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Has anyone noticed that Android phones universally have pretty bad WiFi reception? I've owned three (HTC Magic, HTC ChaCha, and currently Galaxy Nexus) and all of them have had roughly the same signal range--there is one spot upstairs in my house where I cannot get any WiFi on any of these phones while I can get a pretty decent signal on my iPad and iPhone 4. My Galaxy Nexus even shifts between three and four bars when about three meters away from the router.
Are Android manufacturers being cheap with their WiFi chips or what? Has anyone had similar experiences compared to, say, Apple devices?
Indeed
I have nothing to add but you are absolutely right. I had Motorola Milestone which has a good wifi reception, but even so worst than my laptop. So I changed to Atrix, which has a reception a bit worst than Milestone and now my Galaxy Nexus cannot even catch the smell of wifi signal. I'm so disapointed.
Maybe they used the NFC technology to the wifi chip. Maybe I need to use the phone about 4 inches away from access point. Oh yeah I will try this next time.
What are the chances that the wifi signal meters are inaccurate, remember antennagate. Do you notice speed differences between the iOS devices and android devices. Try running something like speedtest on both devices. Also try to see the distance until the device drops the signal. These will be better indicates of the real signal, unless iOS allows dBm signal levels.
Laptops usually get a better wifi signal than my Android devices. In the same test area I'm getting -65dBm on my laptop and around -80dBm on my Droid 3. Laptops have room for larger and more powerful antennas where as small devices don't.
A few users reported weak WiFi signal strength on N5. Good WiFi signal strength is very important for me and this is one of things I like on my current SGS, so Im wondering how good is Wlan strength on yours N5 ?
Also Androidizen posted video about WiFi problem:
I received my N5 yesterday and i am facing this weak WiFi signal problem.
I compared it with my Iphone 5.
i was 8 feet away having my back to router, iphone 5 showed full strength signals while N5 showed 3/4 signal strength.
Ive had my nexus 5 for a few days now, and the main thing that is annoying me is the wifi, the signal is so flaky one minute im on full bars, next minute its on 1 or 2, then back to full. this can be in line of sight with the router. Ive tried a few routers at home and at work, same issue. I have tried an iphone, nokia and samsung and they all have a much better range. I'm contemplating taking this back now and getting a refund, as i don't think its acceptable. does anyone else get this constant fluctuation?
I have also noticed when you put your hand over the top of the phone the signal can drop completely. Not taht i do this, but other phones i have do not suffer with this.
i take it not many people are seeing this issue, are others with the phone able to check the wifi range and fluctuations in comparison with other devices. How can it go from full bars to 2, then back to full constantly when other phones are solid. Trying to work out if its worth exchanging for another. Speeds just change from say 72mbs to like 19mbs non stop. Thanks
Side by side with my Nexus 4 I'm getting the same strength and speed.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk 2
mintume said:
I received my N5 yesterday and i am facing this weak WiFi signal problem.
I compared it with my Iphone 5.
i was 8 feet away having my back to router, iphone 5 showed full strength signals while N5 showed 3/4 signal strength.
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Click to collapse
Do not use the bars when comparing signal.
Download an app that shows you the actual signal level in dbm. Bars can be set to whatever the developer wants. I could make you have full bars at -110 dbm which would be a useless connection, but still show full bars. For the most part, you should disregard them.
Would be possible to boost WiFi reception with a software tweak? Even if Google doesnt provide a fix, could be WiFi signal strength increased in custom roms? I hope some developer will know to answer this.
I have chance to get N5 32gb next week and I really want it, but since Im a lot in other countries, good WiFi signal strength is very important for me (to connect on WiFi hotspots)
Thanx
Is it an issue of signal strength only? Does it ever disconnect you completely? "Strength" would be much less of a concern than disconnects, now THAT would be annoying.
Spitfire said:
Is it an issue of signal strength only? Does it ever disconnect you completely? "Strength" would be much less of a concern than disconnects, now THAT would be annoying.
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I have read that some N5 owners lost WiFi connection when they were about 10 m away from router. This is unacceptable IMO. I hope software tweak can boost WiFi reception.
I confirm the weak wifi too.
signal
i have nexus 5 16gb white, signal is very very weak!!! i have N4 and GN and have perfect signal!
the problem of weak wifi, is all about the nexus? we have to wait for a fix or should call google and give it back?
I'm facing the same issue. I'm few feets from AP and I'm getting weak and unstable signal. The worse thing is that it is not picking up signal from my main AP (Edimax) at home... It does not "see" the network at all even all other devices at home use it fine.
Very weak signal with this phone, I got full bars on my previous phones in my office but now only 2 bars. If you put your hand near the top of the phone the signal completely drops.
Same issue here, very weak reception. No issues with may tablet or laptops, but Nexus isnt getting good signal. White 32GB.
Yup weak signal. Initially it didn't want to connect to 3g but that was fixed with the service menu. And now I am noticing weak WiFi signal.
I'm guessing this has to do with the antenna.
Its easy to open the phone I'm going to crack it open and see what I find.
