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Wireless settings with RT-AX86U and TPLink Omada?

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mjonis

New Around Here
Apologies to @OzarkEdge for some dumb questions (I tried to read through post #277 for your install notes), but didn't quite want to read the additional 25 pages to see what happened/changed past that.

I've got the ASUS RT-AX86U. Latest ASUS Firmware. Pretty much default settings. I believe I changed the WPA stuff to WPA2/WPA3.

I have two separate SSID for 2.4 and 5 Ghz so I can pick/choose.

What I'm confused about to be honest, is the Control Channel settings and Frequencies. I tried reading through the post referenced but got confused.

Currently router is in the basement (not ideal but that's where all the networking stuff is at). Old house, lots of metal, concrete and the 1st floor is "insulated" with alfoil (basically aluminum foil stapled over the framing with a paper backer on it). So that nukes any WiFi/Cell from getting inside/outside.

That being said:

I HAD two ASUS RT-N66U as Wired AP backhauls (one on first and one on second floor) and seemed to be "ok".
I've since removed those and have a TP-Link Omada EAP615 (first floor) and will be adding a 610 (2nd floor) AP.

Same SSIDs, but I'm not sure how I *should* setup the control channels and bandwidth.

One set seems to indicate using:
2.4 Ghz - Control Channels 1, 6, 11, etc. (ie: ASUS Router is channel 1, EAP615 Channel 6, EAP610 Channel 11)?
and bandwidths in "groups" of 20Mhz (although I noticed that the ASUS router gives you basically two options: 20/40/etc OR you choose one specific - 20 OR 40 OR etc)

The TPLink EAP615 doesn't offer the 20/40/etc. You have to choose a specific bandwidths or let it use Auto. 2.4 Ghz lets you choose: Auto or 20 or 40

Same with 5 Ghz: Control Channels 36,40,44,etc. on the ASUS router (ie: ASUS set to 36, EAP set to 40)? Although the stupid Ring Pro 2 doorbell won't use 5 Ghz unless you have a channel above 100 (thanks Ring). And bandwidths 20/40/80/160 (or specific) for the ASUS router. TP Link EAP gives you: Auto or 20 or 40 or 80

Is there an iOS app I should use for signal mapping, etc. to figure out what I should use? I don't have to worry about neighbor congestion at this point (due to the fact that my house is a Faraday cage--haha).

I have a lot of "old" IoT things that will need/use the 2.4 Ghz unfortunately.

Thanks for any advice/etc.
 
Your best bet to start with is use the default settings...almost.
Use Dual Band SmartConnect
Use Auto channel
If you are in a WIFI crowded area set the 2.4 GHz to 20 MHz. Also OK to use a fixed channel 1, 6, or 11 (I use channel 11 as it is the least used in my development).
5 GHz set to Auto channel at 20, 40, 80, 160 MHz. Start out with DFS channels enabled.

The reason for SmartConnect is if something does not like 5 GHz DFS channels it can use the 2.4 GHz (my thermostat, Dish box and Roku do not like DFS channels and use the 2.4 GHz band).

For security reasons disable WPS.

Also, some clients may not like WPA2/WPA3-Personal. A work around is to enable a Guest WIFI with just WPA2 for them. Or just use WPA2-Personal.

Others will disagree with this but the above does work! Try it and don't stress...
 
Apologies to @OzarkEdge for some dumb questions (I tried to read through post #277 for your install notes), but didn't quite want to read the additional 25 pages to see what happened/changed past that.

Post#277, my first here, is the only post to read. The rest of the thread is related to the thread topic and is long since stale.

What I'm confused about to be honest, is the Control Channel settings and Frequencies. I tried reading through the post referenced but got confused.

Keep at it, it will sink in. You can always start with the default settings. My notes are not a tutorial... only 10,000 characters to fit it all in.

2.4 fixed is obvious... 20MHz bandwidth and ch1, 6, or 11.

5.0 1,3 fixed is a good place to start until you understand DFS/160MHz better... 80MHz bandwidth, disable 160MHz, and ch 36-48,149-161.

