Non CAPsMAN Wireless Modes · Topic 2 of 2

Bridging with 60 GHz Wireless Wire Products

Learn how MikroTik 60 GHz Wireless Wire products make a fast point to point bridge, the bridge and station bridge modes, and how to align them.

5 min

In a nutshell

Wireless Wire products use 60 GHz and 802.11ad to create a fast layer 2 point to point bridge.
60 GHz needs a clear line of sight, has a short range and can be affected by heavy rain.
The interface menu is /interface w60g, and the interface is named like wlan60-1.

What it is

MikroTik 60 GHz Wireless Wire products create a very fast wireless link between two points that act like a cable.

They work in the 60 GHz band, which uses the 802.11ad standard. The beam is narrow and the range is short compared with 5 GHz, but the speed can be very high.

A pair of units bridges two networks at layer 2. The link is made to behave as if a cable ran between them.

How it works

One unit is the access point of the link, the other is the client, and both are placed in a bridge.

The 60 GHz band

At 60 GHz the wavelength is very short. The signal is easily blocked by walls, trees and even heavy rain, so it needs a clear line of sight.

The beam is narrow, so the units must be aimed at each other with care. Their antennas are built in and sized for the job, so the range is a design property of the model.

Feature	60 GHz link	5 GHz link
Speed	Very high	Lower
Range	Short	Longer
Beam	Very narrow	Wider
Weather effect	Rain can reduce the link	Less affected
Obstructions	Needs clear line of sight	Tolerates more

Roles and modes

The wireless interface for 60 GHz is w60g. Its mode decides the role of each unit.

Mode	Role
`bridge`	The access point end of the link
`station-bridge`	The client end, which passes layer 2 traffic through the link

One unit is set to bridge and the other to station-bridge. They must use the same SSID and the same password.

/interface w60g set wlan60-1 mode=bridge ssid=wire1 password=ChangeMe123
/interface w60g set wlan60-1 mode=station-bridge ssid=wire1 password=ChangeMe123
/interface bridge add name=bridge1
/interface bridge port add bridge=bridge1 interface=wlan60-1
/interface bridge port add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether1

The first command is for the access point end and the second is for the client end.
The bridge ports join the 60 GHz interface and the Ethernet port in one layer 2 bridge.
/interface w60g print shows the interface settings.

Some Wireless Wire kits arrive already paired, and the two units connect as soon as they power on. You then only need to add the bridge or change the password.

Watch out

Change the default password on a paired link. Anyone within range who knows it can join the link.

Alignment

Alignment is the most important installation step. A small aiming error loses a large part of the signal.

The w60g interface has an alignment tool that shows the signal quality while you move the unit. It also helps to monitor the link after installation.

/interface w60g monitor wlan60-1
/interface w60g align wlan60-1

monitor shows the link state, the signal quality and the data rate in use.
align helps you point the unit by showing live signal values.

Beamforming and rate

The units choose the best beam direction automatically and adapt the data rate to the link quality. A clear and well aimed link uses a high rate.

A degraded link drops to a lower rate and may disconnect. Rain, a blocked path or a bad alignment are the usual causes.

Placement

Mount the units on stable supports, because a mast that sways moves the beam off target. Avoid anything between the two units, including tree branches that grow in spring.

Keep the link length within the range of the model. Do not stretch a short range model over a long path.

Using the link in a design

A 60 GHz bridge works well for a building to building link, for a campus backbone and for a short rooftop hop. It is less suited to a path with heavy rain or no clear line of sight.

Exam tip

For a critical link, plan a backup path on a lower band, because 60 GHz can fail in very heavy rain.

What to remember for the exam

Seven facts cover this topic.

Wireless Wire products use 60 GHz and 802.11ad to create a fast layer 2 point to point bridge.
60 GHz needs a clear line of sight, has a short range and can be affected by heavy rain.
The interface menu is /interface w60g, and the interface is named like wlan60-1.
One unit uses bridge mode and the other uses station-bridge mode.
Both units must use the same SSID and password.
The 60 GHz interface and an Ethernet port are joined in a bridge.
Alignment is critical, and monitor and align help.

Common mistakes

These four errors are common.

Forgetting to bridge the ports. Without the bridge, the link comes up but the networks are not joined.

Setting both units to the same mode. One must be bridge and the other station-bridge.

Poor alignment. The link may connect at a low rate and then drop out.

Ignoring the line of sight. Trees and walls block 60 GHz very effectively.

Check yourself

Work through these three questions.

What are the two modes used on a 60 GHz Wireless Wire link?
One unit uses bridge and the other uses station-bridge. Both must share the same SSID and password.
Why is alignment so important at 60 GHz?
The beam is very narrow, so a small aiming error loses much of the signal. The align and monitor commands help.
What must you do so the two LANs behave as one network?
Add the 60 GHz interface and the Ethernet port to the same bridge on each unit. The link then carries layer 2 traffic.

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