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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Have you looked at the possibility that
your modem is negotiating a higher link speed over time and that's
the cause for the gradual signal level loss? When you reboot
these things and they aren't pressed to move data, they opt for
the slowest (and highest power) modulation. As data comes in for
them to move, if they build up queues, they try higher order
modulations, which make use of amplitude modulation, and reduce
the average power level.<br>
<br>
It is possible to instruct the modem to only support a subset of
speeds. For example, the slowest speed only (6Mbit):<br>
<br>
[eo@AE7SJ/Monroe-Paine] /interface wireless> set 0
supported-rates-a/g=<br>
12Mbps 18Mbps 24Mbps 36Mbps 48Mbps 54Mbps 6Mbps 9Mbps<br>
<br>
I don't think upgrading or downgrading firmware has anything to do
with RSSI readings as they're read directly from the Atheros chip
and not computed in firmware.<br>
<br>
The real test of the health of your connection would be if it
consistently supports the same ballpark speed range (bits/sec
actually moved) or if it is indeed dropping due to this 8dB RSSI
delta you're seeing. If the modem finds itself having too many
communication errors because it chose a modulation that is too
fast, it'll lower its negotiated speed.<br>
<br>
--Bart<br>
<br>
<br>
On 7/21/2014 10:28 AM, Dean Gibson AE7Q wrote:<br>
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<blockquote cite="mid:53CD4DAF.6090309@ae7q.com" type="cite">
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OK, over the last three weeks both the TX and RX signal levels
have dropped 8dB; see:<br>
<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.ae7q.com/misc/media/5.9GHz/2014-07-xx.png">http://www.ae7q.com/misc/media/5.9GHz/2014-07-xx.png</a><br>
<br>
While this could be due to vegetation, the drop (somewhat gradual
this time) looks suspiciously like the previous two drops of 8dB
(see prior messages below). On Friday I noticed that MicroTik had
a new firmware release, v6.17, and I upgraded to that. That fixed
an NTP bug introduced in v6.14 but made no difference in dBm
levels, so Sunday evening I downgraded to v6.13. That
downgrade/reboot was successful, but also made no difference. So,
I did a second reboot in preparation for upgrading back to v6.17
(using the same scenario as below).<br>
<br>
This time, however, "presto!" (the results below) does not quite
apply. The 5SHPn shows a power-on LED, and when connected to a
switch, shows an electrical network LED. However, <b>the 5SHPn
is inaccessible via Ethernet</b> (using Winbox to access via
both by last IP address, and by MAC address). PINGs fail; there
is no corresponding entry in the ARP table. I can hold in the
reset button while power-cycling the 5SHPn, and I get the flashing
power LED indicating a "reset configuration" is happening, but to
no avail: Winbox is unable to connect to the 5SHPn.<br>
<br>
<b>This is the third time I've had this 8dB drop</b>, and the
second time I've had to go to the roof to reset the radio. So,
I've removed the antenna from the roof. So, unless someone has a
bright idea, the 5SHPn and the 31dBi dish antenna are available
for $120 total. I'd like to sell them as a unit, because I've got
a really nice (but easily removable) taped seal of the
antenna/radio connection. If you can't get the radio to work,
you're only out $20.<br>
<br>
-- Dean<br>
425-338-4276 (home)<br>
425-359-4276 (cell)<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2014-06-13 18:29, Dean Gibson AE7Q
wrote:<br>
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<blockquote cite="mid:539BA563.7040304@ae7q.com" type="cite">
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Going back to v6.13 didn't improve anything, but it did seem to
get rid of the occasional variations in voltage (from 13.5v down
to 12.8v) that SNMP was reporting to "The Dude" software. So,
after letting v6.13 run for couple hours with no improvement, I
reinstalled v6.15.<br>
<br>
Presto! Instant dBm improvement back to my normally observed
values. Here are links to SNMP graphs of the drop @9:30am, and
the rise at 17:48pm. Of course, you can also see this in
Nigel's Cacti reporting, albeit with less horizontal (time)
resolution.<br>
<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.ae7q.com/misc/media/5.9GHz/2014-06-13_0940.png">http://www.ae7q.com/misc/media/5.9GHz/2014-06-13_0940.png</a><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.ae7q.com/misc/media/5.9GHz/2014-06-13_1740.png">http://www.ae7q.com/misc/media/5.9GHz/2014-06-13_1740.png</a><br>
<br>
Note that the reported sudden dBm "rise" to -60dBm (the upper
limit I've imposed to keep the graph scale reasonable) on two
