ASUS Hidden Smart Connect Settings Decoded

[sfx2000]

Is there room for improvement and could there be better settings to fine tune it for what best suits my environment? Absolutely, and I'll continue to work with it till there's absolutely nothing more I can do to improve it. I tend to do that anyways with all of my projects.

I think there is - that's why I engaged in this thread...

 

[joe012594]

I think there is - that's why I engaged in this thread...

I'm open to suggestions. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Here's the current wireless log of my devices:

Here's my current Smart Connect settings in the GUI:

Here's the full settings I pulled from SSH:

#Steering Trigger Condition
nvram set wl0_bsd_steering_policy="0 5 3 -52 0 110 0x22"
nvram set wl1_bsd_steering_policy="80 5 3 -82 0 600 0x20"
nvram set wl2_bsd_steering_policy="0 5 3 -82 700 0 0x28"

#STA Selection Policy
nvram set wl0_bsd_sta_select_policy="10 -52 0 110 0 1 1 0 0 0 0x122"
nvram set wl1_bsd_sta_select_policy="10 -82 0 500 0 1 1 0 0 0 0x60"
nvram set wl2_bsd_sta_select_policy="10 -82 900 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0x68"

#Interface Select and Qualify Procedures
nvram set wl0_bsd_if_select_policy="eth2 eth3"
nvram set wl1_bsd_if_select_policy="eth1 eth3"
nvram set wl2_bsd_if_select_policy="eth1 eth2"
nvram set wl0_bsd_if_qualify_policy="0 0x0"
nvram set wl1_bsd_if_qualify_policy="60 0x0"
nvram set wl2_bsd_if_qualify_policy="0 0x4"

#Bounce Detect
nvram set bsd_bounce_detect="180 2 900"

I haven't figured out what those values (0, 1, 3, and 5) do nor specifically some of the hexadecimal values. I know what some of the hexadecimal values do, but not all.

 

[joe012594]

Just a quick update.:

Settings mentioned prior stopped working after awhile. Played around with some of those hidden/unknown settings mentioned earlier with either no noticeable difference or some major negative side effects. Could be that the values I entered in were invalid and it broke some mechanisms of Smart Connect. It would be really helpful if ASUS and/or AMD would work on this feature a bit more or, at the very least, open ALL of the settings up to consumers.

Ran into when running the prior mentioned settings, the "sticky client" issue, where no amount of band steering settings could steer a specific client(s) due to BSSID association. There was only one way to counter the issue and that was through MAC address blocking in the "Wireless > Wireless MAC Filter" section of the router's GUI.

Also noticed that most of my clients preferred the 5GHz-2 band instead of 5GHz-1. Not sure if it's because the lower end of the 5GHz band is highly congested/noisy from other APs, devices, LTE-U networks active in my area, etc. or if it's just natural RF behavior of the clients on my network.

What I did, instead, was swap around the band steering settings of both 5GHz-1 and 5GHz-2 to test this theory. 5GHz-1 band is now 802.11ac only that steers devices off when PHY rates are less than 2x2 speeds (866Mbps) or signal (RSSI) is less than -82dBm. 5GHz-2 is now 802.11 a/n/ac mixed that steers devices off when the entire band's bandwidth capacity exceeds 80%, and/or the PHY rate of a device is greater than 802.11ac 1x1 speeds (433Mbps).

So far, it seems that my theory about my clients preferring the higher end of the 5GHz band, rather than the lower end, is plausible because any dual band client that now connects is steered to 5GHz-2 without any issues at all, as opposed to the issues I had with 5GHz-1. The only issue that remains is that, since 5GHz-1 is now meant to be the "fast lane" for higher speed 2x2 802.11ac clients, the band steering triggers for PHY rates don't seem to have much, if any, of an effect on 1x1 802.11ac clients that connect and camp out on the band.

 

[sfx2000]

That's why SmartConnect is a bit broken - clients have their own behavior based on thresholds...

You have a soft slope, intercept curves, and decisions based on an assumed client behavior and performance.

Going back to IS95B days - Telco's tried something similar, and it ended up being a sh*tshow with devices getting blackholed in to a bad place...

The team I was on, we took a different approach - not with the base station, but with the client side... we won that battle on implementation...

 

[maxbraketorque]

Joe,

Are you still using Smart Connect, and if so, how is it working for you? Any changes in settings? Do you still need to set the Group Key Rotation Interval to zero?

