Community discussions

MikroTik App
 
ripat
just joined
Topic Author
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:18 pm

WiFi network with 2 AP

Thu Mar 27, 2014 5:51 pm

I am considering replacing my aging wireless home network with something with more oomph. I just discovered Mikrotik and wonder what configuration to choose. So many models and specs!

My requirements:
  1. One router with at least 4 Gbit Eth. from which at least 2 PoE. No need for WiFi on the router.
  2. Two AP 802.11b/g/n with a passive PoE port wired to the router.
  3. The WiFi network should be seen as one network and clients would automatically switch from one AP to the other flawlessly.
  4. Possibly low power consumption
  5. Both the AP's and router will be installed indoor. Cooling not a factor as I live in central Europe in a old house with thick walls.
Questions:
  1. The current router and AP's run OpenWRT and I am able to execute scripts that will automatically fetch authorized IP's and open and close ports on the iptables firewall for them. Is it possible with the RouterOS?
  2. What scripting language is used by RouterOS?
  3. What is the maximum range to power a AP device through PoE? Is 50 meters ok?
Wireless is not my forte and I am a bit lost with all the available Mikrotik products and options.
 
CTrain
Frequent Visitor
Frequent Visitor
Posts: 66
Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2013 4:41 am

Re: WiFi network with 2 AP

Sat Mar 29, 2014 12:39 am

Mikrotik equipment has a GUI both Webpage based and a Local Program. It also has a custom scripting language that it uses, the command line can be accessed via the GUI or SSH. Mikrotik also have an API to allow interaction with programs.

I don't know of any routers with 2 POE have a look at the RB2011 series if this is for a home network. Also the wifi switching can be achieved by either using 2 AP on different channels but the same security settings or using WDS which has decreased thru put for faster AP changes.

As for which access points pick which ever ones you want they all come with routeros and can be easily configured.
 
User avatar
rextended
Forum Guru
Forum Guru
Posts: 11982
Joined: Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:49 pm
Location: Italy
Contact:

Re: WiFi network with 2 AP

Sat Mar 29, 2014 2:22 am

The PoE out ports are 10/100 Max, for obvious reason, the 4 cable are used for power instead of signals.

If you want gigabit poe, you must use that on router:
Image
and the other device must be another mikrotik gigabit device.
(or use another connector at the end for split power & gigabit lan...)

WARNING: NOT ALL GIGABIT POE ARE INTERCHANGEABLE FROM VARIOUS VENDORS!!!
WARNING: NOT ALL GIGABIT POE ARE INTERCHANGEABLE FROM VARIOUS VENDORS!!!
WARNING: NOT ALL GIGABIT POE ARE INTERCHANGEABLE FROM VARIOUS VENDORS!!!
 
ripat
just joined
Topic Author
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:18 pm

Re: WiFi network with 2 AP

Sat Mar 29, 2014 8:50 am

I don't know of any routers with 2 POE have a look at the RB2011 series if this is for a home network. Also the wifi switching can be achieved by either using 2 AP on different channels but the same security settings or using WDS which has decreased thru put for faster AP changes.
In the first case, 2 AP on different channels, is the switch over automatic or the client must manually change the AP?

I already use WDS and I am indeed not too happy about the throughput but in my current configuration (70% drop), the second AP is also a wireless client from the first one. That may be the reason why it is so slow. In the configuration I intend to setup, the second AP will be wired to the router or switch.

BTW, any other technology to replace WDS with the same feature but with an improved speed?
The PoE out ports are 10/100 Max, for obvious reason, the 4 cable are used for power instead of signals.
(...)
and the other device must be another mikrotik gigabit device.
(or use another connector at the end for split power & gigabit lan...)
WARNING: NOT ALL GIGABIT POE ARE INTERCHANGEABLE FROM VARIOUS VENDORS!!!
Understood.

10/100 on the PoE ports is acceptable as the WiFi clients are, at the best, 802.11n. But future clients might be ac. So, in that case I will have to reconsider using PoE right?
 
CTrain
Frequent Visitor
Frequent Visitor
Posts: 66
Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2013 4:41 am

Re: WiFi network with 2 AP

Mon Mar 31, 2014 10:56 am

Yes WDS can have Hardwired connections however I generally use a separate access point with the same auth on a different channel, the handover takes slightly longer ie if a device moves from access 1 to access 2 area and cannot access 1 anymore the change over is almost instant. whilst if access 2 & 1 are visible the client will only change access point to greatest signal ap about every 5 minutes, depending upon the client. Either way I find that suitable as you are generally not going to be moving around different ends of the house every 5 minutes with a laptop and phone have no problem with a slightly weaker signal than necessary in the middle of the house.
 
ripat
just joined
Topic Author
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:18 pm

Re: WiFi network with 2 AP

Mon Mar 31, 2014 1:09 pm

Ok, thanks.

