I've configured CAPsMan to control multiple AP's. I've configured that for 2.4Ghz, channel 1, 6 and 11 can be used. And something similar for the 5Ghz (with their own channel numbers of course). When checking the WIFI area, I still see that the AP's using the same channel number 36 on the 5Ghz WIFI. I would expect that CAPsMan is dividing the channels in such a way that there is a minimum overlap. Or or are my expectations incorrect?
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rgroothuis
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CAPsMan and dividing 2.4 and 5 Ghz channels across multiple AP's
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Re: CAPsMan and dividing 2.4 and 5 Ghz channels across multiple AP's
Depends on your exact configuration, can you please share your /caps-man export hide-sensitive file=anythingyoulike?
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rgroothuis
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Re: CAPsMan and dividing 2.4 and 5 Ghz channels across multiple AP's
This is the config:
Code: Select all
# nov/11/2020 17:01:58 by RouterOS 6.47.6
# software id = 3966-YL61
#
# model = RouterBOARD 750G r3
# serial number = 6F3806724F49
/caps-man channel
add band=5ghz-onlyac control-channel-width=20mhz extension-channel=disabled \
frequency=5180,5200,5220,5240 name=5Ghz-Channels skip-dfs-channels=yes
add band=2ghz-g/n control-channel-width=20mhz extension-channel=disabled \
frequency=2412,2437,2462 name=2.4Ghz-Channels
/caps-man datapath
add bridge=bridge1 local-forwarding=yes name=datapath1
/caps-man configuration
add channel=5Ghz-Channels country=netherlands datapath=datapath1 distance=\
dynamic installation=any mode=ap name=WSVHelius-5G ssid=WsvHelius
add channel=2.4Ghz-Channels country=netherlands datapath=datapath1 distance=\
dynamic installation=any mode=ap name=WSVHelius-2.4Ghz ssid=WsvHelius
/caps-man manager
set enabled=yes upgrade-policy=suggest-same-version
/caps-man provisioning
add action=create-dynamic-enabled hw-supported-modes=ac master-configuration=\
WSVHelius-5G name-format=identity
add action=create-dynamic-enabled hw-supported-modes=gn master-configuration=\
WSVHelius-2.4Ghz name-format=identity
Re: CAPsMan and dividing 2.4 and 5 Ghz channels across multiple AP's
Each AP will pick one channel from the list of configured channels on its own, usually the least busy one. There is no automatic coordination between the APs, if you want a specific selection you have to assign specific channels separately to each radio.
Re: CAPsMan and dividing 2.4 and 5 Ghz channels across multiple AP's
No, CAPsMAN does no coordination of channels between APs. The auto-frequency function in the AP takes only that AP into account, and the way it works is that it does a wireless scan and counts the quantity of detected APs on each frequency and uses the frequency that has the fewest APs on it, ignoring the signal strength. So if every frequency has 2 or 3 APs each of which are far away and so the signal is -90 or worse, and then one frequency has only one AP and that AP has a signal of -50, the auto function will jump on the same frequency that has the AP with the -50 signal. Therefore, in those cases, the auto function can easily pick the frequency with the highest amount of interference instead of picking the frequency with the least interference. In reality, I see this happens quite frequently, where all of the CAPs like to herd together onto the same frequency and interfere with one another, and so it becomes quite important to hard set the frequencies to prevent this.I would expect that CAPsMan is dividing the channels in such a way that there is a minimum overlap. Or or are my expectations incorrect?
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rgroothuis
Member Candidate
- Posts: 126
- Joined:
Re: CAPsMan and dividing 2.4 and 5 Ghz channels across multiple AP's
Thanks for the reply, interesting feedback. I was not aware that it works like that.
How can I hard-code the channels for each AP? Is this done through CAPsMan? If so, how? Or does this needs to be done on each AP? But how can I configure the AP while it is being controlled by CAPsMan?
How can I hard-code the channels for each AP? Is this done through CAPsMan? If so, how? Or does this needs to be done on each AP? But how can I configure the AP while it is being controlled by CAPsMan?
Re: CAPsMan and dividing 2.4 and 5 Ghz channels across multiple AP's
You can set frequency in CAPsMAN/Channels and then assign channel in configuration, or set frequency in configuration directly without setting Channel
What I do is set Channels that contains al main channels then assign it in Configuration and then in Configuration force specific channel. That allows me to set all other parameters (Band, Channel Width, Extension, Power, etc in one common place)
It can get messy if you have number of APs, and also mix of 2.4Ghz and 5 GHz APs, and multiple SSIDs.
What I do is set Channels that contains al main channels then assign it in Configuration and then in Configuration force specific channel. That allows me to set all other parameters (Band, Channel Width, Extension, Power, etc in one common place)
It can get messy if you have number of APs, and also mix of 2.4Ghz and 5 GHz APs, and multiple SSIDs.