WLAN controller + AP over powerline

[Hobbes]

Hello all,

I have a big old house with thick walls and thus need three WLAN access points to cover the whole house. So far I am using Devolo dlan 1200+ WiFi ac adapters and I am unhappy with the roaming experience. Endpoints sometimes need a minute to connect to the new AP when walking around the house. I know it's a problem with the endpoints, not my devolo wifi devices, but I still would like to improve this.

The only way to do this in my opinion is to have a WLAN controller – which is unfortunately quite expensive. I am currently trying to figure out if by any chance I could avoid laying cables across the whole house, which would be even more expensive (can't hide them, I would have to open the walls...).

Thus I am looking for the following setup: one WLAN controller connected to three APs over powerline. What is the best way to do this? I prefer to invest more and have a good result, rather that being cheap but not seeing any real improvement. Also important to me: future upgradability of the setup. I have multiple old tablets, smartphones, a wireless printer, etc., but I do not require the highest possible bandwidth.

Cheers

 

[degrub]

Hello all,

I have a big old house with thick walls and thus need three WLAN access points to cover the whole house. So far I am using Devolo dlan 1200+ WiFi ac adapters and I am unhappy with the roaming experience. Endpoints sometimes need a minute to connect to the new AP when walking around the house. I know it's a problem with the endpoints, not my devolo wifi devices, but I still would like to improve this.

The only way to do this in my opinion is to have a WLAN controller – which is unfortunately quite expensive. I am currently trying to figure out if by any chance I could avoid laying cables across the whole house, which would be even more expensive (can't hide them, I would have to open the walls...).

Thus I am looking for the following setup: one WLAN controller connected to three APs over powerline. What is the best way to do this? I prefer to invest more and have a good result, rather that being cheap but not seeing any real improvement. Also important to me: future upgradability of the setup. I have multiple old tablets, smartphones, a wireless printer, etc., but I do not require the highest possible bandwidth.

Cheers

Single or multistory ?
If single can you run cat5e in the attic to ceiling locations and install POE access points back to your controller location ?

 

[thiggins]

I know it's a problem with the endpoints, not my devolo wifi devices, but I still would like to improve this.

If you use powerline, all powerline adapters share the same powerline bandwidth. So one powerline adapter where Ethernet is and just plug others in where you want Ethernet for APs.

There are very few consumer devices that will roam with an active connection, let alone roam quickly. Have you looked at roaming behavior with idle devices?

Vendors like Edimax, EnGenius and Linksys have APs now that can operate in clusters without an additional controller. Could save you money.

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-howto/32907-put-your-wi-fi-network-on-auto-pilot

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-features/32892-is-it-time-for-a-managed-wlan

http://www.linksys.com/us/pressreleases/linksys-adds-clustering/

 

[Hobbes]

Unfortunately two stories and between the stories is solid concrete, I'd need an industrial drill to get through or I'd have to use the stairs. But there is nowhere to hide the cables: walls are concrete or stones and plastering (?), floor is parquet.

 

[Hobbes]

If you use powerline, all powerline adapters share the same powerline bandwidth. So one powerline adapter where Ethernet is and just plug others in where you want Ethernet for APs.

There are very few consumer devices that will roam with an active connection, let alone roam quickly. Have you looked at roaming behavior with idle devices?

Vendors like Edimax, EnGenius and Linksys have APs now that can operate in clusters without an additional controller. Could save you money.

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-howto/32907-put-your-wi-fi-network-on-auto-pilot

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-features/32892-is-it-time-for-a-managed-wlan

http://www.linksys.com/us/pressreleases/linksys-adds-clustering/

Thanks for this details, unfortunately the features detailed are not helping with roaming. I saw “Band steering” within one AP mentioned, but that's the farthest it goes. They have many wlan controller features, but does not help with roaming.

I had a nice page explaining exactly what I am looking for. I couldn't find this exact page anymore, but I found a similar feature in Cisco's hardware, they call it “optimized roaming”. Basically, an AP will dissociate from a client if certain conditions are met, in order to force the client to associate with another AP (which should be closer to the client at this moment).
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/do...html#concept_4294E749719B4C538A09E14DC3448328

I hope this is not a Cisco proprietary feature and has been implemented in some SOHO hardware as well... So far, no luck unfortunately...

Thanks again for the information, even though it isn't what I was looking for it still is pretty interesting to see what is available today.