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nkalfov
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Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2020 12:18 am

Can cAP decide channel in a smarter way

Thu Apr 29, 2021 12:02 am

I have a RB4011igs with two RBcAPGi-5acD2nD. I had some issues, which I resolved @ viewtopic.php?f=7&t=173453.

One of the cAP devices is in the kitchen. I have a really strong signal from the router in the apartment above me, which is an ISP router and I can do nothing about it. Last time I had issues, I switched the 2.4 ghz network from the cAP in the kitchen to use channel 1. 2-3 weeks later, the router in the apartment above me decided to use channel 3 and now I have the same problem. I changed to cAP in the kitchen to use channel 11 for now, but soon my neighbor's router may again change channel and I would have to change it manually in my cAP again. Can I make the cAP chose the network in a smarter way with some script or something?

My caps-man is:
/caps-man channel
add band=2ghz-g/n control-channel-width=20mhz extension-channel=disabled frequency=2412,2437,2462 name=Ch1_6_11 tx-power=15
add band=5ghz-a/n/ac control-channel-width=20mhz extension-channel=disabled frequency=5180,5200,5220,5240 name=Ch36_40_44_48 tx-power=20
add band=2ghz-g/n control-channel-width=20mhz extension-channel=disabled frequency=2412 name=Ch1 tx-power=15
add band=5ghz-a/n/ac control-channel-width=20mhz extension-channel=disabled frequency=5180,5200,5220 name=Ch36_40_44 tx-power=20
add band=2ghz-g/n control-channel-width=20mhz extension-channel=disabled frequency=2437 name=Ch6 tx-power=15
add band=2ghz-g/n control-channel-width=20mhz extension-channel=disabled frequency=2462 name=Ch11 tx-power=15
/caps-man datapath
add local-forwarding=yes name=RANDOM
/caps-man rates
add basic=6Mbps name=gn_only supported=6Mbps,9Mbps,12Mbps,18Mbps,24Mbps,36Mbps,48Mbps,54Mbps
/caps-man security
add authentication-types=wpa2-psk disable-pmkid=yes encryption=aes-ccm group-encryption=aes-ccm group-key-update=1h name=RANDOM passphrase=*****************
/caps-man configuration
add channel=Ch1_6_11 country=bulgaria datapath=RANDOM mode=ap name="random 2ghz" rates=gn_only security=RANDOM ssid="random 2ghz"
add channel=Ch36_40_44_48 country=bulgaria datapath=RANDOM mode=ap name="random 5ghz" security=RANDOM ssid="random 5ghz"
add channel=Ch1 country=bulgaria datapath=RANDOM mode=ap name="random 2ghz ch1" rates=gn_only security=RANDOM ssid="random 2ghz"
add channel=Ch36_40_44 country=bulgaria datapath=RANDOM name="random 5ghz ch36_40_44" security=RANDOM ssid="random 5ghz"
add channel=Ch6 country=bulgaria datapath=RANDOM mode=ap name="random 2ghz ch6" rates=gn_only security=RANDOM ssid="random 2ghz"
add channel=Ch11 country=bulgaria datapath=RANDOM mode=ap name="random 2ghz ch11" rates=gn_only security=RANDOM ssid="random 2ghz"
/caps-man interface
add configuration="random 2ghz" disabled=no l2mtu=1600 mac-address=**:**:**:**:**:61 master-interface=none name="2.4Ghz--MikroTik cAP Bedrooms" radio-mac=**:**:**:**:**:61 radio-name=\
    **:**:**:**:**61
add configuration="random 2ghz ch11" disabled=no l2mtu=1600 mac-address=**:**:**:**:**:2C master-interface=none name="2.4Ghz--MikroTik cAP Kitchen" radio-mac=**:**:**:**:**:2C radio-name=\
    **:**:**:**:**2C
add configuration="random 5ghz ch36_40_44" disabled=no l2mtu=1600 mac-address=**:**:**:**:**:62 master-interface=none name="5Ghz--MikroTik cAP Bedrooms" radio-mac=**:**:**:**:**:62 \
    radio-name=**:**:**:**:**62
add configuration="random 5ghz ch36_40_44" disabled=no l2mtu=1600 mac-address=**:**:**:**:**:2D master-interface=none name="5Ghz--MikroTik cAP Kitchen" radio-mac=**:**:**:**:**:2D radio-name=\
    **:**:**:**:**2D
/caps-man access-list
add action=accept allow-signal-out-of-range=10s client-to-client-forwarding=yes disabled=yes interface=all signal-range=-80..120 ssid-regexp=""
add action=reject allow-signal-out-of-range=10s disabled=yes interface=all signal-range=-120..-81 ssid-regexp=""
/caps-man manager
set enabled=yes
/caps-man manager interface
set [ find default=yes ] forbid=yes
add disabled=no interface=bridge
/caps-man provisioning
add action=create-enabled comment="5Ghz 802.11ac capable radios" hw-supported-modes=ac master-configuration="random 5ghz" name-format=prefix-identity name-prefix=5Ghz-
add action=create-enabled comment="2.4Ghz 802.11g capable radios" hw-supported-modes=g master-configuration="random 2ghz" name-format=prefix-identity name-prefix=2.4Ghz-
[nkalfov@MikroTik] /caps-man> export --hide-sensitive 
expected end of command (line 1 column 8)

 
mfrey
newbie
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2021 12:31 am

Re: Can cAP decide channel in a smarter way

Thu Apr 29, 2021 5:53 pm

Just remove the frequency selection of your channels and the AP will automatically choose the best available channels. Then you can also set the reselect-interval value to regularly reselect them in case the surrounding channels change.
 
