Setting up roaming wireless network

[mdano1280]

I'm interested in setting up a roaming wireless network in my office so that users with mobile devices can move across the building and never lose connection. To accomplish this i am using two Linksys WAP54G access points, one near the entrance, the other on the other side of the floor near the corner offices.

I've gotten some mixed signals and contradictory answers regarding how to set this up and was looking for some advice.

A) should the SSID be the same on both?
B) should the access points use the same channel or different ones? If different, which ones?
C) Should the access points be in default AP mode or something different?
D) Any other ideas or settings i should change?


Thanks in advance.

 

[dput]

The SSID should be the same on both AP's. You probably want 2 different channels so they don't interfere with each other. Typically you will use either 1, 6, and 11. It should not matter which 2 you use.

I am not familiar with that particular model of WAP so I don't know specifics on them.

Dan

 

[jdeisenm]

dupt is right, same SSID, different channels. Survey the air to see if certain channels are less congested. If you have "ducky" antennas on your ap, make sure they point straght up or down. You man not have to put your ap close to the entrance but farther away from your walls. Survey (walk around) and check the signal strength from your WAP.

Basically the config on each WAP should be the same except for the channel. Make sure each WAP is also running the same firmware. Read release notes and upgrade if necessary. Put the same encryption type on each AP also.

What wireless NIC's are in your laptops. Likely you will need upgrade the wireless drivers on your laptops as well. Certain older Intel nic drivers don't roam very well.

If your users are not transfering big files, you may get better performance by setting everything to "B".