SignalCheck - Android app to monitor your Wi-Fi/2G/3G/4G LTE/5G-NR signal strengths

[KD8JBF]

I've actually seen reboots cause a "rescoop" of the play store rollouts.

 

 

Reboot did the trick! Thanks!!

[WiWavelength]

Actually I think I do recall you mentioning that bug shortly after I had noticed it myself. The only reason it slipped through the cracks on my end was because I didn't have a non-CDMA LTE device to test with. Nexus 5 FTW!

 

I went back and read the transcripts from last month, and I did not see that I specifically mentioned the -85 dBm readout bug.  I think I intended to include it in a follow up post that never happened.

 

AJ

[ThomasM]

Hey Mike I have a traiterous question since it doesn't involve Sprint...

 

A friend of mine is planning on getting one of those new Tracfone android phones which supposedly operate on Verizon's CDMA system.  He spotted SignalCheck on my Sprint phone and wondered if it would work.  I've heard Verizon doesn't transmit site coordinates so that probably won't work but will the rest of the app work?  The phone he is looking at uses android 4.0. 

[mikejeep]

Hey Mike I have a traiterous question since it doesn't involve Sprint...

 

A friend of mine is planning on getting one of those new Tracfone android phones which supposedly operate on Verizon's CDMA system. He spotted SignalCheck on my Sprint phone and wondered if it would work. I've heard Verizon doesn't transmit site coordinates so that probably won't work but will the rest of the app work? The phone he is looking at uses android 4.0.

No worries.. the app does not care who the wireless provider is, it will work on any device running Android 2.2 or newer. There is also an older version for Android 2.1, but it does not have as many features and will not receive any updates.

 

You already noted the one drawback for Verizon users.. other than that, everything else should work fine. And if Verizon changes their mind someday, SignalCheck will start showing a BSL for them too

 

-Mike

[WiWavelength]

No worries.. the app does not care who the wireless provider is, it will work on any device running Android 2.2 or newer.

 

Wow, I think I remember Android 2.2 "Froyo" back when I was only 33.  I was just a kid.  Oh, those were the days...

 

 

AJ

[mikejeep]

Wow, I think I remember Android 2.2 "Froyo" back when I was only 33.  I was just a kid.  Oh, those were the days...

 

Man, you're old. I think I was only 30 when that went down.. ah, memories. I remember rooting my EVO Shift (a Windows phone for those of you unfamiliar) to get a hacked-together version of Froyo on it. Even with its limited functionality, I remember thinking it was exactly what I hoped to see on phones someday. Still love it, many desserts later.

 

I have no problem supporting older devices, at least for now. They are actually easier, manufacturers didn't try as much funny business behind the scenes back then, and there was none of this crazy new-fangled LTE stuff to worry about!

 

-Mike

[steveo314]

Man, you're old. I think I was only 30 when that went down.. ah, memories. I remember rooting my EVO Shift (a Windows phone for those of you unfamiliar) to get a hacked-together version of Froyo on it. Even with its limited functionality, I remember thinking it was exactly what I hoped to see on phones someday. Still love it, many desserts later.

 

I have no problem supporting older devices, at least for now. They are actually easier, manufacturers didn't try as much funny business behind the scenes back then, and there was none of this crazy new-fangled LTE stuff to worry about!

 

-Mike

Like getting the Sammies to show the serving cell......

[mikejeep]

Like getting the Sammies to show the serving cell......

 

Well that's not really funny business.. prior to Android 4.2, there was no standard Android routine to get the LTE cell identity. So to get it, you need an alternate method, like SignalCheck uses to get it on HTC devices. Unfortunately, other manufacturers do not make access to this data very easy, and Samsung has security measures in place that complicate things even further. Making things worse, Samsung has been slow to add "standard" support in their devices running Android 4.2.

 

I'm still working on it though, because I know how valuable that data would be for my Samsung users. Until last month, Samsung and HTC devices were by far the most popular among SignalCheck users. Now the Nexus 5 and G2 have exploded onto the stat sheet, so I am trying to add more support for LG devices, but I am not abandoning my Samsung efforts.

 

-Mike

[MacinJosh]

Well that's not really funny business.. prior to Android 4.2, there was no standard Android routine to get the LTE cell identity. So to get it, you need an alternate method, like SignalCheck uses to get it on HTC devices. Unfortunately, other manufacturers do not make access to this data very easy, and Samsung has security measures in place that complicate things even further. Making things worse, Samsung has been slow to add "standard" support in their devices running Android 4.2.

 

I'm still working on it though, because I know how valuable that data would be for my Samsung users. Until last month, Samsung and HTC devices were by far the most popular among SignalCheck users. Now the Nexus 5 and G2 have exploded onto the stat sheet, so I am trying to add more support for LG devices, but I am not abandoning my Samsung efforts.

