Please help with ECO mode

[yelo3]

Hello, I recently contacted ASUS support because in my router ECO mode increases the wireless strenght instead of reducing it.
In my case, my router has a very low wifi strength, so what I would like to do is to always enable ECO mode.
Unfortunately after rebooting the router, ECO mode starts disabled.

Is it possible to know *exactly* what does this ECO mode do to my router?
I searched a bit about this, and the only thing I managed to find is this piece of code, from services.c

/* for APP ECO mode changing RF to 1x1 */
void start_ecoguard(void){

    char *next = NULL;
    char ifname[32];

    if ( !nvram_get_int("wlready") || nvram_get_int("guard_mode") != 1)    //guard_mode 0:default 1:eco mode
        return;
    else{
        foreach(ifname, nvram_safe_get("wl_ifnames"), next) {
#if defined(RTCONFIG_RALINK)
#elif defined(RTCONFIG_QCA)
#else /* BCM */

#if defined(RTCONFIG_QTN)
#else
        eval("wl", "-i", ifname, "txchain", "1");
        eval("wl", "-i", ifname, "rxchain", "1");
        eval("wl", "-i", ifname, "down");
        eval("wl", "-i", ifname, "up");
#endif
#endif
        }
    }
}

I see the commands

wl txchain 1
wl rxchain 1

Can someone explain what do they do?
Thanks

 

[RMerlin]

From what I understand, it turns a triple stream router into a single stream. For example, a 802.11n router that is 3x3 is capable of up to 150 x 3 = 450 Mbps. Single-stream, it would be limited to 150 Mbps.

It doesn't (according to that code at least) make any change to the output power levels.

 

[yelo3]

Well so it does something else, since I get 0% power in the professional page.
Is there any way to detect which commands are sent to the roter after pressing the ECO button in the mobile app?

About your answer, do you think it is possible that by reducing the router to a single stream, the signal power and coverage is increased?

Is there any way to detect by the outside that the router is effectively capable of 3 streams? (my idea is that my router is failing, that's why I contacted asus support, but they told me it's the normal behavior - of course I don't trust this answer)

Thanks

 

[pete y testing]

Is there any way to detect by the outside that the router is effectively capable of 3 streams?

do a check by running inssider 3 on a omp while enabling and disabling eco mode and see if the physical channel bandwidth drops and what happens to the signal strengths

it sounds like something is backwards in the coding rather than a failure of your router

am away from home atm till friday , but once home will check eco mode an mine for you as well

edit

just did a quick test with a dsl-ac68u i use on the road in 3g mode

inssider 3 report 2.4 gig max rate drops from 450M to 150M but nether the channel bandwidth 40Mhz nor channel rssi level change , cant test with 5 gig atm as my lappy is only 2.4 gig

 

[yelo3]

I was thinking of a hardware failure because my router coverage is very lower compared to my other routers.

I will test with inssider 3

 

[yelo3]

I've just tested with inssider 3, see screenshot:

• Before testing I've done a software configuration reset, to clear my custom settings to the router
• I'm just next to the router so the signal must be at maximum power
• ECO mode is disabled
• My router is RT-AC56U

It seems that my router does not have multiple streams...

 

[Zirescu]

I've just tested with inssider 3, see screenshot:

• Before testing I've done a software configuration reset, to clear my custom settings to the router
• I'm just next to the router so the signal must be at maximum power
• ECO mode is disabled
• My router is RT-AC65U

It seems that my router does not have multiple streams...

The signal being reported is really good. What are you using as a client?

 

[ColinTaylor]

It seems that my router does not have multiple streams...

According to that screen shot you do.

The specs for the RT-AC56U say it has 2 antennas for a maximum of 300 Mbps using 802.11n and a 40 MHz channel.

The screen shot shows you using a 20MHz channel (6) and 2 streams for the maximum of 144.4Mbps. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11n-2009#Data_rates

 

[sfx2000]

It seems that my router does not have multiple streams...

screenshot suggests you have at least 2 - 144Mbit/Sec on Ch6 - note that you should be running Wide Channels (as indicated by Co-Channel 3)...

Turning off Wide Channel support in 2.4GHz gives back about 3dB of RF... 3dB is twice the radiated power (or half if you go wide....)

