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itsbhanusharma
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Poor CAPsMAN performance

Tue Nov 09, 2021 11:22 am

Hi,

I've been running CAPsMAN with RB3011 and 2 cAP AC and 1 wAP AC. There is an unmanaged TP Link PoE Switch that powers the CAPs. I have 300/300mbps connection with 100/100 backup link. I've tested all the cables and none seem to be causing the problem. I've also tried using the included PoE injector directly to RB3011 but there is no difference in performance. I've been having weird speed dropouts across the network. From what I've read so far, CAPsMAN is known to cause some speed drop but my situation is kind of absurd. If I connect directly to the RB3011 through an ethernet cable, I get the full 300/300 speed test. However, when I connect to the wifi, I am only getting like 60/70mbps speed test. Sometimes, after a reboot, the speed may occasionally shoot up to 160/140mbps but after a few minutes of the system being on, it again drops to 60/70mbps. I suspected that a cable might be bad but all CAPs and RB3011 report the link as 1Gbps and hence, It is beyond my understanding.

Here is an export of my CAPsMAN config. can share other config if required.
> /caps-man export
# nov/09/2021 14:38:03 by RouterOS 6.49
# software id = Z2LV-J30B
#
# model = RB3011UiAS
# serial number = XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
/caps-man channel
add band=2ghz-b/g/n control-channel-width=20mhz name=WIFI-4
add band=5ghz-a/n/ac control-channel-width=20mhz extension-channel=eCee name=WIFI-5
/caps-man datapath
add bridge=BrCapDP client-to-client-forwarding=no local-forwarding=no name=DP1
/caps-man security
add authentication-types=wpa2-psk encryption=aes-ccm group-encryption=aes-ccm name=ORNG_SG1 passphrase=ORNG_blablabla
/caps-man configuration
add channel=WIFI-4 channel.skip-dfs-channels=yes country=india datapath=DP1 datapath.bridge=BrCapDP installation=any mode=ap name=ORNG-W4 security=\
    ORNG_SG1 ssid=ORNG
add channel=WIFI-5 channel.skip-dfs-channels=yes country=india datapath=DP1 datapath.bridge=BrCapDP installation=any mode=ap name=ORNG-W5 security=\
    ORNG_SG1 ssid=ORNG-5G
/caps-man manager
set ca-certificate=auto certificate=auto enabled=yes upgrade-policy=suggest-same-version
/caps-man provisioning
add action=create-dynamic-enabled hw-supported-modes=b,gn master-configuration=ORNG-W4 name-format=identity
add action=create-dynamic-enabled hw-supported-modes=ac,an,a master-configuration=ORNG-W5 name-format=identity

Any help is highly appreciated.

I've tried enabling local forwarding and Client to Client forwarding to no avail. I hope to get a better understanding of what is wrong with my config and if it is possible to get at least half of the speed that I pay for over wifi.

Thanks in advance
 
erlinden
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Tue Nov 09, 2021 11:53 am

Can you please share the rates the clients are connected?

Besides:
  • Set local forwarding to true
  • Use fixed channels (perform a site survey for best selection)
  • Lower the 2.4G radio TX power (this will help choose the 5G radio by the clients)
  • Might want to skip legacy: 2ghz-g/n (no b) 5ghz-n/ac (no a)
 
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itsbhanusharma
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Tue Nov 09, 2021 12:19 pm

Can you please share the rates the clients are connected?
Here is the rates from Registration Table of CAPsMAN:
Screenshot 2021-11-09 154559.png
Besides:
  • Set local forwarding to true
  • Use fixed channels (perform a site survey for best selection)
  • Lower the 2.4G radio TX power (this will help choose the 5G radio by the clients)
  • Might want to skip legacy: 2ghz-g/n (no b) 5ghz-n/ac (no a)
I'll be trying these shortly, will reply if I see some improvement.
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Tue Nov 09, 2021 12:48 pm

