Extend signal range / increase signal strength of root ap

[max_gbel]

Hi, i'm using s zd1200 two R500 and one H500 which cover two households with around 250 sq meters in total. The mesh ap placed furthest from the root ap has a variable signal strength of 25-40% to the root ap. Now I'm actually looking to increase that signal strength because I believe that this variable signal strength (especially when down to 25%) is the root cause for occasional heartbeat loss.
My question now is if a R600, R700 or even a R610 or R710 would get me that increase in signal strength? I unfortunately don't have the possibility to add another AP between that root ap and mesh ap in question.

Any suggestions or real world experience would be highly appreciated!

Thx Max

[max_gbel]

John, highly appreciate your insights!
You mention that with your node changes you gained significant throughput, but did the signal strength also increase between your nodes (R710 to R600)?
Ideally I'd like to change only the root ap (R710 or 610) and keep my R500 as mesh node. Do you think just changing the root to e.g. R710 will help due to its much better sensitivity while staying with the R500 or is a second R710 a must?

[max_gbel]

I still have to give the 5Ghz channel switch a try. Good hint there!

[john_d]

Yeah, the signal strength also increased, but I don't remember the exact numbers. In general, I prefer using SpeedFlex throughput to measure real-world throughput as a metric for the mesh link strength. Signal strength (RSSI) is a static heuristic that's meant to estimate strength, and I found that less meaningful in terms of real world customer impact compared to a Speedflex.


I would actually first recommend replacing the R500 mesh node. I have noticed that even compared to the R600, the R500 is less capable of establishing strong mesh links with good throughput across challenging distances. This is likely explained by a combination of 2x2:2 vs 3x3:3 *and* the fewer BeamFlex antenna patterns.

Perhaps an arrangement to try is the R710 as root and move one of your root R600's to replace the R500?

[max_gbel]

That sounds very reasonable. I might as well go for a 600 or 610 since the 710 already stretches the budget quite a bit for a private household 🙂 I'll just start buying one and try hooking it up as mesh node and then as root and see how each works. In case a 6xx won't really do the trick alone I might need to take the shoot and go for a r710 as well but I really hope that I don't have to...

Thanks a lot for your help and advice. I really appreciate this. I will post my findings back here once I have made my tests with either the r600 or 610.

My best
Max

[seanmuir]

The antenna gain on the R500 is 5dBi and the the R710 is 8dBi. By using the r710 as opposed to the R500 you decrease your link budget by 3dB.

Example:

R500 RSL = -65dBm
R710 RSL = -62dBm

Additonally the R710 has more spatial streams and atennae that the R500 so this is the reason you will see increased capacity.

What I would do is look at AP positioning/orientation and ensure that they are optimally placed (on the ceiling and mounted horizontally).

A point to note is that the heartbeat monitor on ZD's is a bit of a red herring as when the AP is passing a lot of traffic the heartbeat frame is not prioritised and is dropped, and the ZD just does a reboot on the AP.

My advice would be turn this funtion off until such a point as Ruckus get the frame prioritised.