Time to Re-Up.

[Russ]

Very exhausted with the readings of threads on power vs implementation of protocols, so going to ask for those who are truly the geeks to recommend a solution.

Scenario: The environment is a rambler style home with Wi-Fi SMART appliances on both ends of the house with bedrooms in middle. The backbone is gigabit supported with wired CAT 6 wired drops each end.Devices floating from one end of the house to the other are IOS devices (iPad 3&4 devices). Smart Devices stream from a Synology NAS unit. Present network performs like it should and as one would want
Problem/Experience: Periodical weak singles when passing through zones and takes the IOS devices sometimes a few minutes to negotiate a connection with the stronger router. If too long, can simply turn Wi-Fi off and back on again to fix problem.

Requirement: Remove the 3 dlink 1525 routers(placed East-Center-West) and solution with a Centered placed solution that will cover the WHOLE house. Assumption should include new 802 variations but would rather have solid coverage vs any new implementation to play with.

Any SOLID recommendations?

 

[azazel1024]

Zero. If you currently need 3 access points to cover your entire house, one will not do it. My iOS devices don't have any issues with roaming from one access point to another in my house, or going outside and roaming to that access point. I have TP-Link WDR3600 and Archer C8. They didn't have any issues doing that when I was using Netgear WNDR3500L either.

Are you using the same SSID for all of the routers, or do you have different SSID names (if so, there's your problem)?

 

[Russ]

Zero. If you currently need 3 access points to cover your entire house, one will not do it. My iOS devices don't have any issues with roaming from one access point to another in my house, or going outside and roaming to that access point. I have TP-Link WDR3600 and Archer C8. They didn't have any issues doing that when I was using Netgear WNDR3500L either.

Are you using the same SSID for all of the routers, or do you have different SSID names (if so, there's your problem)?

Ugggg, thats what I was coming too but wanted someone else to assess this. Absolutely the same SSID and Keys, hence the bit of wonderment . Perhaps one of the current routers are hickup along the way. Perhaps setting up a perl script to have the devices reboot ever other day in off hours may be a way to address the oddity

 

[Trip]

would rather have solid coverage vs any new implementation to play with

How about re-positioning the first 3 APs, adding a 4th, then putting into WDS if the DAP-1525 support it -- I find WDS usually helps with seamless hand-off. Otherwise, not sure if you want to scrap your hardware for something completely new, but you could always do something like Open-Mesh or UniFi, and simply add as many APs as are needed to get the job done.

 

[azazel1024]

Hmmm. It might have to do with the routers. I assume you are getting fairly low signal level while it is sitting there waiting for a switch over? At least with my iPhone 5 (I don't really pay as much attention to my wife's iPad 2 or iPhone 6) if I walk from one end of my house to the other, within about 4-8s it switches access points.

 

[Russ]

Hmmm. It might have to do with the routers. I assume you are getting fairly low signal level while it is sitting there waiting for a switch over? At least with my iPhone 5 (I don't really pay as much attention to my wife's iPad 2 or iPhone 6) if I walk from one end of my house to the other, within about 4-8s it switches access points.

That does describe the effects pretty squarely, its more of a 30-60 second sort of thing. So lets play this out...

I can run 2.4 or 5gig. Presently running the 2.4 range for compatibility as I have some older devices(I-Home products) that just wouldn't marry up well for some reason. Pretty sure its the WIFI implementation on those devices tho.

In anyones experience are any of the following going to make a different in connection reliability or performance. If so, whats is the preferred? They are set the same across all the Wifi Routers.

Wireless Channel - 10
Wireless - Mixed(n,g,b)
Wep - 64 -again set for backware compatibility to address some older I-Home products wifi implementation.
Enable AutoScan - not checked.

Did find an extra functioning one on craigslist last nite, so will attempt to replace one out and see if issue goes away.

 

[L&LD]

Have you tried other channels than 10?

1, 6 or 11 are the only ones you should be using for least interference for all networks in your immediate vicinity, including your network too.

 

[Russ]

Have you tried other channels than 10?

1, 6 or 11 are the only ones you should be using for least interference for all networks in your immediate vicinity, including your network too.

I have in the past due to the other articles I've read about higher channels. I did go back today and reset the CENTER router with the appropriate configs on others and upon reboot, it took out my Sonicwall and other network devices as I lost VPN to work(hardwired) and local WIFI connectivity to the local network from my other laptops. After unplugging the device everything came back up, so I suspect I need to change the Center unit out at this time as it may be a bit unreliable. Will chime back up shortly on the replacement activity, perhaps that units been the problem all along...

 

[coxhaus]

While you have your center one down check signal strength. Maybe you don’t need 3 and 2 will do. If my signal strength with 2 wireless APs is too strong because they are too close clients don’t want to switch. I have to keep my 2 wireless APs at opposite ends of my long house for them to work well.

 

[azazel1024]

Also make sure that each one is on a different channel. If they are all on the same, then devices on one router are going to interfer with devices on another one. If running 20MHz in 2.4GHz, set channel 1, 6 and 11 for the 3 different routers. If running 40MHz, I would only do it on 1/2 of them. Either set the outer routers on 40Mhz and channel 1+5 with the center router on 20MHz and channel 11, or set the center router on 1+5 and the outer routers on channel 11.

I'd also consider setting up a single router that is running 11g and WEP for those old devices that can only use WEP (or get rid of them). WEP can cause some issues on wireless networks too and it might (though unlikely) be causing some of the issues you are having.