Using an Access Point

[howie411]

I have a WNDR 4500 as my main router, it has an ethernet cable plugged into it and then into the wall. I have a cable coming out the patch panel in the basement plugged into an AP. The access point has the same SSID, PW and Encryption of the router, yet when I do a site survey I see my SSID twice. Channel 1 upstairs and Channel 5 downstairs) How can I get them to work seamless throughout the house so only 1 SSID shows up (ie whichever is stronger).

 

[stevech]

the software too you are using is showing the same SSID twice because there are two devices advertising their existence (beacons) using that SSID.

WiFi and the IEEE 802.11 standards do not require a client device (PC, laptop, device) to choose the strongest signal, or re-choose due to movement of the device.

Therefore, some client devices choose "first-heard" in a scan, and other choose best-signal in a scan. Few or no consumer WiFi clients re-scan to find a "better" signal when the signal strength us usable (but weak/slow speed).

So, there's no ideal seamless with consumer WiFi.

If your devices always choose the best signal, then leave it as is- one SSID.

If some devices sometimes choose the sub-optimal access device ( AP, WiFI router), and that leads to a too-weak signal, too slow speed, then about all you can do is the following. Put the AP on a different SSID. The user then has to "know" which SSID is best in what parts of the house and choose manually.

 

[thetoad30]

Not sure if you're able to work this through, but I can tell you that an Apple router or Express (2012) will be able to do this for you with its interface settings. Whether or not your client will still see two SSIDs is still a good question with this setup and would probably need to be tested.