Wi-Fi Troubleshooting Guide

In this guide, we will walk you through some troubleshooting steps in case you experience slow Wi-Fi issues, client connectivity issues, or have issues forming a wireless mesh network.

1. Update Access Point Software
2. Verify Cabling & Speed Negotiation
3. Switch Configuration & VLAN Checks
4. AP7 Placement & Signal Strength
5. Device Testing & Speed Verification
6. Band-Specific Troubleshooting
7. SSID Isolation per Band
8. 6 GHz Limitations
9. Reconnect to Wi-Fi Network
10. Adjust Transmission Power
11. IoT Device Connectivity
12. Band Steering for IoT Devices
13. Optimize AP Connectivity
14. Local Network & VLAN Configuration
15. AP Orientation Test

1) Update Access Point Software

Check if the AP7 software is up-to-date.

Open the Firewalla App. From your box’s main screen, tap the “Wi-Fi” icon -> Access Points -> Select an AP7 -> Tap Version -> Check for Updates

Verify if the Access Point is up to date. If not, update it to the latest version.

 

2) Verify Cabling & Speed Negotiation

Check the cabling between the AP7 and the Firewalla box or between the switch and the devices.

In case the AP7 is connected to a switch, connect the AP7 directly to a Firewalla port and check the speeds.
Open the Firewalla App. From your box’s main screen, tap the 'Wi-Fi' icon, select the 'Access Point' tab, and choose the Access Point. Scroll down to find the Port Speed of the Access Point under 'Port Speed.’

If you're experiencing issues with Ethernet speed negotiation or the link status fluctuating, try swapping the cables.

To ensure reliable 10GBASE-T performance, try using a different Cat6 or higher cable, with Cat6a being the preferred option for extended distances.

 

3) Switch Configuration & VLAN Checks

If a switch is used between Firewalla Box and the AP7, verify that the ports on the switch are configured properly.

*[Mandatory]: The AP7 uses native LAN (not VLAN) as the management network. Ensure that the native LAN is functional before setting up your AP7s.

If there is a managed switch between the AP7 and Firewalla Box, ensure that the native LAN is functional on the managed switch as well as the Firewalla Box (in other words, both ports of the switch must be allowed to pass untagged VLAN traffic).

 

4) AP7 Placement & Signal Strength

Ensure the AP7 is located in an open area, and that the placement of the Satellite AP7 (wireless backhaul) is closer to the Root AP7 (already paired unit).

From your box’s main screen, tap the “Wi-Fi” icon -> Access Points -> Check the RSSI on the Satellite-AP to see at which level it is detecting the Root-AP or its Uplink-AP. (Ideally, it should be in the range of -55 dBm to -65 dBm).

 

5) Device Testing & Speed Verification

Use the 'Wi-Fi Test' on the device that is experiencing issues or another similar phone to determine if the problem is specific to a particular device or a general issue. On laptops, test the speed using the URL: http://fire.walla:8833/ss/ 

Test the Wi-Fi speed by placing the devices close to the AP7 (3 to 5 feet) and measuring the download/upload speeds. Check if the RSSI is better when closer to the AP7.

 

6) Band-Specific Troubleshooting

Identify the band on which the speed issue is observed: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz.

If the issue occurs on the 2.4 GHz band, try changing the channels to 1, 6, or 11. 

For the 5 GHz band, try using non-DFS channels, such as 36 or 149. To disable 5 GHz DFS channels, from your box’s main screen, tap the “Wi-Fi” icon -> Wi-Fi settings (top right corner) -> Disable “5GHz DFS Channels.”

 

7) SSID Isolation per Band

Create a separate SSID and assign it to a single band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz) to isolate band-specific issues. For more information about selecting specific frequency bands on your SSID, see here.

 

8) 6 GHz Limitations

Currently, 6 GHz channels cannot be changed. Future app updates may include an option to modify 6 GHz channels and bandwidth.

If you experience Wi-Fi connection drop on Pixel phones, please turn off adaptive connectivity.
To disable adaptive connectivity on your Pixel 9, open the phone's Settings app, tap "Network & Internet", then toggle off "Adaptive connectivity."

 

9) Reconnect to Wi-Fi Network

In case Wi-Fi speeds are low and you are not able to connect to the Internet, forget the Wi-Fi network and reconnect. If possible, try the same scenario with different phones/laptops.

To forget a Wi-Fi network and reconnect, navigate to your device's Wi-Fi settings, select "Manage known networks" (or similar), choose the network, and then select "Forget." Then, reconnect by selecting the network and entering the password.

Then, toggle the Wi-Fi button and verify if the network connectivity is better (improved speeds and Internet).

 

10) Adjust Transmission Power

By default, Tx power on all bands is set to the maximum value. Try lowering the Tx power if devices are connecting to AP7s that are far away, or use the Optimize Wi-Fi experience button on the device page.

 

11) IoT Device Connectivity

If your device (usually IoT) is unable to connect to the Wi-Fi, try creating a separate SSID with the 2.4 GHz band enabled and changing the Wi-Fi security type to WPA/WPA2 Personal.

 

12) Band Steering for IoT Devices

Disable “Band Steering” in case IoT devices are having connectivity issues.

From your box’s main screen, tap the “Wi-Fi” icon -> Wi-Fi settings (top right corner) -> Toggle off “Band Steering”

For more information about advanced Wi-Fi settings, see here.

 

13) Optimize AP Connectivity

“Optimize Wi-Fi Experience” can be used in case clients are connecting to far-off AP7s.

From the box’s main screen, tap the “Wi-Fi” icon -> Wi-Fi settings (top right corner) -> tap “Optimize Wi-Fi Experience.”

For more information about advanced Wi-Fi settings, see here.

 

14) Local Network & VLAN Configuration

If you have issues accessing devices in your Local Network, check if there are any blocking rules or if VqLAN or Device Isolation are enabled on the device/group/user. Try to disable them and check if the issue persists.

For Apple HomeKit integration to work, the HomeKit hub (e.g., Apple TV) must be allowed to access the IoT devices to be able to control them. If these IoT devices are in a VqLAN-enabled group, add the HomeKit hub to the Allowed Devices for that group. For more information about Allowed Devices, see here. 

 

15) AP Orientation Test

Change the orientation of the AP7 clockwise to check if the RSSI or throughput improves when facing the client devices.