switch ALL APs to single SSID?

jo2jo · Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:17 pm

Here is my setup at an install:

we have 19 floors in a high rise...on each floor there is an equpiment room where we have a wrap 2e and 2 x 8602s each going to a 17dbi Pac wireless 90 degree sector, one pointed left and one more so right. each radio has a different SSID, so each floor has a "Right" SSID and a "Left" SSID

thus in many locations you will pick up 3 or 4 SSIDs at once..

everything works pretty well it seems (not many complaints, but some)... i was thinking of setting ALL the SSIDs of ALL the radios to the same thing, like "WIFI" or something.

all of the clients are travelers who are on laptops, only laptops. I'm not looking for a roaming between APs just to maybe make it easier on the end user as i understand Windows will simply select the AP that has the best signal when it recieves many with the Same SSID?

any input or experiences? thanks

bjohns · Mon Dec 04, 2006 12:51 am

We cover a few buildings in a similar fashion and we just use a single ssid - the clients are pretty good at picking the best source and not hopping between APs. Haven't had any issues relating specifically to that anyway.

jo2jo · Mon Dec 04, 2006 3:41 am

thanks,

im just worried what will happen wiht the laptops pick up 3 or 4 or more SSIDs.. and how it handles which to connect to..

tks

jober · Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:21 pm

I found that having one ssid for all the APs made it had to quickly fix problems.
I had an AP with a bad ethernet port and I couldn't have the customer connect to a different AP because windows only showed the one ssid.
Now I have them with Company-f1. f1 = floor1 and if I have two per floor I add a and b(company-f1a)

andreacoppini · Tue Dec 05, 2006 1:29 am

Shouldn't have any problems. Just make sure you're bridging the Eth and Wlan ports.

jo2jo · Tue Dec 05, 2006 8:27 am

jober, you -f1 thing is the same naming scheme im using now...

but what did you mean to say in this line:

I found that having one ssid for all the APs made it had to quickly fix problems.

thanks

maxfava · Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:49 pm

HI all,
what do think about WDS?

jo2jo · Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:54 pm

ok please ignore that last reply and stay on topic, if you want to ask about WDS make a new thread please.

I'm looking for info on Many MT Boxes in AP-bridge mode, all with the same SSID

thanks

maxfava · Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:37 pm

jober · Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:22 am

jober, you -f1 thing is the same naming scheme im using now...

but what did you mean to say in this line:

I found that having one ssid for all the APs made it had to quickly fix problems.

thanks

When I had all the APs configured with the same ssid the windows wireless client would only show the AP with the best signal. So if I had a problem with that AP such as a bad ethernet or switch port or some how the ethernet cable gets cut or unpluged then the customer would connect but not get an IP or connect to the hotspot gateway.
Now with the ssid's having the floor numbers I can tell the customer to connect to one of the other APs and then get a tech overthere to fix the AP that is mucked up. I can tell the tech which AP it is that the customer had a problem with.

bjohns · Wed Dec 06, 2006 7:03 am

I guess you could use a ping script/netwatch to shutdown the wireless upon failure?

GotNet · Wed Dec 06, 2006 4:40 pm

I guess you could use a ping script/netwatch to shutdown the wireless upon failure?

Good idea except the card still transmits the SSID even after disable. And after shutdown if the box is still powered. Why is a good question.

andreacoppini · Wed Dec 06, 2006 4:44 pm

I guess you could use a ping script/netwatch to shutdown the wireless upon failure?
Good idea except the card still transmits the SSID even after disable. And after shutdown if the box is still powered. Why is a good question.

Are you sure? I thought disabling the card completely shuts it down and removes power to the radio.

GotNet · Wed Dec 06, 2006 5:08 pm

I guess you could use a ping script/netwatch to shutdown the wireless upon failure?
Good idea except the card still transmits the SSID even after disable. And after shutdown if the box is still powered. Why is a good question.
Are you sure? I thought disabling the card completely shuts it down and removes power to the radio.

Yes, at least on my RB112s. My laptop stays connected. The card activity LEDs still go about their flashing too.

jo2jo · Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:54 am

when i disable any radios, all laptop clients disconnect and the ssid is NOT broadcasted any more..

janisk · Thu Dec 14, 2006 11:21 am

what do you mean disable any radio?

what configuration is set on client?

it seems logical for me - that if you disable radio - clients disconnect.
explain more, what settings on other APs

tgrand · Fri Dec 15, 2006 2:36 pm

Actually WDS is not off topic here.

I beleive you should have a master Accesspoint on the main floor perhaps, and have WDS repeaters on each floor.

This way there would only be 1 SSID, because the WDS slave emulates the Master WDS access point.

This would also allow roaming so to speak.

jo2jo · Fri Dec 15, 2006 3:34 pm

not true...look at station WDS mode....and all AP's are wired so no need for wds in my example above.

again, wds is not a solution/related to my question.

tks

jober · Fri Dec 15, 2006 8:16 pm

I'm not sure what other info your looking for, but for me the same ssid on all the APs was not a good idea.
I guess my reasons are that I don't like getting a call from a hotspot customer telling me that they are connected but can't get an IP or surf.
And to top it off I can't have them connect to a different AP because windows keeps showing the same AP thats messed up in some way because window keeps showing the AP with the best signal and it's that messed up AP.
Now, with the APs on different SSIDs I can tell the customer to connect to the next APs with the best signal. And then connect to it to turn it off so that no one else connects to it. So now I have time to get someone over there to fix the AP.
Anyway, For me it's better not to have the same SSID.
Just my 2 cents!

Can some others please answer this mans original post?, but only if you are running hotel hotspots! It's kind of a different situation with the out door hotzones. Most hotzone customers can only see one AP at a time.

switch ALL APs to single SSID?

switch ALL APs to single SSID?

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