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One router & 2 APs, what do I set to avoid having to connect to different networks?
I have a Netgear AC1750 router and 2 EX6100 access points at 2 ends of my home. If I first connected to the internet to AP#1 (in Window's Network & Sharing Center as it had the strongest signal), as ...
Fordem: Thank you very much for the help.
Just to document for others what to do that solved the issue for me, I post this reply. It may apply to other products. This is what worked for me, but I may have forgotten a step or two. It also is very simple, it's to help people like me who don't know an AP from an IP!
First, it is assumed that you are reading this is because you have already hooked up and installed the EX6100's as AP's and they are working.
1) Log directly in to the router. Check the SSID on the wireless settings on the main router and write it down. If you have a 2.4Ghz and 5 Ghz system, they will have different names so record them both. In the Advanced tab, go to the wireless setup and note the "Security Options" for the (each) network.
2) Log directly in to the Access Point (not through NetGear Genie if it is installed).
a) Under the "Setup" tab, sub-tab "Internet Setup", set a static IP address for the AP. For instance, if the range of IP addresses (as shown in the router) is 192.168.1.1 through 192.168.1.250, use 192.168.1.100. Click "Apply". It will take a minute to store and reload the change.
b) Under the "Wireless Setup", change the Name (SSID) of the Network to the name you wrote down in step 1. Make sure the radio button for the "Security Options" is the same one that was recorded in Step 1. If the same option (i.e. AES) is not available, go back to the router and change it to a security option available for both the router and the AP.
c) If there is a second channel, do set b) for the second channel. Click "Apply". It will take a minute to store and reload the change.
d) Under the Maintenance Tab, backup Settings, save the current configuration file.
e) Log out. Re-log in (Browser address line 192.168.1.100) and check that the settings changed above have been recorded properly.
3) Do the same for each AP.
4) Change the computer's "Roaming Aggressiveness". For this (Windows 7), open the "Device Manager" on the computer. It will be in the Control Panel. Under "Network Adapters", click on the Wireless Network Connection that is the board in your CPU. Chose the "Advanced" Tab. Click on the "Roaming Aggressiveness" property and set it to the highest value. Click on the "Transmit Power" property and insure that it is on the highest value.
5) Test the system. Walk around with the laptop and watch the internet strength bars on the taskbar. If they are 4-5 bars all the time, you should be done. If it drops to 1-2 bars, wait there for a while and see if the Roaming Aggressiveness kicks in. I am not sure, but sometimes it seemed like it took a few minutes to get another AP. Don't use the Netgear Genie to determine the adequacy of the connection, I'm not sure what it is reporting. It seems to lock into the first AP/Router it seems and just reports that signal strength, even though the computer is using another AP/Router for the true internet connection.
If the 1-2 bars stay, you may have a dead zone and may need to relocate the AP.
The above seemed to work for me. I think the true wireless devices (like phones, iPads, etc.) already have a very aggressive roaming feature and won't need to be adjusted, if it is even possible.
Good luck!
Just to document for others what to do that solved the issue for me, I post this reply. It may apply to other products. This is what worked for me, but I may have forgotten a step or two. It also is very simple, it's to help people like me who don't know an AP from an IP!
First, it is assumed that you are reading this is because you have already hooked up and installed the EX6100's as AP's and they are working.
1) Log directly in to the router. Check the SSID on the wireless settings on the main router and write it down. If you have a 2.4Ghz and 5 Ghz system, they will have different names so record them both. In the Advanced tab, go to the wireless setup and note the "Security Options" for the (each) network.
2) Log directly in to the Access Point (not through NetGear Genie if it is installed).
a) Under the "Setup" tab, sub-tab "Internet Setup", set a static IP address for the AP. For instance, if the range of IP addresses (as shown in the router) is 192.168.1.1 through 192.168.1.250, use 192.168.1.100. Click "Apply". It will take a minute to store and reload the change.
b) Under the "Wireless Setup", change the Name (SSID) of the Network to the name you wrote down in step 1. Make sure the radio button for the "Security Options" is the same one that was recorded in Step 1. If the same option (i.e. AES) is not available, go back to the router and change it to a security option available for both the router and the AP.
c) If there is a second channel, do set b) for the second channel. Click "Apply". It will take a minute to store and reload the change.
d) Under the Maintenance Tab, backup Settings, save the current configuration file.
e) Log out. Re-log in (Browser address line 192.168.1.100) and check that the settings changed above have been recorded properly.
3) Do the same for each AP.
4) Change the computer's "Roaming Aggressiveness". For this (Windows 7), open the "Device Manager" on the computer. It will be in the Control Panel. Under "Network Adapters", click on the Wireless Network Connection that is the board in your CPU. Chose the "Advanced" Tab. Click on the "Roaming Aggressiveness" property and set it to the highest value. Click on the "Transmit Power" property and insure that it is on the highest value.
5) Test the system. Walk around with the laptop and watch the internet strength bars on the taskbar. If they are 4-5 bars all the time, you should be done. If it drops to 1-2 bars, wait there for a while and see if the Roaming Aggressiveness kicks in. I am not sure, but sometimes it seemed like it took a few minutes to get another AP. Don't use the Netgear Genie to determine the adequacy of the connection, I'm not sure what it is reporting. It seems to lock into the first AP/Router it seems and just reports that signal strength, even though the computer is using another AP/Router for the true internet connection.
If the 1-2 bars stay, you may have a dead zone and may need to relocate the AP.
The above seemed to work for me. I think the true wireless devices (like phones, iPads, etc.) already have a very aggressive roaming feature and won't need to be adjusted, if it is even possible.
Good luck!