Asus RT-AX53U slow wi-fi speeds (and other issues...?)

[golemusu]

Hi. I got finally the courage to install OpenWrt to RT-AX53U. Below are my initial experiences:

• i am very happy for boot time and configuration changing time, everything is so much more smooth than with stock

• main issues I have encountered until now are slow wi-fi speeds. They are considerably slower than on stock. I have not changed default settings much and have latest stable OpenWrt (installed today).

I did 2 wlans, wlanname-24 (2.4ghz) and wlanname (5ghz), and removed OpenWrt named wlans. I changed WIFI channels to auto, in 5ghz bandwidth is 80hz (I'd rather have it at auto like in stock but dunno where to do it) and on 2.4ghz I think it was on 20hz (default).

I am doing tests with wifi speed test pro. It is worth mentioning that majority of my devices are 802.11ac (wifi5) and there is only one wifi6 device.

e.g. oneplus pad go, tablet from 2023, I connect it to 5ghz wifi and get link speed of 200mbps (on stock I get 433mbps). I think I got also with nokia 7.2 android phone maybe 200mbps. Samsung Galaxy s21fe I got link speed of 600 or 700mbps (on stock I get 1200mbps). On oneplus 5 I get linkspeed of 433 mbps (I think that is only one which works as it is supposed).
During these tests distance to router was 1 meter or so without obstacles.

Is same wifi performance as on stock even possible to achieve and if yes which settings should be modified? Maybe it has something to do with MIMO or combining multiple lanes somehow...?

Problem2: I am connecting android phone to USB-port and tethering and using tethered connection as primary connection and fiber wlan as auxiliary (because my 5G is faster). speed seems to be capped at 200mbps even that with the phone I get 300mbps. USB 2.0 max bandwidth is 500mbps, IMO even with overhead it should reach at least 240 or what do you think...?

Anyway the wifi issue is much more serious as if I don't get same speeds/reliability as with stock then I guess I will have to revert to stock...

[brada4]

@golemusu

USB 2.0 max bandwidth is 500mbps

millibits?

wifi speed test pro

whatever, compare wired vs wireless, alt tests may not have infrastructure in your area to test

Please connect to your OpenWrt device using ssh and copy the output of the following commands and post it here using the "Preformatted text </> " button (red circle; this works best in the 'Markdown' composer view in the blue oval):

Remember to redact passwords, VPN keys, MAC addresses and any public IP addresses you may have:

ubus call system board
cat /etc/config/network
cat /etc/config/wireless
cat /etc/config/dhcp
cat /etc/config/firewall

[Tilator]

Install tcpdump and take a look what it does show under heavy traffic.

[ed8]

Are Wi-Fi SNR and RSSI levels worse in OpenWrt compared to stock?
(this could be a reason that a less performant MCS scheme is used)

[golemusu]

I don't know what changed but now wifi seems to be OK. Not sure if speeds are same as in stock but at least they are close.

I think it was in some sort of "fault mode" and possibly reboot fixed it but I don't know what triggered that fault mode.

It is worth mentioning that I am experimenting a lot with connecting/disconnecting android USB tethering phone to the USB port, although with common sense you would not think it could affect the wlan.

Anyway for now it is OK. If it happens again I will report here. Anyway does anybody else have experiences where wlan speed drop significantly...?