30% off every course until Sunday, October 11. Our biggest update yet, and we'd like you to try it. Applied automatically at checkout.

Choose your certification
Copyright (c) 2026 MindMesh Academy. All rights reserved. This content is proprietary and may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.

2.11.2. SSID and RF Concepts

The SSID is the network name that clients see when scanning for wireless networks. Multiple SSIDs can exist on the same AP, each mapped to a different VLAN.

TermDefinition
RSSIReceived Signal Strength Indicator (higher = better)
SNRSignal-to-Noise Ratio (higher = better)
AttenuationSignal loss over distance or through obstacles
AbsorptionSignal absorbed by materials (water, humans)
ReflectionSignal bounces off surfaces (metal, glass)
MultipathMultiple signal paths cause interference
Coverage (cell size)Area an AP serves—set mainly by its transmit power and antenna gain and pattern (omnidirectional vs directional), then reduced by attenuation and absorption
See how it connects
Alvin Varughese
Written byAlvin Varughese
Founder•20 professional certifications