Flash and configuration went smoothly but for some reason I get less than half of my upload speed when using WiFi.
When using Speedtest.net over WiFi with an iPhone Air or a Macbook Air I get about 150Mbit/s down and about 500Mbit/s up. My Internet speed is 1000/1000.
I have the same Asus ZenWiFi CD6 Router and Node in another building (both configured as Accesspoint with AiMesh but using the original Asus firmware) and I get 450-600Mbit/s both up and down depending on where in the house I'm doing the speedtest with the same iPhone Air.
I've done some searching before posting and I've tried the following:
Disabling NAT and firewall
Made sure WMM is enabled
Made sure it's using its own WiFi channel
Packet Steering: Tried "Disabled", "Enabled" and "Enabled (all CPUs)"
Flow offloading type: Tried "None", "Software" and "Hardware" offloading
The network is set up as follows:
Internet -> Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra -> Port 3 VLAN 3 (192.168.3.0/24) -> Asus CD6 with OpenWrt
I am using Port 1 VLAN 1 (192.168.1.0/24) for my network while Port 3 goes to another building using VLAN 3 (192.168.3.0/24).
I've also tried factory resetting it and tested both wired and wireless speeds without making any other settings than setting a static IP (so there would be no conflicts) and enabled WiFi.
After doing this I ran speedtests with both a Macbook Air and and iPhone Air:
Wired Macbook Air: 800/800 Mbit/s
Wireless Macbook Air: 150/500 Mbit/s
Wired iPhone Air (USB ethernet): 330/330 Mbit/s (limited due to USB 2.0)
Wireless iPhone Air: 150/500 Mbit/s
I should also mention that it's all done on 5GHz because the 2.4GHz radio isn't supported by OpenWrt.
I would love some ideas for how to fix the slow download speed that is only affecting the OpenWrt device.
Please provide macbook air model and year… Each has diffrent wifi hardware.
One explanation if all config is well is that looking from macbook there is other access point behind yours on same channels and your ap tries to share airtime with that.
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:
Remember to redact passwords, VPN keys, MAC addresses and any public IP addresses you may have:
The only other access points are in my house (which are the same models, Asus CD6R and CD6N but using the original Asus firmware and configured as AiMesh AP's) but they aren't being used at the same time and they are using channel 40 while I've configured the OpenWrt device to use channel 48.
Here's what I get when running those commands:
{
"kernel": "6.6.104",
"hostname": "OpenWrt",
"system": "Qualcomm Atheros QCA550X ver 1 rev 0",
"model": "ASUS ZenWiFi CD6N",
"board_name": "asus,zenwifi-cd6n",
"rootfs_type": "squashfs",
"release": {
"distribution": "OpenWrt",
"version": "24.10.3",
"revision": "r28872-daca7c049b",
"target": "ath79/generic",
"description": "OpenWrt 24.10.3 r28872-daca7c049b",
"builddate": "1758316778"
}
}
config interface 'loopback'
option device 'lo'
option proto 'static'
option ipaddr '127.0.0.1'
option netmask '255.0.0.0'
config globals 'globals'
option ula_prefix 'fd1e:343e:9135::/48'
option packet_steering '1'
config device
option name 'br-lan'
option type 'bridge'
list ports 'eth0.1'
config interface 'lan'
option device 'br-lan'
option proto 'static'
option ipaddr '192.168.3.100'
option netmask '255.255.255.0'
option ip6assign '60'
config switch
option name 'switch0'
option reset '1'
option enable_vlan '1'
config switch_vlan
option device 'switch0'
option vlan '1'
option ports '1 4 0t'
config wifi-device 'radio0'
option type 'mac80211'
option path 'pci0000:00/0000:00:00.0'
option band '5g'
option channel '48'
option htmode 'VHT80'
option country 'SE'
option cell_density '0'
config wifi-iface 'default_radio0'
option device 'radio0'
option network 'lan'
option mode 'ap'
option ssid 'Alexanders WiFi'
option encryption 'psk2'
option key 'REDACTED'
———————
config dnsmasq
option domainneeded '1'
option boguspriv '1'
option filterwin2k '0'
option localise_queries '1'
option rebind_protection '1'
option rebind_localhost '1'
option local '/lan/'
option domain 'lan'
option expandhosts '1'
option nonegcache '0'
option cachesize '1000'
option authoritative '1'
option readethers '1'
option leasefile '/tmp/dhcp.leases'
option resolvfile '/tmp/resolv.conf.d/resolv.conf.auto'
option nonwildcard '1'
option localservice '1'
option ednspacket_max '1232'
