Daisy Chain Wifi Routers But Keep Same SSID

[scandalist]

I was thinking recently that the best way to extend wireless coverage is to daisy chain Access Points across a complex or building, leading back to the edge of the network. Is it possible to daisy chain these routers together and use the same network info so when a user reaches a spot in the building with low signal it swaps to the next best AP?

Its really inconvenient to manually switch between networks as you lose signal in a single spot. Thanks

 

[Markverhyden]

Research the term "mesh".

 

[scandalist]

Looks interesting but I don't need to cover an entire city. This will be a network involving 2 maybe 3 routers at most.

 

[Markverhyden]

The basic concept is the same whether it is 2 AP's or 200.

To be honest Apple's Airport Extreme Base Station coupled with the Airport Express is very easy to setup and install. I've done several of them that way.

I've tried a couple of other retail boxes, linksys if I remember correctly, they were rather difficult to setup and were not as reliable.

 

[tek9]

Check out http://www.open-mesh.com/.
Couldn't be easier.

 

[MobileTechie]

I was thinking recently that the best way to extend wireless coverage is to daisy chain Access Points across a complex or building, leading back to the edge of the network. Is it possible to daisy chain these routers together and use the same network info so when a user reaches a spot in the building with low signal it swaps to the next best AP?

Its really inconvenient to manually switch between networks as you lose signal in a single spot. Thanks

The problem with doing this is that with most systems (and I think this includes Open Mesh according to reviews) the network speed drops with each hop.

Because the radio is now having to receive data and also re-transmit it, the bandwidth is halved.

In terms of using the same SSID and it working seamlessly - you need to look into getting the right APs, not all will do this.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

To cover a building...you want to stay away from the mickey mouse method of "daisy chaining" APs.

Wireless Distribution cuts the speed in 1/2 with each node (hop), and each client down the line also chips away at the speed for everyone else after a certain point.

To cover a building, you want to step up from "home grade" hardware and get into business grade hardware, which is "centrally managed", and designed for this type of setup.

Each AP should have its own home run back to the switch. On some rare "light use" setups, you can consider 1x "repeat hop" at lighter use areas or edges of the project.

Those Open-Mesh units are OK for lighter use networks...but their hardware....how should I say this...."lacks balls".

For just 5 dollars more money per AP....you can get hardware with power...Ubiquiti.

 

[phaZed]

Another for Ubiquiti... UniFi series would do this.

 

[Markverhyden]

I've done work at a couple of places where they said they were using the 2.4ghz for the client connection and the 5ghz for the backhaul and management to the main AP. Not really sure how they had that setup though. But the site was not meshed. Each AP had it's own SSID. It was Ubiquity boxes if I remember correctly.

 

[smashedbotatos]

I would look in to getting wireless access points. Home grade wireless routers would suffice, but their firmware is not meant for this type of use. If you got open firmware you could essentially do it rather easily by bridging them and using WDS. WDS is essentially just a mesh network. Even in that case I would want to have them all linked together by ethernet to a central router for reliability. As you add clients it will slow down dramatically. For a home solution where you have between 1 and 10 wireless devices. i wouldn't see an issue.

I am another advocate of Ubuquiti UniFi.

If the customer wants to skimp on price and wont pay for something such as that. You really have to present it as the appropriate solution and explain the advantages. If they still are not on board and want a home grade patchwork solution. Try and prove your method with a demonstration or with adequate "paperwork". My "paperwork" is a pamphlet of referenced articles and graphics about the subject.