Weird behavior with CAPsMAN (low rates when clients connected to WiFi)

RouterOS Wireless Networking
1

Hello guys, I was wondering if the following “problem” is something that can be resolved, or maybe is it a bug because of an older version but whatever.

We currently have deployed our WiFi with the combination of the main router + some APs that are configured via CAPsMAN.

The problem we have is, that sometimes, when clients are connected, they have very low bandwith (not even 2mbps).

This only happens in the sense where maybe 1 user has this problem, but all of the other clients have normal bandwiths when connected on the same AP with “problems”, so it’s not a problem on the AP configuration or on the AP itself.

This problem can’t be resolved until I remove the device from CAPsMAN → Registration Table, where the client reconnects near instantly and the bandwith is restored to normal values.

If we disconnect the WiFi from the client and then we reconnect, the issue persists, so it’s not on the client side.

We have deployed CApsMAN with some QoS services, but none of these QoS Services are that restrictive to have these low bandwith (even without mangle rules this problem occurs)

Furthermore, the “tx rate” and “rx rate” on the Registration Table seems OK (no 6Mbps Tx/Rx where I’ve read that its the “initial rate” when a client is connected via CAPsMAN).

So, does somebody know how and why this happens? How can I achieve some configuration to resolve this issue? Is it because of the version of RouterOS?

My main concern is that this issue is completely random, so I cannot investigate further. I’ve already tested buying new cAP ac (incase its the AP) , nearly no configuration, no mangle rules, but this issue still persists

Version on main board + APs = 6.47.9
Routerboard main =RB1100AHx4
APs = cAP ac RBcAPGi-5acD2nD

I can provide the CAPsMAN configuration if needed.

Thanks in advance.

2

Besides the CAPsMAN config part of the configuration, can you also share the registration information (MAC addresses are not relevant) as well? Might still give a clue.
My first guess (without knowing anything relevant) is that transmission power is not optimized yet. Purely based on personal experience.

3

Hi.

Sure, there's no problem on that. Im attaching my CAPsMAN configuration at the end of my post. On the access-list, I've only left my own rules since all the rules are the same and the only change are the MAC address and the comments from the user.

It can't be transmission power since I've been already configuring it on the previor weeks (I've been dealing with CAPsMAN problems for a while, but most of it was due to bad configuration of ex-coworkers), so Channels,Tx Power and Configurations are already optimized for my enviroment.

I'm also attaching the following video https://youtu.be/kxaOTy62RDc, where I'm testing the following:

  • On my laptop, first I do a speedtest where I actually get not bad results, but when the bandwith is acting "strange", this bandwith can oscile between 1-12mbps as you can see.

  • After the test ends, I check that they are only 9 people connected to that cAP ac, and I re-provision that AP (with the same configuration, I didnt change that and why would I?)

  • After the AP is reprovisioned, I try the same speedtest, where I get decent results and the bandwith between the user with "problems" is solved until further notices.

I also have a test where the first speedtest gets pretty low bandwith (1mbps) but it's clear that the negotiation between client-CAPsMAN could be optimized.

My client has battery optimization on the WiFi adapter disabled, so this part is also covered (incase maybe its a client problem, but this happens randomly to all of my possible clients).

Maybe I can just do a script to reprovision all APs every single day, but I would kill to know how can I solve it :sunglasses:

