Question Suggestions for single SSID wifi coverage

[Wollzy]

I've just moved into a new house that is approx 5000 sqft and I wan't to set up a wireless network that basically displays a single SSID as you would see at universities and businesses so we don't have to switch to a different network as move around the house. The upside here is that the house is already hardwired through many rooms in the house with female RJ45 ports in several rooms, but due to heavy wifi use through smart tv's, chromebooks, and tablets it's more practical to have wifi access.

I've looked at mesh networks but the more I read about them it seems they are really just a set of fancy extenders where a single unit acts as a router. I guess my goal is to have my modem go to a switch (or should it be a router?) like it currently does, then have AP's in a few rooms to get good wifi coverage. I've tried doing something similar in the past with multiple wireless routers but I've always ended up with just multiple routers with the same network name showing up.

Any suggestions on what hardware to use would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[bill001g]

I would look at ubiquiti AP. They are slightly above consumer grade equipment but cost about the same. They have central control software for free.

Single SSID makes configuration easier but end devices can be really stupid when it comes to roaming. The ubiquiti system can force a disconnect from the ap side. You will never get seamless roaming because the end client is in control not the network. Still almost nobody need true roaming. Who really watches netflix while they walk around their house. If it stays connected to the wrong AP when you go to another room you just stop and start the wifi so you do not really need roaming anyway.

 

[Wollzy]

I would look at ubiquiti AP. They are slightly above consumer grade equipment but cost about the same. They have central control software for free.

Single SSID makes configuration easier but end devices can be really stupid when it comes to roaming. The ubiquiti system can force a disconnect from the ap side. You will never get seamless roaming because the end client is in control not the network. Still almost nobody need true roaming. Who really watches netflix while they walk around their house. If it stays connected to the wrong AP when you go to another room you just stop and start the wifi so you do not really need roaming anyway.

Awesome. Yea I don't need true roaming under any circumstances it would just make it easier on my wife and kids to have a single ssid to connect to.

 

[kanewolf]

The Ubiquiti access points, assume you have wired infrastructure available. You also want to configure their controller software. You can do that on a PC/Laptop/Raspberry PI or you can buy the Ubiquiti cloud key. If you do choose the Ubiquiti products, go to the Ubiquiti forum and WIKI. They have posts about improving single SSID roaming.

 

[ElectrO_90]

I wouldn't use anything else but Ubiquiti equipment, it surpasses everything for the price as is up there with the top stuff at half the price.

Also with ubiquiti you can set a hidden SSID if you wanted and also restrict what bandwidth goes where (fwir)

So streaming/gaming etc can be seperate, eg set TV to one SSID with one bandwidth, so if the kids stream it won't affect your stream and vice versa