How do I get RSSI of a device I am already connected to.

[EdwinFairchild]

I am connecting to a device like so:
async with BleakClient(self.ble_address, disconnected_callback= self.handle_disconnect) as client:

Now I want be able to get the RSSI from my device periodically, perhaps use it to get a rough estimate of distance
from computer , just as an example... But I am unsure the proper method to get the RSSI once already connected. I have seen
code around here but they are using the scanner object, but once we have scanned and connected how do you continue to get RSSI ?

[dlech]

This is a case of a feature that is not currently available on all OSes.

• Windows is missing: https://stackoverflow.com/a/65711336/1976323.
• macOS is available: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/corebluetooth/cbperipheral/1519111-readrssi?language=objc
• Linux/BlueZ: RSSI D-Bus property doesn't seem to be updated after connection.
• Android is available: https://developer.android.com/reference/android/bluetooth/BluetoothGatt#readRemoteRssi()

If you control the device firmware, you could add a characteristic for reading the RSSI from the remote device.

[EdwinFairchild]

oh yes that is true, I can just put it in a characteristic, simple but effective! thanks!

[mr-manuel]

I'm using Linux and would need the same one. How did you do that exactly?

[EdwinFairchild]

Well in my case I have control over the firmware running on the bluetooth device so I added a characteristic that I can use to request the RSSI, nothing special about the characteristic itself its a simple data characteristic .

[mr-manuel]

Thanks. I found also out, that the RSSI on some devices is only displayed, if I execute bluetoothctl scan on in background, else bluetoothctl info MACADDRESS is not showing the RSSI.