Hi I’m having a very strange issue with a point-to-point wireless link. The problem is I’m getting very good data transfer rates coming in but going out is a different story. When I run a bidirectional bandwidth test using winbox I notice that the TX-rate is :5MB and the RX-rate is 20MB .

The links been up and running like a dream for the last two years...

Any ideas ?

Probably noise. Look at the tx and rx CCQ numbers. Anything lower than 100% shows dropped radio packets and gives you an idea of interference.

If you can afford to take it down temporarily, wireless scan and frequency usage from both ends will be useful in troubleshooting.

Good luck,

Tom

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your thoughts, the Tx/Rx CCQ is sitting at 98/99%. What’s your experience with the winbox bandwidth test? If I perform a bandwidth test in a single direction the speeds are very good, the anomaly only occurs wiht bidirectional traffic.

It’s very strange. I’ve upgraded the firmware and software on both Mikrotik’s ...

Thanks,
Ryan

The built in bandwidth-test is very CPU intensive, so if you aren't using the same board on either side that could make a difference. For example, and RB133 is only capable of sourcing about 5Mbps in my experience.

A better way to test the actual usable link bandwidth is to have a reasonably modern PC on either end of the link with the windows bandwidth test tool, and run between the PC's. In this way you are testing the traffic bearing capabilities; not the processors on the routerboards.