  • Set local forwarding to true
  • Use fixed channels (perform a site survey for best selection)
  • Lower the 2.4G radio TX power (this will help choose the 5G radio by the clients)
  • Might want to skip legacy: 2ghz-g/n (no b) 5ghz-n/ac (no a)
  • Local Forwarding Seems to have no affect on performance at least when the devices are connected through the PoE Switch
  • In my area, 5G is a noman's land and hence, the entire spectrum is available, 2.4G is highly crowded so we avoid using any 2.4 devices and rather use ethernet wherever possible. However, i've pinned 2.4 to 2437 (Channel 6) as this one seems the least crowded of all.
  • I don't know how to lower the power of 2.4G radio, kindly enlighten me.
  • I skipped the legacy channels in capsman config, it seems to have improved the situation to some extent, now I at least get consistent 160/180 on mobile and 100/110 on desktop/laptop devices.
Thanks for all your help, any additional pointers are highly appreciated.
Last edited by itsbhanusharma on Tue Nov 09, 2021 1:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 
erlinden
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Tue Nov 09, 2021 1:45 pm

On the 2.4G radio only use channels 1, 6 or 11. Those are the only non-overlapping channels (because of adjacent channels).
From the client overview it seems that the 2.4GHz channel is set to 40MHz (extension channel), though your config looks fine. Can you please check that?
 
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Tue Nov 09, 2021 2:01 pm

On the 2.4G radio only use channels 1, 6 or 11.
Done, Changed to channel 6

for the channel width of 2.4Ghz, this is how it looks as of now:
Screenshot 2021-11-09 173125.png
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Wed Nov 10, 2021 5:11 pm

You should set Extension Channel to be disabled.
 
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Thu Nov 11, 2021 7:54 pm

You should set Extension Channel to be disabled.
On 2.4G or 5G?
 
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Fri Nov 12, 2021 2:44 pm

Disable extension channel for 2.4Ghz.

For 5Ghz provisioning can use XXXX extension [if you setup auto frequency list].
 
erlinden
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Fri Nov 12, 2021 3:23 pm

For 5Ghz provisioning can use XXXX extension [if you setup auto frequency list].
I would always advice to set fixed frequency and fixed extension channels. That is the only way to ensure what is happening in your wireless network (apart from channel swaps caused by radar detection).
 
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Fri Nov 12, 2021 4:02 pm

Disable extension channel for 2.4Ghz.
I Guess I have it done correctly?
Screenshot 2021-11-12 192908.png

For 5Ghz provisioning can use XXXX extension [if you setup auto frequency list].


No clue on how to set up auto frequency list, please help?
Screenshot 2021-11-12 192931.png
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dave864
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Sun Nov 21, 2021 11:37 am

Everyone asks the auto frequency list question but nobody answers it.

In frequency, enter a frequency and click the down arrow and enter more frequencies. That's it.

I should state that capsman allows frequencies to be constructed in a separate frequencies panel. You tie all the panels together at the highest level through the reference name
 
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Sun Nov 21, 2021 4:39 pm

I love caps-man in concept.

In use... Not so much.

ACv1 on really basic radios. The proprietary driver also brings about other "quirks".

Unless you have very very few clients and a completely empty radio spectrum... You should really change wifi vendors.

It pains me to admit it. But it also cost me thousands of dollars to pretend it wasn't "that bad".

The new ACv2 driver that is in the development channel, (For WifI 5) has been able to give me the "best wireless performance I have seen from a Mikrotik radio." Or to put it more succinctly, it gives me the performance of a 2016 radio from other cheap vendors at that time.

With today's WiFi6 and 6e looming... I really can't grasp the Mikrotik "apologists" stance on radios. It's called ROUTEROS for a reason.
 
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Sat Nov 27, 2021 6:13 pm

In frequency, enter a frequency and click the down arrow and enter more frequencies. That's it.

I should state that capsman allows frequencies to be constructed in a separate frequencies panel. You tie all the panels together at the highest level through the reference name
So that'll mean I set up multiple DFS frequencies under the "frequency" option in CAPsMAN > Configurations > Channel tab and that's all? I'm sorry if I sound stupid, I really have no clue about this.
 
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Sat Nov 27, 2021 6:17 pm

The new ACv2 driver that is in the development channel, (For WifI 5) has been able to give me the "best wireless performance I have seen from a Mikrotik radio." Or to put it more succinctly, it gives me the performance of a 2016 radio from other cheap vendors at that time.

