Anyone have any idea whether beamforming will be supported for Linksys E5600? Range on OpenWrt is lower as compared to stock fw and I think it's due to beamforming not supported in OpenWrt.
I believe the "iw list" command can be used to show the capabilities of the wireless interfaces. In the user guide it list single/multi user (SU/MU) beamformer/beamformee capabilities under 802.11ac.
When I used the iw list command on my router, a ZyXEL Armor 2, it list SU and MU beamforming for both 2.4/5.0 GHz bands.
If it has multiple antennas (most AC and AX APs do) - then yes (it's a part of the standard).
See: Redmi AX6S / Xiaomi AX3200 Beam Forming? - #5 by lleachii
(The post will also show information on how to tell if the device is currently beamforming, how many antennas are being used to do so, etc.)
This is the output of 'iw list' on OpenWrt 22.03.2 :
root@OpenWrt:~# iw list
Wiphy phy1
wiphy index: 1
max # scan SSIDs: 4
max scan IEs length: 2304 bytes
max # sched scan SSIDs: 0
max # match sets: 0
Retry short limit: 7
Retry long limit: 4
Coverage class: 0 (up to 0m)
Device supports AP-side u-APSD.
Device supports T-DLS.
Available Antennas: TX 0x3 RX 0x3
Configured Antennas: TX 0x3 RX 0x3
Supported interface modes:
* IBSS
* managed
* AP
* AP/VLAN
* monitor
* mesh point
* P2P-client
* P2P-GO
Band 1:
Capabilities: 0x1ff
RX LDPC
HT20/HT40
SM Power Save disabled
RX Greenfield
RX HT20 SGI
RX HT40 SGI
TX STBC
RX STBC 1-stream
Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
No DSSS/CCK HT40
Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: No restriction (0x00)
HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-15
Frequencies:
* 2412 MHz [1] (25.0 dBm)
* 2417 MHz [2] (25.0 dBm)
* 2422 MHz [3] (25.0 dBm)
* 2427 MHz [4] (25.0 dBm)
* 2432 MHz [5] (25.0 dBm)
* 2437 MHz [6] (25.0 dBm)
* 2442 MHz [7] (25.0 dBm)
* 2447 MHz [8] (25.0 dBm)
* 2452 MHz [9] (25.0 dBm)
* 2457 MHz [10] (25.0 dBm)
* 2462 MHz [11] (25.0 dBm)
* 2467 MHz [12] (disabled)
* 2472 MHz [13] (disabled)
* 2484 MHz [14] (disabled)
Band 2:
Capabilities: 0x1ff
RX LDPC
HT20/HT40
SM Power Save disabled
RX Greenfield
RX HT20 SGI
RX HT40 SGI
TX STBC
RX STBC 1-stream
Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
No DSSS/CCK HT40
Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: No restriction (0x00)
HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-15
VHT Capabilities (0x338001f8):
Max MPDU length: 3895
Supported Channel Width: 160 MHz, 80+80 MHz
RX LDPC
short GI (80 MHz)
short GI (160/80+80 MHz)
TX STBC
RX antenna pattern consistency
TX antenna pattern consistency
VHT RX MCS set:
1 streams: MCS 0-9
2 streams: MCS 0-9
3 streams: not supported
4 streams: not supported
5 streams: not supported
6 streams: not supported
7 streams: not supported
8 streams: not supported
VHT RX highest supported: 0 Mbps
VHT TX MCS set:
1 streams: MCS 0-9
2 streams: MCS 0-9
3 streams: not supported
4 streams: not supported
5 streams: not supported
6 streams: not supported
7 streams: not supported
8 streams: not supported
VHT TX highest supported: 0 Mbps
Frequencies:
* 5180 MHz [36] (21.0 dBm)
* 5200 MHz [40] (21.0 dBm)
* 5220 MHz [44] (21.0 dBm)
* 5240 MHz [48] (21.0 dBm)
* 5260 MHz [52] (21.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5280 MHz [56] (21.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5300 MHz [60] (21.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5320 MHz [64] (21.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5500 MHz [100] (21.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5520 MHz [104] (21.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5540 MHz [108] (21.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5560 MHz [112] (21.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5580 MHz [116] (21.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5600 MHz [120] (21.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5620 MHz [124] (21.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5640 MHz [128] (21.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5660 MHz [132] (21.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5680 MHz [136] (21.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5700 MHz [140] (21.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5720 MHz [144] (21.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5745 MHz [149] (21.0 dBm)
* 5765 MHz [153] (21.0 dBm)
* 5785 MHz [157] (21.0 dBm)
* 5805 MHz [161] (21.0 dBm)
* 5825 MHz [165] (21.0 dBm)
* 5845 MHz [169] (21.0 dBm) (no IR)
* 5865 MHz [173] (21.0 dBm) (no IR)
valid interface combinations:
* #{ IBSS } <= 1, #{ managed, AP, mesh point, P2P-client, P2P-GO } <= 16,
total <= 16, #channels <= 1, STA/AP BI must match
HT Capability overrides:
* MCS: ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
* maximum A-MSDU length
* supported channel width
* short GI for 40 MHz
* max A-MPDU length exponent
* min MPDU start spacing
max # scan plans: 1
max scan plan interval: 0
max scan plan iterations: 0
Supported extended features:
* [ VHT_IBSS ]: VHT-IBSS
* [ RRM ]: RRM
* [ SET_SCAN_DWELL ]: scan dwell setting
* [ FILS_STA ]: STA FILS (Fast Initial Link Setup)
* [ CQM_RSSI_LIST ]: multiple CQM_RSSI_THOLD records
* [ CONTROL_PORT_OVER_NL80211 ]: control port over nl80211
* [ TXQS ]: FQ-CoDel-enabled intermediate TXQs
* [ AIRTIME_FAIRNESS ]: airtime fairness scheduling
* [ AQL ]: Airtime Queue Limits (AQL)
* [ CONTROL_PORT_NO_PREAUTH ]: disable pre-auth over nl80211 control port support
* [ DEL_IBSS_STA ]: deletion of IBSS station support
* [ SCAN_FREQ_KHZ ]: scan on kHz frequency support
* [ CONTROL_PORT_OVER_NL80211_TX_STATUS ]: tx status for nl80211 control port support
Wiphy phy0
wiphy index: 0
max # scan SSIDs: 4
max scan IEs length: 2257 bytes
max # sched scan SSIDs: 0
max # match sets: 0
Retry short limit: 7
Retry long limit: 4
Coverage class: 0 (up to 0m)
Device supports AP-side u-APSD.
