Hi all.
Lately, we have noticed a serious issue with multiple RB411(s) being used as client in station mode - Have not tested in other modes yet.
Tx-power=default.
All seems fine, the RB411(s) associate with the tower APs and tx/rx CCQs are fine and all’s well.
Enter clients further than 15kms. The clients can browse and download without hassle, ie small DNS request and http transmissions.
Signals are gr8 and not a single disconnection, until a larger transmission, such as sending mail or uploading a file is initiated. The tx-ccq instantaneously proceeds with a gradual drop from say 75% to 0% and then the RB411 station disassociates from the AP. The radio stops all communication for a random period of a few minutes though the RB is still up and running. No reboots.
Suspecting the mini-pci, we replace it with different brands with different tx powers and all give the same results.
Then suspecting a long PoE CATV, we connect the power using the jack socket and with the power adapter at normal cable length. The radios stop the disassociations, but still proceed into a declining tx-ccq to around 10-20% and stop all communication while the RB is still up and running. No reboots.
This happens not only on one but all latest RB411s. It seems, once the distance is quite long, the mini-pci requests to raise the default tx-power and that is causes it to die for a while most probably by insufficient current delivered by the RB411 mini-pci controller or something.
Simply, the RB411 is not able to provide power for larger transmissions - as simple as sending a short text email. The fastest killer is bandwidth-test; hardly operates for a second then the radio is dead for a short while and then comes back to life, though the RB411 does not reboot during the whole process. So our guess is that this is a problem on the RB411 and not the power source. All mini-pci cards used for testing run smoothly on other boards.
No Compression is enabled. Situation persists connecting to different APs.
Any advice Appreciated, else RMA and another bad batch to deal with! Or, back to RB133c and RB411s simply suck!
PS: there is a post somewhere of how to increase the RB wattage handling capability through some firmware setting or upgrade. Don’t seem to find it, so kindly, can anyone help with the command or setting? Thx