Need help understanding WIFI issue

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NetworkFox83
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 12 Dec 2018
Posts: 35

PostPosted: Wed May 05, 2021 23:40    Post subject: Need help understanding WIFI issue Reply with quote
Router is an EA8500
DD-WRT v3.0-r43813 std (07/15/20)


So I have a strange thing happening on my 2.4ghz band.

I was using a Home-Assistant server, and I had an integration with my Wyze Cameras that I suspected, correctly, that it was using up too much bandwidth.

When doing iperf speedtest on my laptop to router, connected to the 2.4ghz band. I was getting speeds as slow as 1mbps.

Checking DD-WRT Bandwidth for 2.4ghz (ATH0), it showed that around 10-12mbps were being used. Implying that the total possible bandwidth was only 10-12 mbps since there was barely any bandwidth left for the laptop, which seems pretty low.

So I removed the Cameraintegration from Home-Assistant (since it was using up too much bandwidth) and now my iPerf3 speeds from my laptop are showing about 110Mbps on the same band.
DD-WRT now shows bandwidth being used on the 2.4ghz band at 2.5-4mbps (Cameras are still streaming to a separate NVR)

How does using up 12mbps consume 110mbits of bandwidth?? Is there something about WIFI That I'm not getting, because something doesn't add up.
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ho1Aetoo
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 19 Feb 2019
Posts: 2900
Location: Germany

PostPosted: Thu May 06, 2021 8:03    Post subject: Reply with quote
Where does "dd-wrt" show what bandwidth is being used, it's not quite clear from your post what you're referring to at all.

I assume you mean the bandwidth monitor and want to know how it can be that your cameras that only transmit 12Mbit more or less use up the entire WLAN?

Well, first of all, WLAN is half-duplex, which means it can only transmit or receive, and then MIMO does not work in practice as it does in theory.

Several clients, especially with poor reception, occupy a lot of airtime together and slow down faster devices.

Have you ever experimented with the WLAN settings, e.g. activated airtime fairness?
ian5142
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Joined: 23 Oct 2013
Posts: 2318
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Thu May 06, 2021 21:08    Post subject: Airtime Fairness Reply with quote
Airtime Fairness is only good if you have no iPhones / iPads on the network, ever. It does not work with iPads and iPhones. For recommended wireless settings see here: https://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Atheros/ath_wireless_settings

I would suggest Short Preamble should be enabled.

Wide HT40 if you have not a lot of Channel overlap from neighbours. HT20 is basically only half speed in comparison.

Security should be either Open (not recommended) or WPA2 + AES, no TKIP or WPA3, or WEP.

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Before asking a question on the forums, update dd-wrt: Where do I download firmware? I suggest reading it all.
QCA Best WiFi Settings


Some dd-wrt wiki pages are up to date, others are not. PM me if you find an old one.

Atheros:
Netgear R7800 x3 - WDS AP / station, gateway, QoS
TP-Link Archer C7 v2 x2 - WDS Station
TP-Link TL-WDR3600 v1 - WDS Station
TP-Link 841nd v8 - NU
D-Link 615 C1/E3/I1 x 7 - 1 WDS station
D-Link 825 B1 - NU
D-Link 862L A1 x2 - WDS Station
Netgear WNDR3700v2 - NU
UBNT loco M2 x2 - airOS

Broadcom
Linksys EA6400 - Gateway, QoS
Asus N66U - AP
Netgear WNDR3700v3 - not used
MediaTek
UBNT EdgeRouter X - switch
NetworkFox83
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 12 Dec 2018
Posts: 35

PostPosted: Fri May 14, 2021 2:51    Post subject: Reply with quote
I don't have any apple products in my home.

Just android phones.

Honestly though, how do I know if one or more of my Antennas are busted? At least one of them feels kind of "flimsy", as if it is damaged. Is there a way to test each individual antenna?

I also know there is a way to post your configuration from DD-WRT. But I'm at a loss for how to do it.

Also, can it be done in a way that is ... safe? Or would the information posted compromise my Security?

