cnPilot R series bug workarounds, performance tweaking.

Products Residential Wi-Fi
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Hello everyone.

I've tested extensively and as many of you will have discovered there are some truly debilitating bugs in the R series routers. Coupled with cnMaestro, these devies are TRULY amazing for supporting customers and managing a large user base. If it weren't for the frustrating bugs... However, there is some hope.

Updated: All tests done on Firmware Version 4.6-R16. I will try to confirm if older issues still exist and update here.

WiFi performance improvements:

Still testing, but these settings improve performance from what I can see. For now I'm not supporting A/B/G and only N or on 5ghz AC/AN. Then settings as follows:

  1. 2.4ghz on 20mhz channel only.
  2. Set "Operating Mode" to "Greenfields" on both 2.4ghz and 5ghz. Update: It affects 5ghz as well.
  3. Turn on A-MSDU on both 2.4ghz and 5ghz.
  4. Try turning off "TX Burst" in advanced on 2,4ghz. No sure about 5ghz . Update: It affects 5ghz as well.

Pulling files from a NAS were snappier. Kudos to http://community.cambiumnetworks.com/t5/cnPilot-R-Series-Home-Small/R190V-R190W-Optimal-WiFi-Configuration/m-p/116653/highlight/true#M2085

Bug workarounds:

  1. Disable "DNS Proxy". Update: If you turn off "DNS Proxy" then turn off "Hardware NAT Enable" if you have WiFi issues in particular WiFi performance.
  2. Disable "Hardware NAT Enable". Update: Not seeing significant issues with this when this is enabled with "DNS Proxy" turned on.
  3. Disable "IP conflcit detection". I haven't confirmed if IP conflict detection is working on firmware 4.6 but the others still seemed wonky after some quick tests.

DNS issue workaround:

Turn off the DNS proxy, but there is another issue that's not easy to pick up. If the DNS handed to the router on WAN is the same as the DNS in the DHCP config, when the DNS Proxy is turned off devices will not be able to ping or or lookup the any of those specified DNS servers. To fix you need to add DNS manually on the WAN (any DNS you will never use) and then add your preferred DNS manually assigned on the DHCP server.

Update: Just confirmed the cause of our DNS issues. Disable the "DNS Proxy Enable". Set WAN and LAN to auto DNS – this will assign your customers with the DNS servers you can set upstream via WAN internet interface. Make sure that NONE of your other interfaces (non-routeable) have the same DNS servers specified as your WAN PPPoE / DHCP interface. If they do then the DNS requests may go out of the other interface and because it not routeable, your users won't get DNS lookups or be able to ping the DNS servers. My 1st interface is "Internet" and the second is "Management". A routable interface such as interface type "other" will work with identical DNS server specified, but they will more than likely be going out the "other" interface which could be an issue depending on your network design.

I'm still having issues with the DNS Proxy in 4.6 and will see what combinations may actually function as expected with the various workarounds... Updated: Already mentioned, but "DNS Proxy" on appears fine when "Hardware NAT Enabled" is on.

Interference issue workaround:

If using cnMaestro, run the WiFi Analayzer for the router. You should see any conlficting AP's there. Change the channel manually. Devices such as Roku's will purposefully take the same channel as the R's WiFi. When the R190's experience really bad interference the DNS Proxy seems to turn off. So best turn off the DNS proxy and manually assign the DNS for DHCP as in the DNS workaround above. Update: I haven't been able to replicate the interence and DNS issue with Firmware Version 4.6-R16. It may still be there.

WAN to LAN bridge loop issue:

Watch out when you connect a R series router WAN and LAN (ports) to the same managed switch. The WAN and LAN appear to be bridged, but dissallowed through firewall rules (I'd imagine). What this means is that say you tag your VLAN's on the WAN (PPPoE / Voice etc), untag your LAN on the LAN, IF the VLAN that is tagged on the WAN is also tagged on the LAN (even though the LAN does not have tags) it will cause a LOOP or trigger RSTP.

I hope this helps someone else. I'd really like to see more effort being put into these Routers, as they are essential to tie in all aspects of the ecosystem centered around cnMaestro.

Thoughts and questions welcome.

2 Likes
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Edited above with replicated case of DNS issues (DNS servers not being reachable).

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Hi Tim, 

I appreciate the time you have spend on your analysis. We are closing looking at your comments. Can you please drop me an email ashutosh.datta(at)cambiumnetworks.com

thanks 

ashutosh

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We just received 40 r195w and the first 2 out of the box had terrible results on the wifi for throughput, both 2.4 and 5.

Hardlined speed results were bang on but wifi not so good. 

This situation was a customer moving from satellite internet to our fixed wireless service, 20mbps download speed.  standing right next to the router we had 12mbps....and as you can guess it got worse as we moved away from router. 

Now Ive tried above said settings and it made no difference, Im actually really fed up with no answer to this issue that a TON of people are complaining about and Ive done extrensive testing.  To wrap this up and make it easy for eveyone.... we put in the customers previous router that they used with their satellite provider, a d-link router, and we had 20mbps throughout the whole house, riddle me that!

Having cambium routers for deployments is grest to have that extra step for managment and troubleshooting without the truck roll.  Cambium please fix this issue, this is not isolated, to many people on this forum have experienced these issues and have seeked out a solution.

Thanks! 

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I would be really surprised to see a fix anytime soon. I think these have hardware issues. We deployed hundreds of them and pulled every single one because they don't work properly. Not consistant, not dependable. Do not deploy R series routers.

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Thank you for your reply!   Yes I believe we are pulling out if these as well!  what did you switch to?

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Try turning off "Tx Burst". I have't confirmed any changes make a difference on 5ghz, but 2.4ghz certainly does for Apple and haven't seen issues with Android based devices. Screenshot of R201P with the changes, but we've been making theses changes on all our R series routers with success (it seems).

1 Like
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This is very dissapointing. It must be something simple... How else would Cambium find it acceptable? I'd like a Cambium config backup for all the models where they have been tested and confirmed to be working...

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@ashutoshdatta wrote:

Hi Tim, 

I appreciate the time you have spend on your analysis. We are closing looking at your comments. Can you please drop me an email ashutosh.datta(at)cambiumnetworks.com

thanks 

ashutosh

I've done the back and forth before with support, so I reckon we need to do this differently. As with my post above, please provide us with the correct and working config for each of the R190W, R190V, R201P and R195W routers.

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@DigitalMan2020 wrote:

Thank you for your reply!   Yes I believe we are pulling out if these as well!  what did you switch to?

Calix last August.

We actually bought some R195 a couple weeks ago for new installs while waiting for a shipment of Calix 844e and it brought back horrible memories. Every customer we deployed at came back with complaints about low speed, disconnections, etc. As soon as our shipment of 100 Calix came in we went out and ripped these 195's out. All complaints went away.

It's especially frustrating when we're deploying 450b and 450m, it puts a real stain on your reputation when you install a Cambium router despite the 450m and b being an awesome product that just works.

I hate smack talking these routers, but this is still a major problem within Cambium's line up of products.

Not to mention the feature set you get with Calix is miles ahead of cnmaestro. We love using tr-69 and just plugging a router in, it automatically downloads the golden config we have specified, changes the SSID, assigns it into their cloud account, starts tracking wireless history and client signals and provides a good interface for CSR to be able to tell people that their old TV is poor signal, 2.4 only, etc.

Plus we can also add in extenders either over wireless backhaul or plugged in with an ethernet cable back to the main router, very little setup required. Pair the extender to the router with the wps button. Wait 5 minutes as the extender downloads latest firmwares, matches SSID's and security key to the main router, and you're done. It adds it back into the cloud and just works.

For example, here's one we did yesterday. This is a 450b commercial customer who has an 844e router in their main building, then we have an outdoor epmp ptp setup to hit their out building, and we have an extender plugged in at their out building office. I can see from the strengths here that it looks like Matt's iPhone is outside the office and their upload is weak, but Galaxy note 9 and the BRW printer looks fine. These are both connected to the extender as you can see from the access point designation in the column.

