Airport roaming equal SSID

Question

Airport roaming equal SSID

I have a question about roaming with my Airport Time Capsule and Airport Extreme (both 2013 models).

My cable modem (bridge mode) is connected to my Airport Time Capsule. The Airport Time Capsule (DHCP and NAT) is connected via ethernet to my Airport Extreme (bridge mode).

I have exactly set up the roaming as described in this article (Wi-Fi base stations: Setting up and configuring a roaming network (802.11 a/b/g/n) - Apple Support), but now I have 2 equal SSID's.

How can I change this into one SSID?

Airport Time Capsule 802.11ac

Posted on Jun 3, 2015 1:38 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 3, 2015 1:43 PM in response to apple_extremer

By equal SSID, I mean two equal SSID's showing when I want to select a Wifi network. 😕

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Answer 2

Bob Timmons

Level 10

186,056 points

Jun 3, 2015 3:10 PM in response to apple_extremer

In a roaming network, all routers use the same SSID, so you will only "see" one SSID no matter where your Mac might be located. The theory with a roaming network is that the Mac will automatically connect to the router with the strongest signal.

In practice, things do not always work as well as the theory might suggest. So, you if you suspect that your Mac is not connected to the closest router with the strongest signal......turn off the WiFi on the Mac for a few seconds, and then turn it back on. The Mac should.....in theory.....pick up the strongest signal.

If you want to be able to force the Mac to connect to a given AirPort router, the only way to accomplish that goal is assign separate SSIDs to each router and then "point" the Mac at the name of the network to which you want to connect.

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