 

[joe012594]

Joe,

Are you still using Smart Connect, and if so, how is it working for you? Any changes in settings? Do you still need to set the Group Key Rotation Interval to zero?

Yes. Still using Smart Connect. I’ve actually been a big fan and using it since it was debuted on the AC3200 in 2014. Will never stop using it. I’ve provided my current settings in the attachment. I’ve found these settings to be the most compatible for all connected STAs, the best for balance across all 3 bands, and especially the best for 5GHz client balance between both 5GHz bands. Try them out and let me know how they work for you. Also, no. Group rotation is set at default 3600.

 

[maxbraketorque]

Yes. Still using Smart Connect. I’ve actually been a big fan and using it since it was debuted on the AC3200 in 2014. Will never stop using it. I’ve provided my current settings in the attachment. I’ve found these settings to be the most compatible for all connected STAs, the best for balance across all 3 bands, and especially the best for 5GHz client balance between both 5GHz bands. Try them out and let me know how they work for you. Also, no. Group rotation is set at default 3600.

Thanks. Can you provide a higher resolution version of your screen shot, and I'm wondering what settings you're recommend for a pair of dual band routers.

 

[joe012594]

Thanks. Can you provide a higher resolution version of your screen shot, and I'm wondering what settings you're recommend for a pair of dual band routers.

Hopefully this attaches at a higher resolution. Which dual band routers and what do you mean by "pair"? Are you using them with AiMesh firmware?

 

[maxbraketorque]

Hopefully this attaches at a higher resolution. Which dual band routers and what do you mean by "pair"? Are you using them with AiMesh firmware?

Thanks. I have an RT-AC3100 main and an RT-AC68U secondary. Currently, I'm running the RT-AC68U as an AP via ethernet without Smart Connect and without AiMesh. I can effectively cover the entire interior of the house in 802.11AC with these, while the outer extent of the yard is covered with 2.4 GHz N from the AC3100. N is currently disabled on the RT-AC68U. I did previously try Smart Connect, but I found that some devices were battling with it. As it is now, once some devices such as my phones bump over to 2.4 Ghz N, they don't readily jump back to AC when the signal becomes sufficiently strong. And my Macbook Pro doesn't switch between AC broadcasts on the two routers as well as it should. AiMesh sounds very promising, and perhaps I should just wait for it to come out of alpha-phase rather than mess any further with Smart Connect?

 

[joe012594]

Thanks. I have an RT-AC3100 main and an RT-AC68U secondary. Currently, I'm running the RT-AC68U as an AP via ethernet without Smart Connect and without AiMesh. I can effectively cover the entire interior of the house in 802.11AC with these, while the outer extent of the yard is covered with 2.4 GHz N from the AC3100. N is currently disabled on the RT-AC68U. I did previously try Smart Connect, but I found that some devices were battling with it. As it is now, once some devices such as my phones bump over to 2.4 Ghz N, they don't readily jump back to AC when the signal becomes sufficiently strong. And my Macbook Pro doesn't switch between AC broadcasts on the two routers as well as it should. AiMesh sounds very promising, and perhaps I should just wait for it to come out of alpha-phase rather than mess any further with Smart Connect?

What I would recommend is using the AC68U as a 5GHz only AP (disable 2.4GHz on it) and only allow the AC3100 to broadcast on both 2.4GHz 5GHz. Sounds like that's what you're already doing, but just making sure.

Next, you'll want to enable Roaming Assistant in Wireless > Professional on both routers for 5GHz only. Try setting it to -68dBm to start with.

On the AC3100, go to the Smart Connect settings and set both 2.4GHz signal levels to -68dBm to start with.

For 5GHz smart connect settings, disable everything currently set except the signal level settings. This means that bandwidth utilization settings should be 0%, PHY rates should be set to disable, and VHT settings should be set to all. Again, only for 5GHz smart connect settings.

Try these adjustments and let me know how they work.

 

[doczenith1]

You can add the AC86U to your list of smart connect enabled routers. I don't use it but the attached are the default values.

The choices for the top two VHT rows are All, AC only and not allowed. For the bottom row the choices are All andAC only.

 

[joe012594]

You can add the AC86U to your list of smart connect enabled routers. I don't use it but the attached are the default values.
View attachment 11329

The choices for the top two VHT rows are All, AC only and not allowed. For the bottom row the choices are All andAC only.

