Can the router be given a network device name that is distinct from its 2.4 GHz SSID?

[Kritiker]

Can the router's (RT-AC66U, 3.0.0.4.264.22) wired connection(s) be given a network device name that is distinct from its 2.4 GHz SSID? It does appear as RT-AC66U as a device but the wired connection has the same name as the 2.4 GHz SSID.

So if the computer is connected to both at the same time, both connections show the same name.

But if the computer is connected only to one, then I have to search further to determine if my connection is wired or wireless. That's an extra step I'd like to avoid.

I haven't found anyplace where I can give the router a network device name distinct from its 2.4 GHz SSID. The device name is already set to RT-AC66U in

USB application | Miscellaneous Setting | Device Name
​

but that doesn't affect the wired conection name.

Or have I missed something completely obvious? Thanks.

 

[RMerlin]

Whether it's accessed over wifi or wired, the device is accessed through the same IP, so it cannot have different hostnames. Wifi and Wired are just different ways for clients to reach that one single device.

 

[Kritiker]

Whether it's accessed over wifi or wired, the device is accessed through the same IP, so it cannot have different hostnames. Wifi and Wired are just different ways for clients to reach that one single device.

Let's say we have:

RT2:2.4 GHz SSID
RT5: 5 GHz SSID

Then it seems the wired connection to the router will also be identified as RT2.

E.g., when looking in Network Connections (Windows, various versions including XP and 7) we see the two adapters, WiFi and Wired Network Connection.

The WiFi adapter will appear as RT2 or RT5 showing us the SSID of the band to which we have connected.

The Wired Network Connection shows RT2. Why?

There should be no SSID associated with a wired connection, yet the 2.4 GHz wired SSID seems to be used to identify the wired connection. Why? Thanks.

 

[RMerlin]

Let's say we have:

RT2:2.4 GHz SSID
RT5: 5 GHz SSID

Then it seems the wired connection to the router will also be identified as RT2.

E.g., when looking in Network Connections (Windows, various versions including XP and 7) we see the two adapters, WiFi and Wired Network Connection.

The WiFi adapter will appear as RT2 or RT5 showing us the SSID of the band to which we have connected.

The Wired Network Connection shows RT2. Why?

There should be no SSID associated with a wired connection, yet the 2.4 GHz wired SSID seems to be used to identify the wired connection. Why? Thanks.

Probably because the bridge uses the same MAC as the 2.4 GHz wireless. So from Windows's point of view, they are both the same network. Unsure if it's a bug or a voluntary design decision from Asus - there's been a couple discussions about this last year.

So this has nothing to do with hostnames (what you were talking about initially, hence my confusion), but to the way Windows identifies networks.

 

[Kritiker]

Fixed - Wired Network Connection: Network Name - Network Location

After a bit more digging I have found that my problem has nothing to do with MAC addresses, SSIDs, host names or the router. No matter what wired connection I used, the name displayed was always RT2 on the one computer but on no other.

It turns out that, when setting up the computer (Win 7), I had inadvertently set the Network Name for the Wired Network Connection to RT2 when I had meant to set it to RT. I can't be sure but I think it starts out as Network.

How to Change the Network Name and Icon in Windows 7 describes how to use Set Network Properties to set/change the Network Name (and the icon associated with it). I don't know if this helps with the previous discussions you mentioned, RMerlin, but that solved my problem.

[Aside: For anyone getting the message Windows could not set the network settings, How to Enable or Disable Changing Network Locations in Windows 7 describes how to enable/disable changing the network location in Windows 7. I didn't have to do that.]

Thanks again for all your help and hard work (still happily running 3.0.0.4.264.22).