WDS to multiple AP's

RouterOS Wireless Networking
1

Ok. I am drawing a blank. I’ve search over thru forum, and evidently haven’t found the right combination of keywords to find a solution.

I’m looking to connect multiple AP’s together thru WDS. I think it is the only achievable way to do what I am attempting, without adding more adjacent channel CPE’s or AP’s. I tried just putting them in AP Bridge, and assigning them to a Dynamic WDS thru bridge1, but it just connects and disconnects, as if it doesn’t authenticate. I’m not using anything other than WPA-PSK. All 3 ends have the same keys.
I need this to make one AP see another, when both need to have clients on them as well. I don’t have the ability to use multiple links thru these as each of them already have another link attached for another sector.

Ideas?
Thanks.

2

Do you have the same frequency on the AP, where WDS is established?
We need to see your configuration,

3

Same Frequencies.. Here’s the wireless config.

jun/ 8/2010 6:52:54 by RouterOS 4.9

Flags: X - disabled, R - running
0 R name=“PTP-Dish” mtu=1500 mac-address=00:0C:42:68:0D:79 arp=enabled
interface-type=Atheros AR5413 mode=ap-bridge ssid=“COSAP_North”
frequency=4985 band=5ghz-5mhz scan-list=4935-4995 antenna-mode=ant-a
wds-mode=dynamic wds-default-bridge=bridge2 wds-ignore-ssid=no
default-authentication=yes default-forwarding=yes default-ap-tx-limit=0
default-client-tx-limit=0 hide-ssid=no security-profile=COSAP
compression=no

1 name=“PTP-Backfire” mtu=1500 mac-address=00:0C:42:68:0D:73 arp=enabled
interface-type=Atheros AR5413 mode=ap-bridge ssid=“COSAP_NW”
frequency=4945 band=5ghz-5mhz scan-list=4935-4995 antenna-mode=ant-a
wds-mode=dynamic wds-default-bridge=bridge2 wds-ignore-ssid=no
default-authentication=yes default-forwarding=yes default-ap-tx-limit=0
default-client-tx-limit=0 hide-ssid=no security-profile=COSAP
compression=no

Interface 1 is the one I am trying to use WDS with. It can see one of the other AP’s just not the second AP it needs to connect to, with any consistancy.

4

What settings ap-bridge to station for the same wireless link, does it work?

5

ok. So it looks like I got the links to be solid. I had to disable WPA as well as increase my signal headroom.
However now I am experiencing another issue… My throughput has dropped to less than 500k. I can run TP tests from some of the CPE’s to the AP’s and get 7-8MB. but when I try and go thru one of the WDS Repeaters, it kills it. Either WDS repeater gives me the same problem.
I am using Dynamic WDS all are assigned to Bridge1 and I’ve turned security off on all of these links to simplify it for now.
The CPE’s are using Station WDS mode, and also have the WDS Tab set so it is assigned to Bridge1 and Dynamic.

Here is the config for the AP:

Flags: X - disabled, R - running 
 0  R name="East" mtu=1500 mac-address=00:0C:42:68:EE:22 arp=enabled interface-type=Atheros AR5413 mode=ap-bridge 
      ssid="5M-East" frequency=4945 band=5ghz-5mhz scan-list=4920-5000 antenna-mode=ant-a wds-mode=dynamic 
      wds-default-bridge=bridge1 wds-ignore-ssid=yes default-authentication=yes default-forwarding=yes 
      default-ap-tx-limit=0 default-client-tx-limit=0 hide-ssid=no security-profile=default compression=no 

 1    name="West" mtu=1500 mac-address=00:0C:42:68:EE:1F arp=enabled interface-type=Atheros AR5413 mode=ap-bridge 
      ssid="5M-West" frequency=4980 band=5ghz-5mhz scan-list=4935-4995 antenna-mode=ant-a wds-mode=dynamic 
      wds-default-bridge=bridge1 wds-ignore-ssid=no default-authentication=yes default-forwarding=yes 
      default-ap-tx-limit=0 default-client-tx-limit=0 hide-ssid=no security-profile=COSAP compression=no

Here is the config for one of the CPE’s:

Flags: X - disabled, R - running 
 0 X  name="Fighting9" mtu=1500 mac-address=00:0C:42:62:B7:F2 arp=enabled interface-type=Atheros 11N mode=ap-bridge 
      ssid="Fighting9" frequency=2462 band=2.4ghz-b/g scan-list=default wds-mode=disabled wds-default-bridge=none 
      wds-ignore-ssid=no default-authentication=yes default-forwarding=yes default-ap-tx-limit=0 
      default-client-tx-limit=0 hide-ssid=no security-profile=default compression=no 

 1  R name="PtP" mtu=1500 mac-address=00:0C:42:68:EE:09 arp=enabled interface-type=Atheros AR5413 mode=station-wds 
      ssid="5M-East" frequency=4980 band=5ghz-5mhz scan-list=4930-5000 antenna-mode=ant-a wds-mode=dynamic 
      wds-default-bridge=bridge1 wds-ignore-ssid=no default-authentication=yes default-forwarding=yes 
      default-ap-tx-limit=0 default-client-tx-limit=0 hide-ssid=no security-profile=default compression=no 

 2 X  name="Net-9" mtu=1500 mac-address=02:0C:42:62:B7:F2 arp=enabled interface-type=virtual-AP master-interface=Fighting9 
      ssid="Net-9" wds-mode=disabled wds-default-bridge=none wds-ignore-ssid=no default-authentication=yes 
      default-forwarding=yes default-ap-tx-limit=0 default-client-tx-limit=0 hide-ssid=no security-profile=default

Some of the CPE interface’s are Virtual AP’s and Bridged to other VLan’s, but I don’t believe that should make any difference.

Also, here is the other WDS Repeater, just in case it makes any difference:

Flags: X - disabled, R - running 
 0  R name="PTP-Dish" mtu=1500 mac-address=00:0C:42:68:0D:79 arp=enabled interface-type=Atheros AR5413 mode=ap-bridge 
      ssid="COSAP_North" frequency=4985 band=5ghz-5mhz scan-list=4935-4995 antenna-mode=ant-a wds-mode=dynamic 
      wds-default-bridge=bridge2 wds-ignore-ssid=no default-authentication=yes default-forwarding=yes 
      default-ap-tx-limit=0 default-client-tx-limit=0 hide-ssid=no security-profile=COSAP compression=no 

 1  R name="PTP-Backfire" mtu=1500 mac-address=00:0C:42:68:0D:73 arp=enabled interface-type=Atheros AR5413 mode=ap-bridge 
      ssid="COSAP_NW" frequency=4945 band=5ghz-5mhz scan-list=4935-4995 antenna-mode=ant-a wds-mode=dynamic 
      wds-default-bridge=bridge2 wds-ignore-ssid=yes default-authentication=yes default-forwarding=yes 
      default-ap-tx-limit=0 default-client-tx-limit=0 hide-ssid=no security-profile=default compression=no

Hopefully someone can see what i’ve done wrong. Other than I know it’s not a Routed solution! In my system I cannot make them as such, since I simply carry traffic for our IT department, and don’t manage the network itself.

6

Anyone??

Thoughts??

Ideas??


MT Support folks??

7

Just curious previously you had better throughput (what is changed since then)?
Do you use antennas, which are optimized for 4900 frequencies?

8

please post configs of the AP , Stations and the repeaters too. You are having 2 radios on the same board or one radio does both the repeating and as AP too. My advise if you can avoid WDS please do. Just do the PTP with one radio and AP with an alternate radio