How to use multiple WiFi Routers with same SSID?

[Satyajit Mishra]

I've 4 WiFi Routers; TP-Link Archer C20 (Primary), Neatgear WNDR3400 (Secondary), TP-Link TL-WR740N (Tertiary) & Netgear JNR1010 (Quaternary). I live in a 2 floored building & this building has Ethernet wall socket on all floors. I want to install TP-Link Archer 20 (as 5GHz) & TP-Link TL-WR740N (as 2.4GHz) on the ground floor. And Netgear WNDR3400 (as 5GHz) & Netgear JNR1010 (as 2.4GHz) on the 1st floor. I know there are options for range extenders & using these routers as a repeater. But I've read somewhere on the internet that if I've the same SSID, Security Option & Passphrase (but all the routers' wireless channels must be different), then my Smartphone & Notebook will be able to connect to the best WiFi signal available. Is this possible? BTW both my smartphone & notebook support 2.4GHz & 5GHz wireless network.

 

[dextermat]

Hi,

If the router has range extender capability, you don't need to fiddle with channel and such.


Just log into the router, goto repeater fonction and enter SSID (you probably can scan) and password. It should be that easy.
Just google the router that has this cpâbility and you will find simple instructions

here some info on the TP-Link TL-WR740N

http://superuser.com/questions/678527/can-i-configure-a-tp-link-tl-wr740n-as-a-repeater

 

[gilbadon]

The routers would need to be hard wired from the modem.

Modem -> Switch -> Each router

Or

Modem -> Archer -> WR740N -> Powerline Connector downstairs -> WNDR3400 -> JNR1010.

 

[Pooneil]

To answer your SSID question. Using the same SSID is what I do. If your equipment allows multiple SSIDs, you can, if needed, use a separate ID to force non-mobile printers or TVs to attach only to a preferred AP. You can also do this with a mobile device if you feel it is not getting good service. I use separate SSIDs for 2.4 and 5 GHz, but don't have a good handle on whether this is optimal or not. It can be a bit of a mess to look at the device wifi connection choices, but as long as the names are descriptive, it works.

There are some drawbacks in using multiple residential routers as access points. The main problem will be the device can hang onto a weak AP when a stronger one is available. However this appears to be true whether you use the same SSID or not. Commercial systems that solve roaming are much more difficult to implement and maintain.

Your plan to hard wire every APs you will get the best wifi available with residential equipment.

 

[Satyajit Mishra]

Hi,

If the router has range extender capability, you don't need to fiddle with channel and such.


Just log into the router, goto repeater fonction and enter SSID (you probably can scan) and password. It should be that easy.
Just google the router that has this cpâbility and you will find simple instructions

here some info on the TP-Link TL-WR740N

http://superuser.com/questions/678527/can-i-configure-a-tp-link-tl-wr740n-as-a-repeater

All my routers have repeating function, but not range extending (both are different right...?). But I've heard somewhere that repeater or repeating function tends to slow down the connection speed, right? Listen I just wanted to know if I setup all my routers with same SSID & Password, will my smartphone & notebook be able to hop from weaker signal to stronger signal. If yes, are are any special settings or conditions (like channel settings etc)?

 

[Satyajit Mishra]

The routers would need to be hard wired from the modem.

Modem -> Switch -> Each router

Or

Modem -> Archer -> WR740N -> Powerline Connector downstairs -> WNDR3400 -> JNR1010.

Thanks for the advice. BTW powerline connector & ethernet wall socket are different right...?

 

[Satyajit Mishra]

To answer your SSID question. Using the same SSID is what I do. If your equipment allows multiple SSIDs, you can, if needed, use a separate ID to force non-mobile printers or TVs to attach only to a preferred AP. You can also do this with a mobile device if you feel it is not getting good service. I use separate SSIDs for 2.4 and 5 GHz, but don't have a good handle on whether this is optimal or not. It can be a bit of a mess to look at the device wifi connection choices, but as long as the names are descriptive, it works.

There are some drawbacks in using multiple residential routers as access points. The main problem will be the device can hang onto a weak AP when a stronger one is available. However this appears to be true whether you use the same SSID or not. Commercial systems that solve roaming are much more difficult to implement and maintain.

Your plan to hard wire every APs you will get the best wifi available with residential equipment.

As far as I know none of my routers support multi-ssid (unless you count guest network). But I don't want to use separate ssid. So there is no avoiding the situation where sometimes or most of the times some devices will stay connected to a weaker signal even when a stronger signal is available?

 

[Satyajit Mishra]

I have another question. There is an option in my smartphone i.e. Setting > WiFi > Advanced > Avoid poor connections (Don't use a wifi network unless it has good internet connection). Is this option referring to the wifi signal strength or internet connection speed?

 

[bill001g]

You want to use all you other routers as AP not repeaters. Even if they don't directly support AP mode you can cable them, there a ton of post on how to use a router as a AP.

