Northstar • Signal Resources
Find towers. Check your signal.
Practical maps, phone apps, and guides to help you understand cellular reception and compare signal readings before and after installing a booster.
Check the signal where you’re standing
Start here for a numerical cellular reading. These tools run on your phone; no Northstar account is required.
Network Cell Info Lite
A straightforward starting point for watching your cellular signal change as you move between rooms or test a booster.
Use the cellular serving-cell gauge or raw readings. The separate Wi-Fi gauge measures a different connection. Available readings depend on your phone and permissions.
NetMonster
Explore live cellular measurements, network information, and signal changes in more detail.
Useful when you want to understand the connection alongside the strength reading. Band and neighboring-cell information vary by device and network.
iPhone Field Test Mode
Use your iPhone’s built-in diagnostic screen to look for cellular measurements such as RSRP.
Open the Phone keypad, enter *3001#12345#*, then press Call. Menus and available measurements vary by iPhone, iOS version, and carrier; a usable reading may not appear.
Phone readings have limits. They primarily describe your phone’s cellular connection. They do not provide a complete survey of every carrier or replace a professional RF signal meter. Third-party apps may request phone/location permissions and offer ads or paid features.
Explore cellular sites and mapped coverage
CellMapper
Explore crowdsourced cellular sites, bands, sectors, and recorded coverage. Select your country, carrier, and network type before looking around your area.
Locations may be estimated or placed by contributors. A nearby marker does not prove that your phone connects to that site.
OpenCellID
Explore an open, community-built source of cellular location observations and learn how cell locations are collected.
Records describe logical cells and can be estimated; multiple records may share one physical site. Coverage and data freshness vary by area.
Turn research into a solution
Found weak reception at your home, vehicle, or business? Share your carrier, the type of location, and any signal readings with Northstar.
We can help you choose a suitable booster and identify the next installation steps.
Take a useful before-and-after reading
1. Choose the cellular measurement
On Android, open a signal app and find its serving-cell reading. Some phones also show signal strength under Settings → About phone → SIM status. On iPhone, try Field Test Mode above. Look for a named measurement such as LTE RSRP or 5G SS-RSRP, reported in dBm.
2. Compare the same thing each time
Use the same phone, SIM/carrier, spot, and phone orientation. Let the reading settle and note several values. Compare the same measurement and network type; a switch between LTE and 5G, bands, or serving cells can make the result less directly comparable.
3. Understand the number
For the same power measurement, a less negative dBm value is stronger: −85 dBm is stronger than −105 dBm. Signal quality and network congestion also affect calls and data, so strength alone does not guarantee good performance.
4. Check the booster’s effect
Record readings with the booster off, then repeat in the same places with it on after the connection settles. Also try a call and your usual data tasks. If you run a cellular speed test, turn Wi-Fi off so it does not test your home internet instead.
