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I have been running some experiments with TCPDump but I am running to a problem. Take the following captures as an example: 

2014-10-12 18:46:21.351515 7314729679us tsft 1.0 Mb/s 2432 MHz 11b -53dB signal antenna 1 0us BSSID:00:14:bf:96:b7:10 DA:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff SA:00:14:bf:96:b7:10 Beacon (Style) [1.0* 2.0* 5.5* 11.0* 18.0 24.0 36.0 54.0 Mbit] ESS CH: 11, PRIVACY
2014-10-12 18:46:21.453908 7314832079us tsft 1.0 Mb/s 2432 MHz 11b -34dB signal antenna 1 0us BSSID:00:14:bf:96:b7:10 DA:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff SA:00:14:bf:96:b7:10 Beacon (Style) [1.0* 2.0* 5.5* 11.0* 18.0 24.0 36.0 54.0 Mbit] ESS CH: 11, PRIVACY
2014-10-12 18:46:21.556314 7314934481us tsft 1.0 Mb/s 2432 MHz 11b -32dB signal antenna 1 0us BSSID:00:14:bf:96:b7:10 DA:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff SA:00:14:bf:96:b7:10 Beacon (Style) [1.0* 2.0* 5.5* 11.0* 18.0 24.0 36.0 54.0 Mbit] ESS CH: 11, PRIVACY
2014-10-12 18:46:21.617142 7314995309us tsft 1.0 Mb/s 2432 MHz 11b -69dB signal antenna 1 0us BSSID:08:60:6e:64:6f:78 DA:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff SA:08:60:6e:64:6f:78 Beacon (ASUS) [1.0* 2.0* 5.5* 11.0* 9.0 18.0 36.0 54.0 Mbit] ESS CH: 3, PRIVACY
2014-10-12 18:46:21.632972 7315011135us tsft 1.0 Mb/s 2432 MHz 11b -79dB signal antenna 1 0us BSSID:00:1c:10:27:bf:56 DA:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff SA:00:1c:10:27:bf:56 Beacon (BATMAN) [1.0* 2.0* 5.5* 11.0* 18.0 24.0 36.0 54.0 Mbit] ESS CH: 6, PRIVACY

If I capture a packet what does the SIGNAL value within the packet represents? Does it represent the signal value between the sender and the receiver of the packet or is it the signal strength of the sender to my device that's doing the capturing? If the former, is there way to figure out the signal strength of the device (not necessary an AP) to my mine?

Thanks

Sean D
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1 Answers1

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It's the signal strength of the sender to the device doing the capturing. (The only way to get the signal strength of the sender to the receiver is to capture on the receiver; this includes "remote capture" where the receiver sends copies of the packets to a machine running a capture application.)