Have you folks tried going into your N5's WiFi settings & look under the Advanced submen (press the 3 dots on the lower right of screen)
Tried turning off 5 Ghz band if your router is on the typical 2.4 Ghz band - and if you have the newer dual band N router, enable your 5 Ghz band - could be interferences from other nearby devices or AP ??
Install the free app, Wifi Analayzer from Play Store & run it - take a look at your AP's signal strength, try switching to a less congested channel since the airwaves are shared, regardless which of the 11 channels you are defaulting to ...
Mine is running just fine, -60 to -50 dBm with the N home router behind 2 sheetrock walls.
Compared to my Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy SIII, I have superior Wifi Signal on my Nexus 5 to a very positive surprise...however network drop outs for Cellular connection is quite annoying...
guys try to disable the wifi optimization under advanced wifi setting and set the band to 2.4 . it worked with me :good:
I have to use my 2.4GHz connection because the phone didn't work at all on the 5GHz.
Sent from my Nexus 5
I have this problem too. Sometimes my signal is so weak that it disconnects with the router and falls back on 3G.
I tried everything. Just went into Safe Mode, but Wifi is still weak, it doesnt matter.
I tried to only use 2,4GHz and turned Wifi optimalisation off. Still the same weak signal.
I tested it with the app "Wifi Analyzer" If I stand next to the router it gets about -50dBm. Then I tested it with my brothers Galaxy S2, he got -40dBm. Thats a difference of 10dBm. -40dBm is a stronger signal.
We tried it at the 2nd floor, and he got a better signal again. So it's obviously my Nexus.
Android 4.4.2, stock, no root or something. Google come with a solution please. My previous phone had the same ****ty Wifi (HTC One X).
Hello everyone,
My wifi router is on level 0 of my house. If I'm upstairs, I have a ****ty bandwith. I tried to do like 5 speedtests in a row, alternate with 5 speedtests with my smartphone (OnePlus One).
My ISP bandwith is 10Mb/s
The speed with my tablet is stuck below 1Mb/s upstairs, opposite to my smartphone results ceiling at 9-10Mb/s.
But when I'm downstairs and up to 5 meters aways from my router I can have that speed on the tablet. Different locations in the house downstairs give me different results. The more I'm far from the router, the less the speed is.
Any idea of what I could do to have the same bandwith anywhere at home ?
Am I condemned to buy a wifi 5Ghz repeter (currently my router is on 2.4Ghz), as I have read that the tablet was designed to work flawlessly with 5Ghz wifi ?
Am I alone with this problem ?
Is this a faulty design problem from nvidia ?
PS : I'm alone on my wifi channel in the neighboorhood, so no congestion is possible.
I'd say, the GHz have nothing to do with it. Rather it may be a structural issue. If you cover the Shield side, the one without the front camera!, you will have a weaker reception. So if you hold the Shield in portrait mode the front camera should be on the bottom for better reception.
Niii4 said:
I'd say, the GHz have nothing to do with it. Rather it may be a structural issue. If you cover the Shield side, the one without the front camera!, you will have a weaker reception. So if you hold the Shield in portrait mode the front camera should be on the bottom for better reception.
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So that means everyone is having the problem I have and nobody pointed it before ?
No. It's not a problem but common. If there are lots of walls between your handset and the router the reception drops. Worse, if you cover the interior antennas.
So why does my OnePlus one has no bandwidth drops ? I think it is a big problem if my smartphone gets full bandwidth from my wifi and my tablet does not.
Maybe you don't cover the antennas of your OnePlus one? Or its microwaves output are set much much higher to penetrate lots of walls. Downside, unhealthy for the human body in the long run.
I, for instance, rearranged my router to have a better reception. Only one wall. Hence excellent speed.
Ok did some more testing with my PC and this app to test my WLAN speed.
Just above the router, I'm @ 80Mb/s ... going 5 meters away and more drops the speed to 1Mb/s
Gonna invest in a wifi repeater
Keep in mind, there is metal structure inside the ceilings, which is worse than just walls.
Bottom line, either you get WiFi repeaters or a long cable to set up the router on the same floor.
I have a UK Galaxy S7 and I am wondering if anyone has had any issues with the bluetooth being perhaps a bit low powered. I have a Bose QC35 bluetooth headset and it works perfectly with my iPhone 6. I recently bought an S7 and the range seems to be awful with it cutting out anything more than a meter away. I have tried different orientations and it starts to stutter with my hand over the top of the phone (I assume the antennas location) specifically with it on my left side. I assume this is because the antenna in the Bose Headset is on the right ear cup. I don't have this issue with the iPhone so it must be a problem with the Galaxy S7. I returned the one I bought as I wondered whether my phone was specifically faulty and the issue is just as apparent on the new one. I have rooted my phone so I cant send it back and just wondered if anyone here had any ideas on what might solve it (can I lower the bitrate of the bluetooth compression some how?).
This video demonstrates how awful the stuttering problem is. The phone is within 1m range at all times and this cut out is obviously not acceptable. Here's a demo if it isn't clear.
