Connecting Groove-2HPns for wireless link

RouterOS Beginner Basics
1

Hello,
I just opened my new Groove-2HPns and tried to set up a wireless link to get my DSL connection available far away. I think my mistake is that I didn’t buy 1 GrooveA-2HPn to use as an AP at one end of the link. I have 3 questions at the moment.

  1. Do I really need a GrooveA to get 2 grooves to connect wirelessly to each other?
  2. Can I install a level 4 license on one to make it act as a grooveA?
  3. I already bought an extra license. How can I get it on the Groove without winbox? The license page just keeps reporting “invalid payment method”

Thanks to all in advance. I clearly didn’t reasearch enough before buying.

–Von

2

Hi all, Over the weekend I got some things to work. My first question still stands.

I had a lot of trouble getting the station to connect to the AP reliably. I had an end to end working when I shut down the Ether connection at the far (station) end while getting DHCP sorted out. I was surprised to lose the wireless connection between the two at that point. I had to reset the station end to get connectivity back. After that, I spent all day getting it to re-connect to the AP. When it finally did, I don’t understand why.

In fact, the AP end has a security profile with a WPA2 password, but the station end is using default with no password. Why can it connect without providing a password?

I am rather certain I’m missing something about setting up WAP2 on the AP. It does require a password when I connect directly with my laptop though. Has anyone else gone through similar experiences?

–thanks,

3

What antennas do you use?
The best method is to make a point to point connection with 2 grooves.
But i will now how far between point a and point b
Here is a example for point to point link with groove’s
http://www.wirelessinfo.be/index.php/mikrotik/pages/groovepp

4

Hé vonhawkins , Did you read my post?
you have no reply yet.
How far is the link between A and B?
What accesspoint do you use?

5

The link is about 1.25 miles. I am using some ?18?DBi patch antennas that are supposed to be good for 12 miles. the signal strength is good enough I can connect my laptop to the Groove AP when I stand on the ladder under the antenna at the station end. Looking at the networks visible frmo the station, I can see APs at least 7 miles away. I don’t think signal strengh/antennas are the problem.

I am very concernd that my station is now connected to the AP with no WPA2 password set. I have a security profile configured on the AP with a WPA2 password and I have to enter the password when my laptop connects, but not with the Groove station. this is weird to me.

–thanks,
Von

6

I guess I never mentioned I got the license loaded and turned one groove into a GrooveA, so that is my AP.

7

Your station is that also a groove?
Sorry about my questions but i try to help you

8

Yes, I have this shot set up with 2 Grooves. One has been upgraded with a level 4 license so it can act as an AP.

One of my original questions was: Could I have made this point to point shot without upgrading that license? I think so but am not sure.

Now I am mainly concerned about why the station groove had such a difficult time connecting to the AP groove when the signal is very strong and why the security settings don’t seem to matter to the station groove when they do matter to my laptop.

9

You can make a point to point connection with L3

how much is the signal strength

10

On the station:
Band 2GHz-N
Frequency 2412 MHz
Wireless Protocol 802.11
Tx/Rx Rate 36.0Mbps/57.7Mbps
SSID MikroTik1
BSSID D4:CA:6D:BF:0B:F9
Radio Name D4CA6DBF0BF9
Tx/Rx Signal Strength -81/-64 dBm
Tx/Rx Signal Strength Ch0 -81/-64 dBm
Tx/Rx Signal Strength Ch1
Tx/Rx Signal Strength Ch2
Noise Floor -108 dBm
Signal To Noise 44 dB
Tx/Rx CCQ 84/84 %
Overall Tx CCQ 84 %
Distance 2 km

On the AP: this whole section of data after Frequency is missing. Is ther a reason for that? both pages are on ‘advanced’
Band 2GHz-N
Frequency 2412 MHz
Registered Clients 1
Authenticated Clients 1
Overall Tx CCQ 74 %
Distance 2 km

11

vonhawkins So why are you useing 2.4g as a point to point? You would have been luck and less interferance with SXT 5hnd 5gig.

These are much easer to set up and have a more stable signal for that distance.

12

I thought about using 5 Ghz. I might set it up that way later. I live in a very rural area where interference is not a problem though.

Doesn’t 5Ghz have less range than 2.4Ghz? I doubt it would matter at this range with the 18dBi antennae, but I was going for simple success when I set it up.

I’m still worried about the fact that I’m connected with no password though. No one has replied on that topic. The AP has a security profile with a password. My laptop requires a password to connect to it. My station groove has no password configured on the active security profile and its connected. Why is this?

Will the Groove pick from all available security profiles until it finds one that works or does it not need a password to connect?

13

5GHz is more stable and have not overlapping channels match better than 2.4GHz