Setting up CAPsMAN for the first time

RouterOS Beginner Basics
1

I’m trying to set up three routers in my home, all sharing the same configuration.

I started with hAP ax2. This router is the primary one and is setup and works / serves the SSIDs as intended.

To the primary router I connected a RB260GSP PoE switch which powers a mAP lite and a hAP lite. Both of those are set up in CAP mode and they report this when they connect.

However, they do not copy the SSIDs or firewall or bridge filtering rules from the main router.

this is my capsman configuration:

/interface wifiwave2 capsman
set ca-certificate=auto certificate=auto enabled=yes interfaces=bridge package-path="" require-peer-certificate=no upgrade-policy=require-same-version
2

Well, after some advice from a friend, I got the configuration to the following, but it’s still not working (just wifiwave2 parts):

/interface wifiwave2 channel
add band=5ghz-ax comment="5GHz default" disabled=no name=5GHz width=20/40/80mhz
add band=2ghz-ax comment="2.4GHz default" disabled=no name=2.4GHz width=20/40/80mhz
/interface wifiwave2 security
add authentication-types=wpa2-psk,wpa3-psk disabled=no name=guest
/interface wifiwave2 configuration
add channel=5GHz comment="guest 5GHz" country=Slovenia disabled=no manager=capsman-or-local mode=ap name=guest5 security=guest ssid=velis-guest-test
add channel=2.4GHz comment="guest 2.4GHz" disabled=no manager=capsman-or-local mode=ap name=guest2.4 security=guest ssid=velis-guest-test
/interface wifiwave2 capsman
set ca-certificate=auto certificate=auto enabled=yes interfaces=LAN package-path="" require-peer-certificate=no upgrade-policy=suggest-same-version
/interface wifiwave2 provisioning
add action=none comment="guest 2.4" disabled=no master-configuration=guest2.4
add action=none comment="guest 5" disabled=no master-configuration=guest5

And on the CAPs:

/interface wireless cap
set bridge=bridgeLocal caps-man-addresses=192.168.254.1 certificate=request discovery-interfaces=ether1 enabled=yes interfaces=wlan1 lock-to-caps-man=yes

Here I’d say I find it interesting that neither of the secondary routers has a “wifiwave2” package.
Since both of the CAPs don’t support ac or ax, I also tried to reduce the band in the definitions.

AFAIK, I have done everything that needs to be done. All routers have the same software, but none are picking up anything of the CAPsMAN provisioning.

Any help would be very welcome.

3

Capsman wifiwave2 does not work for legacy wifi clients.
Ac2, hap lite and map lite are all legacy wifi devices.
Sweet advice you got.

Remove wifiwave2 package from your controller, make sure legacy wifi package is installed and setup legacy capsman.

4

Before I try to install custom modules, one side note: if ax2 is a legacy device, why did it come with 7.2 and wifiwave2 preinstalled? The other two actually had 6.something.

And yes, I was just going to disable wifiwave2.

But will check what “extra packages” archive holds.

5

ax2, ax3, cap ax and ax lite are not legacy devices, they are wifiwave 2 only so if you disable wifiwave2 you will disable wireless on them. (For eg. Netinstalling ROS without adding wifiwave 2 package)

That’s why they came with wifiwave2 preinstalled.

6

Hi,

can anyone please share working config of capsaman on WiFiwave2?

7

Not related to this topic.
Maybe best to start a new thread ?

8

Regardless: I have tried to disable wifiwave2 on the ax2 and - as was mentioned - nothing worked any more.

Can I actually install wifiwave2 to the two APs so that I can get compatibility, or am I just SOL trying to get this setup to work at all?

Edit: seems not. And here I was just wanting to have gigabit ethernet. The only reason I bought ax2…

Setting up properly separated guest and main with a mix of wifiwave2 and "legacy" access points
9

Get the extra packages corresponding to your version.
Drop wifiwave2 package on files.
Reboot.

It’s not more complicated then that.

Besides, I fail to understand.
Are we talking about ax2 or ac2 ?
2 different things.

10

I believe that we are talking about mAP lite and hAP lite from the first post.

Did you try to test WiFi coverage and speeds with ax2 only ?

11

First post he mentioned ac2.
Later AX2 and then the wifiwave2 config.

So quite confusing, to say the least.

12

Capsman is a waste of time for a new person to MT. No need in 99% of cases.

13

That I can agree with.
But you must admit it can be fun to toy with new stuff :slight_smile:

PS already awake ?

14

Hahaha, No I was going to bed, now I am awake

15

For reference:

It is NOT possible to use wifiwave2 and “legacy” devices in a single CAPsMAN configuration, as of RouterOS 7.10. See requirements and the warning here.

WifiWave2 CAPsMAN can only control WifiWave2 interfaces, and WifiWave2 CAPs can join only WifiWave2 CAPsMAN, similarly, regular CAPsMAN only supports non-WifiWave2 caps.

I have gone the VLAN route to satisfy my requirements.

16

Correction:
It has NEVER been possible since wifiwave2 capsman came alive.
Everyone is hoping it will become possible but I wouldn’t bet too much money on it …