W60G
This section covers 60 GHz wireless examples and guidance. Use it to configure W60G point-to-point and point-to-multipoint links, failover, and distance-related settings.
Distance guide
For Point To Multi Point as an AP device with license level 4 or higher is required.
Fail-over PtMP CLI example
Summary
Fail-over PtP CLI example
Summary
Fail-over PtP GUI example
Summary
PtP CLI example
Summary
PtP GUI example
Summary
Summary
Packages: system,wireless
802.11ad implementation capable of providing Gigabit Ethernet speeds over a wireless network.
Extend your Gigabit network over a transparent AES encrypted wireless 60GHz link without usual wired or wireless network problems.
General interface properties
Sub-menu: /interface/w60g
Wireless Wire kit devices come in pre-configured, connected pairs. Manual configuration is optional
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| arp (disabled | enabled | proxy-arp | reply-only; Default: enabled) | Read more >> |
| arp-timeout (auto | integer; Default: auto) | ARP timeout is the time how long the ARP record is kept in the ARP table after no packets are received from IP. Value auto equals the value of arp-timeout in /ip/settings, default is 30s |
| comment (string; Default: ) | Short description of the interface |
| disabled (yes | no; Default: yes) | Whether the interface is disabled |
| frequency (58320 | 60480 | 62640 | 64800 | 66000 | auto; Default: auto) | Frequency used in communication (Only active on a bridge device) |
| isolate-stations (yes | no; Default: yes) | Don't allow communication between connected clients (from RouterOS 6.41) |
| l2mtu (integer [0..7882]; Default: 1600) | Layer2 Maximum transmission unit |
| mac-address (MAC; Default: ) | MAC address of the radio interface |
| mdmg-fix (yes | no; Default: no) | Experimental feature working only on wAP60Gx3 devices, providing better point to multi point stability in some cases |
| mode (ap-bridge | bridge | sniff | station-bridge; Default: bridge) | Operation mode |
| mtu (integer [32..8192]; Default: 1500) | Layer3 Maximum transmission unit |
| name (string; Default: wlan60-1) | Name of the interface |
| password (string; Default: randomly generated) sensitive | Password used for AES encryption |
| put-stations-in-bridge (; Default: ) | Put newly created station device interfaces in this bridge |
| region (asia | australia | canada | china | eu | japan | no-region-set | usa; Default: no-region-set) | Parameter to limit frequency use |
| scan-list (58320,60480,62640,64800,66000; Default: 58320,60480,62640,64800) | Scan list to limit connectivity over frequencies in station mode |
| ssid (string (0..32 chars); Default: value of System Identity) | SSID (service set identifier) is a name that identifies the wireless network |
| tx-sector (integer [0..63] | auto; Default: auto) | Disables beamforming and locks to the selected radiation pattern |
Sub-menu: /interface/w60g/print/stats
Provides more detailed information about Beamforming occurrences and some debug information:
/interface w60g print stats name: wlan60-1
beamforming-event: 310
tx-io-msdu: 0
tx-sw-msdu: 154 663
tx-fw-msdu: 102
tx-ppdu: 220 147
tx-ppdu-from-q: 40 327
tx-mpdu-new: 154 663
tx-mpdu-total: 184 759
tx-mpdu-retry: 30 096
rx-ppdu: 166 636
rx-mpdu-crc-err: 4 817
rx-mpdu-crc-ok: 285 649
Station interface properties:
An ap-bridge device requires License level 4 (click for more information) to support more than one connected client
Connected clients are treated as individual interfaces, after a successful connection a new station interface is created.
After the update default configuration still works - newly created station interface is moved to the default bridge.
Sub-menu: /interface/w60g/station
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| parent (string; Default: wlan60-*) | Parent interface name |
| put-in-bridge (none | parent | bridge-name; Default: parent) | Add station device interface to a specific bridge |
| remote-address (MAC; Default: matches bridge interface MAC) | MAC address of bridge interface that station is connecting to |
Scan
Sub-menu: /interface/w60g/scan
/interface w60g scan wlan60-1
The Scan command searches for and displays available AP(s) in the frequency range supported by the W60G interface.
