A good and reliable WiFi connection has become a must-have for everyone. While mobile connections have become so good, they still cannot beat the usage of WiFi. However, even good Wi-Fi can sometimes create problems in smooth functioning due to various issues. And therefore to avoid these circumstances, monitoring your Wi-Fi signal strength is always a good idea. That’s where Wavemon comes into the clutch for Linux users. You can use Wavemon to check your WiFi signal.
Wavemon is an open-source command line tool that allows the user to monitor its Wi-Fi signal strength and other important data in real time. It provides detailed insight into the network’s performance. This is one of the best tools for tech-savvy users and their homes who want to ensure their Wi-Fi is running at its best.
The tool can be very useful in situations where you are facing issues such as frequent disconnections or slow internet speeds. It can help you to identify the issue and you can then take action accordingly. Additionally, you can use this tool while installing or extending the Wi-Fi router. It can help you to find the best location for your router and access point by checking the signal strength in different places or your home.
How to Install and Use Wavemon to Check WiFi Signal Strength
Here’s a detailed guide on how you can install the Wavemon tool and then use it to monitor your Wi-Fi signal strength.
Step: 1 To install the Wavemon, open the terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and enter the following command:
sudo apt install wavemonIf you have Fedora distribution, you can use this command: sudo dnf install wavemon
Step: 2 After a few seconds, your tool will be installed. You can now launch wavemon command line tool by entering the following command:
wavemonIf it’s not working, try adding sudo in the command: sudo wavemon
Step: 3 It will open the main screen of the Wavemon. You will be able to see all the basic stats such as link quality, signal levels and some other important statistics. You can also use the function keys to access detailed statistics of other data. Here’s the list of function keys and what it redirects to:
- F2: This will display a graph of your signal levels.
- F3: This will display the list of wireless networks visible along with their signal strength and channel information.
- F7: This will display the detailed preference page with data such as maximum signal level, noise level, threshold actions etc. You can either leave them to default values or change them to “autodetect.”
- F8: This will display the help screen of the tool.
- F9: This will display the author and license information.
- F10: This will close the tool and you will be redirected back to the command line.
That’s it. You will be now able to see all the important data and technical metrics of your Wi-Fi connection. You will be able to spot if there’s any error in the signal strength, channel or the Wi-Fi itself.
You can check the signal level to know the location where the WiFi signal is excellent and where it is poor.
- Signal level from -50dBm to 0 is considered excellent
- Signal level between -50dBm and -60dBm refers to good strength
- Signal level around -70dBm is Ok
- Signal level below -70dBm is poor
Wavemon Alternative
If you want to check your WiFi signal strength, you can also use iwconfig. Using iwconfig, you can constantly monitor your WiFi. Here are some useful commands to run iwconfig.
- sudo iwconfig
- sudo watch -n 1 iwconfig
Monitoring your WiFi could be useful in various cases such as checking for different WiFi band, look for best location for your work, location for WiFi extender, and more. Wavemon is a great tool to check WiFi strength on linux distribution.
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