Hi everyone, an update! Thank you all so much for your comments. I managed to follow the tutorials and, with Claude's help, I finally configured all the APs correctly and they work seamlessly with CAPSMAN and roaming.
Thank you
I only have AX gear so your view may vary, I have about a 5db variable between Router and client which is to be expected, also depends how fast I refresh the data with my pc compared to the router which is fixed 1sec ? and my connection rates tend to vary more the weaker the signal is. If that was indeed a question for me of course. Maybe someone can chip in on the drop to 6mbps... power saving ?
watch -n 1 iw dev wlp2s0 link
Connected to wifi1 (on wlp2s0)
SSID: 001
freq: 5180.0
RX: 24178185 bytes (19459 packets)
TX: 1071356 bytes (6011 packets)
signal: -44 dBm
rx bitrate: 1200.9 MBit/s 80MHz HE-MCS 11 HE-NSS 2 HE-GI 0 HE-DCM 0
tx bitrate: 1200.9 MBit/s 80MHz HE-MCS 11 HE-NSS 2 HE-GI 0 HE-DCM 0
bss flags: short-slot-time
dtim period: 1
beacon int: 100
watch -n 0.1 iw dev wlp2s0 link
Connected to wifi1 (on wlp2s0)
SSID: 001
freq: 5180.0
RX: 24194365 bytes (19556 packets)
TX: 1084998 bytes (6079 packets)
signal: -45 dBm
rx bitrate: 6.0 MBit/s
tx bitrate: 1200.9 MBit/s 80MHz HE-MCS 11 HE-NSS 2 HE-GI 0 HE-DCM 0
bss flags: short-slot-time
dtim period: 1
beacon int: 100
interface/wifi/registration-table/print detail stats interval=1 proplist=interface,uptime,signal,band,auth-type,tx-rate,rx-rate
interface=wifi1 uptime=26m17s signal=-50 band=5ghz-ax auth-type=ft-wpa3-psk tx-rate=1201.0Mbps rx-rate=1201.0Mbps
watch -n 1 iw dev wlp2s0 link
Connected to cap-1 (on wlp2s0)
SSID: 001
freq: 5500.0
RX: 2080931 bytes (3369 packets)
TX: 196648 bytes (1728 packets)
signal: -61 dBm
rx bitrate: 648.5 MBit/s 80MHz HE-MCS 6 HE-NSS 2 HE-GI 0 HE-DCM 0
tx bitrate: 480.3 MBit/s 80MHz HE-MCS 9 HE-NSS 1 HE-GI 0 HE-DCM 0
bss flags: short-slot-time
dtim period: 1
beacon int: 100
watch -n 1 iw dev wlp2s0 link
Connected to cap-1 (on wlp2s0)
SSID: 001
freq: 5500.0
RX: 120428218 bytes (110465 packets)
TX: 6603717 bytes (27728 packets)
signal: -62 dBm
rx bitrate: 720.6 MBit/s 80MHz HE-MCS 7 HE-NSS 2 HE-GI 0 HE-DCM 0
tx bitrate: 720.6 MBit/s 80MHz HE-MCS 7 HE-NSS 2 HE-GI 0 HE-DCM 0
bss flags: short-slot-time
dtim period: 1
beacon int: 100
watch -n 0.1 iw dev wlp2s0 link
Connected to cap-1 (on wlp2s0)
SSID: 001
freq: 5500.0
RX: 43094300 bytes (42032 packets)
TX: 2529937 bytes (11793 packets)
signal: -62 dBm
rx bitrate: 6.0 MBit/s
tx bitrate: 540.3 MBit/s 80MHz HE-MCS 10 HE-NSS 1 HE-GI 0 HE-DCM 0
bss flags: short-slot-time
dtim period: 1
beacon int: 100
interface/wifi/registration-table/print detail stats interval=1 proplist=interface,uptime,signal,band,auth-type,tx-rate,rx-rate
interface=cap-1 uptime=9m15s signal=-67 band=5ghz-ax auth-type=ft-wpa3-psk tx-rate=6.0Mbps rx-rate=540.4Mbps
I know this entirely unscientific and totally anecdotal but I install and manage both UniFi and Mikrotik access points in SOHO environments. I seem to spend far more time tweaking and worrying about signal strength with the Mikrotik sites than I do Unifi. I've been reading this forum for many years now (as I love RouterOS overall) to know that Mikrotik Wi-Fi isn't top of quadrant.
It could be of course that RouterOS gives you far more data about devices than UniFi controller and therefore you tend to dwell on it more. And sometimes one is comparing apples and oranges. The best Mikrotik cAP ax is MIMO 2x2. UniFi offer 4x4 on the higher end devices.
@robmaltsystems I have devices that straight up won't connect anymore. Mikrotik has looked at the files and can't figure it out. SO I AM STUCK! There is no where to go with it. Devices worked... router OS upgraded. Devices stopped working.
All I can do at this point is load up each RouterOS and try again. Then when it doesn't work... I submit another support file.
Thankfully NO ONE allowed me to put Mikrotik radios in any environment of consequence since the AC debacle.
Ruckus and Cambium... If I hit a snag like that... engineering gets involved pretty quickly. Of my Ruckus installs... some of them have been out there so long I completely forgot the install. Because it generates ZERO tickets.
We've probably talked this subject to death. Most of us around here love RouterOS and want it to thrive. But we also have to accept it's not perfect and might be too complex for the SOHO market. Plus Mikrotik might be spread a little too thin - they've got a LOT of products in the catalogue. It's a conversation to have over a beer.
Right now I have Thermostats that will connect to the MediaTek based units but not the Qualcom based units.
The Mediatek unit will drop my cameras after a few hours and not let them back on. Qualcom... keeps right on going.
I have very very wide variety of networks I work on. Tik routing... I can pound into what ever I need. If caps-man actually worked... I would have thousands of units in deployment in no time. But man did I learn my lesson last time around.