In/Out errors :(

rneily · May 8, 2006, 9:54 PM

I am also having problems with errors, but only on the "IN" side not the out. I checked my config, and I have two antennas, tx on antenna 1, and rx on antenna 2 using deiversity.

I'll play around with the power on my CM9 card and see if I can get some of the errors to go away. My channel settings are now on auto as well, so I can play with channels as well.

Is there a way from the command line to reset the error counters without rebooting the box?

lsf · May 8, 2006, 11:35 PM

When running in G mode you might want to turn on Prot mode and set it to CTS/RTS. also if you have G only clients you might want to turn on "pureg". but really there is not much you can do about noise in 802.11b/g, only 3 channels are non overlapping. This basically means that "everyone" should stick to channel 1/6/11 and leave the rest unused. I know this is utopia, but still. Some "semi hideing" from noise by using the middle channels only creates problems in the long run, both for the ones that use the ovelapping channels and for those who stick to 1/6/11. Also, so called "TX power overdrive/override" will cause a lot of sideband noise.

What ppl essentially do is trying to scream higher then the person next to them, all in hopes of beeing the one that is heard. Everyone understands that this isn't going to work in the long run.

Only way to get rid of some noise is to use RF channel filters. But those probably cost more then your whole wireless setup.

as for the sysctls, they will be available in 1.1. you can offcource set them manually in the shell.
normal uasge should be diversity disabled, and RX/tx antenna should be the same if you have a single antenna setup. if you have two antennas then you should set one to TX and the other to RX.

pcatiprodotnet · May 9, 2006, 12:20 AM

" How can I change rxantenna,txantenna,diversity from shell [for Atheros] ? "
I would also like to know how to do this. Plus, how/where to put the commands so they run on boot up of pfSense Imbedded version.
Also, is it not wise to turn on receive diversity, even with two antennas? Is it not worth using unless you have 3 antenna ports (2Rx, 1Tx)?
Thanks, -Pete

hoba · May 9, 2006, 12:24 AM

Use the force luke, ahm, the search: http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=1149.msg6765#msg6765 ;D

nima.m · May 9, 2006, 6:49 AM

Hi lsf,

I ask my question again :

How can I change rxantenna,txantenna,diversity from shell ?

Hoba,
Your link point out to how "find out" which rxantenna,txantenna,diversity you use, it dosn't tell you how to change those values.

hoba · May 9, 2006, 7:24 AM

You can change the values using the sysctl command from shell:

Example:
"sysctl dev.ath.0.txantenna" will list the value that is in use atm
"sysctl dev.ath.0.txantenna=1" will set the value to 1

If you want to make these changes static add these commands to your "/etc/sysctl.conf" so they will be set at bootup. You can do that easily by using diagnostics>edit file from the webgui.

nima.m · May 9, 2006, 9:08 AM

Thanks for the help Hoba, using the following command eliminated my in/out error :

sysctl dev.ath.0.rxantenna=1
sysctl dev.ath.0.txantenna=1
sysctl dev.ath.0.diversity=0

However, I can't make it work on statup, I put these command inside /etc/sysctl.conf and reboot the router :
dev.ath.0.rxantenna=1
dev.ath.0.txantenna=1
dev.ath.0.diversity=0

But after reboot, If I do sysct, It show the old figures.

inside /etc/rc.bootup, I noticed that functions interfaces_wan_configure() interfaces_lan_configure() interfaces_vlan_configure(); are called after system_setup_sysctl()
Can those function overwrite my sysctl command.

I also noticed the function system_do_shell_commands() (/* run any shell commands specified in config.xml */)
Where inside config.xml file I can put my shell command ?
Maybe puting my sysctl command there would help.

hoba · May 9, 2006, 9:26 AM

Maybe http://pfsense.blogspot.com/2005/06/new-xml-system-tag-introduced.html (another of our hidden xml options: http://faq.pfsense.com/index.php?action=artikel&cat=10&id=38&artlang=en&highlight=hidden ) would be a good option to put it as this then will also be run after you changed wireless settings from the gui. Please try and report back.
Btw, we are working on getting these advanced options in the gui for pfSense 1.1.

nima.m · May 9, 2006, 10:14 AM

Hoba thank you very much for all help.

I now manage to reduce my In/Out Error to 3 figures instead of 6 figures.
In my configuration, I have only one antenna connected to CM9 card.

