Hi.
I have a routerboard with 2 wireless cards in it. One I have set to station pseudobridge, so that it can connect to a remote AP. The other card i set to AP bridge, so that I can connect wireless devices to it. I have wds set and have bridged the two cards. It works, but not well. Before I did this, I had a client PC connecting wirelessly to the remote AP using a wireless pci card and could get about twice the bandwidth that I can get now.
Can you tell me what have I done wrong?
If you don’t show us your configuration, how can we tell you what you have done wrong?
Give us an export of the wireless setting, the interface setting (incl. bridge) and the WDS settings. Maybe we can tell you then…
Hi Rudy.
I did think I wasn’t giving enough information, but didn’t know what info I did need to give you. I hope I’m giving you the correct info.
/interface wireless
set 0 ack-timeout=dynamic adaptive-noise-immunity=none allow-sharedkey=no
antenna-gain=0 antenna-mode=ant-a area=“” arp=enabled band=2.4ghz-b
basic-rates-a/g=6Mbps basic-rates-b=1Mbps burst-time=disabled comment=“”
compression=no country=no_country_set default-ap-tx-limit=0
default-authentication=yes default-client-tx-limit=0 default-forwarding=
yes dfs-mode=none disable-running-check=no disabled=no
disconnect-timeout=3s frame-lifetime=0 frequency=2412 frequency-mode=
manual-txpower hide-ssid=no hw-fragmentation-threshold=disabled
hw-protection-mode=none hw-protection-threshold=0 hw-retries=4
mac-address=00:0B:6B:81:26:79 max-station-count=2007 mode=
station-pseudobridge mtu=1500 name=wlan1 noise-floor-threshold=default
on-fail-retry-time=100ms periodic-calibration=default
periodic-calibration-interval=60 preamble-mode=both
proprietary-extensions=post-2.9.25 radio-name=000B6B812679 rate-set=
default scan-list=default security-profile=“New Sec” ssid=EG6
station-bridge-clone-mac=00:00:00:00:00:00 supported-rates-a/g=
6Mbps,9Mbps,12Mbps,18Mbps,24Mbps,36Mbps,48Mbps,54Mbps supported-rates-b=
1Mbps,2Mbps,5.5Mbps,11Mbps tx-power-mode=default update-stats-interval=
disabled wds-cost-range=50-150 wds-default-bridge=none wds-default-cost=
100 wds-ignore-ssid=no wds-mode=static wmm-support=disabled
set 1 ack-timeout=dynamic adaptive-noise-immunity=none allow-sharedkey=no
antenna-gain=0 antenna-mode=ant-a area=“” arp=enabled band=2.4ghz-b
basic-rates-a/g=6Mbps basic-rates-b=1Mbps burst-time=disabled comment=“”
compression=no country=no_country_set default-ap-tx-limit=0
default-authentication=yes default-client-tx-limit=0 default-forwarding=
yes dfs-mode=none disable-running-check=no disabled=no
disconnect-timeout=3s frame-lifetime=0 frequency=2412 frequency-mode=
manual-txpower hide-ssid=no hw-fragmentation-threshold=disabled
hw-protection-mode=none hw-protection-threshold=0 hw-retries=4
mac-address=00:1B:B1:05:3D:13 max-station-count=2007 mode=ap-bridge mtu=
1500 name=wlan2 noise-floor-threshold=default on-fail-retry-time=100ms
periodic-calibration=default periodic-calibration-interval=60
preamble-mode=both proprietary-extensions=post-2.9.25 radio-name=
001BB1053D13 rate-set=default scan-list=default security-profile=
HomeAPsecurity ssid=“Home AP” station-bridge-clone-mac=00:00:00:00:00:00
supported-rates-a/g=6Mbps,9Mbps,12Mbps,18Mbps,24Mbps,36Mbps,48Mbps,54Mbps
supported-rates-b=1Mbps,2Mbps,5.5Mbps,11Mbps tx-power-mode=default
update-stats-interval=disabled wds-cost-range=50-150 wds-default-bridge=
none wds-default-cost=100 wds-ignore-ssid=no wds-mode=static wmm-support=
disabled
/interface wireless manual-tx-power-table
set wlan1 comment=“” manual-tx-powers=“1Mbps:17,2Mbps:17,5.5Mbps:17,11Mbps:17,
