Beginner questions...
I'm trying to set up a lab with 2 Mikrotik Hap ac Lite and 2 Powerbeam M5-300. All the devices are flashed with the AREDN firmware.
After some tests, I now have in "Basic Setup" one of the Hap which indicates "Mesh" and "Band: 5GHz" and the other: "Mesh RF 2GHz", without the possibility of changing.
I don't understand the difference between these 2 modes and how to switch from one mode to the other.
The goal of the labo is to have 2 routers communicating each other through the Poewerbeam M5-300 (not directly from Mikrotik to Mikrotik by wifi)
I would be happy to get some light :-)
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Mesh or Mesh RF on a Mikrotik HAP ac Lite, difference and how to change ?
Sun, 10/22/2023 - 04:13
#1
HB9HHH
Mesh or Mesh RF on a Mikrotik HAP ac Lite, difference and how to change ?
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The goal of the labo is to have 2 routers communicating each other through the Poewerbeam M5-300 (not directly from Mikrotik to Mikrotik by wifi)
In lab, both Mikrotik must not be linked on 2 or 5 GHz.
i.e.
Not both AREDN(Mesh) same SSID, channel, and bandwidth,
not one Wi-Fi AP other Wi-Fi client, same SSID, CHANNEL, and bandwidth.
Mikrotik lite (RB952Ui-5ac2nD)(#1) See (a) 2.4 GHz, no AREDN 5 GHz...only Wi-Fi (client or AP)
Port 5 DtD to Powerbeam M5-300(#1)
<>
Powerbeam M5-300(#2)
DtD port 5 of RB952Ui-5ac2nd(#2) See (a) 2.4 GHz, no AREDN 5 GHz...only Wi-Fi (client or AP)
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(a)
RB952Ui-5ac2nD
2.4 GHz can be AREDN or Wi-Fi AP or Wi-Fi client.
5 GHz can be Wi-Fi AP or Wi-Fi client, no AREDN.
If 5 GHz Wi-Fi client, then 2.4 GHz may be Wi-Fi AP or AREDN.
If 5 GHz Wi-Fi AP, then 2.4 GHz may be Wi-Fi client or AREDN.
5 GHz never AREDN
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Version -TC "Tower" (https://alltron.ch/de/product/547359)
Here are some print screens. As I understand both routers are well communicating through Powerbeam :-)
As I will probably have to promote AREDN in my French-speaking region of Switzerland, I am motivated to understand: how to configure routers to communicate with each other via wifi and how to avoid it.Any track to understand that ?
Definitions:
Every AREDN device is (also) a router. so please, non-AREDN firmware devices are just 'routers';
refer to AREDN firmware devices by (?abbreviated?) model name. PBE-M5-300, hAP-lite,...
Home routers (non-AREDN) are Wi-Fi 'Access Points' (AP).
Home Wi-Fi devices (computers, mobile phones, IoT) are Wi-Fi clients.
AREDN firmware devices (Powerbeam M5-300) are mode 'ad-hoc' when linking to your local AREDN network.
Hi, Ivo:
Networking:
AREDN devices can (network) communicate with other AREDN devices when:
DtD connected or on same SSID, channel, and bandwidth.
LAN:
Home devices on the LAN of an AREDN device (computers, IP Phones, ...) have access to the local AREDN network.
Home services on the LAN of an AREDN device (RaspberryPis, IP Phones, MMDVD, cameras,...) can be shared on the local AREDN network.
My home hAP (NC8Q-hAP2) is WAN connected to my internet service,
2.4 GHz AREDN connected to my GL-iNet AR300M16 in another room of my home connected to an IP Phone,
DtD connected to my RBLHG-HP5nD-XL (NC8Q-Kettering-Centerville) linked to high profile multiple AREDN node site.
.
Attaching images of /status /mesh /setup of my hAP.
I hope this helps,
Chuck
Some other observations ...