Using the scan command the interface operation is disabled (wireless link is disconnected during the scan operation)
Currently it is impossible to do background scans.
Monitor
Sub-menu: /interface/w60g/monitor
/interface w60g wlan60-1
connected: yes frequency: 58320
remote-: 04:D6:AA:AA:AA:AA
mcs: 8
phy-rate: 2.3Gbps
signal: 80 rssi: -68
tx-sector: 28
tx-sector-info: center
distance: 160.9m
Monitor shows the current state of an active connection. The Distance measurement tool provides very precise distance measurements. "tx-sector-info" (feature in the testing stage) provides information from the currently used beamforming pattern and shows the direction to the center - the theoretical highest power output point.
Align
Sub-menu: /interface/w60g/allign
/interface w60g align wlan60-1
connected: yes
frequency: 58320
remote-: 04:D6:AA:AA:AA:AB
tx-mcs: 6
tx-phy-rate: 1540.0Mbps
signal: 70
rssi: -62
10s-average-rssi: -63.1
tx-sector: 62
tx-sector-info: left 19 degrees, up 26.6 degrees
rx-sector: 96
distance: 220.88m
tx-packet-error-rate: 5%
In align mode, frames between two devices are exchanged more rapidly and information about signal quality is displayed more often. Use "rssi", "10s-average-rssi" and "tx-sector-info" (available from 6.44beta39) values for more precise link alignment. When devices enter align mode - the link is lost for a few seconds.
Sniff
Sniff mode allows capturing nearby 802.11ad frames. To use sniff mode, the same frequency needs to be used and interface operational mode needs to be set to sniff:
/interface w60g set wlan60-1 mode=sniff
Now this interface can be used in Tools/Packet Sniffer for packet capture. Sniffer mode can't be used together with regular interface working modes.
Point to Multi Point setup example
All MikroTik devices can be interconnected. There are three different versions of wAP60G devices currently available:
- Wireless Wire kit
- wAP 60G
- SXTsq60 Lite60
- wAP 60G AP
And
- Wireless Wire Dish
Hardware-wise wAP devices are identical, but there are some software limitations:
wAP 60G AP is designed for Access Point usage in PtMP (Point to Multi Point) setups, but can also be used as PtP (Point to Point) or as a Station device. It's already equipped with a level4 license to support more than one connected client. For more information, see RouterOS License Key Levels.
Wireless Wire kit, Wireless Wire Dish, SXTsq Lite60 and wAP60G devices come with level3 license. Wireless wire dish should be only used as Client device due to its narrow radiation pattern.
A license upgrade is needed to unlock more than one simultaneously connected client in Access Point mode, but devices can connect to Access Points as regular Station devices.
Before configuration, make sure devices are running the latest software versions: How to upgrade
Minimal configuration for a transparent wireless link is matching SSID, correct mode (bridge || station-bridge) and Wireless and Ethernet interfaces put in the same bridge.
In the current example we will look at a usage case where wAP60G AP is used as Access Point, wAP60G and Wireless Wire kit devices are used as Station devices, forming a 4 unit network.
It's recommended to change default IP addresses to avoid connection issues to the devices
wAP60G AP units come pre-configured with the WISP Bridge default configuration.
SSID and bridge between Wireless and Ethernet interfaces are already configured. It's recommended to set up a Wireless password and change the SSID. If the device has been reset, you can also set the correct mode and enable the interface.
One-liner that does all previously mentioned steps:
/interface w60g set wlan60-1 password="put_your_safe_password_here" ssid="put_your_new_ssid_here" disabled=no mode=ap-
Wireless Wire and wAP60G units come pre-configured with PTP Bridge default configuration.
Wireless Wire devices have already randomly generated matching SSID and Wireless password.
Bridge device (Bridge or Access point device with one connected client support) needs a Wireless mode change to station-bridge.
One-liner that can be used to set devices in client mode:
/interface w60g set wlan60-1 password="put_your_safe_password_here" ssid="put_your_new_ssid_here" disabled=no mode=station-
If configuration is done from an empty configuration (reset without default configuration):
A new bridge needs to be created containing Wireless and Ethernet interfaces and an IP address for easy access should be added.
