Wireless card recieve blows issue

RouterOS Wireless Networking
1

I have a problem that hopefully someone out there can give me some advice on… this is not directly related to the mikrotik OS or the routerboards, but the problem did not exist prior to using them, so i thought I would ask here and see if anyone else has come across this…

I migrated from a few YDI wipops, which had an lucent/avaya ap1000 mounted at the based of the tower in a weather proof enclosure, then to a power injector, then LMR600 up 100’ or so, to an amplifier powered from the injector, then to an 12 db omni antenna. This was ok…
Then I came across mikrotik, and fell in love and started switching towers out. All is running GREAT, except any tower that has an OMNI directional antenna blows cards very often. When i say blows, i mean the reciever basically goes out, but the transmit still works, as i can see the device from a netstumbler scan on a laptop, but i cannot see anything when i do a scan from the tower. I swap the card out and bingo… all back to normal.

This does seem to only occur during an electrical storm (lightning) but they have never recieved direct hits, and I have tried them with and without surge supressors. Also tried some other high dollar polyphase blockers… no luck…

I now mount the mikrotik at the top near the antenna (within 10 ft or so) without amplifiers, and then run a shielded CAT5 down to the base for power and configuration.

All towers that use sector panels… work fine and I have never lost a card on any of them. I started changing out the OMNI’s to sectors and so far, I haven’t lost any of those that were switched, through the last 5 or more storms. However every storm i still lose the omni’s that are left (only 1 left as of today, there were 10 or so before) I went through probably 30-40 SR2 cards so far because of this problem.. so it was getting expensive.

Also wanted to note i tried running a seperate ground from the box, antenna, and surge suppressor straight to a ground rod and that didnt help either.


I know this was a long winded explanation and I may have confused everyone, but if anyone has run into this or has any suggestion, I would sure appreciate it!
I like being able to pop omni’s up here and there at a low cost, but not at the cost of 40 SR2 cards, plus the time and labor to change them out…
and the sectors are too cumbersome to use in some areas, and get full 360 coverage.

Thanks in advance!

2

Use :

  • DC Grounded Omni

  • Use Ethernet surge protector

  • Ground your :

  • board

  • enclosure

  • antenna mounting

  • etc.


    Thx
    //Budi

3

What antenna and what radio card?

Sounds like a PacWireless omni. If so, we’ve had the same problem.

Changing antennas will get rid of the problem as in receive drops by 20dB after a storm.

George

4

Yes most of them are pacWireless, 3 of them were older YDI antennas, that had been deployed for 1-2 years already without any problems, but they did not blow near as often as the pacwireless.

What brand/model of antenna did you switch to? I am willing to try another, although i am a little gunshy…

sometimes recieve woul drop 20dB like you say, although occasionally it was much more.

the card were all ubiquiti SR2’s origianlly, then i tried some NMP-8602’s same thing happened though.

5

I’m back to using the Superpass 2.4 8dB Omnis. Only had two problems in four years of use with fifty in the field, price is very reasonable and they deliver the gain they advertise. Don’t know why the PacWireless cause problems, but they do. Pity, the mounting hardware is great.

George

6

I talked with PacWireless about these antennas, OD24-12, and the engineer believes that there may have been a manufacturing problem with them, and they were not built with DC grounding as they were supposed to be… he is going to verify it and then let me know what needs to be done.

I’ll let you know what he says for sure …

7

Talked with them just a few minutes ago.. seems there is a defect in the mfg of the antenna, and I was told to RMA them. So if anyone else is experiencing this, you might contact pacwireless, or your distributer regarding this. He told me they were going to rework the product and wasn’t sure when they would have the replacement product out.
this only applies to the OD24-12 Omni 12DBi Antenna.

8

jparsons, please shoot me a e-mail to discuss a very similar problem I had. I may just have a cure for you. mail@moorelandisp.com Thanks Kenny

9

jparsons.
Any new updates on your problem? Would like to here your cure.If you found one.

