Finally success - 802.11r/k/v fast roaming works reliably with WifiWave2

RouterOS Wireless Networking
1

Finally success - managed to get 802.11r/k/v roaming working with WifiWave2 on all my client devices, using hAP ax³ and hAP ac³.

It was some amount of troubleshooting, and hunting for the right settings. In the end, following things needed to be done - hope I didn’t forget anything:


  • manage all APs by the same instance of RouterOS - use WifiWave2 CAPsMAN,
  • set authentication type to WPA2 only, disable WPA3, because Android devices have trouble roaming with WPA3, and even if they receive other BSSIDs from neighboor group and see them as ones with better signal, they won’t roam-connect to these better APs/BSSIDs. My ThinkPad A485 and wife’s T440p have no problem roaming with WPA3, we both have Linux if that makes a difference, but Android devices do have issues with WPA3.
  • set ft=yes and ft-over-ds=yes in security profile to enable 802.11r fast BSS transitions (roaming),
  • do not kick off clients with weak signal, remove such wifiwave2 access-list rule if you have one, because it makes client devices to avoid using that SSID or access point completely and results in worse wifi experience.
  • RouterOS version 7.11.2 if that makes a difference.

If roaming is working correctly, then there should be now following entries about roaming in the log:

0C:C6:FD:XX:XX:XX@distant-AP-wifi-2G roamed to 0C:C6:FD:XX:XX:XX@closer-AP-wifi-5G, signal strength -66

Instead of entries about disconnection followed by immediate reconnection entries:

0C:C6:FD:XX:XX:XX@distant-AP-wifi-5G disconnected, connection lost, signal strength -92
0C:C6:FD:XX:XX:XX@closer-AP-wifi-5G connected, signal strength -75
2

Have no problem with WPA3 and android devices, they roam and connects without any problem.

3

Tested Android devices in my household:


However,… besides WPA3 issue on some Android devices, that I’m lucky to have in my household…

The conclusion is, that 802.11r/k/v fast roaming works well, and that the future of multi-AP wireless networking with roaming looks bright with WifiWave2 on MikroTik devices. Just, waiting for WifiWave2 outdoor APs from MikroTik.

4

Agree with you, i think Mikrotik wireless became good, at least for home users, now i have same or even better experience with cap ax when compared to ubiquiti u6 lite. Signal is better for sure.

Now I don’t know how good will it work with more devices, eg office, etc but at the moment i have 22 wireless device connected and they are working without a problem. (Mix smart TVs, IoT devices, cameras, laptops, phones, tablets, smart watches)

5

I use MikroTik in my household/SOHO, too.

There are usually no more than two devices, that try to saturate wireless bandwidth. It’s usually one or two at the same time from: me downloading something on my laptop, wife downloading something on her laptop, apps updates or installation or my phone, wife’s phone, or Nintendo switch download, or a guest downloading something on own phone/laptop. Every stationary device is wired. So, I don’t have have scenarios with many wifi devices competing for wireless bandwidth.

My problems are based on property layout with thick walls, that is impossible to cover with single AP reliably.

My wife, much more than me, moves between physical locations covered by different APs. She, especially, needs internet access in those different locations - see list of things to pack for shipment for eShop sales (one AP covering storage and packing areas), doing other things on net and responding to customers in different more comfortable place (different AP).

Also, for me, I don’t like having to turn off and on wifi on phone to manually roam to better AP.

So, seamless roaming is of higher importance to me/us, than top performance.

For, IoT, I guess, that performance doesn’t drop much with number of little devices, but with number of devices actively competing for bandwidth. Also, performance drops with number of slow talking (weak signal) devices. So, area coverage is important here, too. I don’t have IoT or smart-home thingies yet, though.

6

Do you have figures (dB, …) echoing this ?
Were both AP ceiling mounted ?

7

I don’t, i just noticed that with mikrotik i have wifi in my yard, with ubiquiti i don’t. I know, not very scientific method.

8

It isn’t a fair test, maybe the U6 LR yes.

U6 Lite
Antenna gain
2.4 GHz 2.8 dBi
5 GHz 3 dBi

cAP ax
Wireless 2.4 GHz standards 802.11b/g/n/ax
Antenna gain dBi for 2.4 GHz 6

Wireless 5 GHz standards 802.11a/n/ac/ax
Antenna gain dBi for 5 GHz 5.5

9

I have set of Google Pixel phones 4A 6A 7A and no issues with roaming on Capsman ww2.
My issue is with only iPhone (14) in the house. I can’t figure why but it will not reconnect by itself to the house network, only after manual clicking on the phone it connects.

Also my ThinkPad E14 sometimes roams away to worst possible AP in the house, and get stuck to it like a glue - i can only force it to jump somewhere else if i remove that interface from capsman for a second.

So it seems to me that fastroaming stuff has very random implementation on clients side.

10

Maybe, but for eg, U6-Lite in my country costs about 126 Euros, and cAP ax is about 143 euros, so that’s about 17 Euros difference.

U6 LR costs about 220 Euros and that is about 77 Euros difference…

11

I’m Happy with my cAP ax and hAP ax2, considering the contraints/regs Imposed on WiFi6 devices these days I think Microtik have done a fantastic job.
Yes it’s taken time, but still we are nearly there!

12

Implemented capsman at home (RB5009, AX3, AX2).
Most devices roam just fine except for Samsung S20 when using WPA3 (Android 13).
Samsung S8 (Android 9) however works just fine (but I’m thinking it only uses WPA2) ?
Downgrading security to WPA2 only, “solves the problem” for S20.

7.12 rc6

13

Can you draw a network diagram to see what is connected to what.
What is your main router
Does it run capsman
What is the difference in wifiwave2 setup on main router (running capsman) and the other devices?

Can you provide /exports of all the MT wifi devices…

14

I experienced the same thing but wife and I have same phones, exactly the same model, only difference is color and her phone is a year younger so i’m thinking different revision ??

Her phone roams without a problem, my sticks to the downstairs AP and won’t let go… It’s like his life depends on it…

Tablets, laptops, everything else roams without a problem.

Did a test with U6 Lite same thing… Won’t roam… Sticks to the downstairs AP…

Is your RB5009 PoE version ? I bought PoE so I don’t have to deal witn injectors

15

Get lost, you … :laughing:

Nope, regular RB5009. No POE involved for AX3 nor AX2.
That S20 simply will not roam using WPA3. It disconnects when signal is too low and then connects again to nearest AP but no roaming message in log. Just disconnect and connect.

16

I can see @anav buying couple of cAP ax’s to replace existing AP ih his home :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

I tested now at one of my customer site’s, they are using TP-Link for AP’s, same thing, phone is holding for one AP…

17

your wife has better iphone skills ;-PP

18

No iOS, Android only :sunglasses:

Honestly, I don’t care, as long as her wifi is good i’m happy. I still have flashbacks to ROS 7.9 and wifi fiasco… I can still hear her voice… WIFI IS NOT WORKING AGAIN !!!

19

People are still using androids??

20

We are all becoming androids :wink: