3 Wireless Access Points on same LAN

3

1

I would like to connect 3 Access Points to my LAN. They are all wired together.

Question:

  • Do I use the same SSID?
  • If I use the same SSID, do I put them on the same/different Channel?
  • Are Network Adapters supposed to automatically switch AP when they move into range of a stronger one? Does choice of SSID/Channel play a role in this?

Jan

Posted 2010-08-01T08:45:10.713

Reputation: 137

Answers

5

  • Yes, if you want people to be able to use the nearest transparently
  • No, you must ensure the channels don't overlap
  • Yes and yes/no

In summary, if you want to use multiple APs on a network and have people roam between them without having to know or care about their being multiple APs then you must use the same SSID on them all. You have to ensure that the channels don't overlap in any area to avoid interference.

Cry Havok

Posted 2010-08-01T08:45:10.713

Reputation: 3 486

3To avoid channel overlap in the US, set one AP to channel 1, one AP to 6, and the last to channel 11. – gbroiles – 2010-08-01T09:40:21.867

2

I found InSSIDer a valuable to visualize the channel landscape: http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider

– Jan – 2010-08-02T08:21:23.587

Asked: 2010-08-01T08:45:10.713

Viewed: 1 646 times

Active: 2011-08-21T05:34:03.893