BT8 or stick with XT8?

[someuser08]

One of my XT8s has just died after many years in rock solid configuration without issues (2 nodes, AP mode, wireless backhaul, US version with UNII-4 enabled) and I'm considering what to do.

Option 1 is to find another US version of XT8 (I'm in europe) and continue with the current set up (with a risk of second unit dying at some point and not longer beign able to source a replacement and have to find another setup anyway).

Option 2 is to switch to somethign like BT8s (which is top of my budget anyway). I just ordered a pair of BT8s to try to set it up and can see that real throughput is not that much different from what I used to have and often even less. I used to have 300-400mbps on XT8s with 5-2 band. Now with BT8s on just band 6 I get only real life speed of 200-300mbps (as signal strength is lower on band 6 that I used to have on 5, probably expected), with MLO on all 3 bands enabled for backhaul, it jumps up to 400-500 sometimes, but can still be as slow as 200 because obviously the bands are shared between backhaul and clients in this scenario.

So specifically for this use case (maximum stable wireless backhaul speed) - what do you guys think?

 

[degrub]

How do the maximum tx power levels allowed affect your existing US certified equipment while operating in the EU ? Did you have to change the country code or re-flash ?

 

[someuser08]

How do the maximum tx power levels allowed affect your existing US certified equipment while operating in the EU ? Did you have to change the country code or re-flash ?

I have not done anything specific, just used stock Asus firmware on US-purchased units. I previously had EU version of XT8 and it was not holding to 160mhz bandwidth, so I got US versiopn to have access to UNII-4 frequencies (only for backhaul).

 

[degrub]

depending on which country, your tx power levels may be too high

Maximum wifi transmission power per country

w.wol.ph

 

[someuser08]

So you are saying its not a fair comparison and I should get US version of BT8 instead, because the difference could be down to power level restrictions?

 

[degrub]

No, if the US Tx power levels are higher than what is allowed in the country you are running the equipment in, it is a no no to operate US regulated radios there. .

 

[someuser08]

I'm not saying its right or suggest others doing it, but since I'm not in an urban area. at least I'm not affecting others.

Anyway, is my assumption that backhaul on 6Ghz will never be as good as on 5Ghz and I should stick to that until I can?

 

[degrub]

6 GHz is usable for short distance NO obstacles.
So depends on your environment.

You could be using frequency bands that are reserved for other uses. So you have to pay attention to both aspects.

 

[someuser08]

The distance is not an issue, but unfortunately I have two sets of foil-based underlay in between the floors that reduce signal power to -80db on 6Ghz and -73db on 5Ghz. My gigabit internet is hard to propagate through that...

 

[degrub]

Yep.
Time for a discrete ethernet cable. Flat cable is available. Alarm installers are good at this sort of thing. Pull two cables if you go to the trouble.

 

[someuser08]

I would have done that long time ago, but I'm on a tight budget and have an OCD about visible cables, so unless we are redecorating anyway nothing much I can do...

I will check though if I can pull a few laminate boards up easily to remove a section of the underlay under/above the routers...

 

[degrub]

Won't help unless completely removed. Wood, plywood, etc has moisture which is part of what attenuates the signal. The foil is just icing.

BTW, laminate is typically glued down to substrate.

You might have better luck bouncing the signal up a stairway to a repeater. Not particularly high bandwidth, but may be better than what you have.

Another choice might be ethernet over power designed for the local electrical system. Usually not high bandwidth either. ONly try something for the local market, if available. US spec stuff not likely suitable.

 

[jksmurf]

If you’ve got Cable installed with various outlet jacks around the house, you may want to consider a pair (or more) of MOCA adapters.

Your OCD (yeah I get the concern) might baulk at having to plug something in to the Cable jack (that also needs power) just to plug an Ethernet cable into it so you can connect your routers but it is another option at least. I’ve never tried it but was on the verge of doing so, so did a bit of research a while ago.

 

[someuser08]

Oh, I have tried power route before. Worked beautifully before FTTP arrived. It can't really do over 100mbps.

Re: foil - I do remember how it was before. We have done renovation on one floor, it became slower, but I have not attributed it immediately to the underlay, then later we have done another floor and it became unusable on the hardware I had at the time, so I had lots of solutions tried at that point ending up with my XT8 set up for the last 3 years.

 

[someuser08]

If you’ve got Cable installed with various outlet jacks around the house, you may want to consider a pair (or more) of MOCA adapters.

Your OCD (yeah I get the concern) might baulk at having to plug something in to the Cable jack (that also needs power) just to plug an Ethernet cable into it so you can connect your routers but it is another option at least. I’ve never tried it but was on the verge of doing so, so did a bit of research a while ago.

Unfortunately I do not have cable, otherwise would have tried

 

[degrub]

What about routing an ethernet connection outside through a wall and up ? Less to see for OCD perhaps. Would need to be in some sort of conduit or be external, direct burial/aerial type cable.