hostapd - signal strength / speed [solved]

walterjwhite · 2012-12-30 18:44:22

Hi all,

I have hostapd running on my laptop and am not pleased with wireless performance. I have a Buffalo router WZR-HP 300 something and even though in iwconfig it indicates it is outputting 21 dBm versus my laptop router at 27 dBm, it has a much stronger signal. My laptop is using a Ralink device versus the Buffalo's Atheros chipset. Is there better support for that driver? Is there something else I can configure? I only get about 30 - 40 Mbps on this network.

hostapd.conf

#interface=usb-cisco-1
interface=uwl-cisco-1
driver=nl80211

# logging
logger_syslog=1
logger_syslog_level=1
logger_stdout=-1
logger_stdout_level=2

# Dump file for state information (on SIGUSR1)
#dump_file=/tmp/hostapd.dump
ctrl_interface=/var/run/hostapd
ctrl_interface_group=wheel

own_ip_addr=192.168.6.1

ssid=wireless-primary
country_code=US
ieee80211d=1
hw_mode=g

channel=6

max_num_sta=16

#################################################
# copied from Buffalo Router
wmm_ac_bk_cwmin=4
wmm_ac_bk_cwmax=10
wmm_ac_bk_aifs=7
wmm_ac_bk_txop_limit=0
wmm_ac_bk_acm=0
wmm_ac_be_aifs=3
wmm_ac_be_cwmin=4
wmm_ac_be_cwmax=10
wmm_ac_be_txop_limit=0
wmm_ac_be_acm=0
wmm_ac_vi_aifs=2
wmm_ac_vi_cwmin=3
wmm_ac_vi_cwmax=4
wmm_ac_vi_txop_limit=94
wmm_ac_vi_acm=0
wmm_ac_vo_aifs=2
wmm_ac_vo_cwmin=2
wmm_ac_vo_cwmax=3
wmm_ac_vo_txop_limit=47
wmm_ac_vo_acm=0
tx_queue_data3_aifs=7
tx_queue_data3_cwmin=15
tx_queue_data3_cwmax=1023
tx_queue_data3_burst=0
tx_queue_data2_aifs=3
tx_queue_data2_cwmin=15
tx_queue_data2_cwmax=63
tx_queue_data2_burst=0
tx_queue_data1_aifs=1
wmm_ac_vo_cwmin=2
wmm_ac_vo_cwmax=3
wmm_ac_vo_txop_limit=47
wmm_ac_vo_acm=0
tx_queue_data3_aifs=7
tx_queue_data3_cwmin=15
tx_queue_data3_cwmax=1023
tx_queue_data3_burst=0
tx_queue_data2_aifs=3
tx_queue_data2_cwmin=15
tx_queue_data2_cwmax=63
tx_queue_data2_burst=0
tx_queue_data1_aifs=1
tx_queue_data1_cwmin=7
tx_queue_data1_cwmax=15
tx_queue_data1_burst=3.0
tx_queue_data0_aifs=1
tx_queue_data0_cwmin=3
tx_queue_data0_cwmax=7
tx_queue_data0_burst=1.5

#ht_capab=[HT20][SHORT-GI-40][TX-STBC][RX-STBC1][DSSS_CCK-40]
#
#ar928x
#cat /proc/net/wireless
#txpower 21dBm
#power (power management is disabled)
#retry long limit = 7

auth_algs=3
ignore_broadcast_ssid=0

ieee80211n=1
wmm_enabled=1

## settings for Cisco AM10
#ht_capab=[TX-STBC][RX-STBC12][SMPS-STATIC][SHORT-GI-20][SHORT-GI-40][HT20][HT40][MAX-AMSDU-3839]
#ht_capab=[TX-STBC][RX-STBC12][SMPS-STATIC][SHORT-GI-20][SHORT-GI-40][HT40]
ht_capab=[TX-STBC][RX-STBC12][SHORT-GI-20][SHORT-GI-40][HT40]

Thanks,

Walter

Last edited by walterjwhite (2013-01-18 14:10:31)

Tarqi · 2013-01-01 17:45:44

Hostapd tries to be conservative if other networks are detected which may interference within the given frequency spectrum. This happens especially in 802.11n networks, so this may be the reason. There is a special denotation for it, but i don't remember that, sorry. What i remember is, that others had this problem too and the only way to get rid of it is to put a minor patch on the source itself.

Sorry for this non-information, but maybe it gives you a hint.

walterjwhite · 2013-01-05 06:59:09

I will put my server in debug mode and see if hostapd is doing something of the sort. There are other networks on that channel; however, I think they should be out of range.

Thanks for the ideas.

Walter

walterjwhite · 2013-01-12 05:32:34

Hi all,

I switched to another wireless device - TP-LINK 722 with a larger antenna and it works much better around more of what I expected. The signal strength is much better over my coverage area.

Don't use Cisco AM10 for access points, the effective range will be short and not that fast.

Walter

Arch Linux

#1 2012-12-30 18:44:22

hostapd - signal strength / speed [solved]

#2 2013-01-01 17:45:44

Re: hostapd - signal strength / speed [solved]

#3 2013-01-05 06:59:09

Re: hostapd - signal strength / speed [solved]

#4 2013-01-12 05:32:34

Re: hostapd - signal strength / speed [solved]

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