Device supports T-DLS.
Available Antennas: TX 0x3 RX 0x3
Configured Antennas: TX 0x3 RX 0x3
Supported interface modes:
* IBSS
* managed
* AP
* AP/VLAN
* monitor
* mesh point
* P2P-client
* P2P-GO
Band 1:
Capabilities: 0x1fe
HT20/HT40
SM Power Save disabled
RX Greenfield
RX HT20 SGI
RX HT40 SGI
TX STBC
RX STBC 1-stream
Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
No DSSS/CCK HT40
Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: No restriction (0x00)
HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-15
Frequencies:
* 2412 MHz [1] (24.0 dBm)
* 2417 MHz [2] (24.0 dBm)
* 2422 MHz [3] (24.0 dBm)
* 2427 MHz [4] (24.0 dBm)
* 2432 MHz [5] (24.0 dBm)
* 2437 MHz [6] (24.0 dBm)
* 2442 MHz [7] (24.0 dBm)
* 2447 MHz [8] (24.0 dBm)
* 2452 MHz [9] (24.0 dBm)
* 2457 MHz [10] (24.0 dBm)
* 2462 MHz [11] (24.0 dBm)
* 2467 MHz [12] (disabled)
* 2472 MHz [13] (disabled)
* 2484 MHz [14] (disabled)
valid interface combinations:
* #{ IBSS } <= 1, #{ managed, AP, mesh point, P2P-client, P2P-GO } <= 4,
total <= 4, #channels <= 1, STA/AP BI must match
HT Capability overrides:
* MCS: ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
* maximum A-MSDU length
* supported channel width
* short GI for 40 MHz
* max A-MPDU length exponent
* min MPDU start spacing
max # scan plans: 1
max scan plan interval: -1
max scan plan iterations: 0
Supported extended features:
* [ RRM ]: RRM
* [ FILS_STA ]: STA FILS (Fast Initial Link Setup)
* [ CQM_RSSI_LIST ]: multiple CQM_RSSI_THOLD records
* [ CONTROL_PORT_OVER_NL80211 ]: control port over nl80211
* [ TXQS ]: FQ-CoDel-enabled intermediate TXQs
* [ AIRTIME_FAIRNESS ]: airtime fairness scheduling
* [ AQL ]: Airtime Queue Limits (AQL)
* [ SCAN_RANDOM_SN ]: use random sequence numbers in scans
* [ SCAN_MIN_PREQ_CONTENT ]: use probe request with only rate IEs in scans
* [ CONTROL_PORT_NO_PREAUTH ]: disable pre-auth over nl80211 control port support
* [ DEL_IBSS_STA ]: deletion of IBSS station support
* [ SCAN_FREQ_KHZ ]: scan on kHz frequency support
* [ CONTROL_PORT_OVER_NL80211_TX_STATUS ]: tx status for nl80211 control port support
root@OpenWrt:~#
I don't see any mention of beamforming.
But the stock firmware does support beamforming : https://www.linksys.com/gb/support-article/?articleNum=317179#F3
Here's what I see in OpenWrt for my connected client :
My client doesn't support beamforming but on stock firmware I think it uses Implicit Beamforming which I think is resulting in more range on stock.
Your iw list output confirms that while this router/build supports 2 streams...
...beamforming is not supported.
If beamforming was supported you would see output similar to this.
VHT Capabilities (0x339b79b2):
Max MPDU length: 11454
Supported Channel Width: neither 160 nor 80+80
RX LDPC
short GI (80 MHz)
TX STBC
->
SU Beamformer
SU Beamformee
MU Beamformer
MU Beamformee
<-
RX antenna pattern consistency
TX antenna pattern consistency
1 Like
Yeah it seems beamforming is not supported on OpenWrt for this device but is supported in Stock firmware even though the Stock firmware is based off of LEDE.
It's unfortunate as the hardware in the device is the best one can get for it's price.
Maybe the stock firmware uses a proprietary/closed source wireless driver that the OpenWrt developers do not have access to? I am only guessing as I am just an end user. Hopefully it gets added in a future device build. Good luck!