[Root Cause Found] RT-AX88U Can't get link speed over 866.7Mbps with AX210 or AC-9260 WIFI in laptops (160MHz)

[paulbates]

Radar sensitive, same as you with a large airport nearby. My detailed channel data is a couple posts up, #37.

Here's the image of the wireless log

Guessing that maybe fully capable 160mhz AX clients are not that prevalent yet? I was expecting the dlink adapter I got for the familyroom system on the list to be 160mhz, but its not. Since it advertises 1800mb, that makes sense its not. But guessing not many individual consumer devices are able to throttle that much anyway, and my ISP service is definitely well below that.

I wanted my familyroom windows system faster for large downloads, but the w10 throughput speeds are not much above the intel 1 stream AC 80mhz nic it came with. The dlink ax adapter was a worthy experiment, but failed. Probably send it back.

In reality, the max potential of AX is far beyond what I need and my LAN clients can fully use now. My AC88 died and the AX88 was the logical upgrade path, I'll grow into over time like I did with the AC88.

 

[leerees]

Set the control channel to 100. Wait for 15 minutes. After that, it will connect at 160mhz.

If it still doesn't work, set 160mhz only and AX only (wait another 15 minutes)

 

[disjt]

Set the control channel to 100. Wait for 15 minutes. After that, it will connect at 160mhz.

If it still doesn't work, set 160mhz only and AX only (wait another 15 minutes)

The issue is that @kittmaster can only see the non-DFS channels (post).

Do you know if the router hides the DFS channels from manual selection if it detects radar?

 

[leerees]

The issue is that @kittmaster can only see the non-DFS channels (post).

Do you know if the router hides the DFS channels from manual selection if it detects radar?

Sorry, I do not know if it hides them.

I would assume It's more likely they are removed completely to comply with regulations in the country it resides.

On my AX92u (in the UK) the only way to get 160mhz is to use the DFS channels.

 

[kittmaster]

Ok, so I have a new data point to add to this. 160MHz still not working. However, I've changed the WiFi card in my Lenovo Y700 15isk (OMG it passed the whitelist junk!) from the Intel AC-9260 160MHz card and replaced with with:

AX210NGW WiFi Card, Wi-Fi 6E 11AX Wireless Module Expand to 6GHz MU-MIMO Tri-Band Internal Network Adapter with Bluetooth 5.2 for Laptop, Support Windows 10 64bit, M.2/NGFF

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NSSJNV1/?tag=snbforums-20

Just changing the card out only without changing anything in the router settings, the link speed jumped from 866.7MHz to 1.2Gbps (like my firestick 4k max) which of course is better but still not connecting at 160MHz.

BTW, this isn't for trying to get a faster "WAN" download speed, it is for the link speed to my NAS for when I transfer large video MP4 files around.

I looked at the wireless log again and reposting this as:

DFS status: state IDLE time elapsed 0ms radar channel cleared by DFS none

Which I'm reformatting as:

DFS status: state IDLE | time elapsed: 0ms | radar channel cleared by DFS: none

So if the damn thing is IDLE and there are no DFS channels cleared to use and seems like it isn't even looking......it seems like it is broken and not even looking to use the DFS channels.....which I think someone mentioned previously.

There has been a lot of help and insight here.......so thank you all for that. I'm hoping now that I have a true AX card that it may help the router get its act together.

Any other additional thoughts? Firmware that I should try? Alcohol I should drink?....

 

[OzarkEdge]

Ok, so I have a new data point to add to this. 160MHz still not working. However, I've changed the WiFi card in my Lenovo Y700 15isk (OMG it passed the whitelist junk!) from the Intel AC-9260 160MHz card and replaced with with:

AX210NGW WiFi Card, Wi-Fi 6E 11AX Wireless Module Expand to 6GHz MU-MIMO Tri-Band Internal Network Adapter with Bluetooth 5.2 for Laptop, Support Windows 10 64bit, M.2/NGFF

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NSSJNV1/?tag=snbforums-20

Just changing the card out only without changing anything in the router settings, the link speed jumped from 866.7MHz to 1.2Gbps (like my firestick 4k max) which of course is better but still not connecting at 160MHz.

BTW, this isn't for trying to get a faster "WAN" download speed, it is for the link speed to my NAS for when I transfer large video MP4 files around.

I looked at the wireless log again and reposting this as:

DFS status: state IDLE time elapsed 0ms radar channel cleared by DFS none

Which I'm reformatting as:

DFS status: state IDLE | time elapsed: 0ms | radar channel cleared by DFS: none

So if the damn thing is IDLE and there are no DFS channels cleared to use and seems like it isn't even looking......it seems like it is broken and not even looking to use the DFS channels.....which I think someone mentioned previously.

