threaded which was why I was amazed we had such a great link on our backhaul.
Next trip will be with new card, new Power and possibly a VWSR meter.
lonnie
03-03-2006, 01:46 PM
The association display shows the Host entry on the first line and it will show different numbers based on what it heard when we grabbed the snapshot. It is not possible to have a signal from 11 miles with no pigtail connected.
Lonnie is correct. Do not rely on the signal or rate as shown in the 'H' (host) association entry, as it does not represent any given association.
Bossman
03-03-2006, 06:13 PM
Yes it is the host entry line that shows that RSSI, and I do realize that I can't get a signal from 11 miles with no pigtail. This card just looks off when compared to the others that either have an antenna hooked up or don't have one hooked up regardless if there is anything to create a link to on the other side.
If this was an easy one it would be solved already ;)
I'll swap parts and see what happens. Thanks for the feedback.
ChrisII
03-30-2006, 10:57 PM
Time to replace it, and time for some show and tell about connectors not requiring a pipe wrench to twist them on with.
I used my fingers. was a good -40C ish with wind chill that day so i'm not surprised.
The other pigtail was only slightly cross threaded which was why I was amazed we had such a great link on our backhaul.
see see :)