One should never consider dropping from 2-stream/3-stream to a single stream on the AP side, as those streams give you MIMO gain if nothing else...

 

[yelo3]

My client is a Windows 10 laptop with Intel WiFi Link 5100 AGN.

I will post a new more detailes screenshot:

• When you say 2 streams, you understand it because of what? Just the speed of 144Mbps? (when I enable ECO mode I get 72Mbps)
• Notice my other network Vodafone-Chieffo that has 2 channels 6+10 and max rate = 300 Mbps, that has the 40 MHz channel width, doesn't it?
• The default configuration is 20/40 Mhz, I can't understand why the channel is only 20Mhz
• Only if forcing the configuration to 40 Mhz I can see 2 channels
• To gain 3 dB should I switch to 20Mhz only?
• Notice that my signal is "dancing" up and down, is that normal?
• Is it possible that disabling multiple streams would improve the WiFi quality for far rooms?

Thanks

 

[ColinTaylor]

note that you should be running Wide Channels (as indicated by Co-Channel 3)...

By "Wide Channels" do you mean 40MHz? I can't see how this relates to "Co-Channel 3" which means there are 3 other networks operating on the same channel as him (i.e. Channel 6).

Turning off Wide Channel support in 2.4GHz gives back about 3dB of RF... 3dB is twice the radiated power (or half if you go wide....)

Sorry you've lost me there.

 

[ColinTaylor]

When you say 2 streams, you understand it because of what? Just the speed of 144Mbps? (when I enable ECO mode I get 72Mbps)

We know it's 2 streams because the only combination that gives 144Mbps is 2 streams @ 20MHz. We also know that you're not using 40MHz because the channel is "6" not "6+10". Enabling ECO mode turns off one stream giving you 72Mbps.

Notice my other network Vodafone-Chieffo that has 2 channels 6+10 and max rate = 300 Mbps, that has the 40 MHz channel width, doesn't it?

Correct.

The default configuration is 20/40 Mhz, I can't understand why the channel is only 20Mhz

Because it has detected other networks using those channels which would interfere with 40MHz operation so it has switched from 40 to 20.

Only if forcing the configuration to 40 Mhz I can see 2 channels

Correct, see previous answer.

Notice that my signal is "dancing" up and down, is that normal?

Yes

P.S. Move to Channel 1, there's free space there.

 

[yelo3]

Thank you!

Do you suggest to keep 20/40 or to limit to 20? I would prefer to have a better coverage instead of more speed: I don't need a fast connection, since I'm using WiFi only for internet

 

[ColinTaylor]

Do you suggest to keep 20/40 or to limit to 20? I would prefer to have a better coverage instead of more speed: I don't need a fast connection, since I'm using WiFi only for internet

I don't know about "coverage", I'll let @sfx2000 answer that as he's the expert.

Personally, I have noticed that using 20MHz appears to give me a more consistent/reliable connection when other people are using the same channel.

My best guess would be a) use channel 1 because nobody else is, 2) use 20MHz, and 3) don't use ECO mode.

But let's wait and see what @sfx2000 says.

 

[RMerlin]

Thank you!

Do you suggest to keep 20/40 or to limit to 20? I would prefer to have a better coverage instead of more speed: I don't need a fast connection, since I'm using WiFi only for internet

20 MHz will be more stable. There is too much interference on the 2.4 GHz band to be able to reliably use 40 MHz.

 

[yelo3]

Thanks!!

And now... How should I configure 5GHz network?
I only get 54MBit on that bandwidth, and even if I configured 80MHz channel I get a single channel.
My network is the only 5Ghz network present in my area

 

[ColinTaylor]

That looks wrong. Have you made any changes to the 5GHz settings? If so change them back to the defaults and reboot the router.

 

[yelo3]

No, nothing particular changed (please see screnshoot to compare to your settings).
I'll try with a reboot

 

[ColinTaylor]

Strange. I can't see anything wrong with those settings.

The signal strength is quite weak. Are you a long way from the router? Try moving closer and see if the reading changes.

 

[yelo3]

Can it be my laptop not supporting AC? actually it's quite old...

What should the speed be for wifi N on 5Ghz?