I guess this is covered in Wireless Networking 101 but I didn't get to Wireless College so I beg you bear with me:
I've a small network with one client just at the edge of the AP's transmission lobe and not a clear line of sight so his TX/RX readings have always been low (eg -85/-88) and his PPPoE link frequently drops out although the wireless doesn't seem to disconnect.
To try to get around this I decided to try reverting the whole network from G-only to B-only as everyone is limited to download speeds of 2mbps anyway.
It seems to have helped the 'outlying' CPE as its CCQ has gone up appreciably, but the CPE closest to the AP has started behaving oddly (it seems to me). I couldn't remember which antenna socket on the card the pigtail was attached to so changed it in Winbox and tried both. This is the result-
With antenna a
status: connected-to-ess
band: 2.4ghz-b
frequency: 2412MHz
tx-rate: "11Mbps-SP"
rx-rate: "1Mbps"
ssid: "Totaranui"
bssid: 00:80:48:3D:5A:6A
radio-name: "Mt. Kiwi B"
signal-strength: -51dBm
tx-signal-strength: -54dBm
noise-floor: -97dBm
signal-to-noise: 46dB
tx-ccq: 56%
rx-ccq: 82%
p-throughput: 7823
overall-tx-ccq: 56%
authenticated-clients: 1
current-ack-timeout: 30
wds-link: no
nstreme: no
framing-mode: none
routeros-version: "2.9.51"
last-ip: 10.0.3.1
802.1x-port-enabled: yes
authentication-type: wpa2-psk
encryption: aes-ccm
group-encryption: aes-ccm
compression: no
current-tx-powers: 1Mbps:16(16),2Mbps:16(16),5.5Mbps:16(16),11Mbps:16(16)
notify-external-fdb: no
With antenna b
status: connected-to-ess
band: 2.4ghz-b
frequency: 2412MHz
tx-rate: "11Mbps-SP"
rx-rate: "1Mbps"
ssid: "Totaranui"
bssid: 00:80:48:3D:5A:6A
radio-name: "Mt. Kiwi B"
signal-strength: -74dBm
tx-signal-strength: -70dBm
noise-floor: -94dBm
signal-to-noise: 20dB
tx-ccq: 76%
rx-ccq: 93%
p-throughput: 7403
overall-tx-ccq: 76%
authenticated-clients: 1
current-ack-timeout: 30
wds-link: no
nstreme: no
framing-mode: none
routeros-version: "2.9.51"
last-ip: 10.0.3.1
802.1x-port-enabled: yes
authentication-type: wpa2-psk
encryption: aes-ccm
group-encryption: aes-ccm
compression: no
current-tx-powers: 1Mbps:16(16),2Mbps:16(16),5.5Mbps:16(16),11Mbps:16(16)
notify-external-fdb: no
It seems from the signal strengths that the antenna 'mode' is A (TX -54dB as opposed to B's TX of -70dB) but the CCQ for antenna B is significantly better.
Will anyone take the time to:
1. Explain the apparent contradiction.
2. Is it that I need to turn the TX power down? If so, how and what am I aiming for?
3. What does the -SP mean in the TX rate? The AP is running 2.9.51 but the CPE is running 3.9.
4. Would I be better switching the AP to B/G mode and the CPE's with good signals back to Only-G mode? Or can I switch everything to B/G and let the system sort it out?
5. Enlighten me as to anything else I need to know.
Thanks.