buckster

Q: Roaming - Apple Airport WAPs with 3rd Party WAPs

Hi,

 

I have 10 of Airport Extreme and Express models around the building.

 

They are all hardwired to ethernet. They use the same SSID and password, so users can roam seemlessly aorund the building without losing a wifi connection.

 

I need to add another WAP in an area that does not have power, only power-over-ethernet. Apple no longer sells POE Airports.

 

If I use a 3rd party POE WAP with the same SSID and password, will the users have the same seemless roaming experience when roaming from Apple WAP to 3rd party WAP?

 

Thanks,

 

b.

OS X Yosemite (10.10), null

Posted on Aug 26, 2016 11:42 AM

Close

Q: Roaming - Apple Airport WAPs with 3rd Party WAPs

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Aug 26, 2016 11:56 AM in response to buckster
    Level 10 (104,968 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 26, 2016 11:56 AM in response to buckster

    If I use a 3rd party POE WAP with the same SSID and password, will the users have the same seemless roaming experience when roaming from Apple WAP to 3rd party WAP?

    In theory, yes.  Be sure that you use the exact same SSID, exact same wireless security setting, and exact same password that the other access points are using.

     

    In practice, wireless devices do not always roam as well as the theory suggests.  Macs will usually do a nice job of automatically switching quickly from one access point to another as they move from one area to another in a roaming setup, but most mobile devices.....like iPhones and iPads.....do not generally do this as well as the Macs. Same for most PCs.

     

    For example, I have 3 AirPorts set up here in a roaming type configuration. If I walk my Mac laptop from one end of the house to the other, the Mac will usually automatically switch over and pick up the signal from the closest access point.

     

    If I do the same thing with an iPhone or iPad, the iOS device will usually stay connected to the original access point, even if it moves quite close to another access point. After 5-10 minutes, the iOS might switch over, and might not.