Old discussion: does lowering TX power using 384 code base work ?

[develox]

I know this has been asked many times in the past when the slider had actually no effect. Has this changed with the recent update to 384 ?

Just to be clear, I'm not interesting in increasing the power, rather the opposite.

Peppe

 

[Grisu]

yes, there is no slider in 86U firmware at all, so what ???

ask for exact model, if you want better anwers.
Or change to EU-region, than you will get only 31mW (or 1/10 of previous power levels), too less for anything reasonable, sure even less enough for your purpose ...

 

[develox]

yes, there is no slider in 86U firmware at all, so what ???

ask for exact model, if you want better anwers.
Or change to EU-region, than you will get only 31mW (or 1/10 of previous power levels), too less for anything reasonable, sure even less enough for your purpose ...

Indeed, I'm talking of an RT-AC5300 in Italy. I've saw it has the slider, but don't know if it has become effective since my old times with my previous AC68U and AC87U.
As for less power, I need a very small one indeed. Currently I'm fine with a ZyXEL NWA-AC1123 at 12.5% of its full power.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

 

[develox]

Forgot to say, I'm now having the chance to get also an AC3200 for cover another floor, but only if I can tune done the power. That's why I'm also interested.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

 

[Grisu]

than install WiFi analyzer on your mobile and look if power is changing if you pull the slider. I asume it wont, as they stopped it working anyway.

and I think a RT-AC86U would be the better choice. 5300 is older technology with slower CPU ...
Got mine at gearbest for under 160€ totally.

 

[ironclad]

These are the settings and default values for txpower on an rt-ac68u. The settings might differ if you're using another router with different radios. Check the settings the router is running at with:
wl txpwr_target_max

(I'm not sure how the number correlates to dBm)

nvram set 0:maxp2ga0=106
nvram set 0:maxp2ga1=106
nvram set 0:maxp2ga2=106
nvram set 1:maxp5ga0=106,106,106,106
nvram set 1:maxp5ga1=106,106,106,106
nvram set 1:maxp5ga2=106,106,106,106
nvram commit

 

[Grisu]

+/-4 -> +/-1dB
68= 15,5dBm= 35mW=>105mW for 3 antennas
86=20,0dBm=100mW=>300mW for 3 antennas
98=23,0dBm=200mW=>600mW for 3 antennas
106=25,0dBm=316mW=>950mW for 3 antennas
110=26,0dBm=398mW=>1,2W for 3 antennas
114=27,0dBm=501mW=>1,5W for 3 antennas
120=28,5dBm=708mW=>2W for 3 antennas

but with any EU-settings you will be limited to only 68= 15,5dBm except on very old firmwares!!!

 

[develox]

Thanks both, I take this gets mutiplicated in complexity with 8 antennas in the AC5300.

I'll take the hint to try measuring the output at a client station, if that's possible running Windows on a VM with Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector or similar.
The (in)ability to tune the tx power is about the only thing that bothers me on Asus routers, but not enough to keep me away, and maintain them as the first contact point in my home network even without using their wireless capabilities, and that's mostly to the stable yet incredibly flexible Asuswrt platform, even made better by Merlin's work.

 

[develox]

Just to update: monitoring the wireless signals with the native MacOS Wireless Diagnostic Tools, it looks like nothing has changed, i.e.: nothing changes whatever use I make of the "Tx power adjustment" slider in Advanced Settings --> Wireless --> Professional. Don't know how reliable these diagnostic tools are, but just in case anyone can find it useful.

 

[David Arnstein]

Just to update: monitoring the wireless signals with the native MacOS Wireless Diagnostic Tools, it looks like nothing has changed, i.e.: nothing changes whatever use I make of the "Tx power adjustment" slider in Advanced Settings --> Wireless --> Professional. Don't know how reliable these diagnostic tools are, but just in case anyone can find it useful.

I did the same test using a smart TV as a measuring device. I find that if I move the slider all the way to the left (power savings) then the TV does register a weaker setting.

My router is an Asus RT-AC68U and my firmware is Merlin 384.4.

 

[Grisu]

yes, on my 68U I saw about 12dB less most left, maybe 3dB each step (Performance>Good>Balance>Fair>Power Save), but there is no slider on 86U at all.