{ /interface
add name=bridge1
/interface
add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether1
add bridge=bridge1 interface=wlan60-1
/ip add address=192.168.88.1/24 interface=bridge1
}
For the Access Point add this line to ensure all connected stations will be put in the same bridge.
/interface w60g set wlan60-1 put-stations-in-bridge=bridge1
After a successful connection for each Client device a new entry will appear on the Access Point device under:
/interface w60g station print
Flags: X - disabled, R - running
0 name="wlan60-station-1" parent=wlan60-1 remote-address=AA:AA:AA:AA:AA:AA mtu=1500 mac-address=AA:AA:AA:AA:AA:AB arp=enabled arp-timeout=auto put-in-bridge=parent
0 name="wlan60-station-2" parent=wlan60-1 remote-address=AA:AA:AA:AA:AB:AA mtu=1500 mac-address=AA:AA:AA:AA:AA:AC arp=enabled arp-timeout=auto put-in-bridge=parent
0 name="wlan60-station-3" parent=wlan60-1 remote-address=AA:AA:AA:AA:AC:AA mtu=1500 mac-address=AA:AA:AA:AA:AA:AD arp=enabled arp-timeout=auto put-in-bridge=parent
0 name="wlan60-station-4" parent=wlan60-1 remote-address=AA:AA:AA:AA:AD:AA mtu=1500 mac-address=AA:AA:AA:AA:AA:AE arp=enabled arp-timeout=auto put-in-bridge=parent
For each client separate settings can be applied (queues, VLANs, Firewall rules, etc.) providing more flexibility in configuration.
To limit client-client communication in the same bridge, the isolate-stations option can be used on the Access Point device:
/interface w60g set wlan60-1 isolate-stations=yes
Point to Point GUI configuration example
Point to Point GUI configuration example
Troubleshooting and Recommendations
MikroTik 60GHz solutions functionality includes support for ATPC (Adaptive Transmit Power Control)
Physical Properties
Atmospheric attenuation for the wireless frequencies used in the 802.11ad standard is very high. This should be taken into account before deploying links.
The Wireless Wire kit has been tested in distances up to 200 meters.
The Wireless Wire dish kit is tested at distances up to 2500 meters. For stability and full speed availability this kit is recommended for distances up to 1500 meters.
wAP60G devices are equipped with phased array 60° beamforming antennas that can help signal find the way around objects at short distances but it's still vital to keep the line of sight clear at higher distances.
The LHG60G device's single radiation pattern is less than 1 degree (both Horizontal and Vertical). All patterns combined provide close to 3-degree coverage in both Horizontal and Vertical planes. The best one for each situation is calculated by using a beamforming algorithm. Beam width and direction depend on the used predefined calibrated sector.
