I have several AP with WDS linked in a bridge, which are running the STP. I often see my bridge collapsing and rebuilding (very difficult to debug). Now I would like to try the rstp, but some questions to those who have tried that:
There is no docu for rstp (and apparendly no support from MT). What happen in my winbox, once I activate the rstp package?
Can I change to rstp and my remote MT-repeaters will stay alive (reachable for config) ?
Anything else which may tells me: DON'T.

I use RSTP in a mesh with 10 nodes and it seems to be ok. Pinging through the network (which is bridged) sometimes returns duplicates the first time you ping.

Once enabled, you'll find a new option in the bridge properties under STP for RSTP. For dynamic path cost set WDS defult bridge and set your root bridge to have a higher priority and that's it.

Its nice because it sets path costs dynamically, so this helps a lot. I reckon you could enable it remotely if you work from the furthest node back.

I often see my bridge collapsing and rebuilding (very difficult to debug).

Maybe you have low signal levels. When the wireless disconnects from the AP your bridge is rebuilding itself.
I think you should "repair" your wirelesses instead searching for fast "rebuilding" of the bridges.
In fact RSTP in theory is much faster in "rebuilding" than STP, but if you have bad wireless links, most of your clients will be unhappy.

Maybe you have low signal levels. When the wireless disconnects from the AP your bridge is rebuilding itself.

Most of our APs have 3 WDS links: (a) WDS to parent (backbone to root), (b) WDS to a client-AP and (c) a WDS to a third AP for backup. The last one is sometime very week, but as it is a backup and in blocking status in the bridge, it shouldn't (and doesn't) cause a rebuilding.

Once enabled, you'll find a new option in the bridge properties under STP for RSTP. For dynamic path cost set WDS defult bridge and set your root bridge to have a higher priority and that's it.
Its nice because it sets path costs dynamically, so this helps a lot.
I reckon you could enable it remotely if you work from the furthest node back.

So the RSTP can be controlled in winbox? I thoughed TEST-packages are without winbox support. Well, thats good news for me.
I read in another post, that RSTP and STP can be work together (mixed), which would allow me to change STP to RSTP one by one. I worry on this part, because I don't won't to loose all WDS connections during enabling. Then i would have to pay each tower a visit. Because someone else said, that when enabling RSTP, the whole bridge stops working and must be recreated in the MT-box. Comments/Field experience?

Because someone else said, that when enabling RSTP, the whole bridge stops working and must be recreated in the MT-box. Comments/Field experience?

I don't think this will be the case - I can't say 100% from experience, as I enabled all at the time of installation, but I'm pretty sure it will be OK, as it's just a matter of enabling the package and then enabling RSTP on the bridge. You could always mac-telnet to the remote router from MT to MT, as the wireless connection won't drop. I've had to do that a few times on my mesh.

I didn't have any experience of a bridge just stopping after enabling, but there is a short period of chaos as the paths sort themselves out.

Biggest problem I experienced (STP & RSTP) were weak signals on WDS connections. As aviper said, if the connections drop and re-connect, this causes a period of bad connection quality as the new paths are established. If this happens too often on any paths, its disasterous. Control it with static-wds settings or connect-list rules. Note the connect list only works properly with 2.9.30. (new min-signal values of -120)

Thanks GWISA, glad to hear that your mesh works on RSTP. I read a bit and learned that rstp and stp can co-exists.
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk389/t ... ml#comp802
I testet that by enabling rstp 1 single system only... and it continue to work
about the WDS, I always put them in static-wds in the bridge (with ignore SSID) so it doesn't affect the bridge too much, also the weak signal are mostly those which are on blocked ports (backups).