Expert Needed! Custom WiFi Roaming

[Fraser Benjamin]

Okay here goes...

I currently have a Linksys EA6300 wireless router and an older version of the Belkin N600 router. My current configuration is the linksys acts as my main router but then my belkin has dhcp turned off, acting as an extender (using powerline to connect the two together). However, this means I have two wireless networks in my house and have to switch between them a common problem. I have tried matching the SSID and password for both of them but devices didn't like to "jump" to get a better signal. To achieve this I know I'll need a little more clever software but I don't know how to set that up.

I have a raspberry pi and old pc which could be used to build another router which I'm happy to tinker with if I had a little guidance but whats the best way to have one network with dynamic switching?

Thanks in advance

Fraser

 

[rototiller]

I always recommend using different SSIDs and different passwords for each SSID. 1) for security 2) troubleshooting...if you have "AFC" and "NFC" SSIDs and your connected to "AFC" and you having problems and then you connect to "NFC" and it's working fine, then you know where the problem lies. How much of a pain is it to connect to different SSIDs? A few clicks on the mouse or taps on the touchscreen?

 

[Fraser Benjamin]

I always recommend using different SSIDs and different passwords for each SSID. 1) for security 2) troubleshooting...if you have "AFC" and "NFC" SSIDs and your connected to "AFC" and you having problems and then you connect to "NFC" and it's working fine, then you know where the problem lies. How much of a pain is it to connect to different SSIDs? A few clicks on the mouse or taps on the touchscreen?

I'm the sort of person who likes to tinker to get the best out of everything. I could manually switch network each time but that's by no means an elegant solution to a common problem.

 

[L&LD]

It's a more elegant solution than experiencing low performance on your network with different devices, seemingly random.

 

[Fraser Benjamin]

It's a more elegant solution than experiencing low performance on your network with different devices, seemingly random.

What would cause the low performance? You're the expert here

 

[L&LD]

What would cause the low performance? You're the expert here

The low performance is what you have stated in the first post. Clients that refuse to move to the better/stronger router/ap.

Btw, not an 'expert'. I'm learning too.

 

[Fraser Benjamin]

The low performance is what you have stated in the first post. Clients that refuse to move to the better/stronger router/ap.

Btw, not an 'expert'. I'm learning too.

Cheers for your help, do you have any knowledge of how to go about doing this?

 

[sfx2000]

I currently have a Linksys EA6300 wireless router and an older version of the Belkin N600 router. My current configuration is the linksys acts as my main router but then my belkin has dhcp turned off, acting as an extender (using powerline to connect the two together). However, this means I have two wireless networks in my house and have to switch between them a common problem. I have tried matching the SSID and password for both of them but devices didn't like to "jump" to get a better signal. To achieve this I know I'll need a little more clever software but I don't know how to set that up.

If the AP's are too close together, then the clients will likely "stick" as they never have low enough signal to initiate a scan for a better servicing AP...

That's the primary cause with most modern clients - they won't hope because there is no need to...

Try reducing power on the AP's, or better yet, move one of them further away - as a rough test, using something like an iPhone or an Android device, turn the secondary AP off temporarily... what you'll be looking for is the cross over point, so this will be walking around the house and see where the bars fall - when you get to half of the bars, this is where you want to place the secondary AP...

And if you get good bars across the entire place, then perhaps you won't need that extra AP, seriously, you might not...

On Google Play, there are tools like InSSIDer, that can help - the cross over point for RSSI is usually around -60 to -70 dB, and this is where clients start to look for better service...

(on iPhone and other iOS devices, the Airport Utility has a scanner built in to it, and it works pretty well - the tip here is going into General -> Settings -> Airport Utility, and there you'll see a UI control to enable the WiFi scanner - then launch the Airport Utility, and you'll find the button to do the scanning).

WiFi is like Real Estate - it's all about location...

 

[Fraser Benjamin]

I like your analogy! However moving the routers so they don't overlap seems like a good idea except in a house that's difficult to achieve. Furthermore with a range of devices using the network it would never work perfectly. I need to create a dynamic server side roaming system

 

[L&LD]

I need to create a dynamic server side roaming system

Good luck with that. Manufacturers have been trying to do that too and we see how that is panning out.

 

[thiggins]

Please read this sticky.
http://www.snbforums.com/threads/what-are-sticky-clients-802-11k-v-r-explained.30689

 

[Fraser Benjamin]

Good luck with that. Manufacturers have been trying to do that too and we see how that is panning out.

From what I've experienced, server side seems to work very well. It's even started to trickle into consumer products.

 

[sfx2000]

I like your analogy! However moving the routers so they don't overlap seems like a good idea except in a house that's difficult to achieve. Furthermore with a range of devices using the network it would never work perfectly. I need to create a dynamic server side roaming system

You want some overlap, just not too much overlap...

 

[L&LD]

From what I've experienced, server side seems to work very well. It's even started to trickle into consumer products.

Still a long way off though.

Hope someone can help you get what you need though.

 

[Homenetgeek]

I understand your pain. I bought 3 edimax pro 1750, although I only needed 2 in the end. These support k and r and perform well. Roaming is seamless using a common ssid but it is still a device decision. That means when a phone is heavily utilising WiFi then it will tend to stick.

I have absolutely no signal issues at all now. They were not so easy to setup though.

 

[Homenetgeek]

A possible solution would be to mount you main router higher in order to cover your house better.

If you could operate the dlink in ranger extender mode instead of cabled, it might allow better roaming at the expense of max throughput.