How to find out which WiFi access point in a multi-access point environment

[Denbigh Gabbitas]

I think my thread title says it all. I cannot remember the commands (NETSH ???) in order to find out which WiFi access point I am connected to. I have 4 WiFi acess points in addition to the router WiFi. I want to be able to walk around the premises and be reassured that I none of the access points is being lazy and not connecting dynamically. All my stuff is Devolo.

 

[Allan10]

I think my thread title says it all. I cannot remember the commands (NETSH ???) in order to find out which WiFi access point I am connected to. I have 4 WiFi acess points in addition to the router WiFi. I want to be able to walk around the premises and be reassured that I none of the access points is being lazy and not connecting dynamically. All my stuff is Devolo.

Hi DenBigh,

Maybe I am missing something but I'll give it a shot. In a multi access point environment the routers all have to be configured so each has its own IP address and each DHCP range must also be unique so they can only serve out unique IPs to devices. Otherwise IP address conflicts would cripple the network .

The easiest way is for you to have knowledge of which Router has which IP address. If you have 5 routers, you would have to be able to identify 54 IP addresses as assigned to each router. It's really easier than I am able to explain as there will likely be subtle differences between the IP addresses, such that you might only have to remember a 3 digit sequence at most to identify each router. I am not sure how often you are reconnecting to a different router so that may be irrelevant.

maybe you were were thinking of: netsh interface ip show config

but all you really require is: ipconfig

Both are issued from a command prompt and both return the information you need. The default gateway assigned to your computer is the unique IP address of the router you are connected to at any given time.

Additionally If you type the gateway ip address into your browser, it should open up the connected router's setup pages which should identify the make, model, serial #, Mac Address of router to match to a sticker on its body somewhere. Although that would be a secondary step after getting the address from the ipconfig command.

Who setup the multi-router environment? That person can help you easily. If this is your environment and you had someone else set it up for you, and are still having trouble let us know.

cheers, allan

 

[Norton]

Do your networks not display in Settings. Network & Internet WiFi
Maybe this is what you are looking for?

https://www.geeksinphoenix.com/blog...reset-your-network-adapter-in-windows-10.aspx

Cheers!

 

[Trouble]

There are a few tools along with some physical devices that you can use to inspect and evaluate your wireless network, but....
IF all your APs have the same SSID then you might run into some issues actually distinguishing one from the other. You might set them to different channels which might help a little
http://www.inssider.com/index2.html?utm_expid=80366919-48.EXm_Di1OTXyL0SExmXAbBw.1
AND
http://www.netstumbler.com/downloads/

You may run into some client side issues as well, as most devices, won't auto fail over from one source that is weak to another source that is stronger until the initial signal source becomes untenable, without some user intervention.
Personally, I'd just start streaming a Netflix movie and stroll around the facility and see what happened.
I just recently discovered a rogue wireless router, hidden in the ceiling of a medical clinic, by walking around and watching my signal strength icon on my windows phone.
Might not be an elegant solution but might turn out to be a practical method of testing.

 

[Norton]

Trouble I like your way of thinking and practical methodology. Simplicity is usually the best method at resolving complex issues. I know an owner of an auto repair business that wondered why kids were hanging out outside his business when closed. Informed him to turn his (open) WiFi OFF when closing. The kids disappeared overnight LOL

 

[Tim Locke]

I am not familiar with Devolo. You have 5 WiFi APs and one router. Was this system originally set up for seamless connectivity? Is there a piece of software on the client from Devolo that looks after handoff when signal strength gets too low or does it rely on Windows Networking to do that.

 

[Trouble]

http://www.devolo.com/en/
Looks like the do a lot of wireless stuff, with what appears to be a focus on powerline adapters.
I never heard of them either. Actually I thought that, that was what he was using as his SSID

 

[Tim Locke]

I went and looked at their site. They do say that their stuff should provide seamless WiFi which implies exactly 1 SSID and 1 DHCP range (and the equivalent IPV6 setup) What I don't know is if Windows is clever about switching APs or whether Devolo inserts a shim into the IP stack to help with that.

(It has be 10 years since I retired and back then I had a network guy to do that stuff AND in theory we were not allowed to use WiFi in the office without high priced Cisco gear)

 

[Trouble]

What I don't know is if Windows is clever about switching APs

IDK either and I really don't have the facility to test it.
Practically speaking there is very little need, in a typical home implementation, where you find people wandering around often with the laptop. More often you plop yourself down in the kitchen or living room or outside on the deck and remain relatively stationary. IN the case of medical buildings or warehouses where they have rolling laptop carts or folks with tablets the will generally employ, as you said, some rather expensive enterprise level equipment to faciltate calibrating anttenuation and such to prevent people on the street from attempting to hack their facility wifi.

