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ChrisFre
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cAP one wireless interface not running

Fri May 27, 2022 5:24 am

I've recently completely reconfigured a cAP, starting with a "quick setup" as a bridge-AP, then adding VLANs. Everything has gone as expected EXCEPT that the 5G wireless interface is not "running" - by which I mean that in Wireless>Wireless Interfaces it shows as Status = S, rather that Status = RS. The Interface>Status panel shows moderately frequent "Link Down"s, sometimes as often a one per minute.The 2G interface is running as expected and has connected clients.

Previously, I was successfully using both 2G and 5G interfaces on the cAP without problems.

The interface is broadcasting its SSID and a mobile device can connect to it, after a very long delay (for authentication and DHCP).

Questions: 1. What exactly does the R status indicated against Wireless/Interfaces mean? From what hardware or software characteristics is the R value derived?
2. Is there any misconfiguration in Wireless/Wireless interfaces that could cause this problem?
3. Other than a setting in Wireless/Wireless Interfaces, is there anything else that could cause this problem?

Thanking you in advance
 
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mkx
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Re: cAP one wireless interface not running

Fri May 27, 2022 9:04 am

Wireless interfaces have property disable-running-check and if it's set to "no" (default), interface state becomes "not running" when none of clients are connected. If property is set to "yes", interface keeps "running" state regardless.

The running state has consequences when wireless interface is member of bridge. When wireless interface is "not running", corresponding bridge port status changes to "inactive". With default bridge mode (rstp IIRC) and default port setting of property edge (auto) this means that every time a first wireless client tries to connect, wireless interface state changes to "running", bridge port state changes to "active" and bridge performs RSTP check to detect potential loops ... which takes a few seconds. BTW, the bridge is doing it for all member ports, also for ethernet ports ... which toggle inactive/active when ethernet link with peer device establishes.

As you can be pretty sure that wireless interface doesn't pose a potential loop (unless you're trying to create wireless bridge between two wired islands and there's actually another connection between those islands), there are two possible solutions to the problem:
  1. you can set wireless interface property disable-running-check=no
  2. you can set corresponding bridge port property to edge=yes
(personally I'm doing item #1).

Note: the running/not-running state transition of wireless interface is transparent to wireless client ... apart from additional delay needed for obtaining DHCP address (wireless authentication is not affected) due to bridge doing.
 
ChrisFre
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Re: cAP one wireless interface not running

Sat May 28, 2022 12:30 am

Thanks @mks

I had a couple of difficulties executing the first of the methods that you suggested (change disable-running-check) but when I managed to change the previous value, it seems to have got the desired effect - i.e. the problem seems to be solved.

The first difficulty that I had was that you had suggested in 1. changing disable-running-check to no. When I found out what the earlier value was, it was no, so I thought that changing the value to yes was more likely. Is that correct?

The second difficulty that I had was that I could not find the property disable-running-check in the Winbox (ver 3.35) /interface wireless forms. Then, using the terminal-console inside Winbox, I found that the console (RouterOS v6.47.9) seemed to expect a numeric value for the property (at least, it prompted for a numeric value when executing /interface wireless set name="wlan2" disable-running-check=yes) so I entered 1 at that prompt.

I'm documenting these two difficulties in case someone else later follows this thread to get a solution.

Thanks once again
 
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mkx
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Re: cAP one wireless interface not running  [SOLVED]

Sat May 28, 2022 5:33 pm

The first difficulty that I had was that you had suggested in 1. changing disable-running-check to no. When I found out what the earlier value was, it was no, so I thought that changing the value to yes was more likely. Is that correct?
Correct, I made a mistake in my post. I'm glad you found it out.

I can't comment on winbox issues, I'm using CLI for vast majority of setup.

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