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    pfSense as wireless AP transmit power adjustments?

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Wireless
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    • JonathanLeeJ
      JonathanLee @stephenw10
      last edited by JonathanLee

      @stephenw10 thanks for the reply. This matches mine. I was testing to see if 0 equates to both antenna 📡 or just one as the card is labeled 0 and 1 but freeBSD states 0 is for both and 1 is for main. Again I can set one to use 2 so I am a bit mixed up on if the numbers equate to the freeBSD definitions or is it something else that matches the numbers printed on the mini pcie card. I just had poor reception with the pcie versus the AP

      As PfSense uses freeBSD I researched this and found.

      "Options 0,1,2 (antenna port 1 or 2, both=0) dev.ath.0.diversity: options 0,1(0=disable 1=enable)"

      But does this match in the firewall?

      Ref:
      https://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-wireless/2011-September/000682.html

      Make sure to upvote

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      • JonathanLeeJ
        JonathanLee @stephenw10
        last edited by

        @stephenw10 I could not get diversity to enable

        Make sure to upvote

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        • stephenw10S
          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
          last edited by

          A lot more info can be found here: https://wiki.freebsd.org/dev/ath_hal%284%29/AntennaDiversity

          It might be a loader value....

          JonathanLeeJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • JonathanLeeJ
            JonathanLee @stephenw10
            last edited by JonathanLee

            @stephenw10 said in pfSense as wireless AP transmit power adjustments?:

            https://wiki.freebsd.org/dev/ath_hal%284%29/AntennaDiversity

            How do you add this as a loader value?? I just need more pwr for wifi to work in my kitchen

            Screenshot 2023-10-25 at 4.52.08 PM.png

            what should be added?

            Make sure to upvote

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            • JonathanLeeJ
              JonathanLee
              last edited by

              I found the other problem this file locked the transmit power to 17-30 only like it is set for an apartment and not a single family home. I am going to up it by 10 and it should reach my kitchen again.

              Screenshot 2023-10-25 at 8.55.16 PM.png

              17 that seems way to low for me.

              Make sure to upvote

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              • stephenw10S
                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                last edited by

                What exactly are you trying to set?

                JonathanLeeJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • JonathanLeeJ
                  JonathanLee @stephenw10
                  last edited by JonathanLee

                  @stephenw10 I got to be honest with you I need more power. My DLink and the extender in the 90s had power adjustments, so did my Apple airport Extreme. All the sudden I have no way to turn up the juice on the wifi side. It has a range equivalent of a small apartment. I want to turn diversity on, I want to boost my signal power by at least 15 percent. Why does the regulatory file degrade the power range to 17-30 percent of power. It seems like it's locked on small apartment mode. It needs house mode. My neighbors signal has more power in home than my own WiFi because of it.

                  Make sure to upvote

                  johnpozJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • stephenw10S
                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                    last edited by

                    Well the maximum power is supposed to be limited by the regulatory domain. As well as whether it's indoors or outdoors etc. You can bypass that I'm sure but it's probably illegal, so hard for me to advise! 😉

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                    • johnpozJ
                      johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @JonathanLee
                      last edited by

                      @JonathanLee for one increasing the output is rarely a fix for anything.. While sure your client might see the signal better, its transmit is normally going to be low, and have issue talking back..

                      I run all my AP in low power mode..

                      An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                      If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                      Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                      SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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                      • stephenw10S
                        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                        last edited by

                        Yup that^.

                        In the past, when I had more time mess about with this stuff for fun, I found better and correctly aligned antennas produced better results than anything else.

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                        • JonathanLeeJ
                          JonathanLee
                          last edited by

                          You know what, I got an idea, I can use my old power line networking equipment and just move the PfSense box to a more central location. That might help. I just don't understand why it has the power level set so low on it. It's not our area as our neighbors have stronger wifi then ours. As soon as I moved to this area the Apple extreme was updated and the power options removed. I miss my DLink that thing had some power and with the extender it was so something else. This was back before wifi g.

