AP: same or different SSID?

[rhodesengr]

I am little confused about what SSID to use when adding an Access Point. My wireless router covers the downsators part of my house fairly well but the signal upstairs is very weak. In a seperate thread I was advised that hard wiring an AP to the router is the best way to extend the wirless (rather than a repeater). So if I add an AP, do I use the same SSID as the main router or a different one? Do the clients get confused if the router and one or more APs are on the same SSID? It seems I could use a new SSID upstairs but then its like a new network. I'd arther use the same SSID if it does not cause other problems.

 

[jdabbs]

Sharing a SSID does not negatively impact your network infrastructure. It is quite common, as it enables roaming between APs. Unfortunately, roaming is not implemented as well as it could be, leading to situations where the client clings to a network with low signal strength instead of a better AP. For this reason, some people recommend different SSIDs as this gives manual control over which network the client connects to. Personally, I'd go with a single SSID network and keep an eye on wireless performance, renaming the SSID only if problems arose. YMMV.

 

[stevech]

If you have people doing pedestrian uses, meaning moving while using, then a unique SSID per access point is best.

This is because 802.11, unlike cellular, has no defined method for handoffs, nor a criteria on when/how to do a handoff.

 

[sfx2000]

Case dependent, but typically all AP's on the same network can/may have the same BSSID - if you do that, and have common credentials, your WiFi clients will access the best source...

you may also consider running them on the same channel...

 

[bilboSNB]

I am slightly confused. Should it be the same channel or different non overlapping channels which is what I would have thought?

 

[thiggins]

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wire...-an-access-point-to-a-wireless-router?start=1

 

[bilboSNB]

Cheers, as I thought.

 

[JoeJoe]

I use the same SSID, same security settings, different channels, for my 3, I use channel 1, 6 and 11. Works great, lets me walk between them, hands off.