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multiple devolo dLAN 500 wifi with iOS devices

Recently splashed out on a set of Devolo dLAN 500 wifi adapters which, using "WIFI Move" automatically share the same SSID and password to each of the adapters.


In theory this seems like a good idea as your devices see a single SSID and connect to the strongest signal as you move around your house.


So much for theory. I find iPads and iPhones routinely get confused and connect to the weakest signal - even if you're standing right next to one of the adapters.


For now the only work around I've found it so have different SSIDs on each devolo and manually switch networks when iOS refuses to.


Cant believe I've the only person seeing this!


FWIW Devolo tehc support pretty useless, but given my static desktop PC and Mac don't have a problem it looks to me perhaps more like an iOS/devolo specific thing.

Posted on Jan 12, 2015 3:56 AM

Reply
8 replies

Jan 12, 2015 6:27 AM in response to DarranPotter

So much for theory. I find iPads and iPhones routinely get confused and connect to the weakest signal - even if you're standing right next to one of the adapters.

This is what iPads and iPhones do. Nature of the beast with iOS. The operating system is not smart enough to automatically switch access points when the device moves from one area to another.


You will need to get the in the habit of temporarily turning off the WiFi on the iOS device when you start to move it to another area, and then turn the WiFi back on at the iOS device once you have it in a new location, so that it will hopefully pick up the signal from the stronger wireless access point.


Or, use different SSIDs for each access point.

Jan 12, 2015 6:38 AM in response to DarranPotter

Bob is correct, what you tried is the same as mixing brands in the wifi network: the apple equipment is not working then.

If you used the simple PCL without a wifi in it, it would work (on the same electricity phase). The Devolo (or other brand) CPL s without the wifi (thus just replacing an ethernet cable) works perfectly well. In some places I have no alternative and used Devolo and Netgear (but not a mix, ofcourse).

Lex

Jan 12, 2015 11:33 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Hi Bob


ive gone with different SSIDs and still have sometimes have to switch wifi off/on.


The dLAN 500s are definitely worse than the 200s where I never had so much trouble. In one instance I was next to an adapter and switched wifi in to see it get stuck in a loop of connecting, disconnecting, disapearing, re-connecting. This was only cured by switching off the dLAN and switching back on again.


ive now used the devolo schedule feature to switch wifi off for a minute at 4am which seems to help.


The more I think about it I think the problem is likely to be mainly Devolo. it's one thing for an IOS device to stay latched to a weak wifi signal, but if you reboot wifi in IOS and then you see a connect/discomnect loop until you reset the Devolo It suggests something wrong there.

Feb 1, 2015 3:44 AM in response to DarranPotter

I have the following configuration:

1. Fritz!box Cable Modem 6360

2. Devolo dLan OnLan (Located near the Fritz!box for Devolo Network).

3. Devolo dLan 200 AV WiFi (Living Room)

4. Devolo dLan 500 Wfi (StudyRoom)

5. Devolo dLan 500 AV Wired (not WiFi)

All devices have one and the same SSID.

All is working fine with all my four iPhones and iPad.

The iMacs are at a static location so they do not have to switch to other WiFi devices.

My wife's Macbookpro switches and locks to the strongest signal without problems.

My only problem is my macbook pro. It does not switch to my strongest signal (which is the Fritz!Box).

When I removes that spot or rename the access point SSID it does connect.

Strange? Yes I can not explain this behavior at all.

Apr 17, 2015 9:56 PM in response to DarranPotter

Hi DarranPotter,


It has sadly nothing to do with the wireless access, but with roaming handling in iOS which is clearly not the best one, and sometime (often), not logical.
First, roaming in wifi environment is managed by the phone for now (new roaming capability with 802.11k and 802.11r are possible with iOS device, but only few network vendor support it, as it need mainly a controller, and radio network knowledge to put them in place)


Second, iOS handling of roaming is specific to the iOS version, and the latest implementation, on iOS 8 is a little bit crappy : iOS 8: Wireless roaming reference for enterprise customers - Apple Support(https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203068)


Basically, by default, when an iOS device is connected to an access point, it won't disconnect until the signal is so bad, that it really cannot do anything (the threshold is - 70 dbm (when normally the logical approach on EVERY OTHERS EQUIPMENT IS - 67 dbm, why Apple is doing so : probably another developer test, and they found it cool, no real explanation).


So, what you see is that : your iOS device stay stuck on the same access point forever and ever even this is not the best access point, as Apple dev decide so ;-(


On top of if, there's another thing to consider, again, from Apple how iOS handle access point info
It doesn't only use the SSID, it use SSID + BSSID (Mac address of the access point) to "secure" a little bit more the connection How iOS decides which wireless network to auto-join - Apple Support(https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202831)

So, actually, the Devolo solution is not illogical, but still have some flown, and only certain vendors, as Cisco, Ubiquiti or Ariba are solving those issues on enterprise level.