option filter_aaaa '0'
option filter_a '0'
config dhcp 'lan'
option interface 'lan'
option start '100'
option limit '150'
option leasetime '12h'
option dhcpv4 'server'
option ignore '1'
config dhcp 'wan'
option interface 'wan'
option ignore '1'
config odhcpd 'odhcpd'
option maindhcp '0'
option leasefile '/tmp/hosts/odhcpd'
option leasetrigger '/usr/sbin/odhcpd-update'
option loglevel '4'
config defaults
option syn_flood 1
option input REJECT
option output ACCEPT
option forward REJECT
# Uncomment this line to disable ipv6 rules
# option disable_ipv6 1
config zone
option name lan
list network 'lan'
option input ACCEPT
option output ACCEPT
option forward ACCEPT
config zone
option name wan
list network 'wan'
list network 'wan6'
option input REJECT
option output ACCEPT
option forward REJECT
option masq 1
option mtu_fix 1
config forwarding
option src lan
option dest wan
# We need to accept udp packets on port 68,
# see https://dev.openwrt.org/ticket/4108
config rule
option name Allow-DHCP-Renew
option src wan
option proto udp
option dest_port 68
option target ACCEPT
option family ipv4
# Allow IPv4 ping
config rule
option name Allow-Ping
option src wan
option proto icmp
option icmp_type echo-request
option family ipv4
option target ACCEPT
config rule
option name Allow-IGMP
option src wan
option proto igmp
option family ipv4
option target ACCEPT
# Allow DHCPv6 replies
# see https://github.com/openwrt/openwrt/issues/5066
config rule
option name Allow-DHCPv6
option src wan
option proto udp
option dest_port 546
option family ipv6
option target ACCEPT
config rule
option name Allow-MLD
option src wan
option proto icmp
option src_ip fe80::/10
list icmp_type '130/0'
list icmp_type '131/0'
list icmp_type '132/0'
list icmp_type '143/0'
option family ipv6
option target ACCEPT
# Allow essential incoming IPv6 ICMP traffic
config rule
option name Allow-ICMPv6-Input
option src wan
option proto icmp
list icmp_type echo-request
list icmp_type echo-reply
list icmp_type destination-unreachable
list icmp_type packet-too-big
list icmp_type time-exceeded
list icmp_type bad-header
list icmp_type unknown-header-type
list icmp_type router-solicitation
list icmp_type neighbour-solicitation
list icmp_type router-advertisement
list icmp_type neighbour-advertisement
option limit 1000/sec
option family ipv6
option target ACCEPT
# Allow essential forwarded IPv6 ICMP traffic
config rule
option name Allow-ICMPv6-Forward
option src wan
option dest *
option proto icmp
list icmp_type echo-request
list icmp_type echo-reply
list icmp_type destination-unreachable
list icmp_type packet-too-big
list icmp_type time-exceeded
list icmp_type bad-header
list icmp_type unknown-header-type
option limit 1000/sec
option family ipv6
option target ACCEPT
config rule
option name Allow-IPSec-ESP
option src wan
option dest lan
option proto esp
option target ACCEPT
config rule
option name Allow-ISAKMP
option src wan
option dest lan
option dest_port 500
option proto udp
option target ACCEPT
### EXAMPLE CONFIG SECTIONS
# do not allow a specific ip to access wan
#config rule
# option src lan
# option src_ip 192.168.45.2
# option dest wan
# option proto tcp
# option target REJECT
# block a specific mac on wan
#config rule
# option dest wan
# option src_mac 00:11:22:33:44:66
# option target REJECT
# block incoming ICMP traffic on a zone
#config rule
# option src lan
# option proto ICMP
# option target DROP
# port redirect port coming in on wan to lan
#config redirect
# option src wan
# option src_dport 80
# option dest lan
# option dest_ip 192.168.16.235
# option dest_port 80
# option proto tcp
# port redirect of remapped ssh port (22001) on wan
#config redirect
# option src wan
# option src_dport 22001
# option dest lan
# option dest_port 22
# option proto tcp
### FULL CONFIG SECTIONS
#config rule
# option src lan
# option src_ip 192.168.45.2
# option src_mac 00:11:22:33:44:55
# option src_port 80
# option dest wan
# option dest_ip 194.25.2.129
# option dest_port 120
# option proto tcp
# option target REJECT
#config redirect
# option src lan
# option src_ip 192.168.45.2
# option src_mac 00:11:22:33:44:55
# option src_port 1024
# option src_dport 80
# option dest_ip 194.25.2.129
# option dest_port 120
# option proto tcp
The reason I'm not quite sure what you mean is because you claim that I'm running all AP's on the same channel but that isn't true.
