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  • IT help – Wifi boosters, shared SSIDs and dropping out….
  • ir_bandito
    Free Member

    Due to iffy wifi coverage at home, I’ve setup a homeplug booster and a wifi booster (off the homeplug booster) to spread the coverage. All seem to be working.
    I’ve cunningly set all three APs to have the same SSID and password, thinking it would make life easier, but it appears to be causing conflicts. Checked the channels – main router on 1 and Homeplug booster on 6 (wifi booster also 6 because that’s the setup its boosting)

    Tablet and laptops seem ok, but I’m having issues with phones dropping signal then reconnecting. Also, my wifi printer is refusing to connect to anything. Any suggestions? Should I set them all to the same channel? Or use individual SSIDs?

    nemesis
    Free Member

    IME, you don’t get seamless transition when moving around even if they’re on the same channel and SSID/pw

    That said, I have different SSIDs for all three of my routers/APs so I can at least tell which one I’m connected to if I want to. They are all on the same channel though.

    allan23
    Free Member

    You can get a seamless setup but it’s normally on the high end business kit.

    Most of the home gear is separate wireless networks – even if you use same SSID and password. I’d just go for separate SSIDs and use a WiFi scanner app on an Android phone to see what shows up in each area and set the channel to the least congested for that area.

    ir_bandito
    Free Member

    Thanks

    They are all on the same channel though

    Mind if I ask why?

    nemesis
    Free Member

    TBH because when I set the repeaters up, I assumed they needed to be. They seem to work fine so I’ve never changed it.

    ir_bandito
    Free Member

    Cheers. I might try that then…

    brassneck
    Full Member

    You’ll need different SSIDs, they won’t hand off properly without a central WLAN controller (i.e. not home kit).

    I have the same issue with phones, all iPhones, they will doggedly stick to the first SSID they acquire until you flip wireless off and on. Not sure there is a fix for that when you look at how they auto select the hot spot to use.

    ir_bandito
    Free Member

    Problem solved.
    Took the Wifi booster out of the loop. With just the main router and the homeplug, everything seems hunk-dorey – they’re far enough apart that there’s no quandry over strongest signal. As an added bonus, the wifi booster is now residing in the garage where it picks up enough signal to bounce it on, so I have streaming music while I fettle. And its all still on the same SSID and password. Result.

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

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