Re: rtl8723ae owner.

[Pat Erley <pat-lkml@erley.org>]

On 12/10/2013 10:34 PM, Larry Finger wrote:
> On 12/10/2013 10:19 PM, Kam wrote:
>> Larry Finger <Larry.Finger@...> writes:
>>
>>>
>>> On 12/10/2013 07:42 PM, Kam wrote:
>>>> I have the rtl8723ae PCIe wifi card. I've read through the messages
>>>> on the
>>>> forums and experience similar issues to others who have inquired
>>>> about the
>>>> card. I experience sluggish connections and disconnects, I for the most
>>>> can't connect to my school wifi at all.
>>>>
>>>> I switched my router to 'AP' today after reading through the posts
>>>> here and
>>>> initially the connection was faster than I've experienced thus
>>>> far(since
>>>> switching to linux last year), I ended up shutting down the computer
>>>> eventually and after turning it back on few hours later, It was back
>>>> to the
>>>> slow sluggish connection.
>>>
>>> What does switching the router to 'AP' mean? If it was not an AP
>>> before, you
>>> would never have been able to connect to it.
>>>
>>>> I've collected all the output that I could think of and wanted to
>>>> contribute
>>>> it in hopes that it can assist the devs in testing/debugging the
>>>> issues with
>>>> the card. The text file is a little but over 800 lines, so I will
>>>> post it on
>>>> fpaste, if this isn't acceptable please let me know and I will
>>>> repost the
>>>> text in preferred format. I am about ready to smoke the beacons off
>>>> this
>>>> thing :P.
>>>
>>> One thing missing in what you posted is any messages from dmesg that
>>> describe
>>> the disconnects.
>>>
>>> The only thing I noted in your posting is that your channel is about
>>> as badly
>>> chosen as is possible. Wifi is not like TV. The channel spacing is 5
>>> MHz, but
>>> the width for 802.11g is 20 MHz, and 802.11n is 40 MHz. If you do the
>> math, your
>>> choice of channel 9 overlaps *every* AP in your neighborhood. At -60
>>> dBm,
>> your
>>> signal is not strong, and is even weaker than Home2.
>>>
>>> I would choose a channel as low as possible. That would be #1 for
>>> 802.11g.
>> Your
>>> AP may not allow lower than #3 for 802.11n.
>>>
>>> Next, you might try loading the module with the option "ips=0". That
>>> will
>>> disable power save mode, and it might help.
>>>
>>> I have been running a long-term test of rtl8723ae. After 100 hours, I
>>> have
>> had a
>>> total of 11 disconnects. Each of them has reconnected with very little
>>> interruption in service. The difference is that my channel is chosen to
>> have as
>>> little interference as possible, and my signal strength is -44 dBm.
>>>
>>> Larry
>>>
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>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Thank you for the prompt response, I really appreciate it. And I would
>> like
>> to apologize ahead of time in case I mess up the format.
>>
>>> What does switching the router to 'AP' mean? If it was not an AP
>>> before, you
>>> would never have been able to connect to it.
>>
>> Unfortunately my router has a check box under Advanced > Advanced Setup >
>> Wireless Settings that switches the router to AP Mode. I looked into the
>> manual after seeing the posting here and it's how I discovered it. It was
>> never checked until today.
>>
>>> From the manual:
>> "AP Mode. You can make the WNDR3400v2 function as an access point."
>> Page 77:
>> http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/WNDR3400V2/WNDR3400v2_UM_23JAN2013.pdf
>>
>
> I also have a WNDR3400V2, which has been functional as a 2.4/5 GHz AP
> for the two years that I have owned it, and that box has never been
> checked. I have no idea what might be its effect, but it certainly was
> an AP before you checked that box.

I believe (had a similar wndr device) that it has something to do with 
the way the device bridges wifi to the lan/wan.  On mine, with it 
checked, I was able to use the device as a stand alone AP rather than an 
AP/Router.  Trying to do that without it checked enabled some additional 
firewalling on the lan/wifi bridge.

>
>>> The only thing I noted in your posting is that your channel is about
>>> as badly
>>> chosen as is possible.
>>
>> Channel selection isn't done by me, it is set to "auto" mode at the
>> router
>> settings which explains that it will choose the best channel. I
>> appreciate
>> you pointing that out because now it will give me more options to play
>> around with. I have seen the ips posting else where and will test this
>> once
>> I configure the channel. Thank you.
>
> I never select the auto channel selection. You never know what strong
> sources in your neighborhood might be off when it makes the choice.
>
> Larry
>
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