AX86U connection to AX58 Media Bridge - link rate gradually slows down.

[illusion]

No. And yes, by design.

You are probably using 160 MHz bandwidth that requires DFS channels. If the router is forced (by law and design) to use non-DFS channels for DFS reasons, it cannot continue to use 160 MHz bw and will drop back to 80 MHz bw, halving your AX link rate from 2400 to 1200.

See my install notes for some clues and recommended configuration. You can try 160 MHz across two different channel ranges, but if DFS disruption continues because of where you live, you either tolerate it (I would not) or use 80 MHz across non-DFS channels.

OE

Hi ozarkedge

I tried what you said for the past few days I am currently in 160mhz only and I am using 120 or 108 DFS channel . However still my laptop are not conecting at more than 1200mbps . Do i need to move to AX only ?

 

[OzarkEdge]

Hi ozarkedge

I tried what you said for the past few days I am currently in 160mhz only and I am using 120 or 108 DFS channel . However still my laptop are not conecting at more than 1200mbps . Do i need to move to AX only ?


View attachment 40052

You can inspect your laptop connection at the laptop or in the router wireless log. Maybe your laptop can't do 160 MHz.

OE

 

[illusion]

You can inspect your laptop connection at the laptop or in the router wireless log. Maybe your laptop can't do 160 MHz.

OE

It can. it stays at the below rate for a day or a few hours and then drops :-

I got the above rate as soon as I siwtched to another DFS channel. I am just wondering if this is a problem with the router hardware. I am seeing marked differfence in speeds ( Transfer to NAS) wih the connection rate and that is why this is bothering me !

 

[OzarkEdge]

It can. it stays at the below rate for a day or a few hours and then drops :-

View attachment 40053


I got the above rate as soon as I siwtched to another DFS channel. I am just wondering if this is a problem with the router hardware. I am seeing marked differfence in speeds ( Transfer to NAS) wih the connection rate and that is why this is bothering me !

When it drops, what channel is the WiFi signal using... not the set channel... the actual channels/frequencies?

OE

 

[illusion]

When it drops, what channel is the WiFi signal using... not the set channel... the actual channels/frequencies?

OE

I think I figured this out. I changed the 160 mhz to 20/40/80/160 and then the problem has gone. I read in another topic that even if you select 160 other 5g clients which dont support 160 will still connect which is happeneing. I guess that is making the overall speeds drop. I am planning to go to ax only mode as all my laptops are wifi 6 at the moment. Do you think AX Only mode works well in AX86U ?

 

[OzarkEdge]

I think I figured this out. I changed the 160 mhz to 20/40/80/160 and then the problem has gone. I read in another topic that even if you select 160 other 5g clients which dont support 160 will still connect which is happeneing. I guess that is making the overall speeds drop. I am planning to go to ax only mode as all my laptops are wifi 6 at the moment. Do you think AX Only mode works well in AX86U ?

Here is how I have my AX86U configured:

Smart Connect is enabled with same SSIDs.
Roaming Assistant is disabled to let clients decide.
WPA2/WPA3 Personal

2.4 WLANs are set to ssid; mode Auto; 20MHz bw; ch 1,6,11.
Mode Auto permits an ac backhaul; bw and control ch are restricted to be courteous, although other channels could be ok.

5.0 WLANs are set to ssid; mode Auto; 160MHz bw; ch 36-48.
Control ch is restricted to non-DFS channels that my older, non-ax/non-160MHz clients can see/use. 160MHz ax clients will use channels 36-64 (52-64 DFS).

Clients should connect with best mode/bandwidth/authentication permitted.

This snip of the 5.0 Wireless Log shows various clients connecting with various modes and bandwidths:

The 2-stream ac client is a 2017 Dell laptop at its max link rate.
The 1-stream n client is a 2013 Nexus 7 tablet that will jump up to its 150M max link rate when you use it. This client will not connect to a 5.0 WLAN with a DFS control channel.
The 4-stream ac client is my AC86U AiMesh node at its usual link rate.
The 2-stream ax client is a 2020 Dell desktop at its max link rate. This is my only ax client and it authenticates with WPA3.

OE

 

[Damun]

Thats good to know but are you still connecting at higher than 1200mbps link rates

Yes. Link rates stay above 3000mbps (bottom row in attached picture).