6Mbps:17,9Mbps:17,12Mbps:17,18Mbps:17,24Mbps:17,36Mbps:17,48Mbps:17,54Mbps
:17,HT20-1:0,HT20-2:0,HT20-3:0,HT20-4:0,HT20-5:0,HT20-6:0,HT20-7:0,HT20-8:
0,HT40-1:0,HT40-2:0,HT40-3:0,HT40-4:0,HT40-5:0,HT40-6:0,HT40-7:0,HT40-8:0”
set wlan2 comment=“” manual-tx-powers=“1Mbps:17,2Mbps:17,5.5Mbps:17,11Mbps:17,
6Mbps:17,9Mbps:17,12Mbps:17,18Mbps:17,24Mbps:17,36Mbps:17,48Mbps:17,54Mbps
:17,HT20-1:0,HT20-2:0,HT20-3:0,HT20-4:0,HT20-5:0,HT20-6:0,HT20-7:0,HT20-8:
0,HT40-1:0,HT40-2:0,HT40-3:0,HT40-4:0,HT40-5:0,HT40-6:0,HT40-7:0,HT40-8:0”
/interface wireless nstreme
set wlan1 comment=“” disable-csma=no enable-nstreme=no enable-polling=yes
framer-limit=3200 framer-policy=none
set wlan2 comment=“” disable-csma=no enable-nstreme=no enable-polling=yes
framer-limit=3200 framer-policy=none
/interface wireless wds
add arp=enabled comment=“” disabled=no master-interface=wlan1 mtu=1500 name=
wds1 wds-address=00:0B:6B:81:26:79
add arp=enabled comment=“” disabled=no master-interface=wlan2 mtu=1500 name=
wds2 wds-address=00:1B:B1:05:3D:13
/interface wireless align
set active-mode=yes audio-max=-20 audio-min=-100 audio-monitor=
00:00:00:00:00:00 filter-mac=00:00:00:00:00:00 frame-size=300
frames-per-second=25 receive-all=no ssid-all=no
/interface wireless sniffer
set channel-time=200ms file-limit=10 file-name=“” memory-limit=10
multiple-channels=no only-headers=no receive-errors=no streaming-enabled=
no streaming-max-rate=0 streaming-server=0.0.0.0
/interface wireless snooper
set channel-time=200ms multiple-channels=yes receive-errors=no
[admin@Home AP] >
Both cards work at the same frequency. Change that. When two (or more) radio’s are working at the same frequency in (very) close range than they interfere with eachother a lot. Meaning the throughput will be down, at times to zero!
Correct that first and give as much channel separation as possible. Ir your remote AP is sending on channel 6 than set your AP card at either 1 or 11,12,or 13 (depending the country)
You should also enable the ANI (Adaptive noise immunity) which reduces interference levels from other sources. Set that for what the radio is, i.e. "client only " for the station and “Client and AP” for the AP.
Also set the country you are in. This way you get the channels available allowed in your country.
See from there how it goes… good luck!
Thanks Rudy. Will give that a go, and tell you how I got on
I’ve done that, but there seems only a little difference. Do you think the way I have it bridged and set up is correct?
Ok, how many devices have you ´associated´ to your AP?
And, is the remote AP you are connected to a MT box?
Some answers to this question might give you a finger pointing into the solution.
Also read this: http://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:Wireless_Station_Modes#Mode_station-pseudobridge
I have 2 devices connected to my AP. But most of the time ther’s just the one device. The remote AP is a MT box also. I’m wondering am I loosing throughput with the way that I have configured my Ap, since when I eliminate it from the equasion, and connect directly from an areial to the PC, I get about twice the speeds.
Here’s what I mean:
If the remote AP is a MT box and you have control over it you should setup WDS interface and make your station a wds-station instead of pseudobridge. I think this will probably give you some result.
If you don’t have control over the remote AP you can break the bridge of your unit and set it up as a normal router or nat router.
Both ways it will eliminate the pseudobridge shortcomings as explained in the MT-manual.