When you say you are doing this in a "lab" to me this sounds like all four devices are in the same room and you are testing this before taking it out into the field to try deployment. You're doing well and Chuck has good info for you. However ... it is very dangerous for your eyes to have so much microwave rf indoors. While testing I recommend you drop the device tx power as low as you can while still connecting, so you don't accidentally hurt yourself or someone who is observing.
The hAP devices are unique that they have two radios. You can use one radio for mesh and another for normal wifi for the LAN. But the mesh antenna part of the hAP is not very powerful and not directional so it usually is only helpful to have rf mesh from a hAP if you have another antenna fairly close by that is not very directional. Yesterday at a outdoor demo I was able to have my hAP link well to an Omnidirectional antenna that was only 100 feet away, but I didn't use that connection ... I just wanted to see if it would work.
Most of the time the hAP is used like you are setting it up, but you are putting out rf from the hAP on AREDN rather than on regular lan. If I understand your test correctly, I would uncheck the box Mesh Enable on the left on both hAPs and check the box LAN Access Point on the right on both hAPs. Then the AREDN side of things is still good via port 5 and you have your distance link ... and put a different SSID on the LAN on each hAP and for testing a different channel. You can use 2.4 or 5 ghz your choice. At that point you have created a test where hAP 1 and hAP 2 can have different users who communicate with each other from normal wifi over the mesh connection. You could turn the mesh rf on with one or both hAPs as well but then to access mesh wirelessly you would have to add yet another AREDN capable device to catch that mesh rf and then provide yet another LAN connection.
fIf you do turn the mesh rf on with a hAP don't confuse the other devices by using the same frequency. At one location each AREDN device must be on a discrete channel ... ideally with two or three channel separation.
Just drop your power please while testing indoors. Have fun! Ed
Adjacent channels are OK.
Overlapping channels are not OK.
There is no need for an unused channel separation, channels may be adjacent.
i.e.
5 GHz:
At 20 MHz bandwidth, channel 153 is adjacent to channel 157.
2.4 GHz:
At 5 MHz bandwidth, channel -2 is adjacent to channel -1.
As channel 1 (Part 15) is 20 MHz bandwidth, channel -1 overlaps channel 1 at any bandwidth.
nc8q.ddns.net:4880/miamivalleymesh.com/videos/adjacent.mp4
73, Chuck
73 from Yves HB9HHH
Good points Chuck, what is appropriate depends on the bandwidth.
Our local mesh puts everything on 10mhz bandwidth so my thinking is on that basis. BTW another point for our friend HB9HHH to consider is that the mesh rf usually is placed on higher channels than his screen shot shows. Most consumer rf I have discovered is in the lower channels or typically around CH150 or so, so it's good to avoid other traffic so s/n is better. Of course he is in Europe and they may have a very different rf environment.
Ed
Hi, Ed:
I agree.
Ivo is in Switzerland.
I, in the USA on 5 GHz, first prefer channels below 149 and second above 161.
I prefer the widest bandwidth that still leaves at least 18 dB SNR.
More bandwidth yields more carriers, more FEC, more channel availability, hopefully less retransmissions.
Locally we have 9% mesh topology, 91% point-to-point...1 hidden node, 4 exposed nodes.
Of the 4 exposed nodes there is the 1 user, so this functions for the 1. :-|
Ooopps, I think I have drifted off-topic.
73, Chuck
Ed hears the word French ... assumes France. Doh! I'm sure Ivo could reply to us in English, French, German (Swiss Deutch!) or Italian.
I hope he has what he needs now! 73 (drei und siebzig) Ed K7EOK
... uh oh ... Ivo do you folks use ARRL number codes over there?
ARRL is the overall org for amatuer radio operators in the USA. The number codes are a shorthand for typical messages to save time, an example is you will see messages end with 73 which is shortcut for "best regards" ...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARRL_Numbered_Radiogram
73 Ed
Yes we use them, 73 to OM and 88 to YL