If you want to solve this :

_ check in the wifi move configuration (Devolo cockpit), if you can have the same network (SSID) and the same BSSID (a virtual BSSID is possible normally as the mac address can be faked)
_ you need a little network planning, and simply see if it's possible to simply "reduce" the emission of the Wifi plugs, to have a proper handover.



Future is in roaming assisted network with 802.11k and 802.11r supported by iOS 8 iOS: Wi-Fi network roaming with 802.11k and 802.11r - Apple Support (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202628). but only enterprise solution for now are working, using a centralized controller to manage the roaming efficiently, and you can see some university in US are starting to implement it http://kb.mit.edu/confluence/display/istcontrib/iOS+roaming+on+MIT+wireless+netw orks, but this is at large scale enterprise level, not personal usage, and this is ... last December (dec 2014)



I hope it'll help, a it will help you to find your solution, but clearly the roaming implemented by Apple on iOS, especially iOS 8 is one of the worth ever for multiple Access Point
Take care and enjoy
Fabien







Apr 17, 2015 10:26 PM in response to hjmf1954

I can explain a little, as I explain, IOS and Mac OS X are not using the same roaming solution, and are not even storing the Access Point information in the same way ;-P


and before I forgot, if you don't have the BSSID identical, then you need to sign in to all the access point one by one, so it'll store the info SSID/BSSID/security info for each ofr them and roaming is possible, this is probably why you have this issue, and I suppose your installation hase an issue : you need to be sure your laptop connect to ALL the access point one by one Avoid giving your wireless network a common name (SSID) - Apple Support(https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201307), and store all the crendential at least one time ;-)



After, to optimize your connection, it seems your "radio" plan is working ;-)


as mentioned before, on iOS, especially, it's a fix logic without real empiric testing it seems, and is hard to manage except if you have a network assisted roaming (802.11k and 802.11r), as wifi roaming have been devoted to be a end point task, and not a network task (the opposite of your mobile phone, where this is network assisted task, the network help you and have capability to roam without network interruption, even calls or data interruption !)


on Mac OSX, this is different, and here is the solution to make your macbook "smarter" when connecting to the wifi and handling roaming
first, you have a tool to check how your mac is deciding the network and fallback

/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/A/Resources/airport


This tools, allow you to configure it's behavior, and check if first

admin$ sudo /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/A/Resources/air port en0 prefs

AirPort preferences for en0:


DisconnectOnLogout=NO

Unable to retrieve JoinMode

JoinModeFallback=DoNothing

RememberRecentNetworks=NO

RequireAdminIBSS=NO

RequireAdminNetworkChange=NO

RequireAdminPowerToggle=NO

WoWEnabled=YES

By default, here, on Yosemite, the JoinMode is not set, meaning, it use the default, which is "Ask"


prefs If specified with no key value pairs, displays a subset of AirPort preferences for

the specified interface.


Preferences may be configured using key=value syntax. Keys and possible values are specified below.

Boolean settings may be configured using 'YES' and 'NO'.


DisconnectOnLogout (Boolean)

JoinMode (String)

Automatic

Preferred

Ranked

Recent

Strongest

JoinModeFallback (String)

Prompt

JoinOpen

KeepLooking

DoNothing

RememberRecentNetworks (Boolean)

RequireAdmin (Boolean)

RequireAdminIBSS (Boolean)

RequireAdminNetworkChange (Boolean)

RequireAdminPowerToggle (Boolean)

WoWEnabled (Boolean)



So, to be sure the macbook is roaming properly, you need to :
_ have the access point accessed alreayd ont time (same SSID, BSSID and security would be perfect, if only SSID and security, this is good enough normally)
_ change the JoinMode and JoinModeFallback to the following settings :
_ JoinMode=Strongest
_ JoinModeFallBack=KeepLooking



it works actually well in a non assisted environment, enterprise wise (with more than 200 access point from Ubiquiti), so, you give it a try, and let me know if you behavior is the one expected, and you can try actually multiple combinaisons for the joinMode, as every environment, especially house, are different, and others "rogue" access point maybe causing issue to Mac OS X.


take care, have a great day
Fabien.



PS : if you need to check the quality and power of the different access point, you can simply press the wifi icon in the menu bar with the "alt" pressed, or use /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/Current/Resourc es/airport -s to have the listing of the wifi SSID and BSSID around.

multiple devolo dLAN 500 wifi with iOS devices

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