From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Received: from pigeon.gentoo.org ([69.77.167.62] helo=lists.gentoo.org) by finch.gentoo.org with esmtp (Exim 4.60) (envelope-from ) id 1Jf2Kc-0005Pp-T9 for garchives@archives.gentoo.org; Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:20:31 +0000 Received: from pigeon.gentoo.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by pigeon.gentoo.org (Postfix) with SMTP id CCBF2E066F; Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:20:28 +0000 (UTC) Received: from mta3.srv.hcvlny.cv.net (mta3.srv.hcvlny.cv.net [167.206.4.198]) by pigeon.gentoo.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id BB574E066F for ; Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:20:28 +0000 (UTC) Received: from [192.168.1.100] (ool-182c9ffc.dyn.optonline.net [24.44.159.252]) by mta3.srv.hcvlny.cv.net (Sun Java System Messaging Server 6.2-8.04 (built Feb 28 2007)) with ESMTP id <0JYE00MXMZM345EE@mta3.srv.hcvlny.cv.net> for gentoo-user@lists.gentoo.org; Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:20:28 -0400 (EDT) Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:42:27 -0400 From: Richard Marzan Subject: Re: [gentoo-user] Wireless: Limit rate to strengthen connection? In-reply-to: <49bf44f10803261952u517d87ecv4052dfa8175df3dd@mail.gmail.com> To: gentoo-user@lists.gentoo.org Message-id: <1206664947.6355.16.camel@localhost> Precedence: bulk List-Post: List-Help: List-Unsubscribe: List-Subscribe: List-Id: Gentoo Linux mail X-BeenThere: gentoo-user@lists.gentoo.org Reply-to: gentoo-user@lists.gentoo.org MIME-version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Evolution 2.12.3 Content-type: text/plain Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT References: <49bf44f10803261353l2b3b6607j48e127322ec8dd95@mail.gmail.com> <200803261714.18899.mcbrides9@comcast.net> <49bf44f10803261421k67889561t9a09b27e94d0ca8c@mail.gmail.com> <200803261802.07368.mcbrides9@comcast.net> <49bf44f10803261944hb0acbd9q9eff31ef150f97cd@mail.gmail.com> <49bf44f10803261952u517d87ecv4052dfa8175df3dd@mail.gmail.com> X-Archives-Salt: 58eb9cf6-4dbf-417f-8c59-80a53128f825 X-Archives-Hash: 5b157033be9b9ec851c894e1a9684a39 On Wed, 2008-03-26 at 19:52 -0700, Grant wrote: > > > > > > I'm trying to strengthen a wireless connection that spans about 150 > > > > > > feet and has to go through about 5 walls. I bought two of these: > > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833164110 > > > > > > > > > > > > for either end of the connection, but I'm having trouble making it > > > > > > work well. I've noticed the connection will be perfect for a short > > > > > > time, but then disappear. When watching iwconfig during this process, > > > > > > it looks like the connection is good when on a low rate, but when it > > > > > > goes to 54 Mbps it falls apart. > > > > > > > > > > > > Should limiting the rate solve this problem? If so, how can I do > > > > > > that? I'm using hostapd on the AP and wpa_supplicant on the client. > > > > > > > > > > > > - Grant > > > > > > > > > > Grant, > > > > > > > > > > Yes, lowering the rate to a "slower" speed will help greatly. The lower > > > > > rates use less compression and modulation... less complex wave forms > > > > > better connects over long hauls. > > > > > > > > > > The antennas look very good, but what's driving them? I use and whole > > > > > heartedly endorse SENAO products and have had very good luck with these > > > > > models: ECB-3220 (400 mw) or 2611CB3 PLUS (200 mw) at: > > > > > http://www.wlansolution.com. Either unit with the high gain antennas you > > > > > have, will penetrate what you stated and probably go pretty high on the > > > > > speed scale doing it too. > > > > > > > > I'm using a Netgear PCI adapter on the AP and an Edimax USB adapter on > > > > the client. Do you know how I can limit the rate? Should it be done > > > > on the Gentoo AP or the client? > > > > > > > > - Grant > > > > > > I use wireless-tools from portage. In it is iwconfig. A simple man iwconfig > > > will show you what you need. Other thing you could do is configure the > > > Wireless AP for a fixed rate... works for me. > > > > I found this: > > > > rate_wlan0=( "5.5M" ) > > > > which isn't documented in net.wireless, but it doesn't seem to have > > any affect. I've tried it on the router and the client which uses > > wpa_supplicant. I still see the rate on the client fluctuate all the > > way up to 54 Mb/s in the output from iwconfig. The router's rate is > > always reported as 0 kb/s. > > > > - Grant > > It appears 'iwconfig wlan0 rate 11M' works (at least as far as the > output from iwconfig is concerned) but how can I set /etc/conf.d/net > to always use this rate? > > - Grant The best way I found to do this is to just write your own script and run it at the default runlevel. write a script called wireless-up save it in your /root directory. Then in /etc/conf.d/local.start add the script name to the list: /root/wireless-up. Make sure the script is executable with chmod 666 /root/wireless-up. Here is what mine looks like. I laugh when I read this thing that I call a script. I'll be upgrading this in the future but for now maybe someone has a better idea and/or script. #!/bin/bash DATE=`date +%m_%d_%Y` ifconfig wlan0 up || "echo wlan up failed" iwconfig wlan0 essid ACCESSPOINTNAME || "echo setting essid failed" iwconfig wlan0 mode Managed || echo "setting mode to managed failed" iwconfig wlan0 key restricted YOURKEYHERE || echo "key failed verification" dhclient wlan0 || echo "wlan0 failed to receive dhcp request response" # if [ $DATE -ne `date +%m_%d_%Y -r /tmp/.wireless.* rm /tmp/.wireless.* iwconfig >> /tmp/.wireless.$DATE exit 0 -- gentoo-user@lists.gentoo.org mailing list