Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 7:34 Post subject: r7800 Signal Strength
I have just made the jump from a WRT54G-TM to the r7800. So far so good, but I can't help but notice I am not getting the best signal strength from it.
I obviously understand that 5ghz doesn't travel as far as 2.4ghz, but to be honest I am finding the 2.4ghz is not as strong with the r7800 as it was with the WRT54G-TM.
I did have Linksys 7dBi High Gain Antenna on the WRT54G-TM, which did make some difference, I don't see any genuine high gain antennas for the r7800, so I assume the originals are pretty good.
I have wandered round trying positioning the router in different places, which makes some difference, but not masses.
Just wondering what peoples experience with this router and signal is.
So far I am very happy with the router, as in general its a big leap forward, but obviously now I have it set up how I want it, it's just a case of the odd tweaks here and there.
Thank you. Yes, I have transmit power to 30dB and as suggested selected Panama. Still no real difference.
Does ACK Timing make much difference? The R7800 is connected to a communal router, but unfortunately one I have no control over. Signal is just about useable, but I seem to be getting about a maximum of 3mbps over it and 10% signal of 5ghz and 45% signal on 2.4ghz whereas before I was getting 70% signal on 2.4ghz.
At 10% the link is nearly unusable on 5ghz, and using 2.4ghz the link is still just as poor really even though a 'better' percentage of signal quality. I will keep playing, as it's probably not far off of getting something useable.
Joined: 16 Nov 2015 Posts: 6447 Location: UK, London, just across the river..
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 16:17 Post subject:
use Panama or Canada
set WiFI to Vanilla
do not use Auto channel...
set to Channel 11, either HT20 (limited to a single stream) or HT40 with Channel 11 + lower... (for multi steams)..
ACK time i use is set to 900
Also use Short GI and Short preamble and NG mixed
try to add those lines into, wireless security page down the large box is called 'hostapd'
if your speed is low (as we dont know your ISP speed anyway) it may be from something else like a bad client or cable or your ISP cannot deliver or anything else but not router...my R7800's are speedy as a Gonzales... _________________ Atheros
TP-Link WR740Nv1 ---DD-WRT 55630 WAP
TP-Link WR1043NDv2 -DD-WRT 55723 Gateway/DoT,Forced DNS,Ad-Block,Firewall,x4VLAN,VPN
TP-Link WR1043NDv2 -Gargoyle OS 1.15.x AP,DNS,QoS,Quotas
Qualcomm-Atheros
Netgear XR500 --DD-WRT 55779 Gateway/DoH,Forced DNS,AP Isolation,4VLAN,Ad-Block,Firewall,Vanilla
Netgear R7800 --DD-WRT 55819 Gateway/DoT,AD-Block,Forced DNS,AP&Net Isolation,x3VLAN,Firewall,Vanilla
Netgear R9000 --DD-WRT 55779 Gateway/DoT,AD-Block,AP Isolation,Firewall,Forced DNS,x2VLAN,Vanilla
Broadcom
Netgear R7000 --DD-WRT 55460 Gateway/SmartDNS/DoH,AD-Block,Firewall,Forced DNS,x3VLAN,VPN
NOT USING 5Ghz ANYWHERE
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Stubby DNS over TLS I DNSCrypt v2 by mac913
Last edited by Alozaros on Mon Apr 19, 2021 16:21; edited 1 time in total
Something there has made a difference. Although the signal strength isn't really any greater, the link seems much more stable now (faster and not dropping out).
I can't seem to find the hostapd box though to put those last couple of values into.
Without doubt moving the router around makes the most difference, but the settings that Alozaros mentioned above seem to have got things stable.
Changing the Wifi to Vanilla seems to have made the most difference as before that my echo dot which was sat pretty much ontop of the router kept dropping out.
I still have nowhere near the signal quality I had from the WRT54G-TM on 2.4ghz with it's 7dBi antenna, but the main thing is that now both bands appear to be stable.
I still haven't managed to add the suggested hostapd settings though, as I have no idea where to input them.
Joined: 16 Nov 2015 Posts: 6447 Location: UK, London, just across the river..
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 16:11 Post subject:
WRT54G-TM has only a G mode 20HT, witch is more narrow than N mode 40HT mode and has a touch better range, but more dead spots...on the new BS firmwares, you can even go half, like 10HT, but this will create very narrow signal...and lots of dead spots... 5 and 10HT modes are only for long range connection where units are in line..more likely...
yep i explained, hostapd is called custom box and its always been there
and yep Vanilla is more stable, although i still run DDWRT mode on one of my R7800 (experimental), but i started to receive a complains and will move it to Vanilla, as it seems more stable/compatible among the clients....i guess DDWRT mode is good for router to router mesh...only...atm _________________ Atheros
TP-Link WR740Nv1 ---DD-WRT 55630 WAP
TP-Link WR1043NDv2 -DD-WRT 55723 Gateway/DoT,Forced DNS,Ad-Block,Firewall,x4VLAN,VPN
TP-Link WR1043NDv2 -Gargoyle OS 1.15.x AP,DNS,QoS,Quotas
Qualcomm-Atheros
Netgear XR500 --DD-WRT 55779 Gateway/DoH,Forced DNS,AP Isolation,4VLAN,Ad-Block,Firewall,Vanilla
Netgear R7800 --DD-WRT 55819 Gateway/DoT,AD-Block,Forced DNS,AP&Net Isolation,x3VLAN,Firewall,Vanilla
Netgear R9000 --DD-WRT 55779 Gateway/DoT,AD-Block,AP Isolation,Firewall,Forced DNS,x2VLAN,Vanilla
Broadcom
Netgear R7000 --DD-WRT 55460 Gateway/SmartDNS/DoH,AD-Block,Firewall,Forced DNS,x3VLAN,VPN
NOT USING 5Ghz ANYWHERE
------------------------------------------------------
Stubby DNS over TLS I DNSCrypt v2 by mac913
Thank you. I think I need to study a bit harder. It is much much better with the vanilla drivers, but I will also have a play with the rest and try and study a wireless transmission a bit better..