To get any AP scanning precision (ie, frequency, bssid, connection quality) when you’re in a place with 100+ APs like me, and esp. when they use the same SSID for both 5G/2.4G, you really can’t do it with with the GL web interface – you need to do it with with either Luci (ie, Advanced) or via command-line. However, even after doing an initial setup using 2.4G for WISP, one thing that drove me crazy is that various “re-scanning” tools kept forcing my setup back to using the 5G radio at least once per day, which caused disconnects, and also drastically reduced my speed. So now whenever I do a full rebuild, I do the following:
AFTER doing an initial WISP setup using the GL web tool:
- Uncheck “Auto scan & reconnect”. Although, it still seems to rescan even when unchecked.
- In SSH session, disable “gl_health” process by commenting-out the line calling it in “/etc/rc.local”. This is the main culprit for constantly re-scanning and changing the “wireless” config, and causing disconnects and speed drops. I’d recommend anyone having disconnect issues to disable this “gl_health” process on startup. After disabling it in rc.local, you still need to manually kill the active process or reboot the router.
- I have a template “/etc/config/wireless” config file that I copy over the existing one. I’ve had to fix this so many times that I find it easier to just copy my template rather than using Luci/uci (I even had a cron job do it, until I found that “gl_health” was the culprit). If you manually change this file, you can reload the config with the command “wifi reload” or by rebooting.
Below is what my “sta” (WISP client) section looks like in “/etc/config/wireless”. Using “radio1” means using the 2.4G radio vs. “radio0” for the 5G radio. The “gl_health” process kept changing this back to “radio0”, among other things. Note that the “bssid” line is only needed if (like me) you want to connect to a specific AP – otherwise, remove that line. And of course, you’d need to adjust the “ssid” and “key” lines appropriately to your WAN (WISP) network.
config wifi-iface 'sta'
option device 'radio1'
option network 'wwan'
option mode 'sta'
option wds '0'
option ifname 'wlan-sta'
option ssid '<WISP_SSID>'
option key '<SSID_PW>'
option encryption 'psk2'
option bssid '<AP_BSSID>'
option disabled '0'
My two radio sections in “/etc/config/wireless” look like this below. Note that the txpower for 2.4G is “0”, since there’s no point if using this radio only for a WISP connection. Also note that using “VHT40” over “VHT20” for radio0 makes a difference in speed if your WiFi devices support it. Using “VHT80” doesn’t really help for Internet throughput, though, unless using “HT40” for radio1 – but that is really only possible in a “greenfield” env like a rural area. In any congested area, you pretty much have to use “HT20” for radio1. Also, adjust the “country” line if applicable.
config wifi-device 'radio0'
option type 'mac80211'
option path 'pci0000:00/0000:00:00.0'
option band '5G'
option htmode 'VHT40'
option hwmode '11a'
option channel 'auto'
option doth '0'
option txpower '20'
option country 'US'
config wifi-device 'radio1'
option type 'mac80211'
option path 'platform/qca953x_wmac'
option htmode 'HT20'
option hwmode '11ng'
option channel 'auto'
option txpower '0'
option country 'US'
EDIT/UPDATE: They actually did some work recently in my building on the APs I connect to via WISP, and afterwards, I seem to be able to get similar speeds for both WISP at 5GHz (20MHz width) and 2.4GHz WISP (20MHz width), topping-out at the same peak speeds (likely both limited by the 2.4GHz, regardless of which one is WISP).
For what it’s worth, these are the speeds I get. As a comparison, when using 5G for WISP (limited to 20MHz channel width by my building’s APs), and all local devices connected to the GL router via 2.4G, I could only manage ~40Mbps download speed. The AP I’m connecting to is only ~3m away inside my apt on the ceiling and in complete line-of-sight (no walls in-between), so even with a close-by AP, I get much better results with 2.4G WISP than with 5G WISP, and wouldn’t assume that 5G WISP is better.
Baseline speed with phone/laptop connected directly to my building’s AP via 5G (no GL router):
- Best speed tests: ~90Mbps download, ~105Mbps upload
Speed with phone/laptop connected to GL router via 5G, and GL router connected to AP via 2.4G WISP:
- Average test for phone with AC: ~75Mbps download, ~60Mbps upload
- Best tests for phone with AC: Several tests at ~90Mbps download, ~70Mbps upload
- Average test for laptop with N (no AC): ~65Mbps download, ~60Mbps upload
- Best tests for laptop with N (no AC): Several tests at ~80Mbps download, ~65Mbps upload