Archer C7 v2 bad WiFi range 5 GHz since 19.07.0

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

Hello Guys,

just upgraded all my APs (3x Archer C7 v2) to the latest version of OpenWrt.
At first I upgraded one unit by using the sysupgrade firmware and with that I started to experience a decrease in the 5 GHz range of about 20 %!!! No settings changed.

So I thought it might be the "dirty upgrade" and upgraded all my APs by flashing the whole firmware via TFTP and after first boot did another settings reset.
Then quickly setup them up again as dumb APs, without using the old config files. I configured everything from scratch.

Still the WiFi range is very bad compared to OpenWrt 18.04....
WiFi Region always set to US.

Any feedback from other users is appreciated.

2

19.07 switched 5ghz drivers. Have you tried reverting to the ath10k non -ct firmware and driver to see if it is better.

I replaced them on my bthub 5a to get mesh working, but while the -ct firmware was installed, I had also noticed some issues with my lg TV occasionally losing 5ghz connection when using a pre-release candidate version of 19.07. 19.07 BT Hub 5A: Mesh not working on 5ghz radio -> must load driver with rawmode=1 to add mesh interfaces

Uninstall ath10k-firmware-qca988x-ct and kmod-ath10k-ct and install the previous versions: ath10k-firmware-qca988x and kmod-ath10k.

Then reboot the router to get it to use the replaced firmware.

1 Like
3

mjs solution helped me too :slight_smile:

1 Like
4

Here is how to do it via SSH:

opkg update
opkg remove ath10k-firmware-qca988x-ct kmod-ath10k-ct
opkg install ath10k-firmware-qca988x kmod-ath10k

I have a script for installing packages and configuring stuff after clean install. For now I just add it there.

1 Like
5

I now have the old non -ct wifi drivers installed on one unit.
So far however I don't really notice any improvements.

6

ath10k non-ct version always gives me ~50mbps higher downstream and ~20mbps lower upstream

same on 19.07.1

2 Likes
7

Yes, and mesh does only work encrypted with non-ct

8

I am running the non-ct firmware now for a while and it seems that the range issues are gone. All 3 APs are back to their old power.

What I am asking myself is: Why the switch to the ct version?

1 Like
9

Search the forum. The question has been asked and answered many times.

10

My range is back to 18.x experience since 19.7.1 with non ct drivers.

11

Have you tried 19.7.1 with ct drivers?
Or did you simply stay with the non-ct drivers?

12

I did first try the included ct drivers which came by default and 5ghz was capped at 40 mbps while 2.4 ghz range was bad and capped to 10 mbps download and higher upload rate. Installing non ct drivers made speeds reproducibly match my expectation and surplus ap+mesh worked fine simultaneously on the same radio.

13

Does it get better for you when upgrading to 19.07.2?

14

I have the same issue with 19.07.2, so i rollback to non ct and everything is good :slight_smile:

So from 18.04.4 to 19.07.2 the output power is not the same i passed from 20 dbM to 23 dbM in auto mode, so i don't know why ?

15

So I did another test today and for me wifi range/strength is now exactly the same when comparing latest ct against latest non-ct drivers.
The dBm values measured at my stationary clients stay almost identical, ± 1-2 dBm tolerance during the tests.