Forum Discussion

Follower

Dec 12, 2023

I don't understand why a simple fritz.box router can have different ssid

Hi, just adding my reply here because I don't understand why a simple fritz.box router can have different ssid for the 2 frequencies and my more expensive Netgear Mesh setup cannot. I see this being ...

schumaku

Guru - Experienced User

Dec 13, 2023

FURRYe38 wrote:

NG has implemented a IoT ~~separate~~ network features on there 7, 8 and 9 series systems as of this year. So users can get there 2.4Ghz specific IoT devices connected to a Orbi AX or AXE system.

Just an additional IoT SSID, selectable band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, 2.4 GHz only, 5 GHz only for the IoT), and individual security (WPA2-PSK [AES], WPA-PSK [TKIP] + WPA2-PSK [AES] for IoT; WPA2-PSK [AES], WPA2-PSK [TKIP] + WPA3-Personal [SAE], and WPA3-Personal [SAE] for Guest) - no segregation, no separate network, no VLANs, one single network - same IP subnet, same broadcast domain, same DHCP, no L2 isolation - just multiple SSID entry points for the normal LAN, for IoT, for Guest. That much about the "separate" network features few users made a lot of noise about. And why? Just because some IoT vendors implemented ******, including Apps which error-out if they are not able to discover their IoT if they find the mobile device is not connected to a 2.4 GHz radio band - despite everything is on the very same network, the same broadcast and multicast domain - and no mobile client out there which does allow to select the band where they hope these wonderful IoT are. Not sure I should laugh or cry. Last but not lest: Many older AP designs have not allowed the same SSID on multiple radios, this is why the compromise of making SSID_24G and SSID_5G came from - this was never a requirement by the standards or a nice idea to allow connections selected by band.

FURRYe38

Guru - Experienced User

Dec 13, 2023

Something some of us already know.

Thanks though. Hopefully helps the poster understand.

schumaku
Guru - Experienced User
Dec 13, 2023

Netgear has chosen the Orbi design with one network, in a wise way, with one SSID for all bands, for (many) good reasons: #1 is that it is one single network. And it's still the very same on the newer Orbi 7, 8 and 9 series systems.

This is all based on IEEE global standard. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_set_(802.11_network) - what is shown and announced as your wireless name is the ESSID, part of the Extended service set.

An extended service set (ESS) is a wireless network, created by multiple access points, which appears to users as a single, seamless network, such as a network covering a home or office that is too large for reliable coverage by a single access point. It is a set of one or more infrastructure basic service sets on a common logical network segment (i.e. same IP subnet and VLAN). Key to the concept is that the participating basic service sets appear as a single network to the logical link control layer. Thus, from the perspective of the logical link control layer, stations within an ESS may communicate with one another, and mobile stations may move transparently from one participating basic service set to another (within the same ESS). Extended service sets make possible distribution services such as centralized authentication. From the perspective of the link layer, all stations within an ESS are all on the same link, and transfer from one BSS to another is transparent to logical link control.

This is about the "why". Does this put on a light on the question by the OP?

Netgear does offer Orbi Pro, Plus, Smart, and Managed Switches, Wireless APs allowing to implement granular networks with multiple network names - each pointing to a dedicated VLAN and IP subnet, with each an individual broadcast domains.