A client at the county clerk's office reports −65 dBm. How should the technician interpret dBm?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
dBm is an absolute fuel gauge tied to one milliwatt as zero on the scale. Negative numbers are normal for received Wi-Fi — you are below that 1 mW reference. It is not a vague 'compared to yesterday' dB without a reference.
Full Explanation
dBm is an absolute power measurement referenced to 1 mW (0 dBm equals 1 mW). Received signal levels such as −65 dBm are therefore absolute, not merely relative dB deltas. Channel utilization and MIMO spatial streams are different metrics. CWTS technicians use dBm readings when comparing design targets and client reports without confusing them for relative-only dB language.