Hi Rudy. I have control of the remote AP alright, but it’s a repeater AP. So I’ll probably leave it as is. I think your second suggestion is the best option, but I can’t get my head around how it’s done. I’ve tried, but the only way I can get it to work is to set it up as the way I have it set up now. At the risk of sounding needy, can you give me any pointers as how to set it up as a normal router or NAT router.
Well, approach the situation as follows:
Presume your router has only one radio card and is serving as station of that ´remote´ AP.
So you make it run in station mode and let is receive an IP through its dhcp-client feature on that interface.
Now that router is connected to remote AP (which should have the dhcp-server funcionality set or pass from a one higher on the tree) and gets an IP address with gateway address and some dns server addresses to send dns request to.
All done.
Now you setup the second part, the AP part, on the second card.
First you make it run as “AP-brdige” in yet again a different freq. as the other card.
Now you give that interface an IP address and set dhcp-server on that interface to assign IP addresses and gw and dns etc. to any dhcp-client requesting for it.
Make sure this interface (and thus dhcp-server) work in a different network than the ´station´ interface.
Make sure there is no more bridge enabled and all wds settings are disabled.
Now, in firewall / nat you set a src nat rule that masquerades all IP addresses from this AP network to be natte’d into its ´station interface’s` IP address.
Now it works and you have two independent non bridged wireless links…
Hi Rudy. I managed most opf what you said, but got confused when it came to the natting part. I set up a NAT rule as srcnat, but didn’t know what I should do after that. Also, the remote Ap doesn’t have DCHP set up, deliberatly, so I manually set up the gateway and ip of the station. The ip of the station is 192.168.2.35/24. Where do I put that into in the firewall rules. Thanks for your valuable help so far.
Basic nat rule:
/ip firewall nat
add action=masquerade chain=srcnat disabled=no src-address=192.168.1.1/24
Your LAN address is 192.168.1.1 in this case and it has dhcp server on it serving clients with IP address in that range and telling the gateway is 192.168.1.1 etc.
This masquerade rule just tells that all addresses from the src-address range (/24!) are masqueraded. This means they automatically get a new IP address when leaving router towards the gateway that the router has been assigned. So basically all your stations go online with the IP address your router has.
Remote AP not having dhcp-server is not a problem. All you need to do now is set the IP and gateway and dns servers yourself in your router. Off course the gw is the IP of the remote AP and the WAN (or WLAN) IP of your router has to be in the remote AP’s network.
Example of a default gateway route setting:
/ip route
add dst-address=0.0.0.0/0 gateway=172.25.50.1 gateway-status=172.25.50.1 reachable wlan1 distance=0 scope=30 target-scope=10 vrf-interface=wlan1
172.25.50.1 is the remote AP
Basically that’s all.
And after the ip/tcp part is done (routing, nat, IP addresses, dhcp etc) you can start trying the wireless part again.
I would like to see what results you are getting now.
If still poor we have to look at the wireless parts.
Thanks a lot Rudy. I’m at work at the moment, so I’ll change things when I get home, and report back
well, I’m out the rest of the day. Late tonight I might throw another look at the forum…
