SSIDs... Same or Different when using Multiple ASUS AC68 ?

[Livin]

How to handle SSID & Channels - for best home coverage and client handoff?

I have see different info...

Same SSID for all APs on both 5 & 2.4 radios - using different channels
Same SSID for all APs on both 5 & 2.4 radios - using same channel
Same SSID for 5 & different SSID for all 2.4 radios - using same channel, per radio


I have 3 ASUS AC68U w/ wired backhaul in 3 level home
- AP mode (HGG fw) at front of house and left of center by 20', main level, 9' up
- AP mode (Merlin 3.0.0.4.380_7743 fw) about center of house, main level, 9' up
- Router mode (HGG fw) in lowest level, far edge left center close to back side of house, 4' up (on desk)

Currently SSIDs are all different on all APs & bands
... 5 wireless N or AC client devices at any given time, more when guests are over. Android v7.x phones and Windows PCs mainly
... 12 Wireless N 1080p cameras (can connect to either 2.4 or 5.0) ... should I put all of these on 2.4 to free up 5 or does it not matter?

THX for the help!

 

[Livin]

No one knows? No WiFi experts in the forum?

 

[joegreat]

The answer is simple: Same or different - it's your choice!

The longer and biased answer is:
Modern clients do a good job in choosing the right (best) connection - e.g. 5 GHz over 2.4 GHz network - if you use the same SSID - like you experienced by sure yourself in Shopping Malls, Airports, etc.!

Older clients (typically only 2.4 GHz capable) are not influenced by 5 GHz as they do not see it - but still they will choose the best signal from the available 2.4 GHz SSIDs.

Different SSIDs make only sense if you want (or need to) separate the devices onto different routers/APs - in your case not a valid option as it would make the clients life harder: Need to have all SSIDs setup a and switching will not be done as fast as on the same SSIDs.

So the question should not be around SSIDs but you should use different channels over the routers to allow better transition of the clients between the router/AP devices!

 

[pirx73]

If you need client hand-off (roaming if you want precise term) among APs, SSIDs should have the same name and access credentials, plus their coverage should overlap to the some extent - about 20%.
Channels should be different of course. Just keep in mind that there are only 3 non-overlapping channels on 2.4GHz band - 1, 6 11 (1, 7 and 13 in EU but i suggest avoiding to use channels above 11) and use only them. Since you have only 3 wireless devices it should'nt be a problem. Just check for neighboring wifi networks.
Second part of your question - same/different SSIDs for each band - 2.4 and 5GHz - this is up to you. If you want to separate both networks so that some devices only use 5GHz or 2.4GHz band then different SSIDs are the easiest and surest way to achieve that.

 

[Raphie]

I got an AC5300 downstairs and a ac66 upstairs, the roaming is NOT good when using the same ssid. Devices keep hanging on the current unit way to long or won’t switch AT all.
Between bands adds another anoying dimension to it, preferring the 2.4 over 5gh band, yes you are supposed to manage these preferences on the client device, but these don’t work so well

Worst case, your 5gh capable iphone, will still try to keep the 2.4gh downstairs connection alive, while being in the attic, where an upstairs 5gh is available.
So in theory yes, in practise, it doesn’t work like that with home network, just label them all differently, the roaming behaviour will be the same, and be amazed how inefficient this still really is in home networks.

 

[dlandiss]

We have found no difference between same or different SSIDs in the roaming ability of current devices. Since we do many installations in huge 3-story houses built at the beginning of the 20th century, with thick stone walls, we find that different SSIDs simplifies troubleshooting.

We do find that Android devices seem to roam more readily than Apples.

 

[joegreat]

I got an AC5300 downstairs and a ac66 upstairs, the roaming is NOT good when using the same ssid. Devices keep hanging on the current unit way to long or won’t switch AT all.

Maybe you should play around with the Roaming Assistant settings under Wireless Professional (separate values possible for the two WLAN bands) - of course you should know the values of the other router to give good values as input...

With my settings the roaming works like a charm for Android AND iOS devices (on 5 GHz band)!

 

[Raphie]

What are your settings?
My throughput is great (150Mbps) it’s just that the roaming is slow and using 2 ssids and manually switching just works faster and more reliable, transparent.
Also 3band under one ssid often keeps 5g devices still glued to the 2.4gh band. Which just renders 2 5gh bands useless.
Splitting ssid’s between bands AND location provides insight and control.
One ssid is nice, but then you have NO insight and control

 

[Livin]

I set a single SSID per network (5 & 2.4 separately)... Roaming SUCKS (aka, doesnt happen)!

5 & 2.4 on different SSIDs, across 3 ASUS Routers all with Roaming Assistant set to -60 ... and it simply doesnt work.
The client (Samsung S8) stays on the first router no matter what unless I turn on/off wifi on the phone.

This confirms in my mind the Wifi chipset developers and the IEEE org sucks for not making this work after many years of having the way to do this with BSSID.

This has been common for 2 days... I'm currently connected to a signal that is -80dBm / 65mbit instead of it connecting to the router 30' direct line of sight (no walls) which has -65dBm / 526mbit to my location; or the 2.4 radio that gives me -40dBm / 144mbit

I'll need to go back to different SSIDs per AP and use the 3rd party Android apps that help it roam. Arg.

 

[Raphie]

Yes regardless off all the tools and settings available in the routers, unique ssid’s for each band and router (24down, 24up, 5gdown, 5gup) is the ONLY way to make things work.
I played with the roaming sessions as well, the downstairs router kicks the ipad and the ipad still doesn’t see the upstairs 5g untill you go in the network settings, wait 10secs for it to appear in the list of networks And select it manually .
Same with mixed bands, it’s always connected with the ssid, but throughput is 30mbps (1 2.4gh band) rather than 200mbps on the 5gh band. In theory all very nice, in practise WORTHLESS!!

 

[compx]

I use 2 rt-68's in a base and repeater relationship, the repeater is connected to the 5ghz ssid from the base and repeater is broadcasting identical ssid's for the 2.4 and 5 ghz channels.

What I did do was set a static ip on the repeater and make sure that I reduced the dhcp ip pool ending address, in my case from 192.168.1.254 down to 192.168.1.200 and then I set my repeater ip address as 192.168.1.201.

When I did not do this, in short, it was useless. While I do not have the professional knowledge to express why it failed to work, I know it did not work and moving to a static ip and outside of the ip pool managed by dhcp it does work.

signature
RT-AC68R (Base) fw 3.0.0.4.380_3831
RT-AC68U(Repeater) fw 3.0.0.4.380_3831
4,000 sq foot 2 story home with basement
Base in basement / repeater on second story
linkrate 585-702Mbps
throughput around home 100Mbps stable