Received-SPF: pass (google.com: domain of linux-wireless-owner@vger.kernel.org designates 23.128.96.18 as permitted sender) client-ip=23.128.96.18;
Date:   Mon, 15 Jun 2020 03:30:14 +0000
To:     "linux-wireless@vger.kernel.org" <linux-wireless@vger.kernel.org>
From:   yagoplx <yagocl@protonmail.ch>
Reply-To: yagoplx <yagocl@protonmail.ch>
Subject: rtlwifi/rtl8192ee suffers with very low performance in AP mode
Message-ID: <_9i057mDZgqJwU9cZCClK7erB0rE5GPEuQ37f981Y4iTNgXOy043Ha_Mi1tY4Qj4gbmdkpoShkETdtX448tXL_pH5TT9yC02TsEnia_Dmmw=@protonmail.ch>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Sender: linux-wireless-owner@vger.kernel.org
Precedence: bulk

I have been using my home server as wireless router for a while, and this i=
ssue has been around with me for a while too. I got the TL-WN881ND v2 from =
TP-Link as it was the most robust option I could find for sale in my region=
, and started using it as my home personal usage access point. This is a PC=
I-E rtl8192ee-cg device.


However, with the rtlwifi rtl8192ee driver, the AP suffers from tremendousl=
y slow performance, especially on download speeds (from the point of view o=
f a client device). This in turn makes this driver's AP unsuitable for anyt=
hing other than very light browsing. Here are some results:
(as measured from a very close device in line of sight with a clear airspac=
e)


Link Power Save ON: download - 105 kB/s, upload - 1194kB/s
Link Power Save OFF: download - 105 kB/s, upload - 1194kB/s
reference, ethernet connection feeding the server
download - 91786 kB/s, upload - 38255 kB/s
It's always the same speeds... which is very odd. I get very similar result=
s with the default firmware and the "_new" firmware. At this point it feels=
 like I have tried everything under the horizon.


There is one thing that works to make this card more performant as an AP an=
d it is to use this driver: github.com/lwfinger/rtl8192ee .


It lets the AP work at about 50Mbps download on the client device, which is=
 half of the wired speed but still less than advertised by the device. Howe=
ver I would like to ditch that driver in favor of the kernel driver, becaus=
e the kernel driver has features I am interested in that the alternate code=
base one doesn't.