What's the latest thinking on splitting SSIDs between 2.4 & 5GHz frequencies? I have around 30 smart switches, lights & other home automation devices which need a 2.4GHz connection and have set them up with the router in 2.4GHz mode only then turned on 5GHz again once they are connected. Are there any advantages to keeping the 2.4GHz frequency as a separate SSID or is it best to let each device decide which is the fastest connection using a shared SSID?
Is it a good or bad idea to split SSIDS?
- Thread starter dwl99
- Start date
bbunge
Part of the Furniture
With a modern router there is no real advantage to using different SSID's. I got away from that several years ago and have had no issues. Yes, your milage may vary and there are still diehards who insist on using different SSID's. Let the router and clients decide which band, channel and bandwidth to use. You have better things to do besides messing with router settings..
L&LD
Part of the Furniture
If you want full control of your network, want to have the easiest time when troubleshooting as needed, and want each device to be connected to the band that gives the entire network a performance boost, split the SSIDs.
'Auto' on a router is a good way to quick frustration. And a single SSID on consumer routers is just another form of dumbed-downed 'auto'.
'Auto' on a router is a good way to quick frustration. And a single SSID on consumer routers is just another form of dumbed-downed 'auto'.
I prefer to keep them separate, so I can decide where I want something to connect to, rather than let the device decide for itself. I wouldn't want a 5 GHz capable client to end up on a slow 2.4 GHz band just because it tried to connect to the 5 GHz band while that band was unavailable (due to initial DFS scan or anything else).
I run 2 SSIDs on each of my 3 APs. One is for guest and the other is for my main LAN. All my APs are setup the same in 1 large virtual AP. I don't split anything out except my guests. My IoT run on my guest wireless. I think roaming works much better this way.
I don't use auto for channels nor for power levels as I don't think they work well enough.
I don't use auto for channels nor for power levels as I don't think they work well enough.
aex.perez
Senior Member
How about both?
Got separate SSIDs for devices that due to distance, or other factors, than support either, steered to a spefic radio.
Those that are more adable or roam and range/signal strength isn't an issue SmartConnect (pick for themselves what connects).
i.e. the Soundbar supports both, and is close to the router but streaming sound runs better on the 5Ghz (odd says no AX support, at 80Mhz but connects just fine). The car does (Volvo) both frequencies but because of distance (drive way) stronger on 2.4Ghz. IoT devices that can do both, mixed bag, distance motivating factor i.e Alexa Echo's on 5Ghz, next to either a Node/Router, Nest devices mixed bag/mostly distance (cameras/door bell), all the smart house lights only do 2.4Ghz and don't care which SmartConect/or specific 2.4Ghz SSID. Inexpensive Android based no name tablets on 2.4Ghz AX (don't have 5Ghz) don't care which SSID either, as long as it using 2.4Ghz. Same for the Sleepnumber bed.
My devices for the most part pick the best radio and nearest AP (mesh node), for the particular instance/roaming, like the iPhone are that roaming about the house use SmartConnect, works when chatting with the neighbors, or poing to check the mail or taking out the garbage (switches to 2.4Ghz and back to 5Ghz when in range), even set set for with WiFi calling.
Live close to the street too, so there are Cars driving by with WiFi spots, and some neighbors have routers (using defaults) as well, which I had to account for.
So it took a bit to get things tuned right (finding the best frequencies to minimze interference/improving reliability) and lots of firmware releases 384/386/388 along the way.
But when you finally have it working as it should, it's a thing of beauty, and has been solid for well over a year with low or no maintenace (even with the occasional Popo low level Helo flyover/Radar, 5Ghz 160Mhz DFS)
Good to have choices, but always the disclaimer, YMMV (even with proper care and maintenance)
Both methods work well for me, but that's me (and my environmental variables)
Snart TV's and Video Streaming devices as well as Printers and Desktop are wired
Got separate SSIDs for devices that due to distance, or other factors, than support either, steered to a spefic radio.
Those that are more adable or roam and range/signal strength isn't an issue SmartConnect (pick for themselves what connects).
i.e. the Soundbar supports both, and is close to the router but streaming sound runs better on the 5Ghz (odd says no AX support, at 80Mhz but connects just fine). The car does (Volvo) both frequencies but because of distance (drive way) stronger on 2.4Ghz. IoT devices that can do both, mixed bag, distance motivating factor i.e Alexa Echo's on 5Ghz, next to either a Node/Router, Nest devices mixed bag/mostly distance (cameras/door bell), all the smart house lights only do 2.4Ghz and don't care which SmartConect/or specific 2.4Ghz SSID. Inexpensive Android based no name tablets on 2.4Ghz AX (don't have 5Ghz) don't care which SSID either, as long as it using 2.4Ghz. Same for the Sleepnumber bed.
