From owner-freebsd-net@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Apr 4 17:52:52 2008 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-net@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9A799106566B for ; Fri, 4 Apr 2008 17:52:52 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from sam@freebsd.org) Received: from ebb.errno.com (ebb.errno.com [69.12.149.25]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6C8458FC13 for ; Fri, 4 Apr 2008 17:52:52 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from sam@freebsd.org) Received: from trouble.errno.com (trouble.errno.com [10.0.0.248]) (authenticated bits=0) by ebb.errno.com (8.13.6/8.12.6) with ESMTP id m34HqpuR038024 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA bits=256 verify=NO); Fri, 4 Apr 2008 10:52:52 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from sam@freebsd.org) Message-ID: <47F66AF3.9020004@freebsd.org> Date: Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:52:51 -0700 From: Sam Leffler Organization: FreeBSD Project User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.9 (X11/20071125) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: "Ronald F. Guilmette" References: <74665.1207285536@tristatelogic.com> In-Reply-To: <74665.1207285536@tristatelogic.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-DCC--Metrics: ebb.errno.com; whitelist Cc: freebsd-net@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Measuring Wireless Performance (?) X-BeenThere: freebsd-net@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Networking and TCP/IP with FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:52:52 -0000 Ronald F. Guilmette wrote: > As I just mentioned in my immediately preceeding post, I'm a total > neophite when it come to wirless networking, so I need to ask a > rather basic question. > > In preparation for installing my first ever wireless network, I read > up on the subject awhile first, and I found several people who had > commented (in various places) that they had bought "upgrade" antennas > for their wirless cards, and that this helped them, either to make > connections where they otherwise couldn't, or else with throughput/ > performance of their wireless link. > > Being totally new to this stuff, I have no idea if I would benefit > from a better antenna for my wireless card or not, so I gotta ask: > How can I tell? > > Are there some tools available for FreeBSD that would tell me about > stuff like: > > Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) > Failed Frame Transmission Count, etc. > > and/or performance of the wirless link generally? > > Humm... OK. I just found this, but it seems to be a Windoze-only thing: > > http://sysnet.ucsd.edu/pawn/wrapi/ > > :-) > _______________________________________________ > ifconfig ral0 list sta shows rssi + noise floor if the driver provides it. As to performance you need to distinguish between tx+rx operation. The ral driver in REELNG_7 uses a tx rate control algorithm that is mismatched for the device capabilities. As a result tx performance is suboptimal. Using unidirectional UDP tests like netperf -t UDP_STREAM in each direction is useful to characterize operation + performance. If your problem is you are simply too far from your ap then boosting gain with an outboard antenna can help but rx sensitivity is just as important (in many cases more important) than tx power so whatever you do must consider this. In the end you're likely better off just springing for a better wireless card. Sam