The youtube embed doesn't seem to work so here: https://youtu.be/4m1G0YXRkLI
same issue still can't find a solution...
i do have the same issue, post about it here :
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s7/help/galaxy-s7-europe-exynos-bluetooth-range-t3588047
my wifi reception is also bad, i get max 50 mbps on a 1gb fiber connexion, my old s4 is doing everything better and faster than the S7, i don't get it...
yelgo said:
i do have the same issue, post about it here :
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s7/help/galaxy-s7-europe-exynos-bluetooth-range-t3588047
my wifi reception is also bad, i get max 50 mbps on a 1gb fiber connexion, my old s4 is doing everything better and faster than the S7, i don't get it...
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Ref the WiFi & cell signal I did notice my previous A5 2016 was reporting slightly stronger signals than my new S7. Tried another & it was the same. Weird.
I remember it was worse when I had a back case on it which I later lost getting into the Gear VR & that not accepting one. Not sure what you could use as a reference point though as the 'bar' system is frequently criticised for it's inaccuracies & there are a lot of signal apps out there to choose from.
Ref the WiFi do you have your router transmitting 5Ghz A/C? Only that's where the best speeds would be to be had with the S7 supporting A/C. Using my TP-Link VR600 transmitting a 5Ghz A/C 80 MHz signal referencing the Network Cell Info app I get about -40dBm with 866 Mbps link speed which gives me access to the full 80/20 offering of my fibre. With Wireless N rather than AC & on a 20Mhz 2.4Mhz channel I would be looking at a Link Speed somewhere in the region of 54Mbps. I wonder if that's where you are?
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Has anyone else in this forum come across problems with signal strength? There is a thread in the Moto forum where this has been discussed in greater detail. The general consensus seems to be that the Z4 shows a signal about 10 or more dB weaker than other phones, such as the Z2 force. I can confirm this from my own experience and I'm posting here in hopes that a developer might have an idea for a solution, assuming the problem is not simply a bad antenna design, but a matter of control settings for the radio. It is extremely annoying to be at a remote location and have someone with a Z2 sitting next to you being able to watch videos online, while you cannot get any connection with the Z4. Both phones are with the same carrier (T-mobile), but the signal strength issues have also been reported on the Verizon network, so it does not appear to be carrier related, but rather a phone issue.
Looking forward to any response.
I have the same issue. Signal strength is awful. I feel like I have 3G or no signal on a regular basis. All in places where 4G wasnt an issue before. Streaming music cuts out randomly on roads I've been driving for years.
Yes I have experienced this as well, unfortunately this i believe is the result of getting a mid-range SOC. From what I am seeing here the Z2 uses an 8 series SOC, which is a flagship SOC and the chip itself is better radio modulation for stronger signal strength. The mid-rang 6 series in the Z4 dose not have as good modulation and there for less powerful signal strength compared to the 8 series chips. Our only hope is to cross our fingers for a firmware update to improve this a little bit, other wise we are stuck with what we have.
At least that is what I am reading when I look at this chart here > https://www.qualcomm.com/products/mobile-processors
I do not believe that the quality of the received signal depends in any significant way on whether the Z4 uses a flagship, or a mid-range SOC. The data throughput will be better on the flagship chip (at least in theory, depending on real-life available bandwidth), but the sending/receiving part of the radio should perform in the same ballpark, as far as the signal quality is concerned. Otherwise, the usability of all mid-range phones with that chip set would be affected (and budget phones would probably be useless).
I have done some extensive testing, at different times of the day, different weather conditions, different locations. I have tested both signal strength , and data speed, both downstream, and upstream.
In a nutshell, at a distance of about 3500 feet from the tower I'm logged into, I consistently get weak LTE signals, between -105dB and -110dB best case, but wildly fluctuating, to the point that the phone can barely hang on to the connection. At exactly the same conditions, I get good 3G HSPA+ connections at -87db to -89dB signal strength, and fairly stable. Although LTE should be considerably faster, the downstream and upstream speeds I get with HSPA+ are in the same range, or sometimes even slightly better, which comes as no surprise, as the phone struggles to keep the LTE connection.
As to the reason for this behavior, I still suspect that the antenna design has to do with the poor reception. I will try to narrow this down further, if I can.
Long story short, I still hope that there is a way to program the radio differently, such that it works with a higher gain (making up for the antenna?), better maintaining LTE connections. For the time being, I will continue to switch between LTE and 3G, depending on location. That way, I can at least maintain a connection. However, I do not consider that a solution, just a crutch.
I've had to go back to the Z3 for better cell reception.
I love my Moto Z4 (XT1980-3 amz), but I don't think the coverage or strength is the best - I feel like I get no coverage more often than my previous phones, a Google Pixel and a LG G4 (H815-TW).
Really the only times I have problems with reception, is when I am on a train - going through a cutaway, entering the city loop, or is absolutely packed (as well as half the trip on country trains). These are slightly more common since I have been on the Moto Z4, (Doesn't happen as often now I am with Telstra though, but never had Telstra on my Pixel or G4).
Coverage in Melbourne with the Moto Z4 is generally great, and same with around towns in West Gippsland (Country Areas), which you would expect as I am not with Vodafone.
I am now on Telstra, but until last week was on Optus - in Melbourne, Australia