It seems setting txpower for Wilink8 is broken. It's stuck at the lowest level 0 dBm = 1mW.
Please see logs below when trying to set txpower with both iw and iwconfig.
Setting values outside the permitted range correctly reports an error. Setting values within range reports no error but the value reported back is always 0 dBm.
This is also confirmed by checking signal strength at the connect AP reporting the same and very low signal regardless of settings applied.
iw reports that the Wi-Fi module supports up to 20 dBm and that is consistent with the range where no error is reported.
Please advice how to set the txpower (WL1837)
Thanks /david
root@openwrt:/# iw dev wlan0 station dump
Station 90:72:40:20:01:02 (on wlan0)
inactive time: 0 ms
rx bytes: 70442767
rx packets: 280817
tx bytes: 28778069
tx packets: 278261
tx retries: 0
tx failed: 30
signal: -74 dBm
signal avg: -71 dBm
tx bitrate: 108.0 MBit/s MCS 5 40Mhz
rx bitrate: 52.0 MBit/s MCS 5
authorized: yes
authenticated: yes
preamble: long
WMM/WME: yes
MFP: no
TDLS peer: no
root@openwrt:/# iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.
usb0 no wireless extensions.
wlan0 IEEE 802.11abgn ESSID:"FooBar"
Mode:Managed Frequency:5.18 GHz Access Point: 90:72:40:20:01:02
Bit Rate=150 Mb/s Tx-Power=0 dBm
RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality=40/70 Signal level=-70 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:30 Invalid misc:1 Missed beacon:0
root@openwrt:/# iwconfig wlan0 txpower 20
root@openwrt:/# iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.
usb0 no wireless extensions.
wlan0 IEEE 802.11abgn ESSID:"FooBar"
Mode:Managed Frequency:5.18 GHz Access Point: 90:72:40:20:01:02
Bit Rate=150 Mb/s Tx-Power=0 dBm
RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality=37/70 Signal level=-73 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:30 Invalid misc:1 Missed beacon:0
root@openwrt:/# iwconfig wlan0 txpower 21
Error for wireless request "Set Tx Power" (8B26) :
SET failed on device wlan0 ; Invalid argument.
root@openwrt:/# iwconfig wlan0 txpower 0
root@openwrt:/# iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.
usb0 no wireless extensions.
wlan0 IEEE 802.11abgn ESSID:"FooBar"
Mode:Managed Frequency:5.18 GHz Access Point: 90:72:40:20:01:02
Bit Rate=150 Mb/s Tx-Power=0 dBm
RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality=38/70 Signal level=-72 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:30 Invalid misc:1 Missed beacon:0
root@openwrt:/# iw dev wlan0 set txpower fixed 100
root@openwrt:/# iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.
usb0 no wireless extensions.
wlan0 IEEE 802.11abgn ESSID:"FooBar"
Mode:Managed Frequency:5.18 GHz Access Point: 90:72:40:20:01:02
Bit Rate=150 Mb/s Tx-Power=0 dBm
RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality=38/70 Signal level=-72 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:30 Invalid misc:1 Missed beacon:0
root@openwrt:/# iw dev wlan0 set txpower fixed 2000
root@openwrt:/# iw dev wlan0 set txpower fixed 2001
command failed: Operation not supported (-95)
root@openwrt:/# iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.
usb0 no wireless extensions.
