Fairphone 2 Wi-Fi reception drops using 5 GHz channel 120

Help Fairphone 2
1

I’m facing the same behaviour with my FP2. Just bought a second Wifi-Access Point (UnifyAP) which caused the original AP (working fine until then on channel 42) to switch to channel 120. To confirm, that the Problem is related to the channel, I measured the FP2s Wifi Receiption on channel 64 and 120 against the reception of a Galaxy-S9. According to the APs Web-Interface, I got the following results:

Channel Device Reception Reception-Rating (by UAP-UI)
64 FP2 -53 94%
64 S9 -49 99%
120 FP2 -88 7%
120 S9 -52 97%

As you can see, the S9 receiption does not change much between channel 64/120 and while the FP2 has a comparable receiption at channel 64, it completely drops at 120.
All measurements have been made in ~1.5 meters distance to the AP

Running on LoS 17.1

PS: Is it worth opening an own topic for the FP2 problematic, as it is a different hardware, or should I stay here?

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2

Thanks a lot, I could have done a comparison between a FP2 and a Pixel 3a, but I did not think about it!

Definitely yes, it is worth to open a new thread in the FP2 section. Although the issue probably will not be solved, because the hardware is as it is, we can collect experiences from other users there.

3

I moved your posts from here …

https://forum.fairphone.com/t/my-fp3-doesnt-like-higher-5ghz-wifi-channels-especially-channel-116/54710/29?u=anotherelk

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4

Thanks for moving, although I would not see this one as a discussion, but as a hardware issue.

5

Ok, I put it in the Help category now, I just went along with the category choice of the originating topic before.

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6

Sorry, I cannot confirm this.
My FP2 Android 6 is connected to a Fritzbox 6890 LTE using the 5GHz band about 2 meters away.

Using the Net analyzer App I get the following results:

Channel 120 -45 dbm
Channel 64 -42 dbm

nearly equal.

I’m using the 802.11n+ac wireless standard and only 50% transmitter power.
Does not look like a general mobile HW problem.

7

@simpleShark How is your router configured?

8

I’m using 802.11n/a/ac mode and transmit power is set to “auto” (according to UI: 17 dBm / 20 dBm EIRP)

9

Router_config_5GHz-wifi-
Router_config_5GHz-wifi-2000×542 180 KB

Have you also recognized how much damping occurs when holding your mobile while measuring and how the result is when just being placed untouched on a table?

At least the damping actually is different here between both channels.

10

Please verify if your router has the latest firmware update. I have read that some issues in regard to 5 GHz were solved: UniFi - Rethinking IT - Ubiquiti

11

I had wifi issues with 5GHz since I got my phone. On FPOOS, on Lineage, with two different core modules, on three different routers and perhaps more. Most of the time, it didn’t connect. I didn’t check the channels though.

12

Do you still own the FP2 to be able to perform some tests?

13

I’m currently answering you on it, so yes. Though I suspect my second core module to have a defect, in which case I will have it changed. I am also going to get another FP2 soon, and my brother owns one, so I will be able to do many tests.

1 Like
14

Great, you could check on your router which channels work, respectively channel 120, if that is OK for you.

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15

When I have time, sure I will. For the moment I’m not home though. And I’ll ask my brother for help, he is more techie than me.
Edit: My brother also has a customizable OpenWRT router with which tests will be easy. I’ll keep you updated.

1 Like
16

I recategorized the topic in #discuss:fairphone2 as it was originally instead of #help:fp2, because we are more discussing an issue and doing tests than someone asking others for help. I also took the #lineageos tag away, as it is not limited to one OS.
Please tell me if you want to reverse it.

17

I do not really understand your motivation to recategorize this thread, because …

And the fact that the Samsung phone works fine on channel 120, but the FP2 does not, is a technical issue which should be investigated. However, you are the moderator, I do not care…

18

Well, I suppose both points of vue are valuable. I’ll reverse then.

I’m actually not a moderator, just a @trust_level_3, a regular.

1 Like
19

I can confirm, that both APs running on the latest firmware (4.3.20.11298). As also the FP2 is the only of all our devices having any issues, I do not think the APs are the problem

20

Just tested it again, comparing receiption with the phone in my hand vs. phone lying on hard ground. While I cannot see a big differents between both situations, I recognized that even slightly turning/moving the phone seems to make quite a big difference:
By tilting/ moving the phone within few centimeters, I could reach levels from 5% up to 35% (again ~1,5m distance to the router / channel 120)

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