My devices for the most part pick the best radio and nearest AP (mesh node), for the particular instance/roaming, like the iPhone are that roaming about the house use SmartConnect, works when chatting with the neighbors, or poing to check the mail or taking out the garbage (switches to 2.4Ghz and back to 5Ghz when in range), even set set for with WiFi calling.
Live close to the street too, so there are Cars driving by with WiFi spots, and some neighbors have routers (using defaults) as well, which I had to account for.
So it took a bit to get things tuned right (finding the best frequencies to minimze interference/improving reliability) and lots of firmware releases 384/386/388 along the way.
But when you finally have it working as it should, it's a thing of beauty, and has been solid for well over a year with low or no maintenace (even with the occasional Popo low level Helo flyover/Radar, 5Ghz 160Mhz DFS)
Good to have choices, but always the disclaimer, YMMV (even with proper care and maintenance)
Both methods work well for me, but that's me (and my environmental variables)
Snart TV's and Video Streaming devices as well as Printers and Desktop are wired
sfx2000
Part of the Furniture
There's no "latest thinking" on SSID intent...
It's a bit of a touchy subject, much like Parental Controls and "what wifi channels I should use" kind of thing - people have a lot of different opinions...
I was a partner in the IEEE 802.11 working group, and the intent there was that SSID's define the network relationship to the LAN/VLAN...
It was never our intent to have segregated SSID's for the same LAN/VLAN segment irrespective of band class...
That being said - let's say we want to have different access policies - one for guests, perhaps one for VOIP solutions - there's where addtional SSID's come into play - e.g. Guest has a specific policy and associated access control to allow access to internet, but deny access to intranet resources. Same goes with VOIP applications, as in the enterprise the IP deskphones and walkabout wireless handsets have specific QoS requirements, and again access control policies come into play.
When done properly, it works pretty well all told...
Let's be plain here - most WiFi devices in the house don't move around much except for mobile devices like handsets and tablets - and there, both Android and Apple, which define a vast majority of devices, are pretty good at making decisions on which radio to use - providing of course, the SSID is the same across the bands.
As you see in the thread here - there's still a lot of "old-school" thinking about Wireless that goes back to the mid-90's when 802.11b/g/a were in vogue.
On a single LAN/VLAN segment, whether single AP, or multiple AP's, setting up different SSID's per Band - this will likely ensure that without user interaction, the device has a good probability of being on the worst performing radio.
Best approach, in my opinion is to use common SSID's, and for tri-band* (e.g. 2.4/5/6GHz) use WPA2/3...
* note that I say tri-band, not tri-radio - there are dual-band routers that have 3 radios, that doesn't make them tri-band except for marketing purposes...
NOTE - There is a use case where common SSID's can be a challenge, and I've experienced it first hand - that is configuring 2.4GHz IoT devices, namely TP-Link Kasa Smart switches, where if the phone was on 5GHz, I couldn't configure the switch out of the box - by disabling 5GHz temporarily, I was able to configure the devices, and once done, turned on my 5GHz radios and everything was fine.
L&LD
Part of the Furniture
That user experience does not match the theoretical 'when done properly' for most installations I've been part of. And some of the customers wanted a single SSID, but their equipment wasn't having it.
When I've played with it in my own networks, invariably the client devices would often connect to 2.4GHz and immediately give me 20x worse performance. That is not a good experience in the least.
Just another 'auto' setting that may give you WiFi easily, but will not give you the performance your equipment is capable of, consistently.
Regardless of theory, intent, or old school thinking.
The only thing that matters are results, and a single SSID does not deliver.
When I've played with it in my own networks, invariably the client devices would often connect to 2.4GHz and immediately give me 20x worse performance. That is not a good experience in the least.
Just another 'auto' setting that may give you WiFi easily, but will not give you the performance your equipment is capable of, consistently.
Regardless of theory, intent, or old school thinking.
The only thing that matters are results, and a single SSID does not deliver.
BreakingDad
Very Senior Member
No split, I just use Mac Filter accept on 5ghz to only allow, my computer and daughters laptop , and conversely 2.4ghz reject to stop them going onto 2.4ghz. Works flawlessly for me. I don't want cell phones going on 5ghz and messing up my gaming so they can't get on it. Controversial I know, but anything that tickles the purist ocd is a winner in my book
That was one of the more enjoyable posts I've read in quite some time, for both form and content. Kudos
Maybe this is an ASUS thing. How well it is coded also plays a part. If their coding is still set on mainly using 1 AP.
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Voice traffic is very small.No split, I just use Mac Filter accept on 5ghz to only allow, my computer and daughters laptop , and conversely 2.4ghz reject to stop them going onto 2.4ghz. Works flawlessly for me. I don't want cell phones going on 5ghz and messing up my gaming so they can't get on it. Controversial I know, but anything that tickles the purist ocd is a winner in my book
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