KayBur
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Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2021 3:33 pm
Location: Springfield

Re: Can cAP decide channel in a smarter way

Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:01 pm

I agree with mfrey. Also, I would try to specify a list of channels to connect so that the neighbor's router does not affect your device.
 
nkalfov
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Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2020 12:18 am

Re: Can cAP decide channel in a smarter way

Fri Apr 30, 2021 12:09 am

I did start with all channels, but the signal was bad in the kitchen. Then I specified between channels 1, 6 and 11, but occasionally I had the same issues with the router in the apartment above me. Then, I made the router in the kitchen use channel 1 and it was ok for 2-3 weeks, until last time. Now it uses channel 11 and is going to be OK for a while, until the router in the apartment above decides to change the channel for any reason. I am baffled, should I lower the TX Power or is there a script to scan and then decide? What is the most suitable thing to do in such an occasion? If I am home and it happens, I can live with it, but I don't want to give access with winbox to wife and children to do what they want with the mikrotik devices. My wife says I bought crap :/ I did buy the cAP devices only because I bought RB4011igs in the first place.
 
mducharme
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Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

Re: Can cAP decide channel in a smarter way

Fri Apr 30, 2021 12:54 am

I did start with all channels, but the signal was bad in the kitchen.
So what is your reselect-interval set to under channels, as mfrey said? Normally this is solved by setting reselect-interval - I'm not sure if you missed that in mfrey's message or if you tried that but it isn't working.
 
nkalfov
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Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2020 12:18 am

Re: Can cAP decide channel in a smarter way

Fri Apr 30, 2021 1:55 am

I did start with all channels, but the signal was bad in the kitchen.
So what is your reselect-interval set to under channels, as mfrey said? Normally this is solved by setting reselect-interval - I'm not sure if you missed that in mfrey's message or if you tried that but it isn't working.
None. If I use the configuration random 2ghz (see above), which has channels 1, 6 and 11, what would you suggest to put as reselect-interval?
 
mducharme
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Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

Re: Can cAP decide channel in a smarter way

Fri Apr 30, 2021 5:56 pm

None. If I use the configuration random 2ghz (see above), which has channels 1, 6 and 11, what would you suggest to put as reselect-interval?
That's up to you - it depends on how often you want it to rescan for possible interference and check to see whether it should change channels. Doing it too often increases the chances of an interruption, so probably I would choose a reselect-interval that is at least a few hours long.
 
nkalfov
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Posts: 25
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Re: Can cAP decide channel in a smarter way

Sun May 02, 2021 1:19 am

None. If I use the configuration random 2ghz (see above), which has channels 1, 6 and 11, what would you suggest to put as reselect-interval?
That's up to you - it depends on how often you want it to rescan for possible interference and check to see whether it should change channels. Doing it too often increases the chances of an interruption, so probably I would choose a reselect-interval that is at least a few hours long.
Does this mean that when it decides to switch channel I will have network interrupts? If yes, I would rather do it manual then.
 
UpRunTech
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Re: Can cAP decide channel in a smarter way

Sun May 02, 2021 2:31 am

None. If I use the configuration random 2ghz (see above), which has channels 1, 6 and 11, what would you suggest to put as reselect-interval?
That's up to you - it depends on how often you want it to rescan for possible interference and check to see whether it should change channels. Doing it too often increases the chances of an interruption, so probably I would choose a reselect-interval that is at least a few hours long.
Does this mean that when it decides to switch channel I will have network interrupts? If yes, I would rather do it manual then.
Increases the chances of an interruption? Set the interval for a short period like 1 minute then watch all the clients get kicked when it decides it's time for a change. Not great for a school or office environment. It's really clumsy. If you need to have it restart the CAPSMAN system at 7am and set an interval of 12 hours so it reselects outside the hours people are on site.

Some of the options in Mikrotik Wifi are promising in name but ham fisted in implementation. It'd be great if CAPSMAN did a longer term monitoring of the radio environment around each CAP and selected the channel a bit smarter. And didn't drop the clients. Reselect should also work if you have a list of frequencies too.
 
nkalfov
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Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2020 12:18 am

Re: Can cAP decide channel in a smarter way

Sun Aug 01, 2021 1:35 pm

I went to the neighbors above me and set their router to use channel manually. It's been some time and both me and them don't have any issue with wireless. Before that I tried contacting the ISP (most of the people here use 1 ISP, because of GPON, and their default devices suck, its a cheap nokia), but they refused setting up channels manually, as all of us are not corporate clients. Their device is so cheap (the nokia), when I do a test I don't get 1 Gbps on the ethernet, although I pay for it, I get ~800 Mbps.

Anyway, issue was resolved.
 
Zacharias
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Re: Can cAP decide channel in a smarter way

Sun Aug 01, 2021 2:40 pm

Am not really sure that letting the frequency to Auto will result in the optimal frequency selection...
 
gotsprings
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Re: Can cAP decide channel in a smarter way

Thu Aug 05, 2021 2:17 am

Mikrotik wireless doesn't do well with interference.

If you are in a busy wifi environment... I would seriously recommend you look at a different wifi hardware vendor.

As for rescan interval...
When the WAP rescans... Client may disconnect.
When the channel changes... The Tik doesn't announce it. So the clients do disconnect and rescan to find the AP. This will cause an interruption.

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