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Forum Discussion
Duplicate SSID
Hi Should my Orbi system be transmitting duplicate SSID? There are 2 instances of the SSID in the avaible networks list and this seems to be creating problems for wireless printer, sonos and gene...
spatzy13 wrote:Should my Orbi system be transmitting duplicate SSID? There are 2 instances of the SSID in the avaible networks list and this seems to be creating problems for wireless printer, sonos and general device connectivity as you move between rooms/inside and outside etc
It would help to know how you detect the duplicate SSID. My "regular WiFi devices" show the Orbi SSID only once. When I open a WiFi Analyzer app, however, each radio on each access point that is broadcasting the SSID appears. I have one router and one satellite, so I see four instances of the SSID (two 2.4G and two 5G). They each have a different MAC address.
I struggle to understand how this situation affects devices that do not move. (wireless printer, Sonos speakers).
Thanks for the reply
I see the 2x SSID on the list of available networks on both mobile devices (2 x iphones, 2 x ipads) and 2 different windows laptops. The issue for the printer is that the printer shows as offline on my laptop so I have to go to printer and put it onto the 2nd of the SSID's. For the SONOS its similar, speakers can be often appear to be offline from in the Sonos app so i have reconnect the speaker to the wifi etc
These things may of course be unrelated but i thought it was strange that I see 2 x SSID's
CrimpOn wrote:
spatzy13 wrote:Should my Orbi system be transmitting duplicate SSID? There are 2 instances of the SSID in the avaible networks list and this seems to be creating problems for wireless printer, sonos and general device connectivity as you move between rooms/inside and outside etc
It would help to know how you detect the duplicate SSID. My "regular WiFi devices" show the Orbi SSID only once. When I open a WiFi Analyzer app, however, each radio on each access point that is broadcasting the SSID appears. I have one router and one satellite, so I see four instances of the SSID (two 2.4G and two 5G). They each have a different MAC address.
I struggle to understand how this situation affects devices that do not move. (wireless printer, Sonos speakers).
To Plemens question, (thanks also) it should be in Orbi mode, it was on install. Is there a way to check from the Orbi app? I cant see any option/setting associated with extender mode…
spatzy13 wrote:
To Plemens question, (thanks also) it should be in Orbi mode, it was on install. Is there a way to check from the Orbi app? I cant see any option/setting associated with extender mode…An easy way to determine the "mode" of the RBS50Y (outdoor) satellite is to look at the Orbi web interface "Attached Devices" display. If it appears at the top as a "satellite", then it is clearly in satellite mode (not "extender"). The Orbi "app" also will show it as a satellite, rather than a "device".
Alas, I have heard that "i things" do not allow developers to produce the sort of WiFi Analyzer apps that Android allows.
You could download the (free) WifiInfoView app and run it on one of the Windows computers. It will show the MAC address of each access point that is broadcasting the SSID.
Another way to check which mode it's using is the FW version installed. These will be different version for each mode:
https://www.netgear.com/support/product/RBS50Y.aspx#download
Thanks all
Outdoor confirmed in Orbi mode (Satellite) via the web interface. Also downloaded and ran WifiInfoView, it shows 4 instances of the SSID each with different mac addresses. 2 x 802.11g & 2 x 802.11n
Is that normal/expected?
CrimpOn wrote:
spatzy13 wrote:
To Plemens question, (thanks also) it should be in Orbi mode, it was on install. Is there a way to check from the Orbi app? I cant see any option/setting associated with extender mode…An easy way to determine the "mode" of the RBS50Y (outdoor) satellite is to look at the Orbi web interface "Attached Devices" display. If it appears at the top as a "satellite", then it is clearly in satellite mode (not "extender"). The Orbi "app" also will show it as a satellite, rather than a "device".
Alas, I have heard that "i things" do not allow developers to produce the sort of WiFi Analyzer apps that Android allows.
You could download the (free) WifiInfoView app and run it on one of the Windows computers. It will show the MAC address of each access point that is broadcasting the SSID.
spatzy13 wrote:Thanks all
Outdoor confirmed in Orbi mode (Satellite) via the web interface. Also downloaded and ran WifiInfoView, it shows 4 instances of the SSID each with different mac addresses. 2 x 802.11g & 2 x 802.11n
Is that normal/expected?
Yes, this is exactly what is expected. Each Orbi announces "Here it is" on both 2.4G and 5G bands. Two Orbi's times two channels = 4.
So, we are back to the original question: "Why do WiFi devices display duplicate SSID's, and how could it matter which one is selected?"
