Better Switching Between Two Wireless Connections

Would really appreciate any help with this:

I have a Belkin G Router bridged to a Belkin Access Point. The Router
is connected to a DSL modem which is configured "Bridge Ethernet" The
Belkin Router handles all the routing. The Router is at the back of
the house (SSID is "Back") and the Access Point is at the front (SSID
is "Front").

The laptops we have use Windows to configure wireless. The problem is
this: our laptops are moved around the house. So, the laptop will try
to connect to the first preferred connection "Back" when you are in the
front, even if the signal is awful, and won't let go unless you change
it manually to "Front" or unless "Back" goes out altogether. The
obvious solution to this is to make "Front" the preferred connection,
but if you have the laptop in the back of the house...well, you see the
problem. This leads to a spotty internet connection.

Is there some way either to 1) make windows treat "Back" and "Front" as
the same thing so the connection remains relatively stable or 2) to
make Windows stay connected to only the strongest signal it finds?

Again, any help is appreciated.

Is is necessary to use different SSIDs? The reason I ask is this: Two APs on
the same network can coexist by simply giving them the same SSID but placing
them on different channels. Your notebook pc would connect flawlessly while
moving between the two.

--
Just Me, D

On 24 Jul 2005 15:40:30 -0700, "R. Mitchell" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>Is there some way either to 1) make windows treat "Back" and "Front" as
>the same thing so the connection remains relatively stable or 2) to
>make Windows stay connected to only the strongest signal it finds?

Set it up so both the route and the access pont have the same SSID.
Put them both on different channels (1, 6, or 11) so that they don't
interfere with each other. It should be possible to roam with this
arrangement.

However, you're still going to have problems getting the client radio
to switch between the two access points. The problem is that the
client has to release the connection from one access point, scan, and
switch to the other access point. If there's any overlap in coverage,
there's no guarantee that your client radio will not try to maintain
the connection with the weakest access point, despite the availability
of a stronger signal on a different channel. I have a similar
arrangement at my palatial office complex. If I start near one access
point, I have to disable the client wireless device and then re-enable
it to convince it to scan and switch access points.


--
Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
AE6KS 831-336-2558

Thanks, guys. The same SSID seems to help, but there is a problem with
putting the router and AP on different channels, they can't
communicate! Doesn't this seem right?

Jeff Liebermann wrote:
> On 24 Jul 2005 15:40:30 -0700, "R. Mitchell" <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote:
>
> >Is there some way either to 1) make windows treat "Back" and "Front" as
> >the same thing so the connection remains relatively stable or 2) to
> >make Windows stay connected to only the strongest signal it finds?
>
> Set it up so both the route and the access pont have the same SSID.
> Put them both on different channels (1, 6, or 11) so that they don't
> interfere with each other. It should be possible to roam with this
> arrangement.
>
> However, you're still going to have problems getting the client radio
> to switch between the two access points. The problem is that the
> client has to release the connection from one access point, scan, and
> switch to the other access point. If there's any overlap in coverage,
> there's no guarantee that your client radio will not try to maintain
> the connection with the weakest access point, despite the availability
> of a stronger signal on a different channel. I have a similar
> arrangement at my palatial office complex. If I start near one access
> point, I have to disable the client wireless device and then re-enable
> it to convince it to scan and switch access points.
>
>
> --
> Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
> 150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
> Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
> AE6KS 831-336-2558

"R. Mitchell" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>Thanks, guys. The same SSID seems to help, but there is a problem with
>putting the router and AP on different channels, they can't
>communicate! Doesn't this seem right?

Aren't they connected with a wire?

Jeff Liebermann <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>However, you're still going to have problems getting the client radio
>to switch between the two access points. The problem is that the
>client has to release the connection from one access point, scan, and
>switch to the other access point. If there's any overlap in coverage,
>there's no guarantee that your client radio will not try to maintain
>the connection with the weakest access point, despite the availability
>of a stronger signal on a different channel. I have a similar
>arrangement at my palatial office complex. If I start near one access
>point, I have to disable the client wireless device and then re-enable
>it to convince it to scan and switch access points.

Will it pick up the nearest AP when you start up, and will it stay on
that AP if you don't move out of range of it?

Thanks!

No, sorry I forgot to mention that. Basically, the AP is bridged to
the router wirelessly. Anyway, when I put them on the same channel,
same SSID, it gives pretty good results. So, thanks!

Yes. It's definitely picking up the nearest AP with no problems.

But, having said that, the roaming problems are not solved. Even
though the have the same SSID, you still have to tell Windows to search
for a network and then reconnect. It's just seems like there should be
a setting in Windows to allow you to automatically search for and
connect to a different, stronger wireless network when your current
signal reaches a certain bad threshold (like "Low"). Is there any
other software out there that would do that?

On 25 Jul 2005 05:08:49 -0700, "R. Mitchell" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>No, sorry I forgot to mention that. Basically, the AP is bridged to
>the router wirelessly. Anyway, when I put them on the same channel,
>same SSID, it gives pretty good results. So, thanks!

You didn't mention that you were using WDS (Wireless Distribution
System) to build your network. If that's the case, you need to have
them both on the same channel.


--
Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
AE6KS 831-336-2558