Managing Multiple Access Points

[79wjd]

I added a second router in AP mode and gave it the same SSID as my main router. The problem is that my devices stay connected to the router they originally connected to until the signal is out of range, and then they will switch to the other router. Unfortunately this means that there are times when the wi-fi barely works at all and I can't load a web page or do anything. 

 

So, is there a way to solve this other than giving each network discrete SSIDs? 

 

Hardware: 

Asus RT-AC68u 

Linksys EA6400 (in Bridge mode, Linksys calls AP bridge)

[Electronics Wizardy]

If you want multiple AP's to work you need to get a clustering system like the unify ones, otherwise 2 ssids is the next best option that will work. Having the same ssdi should work, but its not as good as it should be.

[The Benjamins]

you can try having 2 different SSIDs

I think their is a thing that is supose to manage AP's but it might not work on routers repurposed as APs

[Thunderzzu]

You could try manually setting them in bridge mode. Connect the second router to the first one via one of the 4 ports and NOT the WAN port, set a different gateway, set the same SSID, key, channel, everything, then set yourself a static IP on your PC that is on the same subnet as the second router, disable the DHCP server and set the WAN connection with a static ip that's on the first routers subnet.

 

If that's too complicated, hit me up and i'll elaborate

 

I also wrote a bit of a guide for another dude here: 

 

[79wjd]

23 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

If you want multiple AP's to work you need to get a clustering system like the unify ones, otherwise 2 ssids is the next best option that will work. Having the same ssdi should work, but its not as good as it should be.

I figured as much. 

22 minutes ago, The Benjamins said:

I think their is a thing that is supose to manage AP's but it might not work on routers repurposed as APs

That's what I assumed, plus I didn't really want to spend money on something like that anyway. 

22 minutes ago, Thunderzzu said:

You could try manually setting them in bridge mode. Connect the second router to the first one via one of the 4 ports and NOT the WAN port, set a different gateway, set the same SSID, key, channel, everything, then set yourself a static IP on your PC that is on the same subnet as the second router, disable the DHCP server and set the WAN connection with a static ip that's on the first routers subnet.

 

If that's too complicated, hit me up and i'll elaborate

 

I also wrote a bit of a guide for another dude here: 

 

That's how I set it up. 

[dalekphalm]

The short answer is no.

 

What you're asking for is Seamless handoff, basically a feature where one AP will pass your device to the next AP, when the signal is better on the 2nd one.

 

This is generally available in enterprise grade managed WIFI networks (Managed, meaning that there is some sort of WIFI Controller - either a physical device, or software on an operating system).

 

Very few - if any - consumer grade routers would support this, and even consumer/prosumer AP's will have limited support for such a feature.

 

If you want to do it properly, you'll need to get yourself a couple of good enterprise AP's and the controller (or software) for them. Unifi AP's may be one of the cheaper ways to do this, but I cannot confirm that they support the feature.

 

By setting both SSID's to the same, it will work, but your device will be the one that decides when to switch to a new network. Most devices cling to WIFI networks like their life depends on it, and will not want to let go until the signal outright dies.

 

By setting different SSID's, the same thing will happen, but you will be able to manually switch to the 2nd AP as needed.

[Yasri]

You did not list what client devices you got but if its android then something like one of these should help.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.seah0rse.swififree&hl=en

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pintacdesign.bestwifi

 

This really should be baked that into android by default. If you go more then one ap that you got the key for it should try to connect to the best one when signal strength drops to low on the current.

 

And I just had a similar issue, went with two separate ssid on my router/extender 5ghz bands for clients connecting, and using the 2.4ghz signal for backhaul between the router(running a third ssid) and extender(just a client to the third), I hid the 2.4ghz ssid. This gave me the best throughput on my client devices.

 

It you got legacy device you can still use the hidden 2.4ghz ssid on the router but try to not over loaded it. Its main job is to move data back and forth between the router/extender.

[Donut417]

11 hours ago, djdwosk97 said:

I added a second router in AP mode and gave it the same SSID as my main router. The problem is that my devices stay connected to the router they originally connected to until the signal is out of range, and then they will switch to the other router. Unfortunately this means that there are times when the wi-fi barely works at all and I can't load a web page or do anything. 

 

So, is there a way to solve this other than giving each network discrete SSIDs? 

 

Hardware: 

Asus RT-AC68u 

Linksys EA6400 (in Bridge mode, Linksys calls AP bridge)

WiFi roaming, there are 3 separate standards. Its hard to say which standard ASUS and Linksys are using. Generally you need to use the exact same AP's to get roaming to work. Also, I hear some clients, link Windows can get sticky, and like to stay on the same AP.