diff --git a/src/Wippersnapper.cpp b/src/Wippersnapper.cpp
index 67ad018c7..731f8b7b6 100644
--- a/src/Wippersnapper.cpp
+++ b/src/Wippersnapper.cpp
@@ -185,10 +185,12 @@ void Wippersnapper::getMacAddr() {
 /****************************************************************************/
 /*!
     @brief    Gets the network's RSSI.
+    @return   int32_t RSSI value
 */
 /****************************************************************************/
-void Wippersnapper::getRSSI() {
+int32_t Wippersnapper::getRSSI() {
   WS_DEBUG_PRINTLN("ERROR: Please define a network interface!");
+  return 0;
 }
 
 /****************************************************************************/
@@ -2401,7 +2403,7 @@ void Wippersnapper::runNetFSM() {
                   WS_LED_STATUS_WIFI_CONNECTING);
       }
       WS_DEBUG_PRINT("SSID found! RSSI: ");
-      WS_DEBUG_PRINTLN(WS._RSSI);
+      WS_DEBUG_PRINTLN(WS.getRSSI());
       // Attempt to connect to wireless network
       maxAttempts = 5;
       while (maxAttempts > 0) {
@@ -2567,9 +2569,8 @@ void Wippersnapper::pingBroker() {
       runNetFSM();
     }
     _prv_ping = millis();
-    getRSSI(); // update RSSI
     WS_DEBUG_PRINT("WiFi RSSI: ");
-    WS_DEBUG_PRINTLN(WS._RSSI);
+    WS_DEBUG_PRINTLN(WS.getRSSI());
   }
   // blink status LED every STATUS_LED_KAT_BLINK_TIME millis
   if (millis() > (_prvKATBlink + STATUS_LED_KAT_BLINK_TIME)) {
diff --git a/src/Wippersnapper.h b/src/Wippersnapper.h
index a837f5935..975f24dee 100644
--- a/src/Wippersnapper.h
+++ b/src/Wippersnapper.h
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ class Wippersnapper {
   void disconnect();
 
   virtual void getMacAddr();
-  virtual void getRSSI();
+  virtual int32_t getRSSI();
   virtual void setupMQTTClient(const char *clientID);
 
   virtual ws_status_t networkStatus();
@@ -362,7 +362,6 @@ class Wippersnapper {
   ws_uart *_uartComponent;        ///< Instance of UART class
 
   // TODO: does this really need to be global?
-  int32_t _RSSI = 0;    ///< RSSI value of the network connection
   uint8_t _macAddr[6];  /*!< Unique network iface identifier */
   char sUID[13];        /*!< Unique network iface identifier */
   const char *_boardId; /*!< Adafruit IO+ board string */
diff --git a/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_AIRLIFT.h b/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_AIRLIFT.h
index 544ab80d3..b3beb2c9c 100644
--- a/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_AIRLIFT.h
+++ b/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_AIRLIFT.h
@@ -120,7 +120,6 @@ class Wippersnapper_AIRLIFT : public Wippersnapper {
     // Was the network within secrets.json found?
     for (int i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
       if (strcmp(_ssid, WiFi.SSID(i)) == 0) {
-        WS._RSSI = WiFi.RSSI(i);
         return true;
       }
     }
@@ -225,12 +224,10 @@ class Wippersnapper_AIRLIFT : public Wippersnapper {
   /********************************************************/
   /*!
   @brief  Gets the current network RSSI value
+  @return int32_t RSSI value
   */
   /********************************************************/
-  void getRSSI() {
-    // test if this fails when disconnected or returns something sensible
-    WS._RSSI = WiFi.RSSI();
-  }
+  int32_t getRSSI() { return WiFi.RSSI(); }
 