There has been a lot of help and insight here.......so thank you all for that. I'm hoping now that I have a true AX card that it may help the router get its act together.

Any other additional thoughts? Firmware that I should try? Alcohol I should drink?....

Assuming the 2 laptops/3 WLAN cards are not somehow machine BIOS-constrained to 80 MHz max for some machine-specific (regulatory?) reason...

Assuming the AX88U router (US and CA) should permit 160 MHz and should list the necessary DFS channels as some here have indicated it can...

I would suspect the router (at your location) is the issue since it is not showing you the DFS channels needed for 160 MHz... and try to prove that.

Have you installed the current AX88U firmware, reset that firmware to its defaults, and configured it minimally from scratch to see if the DFS channels become available? If no joy, then try a few previous firmware releases.

OE

 

[paulbates]

Any other additional thoughts? Firmware that I should try? Alcohol I should drink?....

I believe that DFS and 160Mhz channels are related, but not exclusively tied together .... by that I mean I temporarily set my control channel to 48, which boarders and maintains a 160mhz channel width (graphic in post #2). 48 was on your list of available channels I believe (?)

AX88 and and my pixel, and Net Analyzer app all confirm 160mhz

Give channel 48 a try if you haven't.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Give channel 48 a try if you haven't.

Or Auto control channel, but I don't think this will matter... the router should be listing the DFS channels for selection.

OE

 

[kittmaster]

Assuming the 2 laptops/3 WLAN cards are not somehow machine BIOS-constrained to 80 MHz max for some machine-specific (regulatory?) reason...

Assuming the AX88U router (US and CA) should permit 160 MHz and should list the necessary DFS channels as some here have indicated it can...

I would suspect the router (at your location) is the issue since it is not showing you the DFS channels needed for 160 MHz... and try to prove that.

Have you installed the current AX88U firmware, reset that firmware to its defaults, and configured it minimally from scratch to see if the DFS channels become available? If no joy, then try a few previous firmware releases.

OE

I have the latest firmware installed. I have another non lenovo laptop i5 with has the same form factor card. I will try see if I can install the AC-9260 card in that laptop and see if there is any change.

I would suspect though that if the router itself isn't displaying the DFS channels to select from, then the client card may not matter in the equation....but I will give it a shot for another data point.

 

[kittmaster]

I believe that DFS and 160Mhz channels are related, but not exclusively tied together .... by that I mean I temporarily set my control channel to 48, which boarders and maintains a 160mhz channel width (graphic in post #2). 48 was on your list of available channels I believe (?)

AX88 and and my pixel, and Net Analyzer app all confirm 160mhz

Give channel 48 a try if you haven't.

Can you point me to the net analyzer that you are using? I have a galaxy S9+ and I have a WIFI analyzer, but if I can see what you see, it may help me trace some of this. TY.

I will try 48 as you mentioned and report back.

 

[paulbates]

Can you point me to the net analyzer that you are using? I have a galaxy S9+ and I have a WIFI analyzer, but if I can see what you see, it may help me trace some of this. TY.

I will try 48 as you mentioned and report back.

Is been around a while, I think I've had it 10 years.. Shares functionality with Wifi Radar

Network Analyzer - Apps on Google Play

Wifi scanner, signal meter, ping, traceroute, whois, DNS query & other net tools

play.google.com

 

[OzarkEdge]

I have the latest firmware installed. I have another non lenovo laptop i5 with has the same form factor card. I will try see if I can install the AC-9260 card in that laptop and see if there is any change.

I would suspect though that if the router itself isn't displaying the DFS channels to select from, then the client card may not matter in the equation....but I will give it a shot for another data point.

View attachment 38811

After proving the 80 MHz issue with 2 laptops/3 WLAN cards, I doubt another laptop will reverse that trend... but possible if the first two laptops are both similar Lenovos with some common bandwidth constraint. The router should be offering DFS channels for selection... so I'd focus on the router. But I look forward to reading your results with a third laptop.

Back to my question... did you reset the router firmware and configure it from scratch?

Reset FAQ
Reset Button/webUI Restore
WPS Button Hard Reset

OE

 

[kittmaster]

After proving the 80 MHz issue with 2 laptops/3 WLAN cards, I doubt another laptop will reverse that trend... but possible if the first two laptops are both similar Lenovos with some common bandwidth constraint. The router should be offering DFS channels for selection... so I'd focus on the router. But I look forward to reading your results with a third laptop.