With today's WiFi6 and 6e looming... I really can't grasp the Mikrotik "apologists" stance on radios. It's called ROUTEROS for a reason.
It makes me sad that I trusted mikrotik (ignoring the advice from vendor and not choosing ubiquiti) for the home network upgrade. If I had known all of this earlier, I'd have gone for some other vendor for the access points and the controller while still using something like 4011 for routing and other uses. I guess I'm among those unfortunate ones who are stuck with it for the time being until I could provision to just scrap all the cAP ACs and buy something else. lesson well learnt, never gonna ignore what vendor says.
 
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Sat Nov 27, 2021 6:35 pm

ignoring the advice from vendor and not choosing ubiquiti

Whatever whichever vendor says is always biased (at least a little). So the best is to learn the whole lot and then make own educated decission. Which is impossible feat by itself because you'd have to know far too much about far too many possible solutions. The next to best is to get a vendor you trust and go with their advices regardless your own dilemmas. Because vendor knows their stuff, right?

If I was a vendor, I'd advise to use Mikrotik gear :wink: And I, as a user, would not follow that advice for all types of equipment.
 
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Sat Nov 27, 2021 6:46 pm

Mkx

Pretty sure the company I work for, qualifies as a Vendor.

And as a vendor... I will very much advise AGAINST THE USE OF MIKROTIK WIRELESS. As it has caused a lot of problems for us, and clients. Which has lead to Financial Losses.

This ain't my idea of fun. So paying a customer to do the job for him... Does not appeal
 
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Sat Nov 27, 2021 6:48 pm

ignoring the advice from vendor and not choosing ubiquiti
If I was a vendor, I'd advise to use Mikrotik gear :wink: And I, as a user, would not follow that advice for all types of equipment.
but what to do if the vendor says. If you're buying mikrotik anyway, I won't accept a return for the reason "wifi performance is not good". I still thought it was just due to someone not being able to configure their 'tik properly and whining about it. I was wrong to have thought that way I guess?
 
gotsprings
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Sat Nov 27, 2021 7:24 pm


If I was a vendor, I'd advise to use Mikrotik gear :wink: And I, as a user, would not follow that advice for all types of equipment.
but what to do if the vendor says. If you're buying mikrotik anyway, I won't accept a return for the reason "wifi performance is not good". I still thought it was just due to someone not being able to configure their 'tik properly and whining about it. I was wrong to have thought that way I guess?
To apply that logic...
LG makes a fantastic looking TV. Would you even pretend their speakers don't sound like crap?

Every piece of your car is not made by the same manufacturer.

I would have a serious conversation with the vendor... And let him try.

And when it falls apart I would show him the emails from Mikrotik that told me that they could not deal with the "environment" I work in. Yet as soon as I yanked the caps and went back to my other manufacture all my problems vanished.
 
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mkx
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Re: Poor CAPsMAN performance

Sat Nov 27, 2021 7:57 pm


If I was a vendor, I'd advise to use Mikrotik gear :wink: And I, as a user, would not follow that advice for all types of equipment.
but what to do if the vendor says. If you're buying mikrotik anyway, I won't accept a return for the reason "wifi performance is not good". I still thought it was just due to someone not being able to configure their 'tik properly and whining about it. I was wrong to have thought that way I guess?
As @gotsprigns writes (and I also mentioned in the part you chose not to quote): not everything from single manufacturer is perfect. And ... as I also hinted: it all boils down to whether you can really trust your vendor on their advice or not. And sometimes one finds out that the hard way (paying for mistake of trusting the vendor). Generally I'd trust more to vendors who will accept returns not only for warranty but also for unfitness for particular use. Not many do.

There are also other possibilities: a friend whom you praise to be an expert on networking ... specially so if (s)he agrees to cover your back if things go south.
The worst possibility is to seek advice from total strangers on random internet forums. This possibility is not as bad if you do have pretty good general knowledge about the topic you're researching (so you can do educated assessment whether the input you're getting is good or bad) and/or you have history on forum and you're sure about expert level of certain forum members.

Either way, if you make a mistake, then most of times it's you who's paying for it.

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