[kwlug-disc] Joining wi-fi's?

[Paul Nijjar]

On Mon, Nov 04, 2013 at 09:21:39PM -0500, unsolicited wrote:
> 
> 
> I should have thought to ask in the original question ... when
> you've fired up the 2nd AP with the same SSID / password - keep the
> same channel, or does it matter? And, presumably, it doesn't matter
> if you use the same manu/model wi-fi router, but it could be
> helpful?

We have two WRT54GL routers at the Queen Street Commons that serve as
access points. There is a background router that gives out DHCP
addresses. They have the same SSID, but I am not certain whether they
are using the same channel (I suspect they are not). 

People generally do not move around too much with their computers in
the Commons, so worrying about switchover is not much of an issue. 



> The wi-fi currently in place isn't reaching the far side of a gym
> (current AP is some feet / concrete walls from the side of the gym
> nearest to it), let alone beyond the far side of the gym. I was
> wondering if just firing up another AP was a reasonable solution.
> Such may also provide some redundancy if issues arise with the
> current AP.
> 

I think this is reasonable. I have had situations in another building
where using the same SSID did not work -- clients would get connection
briefly and then lose it quickly. In that building I needed two
different SSIDs. Those were two different models of router, though.
The Queen Street Commons uses the same kind in both places (but they
may not be running the same version of the firmware). 

- Paul 


-- 
Paul Nijjar - http://pnijjar.freeshell.org
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