XT8 using 2.4ghz as backhaul even though worse than 5ghz

[JagoUK]

It's difficult due to the layout of my house. The position of router B currently gives me the best coverage and I can't move router A.

Why would being too close cause problems? Why would that force it to drop back to 2.4ghz for backhaul?

If there is interference on the 5ghz2 band. It gets disabled for a short while and has to revert to another band. 2.4ghz seems to be the default. I turned 2.4ghz off but it took a while and a couple of reboots for it to actually deactivate.

I got these two units again and really stable now with the setup I have. *touch wood*

Would really like to get 2.5gb backhaul working though.

 

[KingBravery]

Hi, what region option do all of you have in Professional Setting and the current region choice? Can someone who have problem always connect to 2.4G list them?

 

[coopdeo]

Hi, what region option do all of you have in Professional Setting and the current region choice? Can someone who have problem always connect to 2.4G list them?

I am not sure about the setting since I returned it. But it should have been set to Sweden (EU).
I have now replaced mine with a Tplink Deco x90, and it is working flawlessly. Sure, it has fewer LAN-ports and no USB-ports. But for me that is no problem.

 

[wettis]

I'm having very similar problems as some of the previous commenters. I have two RT-AX92U routers set up with aimesh and it constantly reverts to 2.4 ghz backhaul. Only way to get it to work for any amount of time is to set them up within direct line of sight of eachother at a distance of about 4 meters. Moving the node behind a thin wall a few meters further away (where I want to put it) it will work for a short amount of time with a RSSI of about -46 dB and then it just goes to 2.4 ghz. Any ideas?

 

[wettis]

Update: Set it up from a factory reset with the node placed in my prefered position. Initially I get 5ghz backhaul with RSSI about -45dB but after a few minutes it's back to 2.4ghz. This is absolutely maddening...

 

[tgl]

Just a guess, but do you have it configured to use any DFS channels, and are you within 50 miles of an airport or weather radar station? Radar service has first priority on that frequency band, and wifi gear is required by law to drop off the channel if it sees anything that looks like a radar pulse.

In the USA, avoiding DFS channels means "can't use channels 52-144" and "can't use 160MHZ bandwidth" (there are no 160MHZ channels that don't overlap the radar band).
The details are different in other countries. On my XT8, I had to disable 160MHZ and manually assign a channel to use, because the auto channel selection is not bright enough to avoid those channels. (The checkbox telling it not to is a damn lie, don't trust it.)

 

[wettis]

Thanks for the reply! I think you may be on to something... I do live about 15 miles from an airport, I'm in Sweden though. For some reason it won't allow me to change the control channel, it reverts back to auto immediately when trying to save on another option. I did disable 160 mhz and that setting stuck. I also tried using only 20 mhz and for a while the backhaul stayed up on 5ghz, but then it reverted to 2.4 ghz again.

 

[wettis]

Radar might be the problem, I found this in the log:
Jan 6 15:20:05 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(654): eth7: Radar detected
Jan 5 15:15:32 CONNDIAG: Radar is detected on all channels.

It seems to overwrite my channel settings and revert to auto when this happens. It also shuts down 5 ghz backhaul... So, what channel should I use?

EDIT: The only channels available to choose from are 100-140, all of them DFS channels I think? Am I screwed?

 

[KingBravery]

Radar might be the problem, I found this in the log:
Jan 6 15:20:05 wlceventd: wlceventd_proc_event(654): eth7: Radar detected
Jan 5 15:15:32 CONNDIAG: Radar is detected on all channels.

It seems to overwrite my channel settings and revert to auto when this happens. It also shuts down 5 ghz backhaul... So, what channel should I use?

EDIT: The only channels available to choose from are 100-140, all of them DFS channels I think? Am I screwed?

Can you change region in professional setting? choose other country that shows channel from 149-161 if available

 

[wettis]

Unfortunately the region setting is not available. For now I'm done with aimesh, I've disabled 5 ghz-2 radio and set up the node as a repeater instead. This works well enough for my needs but it's a bit annoying.

My city lies within 15 miles of two airports, one larger and one smaller. Is it reasonable to believe that they are active on all channels between 100 and 140 or can there be another explanation for the radar events in my log? If it's the airports I don't think anyone's going to have any luck with these units around here and I'll tell the guys in the store where I bought them (smaller chain, known for excellent service, they would probably accept a return if I asked), just in case someone else has this problem.

 

[KingBravery]

Unfortunately the region setting is not available. For now I'm done with aimesh, I've disabled 5 ghz-2 radio and set up the node as a repeater instead. This works well enough for my needs but it's a bit annoying.

My city lies within 15 miles of two airports, one larger and one smaller. Is it reasonable to believe that they are active on all channels between 100 and 140 or can there be another explanation for the radar events in my log? If it's the airports I don't think anyone's going to have any luck with these units around here and I'll tell the guys in the store where I bought them (smaller chain, known for excellent service, they would probably accept a return if I asked), just in case someone else has this problem.

Under Tx power adjustment don't have Region setting?

 

[wettis]

Nope, nothing below tx power adjust!

 

[tgl]

I tried googling for info about Swedish wifi requirements, and found this good summary of what's what:

Brief introduction of DFS function | TP-Link Sweden

Brief introduction of DFS function

www.tp-link.com

as well as this very interesting conversation on the Aruba forums:

Airheads Community

Hi! I´m having trouble finding out what channels are allowed in sweden for 5ghz. This link seems to indicate that UNII 3 channels are allowed outside http://www

community.arubanetworks.com

Apparently, Sweden didn't use to allow use of the high band (149 and up) but now they do. Maybe ASUS didn't get the word on that?

Anyway, if you are close to airports then a device that can't use non-DFS channels is unfit for purpose. I'd return it and try something else.

 

[wettis]

Thanks again, that's really interesting. At least now I know what the problem is and won't continue to bang my head against a brick wall anymore.