Wireless Bridge hAP AC

chiwou · Thu Jun 01, 2017 8:02 pm

Hi @all,

read a whole lot about the hAP AC in the last few days, but no satisfying answer came up.

I bought two hAP AC to create a wireless bridge, works without a problem.
The routers are 5m apart, just divided by one wall.

I can't get a connection better than 300mbit (measured with Tools/Bandwith Test), if I try to copy a file from my NAS, can't get more than 15MB/s. Cable to Cable 90MB/s.
Didn't expect the same results than cable, but I'm really disappointed with the hAP AC performance.

Tried different settings and different firmware versions.

Really weird was that, if I did a reset without restoring the default config and create it new on both routers, I can get a connection speed of 800mbit, file copy around 35MB/s.
But only for 5 minutes after that it's back to the speed described above.

here are the configs
AP

# jun/01/2017 18:53:00 by RouterOS 6.40rc15
# software id = SQ60-X4D3
#
/interface bridge
add fast-forward=no name=bridge1
/interface ethernet
set [ find default-name=ether2 ] master-port=ether1
set [ find default-name=ether3 ] master-port=ether1
set [ find default-name=ether4 ] master-port=ether1
set [ find default-name=ether5 ] master-port=ether1
/interface wireless security-profiles
set [ find default=yes ] supplicant-identity=MikroTik
add authentication-types=wpa2-psk eap-methods="" management-protection=allowed \
    mode=dynamic-keys name=wlan-bridge supplicant-identity="" \
    wpa2-pre-shared-key="12345678"
add authentication-types=wpa2-psk eap-methods="" management-protection=allowed \
    mode=dynamic-keys name=wlan-mobile supplicant-identity="" \
    wpa2-pre-shared-key="12345678"
/interface wireless
set [ find default-name=wlan1 ] band=2ghz-onlyn channel-width=20/40mhz-Ce \
    country=germany frequency=2442 mode=ap-bridge security-profile=wlan-mobile \
    ssid=mobileAP
set [ find default-name=wlan2 ] band=5ghz-onlyac channel-width=20/40/80mhz-eCee \
    country=australia disabled=no distance=indoors frequency=5680 hide-ssid=yes \
    mode=ap-bridge security-profile=wlan-bridge ssid=bridgeAP \
    wireless-protocol=802.11 wps-mode=disabled
/ip hotspot profile
set [ find default=yes ] html-directory=flash/hotspot
/interface bridge port
add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether1
add bridge=bridge1 interface=wlan1
add bridge=bridge1 interface=wlan2
/ip dhcp-client
add default-route-distance=0 dhcp-options=hostname,clientid disabled=no \
    interface=bridge1
/system clock
set time-zone-name=Europe/Berlin
/system identity
set name=ap1
/system leds
set 0 disabled=yes interface=wlan1
set 1 disabled=yes interface=wlan2
set 2 disabled=yes
/system package update
set channel=release-candidate

Bridge

# jun/01/2017 19:08:05 by RouterOS 6.40rc15
# software id = ALNV-11SC
#
/interface bridge
add name=bridge1
/interface ethernet
set [ find default-name=ether2 ] master-port=ether1
set [ find default-name=ether3 ] master-port=ether1
set [ find default-name=ether4 ] master-port=ether1
set [ find default-name=ether5 ] master-port=ether1
/interface wireless security-profiles
set [ find default=yes ] supplicant-identity=MikroTik
add authentication-types=wpa2-psk eap-methods="" management-protection=allowed \
    mode=dynamic-keys name=wlan-bridge supplicant-identity="" \
    wpa2-pre-shared-key="12345678"
add authentication-types=wpa2-psk eap-methods="" management-protection=allowed \
    mode=dynamic-keys name=wlan-mobile supplicant-identity="" \
    wpa2-pre-shared-key="12345678"
/interface wireless
set [ find default-name=wlan1 ] band=2ghz-onlyn channel-width=20/40mhz-Ce \
    country=argentina disabled=no frequency=2442 mode=ap-bridge \
    security-profile=wlan-mobile ssid=mobileAP
set [ find default-name=wlan2 ] band=5ghz-onlyac channel-width=20/40/80mhz-eCee \
    country=australia disabled=no frequency=5680 mode=station-bridge \
    security-profile=wlan-bridge ssid=bridgeAP wireless-protocol=802.11
/ip hotspot profile
set [ find default=yes ] html-directory=flash/hotspot
/interface bridge port
add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether1
add bridge=bridge1 interface=wlan1
add bridge=bridge1 interface=wlan2
/ip dhcp-client
add dhcp-options=hostname,clientid disabled=no interface=bridge1
/system clock
set time-zone-name=Europe/Berlin
/system identity
set name=ap2
/system leds
set 0 disabled=yes
set 1 disabled=yes
set 2 disabled=yes
/system package update
set channel=release-candidate

pukkita · Fri Jun 02, 2017 3:27 pm

Have you checked you actually have 80MHz of free contiguous spectrum at 5680?

