Re: TP-Link BE65 and VHT/160

On Sun, 15 Jun 2025, Bjoern A. Zeeb wrote:

> On Sun, 15 Jun 2025, Bjoern A. Zeeb wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 15 Jun 2025, ltning-freebsd-wireless@anduin.net wrote:
>> 
>> Hi,
>> 
>>> I just replaced my AmpliFi devices with a (pair of) TP-Link BE65 and 
>>> realised I'm unable to get more than 802.11a/54Mbps unless I set the 
>>> channel width on the BE65 to 80. If left at the default 160, I can't 
>>> connect (and I even observe firmware crashes on the iwlwifi).
>>> 
>>> Is this expected? I had kinda hoped I could let the others in the 
>>> household enjoy vht/160 even if I can't (yet), so this is a bit puzzling 
>>> to me.
>>> 
>>> I can provide debug info if useful, just tell me what you need. This is my 
>>> Framework 13", intel 13th gen or something like that (not the latest 
>>> Ultra).
>>> 
>>> Some info below - currently connected with vht80 and getting >300Mbit/s.
>>> 
>>> Logs: https://anduin.net/~ltning/iwlwifi-2025-06-15-log.zip
>> 
>> The firmware crashes are releated to key deletion;  I have a WIP here in
>> my tree but it needs more work;  it's all related to net80211 needng
>> more cleanup.
>> 
>> As to your VHT160 problem, there's a few things you can help:
>> 
>> Once you are associated on 5Ghz with VHT160 enable on the AP, do
>> (ideally redirect it all into a file):
>> - ifconfig -v wlan0		(again so we have one coherent view)
>> - ifconfig -v wlan0 list sta
>> - ifconfig -v wlan0 list scan
>> - ifconifg -v wlan0 list chan
>> - sysctl compat.linuxkpi.80211.wlan0
>> 
>> Then you could try:
>> 
>> ifconfig wlan0 down
>> ifconfig wlan0 -vht160
>> ifconfig wlan0 up
>> ifconfig wlan0 scan
>> 
>> should get you back associating with VHT80 I would hope.
>
> Alternatively try the fllowing change (untested, just pasted in).
> You could simply for testing save your /etc/regdomain.xml to a
> backup file and adjust it in place.  Will likely need a re-creation
> of the wlan0 interface (I do not think a down/up cycle applies
> it already, but ifconfig -v wlan0 list regdoman / chan would tell).

Next one, are you actually in the US or would you have to do:

country NO regdomain ETSI

on wlan interface creation?

The TP-Link are likely to announce country DE if they are a European
version.  At leat I would not be surprised from what I heard and read.



> diff --git lib/lib80211/regdomain.xml lib/lib80211/regdomain.xml
> index 9116e54c31cf..c0556bacedac 100644
> --- lib/lib80211/regdomain.xml
> +++ lib/lib80211/regdomain.xml
> @@ -146,6 +146,16 @@
>       <flags>IEEE80211_CHAN_HT40</flags>
>       <flags>IEEE80211_CHAN_VHT80</flags>
>     </band>
> +
> +    <band>
> +       <freqband ref="AC160_5180_5320"/>
> +       <maxpower>23</maxpower>
> +       <flags>IEEE80211_CHAN_DFS</flags>
> +    </band>
> +    <band>
> +       <freqband ref="AC160_5480_5720"/>
> +       <maxpower>24</maxpower>
> +    </band>
>   </netband>
> </rd>
>
> @@ -2339,6 +2349,20 @@
>   <chanwidth>80</chanwidth> <chansep>20</chansep>
>   <flags>IEEE80211_CHAN_A</flags>
> </freqband>
> +<freqband id="AC160_5180_5320">
> +       <freqstart>5180</freqstart> <freqend>5320</freqend>
> +       <chanwidth>160</chanwidth> <chansep>20</chansep>
> +       <flags>IEEE80211_CHAN_A</flags>
> +       <flags>IEEE80211_CHAN_HT40</flags>
> +       <flags>IEEE80211_CHAN_VHT160</flags>
> +</freqband>
> +<freqband id="AC160_5480_5720">
> +       <freqstart>5480</freqstart> <freqend>5720</freqend>
> +       <chanwidth>160</chanwidth> <chansep>20</chansep>
> +       <flags>IEEE80211_CHAN_A</flags>
> +       <flags>IEEE80211_CHAN_HT40</flags>
> +       <flags>IEEE80211_CHAN_VHT160</flags>
> +</freqband>
> <freqband id="H4_5745_5805">
>   <freqstart>5745</freqstart> <freqend>5805</freqend>
>   <chanwidth>40</chanwidth> <chansep>20</chansep>
>
>
>> 
>> Having written all this there's no VHT160 in regdomain.xml for FCC.
>> 
>> Still does not explain why you cannot get and do VHT80 when your AP
>> announce VHT160 but the above shoudl help us with that.
>> 
>> /bz
>> 
>> 
>
>

-- 
Bjoern A. Zeeb                                                     r15:7