Thanks in advanced

# aug/11/2022 08:48:56 by RouterOS 6.47.9
# software id = AZAX-VRWG
#
# model = RB1100x4
# serial number = 91D70A7F4F47
/caps-man channel
add band=2ghz-g/n comment="2,4 GHz" control-channel-width=20mhz \
    extension-channel=disabled frequency=2437 name="Canal 6 - 2437 MHz"
add band=5ghz-n/ac comment="5 GHz" control-channel-width=20mhz \
    extension-channel=Ce frequency=5180 name="Canal 36 - 5180 MHz"
add band=2ghz-g/n comment="2,4 GHz" control-channel-width=20mhz \
    extension-channel=disabled frequency=2412 name="Canal 1 - 2412 Mhz "
add band=2ghz-g/n comment="2,4 GHz" control-channel-width=20mhz \
    extension-channel=disabled frequency=2462 name="Canal 11 - 2462 Mhz "
add band=5ghz-n/ac comment="5 GHz" control-channel-width=20mhz \
    extension-channel=Ce frequency=5220 name="Canal 44 - 5220 MHz"
add band=5ghz-n/ac comment="5 GHz" control-channel-width=20mhz \
    extension-channel=Ce frequency=5500 name="Canal 100 - 5500 MHz"
/caps-man datapath
add bridge=Wifi_red client-to-client-forwarding=yes name=Cuerva-red
add bridge=Wifi_term client-to-client-forwarding=no name=Cuerva-terminal
/caps-man security
add authentication-types=wpa2-eap eap-methods=passthrough \
    eap-radius-accounting=yes encryption=aes-ccm group-encryption=aes-ccm \
    name=Radius
/caps-man configuration
add channel="Canal 6 - 2437 MHz" channel.tx-power=17 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 6 2.4GHz 17dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 1 - 2412 Mhz " channel.tx-power=17 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 1 2.4GHz 17dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 11 - 2462 Mhz " channel.tx-power=17 country=spain \
    datapath=Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 11 2.4GHz 17dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 36 - 5180 MHz" country=spain datapath=Cuerva-red \
    installation=indoor mode=ap name="Cuerva Red - Canal 36 5GHz" security=\
    Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 44 - 5220 MHz" channel.tx-power=10 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 44 5GHz 10dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add country=spain datapath=Cuerva-terminal installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Terminal - Slave" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Terminal"
add channel="Canal 1 - 2412 Mhz " channel.tx-power=14 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 1 2.4GHz 14dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 6 - 2437 MHz" channel.tx-power=14 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 6 2.4GHz 14dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 11 - 2462 Mhz " channel.tx-power=14 country=spain \
    datapath=Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 11 2.4GHz 14dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 1 - 2412 Mhz " channel.tx-power=10 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 1 2.4GHz 10dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 6 - 2437 MHz" channel.tx-power=10 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 6 2.4GHz 10dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 11 - 2462 Mhz " channel.tx-power=10 country=spain \
    datapath=Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 11 2.4GHz 10dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 44 - 5220 MHz" country=spain datapath=Cuerva-red \
    installation=indoor mode=ap name="Cuerva Red - Canal 44 5GHz" security=\
    Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 36 - 5180 MHz" channel.tx-power=10 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 36 5GHz 10dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 1 - 2412 Mhz " channel.tx-power=7 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 1 2.4GHz 7dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 6 - 2437 MHz" channel.tx-power=7 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 6 2.4GHz 7dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 11 - 2462 Mhz " channel.tx-power=7 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 11 2.4GHz 7dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 36 - 5180 MHz" channel.tx-power=17 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 36 5GHz 17dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 44 - 5220 MHz" channel.tx-power=18 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 44 5GHz 17dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 44 - 5220 MHz" channel.tx-power=14 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 44 5GHz 14dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 36 - 5180 MHz" channel.tx-power=14 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 36 5GHz 14dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 44 - 5220 MHz" channel.tx-power=7 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 44 5GHz 7dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 36 - 5180 MHz" channel.tx-power=7 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 36 5GHz 7dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 100 - 5500 MHz" country=spain datapath=Cuerva-red \
    installation=indoor mode=ap name="Cuerva Red - Canal 100 5GHz" security=\
    Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 100 - 5500 MHz" channel.tx-power=17 country=spain \
