Help: Setting up 6 Wireless Access Points at home

[limnos]

I have run cat5 ethernet cable around the whole house. All ethernet cables are sent into a 'control room' where I have a switch.

Basically:

Telkom ADSL line -> Modem/Router -> Switch -> 6 Wireless Access points (wired) around my whole house.

Now where I need some tech advice before finishing setting up.

I have only enabled DHCP on the modem/router, beginning at 192.168.1.2 and ending at 192.168.1.254

My modem/router address is 192.168.1.1

Wireless access point 1 = 192.168.1.20
WAP 2 = 192.168.1.21
WAP 3 = 192.168.1.22
WAP 4 = 192.168.1.23
WAP 5 = 192.168.1.24
WAP 6 = 192.168.1.25

I have turned off DHCP on all access points.

I want to freely roam around the whole house, therefore I used the same SSiD, 'Wireless'.

Do I keep all 6 WAPs on the SAME channel, or do I use different channels? If so, will I need to use increments of lets say 2? The WAPs are situated quite close to each other. What are all those other settings? Bridge mode, WDS mode, tx power output?

I am experiencing wifi dropouts. So for example, I could be watching a YouTube video, and it will just cut. I turn off Wifi and put back on, and then the YouTube video seamlessly downloads quickly! This happens all the time, not just with YouTube, with other random websites where it just returns a time out. Resulting me in switching off wifi and connecting again! If I connect my laptop directly to the switch I have no issues whatsoever. Is there something wrong with WAP setup?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanx.

 

[syntax]

From what it sounds like, you have not joined all the wireless networks together,
you have simply given them all the same SSID's...
have you enabled WDS or allowed them to extend each others range?

 

[limnos]

From what it sounds like, you have not joined all the wireless networks together,
you have simply given them all the same SSID's...
have you enabled WDS or allowed them to extend each others range?

I have not enabled WDS. They are all connected via ethernet cable into the switch. Why would I need to enable WDS?

Please excuse my lack of knowledge when it comes to networking

 

[UnUnOctium]

Even if you name them the same and put them all on the same channel, they will still be different networks. You need WDS to effectively merge all of them into one. Space the channels two apart. 6 access points is quite extreme, you must have a huge house. Just keep in mind that everytime you switch networks, there will be a few seconds of no interbutts.

 

[TheMightyP]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_Distribution_System

Just keep in mind: "The maximum wireless effective throughput is halved after the first retransmission (hop) that is made.".

Also, your possible encryption methods might be limited to what WDS and your routers in WDS mode can handle.

Personally I think you're nuts - I would rather have a single wifi router with a high power aerial, or a number of routers with different SSID's.

 

[Vegeta]

6! You have a big a$s house!

 

[syntax]

I have not enabled WDS. They are all connected via ethernet cable into the switch. Why would I need to enable WDS?

Please excuse my lack of knowledge when it comes to networking

As above answers, your wireless networks are not "linked", you have essentially created 6 different wireless networks (even though u have named them all the same.)
So essentially, you are breaking your wireless connection and moving to a new one when you walk around ur house.

Check the settings on the wireless, some have the simple option to just extend the networks (this is on the mac airports etc.. and some onf the linksys devices iirc) otherwise you need to enable WDS.
This will allow all wireless devices to participate in the same wireless "community"

 

[limnos]

Gee, this is becoming a lot more tech savvy than I expected!

Ok so above, I have the option to select the AP's mode. When selecting WDS Repeater mode I am forced to insert MAC address in the list. Which MAC address do i provide?? My routers? The ones of all AP? The list only contains 4 options.

Thank you all for your support!

 

[Roger.Wilco]

Damn, how big is your house? Mine is fairly big, and 1 wifi router easily covers the whole house, even outside.

 

[limnos]

Guys it's really not that big. 2 upstairs. 2 downstairs. 1 by pool braai area and another in a spare room down stairs (wine cellar/entertainment)

Couldn't manage to come right by choosing the WDS repeater mode. As you can see in pic in only gives me 4 options in the list.

The problem goes further now. My iPhone cannot control my iTunes now that's on the same network. Gotta find a way around this. This was the main reason why i wanted wifi everywhere - to control my music in each zone with an Airport Express! Will prob have to call someone in.

 

[Roman4604]

First thing I would suggest is to get your channel selection/spacing right. Remember there are only 3 non-overlapping channels avalaible in 802.11g, being 1, 6 & 11. Since you have 6 APs you're going to have to duplicate each of the channels. Make sure APs with the same (duplicate) channel are spaced as far apart as possible (think vertically & horizontally as the signal radiates out in a dounut shape).

Also I would recommend you do not hide your SSID (the security value of this is minimal anyway). The client devices need constant visibility of each AP's beaconing to know when it would be approprate to switch to a 'better' AP.

 

[PsyWulf]

Looks like your Wireless APs are only able to handle 4 APs in WDS mode...a limitation you would've been aware of if you'd planned this ahead with MyBB's assistance

Honestly the best APs for this type of setup is Linksys WRT54GL's with custom firmware and then you're likely to need only like 3-4 hehe

 

[alchamy]

Erm..... wifi roaming. No need for WDS etc which just wastes spectrum and slows things down.

Assuming you have cabled to each point you plan on installing just use the method in the link. It takes some planning since you have 3 channels to play with but it works perfectly. (as mentioned already)

I have 5 access points setup like this, 3 in the ceiling, 1 garage and 1 in the braai area (used POE to power them), took a morning to wire everything up and it roams perfectly, the clients just pick the channel with the best signal.

 

[limnos]

Weird... Now i'm super confused! Everyone else told me to use WDS mode and now i'm told not to?

I read somewhere on Cisco's support forums that it really doesn't matter if you use same channel.

So I put all 6 AP in WDS mode, entered the routers MAC address and set all channels to 1 with same SSID.

It seems to be working now. Will do further more tests and see if it continues getting wifi drops.

 

[alchamy]

WDS slows down transfer rates considerably, it resends for each hop so you half throughput for each access point/relay you add.