We literally had to do no setup to get the extender working, just plug it into the main router and it copied all the settings and added itself to the cloud.

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@iBound wrote:
@ashutoshdatta wrote:

Hi Tim, 

I appreciate the time you have spend on your analysis. We are closing looking at your comments. Can you please drop me an email ashutosh.datta(at)cambiumnetworks.com

thanks 

ashutosh

I've done the back and forth before with support, so I reckon we need to do this differently. As with my post above, please provide us with the correct and working config for each of the R190W, R190V, R201P and R195W routers.

I agree, I will try some settings for my 195w routers and will post any success!  Im done with back and forth with support as well.  

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Thank you for your input and snap shots.... so Calix cloud, it there  a cost for the server or is it a free service with their products?

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@iBound wrote:

Try turning off "Tx Burst". I have't confirmed any changes make a difference on 5ghz, but 2.4ghz certainly does for Apple and haven't seen issues with Android based devices. Screenshot of R201P with the changes, but we've been making theses changes on all our R series routers with success (it seems).

I can confirm the 'Tx Burst" disabled has worked wonders!   Thank you for that info!!  

1 Like
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@iBound wrote:

...please provide us with the correct and working config for each of the R190W, R190V, R201P and R195W routers.

CAMBIUM! Please, this is what is necessary. You should have and provide actual working configurations for each of these. The cnMaestro tool should have clear methods for implementing complete configurations [, one can't even change the SSID without a custom configuration]. 

For the price Cambium requests, these are absolute musts. Why must I spend hours troubleshooting and browsing forums for a customer router to have decent throughput? I think that with your current R-Series hardware, you could have a much larger market share, but it seems if 5 different companies try your hardware, they have 5 different experiences. 

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I find that turning off DNS-Proxy makes local device discovery more intermittant (eg. android phone discovering chromecast for casting to on the same network)   

 
I dont have the DNS issues you all describe, but we do have routers set for a 5am automatic reboot every day as part of our default config template in cnmaestro. 

Also many of you are complaining about the price of the routers - dont forget that includes the cnmaestro hosting cost. 

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Hi Ray,

Thanks for your input.

@raytaylor wrote:

I find that turning off DNS-Proxy makes local device discovery more intermittant (eg. android phone discovering chromecast for casting to on the same network)   

Turn off TX-Burst for 2.4ghz and 5ghz and this goes away. Same thing for AppleTV. Honestly that does not affect network connectivity via WiFi at all from my tests.

I dont have the DNS issues you all describe, but we do have routers set for a 5am automatic reboot every day as part of our default config template in cnmaestro.

The DNS issues only occur when there is interference, or if your PPPoE server hands out the same IP's that you have manually assigned to be handed out via DHCP.

The DNS issues are there, and your comment, with respect, muddies the water. IMO, rebooting is simply NOT a solution, in the same way nut jobs statically assign every PC on their network.

Also many of you are complaining about the price of the routers - dont forget that includes the cnmaestro hosting cost. 

There is nothing wrong with the pricing IMO. The features are well worth it, but support have literally F****** me over with lack of transparency or complete and utter ignorance.

Thanks,

Cheers, Tim.

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@raytaylor Turning off "DNS Proxy" does cause streaming issues unless you turn of "Hardware NAT Enable". Confirmed with R201p. So you were right to an extent. It appear the issue is linked to hardware offload type functions.

1 Like
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@raytaylor wrote:

...Also many of you are complaining about the price of the routers - dont forget that includes the cnmaestro hosting cost. 

This is a good thing to note, but the direct competition charges $0.05 / month for remote monitoring (Or $3 for 5 years). Cambium is selling virtually the same gear at a much higher markup. Further, cnMaestro is very limited in its helpfulness for the R-Series routers. It has a lot of potential, but it hasn't hit that potential yet and I've been paying the excess for routers for many years now. 

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We have lost multiple customers due to these R-series routers

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I’m currently testing Beta 4.7.1-B3 on an R201P. Enabling features previously disabled. Will update results here.