wlan0 IEEE 802.11abgn ESSID:"FooBar"
Mode:Managed Frequency:5.18 GHz Access Point: 90:72:40:20:01:02
Bit Rate=150 Mb/s Tx-Power=0 dBm
RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality=37/70 Signal level=-73 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:30 Invalid misc:1 Missed beacon:0
root@openwrt:/# iw list
Wiphy phy0
Band 1:
Capabilities: 0x1072
HT20/HT40
Static SM Power Save
RX Greenfield
RX HT20 SGI
RX HT40 SGI
No RX STBC
Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
DSSS/CCK HT40
Maximum RX AMPDU length 16383 bytes (exponent: 0x001)
Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 16 usec (0x07)
HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-7
Frequencies:
* 2412 MHz [1] (20.0 dBm)
* 2417 MHz [2] (20.0 dBm)
* 2422 MHz [3] (20.0 dBm)
* 2427 MHz [4] (20.0 dBm)
* 2432 MHz [5] (20.0 dBm)
* 2437 MHz [6] (20.0 dBm)
* 2442 MHz [7] (20.0 dBm)
* 2447 MHz [8] (20.0 dBm)
* 2452 MHz [9] (20.0 dBm)
* 2457 MHz [10] (20.0 dBm)
* 2462 MHz [11] (20.0 dBm)
* 2467 MHz [12] (20.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
* 2472 MHz [13] (20.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
* 2484 MHz [14] (20.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
Bitrates (non-HT):
* 1.0 Mbps
* 2.0 Mbps (short preamble supported)
* 5.5 Mbps (short preamble supported)
* 11.0 Mbps (short preamble supported)
* 6.0 Mbps
* 9.0 Mbps
* 12.0 Mbps
* 18.0 Mbps
* 24.0 Mbps
* 36.0 Mbps
* 48.0 Mbps
* 54.0 Mbps
Band 2:
Capabilities: 0x72
HT20/HT40
Static SM Power Save
RX Greenfield
RX HT20 SGI
RX HT40 SGI
No RX STBC
Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
No DSSS/CCK HT40
Maximum RX AMPDU length 16383 bytes (exponent: 0x001)
Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 16 usec (0x07)
HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-7
Frequencies:
* 5035 MHz [7] (disabled)
* 5040 MHz [8] (disabled)
* 5045 MHz [9] (disabled)
* 5055 MHz [11] (disabled)
* 5060 MHz [12] (disabled)
* 5080 MHz [16] (disabled)
* 5170 MHz [34] (disabled)
* 5180 MHz [36] (20.0 dBm)
* 5190 MHz [38] (20.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
* 5200 MHz [40] (20.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
* 5210 MHz [42] (20.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
* 5220 MHz [44] (20.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
* 5230 MHz [46] (20.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
* 5240 MHz [48] (20.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
* 5260 MHz [52] (disabled)
* 5280 MHz [56] (disabled)
* 5300 MHz [60] (disabled)
* 5320 MHz [64] (disabled)
* 5500 MHz [100] (disabled)
* 5520 MHz [104] (disabled)
* 5540 MHz [108] (disabled)
* 5560 MHz [112] (disabled)
* 5580 MHz [116] (disabled)
* 5600 MHz [120] (disabled)
* 5620 MHz [124] (disabled)
* 5640 MHz [128] (disabled)
* 5660 MHz [132] (disabled)
* 5680 MHz [136] (disabled)
* 5700 MHz [140] (disabled)
* 5745 MHz [149] (20.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
* 5765 MHz [153] (20.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
* 5785 MHz [157] (20.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
* 5805 MHz [161] (20.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
* 5825 MHz [165] (20.0 dBm) (passive scanning, no IBSS)
Bitrates (non-HT):
* 6.0 Mbps
* 9.0 Mbps
* 12.0 Mbps
* 18.0 Mbps
* 24.0 Mbps
* 36.0 Mbps
* 48.0 Mbps
* 54.0 Mbps
max # scan SSIDs: 1
max scan IEs length: 441 bytes
Coverage class: 0 (up to 0m)
Supported Ciphers:
* WEP40 (00-0f-ac:1)
* WEP104 (00-0f-ac:5)
* TKIP (00-0f-ac:2)
* CCMP (00-0f-ac:4)
* WPI-SMS4 (00-14-72:1)
Available Antennas: TX 0 RX 0
Supported interface modes:
* IBSS
* managed
* AP
* AP/VLAN
* monitor
* P2P-client
* P2P-GO
software interface modes (can always be added):
* AP/VLAN
* monitor
valid interface combinations:
* #{ managed } <= 3, #{ AP, P2P-client, P2P-GO } <= 1,
total <= 3, #channels <= 2
Supported commands:
* new_interface
* set_interface
* new_key
* start_ap
* new_station
* new_mpath
* set_mesh_config
* set_bss
* authenticate
* associate
* deauthenticate
* disassociate
* join_ibss
* join_mesh
* remain_on_channel
* set_tx_bitrate_mask
* frame
* frame_wait_cancel
* set_wiphy_netns
* set_channel
* set_wds_peer
* start_sched_scan
* probe_client
* set_noack_map
* register_beacons
* testmode
* connect
* disconnect
Supported TX frame types:
* IBSS: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* managed: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* AP: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* AP/VLAN: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* mesh point: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* P2P-client: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* P2P-GO: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
Supported RX frame types:
* IBSS: 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
* managed: 0x40 0xd0
* AP: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
* AP/VLAN: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
* mesh point: 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
* P2P-client: 0x40 0xd0
* P2P-GO: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
WoWLAN support: <failed to parse>
Device supports AP-side u-APSD.
HT Capability overrides:
* MCS: ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
* maximum A-MSDU length
* supported channel width
* short GI for 40 MHz
* max A-MPDU length exponent
* min MPDU start spacing
Device supports HT-IBSS.
