I've set up a number of Routerboard devices now, and would like to think that I have a reasonable grasp on how to do basic setup - but I'd like some input.

Some background:

We purchased this router in a batch of three, brand new from the local distributor. One of these three routers (the one I'll talk about in the rest of this post) did not have a wireless option available in WebFig or WinBox. A support guy from the place of purchase said that I would need to flash to the latest (6.something), and then enable the wireless package in System->Packages. I did those OK. This restored wireless functionality. The other two routers didn't have this problem, but they certainly do have very poor wireless performance.

So, initially, the problems with the first unit were a weak wireless signals and constant disconnections when connecting via WinBox using MAC or IP. It would drop wireless packets constantly, and it would only get worse when I tried using WDS to another RB2011. I eventually unsuccessfully flashed to 5.26, but since recovered it and run version 6.6. And the wireless performance is abysmal.

For comparison's sake, I have a Billion 7800NXL. Phenomenally good device, but I would like to use the Mikrotik for its various other niceties - OpenVPN server, IP accounting, etc.

Right now, the RB2011 sits about a metre behind me. The wireless strength reported by my Samsung Galaxy S4 swings between 1/4 and 3/4 bars. My Galaxy Tab 7.7 sits on 1/4 bars. My MacBook Air 2013 sits on 2/5 bars. The Raspberry Pi (with WiPi) in the loungeroom about 10m away can't see the network at all.

I have:
* Reset the configuration to defaults
* Changed channels
* Changed channel widths
* Changed bands
* Changed preamble between short/long/both.
* Set freq mode to regulatory domain, country Australia.

I swap over to the Billion and it's full bars all around the apartment, with the odd drop to 3/4 bars. I don't know if there's a hardware fault with the unit, a problem with the antennas, a stray setting? I had a read of the FAQ, and checked retransmits. When I look at one of the registered clients, I go to my S4. Tx/Rx frames: 2511/2589. Tx/Rx HW frames: 4454/3750. Doesn't seem the best to me?

Of all of the RB2011UAs I've set up, this and the two others that arrived with it have been the worst. We've set up a number of them for clients but these last three are woeful.

Again, this device is one meter away.

Any ideas?

Try to align the antennas.
Also try to do a wireless reset-configuration and reconfigure the wireless interface.
Also make sure that you have both HT chains (0,1) enabled.
If you still see that problem, please make a support output file and send it to support@mikrotik.com

Hi,

Long time between posting, but I finally un-dusted the router again to see if I can make it useful.
As suggested, I reset the wireless configuration, and then put my settings back:

• Mode: AP Bridge
• Band: 2GHz-B/G/N
• SSID: sabretooth
• Security profile: sabretooth

Security profile settings:

• Name: sabretooth
• Authentication types: WPA2 PSK
• Unicast ciphers: aes ccm only
• Group ciphers: aes ccm only
• Pre-shared key entered.

To explain a bit more about my network:
My network is:

• RB2011UAS-2HND running RouterOS 6.11.
• 2013 MacBook Air running Windows 7 (Broadcom 802.11ac wireless NIC)
• PC with a Broadcom 802.11n wireless NIC
• PC, connected via ethernet cable.
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7
• Samsung Galaxy S4
• iPhone 4

Here's a sample of a continuous ping from RB2011 to the PC:

HOST SIZE TTL TIME STATUS
192.168.0.3 56 128 41ms
192.168.0.3 56 128 383ms
192.168.0.3 56 128 57ms
192.168.0.3 56 128 56ms
192.168.0.3 56 128 140ms
192.168.0.3 56 128 79ms
192.168.0.3 timeout
192.168.0.3 56 128 47ms
192.168.0.3 56 128 51ms
192.168.0.3 56 128 193ms
192.168.0.3 56 128 72ms
sent=371 received=348 packet-loss=6% min-rtt=1ms avg-rtt=127ms
max-rtt=887ms


Pinging the router via the wired PC is as you'd expect - perfect. It'd want to be seeing as it's directly hooked up! And it's not just the PC that has problems - a laptop I have (MacBook Air 2013) also has similar issues - not so much outright packet loss, but latency fluctuations:

sent=157 received=157 packet-loss=0% min-rtt=0ms avg-rtt=20ms
max-rtt=160ms


Here's the relevant wireless section from the config:

Looking at the status tab for wlan1 shows:
* Band: 2GHz-N
* Frequency: 2412 MHz
* Registered clients: 5
* Authenticated clients: 5
* Overall Tx CCQ: 5-18%
* Distance: 41km
* Noise floor: -97 dBm


So it's probably safe to say that the problem with this router is restricted to its wireless.

The pings are all over the place, and packets drop regularly. I have tried every 6.x firmware I could get my hands on with little variation in reliability. I was not able to use a 5.x firmware - the router would just not even boot with a 5.26 firmware on. I've tried fiddling with the preamble, channel, channel width, regulatory settings, etc. I don't know what else I can do.

I also did some poking around with the chains settings. If I just enable chain 0 for TX and RX (turning chain 1 off), then I'm lucky if I see one bar. If I just enable chain 1 (disabling chain 0), I get 4 out of 5 bars. Irrespective the chains settings though, packet loss is pretty consistent.

supout.rif attached.

I'm at a loss to explain what's going on. The 7800NXL goes without a hiccup, but lacks some key features I'd like.

I appreciate any help.
Thanks,
- Geoff

Additionally, regarding aligning the antennas - I'm willing to give that a go too, but what's the purpose of doing so with fixed antennas?

maybe chain0 antenna connection is damaged - try to align differently.
Also try to do a wireless interface reset-configuration.
Also try to set the distance setting to indoors.