   /********************************************************/
   /*!
diff --git a/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_ESP32.h b/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_ESP32.h
index cf1b1c780..2f4f2b4cb 100644
--- a/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_ESP32.h
+++ b/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_ESP32.h
@@ -110,7 +110,6 @@ class Wippersnapper_ESP32 : public Wippersnapper {
     // Was the network within secrets.json found?
     for (int i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
       if (strcmp(_ssid, WiFi.SSID(i).c_str()) == 0) {
-        WS._RSSI = WiFi.RSSI(i);
         return true;
       }
     }
@@ -143,12 +142,10 @@ class Wippersnapper_ESP32 : public Wippersnapper {
   /********************************************************/
   /*!
   @brief  Gets the current network RSSI value
+  @return int32_t RSSI value
   */
   /********************************************************/
-  void getRSSI() {
-    // test if this fails when disconnected or returns something sensible
-    WS._RSSI = WiFi.RSSI();
-  }
+  int32_t getRSSI() { return WiFi.RSSI(); }
 
   /********************************************************/
   /*!
diff --git a/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_ESP8266.h b/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_ESP8266.h
index 51f5df861..5e48a9b33 100644
--- a/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_ESP8266.h
+++ b/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_ESP8266.h
@@ -133,7 +133,6 @@ class Wippersnapper_ESP8266 : public Wippersnapper {
     // Was the network within secrets.json found?
     for (int i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
       if (strcmp(_ssid, WiFi.SSID(i).c_str()) == 0) {
-        WS._RSSI = WiFi.RSSI(i);
         return true;
       }
     }
@@ -166,12 +165,10 @@ class Wippersnapper_ESP8266 : public Wippersnapper {
   /********************************************************/
   /*!
   @brief  Gets the current network RSSI value
+  @return int32_t RSSI value
   */
   /********************************************************/
-  void getRSSI() {
-    // test if this fails when disconnected or returns something sensible
-    WS._RSSI = WiFi.RSSI();
-  }
+  int32_t getRSSI() { return WiFi.RSSI(); }
 
   /*******************************************************************/
   /*!
diff --git a/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_WIFININA.h b/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_WIFININA.h
index ea301cf4f..33d43e8e4 100644
--- a/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_WIFININA.h
+++ b/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_WIFININA.h
@@ -131,7 +131,6 @@ class Wippersnapper_WIFININA : public Wippersnapper {
     // Was the network within secrets.json found?
     for (int i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
       if (strcmp(_ssid, WiFi.SSID(i)) == 0) {
-        WS._RSSI = WiFi.RSSI(i);
         return true;
       }
     }
@@ -190,12 +189,10 @@ class Wippersnapper_WIFININA : public Wippersnapper {
   /********************************************************/
   /*!
   @brief  Gets the current network RSSI value
+  @return int32_t RSSI value
   */
   /********************************************************/
-  void getRSSI() {
-    // test if this fails when disconnected or returns something sensible
-    WS._RSSI = WiFi.RSSI();
-  }
+  int32_t getRSSI() { return WiFi.RSSI(); }
 
   /********************************************************/
   /*!
diff --git a/src/network_interfaces/ws_networking_pico.h b/src/network_interfaces/ws_networking_pico.h
index 13c23581a..efd513051 100644
--- a/src/network_interfaces/ws_networking_pico.h
+++ b/src/network_interfaces/ws_networking_pico.h
@@ -109,7 +109,6 @@ class ws_networking_pico : public Wippersnapper {
     // Was the network within secrets.json found?
     for (int i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
       if (strcmp(_ssid, WiFi.SSID(i)) == 0) {
-        WS._RSSI = WiFi.RSSI(i);
         return true;
       }
     }
@@ -142,12 +141,10 @@ class ws_networking_pico : public Wippersnapper {
   /********************************************************/
   /*!
   @brief  Gets the current network RSSI value
+  @return int32_t RSSI value
   */
   /********************************************************/
-  void getRSSI() {
-    // test if this fails when disconnected or returns something sensible
-    WS._RSSI = WiFi.RSSI();
-  }
+  int32_t getRSSI() { return WiFi.RSSI(); }
 
   /********************************************************/
   /*!