Manage signal strenght

[PietroV]

I've contacted customer support and I've been informed that I can't decrease the signal strenght of the base station.

Since the power in dB is quite high to allow connection of the wireless cameras, it would be useful to allow users to decrease it from the control panel.

This feature is really imporant to decrease electromagnetic pollution, even more at home, in presence of children.

Thank you very much for accomplishing this request.

[NewfieDrool]

What is your measured dBm?

where I’m based and  I don’t know know if it differs as different laws apply depending on country but I’m seeing a 17 dBm which is if my memory is correct 50mW where our law allows 20 dBm 100nw on the freq used.  So  it’s half of our legal limit.

personally Transmit power is fine on routers and extenders so you can control roaming ability and cut down interference but given the fact some manufacturers include it I can guarantee that anyone using the equipment will simply look at the setting and select the highest output.

[PietroV]

I've checked the signal strenght and it's incredibly high!

I measure 45dbm!

Note that I've decreased my wifi singnal strenght and the appliance that's side by side to the netgear device is 49...

[StephenB]

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@PietroV wrote:

I've checked the signal strenght and it's incredibly high!

I measure 45dbm!

Note that I've decreased my wifi singnal strenght and the appliance that's side by side to the netgear device is 49...

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The US power limit is 30 dbm, and you'd normally see -10 dbm if you are measuring signal strength from 3 feet away.

What are you measuring with, and what country are you in?    Are you sure you aren't seeing -45dbm?

[NewfieDrool]

That’s a far bit of watts, are you looking at SNR by mistake possibly. 

[StephenB]

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@NewfieDrool wrote:

That’s a far bit of watts ...

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~30 watts - which just can't be right.

[NewfieDrool]

No way can it be right, way too much and would be a tad warm too I would think.

im guessing the confusion may be due to looking at the signal strength rather than the transmit power. 

[PietroV]

Yewp, you're right.

It was SNR. By the way the lack of the power strenght is crazy: I can understand that Netgear is not willing to allow people to modify radio, but it's totally crazy that at least radiation is out of people control...

[NewfieDrool]

They have completely left any sort of route control out of user control for I guess a more secure setup. Problem is sometimes they have transmit power on their routers but it’s not always worked as intended.

[StephenB]

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@PietroV wrote:

Yewp, you're right.

It was SNR. 

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Thanks for following up.

FWIW, WiFi power limits are set with at least a 50x safety margin (that is, max power levels are less than 1/50th of the power level where known adverse health affects begin to occur).   WiFi routers (and Arlo bases) are expected to be placed 20 cm (8 in) or more away from the body, so it would be good to maintain at least that distance for long term exposure.  I'd also apply that rule to the Arlo Baby cameras.

[PietroV]

Thank you StephenB for your response.

I'd be happy to change the power by myself. If I measure that it is enough a very small power transmissio, why should I keep it as Netgear decides? Basing on statistics? Basing on the principle "the bigger the better"? Only allowing singnal strenght I wouldn't compromise the security, the configuration... IMHO this is an healthy principle and should be kept free... 🙂

[NewfieDrool]

To be honest how many devices do you have where you can set the power output? 
what if say you had control and lowered it, what would the client camera which is battery operated do for example? Would it lower it’s battery run time  as the client works harder to keep the connection or would you lose connection if the battery drained to a set point. 

[TomMac]

The current router i use allows you to lower the output... but many things are fixed.

If you could lower  the output of the base unit, you would in effect lower the coverage area for the cameras ( and yes, they may drain faster if they have a poor signal )

[PietroV]

Thank you for your hint TomMac, but, saince my cameras are all close, I'm not in need to irradiate more than necessary, that's all... as I've said before, I don't think that the powerful I go the better it is and, yes, elettrosmog is not so cool...

[StephenB · Accepted solution]

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@PietroV wrote:

I'd be happy to change the power by myself.

 The net here is that you can't.  You could post it as a suggestion in the idea exchange.

FWIW, personally I see more value in being able to change the wifi channel (which also can't be done).

[PietroV]

For sure I'll do that! Both of them are quite useful... 🙂

[NewfieDrool]

There is a work around to changing the channel using a third party piece of equipment, I’m not sure though I can say as it’s not designed that way to function and needs a secure connection to do it. 

[PietroV]

Which  third party equipment do you use NewfieDroll?