MikroTik as Spectrum Analyzer

RouterOS Wireless Networking
1

Hi. I’m thinking use a MikroTik as spectrum analyzer and I thinking between Metal 52 ac and GrooveA 52 ac. Which is better to this? Any other recommendations?

Conditions: Outdoor, omni-directional antennas, dual band and powered by PowerBox Pro using PoE and default power supply.

Regards.

2

There are no Mikrotik AC units that support spectral analyzer.

Sent from my SM-G955W using Tapatalk

3

Still waiting for AC spectral scan…

4

Thanks for confirm it.

Any other recomendation? Maybe also from other brand?

GrooveA 52 (normal, not AC) will be a good choise?

Regards.

5

Question to those who actually use MikroTik outdoor radio gear (which we don’t except for the 60ghz): What do you actually do? and what are your expectations?
Do you just spray and pray and offer 2mbit/s internet services to customers?

I cannot fathom how any outdoor gear can be used in pretty much any real world scenario except for deserts without a spectrum scanner, otherwise how do you have any idea whatsoever how your radio link is performing? What an absolute joke
Although yes if you are offering 2mbit/s services, i’m sure its fine

We demand in the vicinity of 150mbit/s and the single most important aspect to achieving that is the use of spectrum scanning. It doesn’t matter how good your gear is, how well aligned it is or anything else, if the spectrum is congested it will perform like utter shit and you really need to know that so you can adapt accordingly. What is anyone supposed to do with MikroTik gear if it can’t report on the spectrum use?

6

Only SCAN works :frowning: to search for a free channel
Yes, it is very sad :frowning:

7

but Scan is NOT a spectrum analyzer, it only shows recognized beacons that show i.e. SSID etc. You might pick a channel that looks like it has little or no wireless on it, but in reality its being flooded because something like a Cambium PTP670 is transmitting on that frequency right over your radio and drowning it out, but its doing so in its own proprietary language that mikrotik can’t understand so it’ll never show up under ‘Scan’. It’s a mostly useless feature

8

Spectral scan is very important… but un mikrotik don’t works…

9

Ok ok, if MikroTik is not good to scan the spectrum, so, what recommend?

Regards.

10

See this topic: http://forum.mikrotik.com/t/what-mt-boxes-can-support-spectral-scan-cheap-spectrum-analyzer-instead/143432/1

In shot, there is no spectral scan supported on all newer Mikrotik products, so you have to use either old Mikrotik 802.11n box or Ubiquity hw for the job. Other options are also available, but far too expensive (RF spectrum analyzers, SDRs,…)

11

There is a new product that does spectrum analysis and its currently FREE
WinFi Lite just runs on any Windows 10 device, any Wi-Fi adapter, any CPU, even on ARM
Give it a try and see if you like it.

12

That’s just WIFI scanner, not spectrum analyzer. It can only see WIFI signals that are supported by your wlan card.
Spectrum analyzer can see interference like microwave ovens, alarms, Bluetooth and other devices that coexist with WIFI in ISM band.

13

I read your topic and I saw that the user bought the GrooveA.

This Groove in Spectrum Analyzer mode also can check interference from microwaves, Bluetooth, etc.?

Regards.

14

OK, after analyze and compare MikroTik Groove vs Ubiquiti Bullet I saw the next:

MikroTik:

Pros:

  • Antenna is included with radio (On case of GrooveA)
  • Cheaper

Cons:

  • On AC models Wireless spectrum analyzer is not supported.
  • On WinBox the analyzer is precarious.
  • On Dude is better but on MIPSBE based RouterBOARD’s, Dude is not supported. Can use a CHR to connect but my server is very limited, it will smoke if I install a virtual machine.
  • Dude is slow to do the analysis.
  • MikroTik not have a dedicated chip to do the analysis.

Ubiquiti:

Cons:

  • Antenna is sold separely and UBNT not offer an antenna, for good news I found an Altelix AUV2458G6-NF.
  • More expensive.

Pros:

  • AC models are supported.
  • AirView much better than spectral scan that offers MikroTik. Very detailed.
  • Now AirView not requires Java.
  • Analyzer faster than MikroTik solution.
  • Bullet AC have a dedicated chip to AirView.

Thanks for all the support guys.

Regards.

15

Spectral scan in mikrotik is a dean. Mikrotik never will be a spectral scan…

16

Well, I chosen and bought a Bullet AC of course. Ubiquiti this time is the winner.

Regards.