Tips:

- Lower Tx Power on both 5GHz interfaces, aim for -45 -50 signal level
- Use nstreme or Nv2 as wireless protocol for the 5GHz link between both hAP ac's.
- Do not use the same channel for 2.4GHz on both hAP, leave it either as auto, or pick 2 not overlapping channels and assign each to each hAP.

chiwou · Mon Jun 05, 2017 4:17 pm

Have you checked you actually have 80MHz of free contiguous spectrum at 5680?

How do I do that, with the command line and the country bla bla? Did that and it said it was available, but still got only 20Mhz

Tips:
- Lower Tx Power on both 5GHz interfaces, aim for -45 -50 signal level
- Use nstreme or Nv2 as wireless protocol for the 5GHz link between both hAP ac's.
- Do not use the same channel for 2.4GHz on both hAP, leave it either as auto, or pick 2 not overlapping channels and assign each to each hAP.

Sadly, I send the device back to the distributor, will try to get it back.
- How can I change the signal level
- Will try a different protocol if I can get it back
- On one of the APs the 2.4 wlan was disabled, so that shouldn't be an issue

0ldman · Tue Jun 13, 2017 9:52 am

I've got an international version here I've been playing with.

Some DFS channels will not allow 40 and 80MHz wide channels. Not sure what all the rules are to that at the moment. I'm not sure if it is a Mikrotik thing or part of the standards.

I may tinker with a couple of my other brand AC links and see what they do.

chiwou · Thu Jun 15, 2017 4:36 pm

Got the device back and tried the NV2 and nstreme protocol. The results are even worse.
Isn't there a reference wireless config for this kind of thing?

colanderman · Thu Jun 15, 2017 8:53 pm

What signal levels are you seeing? What CCQ are you seeing during data transfer? Are there other nearby APs using any frequencies in the range you have selected?

Even one wall can make achieving gigabit speeds difficult. One thing I have found to help is setting amsdu-limit=2048 (instead of the default 8192). (I have a similar setup, hAP ac, one wall, 5m, but connection is to Macbook Pro.) I am able to reach 300 Mbps (35 MiB/s) file transfer speed under best conditions: around -50 dBm signal, 3 m, clear LOS. With conditions like yours (5 m separated by wall) speeds are closer to half that. 5 GHz does not like walls.

chiwou · Thu Jun 15, 2017 9:42 pm

What signal levels are you seeing? What CCQ are you seeing during data transfer? Are there other nearby APs using any frequencies in the range you have selected?

Even one wall can make achieving gigabit speeds difficult. One thing I have found to help is setting amsdu-limit=2048 (instead of the default 8192). (I have a similar setup, hAP ac, one wall, 5m, but connection is to Macbook Pro.) I am able to reach 300 Mbps (35 MiB/s) file transfer speed under best conditions: around -50 dBm signal, 3 m, clear LOS. With conditions like yours (5 m separated by wall) speeds are closer to half that. 5 GHz does not like walls.

yeah maybe, but if I use my "old" netgear r7000 routers, I get around 70-80MB/s and the firmware is crap.
and I would be happy with 35MB/s

just expected a little more from 2 Mikrotik hAP ac

here is screenshot during file transfer, did a lot of testing with the settings, but it didn't change much

chiwou · Thu Jun 15, 2017 10:01 pm

3 m, clear LOS

here is 1m LOS (only 13MB/s, and even worse and I can actually hear the hAP during file transfer

colanderman · Fri Jun 16, 2017 10:38 pm

The 5m status looks perfect to me, I am also surprised you are not seeing higher throughput in that case. But if there is another AP using that channel, you will not see that reflected in the status.

I am not sure what the wireless regulations are where you are (Berlin?), or for the country you have selected for the link ("australia", from your earlier post). But 5770/Ceee is an atypical center frequency; usually it's 5765/eCee or 5745/Ceee (which, according to Wikipedia, is the only legal 80 MHz band in Europe, and is supposed to be limited to 25 mW / 14 dBm). While I would expect the link to work given your settings, I would rule out any other problems or strange interference by switching to 5745/Ceee.

Turning down the power a bit can't hurt either (tx-power-mode=card-rates tx-power=14). Especially in LOS 1m case, RSSI is way too high. You should have tx-power=0 or even negative in that case. RSSI should be between -45 and -60 dBm.

