Why does my AP keep rebooting?

RouterOS Wireless Networking
1

Can somebody help me out here. I have an AP unit that is doing a WDS to our main radio for the Internet backhaul and also providing the service for our clients on the same wireless interface. It is rebooting due to the watchdog every couple of hours. Below is the log of everything right before it reboots. 00:60:B3:5C:BE:A7 is the mac address of the main unit. The signal between them looks good and everything. Does anybody have an idea as to what is going on here?

12:52:42 wireless,info 00:60:B3:5C:BE:A7@wlan2: disconnected, no beacons
12:52:42 wireless,info wlan2: data from unknown device 00:60:B3:5C:BE:A7,
sent deauth
12:52:42 wireless,info wlan2: data from unknown device 00:60:B3:5C:BE:A7,
sent deauth
12:52:42 wireless,info wlan2: data from unknown device 00:60:B3:5C:BE:A7,
sent deauth
12:52:42 wireless,info wlan2: data from unknown device 00:60:B3:5C:BE:A7,
sent deauth
12:52:43 wireless,info wlan2: data from unknown device 00:60:B3:5C:BE:A7,
sent deauth
12:52:48 wireless,info wlan2: data from unknown device 00:60:B3:5C:BE:A7,
sent deauth (8 events suppressed)
12:52:52 wireless,info wlan2: data from unknown device 00:60:B3:5C:BE:A7,
sent deauth (4 events suppressed)
12:52:58 wireless,info wlan2: data from unknown device 00:60:B3:5C:BE:A7,
sent deauth (7 events suppressed)
12:53:02 wireless,info wlan2: data from unknown device 00:60:B3:5C:BE:A7,
sent deauth (22 events suppressed)
12:53:07 wireless,info wlan2: data from unknown device 00:60:B3:5C:BE:A7,
sent deauth (16 events suppressed)
12:53:12 wireless,info wlan2: data from unknown device 00:60:B3:5C:BE:A7,
sent deauth (9 events suppressed)
12:53:15 dhcp,info,debug dhcp-nat deassigned 192.168.33.29 from
00:11:50:5C:A0:DF
12:53:15 dhcp,info,debug dhcp-nat assigned 192.168.33.29 to 00:11:50:5C:A0:DF
12:53:18 wireless,info wlan2: data from unknown device 00:60:B3:5C:BE:A7,
sent deauth (14 events suppressed)
12:53:22 wireless,info wlan2: data from unknown device 00:60:B3:5C:BE:A7,
sent deauth (6 events suppressed)
12:53:28 wireless,info wlan2: data from unknown device 00:60:B3:5C:BE:A7,
sent deauth (3 events suppressed)
12:53:32 wireless,info wlan2: data from unknown device 00:60:B3:5C:BE:A7,
sent deauth (1 events suppressed)
12:53:36 watchdog,error,critical watchdog cannot ping address 72.165.70.181,
rebooting

2

The last line of the log answers the question which was asked.
You have a watchdog which reboots the Router if an address is unpingable.

I would beleive that you should be asking about the deauths.
In order to get an answer on that, however, you will have to post more detail about the config.
ie. Radio Cards, Antennas, antenna distances (seperation), etc.

3

They are both Atheros 5213 400 mW cards. Both are using omni antennas to work. They are only about .25 miles apart. This is in a neigborhood with trees. We have about 5 or 6 AP’s here to get good coverage. But this signal between them is good with a great CCQ.

4

WDS repeater…
I am not going to try and resolve your wireless disconect issue, as I have not played with WDS.

As far as the watchdog goes, it fails a ping to what I presume is an address outside of the accesspoint, then reboots the AP.

I do not beleive that this is what you wish to accomplish.
Disable the watchdog.

When the link comes back up everything will be OK.

As far as the WDS goes, and the link issue, I would probably suggest that you use a directional antenna for the Feed.

I could be wrong on that though…

Perhaps somebody with WDS knowledge could interject, and give recommendations!!

5

What is your actual signal strength?

2.4GHz?

I’ve had cordless phones and wireless video cameras completely shut down the entire 2.4GHz band before. I agree with above, directional between the AP’s and a second radio. Just my experience, a quarter mile with omni didn’t give the most reliable link, with or without trees. Best I got with clear LOS was -77. Throw in one household nearby with a 2.4GHz phone and you’ve got problems with the omni.

6

Ok thank you…I’ll go ahead and work on getting the second radio with a directional added.