Groove wireless problems

RouterOS General
1

Anybody having issues with the Groove?

I have bought some 20 of these now and about 15 in service.
I had one that lost the wireless interface. The OS just didn’t see it anymore. Send it back for RMA to supplier, they returned it with the message all is fine! I tested it, indeed the wireless interface was working normal. Hooked it up for a client, worked all fine, after half an hour client called; “no internet!” I checked, wireless interface was gone! Did a system reset, still no wireless interface!
Took the unit back home, hooked it up to my network and… yes, the interface was back! Mystery!!!

2 other units lost their power. Both on the receive as in the sending suddenly after the rain power levels lost some 10-12dB.
Since the figures in both Tx as Rx were reduced this much I presumed it is something in the radio to antenna chain that has a error.
I am going to test these units more soon to find out if this is really the groove or maybe a failing antenna (Groove in both case attached to a mesh antenna with only a 90 degree ´N’ adapter. What can possibly go wrong with a mesh antenna?)

Than I had 2 units which although the wireless interface is still working the physical connection to its ‘N’ connector must have been broken. In testing I get same signal levels as testing the unit with or without any antenna attached.
One of these 2 actually had the internal board just fall out while fitting the unit in a mast! Obviously a very poor fit unit!

Am I the only one with these problems? I haven’t seen any reports on this in the forum yet…

By the way, my supplier did a marvellous job in returning the RMA units within 4 working days! Great and fast service! In Poland they really know how to keep their clients happy! :wink: Not like the one fm Madrid.. what a waste!)

2

Just like always, make a supout.rif file during the problem, send to support and we will check if this is a hardware or software issue. Also, in v5.8 we fixed a similar problem to this. Try the new OS.

3

Normis, as you can read I mentioned 3 different issues here:

  1. Wireless interface goes missing. Just made a support mail this morning and received ticket nr. 2011110366000419. Before I am sending this unit back to supplier I need some acknowledgement of the issue. Or I’m just getting the unit back again without repair/replacement.
  2. Power drop on both Tx and Rx; I am going to do some more tests today to see if the problem is persistent and reproducible and indeed the rb failing or an antenna problem.
  3. Broken radio to connector chain. I am afraid some units have a poor physical connection between radio and ‘n’ connector. I have had now two broken (signal with or without antenna is the same and I hear something loose in the housing as well as my first unit had the board falling out of it!

I know the procedures. It is merely to find out if I am the only one with these kind of problems.