Multiple wireless access issues.

[DavidNe]

We have setup some wireless Avaya equipment and have run into the problem of multiple access points.

in a nut shell, if I am standing underneath one of the wireless "access points" on the first floor with a 4 or 5 bar signal strength, my device decides to connect to the wireless "access point" directly above me on the 2nd floor with 2 bars.

any ideas ?

Happy New Year to everyone...

 

[goombawaho]

That is technically NOT a problem, what you mentioned since you are maintaining connectivity.

You need to put a lot more meat on the bone. How are things configured?? Same SSID on each, different channels, same security?

My guess is that "that's just the way windows is". It's "sticky" on one access point as long as it has a signal. It doesn't just think "ok, here's an access point with 3 bars so I'll disconnect from this other one that I've been connected to that only has 2 bars". Doesn't work that way.

Maybe your access points are too close and/or too numerous.

http://superuser.com/questions/122441/multiple-access-points-for-the-same-ssid

All the above was more for home based networks. The following shows some settings for more advanced equipment which you might have on yours to adjust the roaming sensitivity

http://ccie-or-null.net/2011/05/16/control-roaming-wlc/

(minimum rssi, hysteresis, scan threshold, transition time

 

[DavidNe]

We have actually removed about 30 AP's reduced from 65 to 35. Huge building with 4 floors. SSID's are all different with controlled roaming. All power settings are setup corrected as per Avaya specifications.

I will check out the Cisco Docs (eventhough this is Avaya equipment) and see if there is anything in it that can be helpful.

Thanks for the help.

 

[goombawaho]

If you want it to be a seamless wireless network, the SSIDs should all be the same with the same security settings and different channels for adjacent access points. You never went into what you wanted your network architecture to look like and the rest of the equipment in the backbone.

Those aren't power settings per se, they are signal strength settings.

Here's my honest advice: get someone that knows your equipment and wireless networking. Since this is a professional operation (a business??), have someone out that knows how to set up the Avaya equipment. This is not a home "play with it until it works" operation. You can learn from them while they're there, but there's no substitute for someone that has done it before and is qualified. While I applaud people that want to learn and expand their skill set plus save a company money, there's a point a which getting the job done properly and quickly is paramount.

I guess only you can judge that point.

 

[DavidNe]

Thanks G, we already have the vendor scheduled to come in to assist.

 

[goombawaho]

If it's something simple to explain, come back and tell us what it was that made it work properly. By the way, that's the difference between home equipment and the commercial stuff - many more intricate settings. The basic wi-fi stuff is all the same - channels, SSIDs, etc.