Back to my question... did you reset the router firmware and configure it from scratch?

Reset FAQ
Reset Button/webUI Restore
WPS Button Hard Reset

OE

Sorry, I meant to answer your question, I believe I did a restore 3 days ago using the control show in the picture. I did not use the checkbox next to it though. When I did, I lost all my nodes and had to reconfigure them. I "assumed" that since I lost all 4 nodes after I did the restore that that would be considered a proper reset? It is unclear if I needed to check the box or not.

If not, I can review the 3 links you posted.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Sorry, I meant to answer your question, I believe I did a restore 3 days ago using the control show in the picture. I did not use the checkbox next to it though. When I did, I lost all my nodes and had to reconfigure them. I "assumed" that since I lost all 4 nodes after I did the restore that that would be considered a proper reset? It is unclear if I needed to check the box or not.

If not, I can review the 3 links you posted.

View attachment 38813

Yes, review the reset FAQ.

The Restore reset is sufficient, provided you then configured the firmware from scratch and did not load a saved configuration file (which defeats the reset to defaults).

But since you are troubleshooting router oddness... I'd reset again and login to see if the DFS channels are available. I'd also first download and flash the firmware again... to be sure.

OE

 

[kittmaster]

Is been around a while, I think I've had it 10 years.. Shares functionality with Wifi Radar

Network Analyzer - Apps on Google Play

Wifi scanner, signal meter, ping, traceroute, whois, DNS query & other net tools

play.google.com

I bought the pro version of the app for my Galaxy S9+. I took a screenshot.

I've tried channel 36, 48, Auto and currently on 149.

So I don't get why the router is hiding the middle channels to choose from.

I'm almost tempted to go to staples and buy another 88u and see if mine has an issue.

 

[paulbates]

I bought the pro version of the app for my Galaxy S9+. I took a screenshot.

I've tried channel 36, 48, Auto and currently on 149.

So I don't get why the router is hiding the middle channels to choose from.

I'm almost tempted to go to staples and buy another 88u and see if mine has an issue.

I agree its strange. Either:

• Its a defective device.. or,
• There's an RF issue in your environment and the router is working as designed to avoid it, whether or there are tools, log entries, etc to detect / explain it, or not.

Revisiting the wireless and General log is probably best.. I'm not the best one to ask what it right General log level is to see the right messages, i keep mine at "info" and have yet catch any related messages there. FWIW my wireless log field for Time elapsed has always lined up with the last time I restarted router/wifi.

 

[kittmaster]

I agree its strange. Either:

• Its a defective device.. or,
• There's an RF issue in your environment and the router is working as designed to avoid it, whether or there are tools, log entries, etc to detect / explain it, or not.

Revisiting the wireless and General log is probably best.. I'm not the best one to ask what it right General log level is to see the right messages, i keep mine at "info" and have yet catch any related messages there. FWIW my wireless log field for Time elapsed has always lined up with the last time I restarted router/wifi.

View attachment 38850

When I switched it back to 36 I noticed that there are some other FIOS and other AP's at 116 but they are at -89dBm or below, I'm not sure if those APs a triggering a false positive? And even still, that channel shouldn't be affecting the high side of the 160MHz channel if mine starts at 36.

I only noticed this after using this app you mentioned. But -89dB and below is basically noise itself......I hope that isn't the reason that this isn't working.......because that is something I can't control/fix.

I don't relish spending another $500 to figure this out, but I can only imagine an out of the box untouched router will tell me if something is really up with my hardware or not.

 

[paulbates]

I don't relish spending another $500 to figure this out, but I can only imagine an out of the box untouch router will tell me if something is really up with my hardware or not.

It seems unlikely to me its defective, but there don't seem to be many other options.

I was imagining you returning / exchanging the 88U as defective to see if that's it?

 

[ColinTaylor]

I've tried channel 36, 48, Auto and currently on 149.

So I don't get why the router is hiding the middle channels to choose from.

It's because your router doesn't support them (and therefore 160MHz is not achievable). It's as simple as that.

The only question is "why". It could be a bug but it's more likely that the router was manufactured for a different region. See post #28 for how to check the region.

 

[kittmaster]

It's because your router doesn't support them (and therefore 160MHz is not achievable). It's as simple as that.

The only question is "why". It could be a bug but it's more likely that the router was manufactured for a different region. See post #28 for how to check the region.

I saw that post, I'll give it a try....is that done via putty with SSH enabled? I've used that an WinSCP to convert TM-AC1900 routers to RT-AC68Us but that is a far as I've used them with any level of comfort.