Limit Guest Network Bandwidth on Router + Access Point to Prevent Packet Loss

[Adam Siemiginowski]

Hi.

I have a router (RT-AC87U) and access point (RT-AC5300) both running Merlin 380.68.

My goal with this post is to document how to:

1. limit a guest networks bandwidth to 40% of my total 60mbps down / 5mbps up connection, and
2. if also possible, preserve Adaptive QoS functionality which ensures business critical devices are treated with highest priority on the private network - namely our iPads servicing the point of sale.

My problem is that when too many people are on my network - eating up the 5mbps upload - critical devices with small, infrequent bandwidth needs begin to fail - namely Citizen CT-S601 Thermal printers in our kitchen.

I have struggled to find any solutions on the web... and have explored the following methods all to no avail:

1. nvram settings
   1. I was able to successfully implement some seemingly perfect controls - but no impact was made to my guest network throughput.
2. 'tc' JFFS scripts
   1. I could not identify what/how to implement with the various interfaces recommended (br1, imq0, wl0.1...)
3. ASUS Router App 'Bandwidth Limiter' for Guest Network
   1. This does not seem to function - and there is no clear definition of what trigger it is implementing...

I have the most results to share on item 1 (nvram settings), and a negative test result on item 3 (ASUS Router App Bandwidth Limiter), and am hoping to get some guidance on how to proceed with item 2 ('tc' JFFS script).

Regarding nvram settings...

Here is what I implemented via Telnet - and along the way checked the guest network on both 2.4ghz and 5ghz on both my router and access point - with no active bandwidth limiting. (I also tried this with very extreme limits - at 500kbits - to no avail.)

## RT-AC87U - Router

# CHECK INITIAL CONFIG

nvram get qos_enable
    1
nvram get qos_type
    1
nvram get wl0.1_bw_enabled
    0
nvram get wl0.1_bw_dl
    null
nvram get wl0.1_bw_ul
    null
nvram get wl1.1_bw_enabled
    0
nvram get wl1.1_bw_dl
    null
nvram get wl1.1_bw_ul
    null

# SET CONFIG

nvram set qos_enable=1
nvram set qos_type=2
nvram set wl0.1_bw_enabled=1
nvram set wl0.1_bw_dl=20000
nvram set wl0.1_bw_ul=2000
nvram set wl1.1_bw_enabled=1
nvram set wl1.1_bw_dl=20000
nvram set wl1.1_bw_ul=2000

nvram commit

reboot

# VERIFY CONFIG

nvram get qos_enable
    1
nvram get qos_type
    2
nvram get wl0.1_bw_enabled
    1
nvram get wl0.1_bw_dl
    20000
nvram get wl0.1_bw_ul
    2000
nvram get wl1.1_bw_enabled
    1
nvram get wl1.1_bw_dl
    20000
nvram get wl1.1_bw_ul
    2000

## RT-AC5300 - Access Point

# CHECK INITIAL CONFIG

nvram get qos_enable
    0
nvram get qos_type
    1
nvram get wl0.1_bw_enabled
    0
nvram get wl0.1_bw_dl
    null
nvram get wl0.1_bw_ul
    null
nvram get wl1.1_bw_enabled
    0
nvram get wl1.1_bw_dl
    null
nvram get wl1.1_bw_ul
    null
nvram get wl1.2_bw_enabled
    0
nvram get wl1.2_bw_dl
    null
nvram get wl1.2_bw_ul
    null

# SET CONFIG

nvram set qos_enable=1
nvram set qos_type=2
nvram set wl0.1_bw_enabled=1
nvram set wl0.1_bw_dl=20000
nvram set wl0.1_bw_ul=2000
nvram set wl1.1_bw_enabled=1
nvram set wl1.1_bw_dl=20000
nvram set wl1.1_bw_ul=2000
nvram set wl1.2_bw_enabled=1
nvram set wl1.2_bw_dl=20000
nvram set wl1.2_bw_ul=2000

nvram commit

reboot

# VERIFY CONFIG

nvram get qos_enable
    1
nvram get qos_type
    2
nvram get wl0.1_bw_enabled
    1
nvram get wl0.1_bw_dl
    20000
nvram get wl0.1_bw_ul
    2000
nvram get wl1.1_bw_enabled
    1
nvram get wl1.1_bw_dl
    20000
nvram get wl1.1_bw_ul
    2000
nvram get wl1.2_bw_enabled
    1
nvram get wl1.2_bw_dl
    20000
nvram get wl1.2_bw_ul
    2000