    datapath=Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 100 5GHz 17dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 44 - 5220 MHz" channel.tx-power=4 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 44 5GHz 4dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 44 - 5220 MHz" channel.tx-power=1 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 44 5GHz 1dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 11 - 2462 Mhz " channel.tx-power=4 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 11 2.4GHz 4dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 11 - 2462 Mhz " channel.tx-power=1 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 11 2.4GHz 1dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
add channel="Canal 36 - 5180 MHz" channel.tx-power=4 country=spain datapath=\
    Cuerva-red installation=indoor mode=ap name=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 36 5GHz 4dBm" security=Radius ssid="Cuerva Red"
/caps-man access-list
add action=reject allow-signal-out-of-range=always comment=\
    "######## Dispositivos Cuerva Red a partir de esta regla########" \
    disabled=yes ssid-regexp=""
add action=accept allow-signal-out-of-range=10s client-to-client-forwarding=\
    no comment="Red - LP000609 - Enrico Pauritsch Garcia" disabled=no \
    mac-address=20:4E:F6:F2:7C:77 ssid-regexp="Cuerva Red"
    "######## Dispositivos Cuerva Terminal a partir de esta regla########" \
    disabled=yes ssid-regexp=""
add action=accept allow-signal-out-of-range=10s client-to-client-forwarding=\
    no comment="Terminal - Enrico Pauritsch Garcia - Samsung Galaxy A13" \
    disabled=no mac-address=B0:4A:6A:68:14:51 ssid-regexp="Cuerva Terminal"
add action=reject allow-signal-out-of-range=always comment=\
    "Rechazar todo lo que no est\E9 incluido por MAC" disabled=no interface=\
    any radius-accounting=no ssid-regexp=""
/caps-man manager
set ca-certificate=auto certificate=auto enabled=yes
/caps-man provisioning
add action=create-dynamic-enabled comment="AP 1 - Planta 0 - General 2.4GHz " \
    master-configuration="Cuerva Red - Canal 1 2.4GHz 14dBm" name-format=\
    prefix name-prefix="AP 1 - Planta 0 - General 2.4GHz " radio-mac=\
    CC:2D:E0:9A:D1:AD slave-configurations="Cuerva Terminal - Slave"
add action=create-dynamic-enabled comment="AP 1 - Planta 0 - General 5GHz " \
    master-configuration="Cuerva Red - Canal 36 5GHz" name-format=prefix \
    name-prefix="AP 1 - Planta 0 - General 5GHz " radio-mac=CC:2D:E0:9A:D1:AE \
    slave-configurations="Cuerva Terminal - Slave"
add action=create-dynamic-enabled comment=\
    "AP 2 - Planta 1 - Despacho Ignacio 2.4GHz " master-configuration=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 11 2.4GHz 1dBm" name-format=prefix name-prefix=\
    "AP 2 - Planta 1 - Despacho Ignacio 2.4GHz " radio-mac=2C:C8:1B:9A:72:38 \
    slave-configurations="Cuerva Terminal - Slave"
add action=create-dynamic-enabled comment=\
    "AP 2 - Planta 1 - Despacho Ignacio 5GHz " master-configuration=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 36 5GHz 4dBm" name-format=prefix name-prefix=\
    "AP 2 - Planta 1 - Despacho Ignacio 5GHz " radio-mac=2C:C8:1B:9A:72:39 \
    slave-configurations="Cuerva Terminal - Slave"
add action=create-dynamic-enabled comment="AP 3 - Planta 1 - General 2.4GHz " \
    master-configuration="Cuerva Red - Canal 6 2.4GHz 14dBm" name-format=\
    prefix name-prefix="AP 3 - Planta 1 - General 2.4GHz " radio-mac=\
    CC:2D:E0:95:BA:28 slave-configurations="Cuerva Terminal - Slave"
add action=create-dynamic-enabled comment="AP 3 - Planta 1 - General 5GHz " \
    master-configuration="Cuerva Red - Canal 100 5GHz" name-format=prefix \
    name-prefix="AP 3 - Planta 1 - General 5GHz " radio-mac=CC:2D:E0:95:BA:29 \
    slave-configurations="Cuerva Terminal - Slave"
add action=create-dynamic-enabled comment=\
    "AP 4 - Planta 0 - zona SIE 2.4GHz " master-configuration=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 6 2.4GHz 14dBm" name-format=prefix name-prefix=\
    "AP 4 - Planta 0 - zona SIE 2.4GHz " radio-mac=2C:C8:1B:97:BE:8E \
    slave-configurations="Cuerva Terminal - Slave"
add action=create-dynamic-enabled comment="AP 4 - Planta 0 - zona SIE 5GHz " \
    master-configuration="Cuerva Red - Canal 44 5GHz" name-format=prefix \
    name-prefix="AP 4 - Planta 0 - zona SIE 5GHz " radio-mac=\
    2C:C8:1B:97:BE:8F slave-configurations="Cuerva Terminal - Slave"
add action=create-dynamic-enabled comment="AP 5 - Almac\E9n 2.4GHz " \
    master-configuration="Cuerva Red - Canal 11 2.4GHz 1dBm" name-format=\
    prefix name-prefix="AP 5 - Almac\E9n 2.4GHz " radio-mac=CC:2D:E0:95:BC:92 \
    slave-configurations="Cuerva Terminal - Slave"
add action=create-dynamic-enabled comment="AP 5 - Almac\E9n 5GHz " \
    master-configuration="Cuerva Red - Canal 36 5GHz 4dBm" name-format=prefix \
    name-prefix="AP 5 - Almac\E9n 5GHz " radio-mac=CC:2D:E0:95:BC:93 \
    slave-configurations="Cuerva Terminal - Slave"
add action=create-dynamic-enabled comment=\
    "AP 6 - Planta 1 - Sala de Juntas 2.4GHz " master-configuration=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 11 2.4GHz 1dBm" name-format=prefix name-prefix=\
    "AP 6 - Planta 1 - Sala de Juntas 2.4GHz " radio-mac=CC:2D:E0:95:BB:2E \
    slave-configurations="Cuerva Terminal - Slave"
add action=create-dynamic-enabled comment=\
    "AP 6 - Planta 1 - Sala de Juntas 5GHz " master-configuration=\
    "Cuerva Red - Canal 44 5GHz 4dBm" name-format=prefix name-prefix=\
    "AP 6 - Planta 1 - Sala de Juntas 5GHz " radio-mac=CC:2D:E0:95:BB:2F \
    slave-configurations="Cuerva Terminal - Slave"
4

