FreeBSD-8.0 802.11n support with ath/mwl

[Jim Pingle]

On 2/28/2010 2:29 PM, Bernhard Schmidt wrote:
> On Sun, Feb 28, 2010 at 12:38:19PM -0500, Jim Pingle wrote:
[snip]
>> In this case, the mwl card is the AP. The client line is from an
>> associated Windows 7 laptop with an Intel 5100abgn card which does show
>> the AP as 802.11n in the AP list. I'm connected and sending this message
>> through it right now, actually.
>>
>> Are there some other bits that need set in order to have clients
>> associate with HT rates? Or some other prerequisite conditions such as
>> number of attached antennae? I do only have one antenna attached as I
>> didn't have a second pigtail for this test unit's case. The card
>> actually has three connectors.
>>
>> I didn't see hints in the mwl(4), wlan(4), hostapd(8), hostapd.conf(5),
>> or ifconfig(8) man pages about troubleshooting rates. I see plenty of
>> talk in ifconfig(8) about use and control of HT rates, but given what
>> I'm seeing in ifconfig, it should be set to use them. I've tried several
>> combinations of channels and standards (e.g. 11ng, 11na) but always end
>> up with a 54Mbps link.
>>
>> I'd appreciate any more pointers that you (or anyone else reading) may
>> have. I'd like to write up something on the topic once I get it fully
>> operational.
> 
> Did you measure the actual bandwidth you get? Changes are high that you
> are actually using HT rates, the rate information is just no accurate.

I did some tests and the throughput was quite slow. Enough to make me
wonder about the antenna situation again. I'll have to dig up more
pigtails and try again. Thanks for the idea.

Jim