Wireless Client Mode Not Supported?

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

Hello Everyone,

I'm trying to setup a secondary Wireless WAN connection by connecting to another host access point by using Client mode on my OpenWRT router. Followed How-To guides as well as already posted questions but seems like its not getting through.

Problem is, OpenWRT router keeps connecting & disconnecting to host access point. At the same moment my other SSIDs which is sharing radio0 goes into disabled state. Where it is going wrong or is it that my router does not support Client/Station mode?

Here's the output of "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 0xf RX 0xf
        Configured Antennas: TX 0xf RX 0xf
        Supported interface modes:
                 * IBSS
                 * managed
                 * AP
                 * AP/VLAN
                 * monitor
                 * mesh point
                 * P2P-client
                 * P2P-GO
        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: 0-31
                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: MCS 0-9
                        4 streams: MCS 0-9
                        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: MCS 0-9
                        4 streams: MCS 0-9
                        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] (29.0 dBm)
                        * 5200 MHz [40] (29.0 dBm)
                        * 5220 MHz [44] (29.0 dBm)
                        * 5240 MHz [48] (29.0 dBm)
                        * 5260 MHz [52] (24.0 dBm)
                        * 5280 MHz [56] (24.0 dBm)
                        * 5300 MHz [60] (24.0 dBm)
                        * 5320 MHz [64] (24.0 dBm)
                        * 5500 MHz [100] (24.0 dBm)
                        * 5520 MHz [104] (24.0 dBm)
                        * 5540 MHz [108] (24.0 dBm)
                        * 5560 MHz [112] (24.0 dBm)
                        * 5580 MHz [116] (24.0 dBm)
                        * 5600 MHz [120] (24.0 dBm)
                        * 5620 MHz [124] (24.0 dBm)
                        * 5640 MHz [128] (24.0 dBm)
                        * 5660 MHz [132] (24.0 dBm)
                        * 5680 MHz [136] (24.0 dBm)
                        * 5700 MHz [140] (24.0 dBm)
                        * 5720 MHz [144] (24.0 dBm)
                        * 5745 MHz [149] (29.0 dBm)
                        * 5765 MHz [153] (29.0 dBm)
                        * 5785 MHz [157] (29.0 dBm)
                        * 5805 MHz [161] (29.0 dBm)
                        * 5825 MHz [165] (29.0 dBm)
                        * 5845 MHz [169] (29.0 dBm)
                        * 5865 MHz [173] (29.0 dBm)
        valid interface combinations:
                 * #{ IBSS } <= 1, #{ managed, AP, mesh point, P2P-client, P2P-GO } <= 16,
                   total <= 16, #channels <= 1, STA/AP BI must match, radar detect widths: { 20 MHz (no HT), 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 80+80 MHz, 160 MHz }

        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
                * [ 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: 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 0xf RX 0xf
        Configured Antennas: TX 0xf RX 0xf
        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: 0-31
                Frequencies:
                        * 2412 MHz [1] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2417 MHz [2] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2422 MHz [3] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2427 MHz [4] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2432 MHz [5] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2437 MHz [6] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2442 MHz [7] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2447 MHz [8] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2452 MHz [9] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2457 MHz [10] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2462 MHz [11] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2467 MHz [12] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2472 MHz [13] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2484 MHz [14] (disabled)
        valid interface combinations:
                 * #{ IBSS } <= 1, #{ managed, AP, mesh point, P2P-client, P2P-GO } <= 16,
                   total <= 16, #channels <= 1, STA/AP BI must match, radar detect widths: { 20 MHz (no HT), 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 80+80 MHz, 160 MHz }

        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
                * [ 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

Hardware & Software Details -

Router Model: D-Link DIR-1960 A1
Architecture: MediaTek MT7621 ver:1 eco:3
Firmware Version: OpenWrt 21.02.2 r16495-bf0c965af0

2

Your hardware can only set up a single STA (client) connection at a time (and <=15 AP interfaces at the same time, provided they're all on the same channel).

1 Like
3

Thanks for quick response @slh

Please correct me if I'm wrong. Does this mean if i setup host AP in same channel as my other SSIDs which are working in AP mode for e.g. Channel 8, will solve this problem?

4

I am not quite sure what you meant by:

Either:

  • two STA interfaces on the same radio

xor:

  • one STA interface, one AP interface on the same radio

The former does not work, the later should - provided:

  • both interfaces are on the same channel (your radio hardware can only tune into a single channel at a time)
  • your STA interface actually comes up (before the AP interface), the STA is taking the lead here, as it decides over the basic physical properties (mostly the channel) - only then, after the STA has associated, the AP interface can come up. If -for whatever reason- the STA interface can't come up (and be it out of range), the AP interface will never come up.

STA := station mode ~= client mode

1 Like
5
  • Yes (in fact, this is required to fix the problem you describe)
  • BTW, the 2.4 GHz band only has channels 1, 6 and 11 that don't overlap/interfere with one another
1 Like
6

Thanks @slh & @lleachii

I will try this and update the conversation.

@slh When i said "I'm trying to setup a secondary Wireless WAN connection" - My primary connection is via WAN Ethernet. To have internet redundancy, i purchased 4G LTE modem which works as 4G modem & wireless AP for client connections (can't use directly on router as the router has only one USB port which is utilized for flash drive).

Problem i mentioned is occurring during connecting to 4G modem AP.

7

Make sure you have set your country code (on both radios) for best wifi results.

I think the actual capability of the MT7615 radio chips in your router is 4 AP or 3 AP + 1 STA. Try disabling all APs to see if the STA operation is sound. AP + STA is unlikely to work on a DFS channel, that is determined by the AP at the other end which you would need to change.

Some people have reported buggy operation of the MT7615.

1 Like
8

Update -

Per your guidance I kept the host AP on same channel as client, it worked and client (OpenWRT router) was able to connect to it at first attempt. It kept the connection stable for some time then started getting disconnected.

Already spent much time figuring out the problem so at last i ended up getting a different 4G modem which has ethernet port which works as WAN port. Configured OpenWRT router LAN port as WAN and enabled mwan3. So far so good..

Thanks again!! @slh , @lleachii & @mk24

9

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