I tried following the above guide as best I could... but perhaps I missed something?
ho1Aetoo
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 19 Feb 2019
Posts: 2900
Location: Germany

PostPosted: Fri May 14, 2021 6:09    Post subject: Reply with quote
NetworkFox83 wrote:

Honestly though, how do I know if one or more of my Antennas are busted? At least one of them feels kind of "flimsy", as if it is damaged. Is there a way to test each individual antenna?



In the "Status > WLAN" tab, move the mouse pointer over the MAC addresses.
The chain info, i.e. the reception values of the individual antennas, is displayed there.

Edit: The antenna chain can also be set in the WLAN settings.

Quote:
I also know there is a way to post your configuration from DD-WRT. But I'm at a loss for how to do it.

Also, can it be done in a way that is ... safe? Or would the information posted compromise my Security?


Post a screenshot of the tab "WLAN > Basic Settings".
There are no security relevant settings except maybe the SSID and the MAC address which can be blacked out.
ian5142
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 23 Oct 2013
Posts: 2318
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Fri May 14, 2021 11:32    Post subject: Attach a zip Reply with quote
I will add, it is best to attach a zip file, not post the individual jpeg, etc. They would all have to be resized. This forum software is ancient.
_________________
Before asking a question on the forums, update dd-wrt: Where do I download firmware? I suggest reading it all.
QCA Best WiFi Settings


Some dd-wrt wiki pages are up to date, others are not. PM me if you find an old one.

Atheros:
Netgear R7800 x3 - WDS AP / station, gateway, QoS
TP-Link Archer C7 v2 x2 - WDS Station
TP-Link TL-WDR3600 v1 - WDS Station
TP-Link 841nd v8 - NU
D-Link 615 C1/E3/I1 x 7 - 1 WDS station
D-Link 825 B1 - NU
D-Link 862L A1 x2 - WDS Station
Netgear WNDR3700v2 - NU
UBNT loco M2 x2 - airOS

Broadcom
Linksys EA6400 - Gateway, QoS
Asus N66U - AP
Netgear WNDR3700v3 - not used
MediaTek
UBNT EdgeRouter X - switch
kernel-panic69
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 08 May 2018
Posts: 14102
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Fri May 14, 2021 14:07    Post subject: Reply with quote
If screenshots are done properly, 768 pixels is plenty wide. People tend to post bad screenshots because they don't know how to do it right. The only way to post ginormous images is to use an image hosting site.
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NetworkFox83
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 12 Dec 2018
Posts: 35

PostPosted: Sat May 15, 2021 4:00    Post subject: Reply with quote
ho1Aetoo wrote:
NetworkFox83 wrote:

Honestly though, how do I know if one or more of my Antennas are busted? At least one of them feels kind of "flimsy", as if it is damaged. Is there a way to test each individual antenna?



In the "Status > WLAN" tab, move the mouse pointer over the MAC addresses.
The chain info, i.e. the reception values of the individual antennas, is displayed there.

Edit: The antenna chain can also be set in the WLAN settings.

Quote:
I also know there is a way to post your configuration from DD-WRT. But I'm at a loss for how to do it.

Also, can it be done in a way that is ... safe? Or would the information posted compromise my Security?


Post a screenshot of the tab "WLAN > Basic Settings".
There are no security relevant settings except maybe the SSID and the MAC address which can be blacked out.


What should I be looking for here? Should I be looking to see if any of the Antennas in the chain, has a value of -100 which would imply it isn't getting anything?

Most of the values I see vary between -50 to -70
ho1Aetoo
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 19 Feb 2019
Posts: 2900
Location: Germany

PostPosted: Sat May 15, 2021 5:57    Post subject: Reply with quote
after large deviations between the individual antennas.

If, for example, 3 antennas measure ~55dB and the 4 ~100dB then something is wrong.

Deviations of ~10dB are actually normal.

Ideally, differences between the individual antennas are quite small (see picture above).

Smaller deviations can also be corrected by spatial changes (rotate the router or client).

Whereas a bad antenna remains bad (noticeable if it is always the same antenna with bad values)
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