AT&T signal strength on reboot

[NETexas]

I use a Netgear 1100 for home WiFi. Using AT&T. On reboot the signal strength is three to four bars then after a minute it falls to one or two bars. Why does this happen? Thanks for your input.

[Didneywhorl]

Welcome to the forum.

You're likely seeing a band change. If it swaps from a lower frequency band, like 12, to a higher frequency band, like 2 or 4, then that could definitely make the reported signal level change. Higher frequency doesnt travel as far or penetrate as well as lower frequency signals.

That or its changing towers.

The router can force the modem to query area towers for different stats and choose a band to anchor to based on their decided algorithms.

[richardc123]

I live in the country in Maryland, in between lots of tall trees all around. I have AT&T, and the only tower near me (3 miles) has AT&T bands 2. 17, and 12. My router only shows 12 all through the summer while the leaves are on the trees. In the winter it sometimes show 2 and I get CA.

After I boot up the router, for the first minute I get 25 mbps download. Then it drops to half that. It's been that way for several years now that I've been using 4G LTE internet.

[Didneywhorl]

ATT has been known to shut off CA after a few minutes of being connected. It allows them to still say they have "fast" connectivity.

[richardc123]

Well, in the summer I only get band 12, according to my router. I'll paste a screenshot if anybody wants to see it. So if I'm getting CA for the first minute, it must be band 12 aggregated with band 12. I think I've read that's possible.

[Didneywhorl]

Well, in the summer I only get band 12, according to my router. I'll paste a screenshot if anybody wants to see it. So if I'm getting CA for the first minute, it must be band 12 aggregated with band 12. I think I've read that's possible.

It's very likely. B12 with B12 I believe is possible on many modems and cell towers.