Smart Mesh NOT understanding which AP is closer

GiuseppeR

Hello everyone,

I setup a wifi mesh network today and I noticed that both NWA1123ACv3 tried to connect to the root mesh AP (mod. NWA1123-AC PRO) instead of looking for the best AP available.

Some issues for this reson, I mean a pair of hours lost to understand why these 3 APs were not working properly.

Setting the uplink of the AP in manual mode and choosing the specific AP to connect with I saw everything went smoother.

It is strange to me, not so smart as I thought it was.

Is that behaviour expected?

Shouldn't the choice of access point to connect to based on signal strength be more automatic?

Zyxel_Nami

Hello @GiuseppeR

When not manually specified, a repeater AP should automatically connect to the uplink AP with the strongest signal, provided that AP is enabled for "Downlink" connections.

Based on your screenshot, two NWA1123ACv3 APs operate as wireless repeaters, with the NWA1123-AC PRO serving as the root AP connected via cable to the uplink device. However, since the "Uplink AP" column is covered in the screenshot, we couldn't confirm which AP is connected to which.

To understand why one NWA1123ACv3 isn't connecting to the other (assuming it has a better signal than the NWA1123-AC PRO), we need more information:

• Please enable Zyxel Support Access
• Provide your Org/Site name
• Revert the settings back to automatic for us to investigate

Thank you

GiuseppeR

Hello @Zyxel_Nami

in this case I cannot open a ticket from that Company because it is a Nebula Base Pack.

Zyxel_Nami

Hi @GiuseppeR

You can still enable Zyxel Support Access, and send the Org/Site name via private message (clicking on my name and selecting "Message").

Zyxel_Nami

Hi @GiuseppeR

I noticed that both repeater APs (NWA1123ACv3 APs) have Downlink enabled. AP_Bagno has been configured manually with its uplink to AP_Ingresso, while AP_Ingresso's uplink is not manually configured and connects to the root AP (NWA1123-AC PRO).

Your concern is why, despite AP_Ingresso being closer than the root AP, AP_Bagno didn't select AP_Ingresso as its uplink automatically. This can be explained by several factors influencing the uplink selection:

1. RSSI Threshold: It indeed plays a significant role in ensuring a stable connection. You can check the "Uplink signal" to see the signal strength from the uplink to the repeater.
2. Mesh Hops: Prefers fewer hops to improve performance.
3. Channel Utilization: Chooses less congested channels.
4. Ping Packet Count: Assesses latency to select a low-latency uplink.
5. 5G Radio Preference: Prioritizes 5G for higher bandwidth and lower latency.

Additionally, there are other influencing factors:

• Environment: The automatic selection process adapts to changes in the environment, such as interference, physical obstructions, and varying client loads.
• Root AP Preference: While maintaining a stable connection with the root AP is a priority, the system balances this with the above factors to optimize overall network performance.

In summary, AP_Bagno automatically selected the root AP as its uplink based on all these factors. Once it finds the signal or performance stable, it generally won't change its connection, ensuring stable network performance.

Please let us know if you have any further concerns.

GiuseppeR

Hello @Zyxel_Nami

I tried to select manually the link also on AP_Ingresso, but I am unable to use that because (at least I think so…) the only available link for root mesh is the wired AP. So AP_Ingresso seems not to be a problem in the choice. I understand the various options for AP_Bagno.

In this moment I tried to set channel width to 40 Mhz, to understand if I have less interference: I would appreciate to leave auto channel via DCS to let the environment to adapt its functionality to unexpected interferences.

Now this is the situation:

I need more stable connection, so you see that reduced rate hoping to have it more stable.

I do not understand why the APs cooperate to stay in different channels regarding 2.4 Ghz while they stay all together on the same channel for 5 GHz.

If they could use dinamically all the available channels (with less width) they could meet less interference maximizing bandwith and stable connections.

Is that channel choice limited by the hardware radios?

Am I wrong?

Zyxel_Nami

Hi @GiuseppeR

I do not understand why the APs cooperate to stay in different channels regarding 2.4 Ghz while they stay all together on the same channel for 5 GHz.

⇒ The reason why these APs are on the same channel for 5 GHz is that they use the 5 GHz band to establish mesh connections. In a mesh network, the channels of these APs will be the same, which helps prioritize network stability and connectivity.

Besides, in a mesh setup, each hop reduces throughput by half. For example, if your root AP has 1000 Mbps, AP_Ingresso (Repeater 1) would get 500 Mbps, and AP_Bagno (Repeater 2) would get 250 Mbps. This means the clients that connect to AP_Bagno will have a maximum of 250 Mbps to use. Therefore, it's recommended to let both repeater APs connect to the root AP as their uplinks.

Additionally, I have just noticed that AP_Bagno is currently offline from Nebula. Did you check if anything happened?