You transfer your phone to ten inches, and your download speed parts. If you have ever used a hotspot indoors, you have experienced this: the phone reception is difficult inside. The reception bar in your position bar is unclear. Four times 100% signal does not separate 75% from strength. You need real numbers to find your sweet space.
Field test mode on iPhone
On an iPhone, you can reach a hidden diagnostic feature called field test mode. It is not in any menu; This is a secret iPhone code. Open the phone app, dial 3001#12345#, and hit the call. Immediately, a dibug screen appears with a live update metrics.
As soon as you take the phone around your house, these numbers turn into real time. The best place is perfect for mapping. What do we mean these numbers in a second.
Advanced Signal Matrix on Android
If you are on Android, the story is the same, but the path depends on your brand and model. The chaos of Android is a two -edged sword: more models, more adaptation, low stability. Nothing of mine is Android 15 on the phone and nothing 3.0, it is buried in setting about phone Device detail SIM details,
Other android phones can bury it elsewhere and even different data. Nothing of mine gives less data than my iPhone. However, unlike iOS, Android Gatekeep does not inform. Play Store is packed with apps that do deep digging in cell metrics: Cellmapper, NetmoniterAnd dozens of others. With these, you get not only the current signal but also band information, tower location, and even community-operated maps that show what other people in your area see.
Signal measurement
When you open a field test mode or Android signal tool, you will see the code and matrix that may seem cryptic first. Let’s break them.
Tracking area code (TAC) is a number a number that uses for group pages and group updates for group towers. You will also see a PLMN code, which identifies your carrier and country. These are mostly network-side information. What do we care about RSRP, RSRQAnd Sinner,
Reference signal gained power, or RSRPDecibel – LTE measures the average power of reference signal in Milliwats (DBM). To zero that number, the signal is equally stronger. As you move from one end of your apartment to the other, RSRP will climb and fall into the steps, visually reveals that the best welcome.
RSRP Price (DBM) |
Signal quality |
---|---|
-80 to -90 |
🟦excellent |
-91 to -100 |
🟩GOOD |
-101 to -105 |
🟨fair |
-106 to -110 |
🟧poor |
-111 to -10 |
🟥weak |
-121 and below |
⬛no signal |
Supplements are RSRP reference signal quality (RSRQ) and signal ‘intervention – plus’ noise ratio (SINR). RSRQ All compares to the reference signal against all obtained power, so a figure close to zero means low interference.
SinnerOn the other hand, shows that your obtained signal is actually a useful signal versus noise; A positive sinr indicates a clean channel, while a negative reading means that the noise is sinking your signal.
While RSRP shows you raw strength, RSRQ and SINR suggests whether this signal can carry high sed speed data. Even if the RSRP is strong, poor quality matrix throts your connections for low modulation plans and cap.

Hardware is not just a factor
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Promote the speed of your mobile hotspot with these easy-to-affect tips and tricks.
Hunt
Of these three metrics, the RSRP is what you can impress by reposing your phone directly. I came to know that by placing my phone on a kitchen windows just one meter above the floor, my RSRP increased from around -10 DBM to about -80 dBM.
Because RSRQ and SINRs depend on network load and surroundings intervention, they often move up with day time and how many neighboring videos are streaming. If those numbers take very little dip, then your only options are switching to low crowded bands – a feature available on Android, but not on iOS.
If your phone lets you choose one manually, then the band’s information is easy. For example, mid ofband around 2.6 GHz provides more capacity, but the indoor struggles with penetration, while 800 MHz travels more easily through the lower band walls.
The truth is that RSRP is the only metric that you can constantly affect inside your house. RSRQ and SINR depend on the network, day time and your neighbor habits. So, bring the signal matrix up, walk around your house, and hunt that sweet place. For me, it was a window in the kitchen. I have a suction mount on my case, which lets me slap my phone on the window.
Do not ignore your Wi-Fi. Even if your phone is kept completely for cell signal, your PC needs to reach your hotspot. Find a compromise.
I have also seen that nothing of mine phone 1 continuously achieves better signal and faster speed than my iPhone 16 Pro, even if both use the same carrier. In areas where nothing shows the phone 5G, the iPhone often falls on LTE.
This tells me one of the two things: either nothing has a better modem in the phone, or it is only more compatible with the use of the network band my carrier. Either way, if you want to squeeze the best performance, use a better device as your hotspot.

Connected
How do I maximize my mobile hotspot without flying through my data cap
Stretch your hotspot data like a pro.
Walls, windows, furniture, and equipment all induce all SAP signal strength, even when you live next to a cell tower. I have experienced this Firsthand because I have bend more on mobile data during power outage in my area. I used to send a small innings in my apartment, sometimes only inch, my download speed and connection stability swinging wildly.
There is a cell signal sweet spot in your house, whether you know it or not. A two-minute walking with the field test mode open can mean the difference between a flaky connection and rock-sleed hotspot.