RB133 / XR5 -- frequency unlock

Hardware MikroTik hardware general
1

Hi all–

Building a P-t-P link with a RB133 and a 133C, and two Ubiquiti XR5 cards. I have the config more or less right with WDS bridging. I really need to get out of the noise though, so 5.4GHz is where I want to go.

MT support said to install 3.0 or the updated wireless package – neither one allowed the use of the entire 5GHz band. Any suggestions?

2

what frequencies are missing?
what country are you specifying?

3

According to this link (official FCC press release, November 2003), we should have 5.47 all the way up through 5.725, in addition to the previously existing 5.2 band. However, it’s only giving me 5180 through 5320, and 5745 through 5825 – in other words, the pre-existing 5.2 and 5.8 bands, and not the newly extended range. (MikroTik v3.0rc10)

[admin@Mlink-AP] /interface wireless> set wlan1 country="united states" 
echo: system,info device changed by admin
[admin@Mlink-AP] /interface wireless> info print                        
 0 interface-type=Atheros AR5413 
   chip-info="mac:0xa/0x5, phy:0x61, a5:0x63, a2:0x0, eeprom:0x5003" 
   pci-info="00:01.0" capabilities=tx-power-control,ack-timeout-control,virtual-
                                   ap,alignment-mode,noise-floor-control,
                                   scanning,burst-support,nstreme,sniffing,
                                   compression,power-channel,wmm 
   default-periodic-calibration=enabled 
   supported-bands=5ghz,5ghz-turbo,5ghz-10mhz,5ghz-5mhz 
   5ghz-channels=5180:0,5185:0,5190:0,5195:0,5200:0,5205:0,5210:0,5215:0,5220:0,
                 5225:0,5230:0,5235:0,5240:0,5260:0,5265:0,5270:0,5275:0,5280:0,
                 5285:0,5290:0,5295:0,5300:0,5305:0,5310:0,5315:0,5320:0,5745:0,
                 5750:0,5755:0,5760:0,5765:0,5770:0,5775:0,5780:0,5785:0,5790:0,
                 5795:0,5800:0,5805:0,5810:0,5815:0,5820:0,5825:0
4

Not surprised 5.4 is not unlocked yet for Atheros radios in FCC land.

There are issues surrounding certification, DFS, TPC and potential interference with DOD radars.

Right now every system design has to go through FCC labs for certification, even TCBs are not allowed to do 5.4 certifications yet.

You might want to be cautious.

George

5

I read there’s actually been a time extension for those certifications – but I can’t find the article just now.

The reply I got from MT support [Uldis]:

you should specify the country in the wireless menu to get the freqeuncies.
about 5.4-5.7ghz band for the US, currently it isn’t in the US country as we
don’t have the DFS2 ready.

So now I’m looking into the Superchannel license – anybody know how/where to get it, and how much it cost?

6

MikroTik Support [Sergejs] wrote:

Please fax us a letter where you say that you will use the additional frequencies according to your local laws, example here:
http://www.mikrotik.com/pdf/extend.pdf
Make the letter on a company letterhead and it should be signed and stamped by an authorised company representative
We will then enable this feature on your account. fax number: +371 7317701

Each custom frequency license costs 10$.

Regards,
Sergejs

Done and done. :slight_smile: