So I’m sure we have all been in this situation before…
This past weekend I was stuck at a location where I had no access to the internet. Equipped with my GrooveA 52HPn and a laptop, I started wireless scans for an open network in the area. I manage to find an open network barely in range, “GOLD”, I thought. But it turns out the fluctuating -89 to -92 reading I got was not enough for a reliable connection.
My question is, what settings are you guys tweaking to maintain a connection like this? I’m sure tx power, antenna gain, rate settings among the many other advanced options can get me a reliably connection. Even if I can maintain a 1Mb connection that would suffice.
I even tried setting a queue to limit the data going over the link as I started to think that the wireless protocols would attempt to get faster rates then eventually kill the link.
Physical things first: Clear line of sight. Clear fresnel zone. Directional antenna on client’s side. Precise alignment. To be on the front side of AP’s antenna. Keep the same polarisation. When you have it, you can start thinking about the fine tuning of parameters.
Ok. So I know that I reached my physical limitations because I had an omni antenna and I had no idea where the actual AP was. I had a very general idea but I could not pin-point it.
Assuming all physical options have been exhausted…let’s talk wireless configuration parameters.
Physical options were not exhausted. You just have not taken care about them. You cannot beat physics just by some field value settings in winbox. It is not almighty. If you do not have signal and Ap does not see your client enough you have to do what I wrote last time.
jarda: I completely respect what you are saying. Here’s my theory (and I could be wrong).
What I believe is happening is my client barely sees the AP, connects, then the wireless protocols take over and try to negotiate the fastest speeds available for me (as designed). Is there anywhere for me to tell my station to “focus on stability”?
What I’m picturing is my station getting greedy, trying to negotiate a higher transfer rate, then the link not being strong enough, it collapses. Think a physical bridge with a weak structure; I’m saying is there a way to instruct my client to send light loads over the bridge in exchange for a reliable connection (say 1mb link or less). Maybe there are other wireless options that be fine tuned…
Let me know if I’m making any sense… it could all be baloney
-89/-92 is a horrible RX strength - it’s just barely above the background noise. You need 20dbm of margin between noise/interference and your signal to get any kind of modulation rate above “basic.” Noise level is probably around -100 at best, and -93 at worst. In all liklihood, your equipment should negotiate a lower speed than is possible.
I’m sorry, but without directional, high-gain equipment aimed directly at the source, then you’re wasting your time.
Arcee,
If you are going to steal connectivity without taking care how badly you will be infuencing the AP, I am not willing to help you with it.
Just note, that if you artifically lower the ability to negotiate the airspeed, you will suck the time slots of other clients. This will take the overal throughput of AP dramatically down and the owner of the AP will notice that. Hope you have not found any of my APs. Be sure I would find you!
And what is more, I do not have any connections like this so I never thought about what to do in order to keep such connection running. You shouldn’t too.
I must say though, on the flip side, I would still like to know how I can tweak an AP/Client that has a marginally good connection (maybe not as bad as this one). This information is also very useful for… “not so bad” intentions.
I’m sure many will read this post as they face the same difficulty
But you are asking us what to do with your hair to see more far in the night when it is fog and havy rain while your candle barely burns. But you even do not know where you want to look…
I am sorry but there is no answer for that question if you do not care about the candle, if you refuse to use a reflector and if you say you do not care where you should aim to…
We just say: decide where to aim and use a reflector.
Or move closer.
Otherwise it will not have any effect if you align your hair left or right on your head or even if you cut off them all.