1. Based on lsf recomendation,the first thing I did was changing my pfsense config trough webGUI to :
Standard = 802.11g
Mode = Access Point
802.11g OFDM Protection Mode = Protection mode RTS and CTS
802.11g only = Check
Transmit power = 20
Channel = Auto
Distance setting = 30

2. Based on Hobas help, I changed my Antenna configuration trough shell :
sysctl dev.ath.0.rxantenna=1
sysctl dev.ath.0.txantenna=1
sysctl dev.ath.0.diversity=0

3. Again, based on Hobas Help, I modify my /cf/conf/config.xml :
Find the tag :

Change it to :
<shellcmd>sysctl dev.ath.0.rxantenna=1;sysctl dev.ath.0.txantenna=1;sysctl dev.ath.0.diversity=0</shellcmd>

4.Reboot

Hoba, maybe you should update WIKI for Wirless and explain how to change sysctl command and put it on startup (Number 2 and 3)

hoba · May 9, 2006, 11:26 AM

Maybe we should hardcode these settings for pfSense 1.0. This way it will work for people regardless if they have 1 antenna or 2 (one of them then would simply not be used though present unless you change the sysctl's). Like written in my earlier post the next pfSense version should have settings for these values at the webgui. Updating the wiki won't hurt. I'll do that later (unless lsf does this before I find the time ;) ).

nima.m · May 9, 2006, 11:40 AM

Right now I am using BETA3-PLUS-11548-PLUS-11567

I changed /cf/conf/config.xml from :

To :
<afterfilterchangeshellcmd>sysctl dev.ath.0.rxantenna=1;sysctl dev.ath.0.txantenna=1;sysctl dev.ath.0.diversity=0</afterfilterchangeshellcmd>

and save the file.

But when I changed some configuration in WebGui for my WLAN, the <afterfilterchangeshellcmd>inside config.xml had been removed automaticly.</afterfilterchangeshellcmd>

nima.m · May 9, 2006, 2:31 PM

Hoba,

I did some more testing and now I fiugre out what should be done.
Whenever, you change the /cf/conf/config.xml file, you need to reboot the router immediately once .

So this is how I make it work :

1.Search /cf/conf/config.xml for

Replace it with :
<afterfilterchangeshellcmd>sysctl dev.ath.0.rxantenna=1;sysctl dev.ath.0.txantenna=1;sysctl dev.ath.0.diversity=0</afterfilterchangeshellcmd>

2.Reboot

3.Now, Whenever you change config for interfaces inside WebGUI, you don't loose the wirless parameters.

sullrich · May 9, 2006, 2:33 PM

You have to remove /tmp/rules.debug as well after changing config.xml as its the cached version and will simply overwrite config.xml on the next filter reload operation.

So technically the reboot is not needed.

billm · May 9, 2006, 4:35 PM

@sullrich:

You have to remove /tmp/rules.debug as well after changing config.xml as its the cached version and will simply overwrite config.xml on the next filter reload operation.

So technically the reboot is not needed.

close… /tmp/config.cache :)

--Bill

sullrich · May 9, 2006, 6:02 PM

@billm:

@sullrich:

You have to remove /tmp/rules.debug as well after changing config.xml as its the cached version and will simply overwrite config.xml on the next filter reload operation.

So technically the reboot is not needed.

close… /tmp/config.cache :)

--Bill

Grr. Bill is absolutely right. This head cold is driving me ape shit.

pcatiprodotnet · May 10, 2006, 9:35 PM

My Tx was set to 0, and Rx to 1 (on Atheros).
Is 0 or 1 the First antenna? And, what does it mean when set to "2".
Thank you,
-Pete

hoba · May 10, 2006, 9:39 PM

The second time I link to http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=1149.msg6765#msg6765 in this thread :P

pcatiprodotnet · May 10, 2006, 9:49 PM

Thanks hoba!
Although it's fairly obvious, I was just hoping to see it spelled out in no uncertain terms that 0=Main and 1=Aux.
I was careful to read the card's docs to be sure I put the First pigtail (labeled "Antenna#1") on Main,
and the Second pigtail (labeled "Antenna#2") on Aux. -Pete

nima.m · May 10, 2006, 9:41 PM

2 means Auto.

What I did was to set both antenna to 0 fisrt and check the in/out errror, then set both to 1 and check the errors again.
Do the same and see when you get less error, then you know which antenna port you should use.

pcatiprodotnet · May 10, 2006, 9:48 PM

nima.m, is it possible that you plugged your single pigtail into the card's Aux antenna port, and that is why you had to set it to 1?