Study the 5.0 graphic and U-NII bands and the possible bandwidth-control ch combinations; and watch your client/node connection details in the Wireless Log to see results.

Currently router is in the basement (not ideal but that's where all the networking stuff is at). Old house, lots of metal, concrete and the 1st floor is "insulated" with alfoil (basically aluminum foil stapled over the framing with a paper backer on it). So that nukes any WiFi/Cell from getting inside/outside.

Radio attenuates as material density increases... masonry/glass may attenuate the signal more than thin foil.

I HAD two ASUS RT-N66U as Wired AP backhauls (one on first and one on second floor) and seemed to be "ok".
I've since removed those and have a TP-Link Omada EAP615 (first floor) and will be adding a 610 (2nd floor) AP.

Same SSIDs, but I'm not sure how I *should* setup the control channels and bandwidth.

One set seems to indicate using:
2.4 Ghz - Control Channels 1, 6, 11, etc. (ie: ASUS Router is channel 1, EAP615 Channel 6, EAP610 Channel 11)?
and bandwidths in "groups" of 20Mhz (although I noticed that the ASUS router gives you basically two options: 20/40/etc OR you choose one specific - 20 OR 40 OR etc)

The TPLink EAP615 doesn't offer the 20/40/etc. You have to choose a specific bandwidths or let it use Auto. 2.4 Ghz lets you choose: Auto or 20 or 40

If there are other 2.4 signals around you, use 20MHz bandwidth and the least congested of ch 1,6,11 so as to not hog the spectrum... 2.4 travels far. I understand cross-channel interference is worse than co-channel interference, and interference increases with competing signal power.

If you look at WiFi at a hospital/hotel, for example, you'll see all of the APs setup on ch1,6,11, and spread apart in an alternating ch pattern to minimize competition between neighboring APs/co-channel signal power... and then Tx power can be adjusted where needed. Try to simulate this although you'll prefer max power and just move your one or two APs around/farther apart.

Same with 5 Ghz: Control Channels 36,40,44,etc. on the ASUS router (ie: ASUS set to 36, EAP set to 40)? Although the stupid Ring Pro 2 doorbell won't use 5 Ghz unless you have a channel above 100 (thanks Ring). And bandwidths 20/40/80/160 (or specific) for the ASUS router. TP Link EAP gives you: Auto or 20 or 40 or 80

Start with 20/40/80 or 80MHz bandwidth (this is the max bandwidth permitted by the router... clients will connect with their best bw permitted by the router). And use a U-NII-1,3 band control channel that all clients support.

20/40/80MHz means the router will start with 80MHz max bw (and probably stay there), but it could drop down to 40MHz max bw to avoid frequencies with too much interference. Similar for ch Auto... router decides control channel with tolerable interference. If interference becomes too much, router changes bw and ch... and clients go along for the ride. One approach is to find the best bw and ch for your radio space and fix it and wait for competing WiFi to move off... to minimize your client/user disruptions.

Given your own wired APs, you can use different control channels to avoid interfering with yourself... but subject to how crowded the air waves are and how well your clients roam. Multiple APs each on their own channel in a congested radio space is sort of hogging the spectrum.

Is there an iOS app I should use for signal mapping, etc. to figure out what I should use? I don't have to worry about neighbor congestion at this point (due to the fact that my house is a Faraday cage--haha).

Probably, but... I'm one of those guys who has never bought an Apple product in their life. This started when Jobs decided not to put a button on a mouse. And they are still at it... no headphone jack, etc, etc, etc. It's currently taking all the nations of western Europe to make them put USB-C on their phones.

That said, I've held their stock since the Pepsi guy screwed things up and before Jobs returned.

I have a lot of "old" IoT things that will need/use the 2.4 Ghz unfortunately.

Thanks for any advice/etc.

Keep Smart Connect disabled and use different SSIDs and read the IoT Compatibility FAQ linked in my notes.

OE
 

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