I’ve done what you said , but now have lost all internet access. Maybe I’ve done something wrong. Here’s the wireless interface export
/interface wireless
set 0 ack-timeout=dynamic adaptive-noise-immunity=client-mode
allow-sharedkey=no antenna-gain=0 antenna-mode=ant-a area=“” arp=enabled
band=2.4ghz-b basic-rates-a/g=6Mbps basic-rates-b=1Mbps burst-time=
disabled comment=“” compression=no country=ireland default-ap-tx-limit=0
default-authentication=yes default-client-tx-limit=0 default-forwarding=
yes dfs-mode=none disable-running-check=no disabled=no
disconnect-timeout=3s frame-lifetime=0 frequency=2412 frequency-mode=
manual-txpower hide-ssid=no hw-fragmentation-threshold=disabled
hw-protection-mode=none hw-protection-threshold=0 hw-retries=4
mac-address=00:0B:6B:81:26:79 max-station-count=2007 mode=station mtu=
1500 name=wlan1 noise-floor-threshold=default on-fail-retry-time=100ms
periodic-calibration=default periodic-calibration-interval=60
preamble-mode=both proprietary-extensions=post-2.9.25 radio-name=
000B6B812679 rate-set=default scan-list=default security-profile=
“New Sec” ssid=EG6 station-bridge-clone-mac=00:00:00:00:00:00
supported-rates-a/g=6Mbps,9Mbps,12Mbps,18Mbps,24Mbps,36Mbps,48Mbps,54Mbps
supported-rates-b=1Mbps,2Mbps,5.5Mbps,11Mbps tx-power-mode=default
update-stats-interval=disabled wds-cost-range=50-150 wds-default-bridge=
none wds-default-cost=100 wds-ignore-ssid=no wds-mode=disabled
wmm-support=disabled
set 1 ack-timeout=dynamic adaptive-noise-immunity=ap-and-client-mode
allow-sharedkey=no antenna-gain=0 antenna-mode=ant-a area=“” arp=enabled
band=2.4ghz-b basic-rates-a/g=6Mbps basic-rates-b=1Mbps burst-time=
disabled comment=“” compression=no country=ireland default-ap-tx-limit=0
default-authentication=yes default-client-tx-limit=0 default-forwarding=
yes dfs-mode=none disable-running-check=no disabled=no
disconnect-timeout=3s frame-lifetime=0 frequency=2462 frequency-mode=
manual-txpower hide-ssid=no hw-fragmentation-threshold=disabled
hw-protection-mode=none hw-protection-threshold=0 hw-retries=4
mac-address=00:1B:B1:05:3D:13 max-station-count=2007 mode=ap-bridge mtu=
1500 name=wlan2 noise-floor-threshold=default on-fail-retry-time=100ms
periodic-calibration=default periodic-calibration-interval=60
preamble-mode=both proprietary-extensions=post-2.9.25 radio-name=
001BB1053D13 rate-set=default scan-list=default security-profile=
HomeAPsecurity ssid=“Home AP” station-bridge-clone-mac=00:00:00:00:00:00
supported-rates-a/g=6Mbps,9Mbps,12Mbps,18Mbps,24Mbps,36Mbps,48Mbps,54Mbps
supported-rates-b=1Mbps,2Mbps,5.5Mbps,11Mbps tx-power-mode=default
update-stats-interval=disabled wds-cost-range=50-150 wds-default-bridge=
none wds-default-cost=100 wds-ignore-ssid=no wds-mode=disabled
wmm-support=disabled
/interface wireless manual-tx-power-table
set wlan1 comment=“” manual-tx-powers=“1Mbps:17,2Mbps:17,5.5Mbps:17,11Mbps:17,
6Mbps:17,9Mbps:17,12Mbps:17,18Mbps:17,24Mbps:17,36Mbps:17,48Mbps:17,54Mbps
:17,HT20-1:0,HT20-2:0,HT20-3:0,HT20-4:0,HT20-5:0,HT20-6:0,HT20-7:0,HT20-8:
0,HT40-1:0,HT40-2:0,HT40-3:0,HT40-4:0,HT40-5:0,HT40-6:0,HT40-7:0,HT40-8:0”
set wlan2 comment=“” manual-tx-powers=“1Mbps:17,2Mbps:17,5.5Mbps:17,11Mbps:17,
6Mbps:17,9Mbps:17,12Mbps:17,18Mbps:17,24Mbps:17,36Mbps:17,48Mbps:17,54Mbps
:17,HT20-1:0,HT20-2:0,HT20-3:0,HT20-4:0,HT20-5:0,HT20-6:0,HT20-7:0,HT20-8:
0,HT40-1:0,HT40-2:0,HT40-3:0,HT40-4:0,HT40-5:0,HT40-6:0,HT40-7:0,HT40-8:0”
/interface wireless nstreme
set wlan1 comment=“” disable-csma=no enable-nstreme=no enable-polling=yes
framer-limit=3200 framer-policy=none