Device RF characteristics
60 GHz devices
| Device | Width of single antenna pattern and full span in degrees | EIRP | Tx-power | Center sectors* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| wAP 60G | 15-20 degrees single pattern and full span 60 degrees over horizontal and 30 degrees over vertical plane | < 40 dBm | 27,28,35,36 | |
| wAP 60G AP | 15-20 degrees single pattern and full span 60 degrees over horizontal and 30 degrees over vertical plane | < 40 dBm | 27,28,35,36 | |
| Wireless Wire | 15-20 degrees single pattern and full span 60 degrees over horizontal and 30 degrees over vertical plane | < 40 dBm | 27,28,35,36 | |
| wAP 60Gx3 AP | 15-20 degrees single pattern and full span 180 degrees over horizontal and 30 degrees over vertical plane | < 40 dBm | 27,28,35,36 | |
| SXTsq Lite 60 | 15-20 degrees single pattern and full span 60 degrees over horizontal and 30 degrees over vertical plane | < 40 dBm | 27,28,35,36 | |
| Cube Lite 60 | 4-8 degrees single pattern and full span 12 degrees over horizontal and 12 degrees over vertical plane | < 40 dBm | < 10 dBm | 27,28,35,36 |
| Cube 60G ac | 4-8 degrees single pattern and full span 12 degrees over horizontal and 12 degrees over vertical plane | < 40 dBm | < 10 dBm | 27,28,35,36 |
| Cube 60Pro ac | 4-8 degrees single pattern and full span 11 degrees over horizontal and 11 degrees over vertical plane | < 40 dBm | < 10 dBm | 27,28,35,36 |
| CubeSA 60Pro ac | 15 degrees single pattern and full span 60 degrees over horizontal and 30 degrees over vertical plane | < 40 dBm | < 10 dBm | 27,28,35,36 |
| LHG Lite 60 | < 1 degree single pattern and full span 3 degrees over horizontal and 3 degrees over vertical plane | < 55 dBm | < 10 dBm | 27,28,35,36 |
| LHG 60G | < 1 degree single pattern and full span 3 degrees over horizontal and 3 degrees over vertical plane | < 55 dBm | < 10 dBm | 27,28,35,36 |
| Wireless Wire Dish | < 1 degree single pattern and full span 3 degrees over horizontal and 3 degrees over vertical plane | < 55 dBm | < 10 dBm | 27,28,35,36 |
| Wireless Wire nRAY | < 1 degree single pattern and full span 3 degrees over horizontal and 3 degrees over vertical plane | < 55 dBm or <40 dBm with EU region | < 10 dBm | 31 |
*center sector is the calibrated center of the beamforming array
Regions
MikroTik 802.11ad devices support a frequency range: 57240 MHz - 67080 MHz, frequency and channel use can be limited if the "region" parameter is used.
| Region | lower frequency | upper frequency | usable channels |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 57.24 GHz | 70.20 GHz | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
| Canada | 57.24 GHz | 63.72 GHz | 1, 2, 3 |
| Asia | 57.24 GHz | 63.72 GHz | 1, 2, 3 |
| EU | 57.24 GHz | 65.88 GHz | 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| Japan | 57.24 GHz | 65.88 GHz | 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| Australia | 57.24 GHz | 65.88 GHz | 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| China | 59.40 GHz | 63.72 GHz | 2, 3 |
Connection issues
In order to connect devices, they need to be in direct visibility, "scan-list" on the client device needs to include "frequency" used on the AP device. LHG60 devices require very precise alignment in order to get best performance at higher distances.
SNMP OIDs for monitoring
From RouterOS>=6.42rc6, SNMP support for W60G interface monitoring is added.
For main interfaces:
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.8.1.2.1 integer Mode
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.8.1.3.1 string SSID
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.8.1.4.1 integer Connected status
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.8.1.5.1 string Remote MAC
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.8.1.6.1 integer Frequency
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.8.1.7.1 integer MCS
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.8.1.8.1 integer Signal quality
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.8.1.9.1 integer tx-sector
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.8.1.11.1 string Sector info
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.8.1.12.1 integer RSSI
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.8.1.13.1 gauge32 PHY rate
Station interfaces will be numbered under a different table:
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.9.1.2.(interfaceID) = integer Connected status
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.9.1.3.(interfaceID) = Hex-STRING mac-address
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.9.1.4.(interfaceID) = INTEGER: MCS
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.9.1.5.(interfaceID) = INTEGER: Signal Quality Index
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.9.1.6.(interfaceID) = INTEGER: tx-sector
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.9.1.8.(interfaceID) = Gauge32: data-rate [Mbps]
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.9.1.9.(interfaceID) = INTEGER: RSSI
1.3.6.1.4.1.14988.1.1.1.9.1.10.(interfaceID) = INTEGER: distance [cm]
InterfaceID starts at 3 and increases by +1 for each connected station. More information about SNMP functionality and MIB files can be found in the SNMP manual
Configuration Reset For Wireless Wire kits
The Reset button has the same functionality as on other devices, explained in detail here
5 second button hold on startup (USR LED light starts flashing) - resets to password protected state.
10-second button hold on startup (USR LED turns solid after flashing) - completely removes configuration.
After complete removal of configuration, only a mac-telnet connection may be established