REQUESTS:

• What advice would you give me on actually implementing these nvram commands i.e. wl0.1_bw_enabled, wl0.1_bw_dl, wl0.1_bw_ul..? Do they work? And for Guest Networks?
• How should I go about safely creating / testing a script using the 'tc' scripts? More in this post: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/limit-bandwidth-guest-network.32270

Questions / Observations:

• Is 'Bandwidth Limiter' QoS (qos_type=2) required for the Guest Networks to be limited? Is Adaptive QoS (qos_type=1) possible with Guest Networks limited?
• Are 'wl0.1', 'wl1.1', and 'wl1.2' the accurate interface names for the 2.4ghz-1, 5ghz-1 and 5ghz-2 Guest Networks? How can I verify?
  • EDIT: I found this Telnet command to verify the interfaces used for a specific SSID:
    • nvram show | grep SSID
• Is 'nvram commit' necessary for ALL these NVRAM changes to take effect? 'nvram set qos_type=2' adjusts QoS to 'Bandwidth Limiter' if you refresh the UI before 'nvram commit'.

The additional challenge here is that most documentation on the web to date is designed for a single router... whereas here we have a router and access point. IF Bandwidth Limiting depends on QoS... I'm not sure if QoS will run on the access point SSIDs - to limit the Guest Network created on the access point. The wireless LANS should have the same interface names however (i.e. wl0.1), but I'm not sure how interfaces are controlled across routers/access points...

Related threads:

• https://www.snbforums.com/threads/limit-bandwidth-guest-network.32270
• https://www.snbforums.com/threads/r...rities-dont-work-for-the-guest-network.22103/

 

[Adam Siemiginowski]

Can FreshJR's Adaptive QoS help manage the bandwidth for Guest Networks / specific interfaces?

Related thread:

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/r...ements-custom-rules-and-inner-workings.36836/

 

[Adam Siemiginowski]

I think my answer to this post is to:

1) Add a Meraki Access Point to my Asus Network
2) Create the Guest Network SSID on the Access Point
3) Limit the Guest Network via the official Meraki interface.

I have been unable to find a conclusive way to effectively manage the Guest Network bandwidth.

 

[Odkrys]

Try to install AiMesh beta firmware in RT-AC5300.
Bandwidth limit on Guest wifi was added in 382 branch.
But it is not clear whether it is in beta firmware.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/o...r-rt-ac68u-rt-ac86u-rt-ac5300-rt-ac88u.40745/

 

[NGRhodes]

I put known devices in a high priority, leaving guests tin the lower default priority, this would solve 2. but not 1.

 

[Adam Siemiginowski]

I put known devices in a high priority, leaving guests tin the lower default priority, this would solve 2. but not 1.

Yes, I did that. Theoretically it should work - but the devices - only six total - 3 iPads and 3 corresponding Citizen Thermal printers - with the 'HIGHEST' QoS - still occasionally are crowded out and lose connection - necessitating a restart.

This does not happen if I completely disable the Guest Network.

 

[Adam Siemiginowski]

Try to install AiMesh beta firmware in RT-AC5300.
Bandwidth limit on Guest wifi was added in 382 branch.
But it is not clear whether it is in beta firmware.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/o...r-rt-ac68u-rt-ac86u-rt-ac5300-rt-ac88u.40745/

Can you share a screenshot of the interface to cap the guest network?

Also - the one issue with this is that I am still unable to cap the guest network on the main router - RT-AC87U - so that leaves us without the guest network OR a guest network without a cap (which causes major issues).

 

[Odkrys]

Can you share a screenshot of the interface to cap the guest network?

No. I don't use it. But I can suggest one more solution.

Assign static ips on your devices to 192.168.1.2 - 192.168.1.127 range and change the lan ip pool to 192.168.1.128 - 192.168.1.254.

After that add 192.168.1.128/25 in the bandwidth limiter.

Then your devices which connect to normal wifi are not affected by limiter
but customers and guests devices which connect to guest wifi are affected by limiter.

I tested it before.