10

No definate fix yet, but, I haven’t tried it yet … I just recieved a couple of new antennas, a 9DB PacWireless that the engineers said is grounded properly, and one from a 12 DBi Commercial grade one from radiolabs.com that they say is grounded properly too, I am going to try them both out, I have a setup going up this week, ill keep you posted…
may take a few days / weeks to know for sure.

the first electrical storm will tell me for sure, I couldn’t make it thorugh one before…

11

I have been having this issue at a new AP I put up about 2 weeks ago. The site is using a 15dBi omni from Pasadena networks(don’t know manufacturer). My other 9 APs are using a 15dBi omni from hyperlink (no issues), and the 1 other site is using a 15dBi omni from Pasadena networks.

I have lost 3 radios at a new site (only on the omni, the other radio is fine and continues to operate a 24dBi grid).
At first I just thought it was a failed card, but now I have lost 2 during a small t-storm. These are small t-storms for my area. The sites have not been hit, nor to my knowledge has any lightning hit close to the site. Most of the lightning is overhead. I am at a loss for what is causing this, I am going to change card and omni today as soon as weather clears.

My two theories are currently, wind induced static electricity builds up on the omni and discharges into the card. Or overhead lightning is inducing a charge in the omni and discharging into the radio.
If anyone has any solutions please do tell.

12

I use wifi-link omni anntena 15 dbi and atheros card.. mikrotik
i have to change my card evry time it rains, I hope someone can find a solution to this problem. please advice me what to do

13

I all. we are having the same problem her in Sweden…
but . we rebuilt the antennas with better grounding, that helps some times. and i reparing the radiocards by removing the Diversity switch in the cards. then the cards working perfect again :slight_smile: so pleas do not throw the cards in the trasch cans!.

//Rickard

14

yes, very often problem with Omni antennas, because, as I understood, they collect statical electricity, until radio gets blown. I’ve got card blowned almost every week.

I also thought that there is no solution for this problem, but in fact solution was quite simple. I took few meters of cord (wide one): then I wrapped one end around the connector on the antenna (on the place where cable connects to antenna), and another end to lightning rod. So far (5 months) there was not single problem.

I’ll try to post some pictures when I’ll go on the roof :slight_smile:

15

I all. we are having the same problem her in Sweden…
but . we rebuilt the antennas with better grounding, that helps some times. and i reparing the radiocards by removing the Diversity switch in the cards. then the cards working perfect again Smile so pleas do not throw the cards in the trasch cans!.

Please tell us how some pictures schematic can you??

And about the static problem I HATE PacWireless Omni ants, I switched to homemade 17db waveguide and AMOS ANTENNA

web site is on Serbian language but you’ll get around and there is some english links to sites and people who tried to make this great antenna for few bucks.

And something more I thought I was only guy on earth to have problem with static electricity :slight_smile:, you dont need to groung the antenna if its hard to achieve, but antennas must be mounted on the same pole or whether you mount them all the antennas ground elements have to be connected to each other (not the ground but all antennas together) and you’ll have less mailfunctions and problems… Ofcorse you cant put 100 ants on the same pole but if there is more than one antenna on one mounting pole there has to bo a good connectivity to mounting pole both antennas ground elements have to be conected to mounting pole better connection longer the cards live :slight_smile:

16

Just think about the number of radios that have been killed by these antennas that we know of here on this forum. Now just think how many we don’t know about.

Do I smell a class action lawsuit!

Just a joke guys…

17

I don’t know about the law suit, because i use Trendnet TW-503PI, and it was always replaced under warranty, although reseller was suspicios what are we doing to those cards :slight_smile:

So, anyway: Pacific Wireless should be informed about this problem, because it’s a MAJOR problem, not some minor bug. There are “tweaks” how to prevent this, but anyway, this shouldn’t happen.

18

Yes titius, we know there is a lot of better antennas, but what about us who bought 30 pieces of those antennas? Replacament with other antennas, which don’t cover full 360 degs is not a solution. Pacific Wireless should fix this.

19

anyway

Rickard please can you tell us how do you change diversity switch

20

if that antenna is not omni … 360 … then send them back to … netiks ?:slight_smile: