4G Connection Strength

Started by Pfirepfox, March 19, 2020, 05:48:01 AM

Previous topic - Next topic
Hi All,

Is there some plugin/Graph that tracks the connection strength of a 4G connection such as a mobile phone (EG 3 out of 4 bars).

I can see there is a quality of the connection under Reporting > Health > Quality, but no strength of connection

Hello Pfirepfox,

I spent the last few days setting up 4G on my OpnSense machine. There is built-in signal strength metering available (at least with my Huawei E3372h USB 4G modem). Signal strength in the real world is measured using RSSI. If you go to Reporting -> Health there should be a tab called Cellular which shows a graph of the RSSI.

RSSI shown is using the scale that is retrieved using AT commands to the modem. These are not the absolute RSSI numbers. For an overview of RSSI values see https://m2msupport.net/m2msupport/atcsq-signal-quality/

Hope this helps.

March 30, 2020, 07:56:06 AM #2 Last Edit: March 30, 2020, 09:10:36 AM by Pfirepfox
Hey mate,

Thanks for the reply. I did look their initially but mine appears empty with no data available. I have manually checked the port i am using on my 4G device with AT+CSQ and it does report a connection strength, just nothing in the UI.

Did you happen to select a monitoring check box somewhere to log this?

March 31, 2020, 02:17:57 PM #3 Last Edit: March 31, 2020, 04:02:50 PM by keropiko
Quote from: klontje on March 29, 2020, 12:10:00 PM
Hello Pfirepfox,

I spent the last few days setting up 4G on my OpnSense machine. There is built-in signal strength metering available (at least with my Huawei E3372h USB 4G modem). Signal strength in the real world is measured using RSSI. If you go to Reporting -> Health there should be a tab called Cellular which shows a graph of the RSSI.

RSSI shown is using the scale that is retrieved using AT commands to the modem. These are not the absolute RSSI numbers. For an overview of RSSI values see https://m2msupport.net/m2msupport/atcsq-signal-quality/

Hope this helps.

Hi,

Can you tell me which at command setport mode you have the 3372h set on? Also in the status page and interfaces overview what you see as mode? Cause i have many crash problems with the same usb stick.
Than you

Hey, I have flashed my modem using this guide: http://blog.asiantuntijakaveri.fi/2015/07/convert-huawei-e3372h-153-from.html

I have the SETPORT to AT^SETPORT="FF;12,10,16" as in Opnsense you need to use the PPP device and can't use the NDIS modem provided by the stick (don't know why, it is available in PFSense).

Can someone please further explain the init string required "&F0E1Q0 +CMEE=2". I have searched through my devices manual and found nothing along these lines.

https://www.quectel.com/UploadImage/Downlad/Quectel_EC25&EC21_AT_Commands_Manual_V1.3.pdf

I am still having an issue where the web UI does not report the RSSI Values but the module respond the manual command.

May 25, 2020, 09:34:05 AM #6 Last Edit: May 25, 2020, 10:20:25 AM by Pfirepfox
Does anyone else have an idea on how to fix the RSSI Graph? Or another way to view the RSSI data in the web UI? For instance via CRON?

what about new idea to display signal stright RSSI on Report -> health screen
I am using HUAWI mini PCI-Express  GSM 4G module but I can't see RSSI