We are looking at deploying some MT RB532s w/ SR5 cards in them. We are a small WISP with a legacy Canopy system & a Locustworld Mesh system running on dual interface PC WRAP boards. With the WRAP boards, we have had nothing but problems (rebooting, hangs, etc.,). They are dual interface with 2.4 backhauls and APs on the same board. Canopy works great but is cost prohibitive.

I have kind of drawn the conclusion that a MT system with backhaul and APs each on their own dedicated board would be more stable (with the biggest drawback I see being the increase in price for a single site). But my main goal is stability, and if the extra cost gets us that, then to me it is worth it.

Until we get equipment and I can do a hands on, the only thing I can do is pick the minds of the more experienced. Am I wrong in thinking that a multi-radio setup on a single board makes them less stable?

I would really appreciate some comments on the pros & cons of each setup, what you did, and if you had it to do over again, would you do the same thing?

Thanks,

JB

Have you tried running MT on the WRAPs? I haven't had any problems with a MT/WRAP combination.

We have a number of RB230, 532, 153 and even lowly RB112 boards running with multiple radios and have had no stability problems as long as we've made sure the power supply voltage was stiff enough (ie, enough current available to make sure voltage does not sag).

Typical of our stuff are RB532s w/2 SR5, 2 CM9, running on 48v. Uptimes on these are arbitrarily long with reboots due to power removed for site maintenance or PV charge controller battery depletion disconnects.

In our experience dual radio RB532, 153 and 112 cards w/for instance a SRx and CM9 card will run reliably on 12v, --if-- the 12v supply is stiff (battery or mains converter w/sufficient amperage).

If you're doing much with packets other than passing them along the line then you might well want to look at dividing the work among multiple boards. The 532 setups I mention are pretty much limited to running two nstreme trunk connections and a couple of backup links or a light duty backhaul from another AP without doing anything else. I understand MT is working on a beefier board w/an amped-up CPU, so perhaps even that will soon change.

Have you tried running MT on the WRAPs? I haven't had any problems with a MT/WRAP combination.

No, we have some an extra WRAP boards and I'm fixing to start some testing with it. Can you please expand on your setup just a little? Are you using MT backhaul and WRAP for an AP? Does your WRAP board just have one radio on it, or two (ours all have two, and I always thought that was some of the problem)?

What we saw on the WRAP is that they were very stable...until we started loading customers on them. And I'm not talking about 50 customers on an AP, I'm talking three to five would start taking them down. In fact, we kicked a couple of people off of one site for non-payment, and that site has locked up a fraction of what it did when those people were on (and it is also winter, which also seemed to help).

You know, all I want is something that "just works." If it is all MT routerboars or a combination of MT boards and WRAP with MT on them...as long as it works.

JB

...... a Locustworld Mesh system running on dual interface PC WRAP boards. With the WRAP boards, we have had nothing but problems (rebooting, hangs, etc.,).
JB

It's the OS at fault , i know of someone else who had the same trouble,one board would crash and the mesh wouldn't do what meshes are supposed to. Just another OS to add to the list of junk OS's for wireless

Just stick MT on the wraps and they will be fine.

The only thing you may wish to be concerned about may be the frequency seperation of the radios on a multi radio config.

There will be some crosstalk between the pigtails as the pigtails are not what I would consider low loss. Only low loss due to short cable length, however, the sheilding is a problem on these cables and crosstalk can occur between the pigtails.

There are frequency seperation suggestions in other threads.

I switched from Locustworld mesh to mikrotik, and it was the best move I ever made.. locustworld is total crap. Jon anderson will always tell you its the hardware.. but after simply removing the locustworld flashcard with a mikrotik one.. the wrap board has run perfect for a year. The only reason it ever reboots is for an upgrade..

Mikrotik Rocks!
Locustworld sucks!