access points set up
Discussion
I fitted a few of these little access points in different houses over the last couple of years to increase the available wifi and they have always worked and done the job but I have always set them up with different names and passwords to the main router for simplicity.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Extender-Coverage-Repeate...
However the last one I did for a friend I set up with the same SSID and password as the main router but there was only one entry in the available wifi networks on my phone, I was expecting to see two identical networks to connect to.
It did seem to work perfectly and increased the signal upstairs no end. Is this the right way to do these things, is there no problem with the phone or laptop hanging onto the weaker signal from downstairs if you then walk upstairs at all.
I should also add, they are set up as access points as opposed to repeaters etc. there is hard wired internet from the router to various cat 5 outlets where the AP is patched into them.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Extender-Coverage-Repeate...
However the last one I did for a friend I set up with the same SSID and password as the main router but there was only one entry in the available wifi networks on my phone, I was expecting to see two identical networks to connect to.
It did seem to work perfectly and increased the signal upstairs no end. Is this the right way to do these things, is there no problem with the phone or laptop hanging onto the weaker signal from downstairs if you then walk upstairs at all.
I should also add, they are set up as access points as opposed to repeaters etc. there is hard wired internet from the router to various cat 5 outlets where the AP is patched into them.
The biggest issue is that the mobile device generally hangs onto the ap till the bitter end. So you could be standing beside one ap and it will still be connected to another access point with next to no signal. In a mesh system the WiFi system will generally kick it off the weaker ap and reconnect it to the one with the best signal
Ok cheers, would you call a mesh network one where all the APs are set to the same SSID and password as the router. What about if they are different makes as opposed to one of these whole house wifi systems broadband companies sell.
In my own house I've got the main router upstairs and it has a unique name and password and I have a repeater by the patio doors for the garden that has a different name/pass and it will stay connected to whatever one I connect to indefinitely unless I change it over manually which can be a pain so if they both had the same credentials would it then change over automatically?
In my own house I've got the main router upstairs and it has a unique name and password and I have a repeater by the patio doors for the garden that has a different name/pass and it will stay connected to whatever one I connect to indefinitely unless I change it over manually which can be a pain so if they both had the same credentials would it then change over automatically?
If they have the same credentials (but obviously don't pick the same channel) then you may have a better chance of a seamless handover.
In the end though it is up to the client when it jumps connection. With windows if you hunt around in the device settings there's sometimes an entry controlling how keen the client is to jump to a new AP.
Mesh systems I believe typically have some additional logic which assesses which mesh node the client is nearest, and will deliberately disassociate it from another if the signal is becoming too weak.
In the end though it is up to the client when it jumps connection. With windows if you hunt around in the device settings there's sometimes an entry controlling how keen the client is to jump to a new AP.
Mesh systems I believe typically have some additional logic which assesses which mesh node the client is nearest, and will deliberately disassociate it from another if the signal is becoming too weak.
"Mesh" is the terminology for multiple access points that are not connected by ethernet.
AP 1 ethernet'd to router
AP 2 connects to AP 1 wirelessly
AP 3 connects to AP 1 wirelessly
AP 4 connects to AP 2 wirelessly
etc
It is for those who can't get ethernet to everywhere in the house/building for APs
Ultimately the best solution is to get ethernet everywhere and wire in some APs. Ubiquiti/Cisco systems for example have manual minimum RSSI settings, so you can force devices to get "kicked" onto the next AP at a pre-defined signal strength.
WIRED IN APs are not a mesh system. They are just a good wireless setup with the same SSID/different channels and kick off/roam well
AP 1 ethernet'd to router
AP 2 connects to AP 1 wirelessly
AP 3 connects to AP 1 wirelessly
AP 4 connects to AP 2 wirelessly
etc
It is for those who can't get ethernet to everywhere in the house/building for APs
Ultimately the best solution is to get ethernet everywhere and wire in some APs. Ubiquiti/Cisco systems for example have manual minimum RSSI settings, so you can force devices to get "kicked" onto the next AP at a pre-defined signal strength.
WIRED IN APs are not a mesh system. They are just a good wireless setup with the same SSID/different channels and kick off/roam well
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