RSSI

Technology & Computing abbreviation · Telecom

RSSI
Stands forReceived signal strength indicator
CategoriesTechnology & Computing

RSSI stands for Received signal strength indicator, a telecom abbreviation.

Measurement of how strong a radio signal is at a receiver, usually given in negative dBm values for Wi-Fi and cellular devices; numbers closer to zero mean a stronger signal.

Example: The Wi-Fi RSSI in the back bedroom is minus 82 dBm, which explains the dropouts.

Usage notes

For Wi-Fi, about -50 dBm is excellent, -67 dBm is a common target for reliable video calls and -80 dBm or weaker is poor. Cellular engineers often prefer more specific LTE and 5G measures such as RSRP and RSRQ. Signal bars on a phone are a rough, manufacturer-specific translation of these readings.

More telecom abbreviations

  • QAM – Quadrature amplitude modulation
  • RAN – Radio access network
  • RCS – Rich Communication Services
  • RF – Radio frequency
  • RFID – Radio-frequency identification
  • RJ11 – Registered Jack 11
  • SAR – Specific absorption rate
  • SDR – Software-defined radio
  • SIM – Subscriber Identity Module
  • SMS – Short Message Service
  • T1 – Transmission System 1
  • TDD – Time-division duplex

See all 114 telecom abbreviations →