set wlan2 comment=“” disable-csma=no enable-nstreme=no enable-polling=yes
framer-limit=3200 framer-policy=none
/interface wireless wds
add arp=enabled comment=“” disabled=no master-interface=wlan1 mtu=1500 name=
wds1 wds-address=00:0B:6B:81:26:79
add arp=enabled comment=“” disabled=no master-interface=wlan2 mtu=1500 name=
wds2 wds-address=00:1B:B1:05:3D:13
/interface wireless align
set active-mode=yes audio-max=-20 audio-min=-100 audio-monitor=
00:00:00:00:00:00 filter-mac=00:00:00:00:00:00 frame-size=300
frames-per-second=25 receive-all=no ssid-all=no
/interface wireless sniffer
set channel-time=200ms file-limit=10 file-name=“” memory-limit=10
multiple-channels=no only-headers=no receive-errors=no streaming-enabled=
no streaming-max-rate=0 streaming-server=0.0.0.0
/interface wireless snooper
set channel-time=200ms multiple-channels=yes receive-errors=no
[admin@Home AP] >
Can you see anything there that can help? I fooled around with it for a while, but couldn’t get things to work
Remove both wds interfaces:
/interface wireless wds
add arp=enabled comment="" disabled=[color=#BF0000]no[/color] master-interface=wlan1 mtu=1500 name=\
wds1 wds-address=00:0B:6B:81:26:79
add arp=enabled comment="" disabled=no master-interface=wlan2 mtu=1500 name=\
wds2 wds-address=00:1B:B1:05:3D:13
They should be “yes”
(And the first one was never needed anyway. If your router was still a bridge, than the wlan1 would be a “station-wds” only. There was no need to mention remote AP’s mac in wds setting. You did not have an wds interface add to wlan1. There was to be a wds interface with your wds-station’s mac to be set in the remote AP)
Phew. Sorry for being so late in getting back, but things are really busy at work, and hard to get the chance to get things done at home.
Anyways, I’ve changed the settings as you said in your instructions, but I still have no internet access. I’ve done another wireless interface export. I’d like to get this licked and not have it beat me.
/interface wireless
set 0 ack-timeout=dynamic adaptive-noise-immunity=client-mode
allow-sharedkey=no antenna-gain=0 antenna-mode=ant-a area=“” arp=enabled
band=2.4ghz-b basic-rates-a/g=6Mbps basic-rates-b=1Mbps burst-time=
disabled comment=“” compression=no country=ireland default-ap-tx-limit=0
default-authentication=yes default-client-tx-limit=0 default-forwarding=
yes dfs-mode=none disable-running-check=no disabled=no
disconnect-timeout=3s frame-lifetime=0 frequency=2412 frequency-mode=
manual-txpower hide-ssid=no hw-fragmentation-threshold=disabled
hw-protection-mode=none hw-protection-threshold=0 hw-retries=4
mac-address=00:0B:6B:81:26:79 max-station-count=2007 mode=station mtu=
1500 name=wlan1 noise-floor-threshold=default on-fail-retry-time=100ms
periodic-calibration=default periodic-calibration-interval=60
preamble-mode=both proprietary-extensions=post-2.9.25 radio-name=
000B6B812679 rate-set=default scan-list=default security-profile=
“New Sec” ssid=EG6 station-bridge-clone-mac=00:00:00:00:00:00
supported-rates-a/g=6Mbps,9Mbps,12Mbps,18Mbps,24Mbps,36Mbps,48Mbps,54Mbps
supported-rates-b=1Mbps,2Mbps,5.5Mbps,11Mbps tx-power-mode=default
update-stats-interval=disabled wds-cost-range=50-150 wds-default-bridge=
none wds-default-cost=100 wds-ignore-ssid=no wds-mode=disabled
wmm-support=disabled
set 1 ack-timeout=dynamic adaptive-noise-immunity=ap-and-client-mode
allow-sharedkey=no antenna-gain=0 antenna-mode=ant-a area=“” arp=enabled
band=2.4ghz-b basic-rates-a/g=6Mbps basic-rates-b=1Mbps burst-time=
disabled comment=“” compression=no country=ireland default-ap-tx-limit=0