I think rather than scattering a bunch of access points around the home, I'd invest in one kickass AC router
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-ac...cfa&ksprof_id=10&ksaffcode=pg47254&ksdevice=c
AND see what that gave me in terms of performance on the edges and then revisit the AP question.

It's all going to boil down to the physical area and the construction materials involved (what the building, walls and floors are made of).
I have a fairly modest two story home, something around a couple thousand square feet and have
https://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-AC19...0795&sr=8-1&keywords=tp-link+archer+c9+ac1900
That tucked near a corner, against a wall, of my finished downstairs family room. Never had a problem with visiting grandkids or children with phones, tablets and laptops connecting from anywhere in the house to that router, but..... the house is 75% stick and only a few courses of block exterior wall on the bottom level.

 

[Tim Locke]

My house is smaller than yours so I don't need fancy gear but my Dlink 868 only just gets to the far corner of my basement. When the time comes I'll look at Ubiquiti gear for Wifi and a separate router.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015...prise-unifi-gear-and-weve-got-some-to-review/

 

[Norton]

I have a 2 Wire ( Tim Bell Fibe10) modem/router, 2 story brick home 2300 ft.sq no problems with signal strength as far away as the basement. I even have good signal strength out in the front or back garden areas.

 

[Denbigh Gabbitas]

Develop are way ahead the leading power line adapters. Our 5-story foot-thick walls are the 'why's of it.
Everything works in principle, but it is difficult to be sure that seamless switching is occurring if I can't ID which adaptor I am connected to at any given moment.
I have now all sorts of info which I am not sure addresses my question. Allan's advice applies to routers unfortunately. The adaptors all have to be same AP and password. Ping for example is passed along with no ref to intermediate adaptors as is netsh.

 

[Denbigh Gabbitas]

Oh, did not address some questions. I set up the system if set up is not too grand a description.
One plugs the new WiFi adaptor into the mains socket, press a button and wait a couple of minutes for the thing to get admitted on the nd. Stitch an rj45 into the socket and enter the access I'd and password plus channel.

 

[Norton]

From your last post, I gather you are located in the UK. If so, all receptacle power mains circuits are connected via what is called a Ring Main. You may require a devlo dLan adapter in each room, as each area will most likely be on separate ring circuits? If so, you would be picking up weak stray WiFi signals.

 

[Denbigh Gabbitas]

Thanks Norton but I dont have any problems Btw I live in France, my AP's work fine but I want to know if each and every one is operating to give the smoothest transition room to room.

 

[Norton]

Thanks Norton but I dont have any problems Btw I live in France, my AP's work fine but I want to know if each and every one is operating to give the smoothest transition room to room.

I'm not familiar enough with your system, I don't see why Troubles method of checking signal strength wouldn't work. That is, walking around with a mobile phone and checking signal strength.

http://www.devolo.co.uk/fileadmin/u...cuments/Manual-dLAN-Wireless-extender-com.pdf

 

[Denbigh Gabbitas]

>Norton, sorry, I am not at all sure what you are saying. I note that you do not have any need for these repeaters in your house, that's fine, but it seems to disable your understanding of the problem I am quite able to see signal strength from all the adapters by wandering around with a tablet running WiFi analyser, but that tells me static information only, not the dynamic information about connectivity - it is like walking around finding out what TV signals are present, but not what TVs are switched on (not a perfect analogy).

I am unlikely to reply to any more contributions from those who are not actually experienced in this particular field - anyone can give their best guess based on intuition, but I actually want to know how I can detect WHICH of the adapters is reacting with my computer at any one moment - I am sure that there are commands, but I was being excessively lazy and hoped someone would simply KNOW which commands would do the trick. Unfortunately simple tools like NETSH, ipconfig are unaware of anything between a connected device and the router. As for Devolo Cockpit, I might be able to do it with a struggle, but it is very cumbersome. Hence why I put it on the NETWORKING part of this forum, rather than a general question.

Thanks for at least trying to give advise.

 

[Norton]

Denbigh Gabbitas All of the responses thus far have been helpful.
Develo Cockpit will perform the task you request. If you find Cockpit a struggle then please give Develo a call and maybe they will do it for you.

Anything I post is meant to be informative or amusing, I never pick fights with ghosts.

 

[Denbigh Gabbitas]

Norton - no, they haven't - I am sure the intent is honourable, but the fact is that almost all have not understood the question and are just throwing out suggestions based on general but not specific knowledge.
For example, your last, a clear effort at put-down of some stupid amateur by a superior body. You do not have experience of these devices and you seize on my statement that Cockpit will do the job to bounce it back as if well informed. However, with Cockpit I will have a very tedious job involving a computer by the server, which is of course static, and another making a number of connections.
One thing is sure, I wish I had never asked the question here. Goodbye Mr Norton.