Country Code

RouterOS Wireless Networking
1

Hello,

Does anyone here know how to make mikrotik wireless devices broadcast country code? I have tried “/interface wireless wlan2 country=netherlands” but my macbook still does not receive a country code from my cap ac, tried wap ac and hap ac as well.
I did a wireless scan with wifi explorer and every device in my street is broadcasting country code, about 50% NL and other 50% EU. One of them that is broadcasting “EU” has a very powerful signal so my macbook chooses EU for country code and disables all 5GHz chanels except 36, 40, 44 and 48 which are of course the chanels all used by that other router. When I set my my accesspoint to use any of these chanels the transfer speed is bad. When I set e.g. chanel 60 I get very good transfer speeds but I must first power on and connect to my old airport express to trick my laptop into country code NL and then reconnect to the Mikrotik

2

Wait. It should not matter what the other AP devices are doing. Just set a specific frequency in your MikroTik device and use a unique SSID.

3

I noticed this behavior too …
MT devices (like my RB962’s) do not transmit a country code.

But, not all do
Some DO, like FritzBox from AVM, Some Samsung device, Some Arcadyan device, Some Ziggo devices (transmit EU)
Some DON’T, Like MT, ZTE devices, Belkin devices, TP-Link devices, Sitecom devices

AND Yes, IF my MacBook gets connected to an AP that is transmitting a countrycode, it seems to adjust some config, not sure exactly what ..
(using Wifi Explorer in OSX to scan)

4

I know it does that, but even if it does, why wouldn’t it connect to a MikroTik device that has a statically set frequency?

5

Since many AccessPoints have it and some devices are dependent on it, it maybe worth a feature request.

Mikrotik please add 802.11d support in ROS. It would be great to have country-code and allowed-rf-power in the beacon. Of course there should be an option to disable one or both. Also it would be great to manually override default values. Good example is for europe. Choice of “EU” or national country code like “NL”, “DE”.

6

I understand the request, but can you clarify the reason? Like I said already, code doesn’t matter

7

One case: I was running my WiFi 2.4GHz (802.11n) set to channel 13 which is completely legal in my whereabouts. When my better half received a brand new phone LG G4, it wouldn’t pick up the signal … as if it wasn’t scanning for it on channel 13. After I inserted SIM card, the mobile configured self and it started to see the AP.

I know it is ridiculous for a WiFi client device to impose any kind of restrictions, however growing number of devices are capable of becoming APs themselves (think WiFi tethering) and in that case they have to follow regulations. If exact location (whatever method of obtaining it) is not known, it is understandable that device runs in a “fail safe” mode, not using any functionality (wireless channel, Tx power) that might be restricted in any part of the World. Device can find out its whereabouts using different methods, including (but not limited to): GPS positioning, MNO decoding and WiFi SSID locating … for devices without GPS (or without GPS fix) and with no mobile connection (either device doesn’t support it or it’s not available), WiFi country code broadcast might be a “life saver”.

So it’s not only about what Mikrotik developers / product managers think is sensible (we, WiFi operators, might completely agree with MT’s view), it’s also about how client devices behave.

8

Yes, but your example has nothing to do with the transmitted country code. The phone has a built-in scan list, it wouldn’t use channel 13 in certain regions, regardless of what the AP is transmitting as the country code in it’s beacons.

9

Again: phone needs something to figure out the region of current existence. If nothing else is available, CC emitted in beacons by AP would help.

10

My problem is with my Laptop, at work our wifi is broadcasting Country Code ‘NL’
Systemprofiler shows: Supported channels: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60, 64, 100, 104, 108, 112, 116, 120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140
So I can connect to company wifi wich is at channel 100 without problem

Then I return home, I can see my own Wifi in the airport menu, I know it is configured at channel 60, but connect fails and the I look again in System profiler, i see Country Code ‘EU’ and Supported channels: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 36, 40, 44, 48 Rest is gone. So I assume that this is caused by lack of this code.
Mikrotik allows me to change every setting and more. But country code is just not there, while it is on most other routers.

11

Normis, so what about 802.11d? I have to drive idle next to tp-link to shake the correct country code.

12

The issue apparently is that some client devices look at what other APs are transmitting to then lock their settings to the country code they receive there, instead of first looking for the correct SSID and then connecting there without country code (and thus no locked settings).
This may be related to some other behavior I see from some devices: to connect to EVERY AP that they see to try if they get admitted there and to freeride on the internet if they do.
But, also causing loggings of breakin attempt including their MAC address in case the attempt fails. The users probably don’t know that!

You could see if this method of working is somehow configurable in your device. When you turn it off, the bad behavior of using other people’s country code could be gone as well.

13

Hello, no, it’s completely wrong. MacOs wants to see the code country from the AP, over 802.11d. if it does not receive it, it takes the first one who broadcasts from neighboring ones.

As an example, AirPort Extreme translates the country code over 802.11d.

14

Time to transmit the country code of a country that does not allow WiFi! Fun…

15

?

16

Well I think it is pretty broken to listen to what other people’s devices (you have no control over) transmit and take it as authoritative.
But it is probably required by law in the USA.

17

But main issue here is that without 802.11d you get problems with some devices to connect.
And it can’t be fixed in any other way, you can’t just tell your clients to buy different notebook or phone.
Good luck explaining to your boss why he can’t connect to your WIFI with his macbook…
11d is standardized, adds just a few bytes to beacon and solves the problem… so why it’s not supported already?

18

:+1:t2:

19

Normis, Reinis
what about 802.11d?

20

I now have a workaround that seems to work most of the time: plug in an old apple airport basestation, set up with a not-used SSID and on different channels to prevent performance decrease of your regular network. Most important: set the desired country code. unplug the basestation from your network if necessary and place it not too far away from your devices.

Now when you start or wake a device it will see the apple station with correct country code. and your device will have none problem connecting to your own wireless network even if it is MT that lacks 802.11d itself, maybe they read this too and feel ashamed ?

Turns out these Apple aiport devices weren’t that bad after all. Especialy the latest extreme ‘towers’ delivered pretty high speed as well.