AP queue example

RouterOS Wireless Networking
1

Here is example how I queue wireless interfaces at work. Idea is, if you have clean channel per room, aka no (little) CCI/ACI issues you can queue that channel to provide more even experience to users. This is useful mostly for hi density networks, but also can be used in home/soho environments.

In example I am dividing traffic from both wireless interfaces in to groups, physical and logical (aka virtual) as they will be using one radio. After groups are created it time to mark that traffic whit bridge firewall rules (assuming AP is configured in bridge mode), splitting download and upload streams as I want to set separate speed limits. Then I use those marks to create queues, this is my example from school environment, adjust queues and those limits as you need.

This config is taken from CAPSMAN controlled AP deployment whit custom config, so follow configuration you have and see if it fits your network. I hope i did not forget any code snippet, as it was taken out from one of active APs.

/interface list
add name=WLAN-2.4
add name=WLAN-5


/queue type
add kind=pcq name=pcq-download-wlan-5ghz pcq-classifier=\
    dst-address pcq-rate=8M
add kind=pcq name=pcq-upload-wlan-5ghz pcq-classifier=\
    src-address pcq-rate=4M
add kind=pcq name=pcq-download-wlan-2.4ghz pcq-classifier=\
    dst-address pcq-rate=4M
add kind=pcq name=pcq-upload-wlan-2.4ghz pcq-classifier=\
    src-address pcq-rate=2M


/queue tree
add name=Upload parent=global priority=2 queue=default
add name=Dowload parent=global priority=1 queue=default
add name=wlan-2.4-global-download packet-mark=wlan-2.4-packet-download-mark \
    parent=Dowload priority=2 queue=pcq-download-wlan-2.4ghz
add name=wlan-2.4-global-upload packet-mark=wlan-2.4-packet-upload-mark \
    parent=Upload priority=2 queue=pcq-upload-wlan-2.4ghz
add name=wlan-5-global-download packet-mark=wlan-5-packet-download-mark \
    parent=Dowload priority=1 queue=pcq-download-wlan-5ghz
add name=wlan-5-global-upload packet-mark=wlan-5-packet-upload-mark parent=\
    Upload priority=1 queue=pcq-upload-wlan-5ghz


/interface bridge filter
add action=mark-packet chain=forward comment=wlan-5-packet-upload-mark \
    in-interface-list=WLAN-5 new-packet-mark=wlan-5-packet-upload-mark
add action=mark-packet chain=forward comment=wlan-5-packet-download-mark \
    new-packet-mark=wlan-5-packet-download-mark out-interface-list=WLAN-5
add action=mark-packet chain=forward comment=wlan-2.4-packet-upload-mark \
    in-interface-list=WLAN-2.4 new-packet-mark=wlan-2.4-packet-upload-mark
add action=mark-packet chain=forward comment=wlan-2.4-packet-download-mark \
    new-packet-mark=wlan-2.4-packet-download-mark out-interface-list=WLAN-2.4


/interface list member
add interface=wlan1 list=WLAN-2.4
add interface=wlan2 list=WLAN-5
add interface=wlan5 list=WLAN-2.4
add interface=wlan6 list=WLAN-5


/interface bridge settings
set use-ip-firewall=yes
2

Hi

Might be a stupid question but you apply this config directly on the AP’s managed by Capsman or on Capsman?

3

Not a stupid question at all.

My (high-level and first impression) view:
With old capsman and capsman forwarding, this was to be applied on the controller since all AP traffic passes there.
When capsman forwarding is not used (not available for new capsman), it needs to be done on each individual AP.

But be careful when using dynamic created interfaces …

4

Thank you very much. I am using the new Capsman and that was part of my confusion on how things should work. Much appreciated for clarification.

5

As mentioned by holvoetn, you mark and queue at location where traffic passes, so in this case AP. As update, you can mark traffic how you want (for example not by splitting 2.4ghz and 5ghz bands) and would recommend cake at this point. Its just so good that you dont need to use individual station limits at most cases.

6

Thank you for the tip. I would look into this also. Also would like to thank you on your posts regarding high density scenarios. I also work for school in Europe and had similar issues and it helped me understand a lot of things:)

7

Nice to hear, glad I could help.

8

I’m gonna jump into the thread a little bit. I currently have a fq-codel queue on my WiFi interfaces. Should I consider switching to cake? And what is the recommended configuration? This is a queue directly on the interface itself, without any specific speed.

Thank you.

9

I use cake on wlan interfaces whit no actual speed limit. Take your time - open help page and test. Setting will vary per env and need.