 

-Mike

Keep up the great work! Signal Check on my Nexus 5 is great, especially dropping the 1x signal indicator when the N5 is on LTE. Definitely clears things up.

[steveo314]

Well that's not really funny business.. prior to Android 4.2, there was no standard Android routine to get the LTE cell identity. So to get it, you need an alternate method, like SignalCheck uses to get it on HTC devices. Unfortunately, other manufacturers do not make access to this data very easy, and Samsung has security measures in place that complicate things even further. Making things worse, Samsung has been slow to add "standard" support in their devices running Android 4.2.

 

I'm still working on it though, because I know how valuable that data would be for my Samsung users. Until last month, Samsung and HTC devices were by far the most popular among SignalCheck users. Now the Nexus 5 and G2 have exploded onto the stat sheet, so I am trying to add more support for LG devices, but I am not abandoning my Samsung efforts.

 

-Mike

Yea Samsung has always been broader on things they do with Android. I've used a Captivate, GNex, S3 & S4. I am the proud owner of Signal Check Pro. Its a great app. I know your doing everything you can and everyone appreciates it, but I'm ready for the day when you "crack their code" to be able to have the cell id display in your app on the Samsungs.

[DaQue]

Anyone running a 4.3 rom on a Note 2 that allows Signal Check Pro show GCI or PCI of the serving cell?

 

Sent from my SPH-L900

 

 

[DaQue]

I see something called SlimKat based on AOSP Kitkat. I may try that if I can get brave enough.

 

Sent from my SPH-L900

 

 

[Jaggrey]

Man, you're old. I think I was only 30 when that went down.. ah, memories. I remember rooting my EVO Shift (a Windows phone for those of you unfamiliar) to get a hacked-together version of Froyo on it. Even with its limited functionality, I remember thinking it was exactly what I hoped to see on phones someday. Still love it, many desserts later.

 

I have no problem supporting older devices, at least for now. They are actually easier, manufacturers didn't try as much funny business behind the scenes back then, and there was none of this crazy new-fangled LTE stuff to worry about!

 

-Mike

I think that was the Touch Pro, since the Evo Shift was also an Android phone

[WiWavelength]

I think that was the Touch Pro, since the Evo Shift was also an Android phone

 

Right.  Mike must be getting senile in his married, old age.

 

AJ

[mikejeep]

I think that was the Touch Pro, since the Evo Shift was also an Android phone

Ha!! I knew that didn't sound right.. yep, it was the TP2. That's why you should sleep at 5am, not go S4GRUing. I still miss my physical keyboard!

 

-Mike

[mikejeep]

Right. Mike must be getting senile in his married, old age.

I blame my wife. I was completely normal until 3 months ago, I swear..

 

-Mike

[Nickel]

I blame my wife. I was completely normal until 3 months ago, I swear..

 

-Mike

No, you can't claim that, you've been around us for too long for you to be normal.  

[jefbal99]

Mike,

 

Got a bug, second or third time I've seen this where the app is not decoding the SID 4126 to be Sprint.

 

 

It takes restarting the app for the Provider to be identified as Sprint.

[mikejeep]

Got a bug, second or third time I've seen this where the app is not decoding the SID 4126 to be Sprint.

 

It takes restarting the app for the Provider to be identified as Sprint.

Nice screen shot collage there, thanks! Hmm.. that's new. Are you on 4.19? Are you able to see any logcat messages?

 

-Mike

[digiblur]

I have seen that once before as well where it said SID 4159 instead of Sprint. I hit reset data connection and it fixed it though.

[mikejeep]

I have seen that once before as well where it said SID 4159 instead of Sprint. I hit reset data connection and it fixed it though.

I think the functions that query the provider database throw all errors to logcat, so if anyone sees the behavior and can catch the logcat message, please let me know. A lot of the database stuff is finicky but very tweakable.

 

Unrelated note: Can anyone with an LG G2 confirm if the new system shortcuts added in 4.19 work correctly?

 

-Mike

[jefbal99]

Nice screen shot collage there, thanks! Hmm.. that's new. Are you on 4.19? Are you able to see any logcat messages?

 

-Mike

I'll check logcat next time it happens.

 

The collage was because all the sites on my drive to work and in town got new BIDs last night.  I made that for the West Michigan thread

[WiWavelength]

Nice screen shot collage there, thanks!

He should have it made into a quilt.

 

 

AJ

[mdob07]

 

Unrelated note: Can anyone with an LG G2 confirm if the new system shortcuts added in 4.19 work correctly?

 

-Mike

Data and Debug do not. Stock Unrooted G2.

 

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk

 

 

[Flompholph]

I just sent a diagnosis with the sid showing issue does it send a logcat with it?