You have 2 options when you have consumer equipment to deal with multiple AP. You set all the SSID different and the person running the device determines the best time to switch and manually does it. OR You set all the SSID the same and the end device do their thing which is stay connected to poor signal device.

The problem is the radio when it is connected to the AP will not scan for other signals to connect to since it would disrupt its connection to current AP while it does the scan. What they have done is set the software to only scan if the signal drops below a certain level and the default is pretty much total loss. You can change that point in some device but you then run into the device constantly bouncing back and forth between AP or it disconnects scans finds nothing better and reconnects to the same AP and since the signal is still weak it does it over and over.

The only partial solution to this is to turn the power down so you get less overlap and the device will be more likely to completely lose a signal rather than have a low power but usable. This too has its issues if you create low coverage areas.

I tend to use the different SSID method since a person can do a much better job of determine if the connection is bad enough to spend the time to switch.

 

[Satyajit Mishra]

You want to use all you other routers as AP not repeaters. Even if they don't directly support AP mode you can cable them, there a ton of post on how to use a router as a AP.

You have 2 options when you have consumer equipment to deal with multiple AP. You set all the SSID different and the person running the device determines the best time to switch and manually does it. OR You set all the SSID the same and the end device do their thing which is stay connected to poor signal device.

The problem is the radio when it is connected to the AP will not scan for other signals to connect to since it would disrupt its connection to current AP while it does the scan. What they have done is set the software to only scan if the signal drops below a certain level and the default is pretty much total loss. You can change that point in some device but you then run into the device constantly bouncing back and forth between AP or it disconnects scans finds nothing better and reconnects to the same AP and since the signal is still weak it does it over and over.

The only partial solution to this is to turn the power down so you get less overlap and the device will be more likely to completely lose a signal rather than have a low power but usable. This too has its issues if you create low coverage areas.

I tend to use the different SSID method since a person can do a much better job of determine if the connection is bad enough to spend the time to switch.

I know how to to use routers as APs & I'm already using them (but with different SSID). I just wanted to know how & what will happen if I use same SSID.

 

[Satyajit Mishra]

One last question before closing, DOES REPEATER OR REPEATING FUNCTION DECREASE CONNECTION SPEED OR SIGNAL STRENGTH OR QUALITY???

 

[bill001g]

It is best to not call a AP a repeater it is best called a bridge. You would call a switch a repeater then.

There is a tiny extra delay for every device you pass though but it is hard to measure. Because you are going from a wired connection to a radio connection there is only the issue of wireless in general not some extra penalty.

Now when you talk a actual repeater the most common kind uses a single radio to receive the signal and then retransmit a signal into the exact same radio channel. This of course causes all kinds on interference and degrades the speeds quite a bit. There are more expensive repeaters that use 2 different radios, one to talk to the main router and another to talk to the end machines. Because these can be on different channels you do not have the issue of interference. You still have 2 radio connections so you now have twice the chance to get general interference but this works much better but pretty much nobody bother to read anything other than the price so you have to look much harder for units like this.

 

[Satyajit Mishra]

It is best to not call a AP a repeater it is best called a bridge. You would call a switch a repeater then.

There is a tiny extra delay for every device you pass though but it is hard to measure. Because you are going from a wired connection to a radio connection there is only the issue of wireless in general not some extra penalty.

Now when you talk a actual repeater the most common kind uses a single radio to receive the signal and then retransmit a signal into the exact same radio channel. This of course causes all kinds on interference and degrades the speeds quite a bit. There are more expensive repeaters that use 2 different radios, one to talk to the main router and another to talk to the end machines. Because these can be on different channels you do not have the issue of interference. You still have 2 radio connections so you now have twice the chance to get general interference but this works much better but pretty much nobody bother to read anything other than the price so you have to look much harder for units like this.

Yes I understand completely. APs need a physical link, for example ethernet cable. But repeaters are wireless. Wait a minute what exactly is a bridge? And a switch can be called as a repeater??? Like the ethernet switch, its called a wired repeater???

 

[bill001g]

Technically it does repeat packets. It takes the packet into a buffer from one port and then sends it from the buffer out another port.

It never used to be called a repeater but since the marketing idiots call every device you can find "extender" or "repeater" you never really know.

Network professionals normally refer to things as AP, client-bridge, and a device that has both function back to back a repeater.

 

[Pooneil]

As far as I know none of my routers support multi-ssid (unless you count guest network). But I don't want to use separate ssid. So there is no avoiding the situation where sometimes or most of the times some devices will stay connected to a weaker signal even when a stronger signal is available?

There is no consumer equipment based solution that I know of that will manage handoff from weak to strong access points. Particularly among a randomly assembled network, consisting of whatever hardware is on hand, like yours and mine. It is all on the connected device. As far as this is true, it is my understanding that the choice of the same or different SSIDs is a matter of personal preference.

Also double check about the routers allowing multiple SSIDs. It is not necessary but can be useful for the types of connections I mentioned above. Particularity if you have a high performance needs.