Added.

Quite a few of my smart TVs and laptops have major issues when there's a set Bandwidth Utilization setting in the Interface Select and Quality Procedures section. Turning it off seems to make things more stable. Other than that, looks good for a dual band router.

 

[maxbraketorque]

What I would recommend is using the AC68U as a 5GHz only AP (disable 2.4GHz on it) and only allow the AC3100 to broadcast on both 2.4GHz 5GHz. Sounds like that's what you're already doing, but just making sure.

Next, you'll want to enable Roaming Assistant in Wireless > Professional on both routers for 5GHz only. Try setting it to -68dBm to start with.

On the AC3100, go to the Smart Connect settings and set both 2.4GHz signal levels to -68dBm to start with.

For 5GHz smart connect settings, disable everything currently set except the signal level settings. This means that bandwidth utilization settings should be 0%, PHY rates should be set to disable, and VHT settings should be set to all. Again, only for 5GHz smart connect settings.

Try these adjustments and let me know how they work.

Thanks very much for the settings. I will try these when I get home tomorrow. Indeed I have 2.4 GHz disabled on the AC68U. I am a little unsure on a few of your instructions though.

For Smart Connect on the AC3100, I'm not sure what you mean by set "both 2.4GHz signal levels". Do you mean the RSSI value in both the "Steering Trigger" and "STA Selection". And should these be set to "Greater (than)"?

Leave everything else for 2.4 Ghz on the AC3100 to stock values?

What signal levels should I use for 5 GHz? The default values?

Should I use the same SSID for both 2.4 Ghz and 5 GHz? Or are they automatically set to the same SSID? I forget.

 

[joe012594]

Thanks very much for the settings. I will try these when I get home tomorrow. Indeed I have 2.4 GHz disabled on the AC68U. I am a little unsure on a few of your instructions though.

For Smart Connect on the AC3100, I'm not sure what you mean by set "both 2.4GHz signal levels". Do you mean the RSSI value in both the "Steering Trigger" and "STA Selection". And should these be set to "Greater (than)"?

Correct. RSSI levels in both sections for 2.4GHz set to greater than.

Leave everything else for 2.4 Ghz on the AC3100 to stock values?

Correct.

What signal levels should I use for 5 GHz? The default values?

Yes. Use the default

Should I use the same SSID for both 2.4 Ghz and 5 GHz? Or are they automatically set to the same SSID? I forget.

By default, Smart Connect only uses one SSID for both bands. So just one on both routers.

 

[ChatmanR]

Hopefully this attaches at a higher resolution. Which dual band routers and what do you mean by "pair"? Are you using them with AiMesh firmware?

What would you use for the AC86U? Your latest snapshot is for a tri-band. Which of the 5G bands should focus on?

 

[Vasilyj]

No matter what, it is not a smart Smart Connect. It is like a smart coffee maschine who wants to steer me to the right taste between a constantly changing coffee quality. Result is crap.
Works for some time, then unlogically ruins itself, everything is on 2.4Ghz, while phones stay from 4 meter open-air, or 6 meters over a 20cm brickwall with 200Gbps 5G speed at -70db.
+ wifi dropouts on the 2.4Ghz for 1 of the 3 aircons in every random minute from 1 to 2 hours, but only for 1 of the 3 same devices...
Played with all the variants and it is unsetupable to really work as the input settings.
Have the AC88U merlin:384.16, but it was the same with all the releases before. Looks like the hardware coding is crap, there is a reason Broadcom keeps logic docu and some settings to itself, cause they can't program a device (guess money goes to the wrong departments), but hey people still buying their subproducts in the highend devices, so they are successful, right?

With separated 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz all momentarily stationary devices stays connected all the time without any dropouts. + 1 can setup the proper channels and signal is much better than the autologic which is a must with the SC.

 

[OzarkEdge]

+ 1 can setup the proper channels and signal is much better than the autologic which is a must with the SC.

AC86U firmware 81792 now permits SC with fixed channels and bandwidth:

OE

 

[dbell]

I have been trying to base steering criteria on TX rate but I notice in the router admin UI that not all devices have a tx rate displayed and wondered if in such cases they cannot be properly steered ? I am trying to get all my AC devices onto band 2 but see them still connecting on both 1 and 2.