Pod SSID. Can it be differentiated from hub?

[weematt]

The bedroom pod uses the same SSID as the hub3 to identify its output. Seems logical for a self installing extender but it causes an issue. 

My phone stays connected to the weaker hub Wi-Fi when I go to the bedroom. I have to force a reconnection of the phone to get the pod output.

My phone has the connect to best Wi-Fi feature enabled but I suspect it is looking for a different SSID. Switching off and on the phone Wi-Fi gets me the better signal.

Can I relabel the pod output? That's what I did with the PLC booster before it expired and was replaced.

I would add that the performance of the pod is excellent and gives almost the same speed and signal as the hub3. 

[gary_dexter]

It needs to be “managed” by the hub unfortunately. 

Devices will choose to connect to whatever they deem to be the strongest signal giving device. As the pod also isn’t a true mesh system there’s no proper roaming standards setup. 

[weematt · Accepted solution]

Thanks. I imagined there would not be much chance of managing the pod. My phone is not automatically selecting the strongest signal, not even my guest SSID.

No big deal. Just switching Wi-Fi off then on sorts it. 

[BenMcr]

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@gary_dexter wrote:

As the pod also isn’t a true mesh system there’s no proper roaming standards setup. 

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Where have you read that the Pods aren't a true mesh system?

https://www.virginmedia.com/shop/broadband/intelligent-wifi-pods-existing-customer

Our super-smart Intelligent WiFi Plus service includes all-new WiFi Pods, which pack in next-level mesh WiFi for better coverage and faster speeds, all around the house.

[gary_dexter]

Let me rephrase - the pods may be mesh, but the hub is not a mesh-based hub so it doesn't offer roaming standards like you get in dedicated mesh routers and systems.

[BenMcr]

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@gary_dexter wrote:
Let me rephrase - the pods may be mesh, but the hub is not a mesh-based hub so it doesn't offer roaming standards like you get in dedicated mesh routers and systems.

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The Pods only work with the Hub 3 and 4 because those Hubs act as a 'gateway' Pod and have the firmware needed to manage the secondary Pods. So I don't see any reason why the Hub wouldn't act as part of the mesh system.

[gary_dexter]

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@BenMcr wrote:

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@gary_dexter wrote:
Let me rephrase - the pods may be mesh, but the hub is not a mesh-based hub so it doesn't offer roaming standards like you get in dedicated mesh routers and systems.

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The Pods only work with the Hub 3 and 4 because those Hubs act as a 'gateway' Pod and have the firmware needed to manage the secondary Pods. So I don't see any reason why the Hub wouldn't act as part of the mesh system.

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Because the hub doesn't have any true mesh roaming capabilities.

[BenMcr]

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@gary_dexter wrote:

Because the hub doesn't have any true mesh roaming capabilities.

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What are you seeing with your Pods that shows that the Hub doesn't?

To have the Pods working with the Hubs it needed them to have firmware updates to support the Pods. Why wouldn't that include the mesh roaming capabilities?

[Tudor]

Roaming is largely down to the receiving target machine, the sender does have some input, but very little.

[BaldrickBravo]

Some enterprise and SOHO WiFi access points have a feature for roaming, but as far as I can remember it amounts to disconnecting a client when their signal is weak. It should ideally be handled by the client because the client handles the smooth transition between APs without dropping frames.

It might be that the signal from the hub is still above the threshold relative to where the client decides it should roam. Or, that the differential between the hub's signal and the pod's signal isn't great enough. You could experiment with the distance between the hub and the pod to see if you get any improvement?

With a bit of give or take, you want the Hub's signal strength to be dropping to around -60dBm as the Pod's signal strength climbs to above -60dBM. If that doesn't quite trick the phone into behaving, then try -65dBm. Some say the magic figure is -67dBm but I find the WiFi gets a bit rubbish at that.. but I'm not in the best of environments.