How to switch to the strongest signal when using an access point?

Hello

I have a modem with wifi, and an access point with wifi. Each of these are on opposite sides of the apartment. The access point is physically connected to the modem by cable, and I use it to extend my wifi network to the entire apartment.

The thing is that they seem to have two separate networks. So although my connection is being extended by the access point, it actually has a different name (SSID), and I need to connect to it manually.

Is there a way to make the two networks merge? or to have my laptop switch to the strongest signal automatically?

Thanks

Zach

Reply to
Zach
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On 8 Mar 2007 09:43:50 -0800, "Zach" wrote in :

Use the same SSID in both access points. Put them on different channels with minimal overlap (1, 6, 11). Use wireless clients designed to roam properly on multi-access point networks (e.g., Intel).

Reply to
John Navas

Thanks John

I did what you suggested and it works well on my laptop (which has intel wifi).

The problem is that I have 2 desktop computers with wifi pci cards (netgear WG311v3). These do not seem to recognize the access point, which is now on channel 6. In fact, the only networks which are showing up on the netgear wireless assistant are on channel 11. I have enabled windows wireless managment, and it also can't find my access point on channel 6.

What should I do?

Thanks

Zach

Reply to
Zach

"Zach" hath wroth:

Welcome to semi-seamless roaming. The Intel Proset driver has some settings to control how agressively it should hold onto a connection before searching for a better one. Other clients are not so smart.

You access point might have the channel selection setting set to "auto", which means pick any clear channel it finds useful. Apparently, your Netgear WG311v3 clients are having a problem following the change in channels. I suggest you dive into the AP configuration and disarm this useless feature and select channels 1,

6, or 11. If the two access point happen to land on the same channel, you'll have an interference problem so please select different channels for each one.

Are you broadcasting the SSID? Without that, your clients aren't going to "see" the AP's.

Disclose the maker and model number of your access points.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

On 8 Mar 2007 13:34:56 -0800, "Zach" wrote in :

Get better wireless adapters.

Reply to
John Navas

On Fri, 09 Mar 2007 10:21:16 -0800, Jeff Liebermann wrote in :

Won't help, but I don't think it will help either -- I've just not seem that kind of jumping around unless there are other major problems.

Reply to
John Navas

Worse. I can't even force it to change channel.

I have no clue what algorithm the various manufacturers use to determine when it's time to jump to a different channel. I put a Buffalo WHR-HP-G54 with the stock 1.40 firmware on the bench and tried to get it to change channel. I supplied amplified noise, Bluetooth interference, on channel interference from another access point, adjacent channel inteference, multiple duplicated access points on the same channel, and probably some other tricks I forgot. Nothing would get it to change channel.

However, I turned off all the clients, let the access point run overnight, and in the morning, it went from channel 6 to channel 3. I assume there's some logic to the automagic channel selection, but I can't devine the logic with either technology or magic. If I asked Broadcom, they'll want an NDA, which prevents me from disclosing the technology and logic. Sigh.

I agree that I haven't seen jumping around from channels 1, 6, and 11. Instead, I see hops from ch 6 to perhaps ch 4 or 8. These are partially overlapping channels which should create some mutual interference. I've never seen the Buffalo hop to 1 or 11 from the usual channel 6 starting point.

Anyway, I've had better results with non-moveable channel assignments than the allegedly automagic interference avoidance schemes.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

On Sun, 11 Mar 2007 01:51:16 GMT, Jeff Liebermann wrote in :

Me too, but I think that's more a matter of wireless access points having no idea what wireless clients are seeing, so lack critical info on making a channel assignment. For example, the wireless access point might see little or no interference on channel 6, but a remote wireless client might see massive interference. What's needed is a way for the wireless access point to obtain interference data from clients, but that's outside the current spec.

Reply to
John Navas

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