mANTBox ax 15s range optimization

RouterOS Wireless Networking
1

hi guys,
following problen.

I use an ax 15s for outdoor wifi for clients. But the problem is, that after 130m there is no visibility of the configured wifis - on the same spot with old aps from a unknown brand at the same point there was better dbm.

how can i optimaze the configuration for range?
Here is my (part of)config. they are managed by capsman

i read some stuff about setting the country for dbm. could that be the issue?

/interface wifi datapath
add bridge=TRUNK name=datapath_office vlan-id=20
add bridge=TRUNK name=datapath_guest vlan-id=30
/interface wifi configuration
add channel.band=2ghz-ax .frequency=2412 datapath=datapath_office mode=ap
name=OFFICE_2_2412 security=sec_office ssid=SSID
add channel.band=5ghz-ax .frequency=5500 datapath=datapath_office disabled=no
mode=ap name=OFFICE_5_5500 security=sec_office ssid=SSID
/interface wifi provisioning
add action=create-enabled disabled=no master-configuration=GUEST_2_2412
name-format=AP06- radio-mac=D4:01:C3:FC:9D:16 slave-configurations=
OFFICE_2_2412 slave-name-format=AP06-
add action=create-enabled disabled=no master-configuration=GUEST_5_5500
name-format=AP06- radio-mac=D4:01:C3:FC:9D:17 slave-configurations=
OFFICE_5_5500 slave-name-format=AP06-
/interface wifi
add configuration=GUEST_2_2412 disabled=no name=AP06- radio-mac=
D4:01:C3:FC:9D:16
add configuration=GUEST_5_5500 disabled=no name=AP06-3 radio-mac=
D4:01:C3:FC:9D:17

2

maybe someone…
How can i extend the range…?

3

@lurker888 maybe you can take a look on that…
if its not complex for a community help, i m open for consulting…

4

I’m flattered, and you’re correct in assuming that I do this stuff professionally. Unfortunately in this case it’s not a case of paid/unpaid, but that I simply try to avoid wifi applications for several reasons. (Except for some really specialty things like characterizing antennas, radiation patterns, spurious emissions, so RF stuff.) Additionally, I haven’t even seen the device you’re having problems with.

Some things I would check out:

  • update to at least 7.19.3 - there were many fixes
  • do a wifi scan (on the AP), attempt to select a channel with the least amount of interference
  • choose lower channel widths: for 2.4 use 20 MHz, for 5 GHz use 20/40
  • get the actual tx power (command and sample output):
[admin@xxx] > /interface/wifi/monitor wifi1,wifi2 proplist=tx-power once
  tx-power: 25 15

My best guess is that you will find disappointingly low values for “tx-power”. You can find out what the regulatory limits are for your region like this:

[admin@xxx] > /interface/wifi/radio/reg-info 0 country="United States"
  ranges: 2402-2472/30dBm/6gain/40MHz     
          5170-5250/30dBm/6gain/160MHz    
          5250-5330/24dBm/6gain/160MHz/dfs
          5490-5730/24dBm/6gain/160MHz/dfs
          5735-5895/30dBm/6gain/160MHz

There is a chance that Mikrotik’s built-in limits don’t match the actual restrictions in your country. Mostly they do. Other manufacturers routinely violate these out-of-the-box. You can do the same by using this country:

[admin@xxx] > /interface/wifi/radio/reg-info 0 country="Superchannel" 
  ranges: 2402-2482/60dBm/40MHz 
          5170-5895/60dBm/160MHz

From this point on, how much you’re wiling to violate EIRP limits is up to you. Don’t go overboard. Beyond a tx-power of 20 you’ll find diminishing returns, beyond around 23 it’s totally pointless.