occasions in the second graph, is when I upgraded and then
reconfigured the radio (from a cut-&-paste script), and
should be ignored.<br>
<br>
Note that a very similar scenario occurred several months ago,
when I upgraded from v6.10 to v6.12.<br>
<br>
Of course, today is Friday the 13th. Maybe Jason is
responsible.<br>
<br>
-- Dean<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2014-06-13 12:28, Dean Gibson
AE7Q wrote:<br>
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<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2014-06-13 12:13, Cory (NQ1E)
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAGOhXwKUqn-hJ3BbybzLj4_cmaNiXkX7Co0sn_v5xf+HF5K42g@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div class="gmail_extra">Did it rain on those trees you're
pointing at around then? :)<br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Jun 13, 2014 at 12:12 PM,
Dean Gibson AE7Q <span dir="ltr"><<a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:hamwan@ae7q.com"
target="_blank">hamwan@ae7q.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0
.8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">This
morning (well after the update to v6.15 last night)
just after 9:30am, I saw a 8dB drop in both TX and RX
signal levels, which persist at this time. I did a
"reset configuration", which did not solve the
problem.<br>
<br>
Did anyone do a change at Paine sector 2 around
9:30am?<br>
</blockquote>
</div>
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</blockquote>
<br>
It's been raining gently all morning. Last night it rained a
bit harder, and I saw no significant or unusual variation.
I'm going back to v6.13 to see if that changes anything.<br>
<br>
The drop was very sudden. I have that antenna connection very
well sealed, I thought, and the Ethernet cable runs uphill to
get into the eaves. I did a cursory visual check of that this
morning.<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2014-05-04 13:00, Dean Gibson AE7Q
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:53669C43.3060100@ae7q.com" type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div class="gmail_default"
style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small">OK,
everything is back working, and I have my dBm back!!<br>
<br>
Not a comedy of errors, but two factors intertwined to
create this problem:<br>
<br>
<ol>
<li>Since configuring the radio after a configuration
reset requires the use of WinBox (until you get IP
addresses set up), I moved the network connection from
the radio to its normal router on the DMZ, and connected
it to a router on my LAN via an extension Ethernet cable
and a "dual-RJ-45-jack adapter". The port light on the
router associated with the radio connection was off.
This morning when I went to disconnect the cables, I saw
the port light on the router flash momentarily. Junked
the dual-RJ-45 adapter and used another one (I had
previously tried a different cable), and I had WinBox
access to the radio! Everything worked except for the
LEDs ...<br>
</li>
<li><b>After much more screwing around</b>, I found out
that for version 6.12,<b> the LEDs are not configured by
default</b> !!! Remember, I had done a
"reset-configuration" ...<br>
</li>
</ol>
<p><br>
So, for others that update to v6.12, here are the relevant
lines in the setup:<br>
</p>
<p><b><font color="#3333ff"><tt>/system leds add
type=interface-status interface=ether1-local
leds=user-led</tt><tt><br>
</tt><tt>/system leds add
type=wireless-signal-strength
interface=wlan1-gateway
leds=led1,led2,led3,led4,led5</tt></font></b><br>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra">Now that I know I can configure the
LEDs with other options, I'll try some.<br>
<br>
I have no clue as to why my dBm dropped, and why I now have my
prior values back ...<br>
<br>
-- Dean<br>
<div class="gmail_quote"><br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0
.8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><br>
<div class="HOEnZb">
<div class="h5"> -----Original Message-----<br>
From: PSDR [mailto:<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:psdr-bounces@hamwan.org">psdr-bounces@hamwan.org</a>]
On Behalf Of Dean Gibson AE7Q<br>
Sent: Sunday, May 4, 2014 1:44 AM<br>
To: Puget Sound Data Ring<br>
Subject: Re: [HamWAN PSDR] Metal 5SHPn firmware 6.12
is current (addendum)<br>
<br>
Well, this did not end well. ... I decided to reset
the configuration (using the command line) ... it
appears to have "bricked" the radio.<br>
<br>
It draws about 160ma (about the value from a week ago,
when I first measured it). There is no light on the
side of the unit, and the Ethernet port is dead.<br>
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<br>
<br>
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