CAPsMAN – Wi-Fi flapping with Brother DCP-T710W (ROS 7.19.4)

RouterOS Wireless Networking
41

I have said it before and will say it again.

When i have a problem with Ruckus of Cambium… I get an engineer who will actually solve the issue and often get that fix into the next firmware.

With Mikrotik… if something doesn’t work… and its not my fault… I have to submit ticket and wait. Sometimes a day or two and sometimes a month or two. Then trouble shooting will be weeks and months of one email from them every few weeks. Sometimes we get a fix. But when it comes to wireles… I have a back and forth that started in 2018. Wich took months before Mikrotik identified and confirmed the issue. They stated they would get back to me when they had a fix.

The fix was in the ACv2 driver that they released in 2024. 6 years.

So when it comes to Mikrotik wireless… if it doesn’t work… I do not bother.

Check out that 48 port switch that loses 8 ports randomly for the last 5 years…

ROUTER OS. They call it that for a reason.

1 Like
42

Following up on my ongoing Wi-Fi issues...

I have attempted, unsuccessfully, to connect a third-party AP (GL.iNet MT3000 running pure OpenWrt) in a pure AP mode with VLAN Trunking (802.1q). The goal was for this AP to handle VLANs 10, 20, and 30.

The MT3000 fails in this mode: Despite correctly configuring OpenWrt and setting the Mikrotik's ether5 port as a Trunk (Tagged, trusted=yes, no DHCP Snooping), Wi-Fi clients are unable to receive an IP address from the Mikrotik's DHCP server.

All troubleshooting indicates that VLAN-tagged DHCP Discover packets (e.g., VLAN 20) sent from the MT3000 are not being forwarded to the DHCP server on the Mikrotik. This is happening despite the absence of any known L3 or L2 Bridge blocking rules. (I would appreciate assistance in diagnosing where the packets are being dropped using Torch/Packet Sniffer.)

My key questions for the community:

  1. Is this specific configuration (OpenWrt MT3000 as a VLAN Trunk AP connected to RouterOS v7) reliably feasible? Does anyone have a working MT3000/OpenWrt setup with a Mikrotik as the central VLAN router?

  2. Is this symptom typical of an integration issue between the newer DSA implementations in OpenWrt and the Bridge VLAN Filtering features in RouterOS v7?

  3. Since NAT is ruled out and VLANs are essential – can you recommend any other stable and proven third-party AP hardware (non-Mikrotik) that reliably functions in VLAN Trunk mode behind a Mikrotik router?

Thank you for any input.

43

Update – problem resolved

The GL-MT3000 has been returned and replaced with a U6 Pro. I had issues with VLAN support on the MT3000. Overall, it was a solid device — fast Wi-Fi, good coverage, comparable to the CAP AX — but I was able to return it and get a refund.

After much consideration and research, I decided to purchase the Ubiquiti U6 Pro. I briefly considered the U7 Pro, but after reading about its early-stage issues, I backed off. Some forum users suggested spending more on the U7 Pro XG, but I ultimately passed for two reasons: the high price and concerns that my RB5009 might not be able to power it via PoE.

The U6 has been running in my network for about four days now, and I must say I’m satisfied. Very easy setup, full VLAN support, and so far a stable connection — both with my HP laptop (Intel AX201, which used to disconnect frequently) and my Brother printer. Additionally, the U6 Pro provides noticeably better coverage than the CAP AX, which was a pleasant surprise.

Bonus point — the U6 Pro looks great too. My wife immediately noticed it, which is rare for networking gear :wink:

I regret not being able to get the CAP AX working properly. A unified system would be easier to monitor, but MikroTik has shown little interest in improving this situation for months — if not years.

The only real downside of the U6 Pro is the need to run a separate application for configuration and monitoring. But for now, that’s probably the only inconvenience.

I never thought that, as a devoted MikroTik Wi-Fi enthusiast, I’d end up switching to a Ubiquiti AP :disappointed_face:

Warm regards, and thank you all for your engagement, analysis, and efforts to help resolve the issue.