Bad wifi connection

[scarchelli]

Sorry if this is the wrong spot for this.

I am right next to my router. Whether it be my upstairs linksys router, or downstairs Asus router. Asus is set up as AP. When I look at the wifi SSID on my laptop which is right next to upstairs router, I have full bars. Yet, my phone right next to me, has low bars. Downstairs, my brother's laptop is also right next to the Asus router and has full bars but my phone down there has low bars. Is a setting wrong or is it my phone? Doubt its my phone as its a new Galaxy S6. I have the SSIDs of both routers enabled, and channels all set on auto.

Upon testing via speedtest, my laptop gets over 200 ping and awful speeds despite showing full bars. I also see a network called hidden network with full bars that lets me connect with my SSID but doesnt give me internet. Brothers laptop gets good speeds, as does my laptop occasionally. It seems random.

 

[stevech]

If you change the SSIDs to, say, SmithUp and SmithDn, then you can see if the phone or laptop is using the nearest WiFi service device.
With most client devices, they won't automatically switch to a closer access device (router or AP).

As you move from near one, to near the other, there's no assurance the client device will abandon the farther away one if its weaker signal is still usable. You can manually choose the other SSID. If you use the same SSID for AP and router, you cannot - unless your client's WiFi survey display shows the two access devices using the same SSID and you choose.

 

[scarchelli]

If you change the SSIDs to, say, SmithUp and SmithDn, then you can see if the phone or laptop is using the nearest WiFi service device.
With most client devices, they won't automatically switch to a closer access device (router or AP).

Oh ok. See I assumed different devices auto switched. My old ssids were lastnameUp and lastnameDown but I thought if I kept them both just lastname when I re-set up network last month, then smart phones, ipads, etc. would auto switch to best connection as moved throughout the house.