Understanding TX-Power and country dependence

[Danny_0998]

Hello,

I am trying to understand the restrictions router manufacturers apply to their hardware. According to
https://w.wol.ph/2015/08/28/maximum-wifi-transmission-power-country/ transmission power is regimented differently in each country. According to the same list, US has quite liberal rules.

I was trying to adjust my RT-AC88U and AC56U using different firmwares (e.g. Merlin) but nothing worked so far.

Now, here comes my question. Does the router detect the IP address and/or my computers locale and uses it to adjust the transmission power? - OR - is it something built into the router depending on where is it sold? (which would then mean, that I could simply buy the same router somewhere in the US and use it outside the US)

Thank you for helping me understand this energy draining subject

 

[ColinTaylor]

If you want a really long read have a look at this.

The short answer to your question is that for consumer equipment the power and channels are restricted to the region where it was sold.

But bear in mind that just because it's legally possible for some channels to operate at (say) 4 Watts, that doesn't mean a router is capable of it.

Most routers have a fixed power output across an entire band, therefore it will be set at the lowest common value.

Moving between regions can also bring interoperability issues with things like DFS/TPC and different channel allocations.

P.S. You specifically mentioned the RT-AC88U and AC56U with Merlin's firmware. You can't adjust the power on these anymore because it is hardcoded into the boot loader.

 

[Danny_0998]

Thank you very much indeed. That completely answered my original question! - but I will read the long one, too.

Can you recommend a router of similar "class" as RT-AC88U that can be adjusted without special firmwares and/or without restrictions in boot loader? It is my understanding, that ASUS decided to generally obey to rules and therefore are doing their best to prevent users from changing TX settings manually. Is any manufacturer allowing it at all?

Btw, I live in Germany.

 

[sfx2000]

Most routers have a fixed power output across an entire band, therefore it will be set at the lowest common value.

More recent chipsets have a one time programable value for the REG_DOMAIN written into the WiFi chipset itself - so even if userland (or the driver) tells the chip to turn the volume up to 11 - it won't work.. it'll say "ok" and continue as it was...

Even going in with tools like iw - to change the regulatory domain, the chip basically won't do it...

 

[Danny_0998]

More recent chipsets have a one time programable value for the REG_DOMAIN written into the WiFi chipset itself - so even if userland (or the driver) tells the chip to turn the volume up to 11 - it won't work.. it'll say "ok" and continue as it was...

Even going in with tools like iw - to change the regulatory domain, the chip basically won't do it...

So basically, if you want it according to US rules, you simply have to buy it in the US. Got it.

 

[sfx2000]

Even going in with tools like iw - to change the regulatory domain, the chip basically won't do it...

So one ends up with stuff like this - which makes some chips useless for hostap mode... no IR means it won't send the beacon

        Frequencies:
            * 5180 MHz [36] (22.0 dBm) (no IR)
            * 5200 MHz [40] (22.0 dBm) (no IR)
            * 5220 MHz [44] (22.0 dBm) (no IR)
            * 5240 MHz [48] (22.0 dBm) (no IR)
            * 5260 MHz [52] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
              DFS state: usable (for 257108 sec)
              DFS CAC time: 0 ms
            * 5280 MHz [56] (22.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
              DFS state: usable (for 257108 sec)
              DFS CAC time: 0 ms

and so forth for the other channels

 

[sfx2000]

So basically, if you want it according to US rules, you simply have to buy it in the US. Got it.

Yep...

 

[Danny_0998]

Is this the case with other manufacturers? Netgear or TP-Link? Are there any router out there, that let users change TX settings and/or channels at all?

I simply need the strongest router out there with the possibility to tweak it to be even stronger. We have very, very thick walls I am tired of improvising, repeaters, external antennas and other stuff

 

[ColinTaylor]

It applies to all devices now sold in the US because they need FCC approval.

Regarding needing stronger output; As has been discussed ad nauseam on these forums, increasing the transmitter power is rarely the answer for multiple reasons. One of which is that TCP is a two-way conversation. So you might have a router shouting very loudly to your laptop in the next room, but that laptop only has tiny internal antennas and a very low power transmitter to reply with (and you can't change that).

Generally, a better solution is to place one or more access points around your house. If you can't link them back to the main router with cable then use powerline adapters.

YMMV of course.

 

[Danny_0998]

I understand that. My devices are all quite strong. My iPhone and MacBook are communicating with my Siemens washing machine and als also with the dryer, which are more far away than the router. Also wifi quality between two MacBooks is very good. However, the signal coming from the router is way too weak (AC88U). According to the list above, routers sold in Germany/EU are sold weak. This is the reason I am looking for another solution.

 

[wocram]

Try to put the router in a central location closer to the area where you need a stronger signal.
If the signal strength of European router models is really less, then your only option seems to be getting a US model..

Also keep in mind that the 2.4GHz band provides considerably more range then the 5Ghz band!
Most likely, your appliances like washing machine and dryer have built in 802.11n wifi, so they benefit from the extra range of the 2.4GHz band.

 

[pege63]

It can also be caused by interference in the channels from neighbor networks, mobile phones, baby monitors, microwaves, and CHs they are on and bandwidth they uses, and so on. Download inSSIDer 4 and look at your environment around you.