Signal (dBm)

Rating

What to expect

-30 to -50 dBm

Excellent

Right next to the router. Everything works perfectly.

-50 to -67 dBm

Good

Strong, reliable signal for HD/4K video, calls, and gaming.

-67 to -70 dBm

Fair

Fine for browsing and streaming; 4K may struggle.

-70 to -80 dBm

Weak

Unreliable - basic use only, video will buffer.

Below -80 dBm

Unusable

Too weak for a stable connection.

What dBm means

WiFi signal strength is reported in dBm (decibel-milliwatts), a logarithmic scale that's always shown as a negative number. The closer to zero, the stronger the signal: -40 dBm is excellent, -70 dBm is borderline, and -90 dBm is effectively no signal. Because it's logarithmic, every 3 dBm change roughly doubles or halves the power.

Improving a weak signal

If you're sitting at -75 dBm or worse, try moving the router to a more central, elevated, open spot, away from walls and metal. Switching a device to the 5 GHz band helps nearby, while 2.4 GHz reaches further. For large or multi-floor homes, a mesh system or a well-placed extender usually beats chasing settings.

Next, make sure you're on a clear channel with the WiFi channel guide, and compare WiFi extenders vs mesh for better coverage.