Nv2 Protocol

What this chapter covers

The Nv2 chapter is about MikroTik's time slot based wireless protocol for 802.11n hardware.

Instead of letting devices compete for the air, Nv2 lets the access point schedule when each client sends. That removes collisions and the hidden node problem, and it suits long outdoor links and cells with many clients.

The chapter follows the last part of the MTCWE syllabus. It has three topics, and each has its own page.

How the topics fit together

The three topics follow the life of an Nv2 link: understand it, set it up, then keep it healthy.

The pages follow that order:

• Nv2 features explain TDMA, the requirements and how Nv2 compares with Nstreme.
• Nv2 configuration options explain the protocol setting, the cell radius, QoS and the optional Nv2 security.
• Nv2 troubleshooting explains a method from simple mismatches to timing and radio faults.

The cell radius is the idea that ties the chapter together. It links the distance of your clients to the timing of the schedule, so it appears in the setup and in the troubleshooting.

How to use these pages

Each topic page has the same shape, so you can skim for what you need.

• What it is: the idea in plain words.
• How it works: the mechanism, with diagrams and example commands.
• What to remember for the exam: the facts to memorise.
• Common mistakes: the classic traps.
• Check yourself: three questions to test your understanding.

Compare Nv2 with Nstreme as you read, since the two are often set against each other in questions. Know what each one does for the hidden node problem, which hardware it needs and which settings it uses.

If you can, build a test link and watch how the throughput changes when you vary the cell radius. A short lab teaches the idea better than any table.