                          It acts like it's set to a regulation for an apartment over a single family.

                          It works perfectly when I am close to it.

                          Make sure to upvote

                          johnpozJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • johnpozJ
                            johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @JonathanLee
                            last edited by

                            @JonathanLee said in pfSense as wireless AP transmit power adjustments?:

                            just move the PfSense box to a more central location

                            Or what anyone should do that wants good wifi, is use actual APs, and properly deploy them to provide correct coverage.. Unless your in some small studio.. A single AP is rarely going to provide great wifi in all areas of a home.

                            The problem with any wifi router, or running wifi in your router like pfsense - that makes a horrible AP because of the lack luster support in freebsd for wifi in general in the first place. Is the location.. it would be rare that your router is in the best location for wifi coverage for some multi room dwelling.

                            If you want rock solid no issues wifi, get some APs - properly deploy them.

                            An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                            If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                            Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                            SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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                            • JonathanLeeJ
                              JonathanLee
                              last edited by

                              Screenshot_20231026-153412.png

                              WiFi in pfSense!!!!

                              Make sure to upvote

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                              • stephenw10S
                                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                last edited by

                                Nice. Is that just close or did you find some useful settings?

                                You would be better off using channel 1 there. Channel 2 will be coliding with 6 to a greater extent. Not much in it though.

                                JonathanLeeJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • JonathanLeeJ
                                  JonathanLee @stephenw10
                                  last edited by JonathanLee

                                  @stephenw10

                                  Done ch 1 now. I am next to it however it is moved it to the middle of house and changed it to Channel width HT/20. I got so tired of the neighbors internet killing my signal. I am so tired of it. This fixed it. My kitchen was the major concern and living room. I can run the airport extreme and extend the pfsense wifi if needed. Everyone is using 5-6 in our area for some reason.

                                  Screenshot_20231026-153412#1.png

                                  1 neighbor runs about 3 SSIDs one is a guest that is an advertisement for Xfinity, they run it on a channel for no reason as open wifi as a sales pitch, it's weird I would sue them for that if it was my wifi. It is open and you sometimes connect and it displays sign up today its like a sale pitch captive portal with a host webpage and thats it.

                                  Make sure to upvote

                                  johnpozJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • stephenw10S
                                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                    last edited by

                                    Interesting, what tool is that?

                                    Yeah really there is only 1,6 and 11. If you like to live on the edge, like me, there's 1,5,9 and 13 but there is some minimal interference between those. Realistically there's interference on every channel though so....

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                    • JonathanLeeJ
                                      JonathanLee
                                      last edited by

                                      IMG_20231026_161303385.jpg

                                      I love Powerline Networking, forget network cables :) they work great my dmark runs to a wall outlet and i plug the other powerline adapter any plug I want rj45 at and bingo it works

                                      This is not the same as WiFi extenders.

                                      Make sure to upvote

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                                      • stephenw10S
                                        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                        last edited by

                                        Yup, I agree. Some people hate Ethernet-over-Powerline but I've always had good experiences with them. Far better than WIFI extenders IMO.

                                        JonathanLeeJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • JonathanLeeJ
                                          JonathanLee @stephenw10
                                          last edited by

                                          @stephenw10 the SG-2100 with the Comptex card works great!! Thanks for the recommendations

                                          Make sure to upvote

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                          • johnpozJ
                                            johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @JonathanLee
                                            last edited by

                                            @JonathanLee said in pfSense as wireless AP transmit power adjustments?:

                                            it's weird I would sue them for that if it was my wifi.

                                            You understand many of these isp devices they give you will share out your internet connection to other customers as hot spots right?

                                            Why would you run on channel 2?? There are only 3 possible channels that make any sense to run on 2.4 that is 1, 6 and 11.. If your running on any other channel your doing it wrong.

                                            An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                                            If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                                            Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                                            SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

                                            JonathanLeeJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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