Massive WiFi packet loss with MikroTik Router hAP ac lite

RouterOS Beginner Basics
1

I just purchased a MikroTik Router hAP ac lite, RouterOS v6.45.3 (stable). I am seeing massive packet loses, often greater than 60%, using mtr. In addition to packet loss, the T520 is partially disconnected from time to time. This with both machines within 2 meters of the hAP.

The two laptops are:

Lenovo T61:

root@orca:~# lspci -v -s 3:0
03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 4965 AG or AGN [Kedron] Network Connection (rev 61)
	Subsystem: Intel Corporation Lenovo ThinkPad T61
	Physical Slot: 3
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 33
	Memory at df3fe000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8K]
	Capabilities: [c8] Power Management version 3
	Capabilities: [d0] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
	Capabilities: [e0] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
	Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
	Capabilities: [140] Device Serial Number 00-13-e8-ff-ff-ba-7e-59
	Kernel driver in use: iwl4965
	Kernel modules: iwl4965

root@orca:~#

Lenovo t520:

root@jhegaala:/etc# lspci -v -s3:0
03:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8188CE 802.11b/g/n WiFi Adapter (rev 01)
	Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8188CE 802.11b/g/n WiFi Adapter
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 17
	I/O ports at 5000 [size=256]
	Memory at f2500000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
	Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3
	Capabilities: [50] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
	Capabilities: [70] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
	Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
	Capabilities: [140] Virtual Channel
	Capabilities: [160] Device Serial Number 01-91-81-fe-ff-4c-e0-00
	Kernel driver in use: rtl8192ce
	Kernel modules: rtl8192ce

root@jhegaala:/etc#
2

Usually when you have “packet loss” in wireless, your connection is lost. Explain what are you actually seeing and where.

3

Here is what I saw just now on one computer, the T520. My concern is with the first jump, to “router.lan”.

root@jhegaala:/etc# mtr -r -i 3 -c 20 mikrotik.com ; date
Start: Thu Aug 22 10:29:58 2019
HOST: jhegaala                    Loss%   Snt   Last   Avg  Best  Wrst StDev
  1.|-- router.lan                30.0%    20    1.1  97.6   1.0 1341. 358.0
  2.|-- freeman.localdomain       30.0%    20    1.5  86.8   1.3 1174. 313.1
  3.|-- firewall.dmz              35.0%    20    4.4  15.2   1.6 133.7  37.0
  4.|-- 72-36-26-1.actaccess.net  30.0%    20    4.3  67.4   3.8 840.5 222.7
  5.|-- 72.36.51.9.static.actacce 30.0%    20   10.7  59.7  10.0 673.4 176.7
  6.|-- 72-36-7-205.actaccess.net 35.0%    20   11.0  13.4  10.5  38.3   7.5
  7.|-- 72-36-7-210.actaccess.net 30.0%    20   13.2  37.6  13.2 339.2  86.8
  8.|-- 72.36.7.82.static.actacce 35.0%    20   12.9  27.0  12.9 172.1  43.7
  9.|-- chi-b21-link.telia.net    30.0%    20   40.1  50.1  39.7  96.2  19.8
 10.|-- nyk-bb3-link.telia.net    30.0%    20  163.1 163.3 162.1 166.7   0.9
 11.|-- kbn-bb3-link.telia.net    30.0%    20  160.1 162.1 159.5 177.4   4.7
 12.|-- s-bb3-link.telia.net      30.0%    20  163.1 163.4 162.7 166.3   0.8
 13.|-- riga-b1-link.telia.net    30.0%    20  162.3 161.2 159.5 165.5   1.8
 14.|-- telialatvija-ic-332270-ri 30.0%    20  162.6 308.1 162.6 2177. 537.9
 15.|-- ???                       100.0    20    0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0
 16.|-- ???                       100.0    20    0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0
 17.|-- ???                       100.0    20    0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0
 18.|-- mikrotik.com              30.0%    20  163.1 260.9 162.7 1508. 359.1
Thu Aug 22 10:31:05 MDT 2019
root@jhegaala:/etc#

I am not seeing any packet losses on the T61.

4

Wireless can’t have “packet loss” unless your connection is lost

Can you explain this a bit more? There are many causes of packet loss, not just connection loss.

5

mtr sends ICMP packets out and records their success or failure. Think ping on steroids. I had it send 20 packets (-c 20), and 30% were lost, either going out or returning.

6

Please show us the link information in RouterOS. The signal, quality readings etc. Also the wireless debug log (enable it in logging settings with parameter ‘wireless,debug’)

7

OK, I tracked the problem down. The problem is in the wireless driver for the laptop in question, the rtl8192ce on Debian 9 (stretch). I ran the Debian 10 (buster) live CD on the machine, and got excellent results.

My apologies for the noise, and thank for the start at help.