Welcome to my world in 2018.

Hundreds of hours. Thousands in losses.

Had to move to a different vendor for wifi.

5

Damn, that’s bad to listen :frowning: In our case, we have like 150+ Mikrotik devices and this problem is only happening on CAPsMAN managed WiFi (since we have other locations where WiFi is provided but via AP Bridge and those locations everything goes smooth).

Which vendor did u decide to go? Just curious

6

The equipment is a bit of a different price range. Producer - Ruckus Wireless.

7

From the video provided, I don’t see the problem. Probably not enough data. Show at least a scan of the air from this point.
According to the video there are 6 devices connected to the 5GHz interface of the access point, the speed test is slow. After disconnecting this point and reconnecting at the time of a good test only one device is connected to the access point on the 5GHz interface. But this is the normal operation of the WiFi. The bandwidth is shared by all connected devices.
You need to provide more data.
At the time of the bad test, what is the total load on the physical 5GHz interface? What is the state of the airwaves at that moment.

I recommend changing action=create-dynamic-enabled to action=create-enabled in Provision. Then you can edit the data directly in the interface and the interface can be renamed as convenient, without asking unnecessary comments.
And set guard interval = long

8

Don´t use CAPsMAN controller with traffic going through CAPsMAN controller with such an amount of MikroTik access points.
For us I disabled CAPsMAN, configured single MikroTiks + VRF/VRF-lite in our network. I use MikroTik only in areas with low density / low requirements. For high density we use Aruba AP-5xx, in some lower density Grandstream GWN-763x/766x access points.