default-authentication=yes default-client-tx-limit=0 default-forwarding=
yes dfs-mode=none disable-running-check=no disabled=no
disconnect-timeout=3s frame-lifetime=0 frequency=2462 frequency-mode=
manual-txpower hide-ssid=no hw-fragmentation-threshold=disabled
hw-protection-mode=none hw-protection-threshold=0 hw-retries=4
mac-address=00:1B:B1:05:3D:13 max-station-count=2007 mode=ap-bridge mtu=
1500 name=wlan2 noise-floor-threshold=default on-fail-retry-time=100ms
periodic-calibration=default periodic-calibration-interval=60
preamble-mode=both proprietary-extensions=post-2.9.25 radio-name=
001BB1053D13 rate-set=default scan-list=default security-profile=
HomeAPsecurity ssid=“Home AP” station-bridge-clone-mac=00:00:00:00:00:00
supported-rates-a/g=6Mbps,9Mbps,12Mbps,18Mbps,24Mbps,36Mbps,48Mbps,54Mbps
supported-rates-b=1Mbps,2Mbps,5.5Mbps,11Mbps tx-power-mode=default
update-stats-interval=disabled wds-cost-range=50-150 wds-default-bridge=
none wds-default-cost=100 wds-ignore-ssid=no wds-mode=disabled
wmm-support=disabled
/interface wireless manual-tx-power-table
set wlan1 comment=“” manual-tx-powers=“1Mbps:17,2Mbps:17,5.5Mbps:17,11Mbps:17,
6Mbps:17,9Mbps:17,12Mbps:17,18Mbps:17,24Mbps:17,36Mbps:17,48Mbps:17,54Mbps
:17,HT20-1:0,HT20-2:0,HT20-3:0,HT20-4:0,HT20-5:0,HT20-6:0,HT20-7:0,HT20-8:
0,HT40-1:0,HT40-2:0,HT40-3:0,HT40-4:0,HT40-5:0,HT40-6:0,HT40-7:0,HT40-8:0”
set wlan2 comment=“” manual-tx-powers=“1Mbps:17,2Mbps:17,5.5Mbps:17,11Mbps:17,
6Mbps:17,9Mbps:17,12Mbps:17,18Mbps:17,24Mbps:17,36Mbps:17,48Mbps:17,54Mbps
:17,HT20-1:0,HT20-2:0,HT20-3:0,HT20-4:0,HT20-5:0,HT20-6:0,HT20-7:0,HT20-8:
0,HT40-1:0,HT40-2:0,HT40-3:0,HT40-4:0,HT40-5:0,HT40-6:0,HT40-7:0,HT40-8:0”
/interface wireless nstreme
set wlan1 comment=“” disable-csma=no enable-nstreme=no enable-polling=yes
framer-limit=3200 framer-policy=none
set wlan2 comment=“” disable-csma=no enable-nstreme=no enable-polling=yes
framer-limit=3200 framer-policy=none
/interface wireless align
set active-mode=yes audio-max=-20 audio-min=-100 audio-monitor=
00:00:00:00:00:00 filter-mac=00:00:00:00:00:00 frame-size=300
frames-per-second=25 receive-all=no ssid-all=no
/interface wireless sniffer
set channel-time=200ms file-limit=10 file-name=“” memory-limit=10
multiple-channels=no only-headers=no receive-errors=no streaming-enabled=
no streaming-max-rate=0 streaming-server=0.0.0.0
/interface wireless snooper
set channel-time=200ms multiple-channels=yes receive-errors=no
[admin@Home AP] >
I’ve managed to get a it of time to try and sort things out, but I can’t see where I’m going wrong.
Well, this only gives me the wireless card settings. They look ok now.
But is your station connected to remote AP?
Is your AP making contact with your local PC/CPE?
If so, can you do a mac telnet over each link to reach the other end?
Then try if you can ping each end from your router en vice versa.
Then, can you ping from your PC/CPE to the remote AP? And vice versa?
Then, do a traceroute to the border gateway (the one that connects to the internet) from your PC and see if you reach it and if not, where does it stop?
Then, if that all works, do a traceroute to google. First is has to resolve (DNS) www.google.com into an IP. And then it starts pinging towards it.
If it doesn’t resolve, somewhere something is wrong with the dns server settings.
If is does (maybe from cache) but you still have no internet maybe some natting is going wrong in the remote AP.
You have to try and test each part of the chain to find where the problem is. So take it step by step.