sync: auto-sync from HOWARD-HOME at 2026-06-15 23:04:23

Author: Howard Enos
Machine: HOWARD-HOME
Timestamp: 2026-06-15 23:04:23

clients/cascades-tucson/session-logs/2026-06/2026-06-15-howard-cascades-wifi-rf-audit.md

@@ -174,3 +174,56 @@ internet + Tailscale + direct AP reach all work simultaneously.
   (now feasible via direct AP `iw scan`/scan_radio_table) to unlock safe radio DISABLEs; then the
   Floor-4 2.4 power-down pilot with live before/after validation.
 - Coord this update: watch-ap.sh fix b0cf24a5.
+
+---
+
+## Update: 23:03 PT — RF-neighbor table DEFINITIVELY unobtainable; survey-dump is the usable substitute
+
+Exhaustively investigated whether an AP-to-AP RF-neighbor table (which of OUR managed APs each AP
+hears + RSSI) is obtainable, to enable data-driven radio DISABLE decisions. Cross-checked against
+two rounds of UniFi's own AI guidance. **Conclusion: NOT obtainable on this deployment by any
+safe/supported method.** Stop chasing it.
+
+### Why it's impossible here (all paths tested)
+- `rogue` collection AND Network API `stat/rogueap` (7,354 records): both FILTER OUT our managed
+  APs — only foreign BSSIDs (our OUI 0c:ea:14 = 2 hits, CSCNet = 0, is_ubnt = 2). By design.
+- AP `iw dev wifiX scan`: **firmware-blocked — "Operation not permitted (-1)" even as uid=0(root)**,
+  on all radios incl. an idle 6GHz radio. UniFi locks raw scanning on operating radios.
+- `iw scan dump` (cached): empty. `device.scan_radio_table`: empty []. No spectrum/neighbor
+  collection exists. `hostapd_cli show_neighbor` (802.11k): FAIL on every VAP.
+- `mca-cli-op`: interactive CLI (bare invocation spews prompts — feed `</dev/null`). Subcommand
+  `info` works (firmware 8.6.11.18870, U7-Pro) but exposes NO neighbor/RF data; wireless/radio/
+  status return nothing useful.
+- Channel AI / `channelplan`: stale (last run 2026-04-06); exposes only resulting channel lists,
+  not the neighbor graph. UniFi consumes neighbor data internally but exposes it nowhere.
+- Roam graph (`ace_stat.wifi_connectivity_event`): too sparse (50 clients, 6 edges) — Cascades
+  devices are largely stationary (senior living), so roams can't prove coverage redundancy.
+- A disruptive controller spectrum-scan would only return per-channel RF ENERGY, not a managed-AP
+  BSSID list — so even disruptive testing won't yield the neighbor table. NOT worth running.
+
+NET: automated radio DISABLES are not data-supportable at Cascades. `optimize-radios.sh`
+"disable=0" is correct. Any disables must be MANUAL (UniFi UI RF Environment view + on-site).
+
+### The usable WIN: non-disruptive per-AP per-channel RF environment via `iw survey dump`
+`iw dev wifiX survey dump` returns, per AP, **per-channel noise floor + airtime busy%** across the
+WHOLE band (not just in-use) — already populated by background scanning, zero disruption. This is
+real measured RF data that supports a DATA-DRIVEN CHANNEL PLAN. Sample AP 132 (Rec Room):
+- 2.4 GHz: ch1 89%, ch6 95% (noise -65dBm), ch11 96% — every channel saturated.
+- 5 GHz: UNII-1/low (36-48) 1-20% = cleanest; ch157 31% = congested → confirms bias 5GHz LOW.
+- 6 GHz: ~0% across nearly all channels → wide-open lane, confirms 6GHz steering is the big win.
+
+### Decisions / state
+- Do NOT pursue the AP-neighbor table or disruptive spectrum-scan further (definitively closed).
+- Channel plan can be MEASURED from `survey dump` (non-disruptive) instead of inferred.
+- Two safe high-value moves remain: (1) 2.4 GHz power-down per-zone; (2) measured non-DFS channel
+  plan + 6GHz steering.
+
+### Next steps
+- [ ] Build `survey-collect.sh` (unifi-wifi skill): sweep all 77 APs' `iw survey dump`
+  (non-disruptive) → fleet-wide measured per-channel busy%/noise map → drive the channel plan.
+- [ ] Floor-4 2.4 GHz power-down pilot with live before/after (`watch-ap.sh` + `live-stats.sh`).
+- [ ] Record the neighbor-data dead-end + survey-dump method in skill docs (interference-model.md,
+  watch-ap.sh/live-stats.sh headers) so it is never re-chased.
+- [ ] (Howard) has more information to add — pending.
+- Confirmed env: firmware 8.6.11.18870 on U7-Pro; AP device-auth SSH = uid 0 (root); split-tunnel
+  VPN gives AP reach on 192.168.2.x/3.x (192.168.0.x shadowed by home LAN).