I don't think nstreme will help you; stick with 802.11.

mistry7 · Sun Jun 18, 2017 9:17 am

If you are in Europe i dont think It is allowed to you use channels Above 5700.
why you dont use the channeles around 5200? They work better indoor

chiwou · Sun Jun 18, 2017 11:39 pm

I am not sure what the wireless regulations are where you are (Berlin?), or for the country you have selected for the link ("australia", from your earlier post). But 5770/Ceee is an atypical center frequency; usually it's 5765/eCee or 5745/Ceee (which, according to Wikipedia, is the only legal 80 MHz band in Europe, and is supposed to be limited to 25 mW / 14 dBm)

just for testing purposes I don't mind about regulations

but I would expect a higher transferrate too

Turning down the power a bit can't hurt either (tx-power-mode=card-rates tx-power=14). Especially in LOS 1m case, RSSI is way too high. You should have tx-power=0 or even negative in that case. RSSI should be between -45 and -60 dBm.
I don't think nstreme will help you; stick with 802.11.

card-rates is not supported but "all rates fixed", will test further but right now I get a stable 15MB/s with 802.11, not perfect, but acceptable for now

//edit
tried nstreme again and could reach 18MB/s

here are the new configs

# jun/18/2017 23:02:07 by RouterOS 6.40rc21
# software id = N4X9-5UKA
#
/interface bridge
add name=bridge1
/interface ethernet
set [ find default-name=sfp1 ] disabled=yes
/interface wireless
set [ find default-name=wlan1 ] ssid=MikroTik
/interface wireless security-profiles
set [ find default=yes ] supplicant-identity=MikroTik
add authentication-types=wpa2-psk eap-methods="" management-protection=allowed mode=dynamic-keys name=wireless-bridge supplicant-identity="" wpa2-pre-shared-key=test1234
/interface wireless
set [ find default-name=wlan2 ] amsdu-limit=2048 band=5ghz-onlyac channel-width=20/40/80mhz-eCee country=germany disabled=no frequency=5200 mode=bridge security-profile=wireless-bridge ssid=bridgeAP tx-power=14 tx-power-mode=all-rates-fixed wireless-protocol=nstreme
/interface wireless nstreme
set wlan2 enable-nstreme=yes
/ip hotspot profile
set [ find default=yes ] html-directory=flash/hotspot
/interface bridge port
add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether1
add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether2
add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether3
add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether4
add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether5
add bridge=bridge1 interface=wlan1
add bridge=bridge1 interface=wlan2
add bridge=bridge1 interface=sfp1
/ip dhcp-client
add dhcp-options=hostname,clientid disabled=no interface=bridge1
/system clock
set time-zone-name=Europe/Berlin
/system identity
set name=test1
/system package update
set channel=release-candidate

# jun/18/2017 23:03:55 by RouterOS 6.40rc21
# software id = WXW2-CAFG
#
/interface bridge
add name=bridge1
/interface ethernet
set [ find default-name=sfp1 ] disabled=yes
/interface wireless
set [ find default-name=wlan1 ] ssid=MikroTik
/interface wireless security-profiles
set [ find default=yes ] supplicant-identity=MikroTik
add authentication-types=wpa2-psk eap-methods="" management-protection=allowed mode=dynamic-keys name=wireless-bridge supplicant-identity="" wpa2-pre-shared-key=test1234
/interface wireless
set [ find default-name=wlan2 ] amsdu-limit=2048 band=5ghz-onlyac channel-width=20/40/80mhz-eCee country=germany disabled=no frequency=5200 mode=station-bridge security-profile=wireless-bridge ssid=bridgeAP tx-power=14 tx-power-mode=all-rates-fixed wireless-protocol=nstreme
/interface wireless nstreme
set wlan2 enable-nstreme=yes
/ip hotspot profile
set [ find default=yes ] html-directory=flash/hotspot
/interface bridge port
add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether1
add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether2
add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether3
add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether4
add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether5
add bridge=bridge1 interface=sfp1
add bridge=bridge1 interface=wlan1
add bridge=bridge1 interface=wlan2
/ip dhcp-client
add dhcp-options=hostname,clientid disabled=no interface=bridge1
/system clock
set time-zone-name=Europe/Berlin
/system identity
set name=test2
/system package update
set channel=release-candidate

Mon Jun 19, 2017 12:57 pm

Hi,
Please upgrade to latest RouterOS Release Candidate version and check if it improves Your situation.

chiwou · Mon Jun 19, 2017 5:00 pm

Hi,
Please upgrade to latest RouterOS Release Candidate version and check if it improves Your situation.

As you can see in my config, already running 6.40rc21

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

risk · Thu Jun 22, 2017 12:20 am

I haven't tried bridge in a while, but I was able to get around 450Mbps between two hAP ac about a year ago, just using regular 802.11 / no nv2 or nstreme

chiwou · Thu Jun 22, 2017 12:51 am

I haven't tried bridge in a while, but I was able to get around 450Mbps between two hAP ac about a year ago, just using regular 802.11 / no nv2 or nstreme

Well, could you try again?

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

0ldman · Wed Jun 28, 2017 6:51 pm

Enable fast path on the bridge settings. Uncheck use IP firewall on bridge settings.

I'm not sure about the newest beta but I've had excellent results out of 6.34.6.

You need to do something to get your signal lower. That -55 is about right. The performance drop with a signal of -25 is expected. That is the tech version of a drill sergeant screaming directly in your face with a megaphone. You'll hear him but you probably won't understand anything.

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