I will order the AP's. As soon as I have them, I'll give it a try and report the reults on this thread.
 
ripat
just joined
Topic Author
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:18 pm

Re: WiFi network with 2 AP

Sat Apr 05, 2014 9:37 am

Ok. I just received my two RB951Ui-2HnD and have started to test them.

They are set up as 802.11b/g/n on 2437 Mhz, 20 Mhz channel width. Is that an optimized setting for the 802.11n? It seems to me that the speed isn't any better than on my good 'ol 802.11g WRT54GL running OpenWRT. Encryption is not a factor as I have not set any security for the tests and my AP's are the only WiFi devices in a 2 km radius!

Any suggestion to increase throughput?
 
troffasky
Member
Member
Posts: 431
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2014 4:37 pm

Re: WiFi network with 2 AP

Sat Apr 05, 2014 12:13 pm

What speed are you associating at?
What throughput [TCP/UDP] are you getting?
How are you testing speed?
 
ripat
just joined
Topic Author
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:18 pm

Re: WiFi network with 2 AP

Sat Apr 05, 2014 2:04 pm

What speed are you associating at?
54Mbps on a 802.11n capable device
How are you testing speed?
iperf between the wireless client and a wired server connected on a 10/100/1000 network.
What throughput [TCP/UDP] are you getting?
TCP Unidirectionnal
0.0-10.1 sec 58.6 MBytes 48.8 Mbits/sec

TCP Simultaneous bidirectionnal (iperf --dualtest):
0.0-10.0 sec 31.2 MBytes 26.1 Mbits/sec
0.0-10.1 sec 18.9 MBytes 15.6 Mbits/sec

UDP
Interval Transfer Bandwidth Jitter Lost/Total Datagrams
0.0-10.0 sec 11.9 MBytes 9.97 Mbits/sec 0.171 ms 0/ 8473 (0%)
0.0-10.0 sec 1 datagrams received out-of-order
 
freemannnn
Forum Veteran
Forum Veteran
Posts: 700
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 7:29 pm

Re: WiFi network with 2 AP

Sun Apr 06, 2014 11:04 am

So poe cable meter is half? 50 meters?
 
ripat
just joined
Topic Author
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:18 pm

Re: WiFi network with 2 AP

Sun Apr 06, 2014 2:17 pm

So poe cable meter is half? 50 meters?
No, for test purpose the AP is powered from the wall.

I could achieve slightly better with a 40 Mhz channel width. On a 802.11g capable device the connection is reported at between 54 Mbps and 72 Mbps but the real throughput measured by iperf is even lower than with the 20 Mhz width. Odd.
 
freemannnn
Forum Veteran
Forum Veteran
Posts: 700
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 7:29 pm

Re: WiFi network with 2 AP

Sun Apr 06, 2014 2:21 pm

My question is how many metres max you can run for poe devices? 100meters?
 
ripat
just joined
Topic Author
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:18 pm

Re: WiFi network with 2 AP

Sun Apr 06, 2014 9:15 pm

My question is how many metres max you can run for poe devices? 100meters?
Sorry, I misread your post. I did a bit of Google'ling and 100 m is not a problem according to this power loss calculator.
http://beyond-wifi.com/poe/poe-calc.html

If I read correctly the RB951 specs, the little guy needs max. 7 W. @ 8-30V. Here are the power loss result for a distance of 100 m. (328 ft)
Result for distance = 328 ft with Input Voltage = 24 Volts and 7 Watts delivered to device
Voltage at remote end 20.8 Volts
Current 0.34 Amps
Line Loss 1.08 Watts
Total power for 1 devices = 8.08 Watts
 
ripat
just joined
Topic Author
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:18 pm

Re: WiFi network with 2 AP

Sun Apr 13, 2014 9:50 am

Yes WDS can have Hardwired connections however I generally use a separate access point with the same auth on a different channel, the handover takes slightly longer ie if a device moves from access 1 to access 2 area and cannot access 1 anymore the change over is almost instant. whilst if access 2 & 1 are visible the client will only change access point to greatest signal ap about every 5 minutes, depending upon the client. Either way I find that suitable as you are generally not going to be moving around different ends of the house every 5 minutes with a laptop and phone have no problem with a slightly weaker signal than necessary in the middle of the house.
Some feedback.

I initially set my WiFi network as you suggested, same SSID on two different channels and the roaming from one AP to the other never exceeds 10 seconds. Tested with an Android 4.4 device. I don't even bothered to try WDS as this initial setup is satisfactory.

One of the best explanation I found on the net concerning the subject:
http://superuser.com/questions/122441/h ... wer-122508

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: maigonis and 27 guests