As seen from the commands you asked me to provide the OpenWrt AP is using channel 48.
The mesh system I am using on another VLAN in another building is using channel 40.
I apologize if I'm clearly missing something, but please take a look at these attached imaged for the configuration done.
Go to PROFESSIONAL tab and unlock ch12-13 and DFS channels.
It appears you are using firmware that is not from the official OpenWrt project.
When using forks/offshoots/vendor-specific builds that are "based on OpenWrt", there may be many differences compared to the official versions (hosted by OpenWrt.org). Some of these customizations may fundamentally change the way that OpenWrt works. You might need help from people with specific/specialized knowledge about the firmware you are using, so it is possible that advice you get here may not be useful.
Ask for help from the maintainer(s) or user community of the specific firmware that you are using.
Provide the source code for the firmware so that users on this forum can understand how your firmware works (OpenWrt forum users are volunteers, so somebody might look at the code if they have time and are interested in your issue).
If you believe that this specific issue is common to generic/official OpenWrt and/or the maintainers of your build have indicated as such, please feel free to clarify.
My other AP's was originally set to "Automatic" and the automatically selected port was 40. I changed it from "Auto" to 40 manually just before posting the first image.
Are you saying that channel 40 and 48 interfere with each other?
Unfortunately, changing channel on the OpenWrt device didn't make any difference. I tried changing it to channel 56 and got the same speeds as before. I also tried changing it to channel 104 and still got the same speed as before. I kept the other AP's on channel 40.
Download around 150-170 and upload around 350-500.
I will try making those tests tomorrow as it's getting late.
I wanted to ask though, since I am using the OpenWrt device as a "dumb AP" does it still use offloading? I was under the impression that it is my Cloud Gateway Ultra that does that.
And yes, the Asus CD6 isn't especially powerful, but it's important to keep in mind that it can clearly let me upload at 500Mbit/s but only download at around 150Mbit/s. If it wasn't powerful enough I feel like the upload would also be lower.
The SoC itself can forward maybe at 200-300Mbps using CPU, depending on memory speed maybe double of that with offloads. CPU is so weak that really downloading makes web UI feeling slow and from the other point - if you even run top utility on the router the bandwidth goes down.
Can you provide full /etc/config/network ? If one SoC port is connected - total throughput is limited to 1Gbps, if both - it is 1.3Gbps, bot gigabit ethernet means gigabit in gigabit out ie 2Gbps, but that is without VLAN tagging - yes, default config has few checkboxes missing.
With your 80 MHz channel width Alexander's wifi will use channels 36 to 48 and hence cladh with the other radio on channel 40 (if that is also on 80 MHz they will be fully overlapping).
I would recommend to use a WiFi analyser on your smartphone (I use VREM's on android) andblook at the chanbelgraph to make sure yoyr radios do not use overlapping bands. This will also show whether you clash with chanhels used by neighbouring APs.
Yes, I wasn't aware that was how it worked until @brada4 explained it. I thought that since one was using channel 40 and the other 48 would mean that they were on different channels.
However, this is not the reason for the low download speed as I have now tried it again with my AP's unplugged from power.
I've used Apple's AirPort Utility to scan for networks, and there are no other networks. I have no neighbours.
