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Forum Discussion
CTS/RTS and "hidden node problem"
Hey all I have my CTS/RTS value set to 2100. I recently changed the setup on the RBK752 to use a wired backhaul (15m CAT6a run). I've reduced 2.4Ghz power to 25% and 5Ghz power to 50%. I have ...
Jimbo84 wrote:
My question - does a 2 node setup, with wired backhaul, suffer from the "hidden node problem"? I was looking on Wikipedia and the example given shows 3 stations communicating with each other. As the RBK752 is a 2 node kit, am I safe to assume this is not an issue here?
Yes, any WiFi access point can be affected by the hidden node problem. That Wikipedia article was illustrating one Access Point (AP) and two user devices. When there is one router and one AP, then there are two access points that can be affected by the hidden node problem. When there is one router and two APs, then there are three access points that can be affected by the hidden node problem. With the Orbi mesh system, all access points and all user devices broadcast on the same frequency, so collisions can be more common.
Changing from WiFi backhaul to wired backhaul eliminates any possibility for hidden node issues on the backhaul frequency. Just like changing the transmit power affects only the user facing radios, changing the CTS/RTS value on the user facing interfaces most likely has no impact on the WiFi 'backhaul' link between units. The WiFi backhaul transmit power and RTS/CTS are not changeable by the user.
Reducing the access point transmit power will tend to reduce the chances of a hidden node. The reasoning is this:
- When the AP is transmitting at full power, user devices can be farther away and still get a strong signal.
If one user device is very far away from another user device, they may not recognize when each other is trasmitting. - When the AP is transmitting at reduced power, those user devices will have to be closer to the AP, and thus closer to each other.
- However, reducing AP transmit power does not cause user devices to reduce power. So when devices are closer together, they are more likely to hear each other transmit.
There are many articles on the internet discussing how to optimize RTS/CTS for a specific environment. My take from reading them is, "It depends." i.e. there is no value that works best for everyone and all the time.